Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2024"
Now showing 1 - 10 of 964
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Comparative analysis of anatomical characteristics and phenolic compounds of two highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars with different rooting ability of semi-hardwood cuttingsPublication . Santos-Rufo, Antonio; Rodríguez Solana, Raquel; Fernández-Recamales, M. Ángeles; Sayago-Gómez, Ana; Weiland-Ardaiz, Carlos M.There is no information on morphological, anatomical or phenolic concentration differences between blueberry cultivars that could be related to the differential rooting responses. In the present work, such differences were evaluated comparing the rooting zones of cuttings from two blueberry cultivars ('Jewel' and 'Violeta' with 4n and 2n ploidy level, respectively). The parameters were measured during 150 days of rooting (rooting day after cutting insertion; RAI) at 30-day interval after treatment with 3 g/L of IBA. Stem length, stem diameter and number of leaves and buds were measured and tissue sections from cuttings were stained to measure tissue thickness. Also, the total phenolic content (TPC) by Folin-Ciocalteu method and the phenolic profile by liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detection were also evaluated in rooting zones. 'Jewel' rooted earlier and in higher percentage than 'Violeta'. ANOVA showed that phenolic compounds, in a higher extent, and some morphological and anatomical parameters, in a lower extent, had a positive effect on rooting capacity. In both blueberry cultivars, the cuttings with the highest phenolic content presented an early rooting capacity. The multivariate analyses allowed us to corroborate these results. FiPLS selected common variables (coumaric acid and stem diameter) and specific variables depending on the cultivar (gallic acid, stem length and number of leaves for 'Jewel'; and, vanillic acid, rutin, and cortex thickness for 'Violeta'). PCA allowed to group the 'Violeta' samples (unrooted and rooted at 60, 90, 120 and 150 RAI) in compact homogeneous clusters with an adequate explanation rate (44.7 %). From all parameters, stem diameter seems to be inversely related, and cortex thickness and p-coumaric acid and rutin seems to be positively related to the earliest rooting day after insertion (RAI 60), while the largest the stem, the earlier the rooting. In future works, more cultivars and other parameters and phenolic compounds that can induce the rooting in cuttings, including their evolution over time, should be investigated.
- Revising the oldest oldowan: updated optimal linear estimation models and the impact of Nyayanga (Kenya)Publication . Key, Alastair; Proffitt, TomosThe Oldowan lithic industry represents the earliest known evidence of efficiently and expeditiously produced flake stone tools (Toth, 1985; Braun et al., 2019; Reti, 2016; Stout et al., 2019). Complex technological strategies were employed to produce these artefacts compared to earlier hominin stone tools, and potential organic tool-use behaviors inferred via parsimony with non-human primates (Braun et al., 2019; Boesch et al., 2020; Delagnes and Roche, 2005; Gürbüz and Lycett, 2021; Harmand et al., 2015; Lombard et al., 2018; Plummer et al., 2023; Proffitt et al., 2023a, 2023b; Stout et al., 2010; Toth and Schick, 2009). Consequently, the emergence of the Oldowan can still (cf. Leakey, 1971) be argued to reflect a behavioral and evolutionary shift within the hominin lineage, although the nature and species-associations of any changes have become less clear in recent years (Bobe and Wood, 2021; Braun et al., 2019; Hovers, 2012; Lewis and Harmand, 2016; Plummer et al., 2023). Nyayanga, located in the Homa Peninsula of Kenya, has recently emerged as an important archaeological and paleontological site yielding evidence of Oldowan stone tools and butchered fauna dating to between 2.595 and 3.032 Ma (Plummer et al., 2023). These findings not only represent the earliest currently known occurrences of the Oldowan but also greatly expand our understanding of its early geographic distribution. Further, some lithics at Nyayanga were found alongside Paranthropus molars, challenging prevailing assumptions regarding Oldowan species-associations and providing a rare instance of Early Stone Age (ESA) hominin fossil and lithic remains in close association. The co-occurrence of cut marked fauna and flakes, including those excavated in direct contact with hippopotamid remains, further distin guishes Nyayanga as an exceptional ESA occurrence extending hominin dietary and technological behaviors “similar to other Oldowan assem blages” into the Pliocene (Plummer et al., 2023: 563).
- A profissão farmacêuticaPublication . Conceição, Jaime; Ramalhinho, Isabel; Barata, PedroNo ano letivo 2021/2022 decorreu o “Ciclo de Seminários sobre a Profissão Farmacêutica” na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade do Algarve. Tratou-se de uma organização conjunta dos regentes das unidades curriculares “História e Sociologia da Farmácia” (1.° ano) e “Deontologia e Legislação Farmacêutica” (4.° ano) do Mestrado Integrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Devido à elevada aceitação da iniciativa, decidimos efetuar esta publicação, alargando as áreas de atividade da Profissão Farmacêutica e contando com a participação de reputados profissionais, aos quais estamos profundamente gratos. Com este livro, pretendemos contribuir para uma maior divulgação da Profissão Farmacêutica, homenagear todos os Farmacêuticos que desempenharam um papel relevante, e motivar as gerações futuras no apoio à evolução e ao desenvolvimento da Profissão, mantendo os mais elevados princípios éticos, morais, jurídicos e deontológicos em prol do cidadão em geral e do doente em particular. Salienta-se que esta obra foi elaborada durante um período em que ocorreram profundas alterações legais em Portugal, no âmbito da organização e funcionamento das Ordens Profissionais, na redação que lhe foi dada pela Lei n.º 12/2023, de 28 de março, e da abrangência do Ato Farmacêutico, adequando-o ao disposto na Lei n.º 74/2023, de 18 de dezembro, com vigência a partir de 1 de março de 2024. Concluímos, desejando que este tratado proporcione uma reflexão sobre a identidade e desenvolvimento da Profissão Farmacêutica.
- eDNA metabarcoding reveals a rich but threatened and declining elasmobranch community in West Africa’s largest marine protected area, the Banc d’ArguinPublication . de la Hoz Schilling, Carolina; Jabado, Rima W.; Veríssimo, Ana; Caminiti, Luca; Sidina, Ebaye; Gandega, Cheikhna Yero; Serrao, EsterElasmobranchs (sharks and rays) are the most threatened marine vertebrates, particularly in tropical and subtropical areas. Their population status is often poorly understood due to insufficient information. Despite reportedly harbouring critical elasmobranch habitats, the Banc d'Arguin National Park (PNBA) in Mauritania lacks comprehensive and updated information on the diversity of elasmobranch species in the area. We developed a baseline inventory based on morphological and molecular identification and metabarcoding. DNA barcoding of tissue samples from elasmobranch processing sites and freshly sampled specimens was used to build a genetic reference database of local elasmobranch species. The richness and diversity of species in the PNBA were described via metabarcoding of seawater eDNA samples using an elasmobranch-specific assay and our reference database. We detected 27 species, including 12 new species records for the PNBA. We further uncover potentially undescribed species of Gymnura and Torpedo, while taxonomic corrections are noted for previously reported species. In particular, the reportedly abundant Mustelus mustelus was absent from tissue and eDNA samples, while M. punctulatus was detected instead. Taxa that have anecdotally become regionally extinct or rare (e.g., sawfishes, wedgefishes, lemon sharks) were not detected, highlighting local species diversity shifts within the last few decades. Results show that 67.9% of elasmobranch species in the PNBA are threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This study emphasises the importance of taxonomic identification in support of species management and provides a baseline to inform future studies and conservation measures to avoid further species losses.
- Reproductive traits of the African mud crab (Panopeus africanus) on the South Portuguese coastPublication . N. Monteiro, J.; Ovelheiro, Andreia; Pinto, Miguel; Teodosio, Maria; Leitão, FranciscoSpecies with high economic relevance are widely studied in contrast with low economic relevance species such as Panopeus africanus, a small crab with a wide distribution along the eastern Atlantic coast, which remains poorly studied in regarding to the biological and ecological issues. Knowledge of reproductive patterns is essential to understand populations dynamics and species biological life-cycle traits. The main objective of the present research was to study the reproductive patterns of P. africanus. The population size structure, maturation stages and gametogenic development aspect, size at maturation, reproductive periods and morphometric-fecundity relationships of P. africanus in the southern Portuguese coast (Ria Formosa) was analysed. Crabs were sampled monthly, from January 2019 to December 2021, with traps and hand collected. The crab's carapace width (CW) ranged between 7 to 52 mm, and it was observed that in smaller and larger CW size classes, the proportion of males was higher, however in intermediate CW size classes the sex ratio was near 1:1. The gonads development was characterized based on histological analysis. Males presented four maturity developmental stages where two stages were immature and two were mature. Females presented six maturity developmental stages, where two stages were immature, and four stages were mature. Regardless of sex, the mean maturity size was 20 mm CW. A high percentage of mature individuals was observed throughout the year however, in the colder months the percentage of mature individuals was lower. Additionally, ovigerous females were only observed in the warmer months, pointing to a short breeding period occurring in the warmer months. Fecundity ranged between 12368 and 84140 eggs/female, following a positive correlation between CW/egg number. These novel results allowed to shed light on reproductive patterns of P. africanus population inhabiting the southern Portuguese coast, contributing also to a better understanding of the basic reproductive biology of this crab populations.
- A new challenge in accounting education: convergence of maturity model, education and evaluation in accountingPublication . Arianpoor, Arash; Abdollahi, AhmadPurposeThe purpose of this study is to propose a framework for the convergence of maturity model and education and evaluation in accounting.Design/methodology/approachThe present research was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, to determine the indicators of convergence of the maturity model and education and evaluation in accounting, a Meta-Synthesis method was used. The conceptual model includes two dimensions of "Teaching and learning processes" and "Evaluation methods"; five levels of initial, repeatable, defined, managed and optimized; and a total number of 35 indicators. In the second phase, a questionnaire was developed, and academics as accounting faculty members in Iranian public universities were employed to fill out the questionnaire electronically and present a final framework. Having received the questionnaires, 66 questionnaires were analyzed statistically.FindingsThe results showed that the two dimensions of "Teaching and learning processes" and "Evaluation methods" considering initial, repeatable, defined, managed and optimized levels include 35 indicators, which form a framework for the convergence of maturity model and education and evaluation in accounting. The results show that both dimensions have positive and significant regression path coefficients in the convergence model. Moreover, the dimension of teaching and learning processes has the highest regression path coefficient indicating a greater impact on the convergence model. Besides, all five levels have positive and significant regression path coefficients with dimensions. Finally, in this study, all indicators were prioritized according to five levels.Originality/valueDue to the success of maturity models and the urgent developments that require transformative improvements in accounting education, maturity models can respond to the challenges associated with education and learning in accounting. Thus, conceiving an image of the convergence of maturity model, education and evaluation in accounting seems imperative which has been scarcely investigated previously.
- Impact of the use of cryoprotectants in the production of freeze-dried soluble coffee from cold brew arabica coffeePublication . Barroso, Livia Alves; Viegas, Cláudia; Stančiauskaitė, Monika; Macedo, Ana S.; Lemos, Iara Lopes; da Costa, Joyce Maria Gomes; Schmiele, Marcio; da Silveira, João Vinícios Wirbitzki; Brandão, Pedro; Amaral, Tatiana Nunes; Fonte, PedroCold brew is a method of coffee extraction that uses low temperature, preserving the volatile compounds of coffee. Freeze-drying allows the preservation of coffee features and nutritional value. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different cryoprotectants in cold brew extracts as a basis for freeze-dried coffee production. Thus, the Coffea arabica extracts and the soluble coffee were characterized concerning caffeine content, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic compounds, and antimicrobial activity to verify the potential of this method. The extracts did not show antimicrobial activity with a high soluble solid content. It was observed that the cold extraction methods were efficient regarding the caffeine content, antioxidant capacity, and total phenolic compounds. Freeze-dried coffees also did not show antimicrobial activity, and they maintained the water and humidity activity standards. In general, cryoprotectants displayed an unfavorable influence on the extract and freeze-dried coffee in the analyses performed. The coffee extract without cryoprotectants had a higher antioxidant capacity (88.12%) and content of phenolic compounds (7.74 mg AG/mL of the coffee extract). Only for the analyses of soluble solids, the cryoprotectants mannitol and fructose showed promising results (14.03 degrees Brix, 14.40 degrees Brix, 11.33 degrees Brix, respectively). Thus, for the analyses conducted, the cryoprotectants did not lead to significant advantages for this process.
- Divergence and gene flow history at two large chromosomal inversions underlying ecotype differentiation in the long‐snouted seahorsePublication . Meyer, Laura; Barry, Pierre; Riquet, Florentine; Foote, Andrew; Der Sarkissian, Clio; Cunha, Regina L.; Arbiol, Christine; Cerqueira, Frédérique; Desmarais, Erick; Bordes, Anaïs; Bierne, Nicolas; Guinand, Bruno; Gagnaire, Pierre‐AlexandreChromosomal inversions can play an important role in divergence and reproductive isolation by building and maintaining distinct allelic combinations between evolutionary lineages. Alternatively, they can take the form of balanced polymorphisms that segregate within populations until one arrangement becomes fixed. Many questions remain about how inversion polymorphisms arise, how they are maintained over the long term, and ultimately, whether and how they contribute to speciation. The long-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus) is genetically subdivided into geographic lineages and marine-lagoon ecotypes, with shared structural variation underlying lineage and ecotype divergence. Here, we aim to characterize structural variants and to reconstruct their history and suspected role in ecotype formation. We generated a near chromosome-level genome assembly and described genome-wide patterns of diversity and divergence through the analysis of 112 whole-genome sequences from Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Black Sea populations. By also analysing linked-read sequencing data, we found evidence for two chromosomal inversions that were several megabases in length and showed contrasting allele frequency patterns between lineages and ecotypes across the species range. We reveal that these inversions represent ancient intraspecific polymorphisms, one likely being maintained by divergent selection and the other by pseudo-overdominance. A possible selective coupling between the two inversions was further supported by the absence of specific haplotype combinations and a putative functional interaction between the two inversions in reproduction. Lastly, we detected gene flux eroding divergence between inverted alleles at varying levels for the two inversions, with a likely impact on their dynamics and contribution to divergence and speciation.
- Assessing medication use patterns by clinical outcomes severity among inpatients with COVID-19: a retrospective drug utilization studyPublication . Ferreira-da-Silva, Renato; Maranhão, Priscila; Dias, Cláudia Camila; Alves, João Miguel; Pires, Ligia; Morato, Manuela; Polónia, Jorge Junqueira; Ribeiro-Vaz, InêsPurpose: This study assessed medication patterns for inpatients at a central hospital in Portugal and explored their relationships with clinical outcomes in COVID-19 cases. Methods: A retrospective study analyzed inpatient medication data, coded using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system, from electronic patient records. It investigated the association between medications and clinical severity outcomes such as ICU admissions, respiratory/circulatory support needs, and hospital discharge status, including mortality (identified by ICD-10-CM/PCS codes). Multivariate analyses incorporating demographic data and comorbidities were used to adjust for potential confounders and understand the impact of medication patterns on disease progression and outcomes. Results: The analysis of 2688 hospitalized COVID-19 patients (55.3% male, average age 62.8 years) revealed a significant correlation between medication types and intensity and disease severity. Cases requiring ICU admission or ECMO support often involved blood and blood-forming organ drugs. Increased use of nervous system and genitourinary hormones was observed in nonsurvivors. Corticosteroids, like dexamethasone, were common in critically ill patients, while tocilizumab was used in ECMO cases. Medications for the alimentary tract, metabolism, and cardiovascular system, although widely prescribed, were linked to more severe cases. Invasive mechanical ventilation correlated with higher usage of systemic anti-infectives and musculoskeletal medications. Trends in co-prescribing blood-forming drugs with those for acid-related disorders, analgesics, and antibacterials were associated with intensive interventions and worse outcomes. Conclusions: The study highlights complex medication regimens in managing severe COVID-19, underscoring specific drug patterns associated with critical health outcomes. Further research is needed to explore these patterns.
- A global dataset of demosponge distribution recordsPublication . Vafeiadou, Ariadni; Fragkopoulou, Eliza; Assis, JorgeBiodiversity information in the form of species occurrence records is key for monitoring and predicting current and fu- ture biodiversity patterns, as well as for guiding conserva- tion and management strategies. However, the reliability and accuracy of this information are frequently undermined by taxonomic and spatial errors. Additionally, biodiversity in- formation facilities often share data in diverse incompatible formats, precluding seamless integration and interoperabil- ity. We provide a comprehensive quality-controlled dataset of occurrence records of the Class Demospongiae, which comprises 81% of the entire Porifera phylum. Demosponges are ecologically significant as they structure rich habitats and play a key role in nutrient cycling within marine ben- thic communities. The dataset aggregates occurrence records from multiple sources, employs dereplication and taxonomic curation techniques, and is flagged for potentially incorrect records based on expert knowledge regarding each species’ bathymetric and geographic distributions. It yields 417,626 records of 1,816 accepted demosponge species (of which 321,660 records of 1,495 species are flagged as potentially correct), which are provided under the FAIR principle of Find- ability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability in the Darwin Core Standard. This dataset constitutes the most up- to-date baseline for studying demosponge diversity at the global scale, enabling researchers to examine biodiversity patterns (e.g., species richness and endemicity), and forecast