Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2026-01"
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- Stunning and slaughter methods in gilthead seabream: animal welfare and muscle qualityPublication . Cabrera-Álvarez, María José; Soares, Sónia Marina António; Nuñez Velazquez, Samira; Anibal, Jaime; Esteves, Eduardo; Costa, Rita; Guerreiro, Pedro Miguel; Pousão-Ferreira, Pedro; Arechavala-López, Pablo; Saraiva, JoãoEuropean Union directives and international guidelines emphasise the need for humane slaughter practices, with particular attention to the proper stunning of fish prior to slaughter. This study investigates the impact of various combinations of stunning and slaughter methods on the welfare of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), a widely farmed species in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. Specifically, the study explores electrical stunning, anaesthesia, and no stunning, followed by slaughter using either ice-slurry or the ikejime (hand-held spike tool) technique. Fish were monitored for visual signs of consciousness, heart rate, internal temperature, plasma stress and osmotic parameters, and muscle quality parameters. The findings revealed that electrical stunning, although inducing brief unconsciousness, did not sustain it long enough to be effectively combined with ice-slurry, resulting in stress responses and muscle quality parameters comparable to those observed in unstunned fish. In contrast, anaesthesia effectively reduced stress and improved meat quality. The ikejime technique, despite its labour-intensive nature, demonstrated significant advantages, including reduced physiological stress and superior muscle quality outcomes. These results suggest that the viability of electrical stunning as a humane option for industry implementation has important limitations, while ikejime, with further refinement and automation, could offer a humane and effective solution to optimise both animal welfare and meat quality in industrial settings.
- Waves of innovation: the role of sustainability in driving impact in the blue economy – a PLS-SEM approachPublication . Elston, Jennifer Nicole; Pinto, Hugo; Nogueira, CarlaThe Blue Economy, with its emphasis on ocean-based industries, is critical for achieving sustainable development. This study investigates the intricate relationship between sustainability, innovation, and their economic, environmental, and social impacts within Portugal’s Blue Economy. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships between sustainability, innovation, and triple bottom line (TBL) outcomes based on survey data from firms operating in the sector. The findings confirm that innovation acts as both a direct outcome of sustainability efforts and a mechanism for mediating its impacts on economic and environmental performance. However, no significant direct or mediating effects were observed for social outcomes, highlighting a persistent gap in this dimension that requires further research. The study contributes to both theory and practice by highlighting the strategic integration of sustainability into organizational innovation processes and its role in enhancing multidimensional performance. By identifying critical pathways and barriers, this study offers valuable guidance for policymakers and industry leaders striving to enhance the long-term sustainability of the Blue Economy.
- Building resilience in tourism firms: evidence from COVID-19Publication . Jesus, Carina; Serra Coelho, Luís Miguel; Ramos, CeliaMultiple factors determine tourism companies' capacity to resist and overcome disruptive events, such as pandemics or wars. This paper investigates this issue using a sensitivity index and finds that reductions in human capital, bigger size, and higher past profitability diminish resilience, while higher leverage and capital intensity strengthen it. Our findings further suggest that these effects differ across countries and underscore the negative consequences of Eurozone membership. This paper broadens our understanding of how companies can improve their resilience, providing valuable insights for future preparedness strategies for tourism firms and policymakers.
- Movement patterns and connectivity of argyrosomus regius along the southwest coast of Portugal using network analysisPublication . Fanna, Samuele; Gandra, Miguel; Kraft, Sebastian; Martínez Ramírez, Lucas; Vilas, Cesar; Winkler, Alexander; Abecasis, DavidThe meagre (Argyrosomus regius) is a large teleost inhabiting the coastal waters of the East Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Along the Iberian Peninsula, it is frequently targeted by both commercial and recreational fisheries. Despite its relevance, information on its population structure and movement ecology has been scarce until recently. While these studies have provided a foundation, information on the main migratory corridors along the coast is still missing. The current study aimed to identify primary migratory routes, aggregations, and residency sites along the Southwest coast of Portugal. Forty-nine adult meagres were captured and tagged with acoustic transmitters between 2018 and 2023. Their movement was monitored from 122 acoustic receivers, grouped into 25 arrays, which were deployed throughout the Gulf of C´adiz and along the Southwest coast of Portugal. A spatial network approach was applied to analyse these data. The locations near the tagging site and along the Southwest coast displayed high values of eigenvector and betweenness centralities, indicating their crucial role in facilitating the connectivity of adult meagre between the two regions. Furthermore, co-occurrences outside the spawning season highlight their role as potential feeding grounds. The number of detections and co-occurrences near the Guadiana Estuary provides further evidence that the location may serve as a spawning ground, although additional data are needed to confirm this. Our findings expand previous research, identifying key passages and aggregation sites for meagre along the coast. These results can inform management and conservation efforts, particularly in the context of marine spatial planning.
- Aligning socio-economic and governance criteria to support better integration marine spatial planning, marine protected areas and other conservation approachesPublication . Pegorelli, Camila; Sanabria, Javier García; Andres, Maria de; Onetti, Javier Garcia; Lees, Liisi; Calado, Helena; Gutierrez, DéboraConnecting Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), which adopts a broader management approach, with Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which focus on environmental conservation, is essential to ensure coherence between these instruments operating within the same marine space. To achieve this, a set of criteria encompassing socioeconomic and governance dimensions was analyzed. However, there is often a lack of comprehensive knowledge regarding these aspects, which could support the design, implementation and monitoring of MSP and MPAs. Addressing this gap, this research aims to develop and provide criteria to support managers/policy makers in integrating MSP and MPA processes within marine planning frameworks. The methodology is structured around three steps: (1) screening and grouping of key socio-economic and governance criteria derived from relevant policy documents; (2) expert evaluation of their relevance to MSP and MPAs; and (3) correlation analysis to explore the relationships between criteria prioritization across different types of spatial management, and to identify trends, therefore potential synergies/opportunities. The results show a different correlation between MSP and different types of MPAs, suggesting that tailored approaches may be required to address the conservation targets within the scope of MSP. More specifically, there is a moderate negative correlation, in terms of socioeconomic criteria, between MSP and strict MPA, that is not observed between MSP and multiple-use MPAs. Although implemented on different scales, marine planning tools can work together to achieve their objectives if tailored to the specific socioeconomic dimension of the territory, with governance aspects such as adaptive management and stakeholder engagement serving as key elements in both processes. By framing ecosystems as social-ecological systems, the study demonstrates that socio-economic criteria can act as a bridge between sustainable development and conservation, therefore supporting the development of the Ocean European Pact and the revision of the MSP Directive.
- Enhanced functional data retrieval from palaeolithic stone tools by lipid analysisPublication . Davara, Javier; Hernández, Cristo M.; Carrizo, Daniel; Herrera-Herrera, Antonio V.; Iriarte, Eneko; Mallol, CarolinaDespite the great potential of lipid biomarkers in archaeological science, their analysis in stone tools has been overlooked. The lipid retention capacity of Palaeolithic stone tools, along with the potential utility of the biomarkers they may harbour as a functional proxy, remains largely unknown. Here, we extracted lipid biomarkers from flint flakes and limestone pebbles from the Middle Palaeolithic site of El Salt (SE Spain) and analysed them using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). Adjacent sediments were also analysed for comparison. We provide evidence that Palaeolithic stone tools preserve a diverse array of lipid biomarkers including fatty acids, n-alkanols, sterols and terpenoids, the analysis of which allowed us to determine whether the tools were used and/or hafted. The isotopic characterization of individual fatty acids preserved on tools’ working edges enabled us to identify lithic residues as fats resulting from the processing of ruminant animal species, or as lipids from non-ruminant animal and/or plant taxa. This introduces into functional studies a novel approach that adds taxonomic resolution and complements current techniques such as use-wear and micro-residue analyses. Our findings highlight the remarkable preservation potential of biomolecular remains within the Palaeolithic record and underscore the importance of exploring them in different kinds of materials and contexts.
- A review of research into lifestyle mobilities and digital nomadismPublication . Cohen, Scott; Hannonen, OlgaLifestyle mobilities refers to ways of life oriented around ongoing geographic mobility. This article first provides a history of lifestyle mobilities and how it is analytically distinct. We turn to the state-of-the-art in lifestyle mobilities research through a focus on digital nomadism. Our emphasis is on lifestyle mobilities’ relevance for tourism, its infrastructure and politicisation – via geopolitics, geoarbitrage and gentrification, and the need for greater research diversity. We map a future research agenda centred on tensions of transitioning out, precarity and emplacement. The article also launches the Annals of Tourism Research Curated Collection on lifestyle mobilities. The Collection contains all past articles published in Annals of Tourism Research on the topic, and continues to grow as new articles are added.
- Assessing the impact of different feedback mechanisms on suture skills acquisition: a mixed methods study using phenomenological and quantitative analysisPublication . Gonçalves, Nuno Silva; Collares, Carlos; Pêgo, José MiguelBACKGROUND: Even though suture skills are recognized as important for medical graduates, they are often underdeveloped due to reduced surgical exposure, limited feedback opportunities, and constraints on teaching resources. While various feedback strategies exist to support skill acquisition, comparative evidence on their effectiveness from the learner’s perspective is limited. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of 3 feedback modalities: video review alone, video review with structured self-assessment, and video review with expert feedback, on the acquisition of basic suture skills among medical students, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. METHODS: Sixty-eight students were randomly assigned to 3 feedback groups (A: video only, B: video + structured self-assessment, and C: video + expert feedback). Each performed a basic suture task (Part A), received group-specific feedback, and repeated the task (Part B). Performances were video-recorded and rated by blinded assessors using a 15-item checklist and a global score. Additionally, thirteen participants from group C completed semi-structured interviews on their feedback experience. RESULTS: The mean global score rose from 3.24 to 3.52 in Group A, 3.46 to 3.63 in Group B, and 3.51 to 3.76 in Group C. ANOVA showed no significant differences between groups (F(2,65) = 0.669, p = 0.516, hp2 = 0.020). Qualitative findings indicated that expert feedback, particularly when combined with video review, significantly enhanced motivation, confidence, and clarity. Group C participants described shifting from “fear of performing sutures” to “confidence,” attributing this to the personalized, emotionally supportive feedback. CONCLUSION: Although performance outcomes were similar across feedback types, expert feedback offered unique emotional and cognitive benefits. These findings support the integration of structured, learner-centered feedback in surgical training, combining scalability with pedagogical value.
- Bioremediation of drainwater from soilless cultivation by Tetradesmus obliquus and Raphidonema monicae: growth performance and biochemical composition from lab to industrial scalePublication . Maia, Inês Beatriz; Pinto, Bruno; Carneiro, Mariana; Konucu, Merve; Schulze, Peter S.C.; Santos, Tamara; Rodrigues, Alexandre M.C.; Esteves Lopes Navalho, João Carlos; Costa, Monya; Pereira, Hugo; Varela, JoãoTo meet the demands of the growing population, agricultural practices have been increasing and putting a strain on land and freshwater usage. Soilless agriculture has emerged as a more sustainable practice to mitigate this issue but still generates nutrient-rich drainwater that can harm the environment if not properly managed. In this context, this study explores a circular economy approach to reuse the drainwater of soilless farming as a culture medium for microalgae production. For this, the growth performance of four strains, Chlorella sp., Nannochloropsis limnetica, Raphidonema monicae and Tetradesmus obliquus, was assessed using drainwater under summer and winter conditions at lab-scale. Based on productivity, protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) contents, T. obliquus and R. monicae were selected for comparison in pilot-scale flat-panel photobioreactors (FP-PBR) and raceway ponds (RW). T. obliquus presented significantly higher growth in FP-PBR (0.11 g L-1 d(-1)) compared to RW (0.09 g L-1 d(-1)), with complete nitrate removal in both systems. R. monicae showed similar growth across systems, removing 19 % of nitrate in FP-PBR and 56 % in RW. Principal component analysis indicated species-specific traits drive biochemical profiles, with limited influence from the cultivation system. Both species were cultivated in 19-m(3) tubular photobioreactors, with improved productivities (T. obliquus with 0.23 g L-1 d(-1) and R. monicae with 0.13 g L-1 d(-1)) until stationary phase or legal nitrate limits, yielding about 20 kg of dry weight each. The biomass produced in drainwater was biochemically characterized, showing it was rich in proteins (>30 %), PUFA (>55 %) and phenolics, highlighting their potential application in various sectors, including aquaculture and agriculture. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of these strains for drainwater treatment, promoting a circular economy by converting waste into valuable biomass.
- Physiotherapy management following surgical neurolysis for a peroneal nerve injury: A case reportPublication . Almeida, Pedro Sérgio Costa da Silva; Tome, Ana Maria; Felicio, João Carlos Martins; de Almeida Fontes, Ana PaulaThe peroneal nerve becomes superficial near the head of the fibula, increasing its exposure to injury mechanisms. There is a need to improve knowledge on the influence of physiotherapy on peripheral nerve injury rehabilitation. The case involves a woman with 47 years who suffered a cut in the region of distal third of right common peroneal nerve. This injury resulted in the loss of sensitivity, strength, foot drop, and neuropathic pain after suturing. These symptoms persisted for six weeks, and she had to undergo surgery six weeks after the accident. Physiotherapy was initiated 1 month after the surgical intervention, incorporating manual therapy, electrical stimulation, functional and aerobic exercise, and patient education. The patient experienced sensory alterations, pain was eliminated, and functional recovery of gait and running was achieved. However, there were residual weaknesses in hallux extensor and dorsiflexors. This case study contributes to the development of peroneal nerve rehabilitation interventions.