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- Dominant effects of the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine over climate change stressors on mytilus galloprovincialis toxicityPublication . Nascimento Bajwa, Farhat-Un-Nisá; Cunha, Marta; Vilke, Juliano Marcelo; Dias Duarte Fragoso, Bruno; Borges, Rodrigo; Soares, Amadeu M. V. M.; Freitas, Rosa; GARCIA DA FONSECA, TAINÁPharmaceuticals have become ubiquitous in marine realms, raising concerns about their ecological effects. This study investigates the ecotoxicological impact of the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine on marine mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) under increased seawater temperature and salinity, reflecting projected climate change scenarios. Mussels were exposed to carbamazepine (CBZ, 5 μg L− 1 ) for 28 days in both current (17 ◦C and salinity 35) and predicted (23 ◦C and salinity 40) conditions. A multiple-biomarker approach was employed to assess alterations in energy balance, antioxidant and biotransformation systems, membrane damage, neurotoxicity, and genotoxicity in gills and digestive glands. The results indicated that CBZ caused significant oxidative stress, disruption in energy metabolism, and neurotoxic and genotoxic effects, regardless of the combination of stressors. Moreover, biomarkers were modulated by the time of exposure, suggesting a time-specific response in mussels exposed to either a single or multiple stressors. The findings underscore the complex interplay between pharmaceutical pollution and climate change stressors. This study provides crucial insights into the toxicity of pharmaceuticals in marine environments under future climate change scenarios. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the effects of CBZ on marine mussels in conjunction with the simultaneous rise in seawater temperature and salinity.
- Metabolism and the impact of protein intake in chronic critically ill adult patients: protocol for a unicentric prospective cohort study (MetaChronic Study)Publication . Castro, Sílvia; Granja, Cristina; Dionne, Joanna C.; Pires, Teresa; Oliveira, Carolina; Binnie, AlexandraBackground: Survival of acutely critically ill patients has improved, resulting in a growing population of chronic critically ill (CCI) patients with prolonged organ dysfunction, mechanical ventilation, and high morbidity. While nutritional guidelines during the acute phase of critical illness are well defined, our understanding of metabolism and nutritional needs in CCI patients is limited. Persistent inflammation may influence the metabolic response and nutritional uptake, highlighting the need for prospective studies in this area. Methods: The MetaChronic Study is a single-center, prospective cohort study of metabolism in patients with CCI. Adult ICU patients with invasive mechanical ventilation ≥48 h and ICU stay >7 days are eligible. Patients are followed for up to 42 days after ICU admission, with final outcomes assessed at 90 days. Resting energy expenditure is measured weekly by serial indirect calorimetry. Weekly protein and calorie intake are recorded and inflammation is assessed using serum C-reactive protein and procalcitonin measurements. Patients are categorized according to high or low protein intake (>1.3 g/kg/ day vs. ≤1.3 g/kg/day after the first week). The primary objective is to characterize longitudinal metabolic trajectories. Secondary objectives include subgroup analyses (septic, trauma, neurocritical patients), assessment of the interaction between inflammation and metabolic rate, and exploratory analyses of the association between protein intake and clinical outcomes. Ethics and dissemination: The study has been approved by the institutional ethics committee. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences.
- Impact of trace elements of wastewater from steel and iron industry on benthic communities of Bizerte lagoon (Tunisia)Publication . Jaziri, Sayda; Said, Olfa Ben; Mahmoudi, Ezzeddine; Duran, Robert; Strungaru, Stefan-Adrian; Plavan, Oana; Nicoara, Mircea; Plavan, Gabriel; Chicharo, LuisThe metallurgical industry is amongst the most water-intensive industrial sectors. It generates significant quantities of trace elements (TEs) in wastewater, which are largely discharged into the aquatic ecosystems. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of TEs in wastewater effluent (WWF) from the Tunisian Iron and Steel Company "EL FOULADH" on the Bizerte Lagoon ecosystem. To this end, it entailed collecting samples of EL FOULADH WWF, Bizerte Lagoon water, and sediments from seven stations located both adjacent and far (-0.12, 0.34, 5.37, 7.58, 8.26, 8.65, 11.96 m) from WWF discharge points and measuring their TEs contents. Additionally, sediment contamination indices were estimated and bacterial and meiofaunal community assemblages were analyzed. Both univariate (ANOVA) and multivariate (PCA/CCA/Cluster) analysis revealed significant dissimilarities in the distribution of TEs, meiofaunal, and bacterial communities between downstream and upstream WWF discharge points. The comparison of abiotic and biotic variables revealed specific benthic assemblages for the station closest to the WWF discharge points. Interestingly, these sediments are distinctively characterized by the total disappearance of copepods. These findings offer us valuable information, pointing out to specific meiofauna and bacterial taxa, TEs sediment content affects the benthic assemblage of Bizerte lagoon via modeling trophic relationships.
- MARS lander: georeferencing landing and pop points of untethered ocean monitoring systems using fundamental physicsPublication . Radeta, Marko; Behboodi, Zahra; Zekovic, Vladimir; Alves, Décio; Pestana, David; Nunes, Daniel; Freitas, Margarida; Gupta, Ankit; Pestana, João; Vieira, Dinarte; Almeida, Sílvia; Dias, Morgado; Clode, João Canning; Caldeira, Rui; Relvas, Paulo; Vasiljevic, AntonioSubsurface observations are crucial for understanding the ocean's role in Earth's climate and for refining climate models. However, existing aquatic monitoring systems that allow such insights remain complex and costly due to their high demands for deployment, sampling, and recapture. Since low-cost, easy-to-deploy deep-sea landers are scarce, and with the aim of facilitating more subsurface observations, this study provides a simple method for georeferencing small-sized untethered landers. Their underwater trajectories are modelled with fundamental physics, dead reckoning, lander geometry, and numerical simulations. Using free fall, upthrust, and ocean current dynamics, the proposed approach estimates their underwater trajectories, including landing (at the seabed) and pop (at the sea surface) points. The method relies on the lander's physical characteristics, including its vertical and horizontal cross-sectional areas, to calculate the drag force coefficients used to determine its trajectories during descent and ascent through the water column. Ocean currents' magnitudes are modelled using Ekman's exponential decay down to 90 m of the water column, while the depths until 900 m are modelled from prior ADCP surveys by varying ocean current headings with depth between − 20 and 20◦. Surface ocean and wind current headings are modelled with open datasets from satellite telemetry. Lander's velocity, displacement, and dive time to the landing and pop points, including the total radial excursion and uncertainty in heading, are analytically derived, numerically calculated, and empirically assessed a-posteriori until 90 m, yielding a ~38 m radial excursion (40% error) against the obtained GNSS coordinates in field deployment, and 33◦ in heading uncertainty during a 138-s excursion. Additional random walk simulations are shown for full ocean depth obtaining radial excursion of 1038 m with 278 min total dive time. This approach is generalizable to any subsurface aquatic monitoring systems targeting deployments with diverse payloads from smaller sea vessels, not requiring cranes, radio, GNSS, or acoustic telemetry. Since it accounts for key nature factors, our method provides special benefits in planning and optimizing deployments. Additional discussion focuses on the method's practicality for full ocean depth deployments.
- Metal ecotoxicity in sea anemones: accumulation, effects, and knowledge gapsPublication . Vilke, Juliano Marcelo; Power, Deborah Mary; Vieira de Sousa, Cármen Sofia; Mestre, NéliaMetals are a major class of legacy pollutants that end up in marine ecosystems, posing a significant threat to marine biota, including sea anemones. The current review critically synthesises studies published over the last 50 years on the uptake, tissue distribution, and biological effects of 20 metals across 18 sea anemone species in both field and laboratory settings, including interactions with climate change stressors (salinity and pH). Field studies have focused on bioaccumulation and report the high capacity of sea anemones to accumulate metals, mainly iron and barium, primarily in the pedal disk. Laboratory exposure studies reveal a dose- and timedependent accumulation and highlight that symbionts take up and store essential metals (Cu, Fe, and Mn) due to their key biological roles. Available data point to Exaiptasia pallida as a promising model for metal ecotoxicology. Across studies, metals elicit alterations at molecular to behavioural/morphological levels, including transcriptome reprogramming, oxidative stress, and detoxification failures, as well as genotoxicity, cellular injury, immune dysfunction, metabolic and morphological disruption, reproductive impairment, and bleaching, which are generally amplified by climate change stressors. Ultimately, this review identifies key knowledge gaps and outlines future research directions on metal ecotoxicity in sea anemones. Collectively, these insights position sea anemones as informative sentinels of metal contamination in marine ecosystems.
- Archery technology in the neolithic: management of the mediterranean mixed forest and woodworking activities at La Marmotta (Italy)Publication . L, Caruso Fermé; Monteiro, Patrícia; V, Brizzi; M, Mineo; G, Remolins; N, Mazzucco; B, Morell; F, Gibaja J.Although Neolithic communities were characterized by an agricultural economy, the presence of bows in their archaeological record demonstrates the persistence of hunting activities. At La Marmotta, an underwater Early Neolithic site located in Lake Bracciano (Anguillara Sabazia, Italy), a considerable assemblage of preserved wooden tools was discovered some of them related to hunting activities demonstrating their reliance on woodland resources for technological purposes. Since wood was the main raw material for ancient bows, understanding how it was exploited is fundamental for reconstructing archery technology in prehistory. Here, we present the archaeobotanical analyses of 19 wooden bows found in La Marmotta. Taxonomic analysis identified the wood used as Carpinus sp. (9), Viburnum lantana (6), Alnus sp. (1), Cornus sp. (1), Fraxinus sp. (1), and evergreen Quercus sp. (1). The mechanical properties of these species are compatible with the crafting and use of bows although they are not the most usual wood, as shown by the archaeological record of Neolithic bows. This taxonomic diversity suggests that there was not a specific selection of wood based on mechanical/physical properties, which is coherent with La Marmotta wood acquisition modalities for the production of other tools and structures.
- Assessing water requirements of pitaya (S. undatus) under greenhouse conditions: a first step towards optimizing irrigationPublication . Trindade, Ana Rita; Eller, Elda; Arozarena, A.; Neves, Maria Alcinda; Duarte, AmilcarThe Algarve region provides ideal edaphoclimatic conditions for cultivating subtropical and some tropical fruit species. Pitaya (Selenicereus spp.) is also aligned with Algarve’s goal of revitalizing fruit production through species that require less water. Recently introduced into commercial farming in Portugal, the expansion of this crop lacks more detailed information about its specific cultivation requirements. Although native to the humid forests of Central America, with consistent water availability, pitaya can also survive and produce in drier climates such as the Mediterranean. Nonetheless, to achieve good yields and high-quality fruit, adequate irrigation is essential. Understanding pitaya’s water needs can be challenging due to its natural water-conserving mechanisms, such as CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) and water-storing cladodes. This study aims to clarify these needs firstly by determining the daily water consumption (DWC). At the University of Algarve, a greenhouse experiment monitors the DWC of 36 plants (S. undatus) in 4-L pots, enabling precise measurement of water consumption, with and without vegetative growth. During the summer, DWC ranged between 0.02 and 0.08 L day-1, influenced by the excessively high temperatures and the low humidity. These conditions significantly increased substrate evaporation rates. The results also suggest that pitaya growth showed no correlation with DWC. Since the summer trial confirmed the negative impact of excessively high temperatures, the same experiment was conducted in the autumnwinter season, when the plants grew in more favourable conditions. Pitaya’s exceptional water efficiency, evidenced by low summer DWC, makes it ideal for waterscarce regions. Substrate or soil covering, can further enhance water use efficiency, reinforcing its potential as a sustainable and economically viable crop. Preliminary results on the DWC of these plants indicate that pitaya’s evapotranspiration seems significantly lower compared to other irrigated fruit crops in the region.
- Flowering and fruiting of pitaya ( S. undatus ): insights into reproductive processes and farming potential for the Algarve, PortugalPublication . Trindade, Ana Rita; Matias, Pedro; Zarcos Duarte, Beatriz; Trindade, D.; Duarte, AmilcarThe pitaya (Selenicereus spp.), valued for its unique appearance and health benefits, ranks among the most commercially valuable fruits. However, its complex reproductive biology affects crop productivity, especially outside its native habitat. Understanding this is crucial for optimizing fruit set, fruit growth and yield. The reproductive biology of pitaya involves several key processes. Floral induction, triggered by environmental factors like temperature and photoperiod, signals the shift from vegetative growth to flowering. To better understand the reproductive processes of pitaya, this study explores floral induction to provide insights for optimizing agricultural practices. Flower induction trials were carried out in Algarve, Portugal, in which shading and artificial lighting were tested for their effect on production (extension of the productive period and yield). Shading reduced production, as plants in direct sunlight performed better. While lighting increased floral buds and fruits, it did not extend the productive period, due to temperature constraints. However, plants grown in full sun, without supplementary lighting, yielded significantly more. This study suggests a promising outlook for pitaya cultivation in Algarve’s climatic conditions without artificial lighting or shading.
- Sustainable management of pitaya (Selenicereus spp.) pruning residues: exploring composting as a sustainable solutionPublication . Trindade, Ana Rita; Matias, Pedro; Silva, Soraia; Zarcos Duarte, Beatriz; Trindade, D.; Duarte, Amilcar; Reis, Mário; Guerreiro David Coelho, Luísa IsabelPitaya (Selenicereus spp.) thrives in less fertile soils and has lower water requirements than other fruit crops. Therefore, is gaining popularity among farmers in Portugal (Algarve). Although there are some outdoor plantations, most are cultivated in greenhouses, for a higher and more constant growth. Pruning is performed throughout the year due to vigorous shoot production, resulting in substantial waste that requires proper disposal. Since most of these cladodes aren't suitable for vegetative propagation, or present sanitary problems, composting can be a sustainable solution for managing this waste. To evaluate the compost produced from pitaya pruning waste, a trial was conducted using three mixtures: P-1 (grass clippings, cladodes, grape pomace, and orange waste in a 4:1:1:1 ratio v/v); P-2 (grass clippings and cladodes in a 4:1 ratio v/v); and P-3 (cladodes and orange waste in a 1:1 ratio v/v). Composting took place in cylindrical piles for over four months, with continuous temperature monitoring and periodic determination of pH, electrical conductivity, moisture, C/N ratio and organic matter. Chemical, physical and biological analysis were performed at the end of the processes. P-2 and P-1 produced composts with high organic matter content (≥80%), with near-neutral pH (7.4 and 7.7 respectively) and low electrical conductivity (1.5 and 1.7 dS m-1 respectively), making them suitable for soil application. In contrast, P-3 had a higher pH and conductivity (9.3 and 3.1 dS m-1), potentially limiting its use. All composts showed good physical properties. The results indicate that composting pitaya cladodes is a viable farming practice, suitable for various agricultural contexts. Overall, composting pitaya pruning waste promotes circular agriculture, contributing to the recovery of soil fertility and increasing its organic matter content.
- Effects of planting density and soil management on pitaya (S. undatus) yield in an outdoor plantationPublication . Trindade, Ana Rita; Matias, Pedro; Zarcos Duarte, Beatriz; Trindade, D.; Duarte, AmilcarIn regions with advanced pitaya (Selenicereus spp.) cultivation, the crop is popular due to its rapid production cycle and favourable fruit prices. The Mediterranean offers favourable cultivation conditions, but more research is needed on agronomic practices like spacing and soil management, which affect profitability and sustainability. A trial was conducted in an outdoor plantation to assess the effect of two planting spacings (PS-0.5, plant spacing of 0.5 m; PS-1, plant spacing of 1 m) and two weed management methods (SC-BS, soil cover with black screen; SC-M, soil cover with mulch) on pitaya production parameters (fruits plant‑1; kg plant‑1; average fruit weight; kg m‑2), in the first and second production years. The use of mulching (SC-M) resulted in a higher number of fruits plant‑1 compared to the black screen (SC-BS), but this effect was only observed in the 1st production year. However, PS-1 and SC-BS obtained higher yield (kg plant‑1) compared to the PS-0.5 and SC-M plants. Neither plant spacing nor soil cover strongly influenced fruit size variation over time. Ultimately, the spacing that proved to be the most productive was the tightest (PS-0.5) with an average value of 0.82±0.04 kg m‑2, compared to PS-1 (0.60±0.04 kg m‑2). Results show that pitaya productivity is increasing annually, even under tighter spacings. Adding organic matter to the soil significantly boosts production, and consistent mulching improves soil fertility and controls weeds efficiently.