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- Just and inclusive enough? designing inclusive NBS to support communities in their just transition towards sustainability and resiliencePublication . Dushkova, Diana; Ivlieva, Olga; Vandewalle, Marie; Carrasco, Rita; Pontón-Cevallos, José; Sieber, Ina M.Nature-based Solutions (NBS) are increasingly promoted as a strategic concept and practical approach to tackle current societal challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and issues related to human health and well-being. Yet, ensuring that NBS are inclusive, just, and empower communities for decision-making remains insufficiently addressed in practice. This study, therefore, aims to a) critically review existing frameworks and approaches to NBS, with a focus on inclusivity, justice, equity, and empowerment; b) conceptualize their interlinkages and highlight their contribution to sustainability transition, and c) propose a comprehensive practitioner-oriented framework with recommended actions, measurable outcomes, and adaptive steps. A targeted semi-systematic literature review has been conducted to identify existing approaches and map knowledge gaps (e.g., current frameworks are often fragmented, lack practical applicability, and are not structured in a practitioner-friendly way). To address these gaps, the study introduces a comprehensive framework and operational guidelines for NBS researchers and practitioners, ensuring meaningful integration of inclusivity, equity, and justice throughout NBS processes. The study links inclusive NBS with just sustainability transitions defined as long-term, structural shifts that restore ecosystems while promoting social equity. It identifies three core principles: leaving no one behind, ensuring equitable distribution of NBS benefits and reduction of burdens, and fostering community empowerment through inclusive, multi-level governance. The resulting framework is structured around four thematic areas: capacity building, stakeholder involvement, inclusive NBS design, and fair benefit distribution and burden reduction. While acknowledging limitations (e.g., data scarcity and contextspecific variability), the study offers actionable guidelines and reflective considerations to support researchers and practitioners in implementing inclusive NBS as drivers of more equitable transition towards sustainability and resilience.
- Cassandra: Um poema ecfrástico do blogue de Nuno JúdicePublication . Nogueira, Adriana; Marques, Susana; Silva, Maria de FátimaPartindo das afirmações de Nuno Júdice, de que “a poesia é uma coisa visual” (2018: 60), e de que o que considera “importante num poema ecfrástico (…) é que ele possa também viver sem a imagem que o inspira” (2018: 63), irei debruçar-me sobre o modo como podem (sobre)viver as personagens da Antiguidade na sua poesia ecfrástica, no caso em análise, Cassandra, num meio digital que o poeta criou, entre 2006 e 2008, o blogue A a Z.
- Cinema Português no Algarve (1940-1974)Publication . Carrega, Jorge; Duarte, Joana Isabel; Carrega, JorgeFilmes portugueses (ordenados pelo ano de produção) que foram exibidos nas salas algarvias entre 1940 e 1974, incluindo cidades como Faro, Silves, Tavira, Vila Real de Santo António, São Brás de Alportel e Estoi. Os dados decorrem da consulta da imprensa periódica algarvia disponível na Hemeroteca Digital do Algarve, assim como os programas de sessão do Cineclube de Faro.
- The antithyroid drug methimazole as an emerging aquatic contaminant: physiological and reproductive disruption in female goldfish (Carassius auratus) and partial mitigation by thyroxinePublication . Abdollahpour, Hamed; Karimzadeh, Milad; Jafari Pastaki, Naghmeh; Zamani, HosseinaliThyroxine (T4), a key thyroid hormone, plays a crucial role in regulating growth, metabolism, and reproduction in fish, whereas methimazole (MMI), a thyroid peroxidase inhibitor, can disrupt these processes by inducing hypothyroidism. This study investigates thyroid-modulating compounds' physiological and reproductive effects on the growth and development of mature female goldfish (Carassius auratus). A total of 240 adult female goldfish were divided into four treatment groups: control (coconut oil), T4, MMI, and T4+MMI (combined). The fish were acclimatized for four weeks before receiving injections of the respective compounds. Growth performance, blood biochemistry, thyroid hormone (THs) levels, oocyte development, and liver histology were evaluated over a 28-day experimental period. Results indicated significant differences in growth indices, with the T4 group showing the highest weight gain, specific growth rates, and lowest feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05), while the MMI group exhibited the lowest growth parameters. Blood glucose, triglyceride, and total protein levels were significantly elevated in the T4-treated group, whereas cholesterol was reduced (P < 0.05). Plasma T3 and T4, were highest in the T4 group and lowest in the MMI group. Histological analysis revealed advanced oocyte maturation in the T4 group, with a higher proportion of oocytes at the O4 stage, while the MMI group showed delayed development, with most oocytes remaining at the O2 stage. The T4+MMI group exhibited intermediate effects, with some improvement in oocyte development relative to the MMI group. Hepatic histopathology demonstrated normal liver structure in the control and T4 groups, while severe hepatic alterations, including necrosis and vacuolation, were observed in the MMI group. The T4+MMI group displayed intermediate liver damage. These findings demonstrate that the pharmaceutical methimazole, an emerging aquatic contaminant, acts as a potent endocrine disruptor, inducing hypothyroidism that severely impairs growth, metabolic homeostasis, and reproductive maturation in fish. The partial mitigation by thyroxine suggests potential complex interactions in environments contaminated with multiple bioactive compounds. This study underscores the significant ecological risk of antithyroid drugs in aquatic ecosystems and contributes critical data for environ mental risk assessment.
- Knockout of the LRRK2-counteracting RAB phosphatase PPM1H disrupts axonal autophagy and exacerbates alpha-synuclein aggregationPublication . Fricke, Michel; Mechel, Anna; Evers, Lennart; Twellsieck, Björn; Grein, Jessica M.; Cima-Omori, Maria-Sol; Al-Azzani, Mohammed; Outeiro, Tiago; Zweckstetter, Markus; Holzbaur, Erika L.F.; Boecker, C. AlexanderParkinson disease (PD)-associated mutations in the LRRK2 gene hyperactivate LRRK2 kinase activity, leading to increased phosphorylation of a subset of RAB GTPases, which are master regulators of intracellular trafficking. In neurons, processive retrograde transport of autophagosomes is essential for autophagosome maturation and effective degradation of autophagosomal cargo in the axon. Here, we show that knockout of the LRRK2-counteracting RAB phosphatase PPM1H causes a gene-dose-dependent disruption of the axonal transport of autophagosomes, leading to impaired degradation of axonal alpha-synuclein (aSyn), a key protein in PD pathophysiology. Defective autophagosome transport and impaired aSyn degradation correlate with increased aSyn aggregation in primary PPM1H knockout neurons exposed to preformed fibrils of aSyn, an effect that is dependent on LRRK2 kinase activity. These findings mechanistically link LRRK2- mediated RAB hyperphosphorylation to defective autophagosomal degradation and enhanced aggregation of aSyn, positioning the LRRK2-RAB axis as a key driver of PD pathophysiology.
- Unlocking the past: dental calculus as key to understanding ancient health and disease through a one health frameworkPublication . Neves, Dulce; Cristiani, Emanuela; Carvalho, António Manuel Faustino de; Silva, Ana MariaObjective: Ancient dental calculus (DC) serves as a critical biomolecular repository, preserving dietary and extra-dietary residues related to past health and disease. This review examines DC as a potential 'One Paleopathology' resource, highlighting the interconnectedness of past human-animal-environmental health. Through a One Health lens, it critically assesses current research and opportunities for the next 50 years of study. Results: By synthesizing the available literature and the current state of the art, we critically evaluate how DC research bridges paleopathology, bioarchaeology, and modern health sciences, providing a unique lens for assessing health and disease within ecological and evolutionary contexts. We highlight methodological advances and limitations, while identifying critical gaps and opportunities for interdisciplinary integration, standardization, and forward-looking research to expand the field over the next 50 years. Conclusions: DC research effectively integrates paleopathology, bioarchaeology, and modern health sciences enabling the reconstruction of health and disease within ecological and evolutionary contexts and highlights the interdependence of humans, animals, and the environment. Significance: From a One Health perspective, dental calculus analysis provides a long-term perspective on interactions among humans, animals, microbes, and environments, informing past and contemporary health research. Limitations: Interpretation is constrained by preservation biases, variability in analytical methods, and the destructive nature of sampling dental calculus. Further Research: Future investigations should prioritize sustainable sampling, methodological standardization, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Emerging technologies and integrative approaches will place DC research at the forefront of 'One Paleopathology'.
- Lewy bodies are not associated with neuronal or synaptic loss in dementia with lewy bodiesPublication . Hawksworth, Jade I.; Kirkby‐Geddes, Eddie; Thom, Searlait; O'Neill, Joe; Ikwue, Amelia; Wood, Lucy; Outeiro, Tiago; Erskine, DanielAims: The misfolding and accumulation of the protein α-synuclein (αSyn) into cytoplasmic inclusions termed Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites is the defining neuropathological feature of LB diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). The loss of neurons and/or synapses has been postulated to underlie the clinical syndrome of DLB. The present study sought to elucidate the relationship between LB burden and neuronal and synaptic loss in DLB. Methods: Post-mortem brain tissue from the cingulate gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus, two regions vulnerable to LB pathology, was obtained from DLB (N=20) and control cases (N=20). Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue was stained to quantify LB, Alzheimer-type pathology and a neuronal marker. Frozen tissue from the contralateral hemisphere was processed for immunoblotting to compare the abundance of synaptic markers across cases. Results: Across both regions, no evidence of reduced total neuronal density was observed, but a modest reduction in parvalbumin interneurons was observed in the cingulate gyrus, and there were only modest reductions in some synaptic markers in DLB. LB burden was markedly variable across DLB cases but was not associated with any synaptic marker abundance or neuronal density. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings do not support an association between LB density and neuronal or synaptic loss in DLB, even in regions with particularly high burdens of LBs, such as the cingulate gyrus. These findings suggest that the link between αSyn proteinopathy and disease requires further investigation.
- Mediterranean asteraceae as natural sources of antioxidants and enzyme inhibitors: a case study on urospermum dalechampii and andryala integrifolia from TunisiaPublication . Hammami, Nourhen; Rodrigues, Maria João; Fernandes, Eliana; Stegemann, Thomas; Saadellaoui, Wissal; Hannachi, HédiaThis study investigated the phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity, and key enzyme-inhibitory activities of hydroethanolic leaf extracts from two Mediterranean Asteraceae, Urospermum dalechampii and Andryala integrifolia, from Tunisia. U. dalechampii exhibited higher total phenolic content (62.84 mg GAE/g crude extract), whereas A. integrifolia showed higher flavonoids (34.55 mg QE/g crude extract). The UHPLC-DAD-MS analysis revealed caffeoylquinic acid isomers, flavonols (quercetin and kaempferol types), and flavones (luteolin derivatives) in both species, while cynarine was detected in U. dalechampii. Some compounds were specific, such as caftaric acid, which was detected only in U. dalechampii leaf extract. Both species exhibited notable antioxidant capacities, with U. dalechampii showing stronger radical-scavenging activity (DPPH: EC50 = 0.95 mg/mL; ABTS: EC50 = 0.72 mg/mL), whereas A. integrifolia displayed higher reducing power (FRAP: EC50 = 5.40 mg/mL) and copper-chelating activity (EC50 = 1.72 mg/mL). A. integrifolia showed marked inhibition of tyrosinase (IC50 = 0.54 mg/mL), α-glucosidase (IC50 = 1.9 mg/mL), and lipase (IC50 = 9.7 mg/mL). Both leaf extracts from studied species inhibited AChE, while only A. integrifolia inhibited BChE (IC50 = 8.63 mg/mL). No cytotoxicity was detected at 100 μg/mL in human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2), neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y), embryonic kidney (HEK-293), and murine melanoma (B16) cells. These results highlight these two plants as a promising source of multifunctional bioactive compounds and demonstrate that unexploited wild plants could offer new prospects for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.
- Building hovenia dulcis pseudofruit quality from proteomic and metabolomic perspectivesPublication . Machado, Gilson Gustavo Lucinda; Eller, Elda; Ribeiro, Carlos Henrique Milagres; Costa, Carlos Alexandre Rocha da; Nascimento, Sidney Vasconcelos do; Nahon, Sayure Mariana Raad; Cavalcante, Alice de Paula de Sousa; Costa, Isa Rebecca Chagas da; Valadares, Rafael Borges da Silva; Carvalho, Elisângela Elena Nunes; Boas, Eduardo Valério de Barros VilasHovenia dulcis Thunb. (Japanese grape tree) pseudofruit exhibits a period of growth of 180 days, with maturation initiated between 120 and 150 days after anthesis (DAA). Effective ripening occurs 150 DAA, characterized by intense softening, pectic solubilization and starch-sugar conversion. Multi-omic analysis identified 496 proteins, with 222 being differentially expressed. Significant highlights included energy metabolism (Malate Dehydrogenases, Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase, Pyruvate Kinase) and photosynthetic pathways (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase, Photosystems I and II), indicating that ripening demands a high energy supply. Multivariate analysis stratified the development into three phases: chemical defense (S1-S2), metabolic transition (S3-S6), and sensory ripening (S7). The Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) score and Principal Component 1 (PC1) loadings confirmed that the transition is governed by changes in volatile compounds (2-heptanol), respiratory physiology, density, and Hue angle, with a central role for malate dehydrogenase. Pearson correlations revealed a coordinated system in which central metabolism (Glyceraldehyde-3- phosphate Dehydrogenase, Triose Phosphate Isomerase) is coupled with ethylene signaling (S-adenosylmethionine Synthetase) and antioxidant defenses (Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase, and Peroxiredoxin 2). It is concluded that H. dulcis development is sustained by a strategic proteometabolic network that redirects the investment from protective biomolecules toward the specialization of sensory attributes, defining the final quality of the pseudofruit.
- Beyond cadaster: landowners and land fragmentation—insights from a case studyPublication . Ferreira da Silva da Costa Freitas, Maria de Belém; Teixeira, Miguel; Rolo Antunes, Carla Maria; César Ribeiro, Henrique; Partidário, Maria do RosárioLand management is a relevant problem in rural areas all over the world, conditioning the planning decisions and the applicability of planning instruments. This study evaluates the limitations of cadastral data in representing land fragmentation and management patterns in wild-fire-prone landscapes, using Alferce (Portugal) as a case study with broader international relevance. Similar challenges—fragmented ownership, incomplete land registries, and increasing wildfire risk—affect many regions worldwide, particularly across the Mediterranean basin and other fire-prone rural landscapes. A mixed-methods approach combines cadastral data with field data from 23 landowners producing two datasets: cadaster-only and ownership-enhanced. Fragmentation is assessed using Simmons and Januszewki indices, supported by spatial analysis (Kernel Density and Moran’s I). Results show that cadastral data alone significantly overestimates fragmentation. While parcel-based analysis suggests a highly fragmented landscape, incorporating ownership information reveals more aggregated management structures. The 23 landowners manage 1247 ha (≈13% of the area), forming a “keystone” group with strong potential for coordinated land management and fire prevention. Higher fragmentation is associated with population centers. These findings demonstrate that cadastral units do not reflect functional management units and considerations about property fragmentation are biased by the lack of information about the owners, a key theoretical contribution with implications beyond Portugal. For policymakers, integrating ownership data and targeting key land managers can improve land use planning and wildfire mitigation and, overall, the sustainability of the territory. Despite limitations (small sample), the approach is transferable to other regions facing similar structural constraints.