Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2022-12-01"
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- Predicting future coastal land use/cover change and associated sea-level impact on habitat quality in the Northwestern Coastline of Guinea-BissauPublication . Lopes, Namir Domingos Raimundo; Li, Tianxin; Zhang, Peng; Matomela, Nametso; Ikhumhen, Harrison Odion; Sá, Rui M.The assessment of coastal land use/cover (LULC) change is one of the most precise techniques for detecting spatio-temporal change in the coastal system. This study, integrated Land Change Modeler, Habitat Quality Model, and Digital Shoreline Analysis System, to quantify spacio-temporal coastal LULC change and driving forces between 2000 and 2020. Combined the CA-Markov Model with Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM), merged local SLR data with future representative concentration pathway (RCP8.5) scenarios, and predicted future coastal LULC change and associated sea-level rise (SLR) impact on the coastal land use and habitat quality in short-, medium- and long-term. The study area had significant coastal LULC change between 2000 and 2020. The tidal flats, whose change was driven mainly by sea level, registered a total net gain of 57.93 km2 . We also observed the significant loss of developed land whose change was influenced by tidal flat with a total loss of − 75.58 km2. The tidal flat will experience a stunning net gain of 80.55 km2 between 2020 and 2060, making developed land the most negatively impacted land in the study area. The study led to the conclusion that the uncontrolled conversion of saltmarshes, mixed-forest, and mangroves into agriculture and infrastructures were the main factors affecting the coastal systems, including the faster coastal erosion and accretion observed during a 20-year period. The study also concluded that a low coastal elevation of − 1 m and a slope of less than 2◦have contributed to coastal change. Unprecedented changes will unavoidably pose a danger to coastal ecological services, socioeconomic growth, and food security. Timely efforts should be made by establishing sustainable mitigation methods to avoid the future impact.
- From canopy to single flowers: a downscale approach to flowering of the invasive species Acacia longifoliaPublication . Vicente, Sara; Giovanetti, Manuela; Trindade, Helena; Máguas, C.Context: Acacia longifolia is a native legume of south-eastern Australia and Tasmania and is invasive in many parts of the world. A key feature to its success is the production of a high quantity of flowers every season, resulting in a massive seedbank that remains dormant in the soil for decades. Many studies have been performed on this species’ reproductive biology, but none has focused on flowering in detail. Aims: Our main objective was to understand this species’ resource allocation strategy that ensures its successful reproduction in the invasive range. Methods: We developed an integrative approach, assessing flowering at different levels, namely, canopy and branch flowering (macro scale), downscaling to individual flower functional stages and their duration, pollen longevity and stigma receptivity (micro scale). We performed this study in three different locations in sand dunes along the Portuguese coast with different environmental conditions. Key results: Canopy flowering shows no difference among sites. Pollen and stigma assessment showed that this species is protogynous, with the stigma being highly receptive long before pollen is released. Once released, pollen lasts roughly 72 h. Individual flowers are relatively short-lived, with a rapid progression from closed flower buds to fully open flowers. Implications: Our results indicated that A. longifolia has a resource trade-off strategy of investing in flowers and pollen that are relatively short-lived, which are counterbalanced by their massive quantities.
- Anthelmintic efficacy in sheep and goats under different management and deworming systems in the region of Lisbon and Tagus Valley, PortugalPublication . Antunes, Maria Inês; Lima, Miguel Saraiva; Stilwell, George; Romeiras, Maria Inês; Fragoso, Luis; Madeira de Carvalho, LuísABSTRACT - Infections caused by gastrointestinal parasites have been described worldwide as one of the most important issues impacting small ruminant production. The systematic administration of anthelmintic (AH) drugs without following good practice principles has led to an increase in anthelmintic resistance (AR). There is scarce information regarding AH efficacy in small ruminants in Portugal. This study aimed to characterize by in vivo methods the presence and level of AR in four farms in the region of Lisbon and Tagus Valley. All four farms kept small herds in extensive management systems and used different deworming protocols. The active substances used were fenbendazole and a combination of mebendazole plus closantel in a dosage according to the manufacturers’ instructions. On day 0 (T0), fecal samples were collected from all study animals, and animals in the treatment group (n = 40) were dewormed with the AH previously chosen by the assistant veterinarian. Animals in the control group (n = 30) did not receive any AH drug. The fecal sample collection was repeated on day 15 (T15), and the control group was treated. Egg counts were performed using the McMaster method for the eggs per gram (EPG), and AR was evaluated by the fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) with a 95% confidence level (CL). The results from this experiment indicated that the four farms presented AR with two farms to fenbendazole (FECRT of 48% and 85%) and two farms to mebendazole plus closantel (FECRT of 66% and 79%). These results indicate that the gastrointestinal parasites of the four studied Portuguese farms are resistant to benzimidazoles, which suggests an increase in AR regarding nematodes in small ruminant production systems in Portugal
- Literatura e/m medicinaPublication . Cabral, Maria de JesusTerêncio proclamou em 160 a.C.: “Sou humano, nada do que é humano me é estranho”. No entanto, essa máxima, embora relevante nas Humanidades, não espelha completamente nossa abordagem moderna ao conhecimento, caracterizada pela compartimentação dos saberes, um marco estabelecido nas Luzes de 1751 com a publicação da Enciclopédia de Diderot. Um exemplo notável dessa ambivalência é a interação entre literatura e medicina. Desde cedo, as doenças têm inspirado a escrita devido à íntima ligação da literatura com a experiência humana e o mundo. Nos últimos anos, essa relação evoluiu significativamente, enriquecendo a formação em saúde e dando origem a novas disciplinas, como a Medicina Narrativa. Este estudo explora a influência da literatura na medicina, sua narrativa e seu impacto na consolidação disciplinar.