Repositório RCAAP

Este texto pretende refletir sobre a representação democrática de interesses de trabalhadores e empresas na medida em que eles se organizam em associações com esse fim.1 Estes grupos de interesse socioeconómicos, sindicatos e associações de empregadores, têm um estatuto que nenhum outro grupo alcançou nas democracias liberais e em particular na Europa. Eles são agentes reguladores do mercado de trabalho através da negociação coletiva e promotores de paz e cooperação por meio da concertação social. Ao assegurarem que os principais visados pelas políticas económicas e sociais têm voz e participam na tomada das decisões que os afetam, tornaram-se atores-chave do que há mais de um século se chamou democracia económica ou industrial.

As questões relacionadas com a activação e disseminação de ódio e desinformação nos debates políticos ganharam especial relevância nos últimos anos devido ao uso das plataformas de redes sociais por um número crescente de utilizadores. A lógica de monetização e a forma como funcionam as redes sociais, amplificando os extremos e aumentando a visibilidade, têm contribuído para acentuar estes problemas que, não sendo novos, pioraram consideravelmente nos últimos anos. A confirmar o impacto das redes sociais na política e na sociedade em geral e respondendo a alguma pressão para a remoção de discursos de ódio e outros conteúdos considerados nocivos, várias plataformas de redes sociais passaram a investir em moderação, quer realizada por humanos, quer por inteligência artificial. Não será também mera coincidência que, entretanto, tenham surgido alternativas ao Facebook e Twitter, como é o caso da CounterSocial, cujo posicionamento estratégico é precisamente a tolerância zero a redes de desinformação e ódio.

Purpose: To evaluate complete blood count (CBC) parameters in the first week of life as predictive biomarkers for the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods: Multicenter, prospective, observational study of a cohort of preterm infants born with gestational age (GA) < 32 weeks or birth weight < 1500 g in eight Portuguese neonatal intensive care units. All demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from the first week of life were collected. Univariate logistic regression was used to assess risk factors for ROP and then multivariate regression was performed. Results: A total of 455 infants were included in the study. The median GA was 29.6 weeks, and the median birth weight was 1295 g. One hundred and seventy-two infants (37.8%) developed ROP. Median values of erythrocytes (p < 0.001), hemoglobin (p < 0.001), hematocrit (p < 0.001), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (p < 0.001), lymphocytes (p = 0.035), and platelets (p = 0.003) of the group of infants diagnosed with ROP any stage were lower than those without ROP. Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (p = 0.044), red blood cell distribution width (RDW) (p < 0.001), erythroblasts (p < 0.001), neutrophils (p = 0.030), neutrophils-lymphocytes ratio (p = 0.028), and basophils (p = 0.003) were higher in the ROP group. Higher values of MCV, erythroblasts, and basophils remained significantly associated with ROP after multivariate regression. Conclusion: In our cohort, the increase in erythroblasts, MCV, and basophils in the first week of life was significantly and independently associated with the development of ROP. These CBC parameters may be early predictive biomarkers for ROP.

Background: Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthroscopy has become popular due to its satisfactory long-term results and few surgical complications. However, patients’ postoperative recovery is poorly studied. This study evaluates the postoperative evolution of the masticatory function and the daily activities of patients who have undergone TMJ arthroscopy. Methods: A prospective study was conducted in a Portuguese orofacial pain center with patients fulfilling the criteria for TMJ arthroscopy. For the first 30 days (D) after surgery, every 3 days, patients scored: (1) discomfort in the mastication of different food textures (soft, medium, hard); (2) time for a return to normal lifestyle (work, physical activities); and (3) TMJ pain during essential functions (mastication, speech, deglutition, deep breaths). The data were compared with preoperative results using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, and the Friedman test. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Forty-two patients were assessed for eligibility; fifteen did not meet the inclusion criteria, and five declined participation. Twenty-two patients initially started the study, but two canceled on days 6–18, and eleven patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Nine female patients with sixteen operated joints completed the study. A progressive tolerance for scaling food textures was observed. Soft and medium textures were tolerated after D15 and D21, respectively. The hard texture was not well tolerated in the 30 days after surgery. Discomfort returning to work and practicing physical exercise was significantly reduced on D15 and D21, respectively. In addition, significant improvements in TMJ pain during mastication and speech were observed over time. Conclusions: Despite the study’s limitations, namely the small sample size, the non-validated questionnaire, and the non-biomechanical analysis of food texture, it was possible to observe after TMJ arthroscopy an early return to masticatory capacity with the progressive introduction of different food textures. The authors expect these results will help in future postoperative guidelines regarding postoperative recovery from TMJ arthroscopy.

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O presente livro resulta de artigos dedicados às interlocuções literárias estabelecidas entre Portugal, Brasil e África, na continuidade de um encontro científico realizado em cooperação pelo Centro de Literaturas e Culturas Lusófonas e Europeias (FLUL), o Centro de Literatura Portuguesa (FLUC) e o Departamento de Letras Clássicas e Vernáculas (FFLCH-USP). Alguns estudos contemplam a relação entre poetas brasileiros e portugueses no período colonial; outros examinam as ligações entre escritores brasileiros e portugueses do século XIX ou entre um português do século XIX e um brasileiro do século XX. A maior parte dos estudos, porém, é dedicada a autores dos séculos XX e XXI. Há ainda dois artigos que se debruçam sobre relacionamentos de outro tipo: o da literatura com a ópera e o da literatura erudita com o cordel. São numerosos os escritores lusófonos abordados e variadas as perspectivas comparatistas dos autores dos artigos que compõem o volume.

A democracia deliberativa, dentro do alvo das teorias democráticas, destaca-se pelo seu carácter normativo. Conforme salientado por vários autores, a democracia deliberativa representa um ideal de discussão entre pessoas orientadas pelo respeito mútuo num estado de igualdade (Dryzek 2000; Bächtiger e Goldberg 2020). Esta definição recupera o princípio habermasiano de comunicação livre de qualquer forma de coerção (Habermas 1996). No entanto, a democracia deliberativa articula-se necessariamente com o sistema institucional das atuais democracias representativas, originando assim uma tensão teórica entre princípios e formas de atuação. Este capítulo foca-se nas práticas da democracia deliberativa, apontando apenas para algumas das tensões teóricas que são atualmente debatidas no meio académico.

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Neste capítulo apresenta-se uma sistematização da participação de politólogos na imprensa escrita portuguesa, durante o ano de 2022. Trata-se de um exercício, em formato de relatório, que reflete o aumento da procura e, por consequência, da confiança da sociedade civil na Ciência Política enquanto conhecimento especializado e de interesse para a opinião pública. Neste breve resumo apontamos as principais tendências de uma análise realizada a 622 artigos de opinião identificados ao longo do ano. A análise revela conclusões importantes, contudo o estudo deve ser encarado como ponto de partida para uma análise anual da produção, seja pelo seu número como pela escolha de temática em que os politólogos são chamados a intervir desta forma. Em especial, esta análise pretendeu entender o papel das várias facetas da qualidade da democracia na participação dos académicos na imprensa.

O estudo sistemático da história das ciências sociais e, mais concretamente, da Ciência Política (CP), tornou-se um empreendimento relevante que permite mapear e entender a sua história, identificar as suas características presentes e retirar ilações para o futuro (Easton, Gunnell e Graziano 1991; Finiter 1983; Lasswell 2017; Schram e Caterino 2006). Dada a sua importância, o estudo da historiografia da disciplina foi considerado como um fim em si mesmo, como a criação do comité (International Committee for the Study of the Development of Political Science) dedicado ao seu estudo na Associação Internacional de Ciência Política (IPSA) atesta. No plano nacional, diversos autores têm contribuído para este debate através do estudo da evolução e consolidação da CP em Portugal (Camerlo e Terra 2018; Lopes et al. 2023; Stock 1991; Vaz-Pinto et al. 2015).

No ano de 2022, o Instituto de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Lisboa (ICS) participou mais uma vez no programa Ciência Viva no Laboratório – Ocupação Científica de Jovens nas Férias, promovido pela Agência Ciência Viva. Trata-se de um tipo de iniciativa com histórico no ICS, considerando que os estágios para jovens estudantes no ICS tiveram início em 2004 com o Observatório Permanente de Escolas (entretanto integrado no Observatório Permanente da Juventude). Na edição deste ano, o Observatório da Qualidade da Democracia (OQD) foi um dos grupos de investigação do ICS selecionado para proporcionar aos estudantes do 9.º ano do Ensino Básico e do Ensino Secundário uma oportunidade de aproximação à realidade da investigação científica, procurando contribuir para os projetos escolares e profissionais futuros de cada estagiário. Neste sentido, os investigadores do OQD desenharam um plano de estágio com linguagem, conteúdo e informação direcionada para acolher nove estudantes estagiários, com idades compreendidas entre os 14 e os 17 anos.

Kyotorphin (KTP, l-tyrosyl-l-arginine) is an endogenous analgesic neuropeptide first isolated from bovine brain in 1979. Previous studies have shown that kyotorphins possess anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity. Six kyotorphins—KTP-NH2, KTP–NH2–DL, ibuprofen-conjugated KTP (IbKTP), IbKTP-NH2, N-methyl-D-Tyr-L-Arg, and N-methyl-L-Tyr-D-Arg—were designed and synthesized to improve lipophilicity and resistance to enzymatic degradation. This study assessed the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of these peptides. The antifungal activity of kyotorphins was determined in representative strains of Candida species, including Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Candida krusei ATCC 6258, and six clinical isolates—Candida dubliniensis 19-S, Candida glabrata 217-S, Candida lusitaniae 14-S, Candida novergensis 51-S, Candida parapsilosis 63, and Candida tropicalis 140-S—obtained from the oral cavity of HIV-positive patients. The peptides were synthesized by standard solution or solid-phase synthesis, purified by RP-HPLC (purity >95 %), and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance. The results of the broth microdilution assay and scanning electron microscopy showed that IbKTP-NH2 presented significant antifungal activity against Candida strains and antibiofilm activity against the clinical isolates. The absence of toxic activity and survival after infection was assessed after injecting the peptide in larvae of Galleria mellonella as experimental infection model. Furthermore, IbKTP-NH2 had strong antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria and fungi and was not toxic to G. mellonella larvae up to a concentration of 500 mM. These results suggest that IbKTP-NH2, in addition to its known effect on cell membranes, can elicit a cellular immune response and, therefore, is promising for biomedical application.

This work deals with the implementation of a fine and coarse tip-sample distance control as well as with the tuning of several other features that will make one AFM prototype more user friendly. The main goal was to design and integrate a PI (Proportional-Integral) Analog Controller with digitally controllable gains. The development of the controller started by identifying and characterizing the system, with emphasis on the Z-axis Scanner’s response, which in turn allowed to build models for all the different components that make up the AFM. The PI Controller’s gains were arranged to be independently tuned via a digital potentiometer in conjunction with an analog multiplexer. The digital potentiometer provides a fine gain adjustment while the analog multiplexer increments the gains by an order of magnitude. These devices receive instructions from a microcontroller. In parallel, several other important enhancements were carried out, which include an implementation of an Auto-Approach functionality that automatically approaches the probe and sample without crashing onto each other. In order to achieve this, it was conducted an experimental study of the instrument’s motorized coarse motion structure. All the new features developed here were integrated in the existing prototype via the Arduino platform. To interface the signals outputted by the AFM circuitry and the microcontroller, as well as providing robust tolerance against faulty use, additional circuitry was included. This allows the reading of important signals within the instrument’s context, such as the deflection signal, amplitude signal and controller output. By taking advantage of the microcontroller’s features, it was designed a voltage source that serves as an adjustable setpoint via the PWM outputs from the Arduino. Finally, it was design and developed a GUI providing the user direct control of the tasks mentioned above and also displaying some quantitative and qualitative data, acquired by the microcontroller, about the state of the AFM.

Abstract Context Wildfires have severe impacts on landscapes’ hydrological and sediment processes. They are linked to events such as flash floods and droughts, and high erosion rates which lead to loss of soil organic matter and detachment of seeds and seedlings. Mulching is an effective measure implemented directly after a fire to reduce soil erosion and increase soil water retention. However, its implementation has proved a challenge, mainly due to factors such as cost and public acceptance. Objectives This research aims to optimize the application of post-fire mulching by using decision-making criteria to select “how” and “where” the technique should be used. The specific objectives were to: (i) investigate the decision-making criteria on “how” to apply mulch by interviewing experts; (ii) define the cost-effectiveness relations of erosion modelling scenarios. Methods The Monchique 2003 wildfire in Southern Portugal was used as a case study Experts’ interviews and literature review were used to construct prioritization scenarios. Post-fire soil erosion was then modelled with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model and the Sediment Connectivity Index for the three resulting scenarios (the “Soil” scenario, considering the net potential erosion; the “Water” scenario, focusing on th1e protection of water bodies from sedimentation; and the “Road” scenario, focusing on road protection); and at two erosion thresholds (1 and 10 Mg ha−1 year−1). Results The interviews and the literature review highlighted the importance of socio-economic parameters when it comes to mulch application. Moreover, models showed that small interventions, aimed at areas nearby water bodies and road networks can be more cost-effective than large interventions. Conclusions Models helped to create a hierarchy of scenarios, enabling land managers to assess decision making tools at the landscape level, linking their priorities with practical issues of emergency stabilization practices.

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Background. The models currently used to predict post-fire soil erosion risks are limited by high data demands and long computation times. An alternative is to map the potential hydrological and sediment connectivity using indices to express the general properties of the burnt landscape. Aims. In this study, we aimed to answer the question: Do these tools identify post-fire sediment mobilisation hotspots? Methods. To achieve this, we assessed the spatial variability distribution of the location of soil erosion hotspots using the Index of Connectivity, Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation and the Sediment Export, and compared it with the simulation results of a more complex Landscape Evolution Model (LAPSUS model). Additionally, we evaluated statistical measures of association between the four tools. Key results. The three tools tested in this study are suitable for identifying sediment mobilisation hotspots, where the erosion rates are above the 95th percentile, and differences between their performance are small. Conclusions. The results indicate that these tools help locate extreme erosion locations in recently burnt areas. Implications. These results can be considered for post-fire and water contamination risk management, especially for fast prioritisation of areas needing emergency post-fire intervention

The conservation of long-distance migratory birds requires coordination between the multiple countries connected by the movements of these species. The recent expansion of tracking studies is shedding new light on these movements, but much of this information is fragmented and inaccessible to conservation practitioners and policy makers. We synthesized current knowledge on the connectivity established between countries by landbirds and raptors migrating along the African–Eurasian flyway. We reviewed tracking studies to compile migration records for 1229 individual birds, from which we derived 544 migratory links, each link corresponding to a species’ connection between a breeding country in Europe and a nonbreeding country in sub-Saharan Africa. We used these migratory links to analyze trends in knowledge over time and spatial patterns of connectivity per country (across species), per species (across countries), and at the flyway scale (across all countries and all species). The number of tracking studies available increased steadily since 2010 (particularly for landbirds), but the coverage of existing tracking data was highly incomplete. An average of 7.5% of migratory landbird species and 14.6% of raptor species were tracked per country. More data existed from central and western European countries, and it was biased toward larger bodied species. We provide species- and country-level syntheses of the migratory links we identified from the reviewed studies, involving 123 populations of 43 species, migrating between 28 European and 43 African countries. Several countries (e.g., Spain, Poland, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo) are strategic priorities for future tracking studies to complement existing data, particularly on landbirds. Despite the limitations in existing tracking data, our data and results can inform discussions under 2 key policy instruments at the flyway scale: the African–Eurasian Migratory Landbirds Action Plan and the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia.

Shorebird declines are occurring worldwide but the causes are not fully understood. Recent literature suggests that the deterioration of habitat quality at their non-breeding areas, mostly located in temperate and tropical coastal wetlands, might be a major contributing factor. However, most studies carried out so far tend to be restricted to a few regions. Remote sensing can help correct such geographical bias on knowledge by providing a standardized approach on how shorebird habitats have been changing over the last few decades at a global scale. Here we analyzed time series of remote sensing classifications of tidal flats and land cover to quantify worldwide habitat changes in coastal Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) relevant for non-breeding shorebirds over the last two decades. Globally, supratidal areas (used as roosting habitat) have changed more significantly than tidal flats (used as feeding habitat). Yet, we found striking losses of tidal flats in IBAs distributed in several regions of the East Asian - Australasian Flyway. At supratidal areas, there was a general expansion of marshland, grassland and urban areas, contrasting with a decline of barren land, woodland and cropland. The expansion of marshland occurred in IBAs of most regions of the world. Urban areas also expanded consistently in supratidal areas within the most populated regions of the world. The loss of barren land is particularly concerning as it may translate into a loss of high-quality roosts and it was highly frequent in IBAs of all migratory flyways. Overall, our results confirm the large losses of shorebird habitat in the East Asian - Australasian Flyway reported in the literature, and highlight unreported generalized changes in supratidal habitats, such as the expansion of marshland and the loss of barren land, that may have negative implications for shorebirds, deserving further research and consideration in conservation programs.

The drying process is an essential thermal process for preserving vegetables and can be used in developing dried products as healthy alternative snacks. The effects of air-drying conditions using a convection dryer with hot air at different temperatures (60°, 65°, 70°, 75°, and 80 °C, in the range 5–200 min, at a fixed air speed of 2.3 m/s) were tested on the quality of slices (2.0 ± 0.1 mm) of dried sweet potato (Bellevue PBR). For each time and temperature, drying condition, physicochemical parameters (moisture content, CIELab color, texture parameters, total phenolic and carotenoid contents) and a sensory evaluation by a panel at the last drying period (200 min) were assessed. Drying time was shown to have a more significant effect than temperature on the quality of dried sweet potato as a snack, except for carotenoid content. Given the raw tuber content, thermal degradation (p < 0.05) of total phenolic compounds (about 70%), regardless of tested conditions, contrasted with the higher stability of total carotenoids (<30%). The dried product, under optimal conditions (≥75 °C for 200 min), achieved a moisture content (≤10%) suitable for preservation, providing a crispy texture with favourable sensory acceptance and providing a carotenoid content similar to the raw product.

A RNT (Rede Nacional de Transporte) é constituída por um conjunto de linhas que fazem o transporte de energia desde os centros produtores até aos centros de distribuição. O operador da RNT definiu valores de capacidade sazonais para estas linhas utilizando uma metodologia conservadora uma vez que utiliza condições meteorológicas conservadoras para definir os valores de capacidade. Ao longo deste trabalho irá ser abordado o conceito de DLR (Dynamic Line Rating – Análise Dinâmica de Linhas) que, através de modelação numérica de variáveis atmosféricas e parâmetros físicos das linhas, estima a capacidade real das mesmas. Este modelo vai ser aplicado nas linhas de forma a calcular a real capacidade das mesmas e a estabelecer uma comparação entre a capacidade pré-estabelecida pelo operador da RNT e a capacidade obtida através do DLR. Também irá ser feita uma análise ao vento localizado na zona do Vale Cobrão uma vez que no local existe um Parque Eólico instalado. Esta análise visa a uma posterior aplicação do conceito de DLR com o intuito de se aceder à capacidade das linhas em momentos de alta produção vinda do Parque Eólico.