Repositório RCAAP

Background: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of the motor neuron for which no clinically validated biomarkers have been identified. Methods: We have quantified by ELISA the biomarker phosphoneurofilament heavy chain (pNFH) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of ALS patients (n=29) and age-matched control patients with other diseases (n=19) by ELISA. Furthermore, we compared protein N-glycosylation of the CSF in ALS patients and controls, by applying a glycomics approach based on liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Results: pNFH levels were significantly higher in ALS patients in comparison with controls (P<0.0001) in particular in fast progressors. The N-glycans found in the CSF were predominantly complex diantennary with sialic acid in α2,3- and α2,6-linkage, and bisecting N-acetylglucosamine-containing structures as well as peripherally fucosylated structures were found. As compared with controls the ALS group had a significant increase of a peak composed of the monosialylated diantennary glycans A2G2S(6)1 and FA2G2S(3)1 (P=0.0348). Conclusions: Our results underscore the value of pNFH as a biomarker in ALS. In addition, we identified a variation of the N-glycosylation pattern in ALS, suggesting that this change should be explored in future studies as potential biomarker.

A quite interesting find by Zscheischler et al. in 2013 [1] was that the size distribution of extreme events in observation data of gross primary productivity (GPP) follows a power-law in the form p(x) ∼ x −α . This power-law holds for different regions in the world with similar values for the scaling parameter α. The goal of this thesis is to unravel the origin of this power-law behaviour. This behaviour might originate from the GPP distribution itself, or perhaps have a more mathematical origin. Thus, the main research question to be answered in this study is: ”What is the origin of the power-law behaviour in the size distribution of GPP extreme events?” With data from a control simulation from CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6), I used the methodology from Zscheischler et al. for finding extreme events in simulation data for GPP. The power-law is not found in the distribution of GPP itself, thus its origins are sought in the clustering mechanisms behind the extreme event analysis. Percolation theory is hypothesised as an explanation behind the power-law behaviour, based on the fact that both GPP extremes and percolation theory are concerned with clusters made out of a certain fraction of the data. This certain fraction is made up by ”percentiles” for GPP extremes and ”probability” in percolation theory. The exponent α for the power law in the size distribution of GPP is related to the exponent τ describing cluster sizes in percolation theory by the relation τ = α +1. However, there are some differences in the power-law scaling behaviour between GPP extremes and percolation theory, namely concerning the difference in the value of the voxels (i.e. 3D pixels) of GPP, correlations in time and space, and the restriction of GPP values to land. The GPP data is altered step by step to eliminate these differences to make the data more akin to the situation of percolation theory, which assumes uncorrelated data. This is done by considering cluster sizes instead of event sizes, randomizing the data by ”shuffling” and using synthetic datasets, producing results of power-law scaling behaviour that are closer to percolation theory. The most rigorous shuffled data and the synthetic data had power-law scaling behaviour that was especially close to percolation theory. Based on this, it can be said that the clustering mechanisms behind extreme event analysis are similar to the clustering in percolation theory and that therefore percolation theory can be considered as a reasonable explanation behind the power-law in GPP extremes. The size distribution of precipitation, sensible heat and latent heat also display power-law behaviour similar to GPP, indicating that this powerlaw is not exclusive to GPP. All in all it can be concluded that the origin of the power-law behaviour does not depend on GPP, in general it does not depend on the data itself but on the clustering mechanisms underlying percolation theory.

Objective: The current study evaluates the usability perception of an e-therapeutic platform (supported by electronic processes and communication), aiming to promote the behavior change and to improve the adolescent health status through increased and interactive contact between the adolescent and the clinical staff. Methods: This was a correlational study with a sample of 48 adolescents (12-18 years) who attended a Pediatric Obesity Clinic between January and August of 2012. Participants were invited to access, during 24 weeks, the e-therapeutic multidisciplinary platform (Next.Step) in addition to the standard treatment program. A usability questionnaire was administered and the platform performance and utilization indicators were analyzed. Results: The users' perception of satisfaction, efficiency, and effectiveness regarding the Next.Step platform was clearly positive. However, only 54.17% of the enrolled adolescents accessed the platform, with a mean task-completion rate of 14.55% (SD=18.853). The higher the number of the platform consulted resources, the greater the tendency to enjoy the platform, to consider it exciting and quick, to consider that the time spent in it was useful, to consider the access to information easy, and to login easier. Post-intervention assessment revealed a significant reduction in anthropometric and behavioral variables, including body mass index z-score, waist circumference percentile, hip circumference, and weekly screen time. Conclusion: These results highlight the importance of information and communication technologies in the health information access and the healthcare provision. Despite the limited adherence rate, platform users expressed a positive overall perception of its usability and presented a positive anthropometric and behavioral progress.

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Reading disabilities are one of the most significant causes of school failure and may result from different causes and cognitive processes. A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests was applied to a control group of 102 children (46 girls, 56 boys) with no history of learning disabilities and 32 children (13 girls, 19 boys) with poor reading achievement (PRA) to characterize their cognitive profile. A principal component analysis of the cognitive measures was undertaken to identify cognitive domains. Age-adjusted normative data were computed from controls for verbal and visuospatial abilities, psychomotor skills, executive functions, and a total score. Significant differences were found between the 2 groups. Although single tests could not identify children with PRA, measures of oral and written language, immediate and working memory, calculation, and verbal learning discriminated the 2 groups. A logistic regression model using these factors allowed us to identify 91.2% of healthy children and 96.9% of children with PRA. PRA may result from different patterns of cognitive difficulties, and it is more common in children with oral language and working-memory deficits. Wide-range cognitive testing is necessary to identify strong and weak areas to plan personalized intervention programs.

A Literacia Oceânica (LO) é essencial para criar cidadãos que compreendam a influência dos oceanos sobre o Homem e vice-versa, tomem decisões informadas e responsáveis sobre os oceanos e os seus recursos, e comuniquem sobre os oceanos de forma eloquente. Os avanços na LO na sociedade têm sido reduzidos, apesar dos esforços de várias entidades estatais e organizações não governamentais de ambiente (ONGA). Em Portugal, desconhece-se em grande medida o estado atual de LO da população. Neste relatório de estágio, desenvolvido na Liga para a Proteção da Natureza, pretendeu-se caracterizar o conhecimento, atitudes e comportamentos da população portuguesa perante os oceanos, e propor medidas para reforçar a LO no futuro. Com base em 369 inquéritos online recolhidos entre 24 de novembro de 2020 e 31 de março de 2021, verificou-se que a comunidade escolar e a comunidade não escolar não relacionada com ambiente necessitam de um reforço dos conhecimentos sobre os oceanos. Em particular, os temas da atividade piscatória e do lixo marinho são ainda insuficientemente compreendidos pela população em geral. Existem também insuficiências nas atitudes para preservar e conservar os oceanos, sendo principalmente evitadas as práticas que têm custos económicos associados e desconhecidos os efeitos benéficos de práticas simples, como a reciclagem, para os oceanos. É imprescindível aumentar a LO em Portugal. Para tal devem ser tomadas medidas não só em contexto escolar, incluindo a revisão dos currículos e melhoria da interdisciplinaridade da LO, mas também ao nível do poder local e do contexto de trabalho dos indivíduos, incluindo as próprias empresas. Um esforço global e integrado de reforço à LO por todas as partes, e em particular pelas ONGA e autarquias, será importante para que a LO seja desenvolvida de forma mais eficaz e abranja a generalidade da população portuguesa.

A truta-de-rio apresenta elevada importância ecológica e económica, mas o estado das suas populações em Portugal é pouco conhecido. As populações de 33 locais nas bacias hidrográficas do Minho, Lima, Neiva, Cávado, Ave, Douro, e Vouga foram caracterizadas em termos de idade, crescimento, abundância relativa, densidade estimada, biomassa, e condição. Foram analisadas as relações destes parâmetros com variáveis ambientais, com fatores bióticos e com o ordenamento da pesca, sendo também determinados os parâmetros de referência das populações. Relativamente a populações localizadas na Península Ibérica e em latitudes mais elevadas, as populações estudadas apresentaram crescimento mais elevado, mas densidade estimada, biomassa e condição mais baixas. O crescimento foi inferior em zonas mais ensombradas tal como a condição, que registou ainda uma associação positiva com a diversidade de habitats. A abundância apresentou associações negativas com variáveis relacionadas com o gradiente longitudinal, e a biomassa tendeu a aumentar com a área florestal na bacia hidrográfica. O crescimento e condição foram independentes da densidade estimada e abundância relativa. A biomassa e densidade estimada não variaram com o método de ordenamento da pesca. As populações das bacias do Minho, Lima e Ave apresentaram maior percentagem de parâmetros de nível Bom, sendo a situação inversa no Neiva e Vouga, onde a percentagem de parâmetros de nível Mau foi considerável. Globalmente, a densidade estimada e biomassa das populações parecem ser limitadas, como esperado, pela sua localização numas das zonas mais a sul da distribuição da espécie. A competição intra e interespecífica não parecem ter um papel relevante na regulação destas populações, e as zonas de pesca geridas não aparentam ter medidas eficazes que se reflitam no estado das populações. Estes resultados sugerem a necessidade de recuperação ambiental dos cursos de água e suas bacias hidrográficas, e reequacionar a eficácia dos modelos de gestão da pesca em Portugal.

Na sociedade atual nós estamos rodeados e usamos todo o tipo de aplicações de software. Problemas no software pode causar todo o tipo de consequências, desde pessoas não conseguirem jogar um jogo como era suposto a uma aeronave despenhar-se matando toda as pessoas a bordo. De modo a que se evite certas consequências, convém que esse software não tenha problemas e funcione como é suposto. Porém, o software é escrito por humanos pelo que está sujeito a ter erros. Para lidar com esta situação, testes de software são feitos, de modo a que se descubra e resolva os problemas no software. Testar software baseado em pesquisa é uma área de teste de software que se tem mostrado bastante bemsucedida na geração de conjuntos de teste unitários otimizados para cobertura de código. Esta abordagem usa algoritmos meta-heurísticos guiados por critérios de cobertura de código para gerar os testes. Neste estudo, foi utilizado um critério de cobertura múltiplo que é composto por oito critérios diferentes: a cobertura de linhas, cobertura de ramos, cobertura de métodos, cobertura de métodos de nível de topo sem exceção, cobertura de ramos direto, cobertura de output, mutação fraca e cobertura de exceções. No que diz respeito aos algoritmos meta-heurísticos, os algoritmos evolucionários são o estado da arte atual, tendo apresentado os melhores resultados em estudos anteriores, superando os algoritmos aleatórios. No entanto, serão os algoritmos evolucionários realmente os melhores algoritmos neste contexto? E quanto aos algoritmos de inteligência de grupo, poderão eles também apresentar bons resultados? Poderá o atual estado da arte ser substituído por um algoritmo de inteligência de grupo? Deste modo, para responder a estas e outras questões, decidimos explorar os algoritmos bio-inspirados, também conhecidos por algoritmos de inteligência de grupo. Estes algoritmos baseiam-se no comportamento de indivíduos que pertencem a grupos na natureza, tais como os enxames de abelhas. Os algoritmos bio-inspirados não são completamente novos na área de testar software. Estudos anteriores mostram que os algoritmos de inteligência de grupo são geralmente melhores que os algoritmos genéticos para testes de estrutura, que na geração de dados para testes o desempenho dos algoritmos depende do tipo de problema e que na geração automática de testes Artificial Bee Algorithm teve o melhor desempenho e o Bat Algorithm é o mais rápido a executar. Nós escolhemos implementar dez algoritmos de inteligência de grupo que possuem várias características diferentes, com diferentes graus de popularidade e que incluem algoritmos antigos e recentes. Os algoritmos escolhidos são: Genetic Bee Colony (GBC) Algorithm, Fish Swarm Algorithm (FSA), Cat Swarm Optimization (CSO), Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA), Artificial Algae Algorithm (AAA), Elephant Herding Optimization (EHO), Chicken Swarm Optimization Algorithm (CSOA), Moth Flame Optimization (MFO) Algorithm, Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimizer (PSO). Para representar os algoritmos evolucionários e servir de comparação contra os algoritmos de inteligência de grupo, escolhemos o Standard Genetic Algorithm (Standard GA), Many-Objective Sorting Algorithm (MOSA) e o Dynamic ManyObjective Sorting Algorithm (DynaMOSA). Este último é o estado da arte atual. Além destes algoritmos, foi implementado mais um algoritmo que é um híbrido (fusão de algoritmos de inteligência de grupo e evolucionários), o Elephant Dynamic Many-Objective Sorting Algorithm (Elephant-DynaMOSA). O EvoSuite foi a ferramenta de geração de testes escolhida para implementar o híbrido e os dez algoritmos de inteligência de grupo por já possuir diversas otimizações, os algoritmos evolucionários já estão implementados e a natureza modular da ferramenta permite facilmente adicionar novos algoritmos ao módulo dos algoritmos. O estudo empírico realizado consiste em duas experiências: a calibração dos parâmetros e a avaliação dos algoritmos. Na primeira experiência, escolhemos vários parâmetros e testámos vários valores destes para cada algoritmo. Foi selecionado um subconjunto de 34 classes e testou-se em 30 seeds diferentes durante 60 segundos para se obter os resultados de cada configuração. De seguida, aplicámos o método estatístico Vargha-Delaney de modo a encontrar a melhor configuração de cada algoritmo. A segunda experiência consistiu em correr a melhor configuração de cada algoritmo em 312 classes com 30 seeds durante 60 segundos. Depois, com o intuito de interpretar os resultados obtidos e conseguir ver qual o melhor algoritmo de inteligência de grupo, se os algoritmos de inteligência de grupo são melhores que os três algoritmos evolucionários e quão boa é a performance do algoritmo híbrido, foram usados os métodos estatísticos de Vargha-Delaney e teste de Friedman. Também se observou a relação entre diversos aspetos dos resultados: a cobertura e o número de gerações, cobertura e a pontuação de mutação, cobertura e diversidade e cobertura e tamanho dos testes. Os nossos resultados revelam que EHO foi o melhor algoritmo de inteligência de grupo e que também superou o Standard GA. Porém, tanto DynaMOSA e MOSA mostram-se superior ao EHO. Em relação ao Elephant-DynaMOSA, que é o híbrido do melhor algoritmo de inteligência de grupo e evolucionário, os resultados foram melhores que o EHO, visto que tem um desempenho semelhante ao MOSA. No final, DynaMOSA foi o algoritmo com maior cobertura média e com os melhores resultados estatísticos nos dois métodos usados. Posteriormente, decidimos discutir outras particularidades dos resultados e propusemos três hipóteses: o melhor algoritmo é superior em todas as classes, qualquer algoritmo consegue atingir pelo menos 50% de cobertura em todas as classes e o desempenho aumenta se o tempo de execução aumentar. A primeira hipótese provou-se falsa visto que houve seis algoritmos estatisticamente melhor que os outros em certas classes: Standard GA, MOSA, DynaMOSA, EHO, Elephant-DynaMOSA e FSA. Isto foi provado ao mostrar-se os valores médios de vários aspetos obtidos nas execuções (número de gerações e testes, tamanho dos testes e cobertura), os resultados do método estatístico Vargha-Delaney e o desempenho de cada algoritmo por critério de cobertura de código. A segunda hipótese também se provou falsa porque 17.5% das classes obtiveram menos de 50% de cobertura independentemente do algoritmo usado. Uma das principais razões é a limitação do EvoSuite como ferramenta de testes, por exemplo não conseguir gerar os inputs necessários para correr a classe. A última hipótese foi a única que se provou ser verdadeira. Para responder a esta hipótese, selecionados a melhor configuração por algoritmo e correu-se 312 classes em uma seed durante uma hora. A cobertura média de todos os algoritmos subiu cerca de 7% e 13 dos 14 algoritmos melhoraram a sua cobertura. Também observámos a evolução dos algoritmos durante a execução e apenas uma minoria dos algoritmos mostrou uma melhoria significativa no desempenho após 60 segundos. Por isso, concluiu-se que apesar da melhoria geral no desempenho, tal melhoria poderá não valer a pena devido ao aumento de recursos necessários com um maior orçamento de tempo. Com isto podemos concluir que apesar do DynaMOSA manter-se como o estado da arte, ele não é o melhor em todas as situações. E que os algoritmos de inteligência de grupo mostraram um certo grau de potencial, principalmente o algoritmo híbrido, Elephant-DynaMOSA. Por isso, nós sugerimos que para trabalho futuro se teste mais algoritmos de inteligência de grupo e algoritmos de múltiplos objetivos, com foco em algoritmos híbridos que combinem os melhores aspetos dos vários algoritmos. Outra iniciativa que pode ser realizada é analisar que algoritmos são melhores para cada critério de cobertura e criar um algoritmo múltiplo capaz de se adaptar e otimizar a procura tendo em conta os critérios de cobertura escolhidos.

IBM defines supply Chain Management (SCM) as the management of raw components until their delivery as a final product to the consumer[11]. When a construction company takes over the SCM, it needs to handle various materials and sizes, including procurement for the best supplier, logistics, and storage in the local warehouse for later distribution into construction sites. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software facilitates data management in the SCM. They provide a GUI where collaborators can interact with a database adapted to OLTP tasks such as information retrieval, requisitions for new materials, and inventory management. With the growth of any industry, the need for analytical applications grows. However, it is challenging to provide enough compute resources for the operational and analytical tasks while not compromising access to the data. To overcome this problem, several services in the cloud can provide new data working environments. For example, cloud providers have data lakes, databases, serverless code execution platforms, virtual machines and machine learning platforms that enable developers to build their own adapted infrastructure and analytical applications. Mota¬Engil has been the subject of this project, a multi¬national construction company with supply chain management happening in and out of 20 countries. Their ERP software is SAP S/4HANA and is hosted on ¬premises. However, at the moment, there is no central analytics¬ dedicated database. To increase its development opportunities, I created an ETL pipeline that collects data from a local file system and uploads it into the cloud. Initially, all the data is extracted to Azure Data Lake Storage, it is transformed using Azure Functions and loaded into a new Azure SQL Database. Finally, I use Azure CLI to move data and execute the Azure cloud services to perform all of these commands. With the database constructed and populated, I developed two applications that leveraged its existence. The first idea was the creation of a monitoring BI report for warehouses with Power BI and providing a complete overview of the processes by choosing metrics with the Balanced Scorecard method[14]. The last application improves information retrieval by applying a Nearest Neighbots model with a novel distance algorithm. This model has been deployed into Azure Machine Learning for on ¬the ¬go material search and to an Azure VM for scheduled data processing, loading the results back into the database. In the end, it is possible to perform a search for construction materials through a flask developed web app by interacting with both model deployments to obtain the results.

The Brown Hairstreak (Thecla betulae L.) is one of the least observed butterflies of the Palaearctic region, even though its distribution spans from Portugal in the west, to Russia and Korea in the far east. Adults are arboreal and seldom descend to ground level. As a result, this species is mostly monitored via the detection of eggs on the food plant during wintertime. In the Iberian Peninsula, this species was largely unknown until very recently, but a recent burst of regional studies in Spain has begun bridging this gap. However, their focused nature and a still incomplete knowledge on T. betulae in Portugal promoted the need for an integrative study at the Iberian scale. Here, we carried out a full literature review on the distribution, ecology and behaviour of T. betulae in Portugal and Spain. Complemented with field work in Portugal, we revealed an almost continuous distribution in the northern third of Iberia, whilst populations further south are mostly mountain-bound. In order to help with future discovery of new populations, we built a species-distribution model relating its occurrence with bioclimatic variables. This model accurately explains the current known occupation of the territory and highlights other areas where the species may potentially be found. Finally, we found evidence of a broadening of the species’ niche through the local use of an hitherto unknown food plant. This study sets a new knowledge baseline for future works and conservation of T. betulae through southern Europe.

The presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater produced interest in its use for sentinel surveillance at a community level and as a complementary approach to syndromic surveillance. With this work, we set the foundations for wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) in Portugal by monitoring the trends of SARS-CoV-2 RNA circulation in the community, on a nationwide perspective during different epidemiological phases of the pandemic. The Charité assays (E_Sarbecco, RdRP, and N_Sarbecco) were applied to monitor, over 32-weeks (April to December 2020), the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 RNA at the inlet of five wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), which together serve more than two million people in Portugal. Raw wastewater from three Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reference hospitals was also analyzed during this period. In total, more than 600 samples were tested. For the first weeks, detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was sporadic, with concentrations varying from 103 to 105 genome copies per liter (GC/L). Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA increased steeply by the end of May into late June, mainly in Lisboa e Vale do Tejo region (LVT), during the reopening phase. After the summer, with the reopening of schools in mid-September and return to partial face-to-face work, a pronounced increase of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater was detected. In the LVT area, SARS-CoV-2 RNA load agreed with reported trends in hotspots of infection. Synchrony between trends of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in raw wastewater and daily new COVID-19 cases highlights the value of WBE as a surveillance tool, particularly after the phasing out of the epidemiological curve and when hotspots of disease re-emerge in the population which might be difficult to spot based solely on syndromic surveillance and contact tracing. This is the first study crossing several epidemiological stages highlighting the long-term use of WBE for SARS-CoV-2.

Agroforests are of well-known importance for biodiversity conservation, especially in the tropics, because they are structurally stable and may resemble natural forests. Previous studies have characterized jointly taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity in these agro-ecosystems to comprehensively examine the mechanisms by which agriculture impacts on biodiversity. However, this approach has been barely applied to other woody crops of economic importance, such as olive grove, which is a remarkable overwintering habitat for frugivorous/insectivorous birds from central and northern Europe, and whose original distribution overlaps with the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot. We examined the effects of landscape complexity and intensive management practices at a local scale (recurrent plowing and pesticides use) on the functional and phylogenetic diversity of animal communities inhabiting olive groves. Since the response of functional traits or clades may vary across different taxonomic groups, we conducted our study at two levels: ants, which are considered semi-sessile organisms, and birds, which exhibit a high dispersal capacity. In birds, neither management type nor landscape complexity had an effect on phylogenetic diversity (PD) indices. Extensively managed farms harbored bird communities with higher values of functional diversity (FD), but this effect only was evident when considering cultivated (productive) zones within the farm (i.e., infield diversity). Ant assemblages on intensively managed farms exhibited a lower level of phylogenetic clustering than those located in extensive farms, but this effect vanished when excluding non-cultivated zones. Ant functional diversity increased with landscape complexity. Our results indicate that PD and FD exhibit different responses to farming intensification in olive groves. Although intensive management does not erode PD due to the existence of phylogenetic redundancy, the loss of species associated to modern farming leads to a reduction in FD being this indicative of functional complementarity. This study provides evidence that land-use extensification (extensive farming and landscape diversification) promotes more functionally rich assemblages than modern intensive practices in olive groves. Our findings also show the need to set apart the effect of non-cultivated zones (e.g., hedgerows, margins) when evaluating the effectiveness of agri-environment schemes as the joint consideration of non-cultivated and cultivated areas may obscure the benefits of local extensification on infield biodiversity.

Biodiversity conservation traditionally necessitates setting aside land, which frequently impacts local communities. Although progress has been made on how to optimize this process, conflict frequently emerges when conservation and community goals are at odds. Improving communication and community inclusiveness in decision-making processes is strongly recommended to achieve livelihood goals and conservation outcomes. We used social network analysis to understand how local communities are embedded within the structure and dynamics of stakeholder interactions in Quirimbas National Park (Mozambique). We detected a network of limited cooperation that lacks bidirectional communication, displaying low average knowledge transfer but high bonding across stakeholder groups with similar perceptions. Local communities only interact with the district government and they have a passive voice in the system. A more inclusive network structure is needed so that conservation and community livelihood goals can be achieved.

Hybridisation between domestic and wild taxa can pose severe threats to wildlife conservation, and human-induced hybridisation, often linked to species' introductions and habitat degradation, may promote reproductive opportunities between species for which natural interbreeding would be highly unlikely. Using a biome-specific approach, we examine the effects of a suite of ecological drivers on the European wildcat's genetic integrity, while assessing the role played by protected areas in this process. We used genotype data from 1217 putative European wildcat samples from 13 European countries to assess the effects of landcover, disturbance and legal landscape protection on the European wildcat's genetic integrity across European biomes, through generalised linear models within a Bayesian framework. Overall, we found European wildcats to have genetic integrity levels above the wildcat-hybrid threshold (ca. 83%; threshold = 80%). However, Mediterranean and Temperate Insular biomes (i.e., Scotland) revealed lower levels, with 74% and 46% expected genetic integrity, respectively. We found that different drivers shape the level of genetic introgression across biomes, although forest integrity seems to be a common factor promoting European wildcat genetic integrity. Wildcat genetic integrity remains high, regardless of landscape legal protection, in biomes where populations appear to be healthy and show recent local range expansions. However, in biomes more susceptible to hybridisation, even protected areas show limited effectiveness in mitigating this threat. In the face of the detected patterns, we recommend that species conservation and management plans should be biome- and landscape-context-specific to ensure effective wildcat conservation, especially in the Mediterranean and Temperate Insular biomes.

Apresenta-se uma proposta didáctica do TEMA E – Expansão e mudança nos séculos XV e XVI – O expansionismo europeu, ao mesmo tempo científica e formadora, realizada com alunos do 8.º ano de escolaridade do Ensino Básico, numa escola situada em Lisboa. Uma leitura atenta do documento Currículo Nacional do Ensino Básico – Competências Específicas permite-nos antever algumas linhas orientadoras, conduzindo o processo ensino-aprendizagem para além do horizonte de um conhecimento meramente centrado nos conteúdos científicos. De facto, em todas as áreas, o Currículo Nacional apresenta não só conhecimentos, mas também competências que o aluno deverá desenvolver ao longo de cada ciclo de estudos, bem como experiências de aprendizagem que lhe permitam a aquisição dessas valências. Para além da aprendizagem dos conhecimentos científicos ou do desenvolvimento das capacidades cognitivas, a ambição maior será fornecer ao aluno metodologias e instrumentos que lhe permitam usar os saberes adquiridos ao longo do seu crescimento, da sua formação e da sua inclusão na sociedade.

Information Science and Archival Studies do not yet have a relevant theoretical production on the classification and organization of documentation originating from cinematographic production. This exploratory research aims to understand how Domain Analysis can assist Knowledge Organization applied to cinematographic documentation in the archival context. One of the main problems concerns the documents generated during cinematographic production not being custodied together with the movie, which is the main product of a complex artistic, technical, and administrative process. A constructivist perspective is adopted, in which the domain of cinema is explored concerning its language. The aim is to understand the domain that influences the materialization of information, thus producing records of a diverse range of genres, from audio-visual to textual. The concept of Domain Analysis and its relationship with Archival Studies is explored, including the benefits of provenance as a Domain Analysis approach to the classification of cinematographic documentation. The importance of cultural and social context is revealed to link the different dimensions of cinematographic production, which allows knowledge to be built from its information.

In recent years the syntax of yes-no questions has been subject to some intriguing discussions capitalising on the relation between questions and polarity and on the existence of a Pol(arity) head that encodes the polarity value of the structure (Holmberg 2012). Adopting the idea that polarity is in the core of yes-no questions formation, here we explore the properties of yes-no questions in Bulgarian and Portuguese. Portuguese has traditionally been addressed as a language in which the licensing of yes-no questions relies on the rising intonation with which they are produced (Frota 2000, 2002). Bulgarian, on the other hand, displays the particle li, which follows the Verb or XPs different from the verb, the latter being the case of the so called focused yes-no questions. Nevertheless, the question of what exactly the syntactic expression of V-li and XP-li questions is and what triggers the focused meaning of the latter is yet to be settled. Contrary to the traditional assumptions on Portuguese yes-no questions, we argue with Ambar (2012, 2013) that these structures display V-movement to Int(errogative)P and project PolP (Holmberg 2012). A similar line of inquiry is adopted for Bulgarian li-questions: we propose that li is externally merged in PolP and denotes the polarity algorithm [x, ⌐x] (Hamblin 1973). Based on some well-known assumptions on pronominal clitics, we claim that li can be both an Xº and an XP (Chomsky 1994). The distinction between Bulgarian V-li and XP-li questions is accounted for accordingly: in V-li questions, the verb attaches to li in Polº while in XP-li questions, an XP different from the verb attaches to li in Spec, PolP. Both structures display movement to IntP triggered by the existence of given features in need of valuation. Besides the properties of standard yes-no questions, in this work we also explore data from negative and subjunctive yes-no questions focusing on the way yes-no questions codify speaker-related properties. The discussion of these structures thus stresses on the relation to evaluation and (non)veridicality (Ambar 1996, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2016, Cinque 1999, Giannakidou 2016).

This work aims to provide an overview on some aspects of media technology equipment and supports, its importance for the preservation of collective memory; it approaches prevention, preventive conservation and its archiving, with particular attention to media supports. The connection of the theoretical aspects to the existing reality starts from the inventory of the Portuguese audiovisual heritage - collections, archives, museums, libraries - reviewing its collections, its state of conservation and prevention, as well as its digitization, where applicable. In addition to a set of general reflections (methodological, archival, technical and political) necessary for a preliminary understanding of the conservation and dissemination of documentary memory, the following specific areas are privileged in this study: cinema, video, communication, photography. The norms and methodologies regarding the conservation and accessibility of audiovisual heritage are also reviewed. In this field, several documents from UNESCO and a set of national laws that guide and condition several types of collections are highlighted - in addition to the reflective contributions of a number of thinkers and analysts. The rapid technological, scientific, and market evolution raises a range of problems in the field of museum conservation and assembly, and justifies the detailed study of existing or planned means and methodologies. The digitization and introduction of up-to-date means of document consultation, many of them multidisciplinary and based on new technologies, is important to avoid a slow death of the collections. ICOM is calling for new ideas for the sector - a new landscape of change for the museums of the 21st century is progressively arriving. In response to this international call, new proposals for defining museums are open for consideration and discussion. This study will be part of the contextualization elaboration of my project, based on a personal collection with about 500 media pieces from the 19th-20th century, in a museological approach for the future.

This Project Work, developed within the scope of the Masters in Conservation Sciences, Restoration and Production of Contemporary Art, at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon, has as its main objective to find a solution for the problems caused by the deterioration of internal iron structures in plaster cast sculptures. The project was developed to obtain real and simple data in the research of a methodology for the area of plaster work conservation, through the contribution of cathodic protection by sacrificial anodes, which was applied first in laboratory tests and later in three cases of study belonging to the plaster cast collection of the faculty. The Cathodic protection is obtained when the electrochemical principles of metals in an electrolyte are applied, it consists of the protection of metal surfaces against corrosion through the application of anodes that support corrosion. It is currently used by the materials engineering sector on structures that are buried or submerged, on reinforced concrete, masonry structures, buildings, among others. However, the use in works of art has been barely or not explored, especially in plaster cast sculptures with internal iron structures. In this project, the studies were carried out on cathodic protection, on iron, on plaster, on the techniques involved for the internal structures of the sculptures, and the mechanisms of degradation of materials, which were essential for the test’s elaboration. The laboratory tests were carried out on forty-two specimens, with different dimensions and different installations of the anodes in a period of 192 days between March and October. The results with the specimens with zinc anode number 02, 03, 04 and 08 allowed the obtention of essential and effective data for the methodology used in the intervention of the three case studies, in a real and safe way. This methodology allowed, on the intervention of the case studies, the stabilization of the iron’s structure without altering its material. In this sense, the contribution of cathodic protection innovates with the prevention of corrosion to safeguard the plaster heritage.

Medical overuse—defined as the provision of health services for which potential harms exceed potential benefits—constitutes a paradigm of low-value care and is seen as a threat to the quality of care. Value in healthcare implies a precise definition of disease. However, defining a disease may not be straightforward since clinical data do not show discrete boundaries, calling for some clinical judgment. And, if in time a redefinition of disease is needed, it is important to recognize that it can induce overdiagnosis, the identification of medical conditions that would, otherwise, never cause any significant symptoms or lead to clinical harm. A classic example is the impact of recommendations from professional societies in the late 1990s, lowering the threshold for abnormal total cholesterol from 240 mg/dl to 200 mg/dl. Due to these changes in risk factor definition, literally overnight there were 42 million new cases eligible for treatment in the United States. The same happened with hypertension—using either the 2019 NICE guidelines or the 2018 ESC/ECC guidelines criteria for arterial hypertension, the proportion of people overdiagnosed with hypertension was calculated to be between 14% and 33%. In this review, we will start by discussing resource overuse. We then present the basis for disease definition and its conceptual problems. Finally, we will discuss the impact of changing risk factor/disease definitions in the prevalence of disease and its consequences in overdiagnosis and overtreatment (a problem particularly relevant when definitions are widened to include earlier or milder disease).