Repositório RCAAP

Annual summaries dataset of Heatwaves in Europe, as defined by the Excess Heat Factor

The dataset includes six yearly time series of six Heatwave (HW) aspects/metrics (or statistical summaries) calculated from the E-OBS dataset (v19eHOM, available in https://www.ecad.eu/download/ensembles/downloadversion19.0eHOM.php) following the Excess Heat Factor (EHF) methodology implemented in the ClimPACT tool, in compliance with the guidelines established by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ET-SCI). These aspects correspond to annual summaries of HW frequency, duration and intensity, considering solely the events occurring during the extended summer season (from June to September). Input Daily Maximum (TX) and Minimum (TN) near-surface air temperature data were retrieved from a European gridded dataset (E-OBS) – the ensemble homogenized version ‘19.0eHOM’, at 0.1° × 0.1° spatial resolution, covering the European region, and retrieved from the EU-FP6 project UERRA (http://www.uerra.eu) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service. The E-OBS dataset is based on station observations, provided by the European Climate Assessment & Dataset. The here-presented HW aspects/summaries outputs of the ClimPACT tool correspond to the gridded annual statistical summaries of HW – these are detected based on the positive Excess Heat Factor (EHF) days, an HW index based on the human health response to heat extremes. The summaries include: (i) annual Number of Heatwaves (HWN); (ii) annual Heatwave Days Frequency (HWF); (iii) annual Maximum Heatwave Duration (HWD); (iv) annual Mean Heatwave Magnitude (HWM); and (v) annual Maximum Heatwave Amplitude (HWA). In addition, the annual maximum Heatwave Severity (HWS) was calculated, by dividing HWA by the 85th percentile of the positive EHF days. These annual time series can be used in HW-related studies focusing on the European region, particularly those focusing on climatology, trends, and impacts on human health.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:14:28Z

Creators

Oliveira, Ana Lopes, António Correia, Ezequiel

Assessment of Urban Subsidence in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (Central-West of Portugal) Applying Sentinel-1 SAR Dataset and Active Deformation Areas Procedure

The Lisbon metropolitan area (LMA, central-west of Portugal) has been severely affected by different geohazards (flooding episodes, landslides, subsidence, and earthquakes) that have generated considerable damage to properties and infrastructures, in the order of millions of euros per year. This study is focused on the analysis of subsidence, as related to urban and industrial activity. Utilizing the A-DInSAR dataset and applying active deformation areas (ADA) processing at the regional scale has allowed us to perform a detailed analysis of subsidence phenomena in the LMA. The dataset consisted of 48 ascending and 61 descending SAR IW-SLC images acquired by the Sentinel-1 A satellite between January 2018 and April 2020. The line-of-sight (LOS), mean deformation velocity (VLOS) maps (mm year−1), and deformation time series (mm) were obtained via the Geohazard Exploitation Platform service of the European Space Agency. The maximum VLOS detected, with ascending and descending datasets, were −38.0 and −32.2 mm year−1, respectively. ADA processing over the LMA allowed for 592 ascending and 560 descending ADAs to be extracted and delimited. From the VLOS measured in both trajectories, a vertical velocity with a maximum value of −32.4 mm year−1 was estimated. The analyzed subsidence was associated to four ascending and three descending ADAs and characterized by maximum VLOS of −25.5 and −25.2 mm year−1. The maximum vertical velocity associated with urban subsidence was −32.4 mm year−1. This subsidence is mainly linked to the compaction of the alluvial and anthropic deposits in the areas where urban and industrial sectors are located. The results of this work have allowed to: (1) detect and assess, from a quantitative point of view, the subsidence phenomena in populated and industrial areas of LMA; (2) establish the relationships between the subsidence phenomena and geological and hydrological characteristics.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:27:41Z

Creators

Cuervas-Mons, José Zêzere, José Domínguez-Cuesta, María José Barra, Anna Reyes-Carmona, Cristina Monserrat, Oriol Oliveira, Sérgio Melo, Raquel

Problematizing the methodology: challenges, conflicts, and contradictions in the study of queer-feminist zines in the Iberian Peninsula

My research project studies feminist and queer zines inside academia during the last decades of the Twentieth Century and the beginning of Twenty-first Century in Spain and Portugal. When I started the research some of the conflicts and contradictions were immediately revealed. The necessity of definition of my study object, the process of recollecting zines, the legitimacy of building-up an investigation like this inside the academia... all of these raise controversial questions that the research needs to address. Thus, it was imperative to think about the approach and how to address the methodology. One of the most urgent is to reflect on the process of institutionalization of counter-hegemonic knowledges, with all the inherent dangers, including the deactivating of political strategies that are specific to movements.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:28:33Z

Creators

López Casado, Laura

The Debt Crisis and Homeland-Diaspora Engagement in Portugal: Institutions, Remittances and Political Participation

Emigration has been a structural feature of the Portuguese society. Recognising that diasporas are increasingly considered agents of change, particularly in situations of economic or political crisis, Portugal has sought to strengthen economic, social and political ties with Portuguese citizens and their descendants living abroad. Building on the concept of critical juncture, this chapter explores the drivers of change of Portuguese diaspora policies, since the establishment of the democratic regime, aiming to assess the relative impact of the 2008 economic crisis on those policies and in affecting diaspora mobilisation and engagement with homeland. Our analysis focuses on the economic and political relationships, combining secondary data on remittances and the electoral participation rate of Portuguese emigrants, in the national elections, with a survey of emigrants who had left Portugal after 2000. Our findings indicate that with the economic crisis and the resulting great emigration wave, the economic and business approach of the diaspora-engagement policies gained relevance. This, however, appeared to have had limited impact on the volume of emigrants’ remittances while the level of political mobilisation of the Portuguese diaspora has remained relatively weak. Yet it is important to highlight the change in the electoral law in 2018 which broadened the electoral weight of the diaspora.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:20:34Z

Creators

Fonseca, Maria Lucinda

Future land use/cover changes and participatory planning

Globally, land use/cover is facing irreversible damages caused by human activities and climate changes. These damages have occurred as a result of land conversions from natural and seminatural areas to anthropogenic uses such as urbanisation and intensive agricultural practices. Land conversions correspond to one of the main environmental threats characterised by a complex interconnection between different dimensions. One of the better approaches to assess these threats is through the creation of effective land-use planning instruments with the support of stakeholders. This can contribute to helping decision-makers to better identify, evaluate and anticipate potential land-use changes. This chapter proposes a conceptual framework to develop a better participatory planning process using complex spatial models and by engaging stakeholders. It is divided into four steps: (1) problem identification (by identifying the case study/stakeholders and establishing a time horizon), (2) future needs (by designing ‘what-if’ scenarios), (3) simulation of scenarios (by using spatially explicit dynamic models to explore future land use and land cover changes) and (4) policy recommendations (by creating land-use strategies). This analysis suggests that more participative planning and more action-oriented territorial development are required.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:12:26Z

Creators

Gomes, Eduardo Banos, Arnaud Abrantes, Patrícia Rocha, Jorge

Mapping and Forecasting Land Use: The Present and Future of Planning

Mapping and Forecasting Land Use: The Present and Future of Planning is a comprehensive reference on the use of technologies to map land use, focusing on GIS and remote sensing applications and methodologies for land use monitoring. This book addresses transversal topics such as urbanisation, biodiversity loss, climate change, ecosystem services and participatory planning, with the pros and cons of various aerial technologies in mapping and land use. It follows a multidisciplinary approach and provides opinions and evidence from leading researchers working in academic institutions across the globe. The book's second half moves from theory and research advancement into case studies, compiling global examples to provide real-world context and evidence of the techniques and applications. Mapping and Forecasting Land Use is a valuable guide for graduates, academics and researchers in the fields of geography, geographic information science and land use science who want to effectively apply GIS and remote sensing capabilities to mapping or wider land studies. Researchers in geosciences, environmental science and agriculture will also find this of value in utilising 21st-century technologies in their field.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:21:01Z

Creators

Pereira, Paulo Gomes, Eduardo Rocha, Jorge

O fanzine feminista e queer como fronteira habitada

No presente artigo vou refletir sobre fanzines e migração, considerando os fanzines como objetos artísticos e espaços onde desenvolvem-se discursos e representações que encontram-se no borde, na fronteira, no margem, tal e como a materialidade do objeto se apresenta. As ferramentas epistemológicas desenvolvidas ao redor da fronteira (ANZALDÚA, 1987; LICONA, 2012) e o lugar desde se constrói conhecimento (FUSS, 1989; HARAWAY, 191, HARDING, 1986; RIBEIRO, 2017) será atravessado pelas lógicas da circulação e criação de fanzines. Os fanzines que aparecem neste artigo têm dois denominadores comuns: o país de Portugal é ou bem o lugar de recepção de narrativas fronteiriças ou bem o lugar de surgimento das mesmas, e a outra característica em comum é que os fanzines desafiarão as representações do sexo, género e sexualidade. Isto também colocará os estudos de género como ponto de apoio de tudo o artigo.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:09:36Z

Creators

López Casado, Laura

Spatial analysis, geospatial data and land-change models for modelling agricultural land changes

At the core of global initiatives, several relevant adaptive management and policy approaches are being discussed and redirected towards achieving global food production objectives and food security for the present and future generations. In particular, agricultural land systems are the principal biogeophysical source to ensure food security and nutritional benefits. However, agricultural land systems change over time, indirectly influencing global food production and food security. Thus, in the coming decades, agricultural land systems will face complex challenges (e.g. the changing of food consumption pattern, climate change, land abandonment and/or intensification); the extent to which they will be able to support the security of the global food system will be determined by their efficiency, sustainability and equitability. With the integration of spatial analysis, geospatial data and land-change models, there is a practical opportunity for modelling agricultural land systems. This, in turn, can provide meaningful information to assist decision-making processes, anticipate future changes and design robust strategies in the long term to manage impending challenges.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:26:46Z

Creators

Viana, Cláudia M.

Future land use/cover change and tourism development: integrating land use policy and tourist decision behaviour

With the growth in tourism demand as a vital economic activity worldwide, the tourism system may reach critical thresholds, encompassing transformations of territories towards its touristification. This process has led to land use/cover change (LUCC). In Portugal high levels of tourism demand have resulted in a tourism development model set on land use artificialisation and intensification. Even though tourism development has spatial implications, there are few empirical studies in the literature, mostly because tourism direct LUCC is difficult to track. This book chapter proposes a Cellular Automata–Agent-based model to integrate tourism demand forecasts and suitable areas for future tourism development to explore LUCC in 2030 in a region in Southwest Portugal. The results inform spatial planners and decision-makers when designing land use policies that by 2030 patterns of tourism demand increase of 3.5% may result in a 61% increase in tourism LUCC.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:19:09Z

Creators

Boavida-Portugal, Inês

Retrotransposition causes age-dependent neuronal function decline

Retrotransposable elements (RE) are DNA sequences that have the ability to change position within the genome. They are present in most organisms and often comprise a large part of their genome. Because of their mobilization, REs are an intrinsic source of DNA damage and mutations that can alter gene activity. Even though some of these mutations can eventually drive evolutionary novelty at the population and species scales, more often, the RE-driven mutations are deleterious and lead to genomic instability and disease at the individual scale. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that hosts have evolved transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms that repress REs activity. Recent studies have correlated increased expression of REs with age and age-related diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders, which is suspected to be due to the tendency of RE silencing mechanisms to fail over time. However, it remains unclear whether RE de-repression is a cause or a consequence of the age-dependent cellular loss of function. The goal of this project is to determine if retrotransposition of long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE1 or L1) can be a cause of neurodegeneration and neural function decline if it is not repressed by the organism. To evaluate the effects of continuous expression of L1 in the nervous system in such a context, we developed a heterologous system that allows tissue-specific expression, using the GAL4-UAS system, of an L1 of the mosquito Anopheles gambiae (AgL1) in the evolutionary-distant fly Drosophila melanogaster. Mosquitos and flies have evolved separately for about 250 million years, so it is expected that their anti-RE systems no longer recognize each other. We confirmed the expression of AgL1 transcripts in the adult fly nervous system using reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and of the AgL1-encoded proteins, ORF1p and ORF2p, by immunohistochemistry using antibodies against V5 and HA epitopes, which respectively tag each protein in our construct. Further immunohistochemistry assays using an anti-phosphorylated histone H2Av antibody, which indicates the presence of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), showed that AgL1-expressing flies had higher DSB levels in neural cells than their controls. However, immunostaining using anti-activated caspase, a programmed-cell death indicator, revealed similar levels of neuronal death in both conditions. Neuronal performance of ageing flies was analyzed using negative geotaxis (climbing) assays 2, 20, 30, and 40 days after eclosion. We observed a statistically significant decrease in climbing ability in flies expressing AgL1 in the neurons, compared to their age-matched controls. Expression of AgL1 in glial cells, in contrast, had no significant effect on climbing ability, suggesting that neurons are particularly sensitive to AgL1 activity. Feeding stavudine - a known retrotransposition inhibitor - to ageing flies expressing AgL1 in neurons partially rescued their decreased climbing ability, suggesting AgL1 retrotransposition or its attempts had a causal role in the locomotor function decrease. AgL1 retrotransposition capability was further evaluated using an established exogenous cell culture retrotransposition assay for human cells and a custom-modified retrotransposition assay for fly cells. We were able to demonstrate AgL1 retrotransposition in human HeLa cells, but not in Drosophila melanogaster DL2 cells. This suggests that the decrease in climbing ability of AgL1-expressing flies is the result of DNA damage caused by L1 retrotransposition attempts, rather than full retrotransposition events.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:10:04Z

Creators

Pinto, Carolina Carvalho e

The effectiveness of Two-Risk Levels containment measures applied during Portuguese COVID-19 second wave: an interrupted time series study

In order to contain COVID-19 disease dissemination, originated by SARS-CoV-2 viral infection, the Portuguese government took several actions during the country’s second wave. One of such measures was the separation of municipalities into two risk levels, according to their 14 day-cumulative incidence, with containment measures applied according to each level. The objective of this master’s project was to evaluate if this type of targeted containment measures were effective in halting or even reducing the pandemic growth. The aforementioned evaluation was performed using two variables, regularly used to monitor the estate of the pandemic, the number of daily positive COVID-19 tests and the number of daily deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using an Interrupted Time Series analysis, both variables were modelled trough an impact model with the objective of comparing the pre intervention trend with the post intervention trend. The results show a significant negative change in the regression slope, either for daily tests (p-value < 0.001) as for deaths (p-value < 0.001). The Two-Risk level division of the Portuguese municipalities and application of containment measures according to the level was effective in controlling viral dispersion, either in reducing the number of positive tests as well as the number of daily deaths. Although expected that this type of containment measures will not produce the same level of control as the general confinement of the population, it can still create a significant positive impact while having an estimated smaller socioeconomic impact compared to the impact generated by a full lockdown. As such, targeted containment measures should be considered in future COVID-19 outbreaks as well as in controlling the dissemination of future viruses with pandemic potential.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:18:55Z

Creators

Anjos, Hugo Alexandre Monoz dos

Hábitos de sono dos estudantes da FCUL

Currently, we live in a society that is permanently awake and it is necessary to be available almost 24 hours a day, every day. This happens, mostly, due to technology potentialities that have been adopted as a vital part in diverse areas of our lives (work, knowledge, learning, pleasure/fun, socializing) and it is clear to understand population’s priorities have been changing over time, and there are issues that are becoming more an more relevant in our world, between being with family and spending quality time with friends, give a full response to all work demands, competitive pressure, among other issues. Sleep is a primary need that ends up being relegated to the background by day-to-day tasks, compromising quality of life. Having poor quality and quantity of sleep can bring health problems in the future. The value of sleep in an individual’s life is undeniable, particularly for the young ones who are in an extremely critical period of their lives when they must balance not only college but also social life, extracurricular activities, and sometimes a job. All of this leads to a reduced sleep time to be able to have time for other activities. Students with a good quality of sleep have better grades and fewer curricular classes left behind. The data analyzed in this work corroborate the idea that effectively sleep is essential for, not only a healthy life and a good quality of life but also an excellent academic success. This project aims to identify and analyze sleep habits of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon’s (FCUL) students, through an online questionnaire, as well as to identify are the factors that contribute to sleep quality - quantified by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) -, and, in the end, analyze if sleep quality influences academic success. 902 students answered answered to the questionnaire (902 students), whom consider that their sleep quality has in general worsened during university period when compared to high school, about 70% of students have a poor quality of sleep and only 40% of them say they feel satisfied with their sleep quality and 53% refers that they feel little or nothing satisfied. Sleep schedules are different during the week and the weekend. Students sleep less hours daily during the week and replace them, or try to, during the weekend. Around 20% sleep less than 6 hours daily per week. There are also differences in what concerns bedtime and getting up time during the weekdays and weekend, and female students have earlier sleep schedules. There is also a variation in sleep schedules comparing exams season and the semester, with more students referring to have a better quality of sleep during the semester. Through logistic regression, with the model obtained it was possible to predict correctly all the observations in about 71.86%. About 70% of students have a poor quality of sleep.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:13:20Z

Creators

Cruz, Joana Filipa Almeida da

Understanding the role of insular African mangroves as nursery areas for the early life stages of fish

As florestas de mangal têm vindo a ser mundialmente reconhecidas como importantes zonas de viveiro para larvas de peixe e juvenis. Apesar da reconhecida importância destes sistemas para a gestão de recursos pesqueiros, o conhecimento quanto às comunidades de larvas de peixe que existem em mangais insulares é, ainda, escasso, e consequentemente o potencial das florestas de mangal na ilha de São Tomé como zonas de viveiro continua desconhecido. Durante quatro semanas entre os meses de outubro e novembro de 2020, as comunidades larvares de peixes de duas florestas de mangal da ilha de São Tomé foram amostradas com recurso a armadilhas de luz, redes de cerco e redes de plâncton usando uma abordagem multi-habitat. Para suplantar a falta de informação necessária para a identificação das larvas, um conjunto de métodos morfológicos e moleculares foram utilizados para a identificação dos exemplares. Um total de 4 010 larvas foram recolhidas, pertencentes a 16 famílias e contabilizando 27 espécies. Um pequeno número de espécies dominou a comunidade de ictioplâncton, em que as famílias Cichlidae (47%), representada pela invasora Oreochromis mossambicus, e Gobiidae (43%) com sete espécies encontradas, totalizaram cerca de 90% da comunidade de larvas capturadas. As restantes 14 famílias representaram apenas 10% da comunidade, sendo que três espécies são novos registos para os habitats de mangal na ilha e três espécies são novos registos para a ilha de São Tomé. A riqueza e diversidade de espécies variou consoante o método de amostragem. A maior riqueza específica foi registada no mangal de Malanza (27 espécies) enquanto que a Praia das Conchas (9 espécies) não revelou valores semelhantes de biodiversidade. Foram encontradas diferenças nas comunidades larvares entre diferentes locais em cada um dos dois mangais, revelando uma forte influência do tipo de habitat. Os padrões espaciais de diversidade revelaram uma fraca influência por parte de variáveis ambientais como a temperatura e oxigénio dissolvido. Onze espécies encontradas em forma larvar ou juvenil têm interesse comercial e a sua presença numa fase de vida precoce nos mangais de São Tomé reforça a necessidade de conservação destes ecossistemas e com implicações diretas para a sustentabilidade das pescarias locais.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:27:00Z

Creators

Dias, Diogo Manuel Lisboa Valente de Moura

On the quality of the drainage network cartographic representation

One of the most important features of topographic maps is the stream network. Its accurate representation is essential for several applications. This work evaluates the quality of the stream network representation of Brazil and Portugal's official topographic maps. These maps were produced using different scales (1:10,000, 1:25,000, and 1:50,000) and methods (photo interpretation and automatic drainage network extraction). The intention of this analysis is to focus on quality data analysis, optimization and reduction of management costs, and the achievement of better planning. To assess the completeness and positional quality, two actions were taken. The first, concerning the completeness assessment, used the methodology proposed by ISO 19157. The second is related to positional quality analysis using the Buffer Overlay Statistical Method. Results show that completeness and positional errors can appear at different locations, intensities, and scales and may promote changes in the extent and direction of mapped watercourses, drainage density, and consequently the size of the watersheds.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:14:55Z

Creators

Sampaio, Tony Vinicius Moreira Rocha, Jorge

(Re)Pensar a Europa. História. Literatura. Cultura. Artes

No summary/description provided

Ano

2025-10-28T12:26:46Z

Creators

Serra, José Pedro Martins, Maria de Lourdes Câncio Cid, Teresa Duarte, João Ferreira Fonseca, Rui Carlos Valente, Simão

Backing up under pressure: role of sensory afferents in walking direction

A capacidade de produzir movimento é importante para uma grande variedade de organismos, dos mais simples aos mais complexos. De facto, é graças a movimentos como a locomoção que a maioria dos organismos são capazes de procurar alimento ou fugir de predadores. A base por detrás deste controlo de movimento é descrita como sendo bastante conservada entre organismos de complexidades bastante distintas, como por exemplo entre vertebrados (como os mamíferos) e invertebrados (como os insetos). Ambos os grupos apresentam um sistema nervoso central dividido em duas secções, o cérebro e a espinal medula (ou cordão nervoso). A Drosophila melanogaster, mais conhecida como mosca da fruta, é um modelo de invertebrado extremamente utilizado graças à facilidade com que se obtêm grandes amostras em curto espaço de tempo, possuindo ainda um conjunto de ferramentas genéticas bastante variado. Este é um modelo bastante comum no estudo do movimento e da locomoção, por ser relativamente bem conhecida a rede que está por detrás do controlo motor. A informação começa por partir de centros de ordem superior, que a partir de neurónios descendentes chegam do cérebro ao cordão nervoso central (equivalente em inseto à espinal medula). Aqui, a informação é transmitida através de interneurónios, que em conjunto com os geradores de padrão centrais (responsáveis pela criação de sinais nervosos cíclicos e periódicos), vão fazer chegar aos músculos, via neurónios motores, ordens para contrair ou distender. Contudo, o sistema necessita de receber informação de volta, de modo a saber se o movimento está a ser produzido de forma controlada, para providenciar a capacidade de obter controlo motor fino, assim como para informar sobre estímulos que venham de fora do organismo. Para que esta informação volte para o sistema, são necessárias estruturas de proprioceção associadas a neurónios sensoriais. Na mosca da fruta, existem quatro estruturas sensoriais na pata que fazem parte do sistema propriocetivo, sendo elas as Mechanosensory bristles (MB), as Hair plates (HP), o Chordotonal organ (CO) e as Campaniform sensilla (CS). Cada uma destas estruturas está dedicada a informar o sistema neuronal sobre um tipo específico de estímulos: as MB são a fonte de informação sobre estímulos táteis na cutícula, dada a ausência de outros recetores neste exosqueleto rígido; as HP são responsáveis por informar sobre a posição de segmentos adjacentes da pata; o CO providencia informação sobre o ângulo da pata em cada momento; e por fim, as CS são sensores de carga, responsáveis por informar o corpo sobre deformações no exoesqueleto causadas por pressão aplicada sobre o corpo da mosca, ou quando a pata é pousada no solo. Todas estas estruturas já foram descritas e sua função estudada durante a locomoção, com especial ênfase para o CO. Contudo, a informação sobre o papel destas estruturas como iniciadores de movimento continuava por descrever. Este foi o início de um projeto no laboratório Neurogenética da locomoção (CEDOC), do Dr. César Mendes e aluna de doutoramento Alexandra Medeiros. Neste projeto, utilizando optogenética (técnica que tem por base o uso de luz em certos comprimentos de onda para despolarizar neurónios específicos, graças a canais iónicos sensíveis à luz) para estimular estas estruturas sensoriais, foi possível observar que cada uma das estruturas produzia um padrão motor específico. Três das estruturas (MB, HP e CO) produziam uma locomoção para a frente, com padrões de resposta distintos entre as três, contudo as CS produziam um comportamento motor completamente diferente. Quando ativadas, estas estruturas faziam com que a mosca andasse para trás, virasse para uma outra direção, e depois prosseguisse com marcha à frente nessa outra direção. Foi também descrito que três das quatro estruturas (HP, CO e CS) necessitavam de circuitos no cérebro para produzir o seu padrão motor, dado que quando decapitadas, as moscas não reagiam ao estímulo luminoso. De modo a compreender melhor o que poderia produzir este comportamento originário da ativação das campaniform sensilla, foi estudado o seu padrão de expressão, que parecia demonstrar que as células marcadas nas patas projetavam cada uma para o respetivo neurópilo do cordão nervoso central. Contudo, mostrou também um conjunto de projeções vindas das antenas, e que inervavam os lóbulos antenais. Com receio de que o comportamento fosse originário destas projeções, foram testadas moscas que tinham as antenas amputadas, e que continuavam a produzir o mesmo padrão motor. O presente projeto tem assim como objetivos: I) descrever o comportamento motor produzido aquando da ativação das campaniform sensilla, assim como investigar a função das antenas no mesmo; II) testar o comportamento das moscas quando as CS são inativadas; III) criar um paradigma que possibilite o teste destas estruturas sensoriais em moscas em movimento; IV) investigar os intermediários entre o estímulo das campaniform sensilla e o padrão motor originado; V) e por fim, fazer um pequeno rastreio de linhas que possam servir como novas ferramentas para o estudo das campaniform sensilla, utilizando o sistema Split-Gal4. Na primeira secção do estudo das campaniform sensilla, observámos que a estimulação das mesmas de facto produz um padrão motor trifásico, composto por um momento de velocidade de valor negativo (marcha à ré), seguido de um momento de elevada velocidade angular (consistente com a viragem), e um momento de velocidade de valor positivo (marcha à frente, após a viragem). De seguida, tirando partido dos dados obtidos anteriormente no laboratório para moscas com as antenas amputadas, e utilizando um segundo grupo de moscas com o sistema de expressão alterado para restringir a expressão à cabeça, mostramos como as moscas sem antenas produzem um comportamento similar ao comportamento das moscas originais, e que a estimulação das projeções das antenas produz um padrão motor distinto daquele previamente observado. Na segunda secção do estudo, tentamos criar um novo paradigma que permite estimular as moscas optogeneticamente, durante a sua locomoção, fazendo-as atravessar uma linha laser. Contudo, este paradigma mostrou-se não eficaz para as linhas em estudo no projeto, e, portanto, foi abandonado. Na terceira secção utilizámos um conjunto de túneis em que a altura diminui à medida que a mosca avança, tentando criar novas pressões que ativem as campaniform sensilla. Utilizando moscas onde estas estruturas foram geneticamente inativadas, observamos que apresentam uma tendência para avançar mais do que moscas com as estruturas intactas, e eventualmente ficam presas no túnel. Mostramos também, em túneis com altura constante ao longo do comprimento, que estas moscas não apresentam problemas em recuar, pelo que o motivo pelo qual acabam presas aparenta de facto ser a sua incapacidade em sentir o aumento da pressão sobre o corpo. Na quarta secção do projeto produzimos uma linha recombinante que nos permite utilizar um segundo sistema de expressão (LexA-LexAop) para inativar diferentes conjuntos de neurónios que foram previamente descritos como importantes para comportamentos de recuo e de viragem, enquanto ao mesmo tempo ativamos as campaniform sensilla com o sistema original (Gal4-UAS). Contudo, devido a constrições temporais, apenas fomos capazes de testar um controlo negativo para o sistema LexALexAop, que demonstrou que o recombinante tem um comportamento semelhante à linha original. Por fim, na última secção do estudo tirámos partido do sistema Split-Gal4, que transforma o clássico sistema binário Gal4-UAS em um sistema de três partes, dividindo a proteína GAL4 em duas subunidades (AD – Activation domain – e DBD – DNA binding domain). Ao cruzar cinco linhas AD com quatro linhas DBD, para um total de 20 combinações possíveis, conseguimos identificar 13 linhas que marcam as CS nas patas da mosca, e uma linha que marca CS e CO. As restantes seis linhas não apresentavam expressão, ou apresentavam um padrão de expressão aberrante. Com este trabalho procuramos providenciar mais informação sobre o funcionamento das estruturas sensoriais que são as campaniform sensilla, assim como dar novas técnicas para o seu estudo. Tendo em conta o quão conservado o controlo motor é entre organismos de diferentes complexidades, acreditamos que uma melhor compreensão do funcionamento das CS pode vir a dar novo conhecimento em organismos como os mamíferos, podendo até originar novos métodos de análise e tratamento de patologias que originem deficiências nos sistemas de proprioceção e controlo motor.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:21:41Z

Creators

Tanqueiro, Manuel Maria Nunes de Abreu de Matos

Spatiotemporal Dynamics of COVID-19 Infections in Mainland Portugal

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a pandemic disease on 12 March 2020. Currently, this disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus remains one of the biggest public health problems in the world. Thus, it is essential to apply methods that enable a better understanding of the virus diffusion processes, not only at the spatial level but also at the spatiotemporal one. To that end, we tried to understand the spatial distribution of COVID-19 pathology in continental Portugal at the municipal level and to comprehend how mobility influences transmission. We used autocorrelation indices such as Getis-Ord (with Euclidian distance and commuting values), Local Moran, and a new hybrid approach. Likewise, aiming to identify the spatiotemporal patterns of the virus propagation by using Man–Kendall statistics, we found that most hotspots of infected individuals occur in the municipalities of metropolitan areas. The spatiotemporal analysis identified most of the municipalities as oscillating hotspots.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:24:20Z

Creators

Silva, Melissa Betco, Iuria Capinha, César Roquette, Rita Viana, Cláudia M. Rocha, Jorge

CRPC-DB – A Discourse Bank for Portuguese

No summary/description provided

Ano

2025-10-28T12:25:54Z

Creators

Mendes, Amália Lejeune, Pierre

Hierarchical Clustering Based on a Two-Type Branching Process Model: A Simulation Study

Recently there have been published several works that focus on clustering based on infectious disease data (e.g., Maugeri et al., 2020; Mahmoudi et al., 2020; Zarikas et al., 2020). These studies did not use the effective reproduction number in their clustering method, did not consider different types of infected individuals and the problem of ties in clustering was not thoroughly addressed. We develop a method to cluster regions based on infectious disease type-specific prevalence and typespecific reproduction numbers. To incorporate these two characteristics into one formula, the beginning of an epidemic is modelled by a two-type Galton-Watson branching process model. We define the model parameter as the expected number of total infections arising in a finite number of generations from one infected individual whose type is unknown. Nonparametric bootstrap is used for estimation of the model parameter. Empirical bootstrap distributions of the model parameter are then clustered using the supremum distance and variable-group hierarchical agglomerative single linkage clustering technique. By doing a simulation study, we examined how well the clusters obtained by bootstrap sampling distributions resemble the clusters obtained by using transformed multinomial distributions as a reference. Using the scaled version of the transfer distance as the performance measure, we found that the best performance was observed in scenarios where the prevalence was uniformly distributed, the sample size was 500 and two clusters were retained. Problematic ties occurred in approximately 0,5% of the simulations. The results suggest that our method performs well in some circumstances. When there is a large proportion of countries with low disease prevalence, the number of individuals sampled in each country should be increased. Besides that, if there is not an important reason to prefer to retain four clusters, then three or preferably two clusters should be retained to get better performance.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:11:02Z

Creators

Varmann, Lauri

Embodied authorship in feminist and queer zines in the Iberian Peninsula

The concept of authorship has been profusely contended and addressed during the last decades. Roland Barthes declared the author dead in 1967, but since then, new approaches, ideas, and reflections have prolonged the discussion until the present day. This chapter proposes to navigate through authorship studies in order to examine authorship practices in zines. The Do-It-Yourself movement has always moved through non-conventional authorship, but the paradigm of the zine has changed in the last decades. The popularity of self-publishing also has changed how these practices are understood. Specifically, I will focus on feminist and queer zines within the Iberian Peninsula. The selected object delimitates the study, and, furthermore, it provides the epistemology and methodology to the chapter. A feminist and queer theoretical approach will be fundamental to understand the embodied authorship that has surfaced in these zines.

Ano

2025-10-28T12:22:34Z

Creators

López Casado, Laura