RCAAP Repository

Planet Earth is becoming increasingly difficult for large animal species to inhabit. Yet, these species are of major importance for the functioning of the biosphere and their progressive disappearance is accompanied by profound negative alterations of ecosystems1 (Supplemental information). To implement effective conservation measures, it is essential to have a detailed knowledge of the biology of these species. Here, we show that the hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius, an iconic African megaherbivore for which little is known about social communication, uses vocal recognition to manage relationships between territorial groups. We conducted playback experiments on groups of hippos and observed their response to vocalizations from an individual of the same group (familiar), a group from the same lake (neighbor) and a distant group (stranger). We found that stranger vocalizations induced a stronger behavioral reaction than the other two stimuli. In addition to showing that hippos are able to identify categories of conspecifics based on vocal signatures, our study demonstrates that hippo groups are territorial entities that behave less aggressively toward their neighbors than toward strangers. These new behavioral data suggest that habituation playbacks prior to conservation translocation operations may help reduce the risk of conflict between individuals that have never seen each other.

The effect of seed coating salt-stressed tomato with the bacterium Achromobacter xylosoxidans BOA4 and/or irrigation with an extract of the marine algae Enteromorpha intestinalis (EI) is herein evaluated. The plant shoots and roots were harvested separately on day 50, following extensive saline stress. The addition of BOA4 and/or EI extract resulted in an average increase of 33% in plant shoot DW, but an averaged decrease of 44% in the root to shoot biomass ratio. Anthocyanin content increased by over 34% and 44% with EI and BOA4 plus EI treatments, respectively. Since enhanced protein tyrosine nitration (PTN) is a known plant response to salt stress, the PTN level was inspected through 3-nitrotyrosine content determination. This was drastically increased by salt stress; however, BOA4, EI or both caused an averaged PTN decrease of 30% in stressed roots or shoots. This PTN response could be associated with tomato phenotypic characteristics and is postulated to be inversely correlated to cytokinin contents in stressed plants, namely cis-zeatin-type-cis-zeatin (cZ) plus cis-zeatin riboside (cZR), and isopentenyladenine (iP). The latter showed a drastic average increase by 3.6-fold following BOA4 and/or EI treatments of salinized tomato. This increment could be related to cytokinin biosynthesis induced by the applied bio-stimulants; IP and derivatives are the main cytokinins in seaweeds, and Achromobacter xylosoxidans BOA4 was shown to produce up to 17.5 pmol mL−1 of isopentenyladenine. This work is the first report on the influence of bio-stimulants, used to improve salt stress tolerance, on plant PTN levels; BOA4 and/or EI treatments decreased PTN, while increasing cis-zeatin-type and iP cytokinins in tomato, the latter showed an enhanced tolerance to salt stress.

As inconsistências de um sistema de recrutamento

Self-esteem is a crucial human nature feature for understanding the social dimensions of individuals’ self-concept. One of its characteristics is peoples’ malleability to adapt to social contexts, that is, the state self-esteem (SSE). Individuals express SES in three different factors: performance; social success; and physical appearance. Along with three studies, we present evidence of validity of the Short-Form of State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES-S) that measures contextual fluctuations in individuals’ self-esteem. In Study 1 (N = 300), we found that the structure of the SSES-S was organized into three correlated factors that exhibited convergent-discriminant validity with measures of trait self-esteem and human values. In Study 2 (N = 281), confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a bifactor measurement model better fit the description of the factorial structure of the SSES-S, which also showed incremental validity concerning trait self-esteem for predicting one criterion. In Study 3 (N = 160), we experimentally manipulated contextual information about self-achievement and showed that the SSES-S is sensitive enough to detect transient fluctuations in self-esteem, especially in the achievement factor. We discussed the limitations and scope of the SSES-S, as its specific focus on measuring undergraduate students’ state self-esteem and its implications distinguishing the general and particular domains of this construct.

Este livro, em que o objeto ou fenómeno de estudo é a escrita cinzenta, os instrumentos, as práticas administrativas, a génese das administrações, no processo de construção dos estados na Europa, é delimitado por um conjunto de estudos de caso referentes aos escritos produzidos e meios empregados pelas administrações do poder para a realização das tarefas decorrentes do seu funcionamento, no contexto de uma produção oficial ou de uma tomada de decisão pública, entre os séculos XII a XVII, no espaço Euro-Mediterrânico, mas estendendo-se também para o Sacro Império Romano-Germânico, a Flandres, o Novo Mundo, e os Países Baixos Espanhóis. As comunas do Norte e Centro de Itália, da Provença e do Languedoque, as cortes dos Papas de Roma e Avinhão, do Imperador Germânico-Siciliano, do Rei de Aragão, do Conselho das Índias, a Península Ibérica, no âmbito das cidades de Marselha e Montpellier, o Papado de Avinhão, a Coroa de Aragão, o Império Espanhol, e mesmo a Córsega, servem de cenário para os estudos em sede dos contextos de produção dedicada em instituições políticas e aparelhos de governo, como as chancelarias episcopais, as comunas, reinos, senhorios, papado e império. Digno de nota é a ausência de Portugal nesta delimitação geográfica.

No summary/description provided

Combined central and peripheral demyelination (CCPD) is a rare neurological entity that afects both the central and peripheral nervous system with demyelinating lesions. The pattern of involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) includes frequent bilateral optical neuritis, involvement of grey matter and occasional longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) in the absence of oligoclonal bands (OCB) or antibodies such as antiaquaporin-4 (AQP4) and anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). Peripheral nervous system (PNS) involvement occurs mainly as a chronic infammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)-like disease. Infections and vaccinations are known triggers. CCPD typically evolves aggressively with progressive cumulative neurological impairment despite immunosuppression.

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Nuclear position is central to cell polarization, and its disruption is associated with various pathologies. The nucleus is moved away from the leading edge of migrating cells through its connection to moving dorsal actin cables, and the absence of connections to immobile ventral stress fibers. It is unclear how these asymmetric nucleo-cytoskeleton connections are established. Here, using an in vitro wound assay, we find that remodeling of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) impacts nuclear positioning through the formation of a barrier that shields immobile ventral stress fibers. The remodeling of ER and perinuclear ER accumulation is mediated by the ER shaping protein Climp-63. Furthermore, ectopic recruitment of the ER to stress fibers restores nuclear positioning in the absence of Climp-63. Our findings suggest that the ER mediates asymmetric nucleo-cytoskeleton connections to position the nucleus.

Introdução: A dimensão espiritual dos cuidados paliativos constitui um tópico importante mas pouco estudado em Portugal. Em particular, o papel dos assistentes espirituais e religiosos no fim-de-vida tem sido negligenciado na literatura. Objetivos: Identificar os valores, crenças e práticas dos assistentes espirituais e religiosos portugueses, assim como determinar a visão que estes têm do seu próprio papel – e o dos outros profissionais – nos cuidados espirituais no fim-de-vida. Métodos: Foi aplicado um formato de entrevista semi-estruturada, tendo sido realizadas entrevistas por videochamada com 18 assistentes espirituais e religiosos. Estas entrevistas foram gravadas, transcritas e de seguida examinadas através de análise qualitativa. Resultados: Para os assistentes entrevistados, os valores de ‘Comunidade’ e ‘Ligação a Deus’ são os mais importantes na vida e devem ser mantidos no fim-de-vida. A saúde e a doença são entendidas de forma holística, enquanto conceitos com dimensões físicas, psicológicas, sociais e espirituais. Ao contrário do modelo biomédico vigente, a doença é entendida como um ‘caminho para Deus’ e parte de um plano divino, e a morte como uma ‘porta’ para uma fase distinta da existência. Os princípios do cuidado espiritual são a presença, o conforto e a esperança, expressos através de práticas como a oração conjunta, o apoio nos serviços fúnebres e a realização de sacramentos e outros rituais. Os assistentes também identificam dificuldades na provisão de assistência espiritual – incluindo dificuldade no acesso a pacientes e a pouca importância dada à espiritualidade nos cuidados – e discutem o papel dos médicos nesta assistência. Conclusões: Os assistentes espirituais e religiosos são um elemento valioso na provisão de cuidados holísticos no fim-de-vida, e deveriam ser integrados em equipas multidisciplinares. Tal permitiria que a sua experiência e conhecimento informasse os cuidados prestados a pacientes paliativos. No entanto, permanecem barreiras à sua inclusão, que deverão ser ultrapassadas para tornar os cuidados espirituais uma realidade em Portugal.

Este artigo discute questões, algumas recorrentes ao longo do tempo, relacionadas com a avaliação. Em particular, no campo da avaliação externa, toma como ponto de partida os exames do 9º ano de escolaridade, questionando a sua fidelidade e adequação aos objectivos curriculares preconizados para o ensino e aprendizagem da Matemática. A nível da avaliação interna, questiona as práticas avaliativas de natureza reguladora, identificando razões que dificultam a sua concretização no quotidiano da sala de aula. Termina, problematizando a relação, ou sua inexistência, entre a avaliação externa e interna

Parasite-derived PVM-resident proteins are critical for complete parasite development inside hepatocytes, although the function of most of these proteins remains unknown. Here, we show that the upregulated in infectious sporozoites 4 (UIS4) protein, resident at the PVM, interacts with the host cell actin. By suppressing filamentous actin formation, UIS4 avoids parasite elimination. Host cell actin dynamics increases around UIS4-deficient parasites, which is associated with subsequent parasite elimination. Notably, parasite elimination is impaired significantly by the inhibition of host myosin-II, possibly through relieving the compression generated by actomyosin complexes at the host-parasite interface. Together, these data reveal that UIS4 has a critical role in the evasion of host defensive mechanisms, enabling hence EEF survival and development.

Prefácio de enquadramento ao tomo IX da Rede Braspor

Through the exchange of lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, extracellular vesicles (EV) allow for cell-cell communication across distant cells and tissues to regulate a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. Although some molecular mediators have been discovered, the mechanisms underlying the selective sorting of miRNAs into EV remain elusive. Previous studies demonstrated that connexin43 (Cx43) forms functional channels at the EV surface, mediating the communication with recipient cells. Here, we show that Cx43 participates in the selective sorting of miRNAs into EV through a process that can also involve RNA-binding proteins. We provide evidence that Cx43 can directly bind to specific miRNAs, namely those containing stable secondary structure elements, including miR-133b. Furthermore, Cx43 facilitates the delivery of EV-miRNAs into recipient cells. Phenotypically, we show that Cx43-mediated EV-miRNAs sorting modulates autophagy. Overall, our study ascribes another biological role to Cx43, that is, the selective incorporation of miRNAs into EV, which potentially modulates multiple biological processes in target cells and may have implications for human health and disease.

The prevalence and lineages of Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococci [GBS]) colonizing pregnant women are well studied, but less is known about colonization of nonpregnant adults. We characterized GBS colonization in adults as a potential reservoir for infections and tested for the presence of clones with a potentially higher invasive disease potential. We evaluated GBS gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and oral colonization among 336 nonpregnant adults in the community. We characterized the isolates by serotyping, multilocus sequence typing, profiling of surface protein genes and pili, and antimicrobial susceptibility and compared them with contemporary invasive isolates. The colonization rate (n = 107, 32%) among nonpregnant adults was like that of pregnant women. Colonization increased with age (~25% in the 18 to 29 and 30 to 44 years old groups and >42% in the ≥60 years old group), potentially explaining the higher incidence of disease with older age. Participants who were colonized at multiple sites (73%) were frequently carrying indistinguishable strains (93%), consistent with the existence of a single reservoir of colonization and transfer of GBS between sites within the same individual. The most frequent lineages found were serotype Ib/CC1 (n = 27), serotype V/CC1 (n = 19), serotype Ia/CC23 (n = 13), serotype III/ST17 (n = 13), and serotype Ib/CC10 (n = 11). Comparison with contemporary isolates causing invasive infections in Portugal did not reveal any lineage associated with either asymptomatic carriage or invasive disease. Asymptomatic colonization of nonpregnant adults is significant and could act as a reservoir for invasive disease, but in contrast to infant disease, we found no GBS lineages with an enhanced potential for causing invasive disease in adults. IMPORTANCE The increasing incidence of Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococci [GBS]) infections in adults and the inability of antimicrobial prophylaxis peripartum to control late-onset infections in infants motivate the study of the asymptomatic carrier state in nonpregnant adults. We found an overall carriage rate like that of pregnant women, increasing with age, potentially contributing to the higher incidence of GBS infections with age. Colonization of diabetic participants was not higher despite the higher number of infections in this group. Comparison between contemporary genetic lineages causing infections and found in asymptomatic carriers did not identify particularly virulent lineages. This means that any prophylactic approaches targeting colonization by particular lineages are expected to have a limited impact on GBS disease in adults.

Although pathogenic bacteria are the targets of antibiotics, these drugs also affect hundreds of commensal or mutualistic species. Moreover, the use of antibiotics is not only restricted to the treatment of infections but is also largely applied in agriculture and in prophylaxis. During this work, we tested the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the number and the genomic location of antibiotic resistance (AR) genes and virulence factor (VF) genes. We performed a comprehensive study of 16,632 reference bacterial genomes in which we identified and counted all orthologues of AR and VF genes in each of the locations: chromosomes, plasmids, or in both locations of the same genome. We found that, on a global scale, no correlation emerges. However, some categories of AR and VF genes co-occur preferentially, and in the mobilome, which supports the hypothesis that some bacterial pathogens are under selective pressure to be resistant to specific antibiotics, a fact that can jeopardize antimicrobial therapy for some human-threatening diseases

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No summary/description provided

The present work is a study on acquisition of weak forms of function words in English as a second language by native speakers of European and Brazilian Portuguese. Considering that the two varieties of Portuguese differ from each other and from English in terms of rhythm patterns and unstressed vowel system, we supposed that reduction in the weak forms of function words in L2 English would be different for the speakers of L1 EP and L1 BP. The participants were divided into five groups according to their L1 and the level of L2. There were two groups of participants with a lower and a higher level of L2 both for L1 EP and L1 BP. They were asked to read out loud three dialogues in English, the voices were recorded and the data was segmented in Praat. The materials contained three categories of clitics: the indefinite article, auxiliary verbs, and object pronouns. The statistical analysis showed certain differences between the speakers of L1 EP and L1 BP and the native speakers of AE. On the whole, the speakers of L1 EP seem to show more tendency to reduction in the weak forms of English function words than the speakers of L1 BP. At the same time, the speakers of both varieties of L1 Portuguese had less tendency to reduction in auxiliary verbs than the native speakers of AE.

A Peste Negra difundiu-se do Oriente para Ocidente, tendo afectado uma parte significativa das populações medievais de quase todo o mundo. Constantinopla, a capital do Império Bizantino, foi especialmente afligida por sucessivas vagas epidémicas ao longo dos séculos XIV e XV, muito devido à sua posição geográfica privilegiada e ao comércio marítimo com vários portos do Mediterrâneo. Apesar do grave impacto da doença e dos elevados índices de mortalidade, são muito poucas as descrições da peste na historiografia bizantina tardia. Os últimos séculos do império correspondem a um período conturbado da sua história, pelo que os historiadores dão preferência ao relato de acontecimentos políticos e militares, no contexto dos quais fazem referências breves à peste entre os Bizantinos. No século XV, Laonico Calcocondilas transmite informações pontuais sobre a origem, propagação e natureza letal da peste, no excurso sobre os Germanos. Antes dele, no século XIV, Nicéforo Grégoras e João Cantacuzeno descrevem o ambiente em Constantinopla sob os efeitos da peste de 1347 e 1348, informando sobre a disseminação geográfica, os sintomas, o estado de espírito dos cidadãos, as mortes ou eventual recuperação dos infectados, pondo sobretudo em evidência o carácter indomável da epidemia e a manifesta vulnerabilidade da população. Neste ensaio, apresento traduções portuguesas inéditas destes três historiadores, analisando as suas descrições da peste a partir dos dados históricos disponíveis e dos seus modelos literários.