Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) ISG15: molecular characterization and in vivo interplay with viral infections

The interferon-stimulated gene 15 (Isg15) is strongly induced by type I interferon (IFN I), viral infection, and double-stranded RNA (poly I:C) in several fish species, suggesting that Isg15 protein could play a key role in fish innate immunity against viral diseases. Thus, the aim of the present study was to characterize the molecular structure and transcription pattern of the Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) Isg15 gene in response to viral infections. The molecular characterization shows that the Senegalese sole Isg15 gene codes for a typical Isg15 protein of 165 aa, containing two ubiquitin-like domains and one conserved LRLRGG conjugating motif at the C-terminal end. The untranslated 5´-end region exhibited the structure of an IFN-stimulated gene promoter, with two interferon stimulated response elements (ISRE). Pairwise alignments based on deduced amino acid sequences showed homologous relationships (72.5-74.2%) between the Isg15 of Senegalese sole and other pleuronectiforms. The Isg15 transcription has been studied in head kidneys of Senegalese sole inoculated with poly I:C and with different fish viruses: two Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia Virus (VHSV) isolates (highly pathogenic and non-pathogenic to sole), and one reassortant Viral Nervous Necrosis Virus (VNNV) isolate, composed of a RGNNV-type RNA1 and a SJNNV-type RNA2 (pathogenic to sole). These challenges showed that poly I:C induces Isg15 transcription from 3 to 72 h post-injection (p.i.), whereas the induction in response to viral infections started at 24-48 h p.i. The fast induction of Isg15 indicates the potential implication of this ISG in the antiviral state stablished by the IFN I system. On the other hand, the interaction between each virus and the IFN I system was evaluated in fish inoculated with poly I:C and subsequently (24 h later) challenged with the different viruses. This challenge showed a viral multiplication decrease in poly I:C treated animals compared with untreated fish. Besides, results showed that only both pathogenic isolates interfered negatively with the Isg15 stimulation triggered by poly I:C. These results suggest that the Isg15 might play an important role in host defense against RNA virus infection, and the pathogenic isolates used in this study may have mechanisms to evade or limit the Senegalese sole innate host defenses.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Simultaneous determination of PT, PD, RH and IR traces in environmental samples by flow injection solid phase extraction coupled with online inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES)

An increased worldwide usage of platinum group elements (PGEs) has been observed during the last twenty years due to their applications in areas such as chemical industry, metallurgy, jewelry production, dental devices, anti-cancer drug and automobile catalytic converter systems. These applications were found to be anthropogenic sources of pollution of these elements nowadays. The presence of PGEs in different environmental and biological materials is a risk to ecological and human health because may be easily mobilized and solubilized in several matrices. The determination of Pt, Pd, Rh and Ir presents difficulties because of the low concentrations of these metals in environmental samples and the numerous interactions between the analytes and the matrix constituents, which can significantly influence both the limit of detection and the accuracy of determination in complex samples. Initial sample pretreatment such as pre-concentration of these elements and matrix separation are often necessary. Numerous reviews devoted to PGEs determination have been published; however, they deal mainly with techniques used for analytical signal formation and less with pre-concentration and separation procedures which usually precede the quantification of the analyte by spectrometric techniques [1]. In this work, Pt, Pd, Rh and Ir have been simultaneously determined by flow injection solid phase extraction coupled online with ICP-AES. The system is based on the retention of the analytes onto a minicolumn filled with a chelating exchange resin placed in the injection valve of a simple flow manifold. This configuration offers several advantages, including (a) elimination of the matrix effect, (b) increase the sensitivity by the preconcentration and, (c) automatization of the different steps. The effects of chemicals and flow variables were investigated. The optimized operating conditions selected were: sample pH 7.5, sample flow rate 2.2 mL min-1, eluent flow rate 0.9 mL min-1, eluent 0.07% thiourea in 2M HCl. With these conditions, the enrichment factors obtained were 6.3, 6.7, 3.7 and 6.3 for Pt, Pd, Rh and Ir respectively. Detection limits (3 min sample loading time) were 1.4 µg L-1 for Pt, 0.5 µg L-1 for Pd, 256 µg L-1 for Rh and 0.6 µg L-1 for Ir. The accuracy of the proposed method was checked with the certified reference material NIST-2557 autocatalyst. The results obtained using this method were in good agreement with the certified values of the standard reference material. The method was applied to the determination of Pt, Pd, Rh and Ir in different sea-water samples collected in Málaga, Spain. [1] B. Godlewska-Zylkiewicz, Microchim. Acta 147 (2004) 189.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Estudos de caracterização do perfil nutricional da quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa): macronutrientes, minerais e elementos vestigiais

Objetivo: Caracterizar o teor de macronutrientes e de componentes inorgânicos da quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), utilizando metodologias validadas que assentam em pressupostos de controlo da qualidade rigorosos, permitindo a sua inclusão na tabela de composição de alimentos portugueses e nas restantes bases de dados que aderiram à plataforma EuroFIR.Este trabalho foi realizado no âmbito do projeto de investigação “Desarrollo de Alimentos andinos procesados: una alternativa para la conservación de la biodiversidad” (PICT-nº 2245), financiado pelo Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología de Argentina e do protocolo de colaboração cientifica assinado entre o INSA e o Universidade Nacional de Jujuy

Atmospheric pollution: brief review of the situation in Portugal and the impacts on public health

A necessidade de implementação de ações de mitigação de emissões de poluentes atmosféricos e de redução de concentrações de poluentes para a população e meio envolvente requer uma análise temporal da evolução de emissões, concentrações e indicadores representativos de efeitos na saúde potencialmente associados à poluição atmosférica. Foi possível realizar uma análise comparativa entre 2009 e 2015 considerando a distribuição geográfica no território continental português, abordando: as emissões de poluentes óxidos de azoto (NOx), óxidos de enxofre (SOx), metano (CH4 ), dióxido de carbono (CO2 ), amoníaco (NH3 ), partículas suspensas no ar com diâmetro aerodinâmico inferior a 10 μm (PM10), partículas suspensas no ar com diâmetro aerodinâmico inferior a 2.5 μm (PM2.5); as concentrações médias anuais dos principais poluentes SO2 , NO2 , ozono (O3 ), PM10 e PM2.5; e indicadores de saúde pública (número de mortes por causa definida, potencialmente associada à poluição atmosférica). Relativamente aos efeitos na saúde, observaram-se diferentes tendências em cada causa de morte associada, e identificaram-se as regiões Norte, Centro e Lisboa como as mais afetadas. As diferenças registadas podem ser analisadas como evidências de existências de fatores externos que condicionam e determinam as variações do número de mortes registado de ano para ano nas diferentes regiões.The need to implement actions to mitigate emissions of atmospheric pollutants and to reduce concentrations of pollutants to the population and the environment requires a temporal analysis of the evolution of emissions, concentrations and indicators representing health ef fects potentially associated with air pollution. It was possible to carr y out a comparative analysis between 2009 and 2015 considering the geographical distribution in the Por tuguese mainland, addressing pollutant emissions nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides (SOx), methane (CH4 ), carbon dioxide (CO2 ), ammonia (NH3 ), inhalable coarse par ticles with a diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10), fine par ticles with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5), the annual average concentrations of the main pollutants (SO2 , NO2 , O3 , PM10, PM2.5); and public health indicators (number of deaths due to defined cause, potentially associated with air pollution). Regarding the health ef fects, it was obser ved that dif ferent trends are presented in each associated cause of death, being able to identif y the zones of Nor th, Center and Lisbon as the most af fected in these causes of death. The dif ferences recorded can be analy zed as evidence of existences of ex ternal factors that determine the variations in the number of deaths recorded from year to year in dif ferent regions.Projeto financiado pelo FEDER-COMPETE e pela Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016752), (P2020-PTDC/AAG-MAA/2569/2014) “FUTURAR - Qualidade do Ar em Portugal em 2030 - apoio à decisão política”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

High-Throughput System for the Early Quantification of Major Architectural Traits in Olive Breeding Trials Using UAV Images and OBIA Techniques

The need for the olive farm modernization have encouraged the research of more efficient crop management strategies through cross-breeding programs to release new olive cultivars more suitable for mechanization and use in intensive orchards, with high quality production and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The advancement of breeding programs are hampered by the lack of efficient phenotyping methods to quickly and accurately acquire crop traits such as morphological attributes (tree vigor and vegetative growth habits), which are key to identify desirable genotypes as early as possible. In this context, an UAV-based high-throughput system for olive breeding program applications was developed to extract tree traits in large-scale phenotyping studies under field conditions. The system consisted of UAV-flight configurations, in terms of flight altitude and image overlaps, and a novel, automatic, and accurate object-based image analysis (OBIA) algorithm based on point clouds, which was evaluated in two experimental trials in the framework of a table olive breeding program, with the aim to determine the earliest date for suitable quantifying of tree architectural traits. Two training systems (intensive and hedgerow) were evaluated at two very early stages of tree growth: 15 and 27 months after planting. Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) were automatically and accurately generated by the algorithm as well as every olive tree identified, independently of the training system and tree age. The architectural traits, specially tree height and crown area, were estimated with high accuracy in the second flight campaign, i.e. 27 months after planting. Differences in the quality of 3D crown reconstruction were found for the growth patterns derived from each training system. These key phenotyping traits could be used in several olive breeding programs, as well as to address some agronomical goals. In addition, this system is cost and time optimized, so that requested architectural traits could be provided in the same day as UAV flights. This high-throughput system may solve the actual bottleneck of plant phenotyping of "linking genotype and phenotype," considered a major challenge for crop research in the 21st century, and bring forward the crucial time of decision making for breeders

“Experimentar e agir para a compreensão” : caminhos na formação de professores para implementar um projecto de inovação

Apresenta-se o percurso desenvolvido na primeira fase do projecto Ciência Viva nº 287 intitulado “Ciência, Tecnologia e Sociedade: Experimentar e Agir para a Compreensão”, cuja concretização assume uma atitude de articulação entre investigação, formação de professores e inovação. Pretende-se explorar algumas das fronteiras entre a escola e a investigação em Educação em Ciências, tendo como meta a promoção de práticas inovadoras no ensino experimental das Ciências, focando o desenvolvimento de competências para a compreensão da trilogia Ciência-Tecnologia- Sociedade [CTS]. Num trabalho colaborativo entre a equipa e os professores do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico [1º CEB], encara-se a prática e as escolas como contextos de reflexão usando a formação como um processo para se consolidarem parcerias entre instituições de investigação e escolas do ensino básico. Neste contexto, organizou-se um conjunto de workshops para os professores envolvidos no sentido de estes ganharem confiança para se optimizar a implementação das actividades propostas e a utilização dos recursos/materiais preparados. Tais sessões permitiram também à equipa conhecer, de modo particular, dificuldades que emergem dos novos desafios com que os professores se deparam, no âmbito da Educação em Ciências. Reconhecendo os contextos educativos como contextos dinâmicos, importa, assim, analisar estas dificuldades numa abordagem sistémica e complexa para melhor interpretar esses desafios e elaborar futuras propostas de apoio aos professores. Tais propostas poderão inserir-se em projectos de investigação fundamentados, tendo em atenção princípios que constituem o paradigma da complexidade, tais como a totalidade, recursividade, imprevisibilidade

Projecto Ciência Viva VI “Ciência, Tecnologia e Sociedade: experimentar e agir para a compreensão”

Reconhecendo a necessidade de promover a melhoria no ensino das Ciências, desde os primeiros anos, desenvolveu-se, implementou-se e encontra-se em avaliação um projecto que pretende promover processos fundamentados e inovadores para o ensino experimental das Ciências nas escolas do 1o Ciclo do Ensino Básico [1oCEB]. Num trabalho colaborativo entre a equipa do projecto e 261 professores do 1oCEB do distrito de Aveiro, assumiu-se a pratica e as escolas como contextos de reflexão usando a formação como mediadora para consolidar parcerias entre instituições de investigação e escolas. Assim, organizaram-se workshops para os professores conhecerem estratégias possíveis de exploração de actividades experimentais a implementar nas escolas com os materiais e recursos que foram disponibilizados