cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Genetic reconstruction of parentage and kinship in semi-feral domestic dogs, and analysis of effects of dog breeding patterns on an immune system gene MARCH7
Creators: name: Author, Unknown
Publisher: name: University of Lincoln
Year: 2023
Subjects: C430 - Medical & veterinary genetics

description: Whilst there has been considerable research focusing on the kinship of wolves, data on free-ranging dogs was sparse and there has been a long standing controversial debate over their ability to form packs. One of the aims of this project was to reconstruct kinship relationships in a population of free-ranging dogs, assessing the genetic variability and inbreeding level. For this purpose, I studied a population inhabiting a nature reserve at the outskirts of Rome in Italy. Analysis of twelve microsatellite loci revealed low number of alleles per locus, low levels of heterozygosity and difficulties in assigning parentage, possibly resulting from high levels of inbreeding in the population. Results from parentage analysis suggested multiple breeding individuals to be present in the social groups. One explanation for this is a result of the domestication process as free-ranging dogs no longer follow seasonal reproductive behaviour and have a plentiful supply of human waste to scavenge reducing competition. Although parentage analysis suggested multiple paternity for two litters, results had low statistical support and could be due to low genetic variability in the population.Recent research has found MARCH7 as a common candidate gene under diversifying selection between free-breeding dogs and either East Asia or European dog breeds, with a SNP labelled in the intronic region of the gene. MARCH7 belongs to the membrane-associated RING-CH (MARCH) family, a RING finger protein family of E3 ubiquitin ligases, consisting of 11 members in mammals. The second aim of this study was to test for the possible signals of diversifying selection between free-ranging dogs, pure-breed dogs and wolves in the MARCH7 gene. This was achieved through three main routes: Sanger sequencing of a targeted region previously identified as being under selection, evolutionary comparison through investigation of nonsynonymous and synonymous patterns and phylogenetic analysis of mammalian species and ab initio prediction of protein structure . Sequence analysis demonstrated the possibility of copy number variation and alternative splicing in MARCH7 but failed to show polymorphism at the previously identified intronic SNP. Comparative analysis demonstrated MARCH7 to have highly conserved regions, most notably the RING-CH domain, but also polymorphic regions, where a multitude of both synonymous and nonsynonymous mutations are present across mammalian species studied. Comparison of nonsynonymous and synonymous mutations demonstrated MARCH7 to be under purifying selection across mammalian species. Ab initio prediction of protein structure indicated a highly disordered structure across the majority of the gene, with the exception of the RING-CH domain.
Vocabulary of agency: development and assessment of a generic conceptual framework to guide action-oriented research in multiple domains
Creators: name: Dash, DA  PA
Publisher: name: University of Lincoln
Year: 2024
Subjects: N200 - Management studies
N290 - Management studies not elsewhere classified

description: The study has produced a generic conceptual framework for action-oriented research to guide such research in multiple domains of application. The conceptual framework has been expressed in terms of the vocabulary of agency. It contains the notions of agency, enhancing agency, resource, roles, mobility, form of interaction, agency-enhancing device, local learning, global learning, operational coupling, etc. The conceptual framework has been subjected to a multi-stage process of assessment. The assessment shows that the conceptual framework has a certain generality in addressing a whole range of issues being discussed in management systems thinking and action research fields. Besides, the framework also seems capable of functioning as an effective guide in designing and conducting action-oriented research projects in several domains of application. The framework is expected to facilitate transfer of insights from research fields which investigate complex, interactive, and collective phenomena. It is also expected to guide action-oriented research in the direction of increasing the general capacity to bring forth new and useful resources in multiple domains.
Vocabulary of agency: development and assessment of a generic conceptual framework to guide action-oriented research in multiple domains
Creators: name: Author, Unknown
Publisher: name: University of Lincoln
Year: 2023
Subjects: N200 - Management studies
N290 - Management studies not elsewhere classified

description: The study has produced a generic conceptual framework for action-oriented research to guide such research in multiple domains of application. The conceptual framework has been expressed in terms of the vocabulary of agency. It contains the notions of agency, enhancing agency, resource, roles, mobility, form of interaction, agency-enhancing device, local learning, global learning, operational coupling, etc. The conceptual framework has been subjected to a multi-stage process of assessment. The assessment shows that the conceptual framework has a certain generality in addressing a whole range of issues being discussed in management systems thinking and action research fields. Besides, the framework also seems capable of functioning as an effective guide in designing and conducting action-oriented research projects in several domains of application. The framework is expected to facilitate transfer of insights from research fields which investigate complex, interactive, and collective phenomena. It is also expected to guide action-oriented research in the direction of increasing the general capacity to bring forth new and useful resources in multiple domains.
In pursuit of Xchange: developing a framework of participatory principles to enhance the understanding and management of the built environment
Creators: name: Wilson, William Betts
Publisher: name: University of Lincoln
Year: 2024
Subjects: K100 - Architecture

description: The doctoral study documented in this thesis sought to develop a participatory framework for addressing built environment issues, particularly the pilot topic of domestic energy efficiency. The study was comprised of two distinct parts, encompassing an initial investigation to define the nature of the problem proposed for investigation, followed by the development and presentation of the framework in response.
In pursuit of Xchange: developing a framework of participatory principles to enhance the understanding and management of the built environment
Creators: name: Author, Unknown
Publisher: name: University of Lincoln
Year: 2023
Subjects: K100 - Architecture

description: The doctoral study documented in this thesis sought to develop a participatory framework for addressing built environment issues, particularly the pilot topic of domestic energy efficiency. The study was comprised of two distinct parts, encompassing an initial investigation to define the nature of the problem proposed for investigation, followed by the development and presentation of the framework in response.
Size Effect On Heat Transfer In Nanoscale Liquid Bridge
Creators: name: Minsub Han
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Biophysics
subject: 29999 Physical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Physical sciences
subject: Medicine
subject: Microbiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Genetics
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Physiology
subject: Evolutionary Biology
subject: 39999 Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences
subject: Ecology
subject: 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: 110309 Infectious Diseases
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: Heat transfer in a nanoscale liquid–argon bridge between planar gold surfaces is investigated using molecular dynamics simulation and continuum analysis. Heat transfer in the nanoscale bridge turns out to be significantly less efficient than in the bulk. The departure from the macroscopic thermal property depends on two sizes: bridge length and width. As the width gets smaller, the heat transfer in the bridge deteriorates due to the meniscuses that narrow the heat path and constrict the transfer. On the other hand, the heat transfer deteriorates with decreasing bridge length due primarily to inhomogeneous density distribution. An elevated and oscillatory density in the solid–liquid interfacial region and a reduced density in the middle region are developed in the bridge. The layering structure increases the acoustic scattering and the lowered density reduces the number of energy carriers. Overall effects of the two contributions vary with bridge length, which causes the size effect in the heat transfer of nanoscale liquid bridges.
MERICS Europe-China Resilience Audit
Creators: name: Mercator Institute for China Studies
name: Stec, Grzegorz
name: Legarda, Helena
name: Vasselier, Abigaël
name: Seiwert, Eva
name: Chimits, François
name: Wessling, Claudia
name: Hennock, Mary
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: DWARC
China Horizons
Horizon Europe
MERICS
China
EU
Europe
Resilience
EU-China
Geopolitics
Coercion

description: In recent years, China-related risks have become more apparent and acute for Europe. The discussion on how to manage those risks is at the heart of Europe’s adjustment of its China policy. To contribute to this process, our institute is launching the MERICS Europe-China Resilience Audit. The research is part of the project “Dealing with a resurgent China”, funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program.

Our experts Grzegorz Stec, Helena Legarda, Abigaël Vasselier, Eva Seiwert and François Chimits map vulnerabilities and resilience across Europe in relation to China. They examined ten selected EU countries (Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden) and the United Kingdom.

They compiled a database of 98 indicators for the economy, security, politics and society. The analysis confirms some significant differences between the eleven countries studied in terms of vulnerability and progress in measures to strengthen resilience towards China. Among the countries covered, Sweden and the Netherlands stand out for their resilience building.

The two project leads comment on the findings:

Grzegorz Stec, Head of the MERICS Brussels Office: “Brussels has taken the lead in building Europe’s resilience vis-à-vis China, but data shows most member states haven't been keeping up. While there are some better examples, progress in developing and implementing national measures has been uneven and, in many cases, mostly reactive. European capitals need to step up their political commitment to building resilience towards China; the EU’s credibility and ability to withstand pressure from Beijing and to deter unwanted actions by Beijing, depend on it.”

Helena Legarda, Lead Analyst at MERICS: “Europe has made some progress in responding to China-related economic risks, but expanding its focus beyond the economic sphere is becoming an ever more urgent task. Europe needs a more comprehensive and targeted approach that takes into account where its specific vulnerabilities lie, and which of them really matter. Not all exchanges with China create equal risks, and prioritizing will be key.”

The MERICS Europe-China Resilience Audit features a dashboard with graphics and factsheets, in depth-reports and shorter analyses.
A história de um biomarcador de sucesso: o imposexo em gastrópodes como ferramenta de estudo no ensino experimental das ciências
Creators: name: Barros, Ana R.
name: Mendes, Rúben T. S.
name: Santos, Gabriela C.
name: Sousa, Ana C. A.
Publisher: name: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos
Year: 2014

description: O imposexo consiste no desenvolvimento de caracteres sexuais masculinos em fêmeas de gastrópodes, como consequência da exposição a tributilestanho (TBT), um biocida utilizado em tintas antivegetativas, usadas na prevenção da bioincrustação. O imposexo é, por isso, utilizado como biomarcador da poluição por TBT e considerado o melhor exemplo de disrupção endócrina. Pretende-se, com este trabalho, descrever a metodologia para a execução e avaliação dos níveis de imposexo, usando como base fotografias e vídeos, com o objetivo de clarificar as várias etapas do processo para que este seja realizado em qualquer escola. Como caso de estudo, foi utilizado o gastrópode Nassarius reticulatus e foram escolhidas duas áreas em que a contaminação por TBT é distinta e conhecida: Aveiro e Viana do Castelo. Após aplicação da metodologia, foram estudados os seguintes índices: comprimento médio do pénis das fêmeas (FPLI), comprimento médio do pénis dos machos (MPLI), comprimento relativo do pénis das fêmeas (RPLI), índice da sequência do vaso deferente (VDSI), e incidência de fêmeas afetadas (I%). Os resultados obtidos demonstram que os níveis de imposexo em Aveiro são inferiores aos registados em Viana do Castelo com incidências de 37% e 100%, respetivamente. Apesar dos níveis reduzidos registados em Aveiro (VDSI=0,4), esta estação ainda não cumpre o requisito de qualidade ecológica proposto pela OSPAR (VDSI<0,3). Assim, a monitorização futura destes locais torna-se importante para registrar a progressão deste fenómeno.
description: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos, vol. 5 n.º 2 (2014)
Learning from the pioneers: lessons about data platforms drawn from the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN) experience
Creators: name: Pisani, Elizabeth
name: Botchway, Stella
Publisher: name: Wellcome Trust
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: 80702 Health Informatics
subject: FOS: Media and communications
subject: Science Policy

description: An in-depth case study funded by the Wellcome Trust to capture the learning provided by the Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN) as a pioneering data platform bringing together clinical, in-vitro, molecular, pharmacological and medicine quality data relevant to the efficacy of anti-malarial medicines.
www.wwarn.org
Transcriptome profiling of the developing male germ line identifies the miR-29 family as a global regulator during meiosis
Creators: name: Hilz, Stephanie
name: Fogarty, Elizabeth A.
name: Modzelewski, Andrew J.
name: Cohen, Paula E.
name: Grimson, Andrew
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Biophysics
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Physiology
subject: 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Developmental Biology
subject: Cancer

description: MicroRNAs are essential for spermatogenesis. However, the stage-specific requirements for particular miRNAs in the male mammalian germ line remain largely uncharacterized. The miR-34 family is, to date, the only miRNA proven to be necessary for the production of sperm in mammals, though its germline roles are poorly understood. Here, we generate and analyze paired small RNA and mRNA profiles across different stages of germline development in male mice, focusing on time points shortly before and during meiotic prophase I. We show that in addition to miR-34, miR-29 also mediates widespread repression of mRNA targets during meiotic prophase I in the male mouse germline. Furthermore, we demonstrate that predicted miR-29 target mRNAs in meiotic cells are largely distinct from those of miR-34, indicating that miR-29 performs a regulatory function independent of miR-34. Prior to this work, no germline role has been attributed to miR-29. To begin to understand roles for miR-29 in the germ line, we identify targets of miR-29 undergoing post-transcriptional downregulation during meiotic prophase I, which likely correspond to the direct targets of miR-29. Interestingly, candidate direct targets of miR-29 are enriched in transcripts encoding extracellular matrix components. Our results implicate the miR-29 family as an important regulatory factor during male meiosis.
O trabalho de campo como estratégia no Ensino Secundário: um estudo de caso
Creators: name: Filipe, Fernanda
name: Henriques, Maria Helena
Publisher: name: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos
Year: 2014

description: Neste trabalho descrevem-se os resultados obtidos numa investigação em educação científica, no âmbito da disciplina de Biologia e Geologia, desenvolvido com alunos de uma turma do 10º ano da Escola Secundária de Figueiró dos Vinhos, que teve como objetivo dar resposta à questão: “Como estimular aprendizagens significativas e relevantes acerca de exploração sustentável de recursos geológicos, nomeadamente de calcário?” Enquadrada na unidade temática “A Terra, um planeta muito especial”, a investigação envolveu a conceção, implementação e avaliação de uma intervenção educativa centrada numa visita de campo a uma pedreira desativada, localizada na região em que os alunos habitam – a pedreira Britaltos (concelho de Penela, distrito de Coimbra). Pretendeu-se que os alunos, a partir do desenvolvimento de atividades práticas de campo, utilizando estratégias de trabalho cooperativo, aprendessem a reconhecer impactos resultantes da exploração de recursos geológicos, adquirissem competências de recolha e tratamento de informação pertinente acerca das normas que condicionam a exploração de pedreiras e desenvolvessem pensamento crítico relativamente à exploração não sustentada desse tipo de recursos. Atendendo aos resultados obtidos decorrentes da investigação realizada, tais objetivos parece terem sido alcançados.
description: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos, vol. 5 n.º 2 (2014)
Nurses' Discourses of Challenging Behaviour in Inpatient Mental Health Services
Creators: name: Mellow, Amy Louise
Publisher: name: University of Lincoln
Year: 2024
Subjects: C840 - Psychology in health & medicine

description: Nurses working in acute mental health services are vulnerable to occupational stress. One main stressor identified has been the challenging behaviour of some service-users (Jenkins & Elliott, 2004). The impact of challenging behaviour is far reaching. It affects the health and safety of staff, service-users and carers, negatively impacts the overall experience of care (Beech & Leather, 2005; NICE, 2014; 2015) and can increase risk of abuse, isolation and neglect of service-users and increase stress and strain amongst caregivers (Emerson, Robertson, Gregory, Hatton, Kessissoglou, Hallam, & Hillery, 2000; Rose, Nelson, & Hardiman, 2016). Challenging behaviours, in particular incidents of violence and aggression, are a complex manifestation of a combination of characteristics. Challenging behaviour has been found to be the term most often cited as the reason for the use of restrictive interventions on incident forms (Ryan & Bowers, 2006). The use of unnecessary restrictive interventions has been widely criticised, particularly following the Winterbourne View Inquest (DoH, 2012) and national guidance states that it should only be used as a last resort to manage imminent risk (NICE, 2015a). A number of political drivers have attempted to end the use of unnecessary restrictive interventions (Mind, 2013). However, a Freedom Of Information request (FOI) made by Norman Lamb MP has found that the use of physical restraint on inpatient wards remains high. The central aim of this research was to explore how qualified mental health nurses construct the challenging behaviours they experience on the wards, and how they talk about its management.A number of studies have explored how staff account for their treatment decisions and have shown how dominant practices are enabled and maintained through language (Harper, 1995; Parker, Gergaaca, Harper, McLoughlin & Stowell-Smith, 1995).This research is informed by a critical realist stance. Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit talk about challenging behaviour and its management with seven voluntary participants, all inpatient mental health nurses recruited from the acute and PICU Wards of two NHS mental health hospitals. Interviews were analysed using discourse analysis, informed by both discursive psychology (Potter & Wetherell, 1995) and Foucauldian discourse analysis (Foucault, 1979) approaches.It was found that staff drew on a dominant biomedical discourse which acted to legitimise restrictive interventions and marginalise psychosocial and emotional constructs and approaches. Systemic discourses were also drawn on to both justify and criticise the use of coercive approaches and to position both staff and service-users as disempowered. Thus, challenging behaviour and restrictive interventions could be argued to represent tools for both groups to recover control.
Desenvolvimento comunitário e ambiente: caso das associações apoiadas pela Associação Mozal para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade (Maputo, Moçambique)
Creators: name: Jossefa, Manuel
name: Nicolau, Paula Bacelar
name: Azeiteiro, Ulisses Miranda
Publisher: name: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos
Year: 2014

description: Os processos de desenvolvimento foram sempre encarados pelo homem como meio de alcançar o bem-estar, quer seja material ou imaterial. Se por um lado esses processos dependem dos vários recursos da natureza, por outro, esta dependência gerou dominação e delapidação chegando-se ao extremo de pôr em causa a própria existência e perpetuação da humanidade. A agricultura é parte dos processos de desenvolvimento e dela dependem milhões de milhares de pessoas em todo o mundo. Em Moçambique, cerca de 80% da população vive desta atividade, mas os seus efeitos sobre o ambiente, se conhecidos, são pouco acautelados. Foi com base nesta preocupação que o estudo aqui abordado foi realizado, com membros da Associação Bematchome, visando conhece-la por dentro, mormente as atividades desenvolvidas, tecnologias utilizadas e como as questões ambientais são tratadas. Os resultados obtidos, embora sem que tenham sido aplicados testes estatísticos de significância, indicam algumas fragilidades a nível dos associados, mas também alertam sobre problemas estruturais no seio da atividade agrícola familiar.
description: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos, vol. 5 n.º 2 (2014)
Gb3-binding lectins as potential carriers for transcellular drug delivery
Creators: name: Müller, Stefan K.
name: Wilhelm, Isabel
name: Schubert, Thomas
name: Zittlau, Katharina
name: Imberty, Anne
name: Madl, Josef
name: Eierhoff, Thorsten
name: Thuenauer, Roland
name: Römer, Winfried
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Biophysics
subject: Biochemistry
subject: Space Science
subject: Medicine
subject: Microbiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Genetics
subject: Pharmacology
subject: 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: 110309 Infectious Diseases
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: Objectives: Epithelial cell layers as well as endothelia forming the blood-brain barrier can drastically reduce the efficiency of drug targeting. Our goal was to investigate lectins recognizing the glycosphingolipid globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) for their potential as carriers for transcytotic drug delivery. Methods: We utilized an in vitro model based on Madin-Darby canine kidney cells transfected with Gb3 synthase to characterize transcytosis of the Gb3-binding lectins LecA from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the B-subunit of Shiga toxin (StxB). Results: Both lectins were rapidly transcytosed from the apical to the basolateral plasma membrane and vice versa. Whereas StxB proceeded on retrograde and transcytotic routes, LecA avoided retrograde transport. This differential trafficking could be explained by our observation that LecA and StxB segregated into different domains during endocytosis. Furthermore, inhibiting the small GTPase Rab11a, which organizes trafficking through apical recycling endosomes, blocked basolateral to apical transcytosis of both lectins. Conclusions: Gb3-binding lectins are promising candidates for transcytotic drug delivery. Our findings highlight that LecA and StxB, which both bind Gb3 but exhibit dissimilar valence and molecular structures of their carbohydrate binding sites and can take divergent intracellular trafficking routes. This opens up the possibility of developing tailor-made glycosphingolipid-binding carrier lectins, which take optimized trafficking pathways.
Swiss Research Data Support Network (SRDSN)
Creators: name: Verdicchio, Dirk
name: Bellanger, Silke
name: Moerman, Felix
name: Cannata, Massimiliano
name: Sarman, Igor
name: Dean, Jennifer
name: Gabella, Chiara
name: Palagi, Patricia
name: Gautschi, Rita
name: Panes, Mathilde
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024

description: With the support of 31 institutions, the Swiss Research Data Support Network (SRDSN) project aims to establish a robust and inclusive research data support community in Switzerland. It will facilitate collaboration, knowledge sharing, and best practice development among research data professionals from various disciplines and institutions, including libraries, IT services, core facilities, and research management offices. SRDSN builds on and expands an existing research data support network and the SwissDS-ENV project. It will serve as an organizational framework, facilitating the formation of specialized nodes that address specific areas of research data management starting with a node for Data Stewardship coordinators that will be established during the project.
Apólogos e fábulas na promoção de educação para desenvolvimento sustentável
Creators: name: Henriques, Maria Helena
name: Moreno, Maria José
Publisher: name: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos
Year: 2014

description: No presente trabalho discutem-se os conceitos de apólogos, fábulas e parábolas como género literário narrativo, assente num discurso argumentativo, que cumpre uma função sócio-comunicativa específica, e onde se reconhecem intenções moralizadoras e didáticas, conducentes à adoção de atitudes e comportamentos consentâneos com valores aceites por uma determinada sociedade.Dado que apólogos e fábulas se destinam a um auditório particular, sendo usados preferencialmente em situações pedagógicas, defende-se o seu valor como recurso educativo acessível e eficaz na docência, fundamental para veicular valores como o respeito - pelos outros e pelo ambiente -, em que assenta uma educação para desenvolvimento sustentável. No âmbito da implementação da Década das Nações Unidas da Educação para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável (2005-2014), foram publicados em Portugal 13 livros que aqui se apresentam. Neles incluem-se apólogos e fábulas, com o objetivo comum de contribuir para a promoção de educação para a sustentabilidade, veiculando conhecimento de natureza científica, essencial para a formação de cidadãos comprometidos com a sustentabilidade do planeta e dos seus recursos.
description: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos, vol. 5 n.º 2 (2014)
Piscinas biológicas e serviços ecossistémicos: que relação?
Creators: name: Geraldes, Ana Maria
name: Schwarzer, Claudia
name: Schwarzer, Udo
Publisher: name: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos
Year: 2014

description: Os ecossistemas oferecem à humanidade uma vasta gama de benefícios denominados serviços ecossistémicos, englobando a purificação da água e estímulos estéticos e espirituais. Estes serviços estão em larga medida dependentes da conservação da biodiversidade. As piscinas convencionais contribuem para a degradação destes serviços, pois a depuração da água exige para além do cloro, outros produtos para ajuste do pH e algicidas, tóxicos para um grande número de espécies. Por outro lado, as piscinas biológicas são lagos construídos que imitam e recriam os processos ecológicos que ocorrem nos sistemas naturais, constituindo uma solução de engenharia natural, que permite criar espaços de lazer aquáticos de baixo impacto ambiental. Nestes sistemas, a purificação da água, com o objetivo de ter qualidade para fins balneares, é realizada por filtros biológicos e plantas aquáticas (utilização dos serviços ecossistémicos). Como não é adicionado nenhum produto químico à água estes sistemas são rapidamente colonizados por plâncton, macroinvertebrados e alguns vertebrados, promovendo a manutenção da biodiversidade e o aumento do valor estético da envolvente (conservação e recuperação dos serviços ecossistémicos). As piscinas biológicas também funcionam, à escala da paisagem, como habitats que facilitam os fluxos de algumas espécies entre diferentes cursos de água e como reservatórios de água.
description: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos, vol. 5 n.º 2 (2014)
Nurses' Discourses of Challenging Behaviour in Inpatient Mental Health Services
Creators: name: Author, Unknown
Publisher: name: University of Lincoln
Year: 2023
Subjects: C840 - Psychology in health & medicine

description: Nurses working in acute mental health services are vulnerable to occupational stress. One main stressor identified has been the challenging behaviour of some service-users (Jenkins & Elliott, 2004). The impact of challenging behaviour is far reaching. It affects the health and safety of staff, service-users and carers, negatively impacts the overall experience of care (Beech & Leather, 2005; NICE, 2014; 2015) and can increase risk of abuse, isolation and neglect of service-users and increase stress and strain amongst caregivers (Emerson, Robertson, Gregory, Hatton, Kessissoglou, Hallam, & Hillery, 2000; Rose, Nelson, & Hardiman, 2016). Challenging behaviours, in particular incidents of violence and aggression, are a complex manifestation of a combination of characteristics. Challenging behaviour has been found to be the term most often cited as the reason for the use of restrictive interventions on incident forms (Ryan & Bowers, 2006). The use of unnecessary restrictive interventions has been widely criticised, particularly following the Winterbourne View Inquest (DoH, 2012) and national guidance states that it should only be used as a last resort to manage imminent risk (NICE, 2015a). A number of political drivers have attempted to end the use of unnecessary restrictive interventions (Mind, 2013). However, a Freedom Of Information request (FOI) made by Norman Lamb MP has found that the use of physical restraint on inpatient wards remains high. The central aim of this research was to explore how qualified mental health nurses construct the challenging behaviours they experience on the wards, and how they talk about its management.A number of studies have explored how staff account for their treatment decisions and have shown how dominant practices are enabled and maintained through language (Harper, 1995; Parker, Gergaaca, Harper, McLoughlin & Stowell-Smith, 1995).This research is informed by a critical realist stance. Semi-structured interviews were used to elicit talk about challenging behaviour and its management with seven voluntary participants, all inpatient mental health nurses recruited from the acute and PICU Wards of two NHS mental health hospitals. Interviews were analysed using discourse analysis, informed by both discursive psychology (Potter & Wetherell, 1995) and Foucauldian discourse analysis (Foucault, 1979) approaches.It was found that staff drew on a dominant biomedical discourse which acted to legitimise restrictive interventions and marginalise psychosocial and emotional constructs and approaches. Systemic discourses were also drawn on to both justify and criticise the use of coercive approaches and to position both staff and service-users as disempowered. Thus, challenging behaviour and restrictive interventions could be argued to represent tools for both groups to recover control.
Os bivalves invasores Corbicula fluminea e Dreissena polymorpha em Portugal: contributos da sociedade para uma gestão integrada das pestes
Creators: name: Gabriel, Rita Garrido
name: Ré, Ana
name: Gonçalves, Fernando
name: Pereira, Joana Luísa
name: Costa, Raquel
Publisher: name: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos
Year: 2014

description: Atualmente verifica-se uma tendência para a homogeneização massiva do biota em resultado da quebra de muitas das barreiras geográficas que ao longo da história estruturaram a sua distribuição. A crescente e cada vez mais fácil movimentação de bens, pessoas e espécies ao longo de grandes distâncias tem contribuído para o aumento da distribuição geográfica de espécies fora da sua área nativa (espécies exóticas), sendo que algumas delas acabam por se tornar invasoras e causar impactos negativos nas zonas invadidas, quer ao nível ecológico, quer ao nível económico. Este tipo de impactos tornou absolutamente necessária a criação de mecanismos de gestão de invasões biológicas. A gestão eficaz de espécies exóticas invasoras só é possível se a sociedade entender e aceitar as ações necessárias para proteger os recursos naturais. Para tal são cruciais ações de educação, que contribuam para a consciencialização dos cidadãos relativamente às causas e consequências do estabelecimento de espécies exóticas invasoras, bem como para a sua motivação para um papel ativo na prevenção e deteção precoce destas pestes. Neste contexto,este artigo tem como objetivo informar, sensibilizar e contribuirpara a participação pública na gestão de dois bivalves exóticos invasores dulçaquícolas - a já estabelecida em Portugal amêijoa asiática, Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774), e o mexilhão zebra, Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771), que se considera representar elevado risco de invasão no país.No âmbito deste artigo, é ainda fornecido um folheto informativo acerca destas duas espécies,que pode ser usado como apoio na divulgação dos impactos negativos e da importância do contributo da sociedade na gestão das mesmas. É também sugerida uma atividade prática que, de alguma forma, visa o treino na deteção destes bivalves. Esta atividade poderá ser integrada, por exemplo, no âmbito das aulas de Ciências Naturais e Biologia ao nível do 3º Ciclo do Ensino Básico e Secundário ou no âmbito de projetos não-curriculares.
description: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos, vol. 5 n.º 2 (2014)
EACS 2016 paper - SENSOR SELECTION BASED ON PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS FOR FAULT DETECTION IN WIND TURBINES
Creators: name: F. Pozo
name: Y. Vidal
Publisher: name: The University of Sheffield
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: Mechanical Engineering
subject: FOS: Mechanical engineering

description: EACS 2016 Paper No. 175
Growing interest for improving the reliability of safety-critical structures, such as wind turbines, has led to the advancement of structural health monitoring (SHM). Existing techniques for fault detection can be broadly classified into two major categories: model-based methods and signal processing-based methods. This work focuses in the signal-processing-based fault detection by using principal component analysis (PCA) as a way to condense and extract information from the collected signals. In particular, the goal of this work is to select a reduced number of sensors to be used. From a practical point of view, a reduced number of sensors installed in the structure leads to a reduced cost of installation and maintenance. Besides, from a computational point of view, less sensors implies lower computing time, thus the detection time is shortened.
The overall strategy is to firstly create a PCA model measuring a healthy wind turbine. Secondly, with the model, and for each fault scenario and each possible subset of sensors, it measures the Euclidean distance between the arithmetic mean of the projections into the PCA model that come from the healthy wind turbine and the mean of the projections that come from the faulty one. Finally, it finds the subset of sensors that separate the most the data coming from the healthy wind turbine and the data coming from the faulty one.
Numerical simulations using a sophisticated wind turbine model (a modern 5MW turbine implemented in the FAST software) show the performance of the proposed method under actuators (pitch and torque) and sensors (pitch angle measurement) faults of different type: fixed value, gain factor, offset and changed dynamics.
Learning from the pioneers: lessons about data platforms drawn from the WWARN experience
Creators: name: Pisani, Elizabeth
name: Botchway, Stella
Publisher: name: Wellcome Trust
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: 80702 Health Informatics
subject: FOS: Media and communications
subject: Science Policy

description: An in-depth case study funded by the Wellcome Trust to capture the learning provided by the Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN) as a pioneering data platform bringing together clinical, in-vitro, molecular, pharmacological and medicine quality data relevant to the efficacy of anti-malarial medicines.
The Behaviour and Evolution of Boko Haram: A Multi-Level Analysis
Creators: name: Anjide, Solomon
Publisher: name: University of Lincoln
Year: 2024
Subjects: L250 - International relations

description: Boko Haram (BH) has transformed from a small group living in isolation to a large- scale terrorist movement. Academics and policy makers suggest that BH seeks to substitute Nigeria’s secular state with a strict Islamic system, while BH’s violent campaign has spilled over to Nigeria’s neighbouring countries in the Lake Chad region. Existing studies have suggested that socioeconomic deprivation along with religion and counter terrorism (CT) sustain BH’s violence, with these studies having concentrated on the causes and consequences of BH terrorism.Terrorist behaviour is dynamic, and thus the ever-changing nature of terrorist behaviour requires groups such as BH to be studied over time both internally and externally in order to have an in-depth understanding of a terror group.This thesis is a case study on BH. It investigates how the behaviour of BH has influenced its evolution from a small isolationist movement to a large-scale violent group. The study provides a multi-level analysis on the role of internal and external factors on the evolution of BH. The multi-level analysis is used to examine the behaviour and evolution of BH through individual, group, state, sub-national and international levels of explanations.A mixed methods case study approach is applied in examining BH and their strategic choices. These methods include documents, statistics and a qualitative technique of semi-structured interviews with some senior Nigerian government officials and experts on BH. Additionally, it employs the Most Similar System Design (MSSD) comparative method to assess the variation in BH violence.The findings of this thesis extend beyond the conventional linkage of BH to poverty, religion and illiteracy. They instead provide explanations on the strategic choices, intensity of violence and changing tactics of BH.This thesis illustrates that different aspects of terrorist behaviour determine the evolution of a terrorist group. The behaviour of terrorist groups relates to their ability to function, and without one aspect of such behaviour, other explanations will be incomplete, therefore making any investigation through a single unit simplistic. The study suggests that multi-level analysis provides a strong methodological advantage in terrorism research. Its flexibility enables the application of more theories and empirical studies for a more systematic and critical debate in terrorism research. The study recommends areas for policy actions and future research on BH.
Desenvolvimento de um nanosensor para deteção do risco de doenças cardiovasculares no âmbito do projeto CARDIOSENSOR
Creators: name: Justino, Celine I. L.
name: Duarte, Kátia R.
name: Freitas, Ana Cristina
name: Pereira, Ruth
name: Chaves, Paulo
name: Bettencourt, Paulo
name: Cardoso, Susana
name: Duarte, Armando C.
name: Rocha-Santos, Teresa A. P.
Publisher: name: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos
Year: 2014

description: Este artigo visa sumariar os tópicos principais de um projeto de investigação (CARDIOSENSOR) que tem como objetivo o desenvolvimento de um nanosensor para o diagnóstico do risco de doenças cardiovasculares, através da determinação da proteína C-reactiva (CRP). Esta proteína é atualmente considerada como o melhor marcador inflamatório validado que está associado a doenças cardiovasculares. O projeto envolve tarefas tais como: 1) o desenvolvimento de sensores baseados em transístores de efeito de campo: montagem, otimização e validação; 2) aplicação destes sensores para a deteção da CRP em soluções padrão e comparação com um ensaio padrão validado, o ensaio imunoenzimático ELISA; e 3) a aplicação destes sensores em amostras clínicas, tais como soro humano e saliva, de forma a avaliar a sua capacidade para diagnosticar o risco de doenças cardiovasculares.
description: Revista Captar: Ciência e Ambiente para Todos, vol. 5 n.º 2 (2014)
The Behaviour and Evolution of Boko Haram: A Multi-Level Analysis
Creators: name: Author, Unknown
Publisher: name: University of Lincoln
Year: 2023
Subjects: L250 - International relations

description: Boko Haram (BH) has transformed from a small group living in isolation to a large- scale terrorist movement. Academics and policy makers suggest that BH seeks to substitute Nigeria’s secular state with a strict Islamic system, while BH’s violent campaign has spilled over to Nigeria’s neighbouring countries in the Lake Chad region. Existing studies have suggested that socioeconomic deprivation along with religion and counter terrorism (CT) sustain BH’s violence, with these studies having concentrated on the causes and consequences of BH terrorism.Terrorist behaviour is dynamic, and thus the ever-changing nature of terrorist behaviour requires groups such as BH to be studied over time both internally and externally in order to have an in-depth understanding of a terror group.This thesis is a case study on BH. It investigates how the behaviour of BH has influenced its evolution from a small isolationist movement to a large-scale violent group. The study provides a multi-level analysis on the role of internal and external factors on the evolution of BH. The multi-level analysis is used to examine the behaviour and evolution of BH through individual, group, state, sub-national and international levels of explanations.A mixed methods case study approach is applied in examining BH and their strategic choices. These methods include documents, statistics and a qualitative technique of semi-structured interviews with some senior Nigerian government officials and experts on BH. Additionally, it employs the Most Similar System Design (MSSD) comparative method to assess the variation in BH violence.The findings of this thesis extend beyond the conventional linkage of BH to poverty, religion and illiteracy. They instead provide explanations on the strategic choices, intensity of violence and changing tactics of BH.This thesis illustrates that different aspects of terrorist behaviour determine the evolution of a terrorist group. The behaviour of terrorist groups relates to their ability to function, and without one aspect of such behaviour, other explanations will be incomplete, therefore making any investigation through a single unit simplistic. The study suggests that multi-level analysis provides a strong methodological advantage in terrorism research. Its flexibility enables the application of more theories and empirical studies for a more systematic and critical debate in terrorism research. The study recommends areas for policy actions and future research on BH.
EACS 2016 paper - EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SEMI-ACTIVELY IMPLEMENTED POWER-LAW DAMPING ON SUPPRESSING THE SEISMIC RESPONSE OF A BASE-ISOLATED BUILDING
Creators: name: OMURA, Masashi
name: Fumito NAKAMICHI
name: KOHIYAMA, Masayuki
name: DAN, Maki
name: Lang, Zi-Qiang
Publisher: name: The University of Sheffield
Year: 2017
Subjects: subject: Mechanical Engineering
subject: FOS: Mechanical engineering

description: EACS 2016 Paper No. 155
This study focuses on verifying the effectiveness of the nonlinear power-law damping system on reduction of the vibration of base-isolated buildings with semi-actively implemented dampers over the ranges of resonance frequencies without causing detrimental effects over other frequency ranges. To verify the effctiveness of the proposed power-law damping system, shaking-table tests on a small-scale two-story physical building model are conducted. Random ground motions are used as the input excitations. The physical building model is equipped with a semi-active oil damper whose damping coe ffcient can be varied over four different values. This provides an effective mechanism for semi-actively implementing the power-law damping system. The shaking-table tests have demonstrated the effectiveness and robustness of the power-law damping and indicated that this can be a more practical solution to improving the performance of building base-isolation systems.
One DNA minor groove, many possibilities: from sequence recognition to transcription factor inhibition
Creators: name: Wang, Shuo
Publisher: name: Georgia State University
Year: 2014

description: Natural and synthetic heterocyclic cations that bind to the DNA minor groove have demonstrated effectiveness as therapeutic agents for cancer, parasitic and viral diseases, as well as powerful probes for use to extend our fundamental understanding of DNA molecular recognition. Crystal and NMR structures with a variety of minor groove binding compounds have shed light on the structural varieties of these systems, the important solvent molecules in the complexes, and the induced fit effects for binding of both DNA and the bound small molecule. Topics of specific importance in DNA recognition are the development of a greater variety of cell-permeable minor groove agents that have increased DNA binding sequence selectivity.
In this dissertation, the structural and energetic basis of the interaction between DNA and minor groove binders has been systematically investigated. A set of powerful and complementary biophysical methods have been used: gel electrophoresis with ligation ladder assay, circular dichroism, mass spectrometry, surface plasmon resonance and isothermal titration calorimetry have been applied to determine the binding stoichiometry, binding affinity, kinetics and thermodynamics, and also the structural influence that minor groove binders can have on DNA. The results of several minor groove complexes clearly show that based on DNA sequences, minor groove binders can have multiple binding modes and consequently affect the geometry of DNA minor groove and the overall DNA curvature in distinct manners. In addition, the binding enthalpy of a minor groove binder is essentially salt concentration and binding mode independent.
Besides the investigation of DNA-minor groove binder complex, the binding and inhibition of transcription factor PU.1 has also been studied. The highly positive charged PU.1 targets DNA by inserting an à-helix in the major groove of the 5?-GGAA-3? site, and displays a strong salt concentration dependency. A set of minor groove binders have been rationally designed based on the high-affinity DNA sequence for PU.1 to target the flanking sequences of the 5?-GGAA-3? site. They display a structure-related PU.1 inhibition efficacy. This work demonstrates that minor groove binders are capable of modulating PU.1 by targeting the opposite groove and supports future efforts to develop agents for other transcription factors.