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Publicações

2022

A satellite-based multi-dimensional approach to identify potential post-fire regime shifts in ecosystem functioning

Autores
Marcos, B; Gonçalves, J; Alcaraz-Segura, D; Cunha, M; Honrado, JP;

Publicação
Advances in Forest Fire Research 2022

Abstract
Wildfires can profoundly impact many aspects of matter flows and energy budgets in ecosystems. Exacerbated by projected shifts in climate, land use, and forest management, changes in fire regimes can lead to decreased ecosystem resilience, regime shifts, and ecosystem collapse. Thorough assessments of ecosystem resilience to wildfires are thus critical to bridge gaps between science, policy, and management. To that end, approaches based on ecosystem functioning offer an integrative view of ecosystem responses to wildfire-induced changes and provide quicker, quantifiable responses to disturbances that are more directly connected to ecosystem services. In that regard, satellite remote sensing can be employed to easily and frequently monitor multiple dimensions of ecosystem functioning over large areas and across time, and to evaluate ecosystem functioning resilience to wildfires. This study describes an approach for identifying potential regime shifts based on satellite-based surrogates of four key dimensions of ecosystem functioning: primary production, water content, albedo, and sensible heat. To that end, we classified the trajectories after wildfires in 2005, in NW Iberian Peninsula, for the 2000–2018 period, into five main types, using two metrics of medium-to-long term post-fire recovery. Then, we derived a synthetic indicator to analyse the overall “strength-of-evidence� of potential regime shifts across dimensions. Potential regime shifts were identified for each dimension of ecosystem functioning considered, with the main effects associated with the sudden removal of vegetation. For primary production, regime shifts may be linked to changes in land cover and use, as well as management. Changes in the concentrations of impervious and radiation-absorbing materials following wildfires may be responsible for regime shifts in water content and albedo, with loss of canopy moisture due to fire-related damage leading to vegetation mortality during post-fire recovery. On the other hand, regime shifts in sensible heat were less frequent, since wildfires tend to have transient effects on this dimension of ecosystem functioning. Overall, our results show that our approach successfully captured different patterns of post-fire recovery and resilience across multiple dimensions of ecosystem functioning. We argue that our approach can provide an enhanced characterization of ecosystem resilience to wildfires, and support the identification of potential regime shifts after such disturbances, ultimately upholding promising implications for post-fire ecosystem management.

2022

Mitigating Biomass Supply Chain Uncertainty Through Discrete Event Simulation

Autores
Piqueiro, H; de Sousa, JP; Santos, R; Gomes, R;

Publicação
Proceedings of the International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management

Abstract

2022

Electrochemistry combined-surface plasmon resonance biosensors: A review

Autores
Ribeiro, JA; Sales, MGF; Pereira, CM;

Publicação
TRAC-TRENDS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Abstract
Over the years, literature reported inumerous applications of electrochemical and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) immunoassays for biosensing but, so far, the combination of the two methods in the same sensing spot for analytical purposes is much less explored and discussed. The aim of this Review is to highlight the great potential of electrochemistry combined-SPR (eSPR) as analytical tool for screening chemically and biologically relevant (bio)molecules by combining the unique features of SPR integrated with electrochemical readout.In the first part of the Review, we describe the urgent need of innovative methods for screening clinical biological markers (General Introduction), briefly discuss general concepts of SPR and electrochemical sensing (Concepts behind eSPR biosensors) and highlight the hyphenation of two methods to developed combined biosensing systems (Set-up configuration and eSPR principles). Firstly, we briefly give an overview of the setup for implementation of eSPR technique and discuss some relevant experimental conditions to perform the combined optical and electrochemical measurements. Then, the principles and fundamentals of eSPR biosensors are presented and described. We also present representative examples of eSPR biosensors in the literature (Applications of eSPR biosensors).In the second part, we review studies on how combined electrical and plasmonic detection contributed to the biosensing field, in particular, for the successful screening of clinically relevant biomolecules, namely proteins (Detection of proteins), nucleic acids (Detection of nucleic acids), small size chemical species (Detection of small molecules) and cells (Living-cell Analysis).Finally, we discuss the current limitations of eSPR biosensors performance and suggest possible ways to overcome these limitations (Limitations and optimization) and then we explore aspects about the development of the method and its applications and discuss areas of likely future growth (Conclusions and perspectives). (c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

2022

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Professional Nursing Practice in the Context of Hospitals

Autores
Ribeiro, OMPL; Trindade, LD; Novo, AFMP; da Rocha, CG; Sousa, CN; Teles, PJFC; Reis, ACRD; Perondi, AR; Andrigue, KCK; Pereira, SCD; Leite, PCD; Ventura-Silva, JMA;

Publicação
HEALTHCARE

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed challenges to health systems and institutions, which had to quickly create conditions to meet the growing health needs of the population. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on professional nursing practice environments and to identify the variables that affected their quality. Quantitative, observational study, conducted in 16 Portuguese hospitals, with 1575 nurses. Data were collected using a questionnaire and participants responded to two different moments in time: the pre-pandemic period and after the fourth critical period of COVID-19. The pandemic had a positive impact on the Structure and Outcome components, and a negative trend in the Process component. The variables associated with the qualification of the components and their dimensions were predominantly: work context, the exercise of functions in areas of assistance to COVID-19 patients, length of professional experience and length of experience in the service. The investment in professional practice environments impacted the improvement of organizational factors, supporting the development of nurses' work towards the quality of care. However, it is necessary to invest in nurses' participation, involvement and professional qualifications, which are aspects strongly dependent on the institutions' management strategies.

2022

Humans Versus Machines: The Perspective of Two Different Approaches in Classification for Ethical Design

Autores
Teixeira, S; Rodrigues, J; Veloso, B; Gama, J;

Publicação
ERCIM NEWS

Abstract
This Portuguese project compares the classification of AI risks and vulnerabilities performed by humans and performed by the computing algorithms.

2022

Is Having AI Generate Text Cheating?

Autores
Baquero, C;

Publicação
COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM

Abstract
Carlos Baquero on whether using artificial intelligence provides an unfair advantage to writers.

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