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Social impact assessment and benefits management is commonly measured in social communities' intervention plans. Although, its combined use lacks from a methodology or framework, which can assist in measuring those benefits and impacts. To achieve this, a business case tool has been applied in order to measure the benefits and Social Toolkit has been developed to assist the social impact. The results of these measures provided a substantial increment in terms of benefits measurements and social impact assessment in the social impact assessment of the 'community intervention of proximity' initiative, which aims to support families affected by poverty and/or victims of social exclusion. The results have shown that there has been a decrease in social exclusion and a reduction in poverty for needy families.

This paper results from on-going reflection within the practitioners group "Plataforma de Interface à Ciência" (Platform of Professionals at the Interface of Science), an informal nationwide network in Portugal that brings together professionals involved in a large scope of activities related to research management, knowledge transfer and science communication. Due to the wide scope of functions and profiles of these professionals, they are not publicly nor institutionally recognised as part of the same professional group, which raises barriers for their recognition as relevant players in the research & innovation ecosystem and full achievement of their potential. We take stock of the several definitions of their roles found in the literature and conclude on the need for an inclusive approach to consider these roles as a profession. We propose the designation of Professionals at the Interface of Science (PIoS) to name this wide group of professionals that sits at the interface at all scientific disciplines.

Copyright of Portuguese Journal of Mental Health Nursing / Revista Portuguesa de Enfermagem de Saúde Mental is the property of Portuguese Society of Mental Health Nursing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Portuguese population are quite relevant and partially related to their repetitive and disruptive thinking about the disease. The successive periods of lockdown contributed to an additional burden on the family–work–life balance for parents. This study aims to validate the Portuguese version of the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (PT-OCS), which was developed using a general sample from several regions of the country (n = 531) together with a specific sample of Portuguese parents (n = 109). The confirmatory factor analysis results indicate that the PT-OCS includes a set of excellent psychometric properties concerning both the general sample (χ2(1) = 0.446, p = 0.504; CFI = 1.0; GFI = 1.0; RMSEA = 0.0; standardised RMR = 0.003) and the parent group (χ2(2) = 1.816, p = 0.403; CFI = 1.0; GFI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.0; standardised RMR = 0.016; Bollen–Stine bootstrap p = 0.65). The scale shows very good reliability (0.84 < α/ω < 0.88). As expected, obsession with COVID-19 was highly correlated with COVID-19 anxiety, and women had higher PT-OCS scores. The findings suggest that the PT-OCS is a reliable and valid measure for both persistent and disruptive thinking about COVID-19 in different groups of the Portuguese population, with potential for studying future epidemic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mission of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) has progressively developed from an educational role to knowledge production, innovation generation and engagement with society at large. At the same time, the HEIs space has been enriched with the evolution of 'non-university' institutions, and a clear drift between the university and 'non-university' sectors can be observed all over the world. This challenges current higher education (HE) non-unitary systems and questions the validity of criteria currently used to typify HEIs. This study was initiated to clarify the status of the HE divide in European countries, by assessing the research characteristics and performance of several HEIs. To this end, HEIs in France, Italy and Portugal were analyzed using a multi-dimensional set of quantitative and qualitative indicators. It can be observed that in Portugal the HE drift is both policy and practice driven. The evidence and conclusions of this study can be considered by policy makers when developing public strategies and policies aimed at the 'non-university' sector in contemporary research and innovation ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydropower can have significant impacts on riverine ecosystems due to hydropeaking (i.e., artificial rapid and short-term fluctuations in water flow and water levels downstream and upstream of hydropower stations) that negatively affect downstream fish. However, when it comes to analyzing species habitat use and availability above and below small hydropower plants (SHPPs), studies conducted at the microhabitat scale are scarcer, particularly in Mediterranean rivers. The goal of this study is to assess the seasonal (early and late summer) and size-related (juveniles and adults) microhabitat use by native fish above and below SHPPs. Fish were sampled by a modified point electrofishing procedure, and a multivariate approach was used to analyze microhabitat use and availability data from sites located upstream (reference) and downstream (disturbed) from two SHPPs in northeast Portugal. Cover and water depth were the most influential variables in the use of microhabitat for all species at both the reference and disturbed sites, although some differences in the variable rankings were found. Leuciscids exhibited similar patterns of non-random (i.e., selective) microhabitat use between the reference and the disturbed sites. Overall, the seasonal and size-related patterns in species microhabitat use were similar, with the majority of species displaying seasonal patterns in microhabitat use from early summer to late summer. This study showed that differences in fish microhabitat use between downstream SHPP and upstream reference sites were negligible. Cover might have had a significant role in tempering the effects of detrimental environmental conditions, namely, peaking flows, by providing hydraulic shelter, highlighting the need to maintain riparian vegetation strips and mosaics of submerged aquatic macrophytes, as well as the provision of coarse substrata that can be critical for fish. Future studies are needed to better clarify how different size classes of fish select microhabitats when facing past and present hydropeaking conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite numerous published literature on the impacts of agriculture on water quality, knowledge gaps persist regarding which farming systems are of most concern for their impact on water quality, which would allow water resource planners to better target water management efforts. Seeking to understand how these relationships vary across different farming systems, we used data on water quality status in watersheds of an agricultural region in southern Portugal and overlaid it with a map of farming systems for the same region provided by a previous study. By intersecting both data layers, we characterized the areal shares of the farming systems in each watershed and inspected how these shares relate to water quality status using logistic regression. The results show that the impact of agriculture on water quality is primarily related to specific farming systems. We believe this type of information can be of significant interest to agricultural planners and policymakers interested in meeting water quality standards, and we conclude this study by suggesting innovative policy options based on payments to farmers operating selected farming systems as a cost-effective way to reconcile agricultural and environmental policy objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lecturers face a large wide of occupational stressors. If the prolonged stress and the symptomatology associated with the working conditions to which lecturers were exposed were already a concern before the pandemic, the pandemic may have exacerbated this psychosocial vulnerability. Burnout is a psychological syndrome that develops in response to chronic work stress. This study aims to describe burnout amongst lecturers working in Portugal and to analyse potential determinants of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire distributed via social networks. The survey collected sociodemographic and sleep patterns data in addition to applying the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (personal, work- and student-related burnout), the Resilience Scale, the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Results: The sample included 331 lecturers from 35 different colleges and faculties. Three significant models explained personal (R2 = 54%), work- (R2 = 47%) and student- (R2 =19%) related burnout. Lower levels of resilience and higher levels of depression and stress were significantly associated with personal and work-related burnout. Changes in sleep patterns were additionally associated with both personal and work-related burnout. Conclusion: Higher education institutions must recognize the impact of the work environment and organizational culture on faculty mental health and take proactive measures to improve this environment. These institutions can implement support strategies such as educational technology training, professional development programmes, emotional support resources, and workload flexibility. Implementing measures to enhance lecturers' resilience and overall life satisfaction could potentially help mitigate burnout and improve the well-being of educators, ultimately contributing to the overall quality of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is expected to affect the agricultural sector in ways that are often unclear to predict. If in the short- and medium-terms farmers may adapt to climate change by adjusting their agricultural practices, in the long-term, these adjustments may become insufficient, forcing farmers to change their farming systems. The extent and direction in which these farming system transitions will occur is still a subject that is underexplored in the literature. We propose a new framework to explore the effect of climate change on the choice of farming system while controlling the effect of other drivers that are also known to influence the farming system choice. Using a spatially explicit farming system choice model developed by a previous study in an extensive agricultural region of southern Portugal, we applied a space-for-time approach to simulate the effect of climate change on the future dynamics of the farming systems in the study area. The results suggest that climate change will force many farmers to change the farming system in a foreseeable future. The extent of the projected changes in farming systems is likely to trigger significant social, economic, and environmental impacts, which should require early attention from policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, aluminum beams in undamaged status and with single and double damage scenarios as slots with the ratio of the slot depth to the beam thickness of 7% and 28% were constructed at the University of Lisbon, Portugal. Then, with the help of the shrearography method, the modal rotations of each beam were calculated for the first to third vibration mode shapes. By deriving the modal rotations, the modal strains were obtained and introduced as the input of 22 different families of 2D wavelet transforms with three different scales 1, 7, and 15. Utilizing the wavelet coefficients as damage indices, the results showed that the sensitivity of modal curvatures is higher than other modal data for identifying the location of damages. In addition, among scales 1, 7, and 15, considering scale 7 for wavelet families provides more suitable results. On the other hand, the sinc and isodog wavelet families showed a better ability to reveal the damage location than other wavelets. Investigating the ratio of the maximum value of the wavelet coefficients in the middle part of the beams to the maximum value of the wavelet coefficients in the boundaries showed that among the two selected wavelets, sinc and isodog, the sinc wavelet is more sensitive than the isodog wavelet in identifying damages with obtained results of 0.81, 7.81 and 27.10 for first, second and third damage scenarios, respectively. And therefore, it can be considered the best wavelet for detecting artificial damage in the tested aluminum beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article assesses the degree of adoption of the circular economy model in the tourist accommodation sector. Additionally, the study aims to understand whether the type of accommodation, size and year of construction or remodelling have an impact on the adoption of circular economy practices. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on a survey administered to directors and owners of tourist accommodation facilities in Portugal. The questionnaire was developed based on an extensive literature review of circular economy practices in the accommodation sector. Findings: Accommodation companies currently operate in a linear economy model and are still in the early stages of transitioning to a more circular economic model. Among the most commonly implemented practices are those that represent expenditure savings for accommodation companies. The findings also suggest a growing awareness and commitment to sustainability and circular economy practices in the tourist accommodation sector, particularly in more recently constructed or renovated accommodation. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the accommodation characteristics that impact the adoption of sustainability and circular economy practices in the tourist accommodation sector. It contributes to the literature by providing primary quantitative data supporting the adoption of such practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate and land-use changes have been contributing to the increase in the occurrence of extreme wildfires, shifting fire regimes and driving desertification, particularly in Mediterranean-climate regions. However, few studies have researched the influence of land use/cover on fire regimes and carbon storage at the broad national scale. To address this gap, we used spatially explicit data from annual burned areas in mainland Portugal to build a typology of fire regimes based on the accumulated burned area and its temporal concentration (Gini Index) between 1984 and 2019. This typology was then combined with carbon stock data and different landscapes to explore relationships between landscape types and two important ecosystem services: wildfire reduction and carbon stock. Multivariate analyses were performed on these data and the results revealed a strong relationship between landscapes dominated by maritime pine and eucalypt plantations and highly hazardous fire regimes, which in turn hold the highest carbon stocks. Shrubland and mixed landscapes were associated with low carbon stocks and less hazardous fire regimes. Specialized agricultural landscapes, as well as mixed native forests and mixed agroforestry landscapes, were the least associated with wildfires. In the case of agricultural landscapes, however, this good wildfire performance is achieved at the cost of the poorest carbon stock, whereas native forests and agroforestry landscapes strike the best trade-off between carbon stock and fire regime. Our findings support how nature-based solutions promoting wildfire mitigation and carbon stock ecosystem services may prevent and revert land degradation harming Mediterranean regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire is the origin of serious environmental and social impacts in Mediterranean-like landscapes, such as those in California, Australia, and southern Europe. Portugal is one of the southern European countries most affected by fire, which has increased in intensity and extent in the recent decades in response to variations in climate, but mostly due to changes in land systems (LSs), characterized by land use and land cover and also by factors such as management intensity, livestock composition, land ownership structure, and demography. Agricultural activities, which contributed to the management of fuel in the overall landscape, were allocated to the most productive areas, while the steepest areas were occupied by extensive areas of shrubland and monospecific forests, creating landscapes of high fire-proneness. These challenging circumstances call for landscape transformation actions focusing on reducing the burned area, but the spatial distribution of LS is highly conditioned by land morphology (LM), which limits the actions (e.g., farming operations) that can be taken. Considering the constraints posed by the LM, this study investigates whether there is a possibility of transforming the landscape by single modifying the LS from more to less fire prone. To better understand landscape–fire relationships, the individual and interactive effects of the LS and LM on burned areas were also analyzed. Even in the more fire-prone LM types, a 40% proportion of agricultural uses in the landscape results in an effective reduction in the burned area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kinesiologia Slovenica is the property of Faculty of Sport and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aims to analyse which are better step duration related to the maximum lactate steady-state test (MLSS) intensity and the intensity equivalent to the accumulation of 4mmol/L lactate (AnT4) determined through an incremental protocol using a rowing ergometer, using different steps durations (step3min, step5min, step7min). Ten elite Portuguese rowers (25.1 ± 4.82 years; 177.5 ± 5.50 cm; 69.8 ± 2.74 kg) performed rowing ergometer protocols to determine the maximum lactate steady state (MLSS). Subsequently, incremental tests were realised to determine AnT4, using different step durations (step3min, step5min, step7min). The results showed a strong correlation between MLSS and AnT4 (r>0.90; p<0.001) obtained AnT different steps (step3min, step5min, step7min). However, the determined intensity equivalent to 4mmol/L obtained with different step durations that showed the highest correlation with MLSS (246.5 ± 35.20W) was verified in the protocol of 7minute steps (251.5 ± 35,72W). The present study indicates that the use of 7 minutes steps is the most appropriate for determining the AnT4 intensity related to the aerobic component of a high-performance rowing athlete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We characterize fire regimes in central Portugal and investigate the degree to which the differences between regimes are influenced by a set of biophysical drivers. Using civil parishes as units of analysis, we employ three complementary parameters to describe the fire regime over a reference period of 44 years (1975–2018), namely cumulative percentage of parish area burned, Gini concentration index of burned area over time, and area-weighted total number of wildfires. Cluster analysis is used to aggregate parishes into groups with similar fire regimes based on these parameters. A classification tree model is then used to assess the capacity of a set of potential biophysical drivers to discriminate between the different parish groups. The results allowed us to distinguish four types of fire regime and show that these can be significantly differentiated using the biophysical drivers, of which land use/land cover (LULC), slope, and spring rainfall are the most important. Among LULC classes, shrubland and herbaceous vegetation play the foremost role, followed by agriculture. Our results highlight the importance of vegetation type, availability, and rate of regeneration, as well as that of topography, in influencing fire regimes in the study area, while suggesting that these regimes should be subject to specific wildfire prevention and mitigation policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire regimes in Mediterranean countries have been shifting in recent decades, including changes in wildfire size and frequency. We sought to describe changes in fire regimes across two periods (1975–1995 and 1996–2018) in a fire-prone region of central Portugal, explore the relationships between these regimes and territorial features, and check whether these associations persisted across periods. Two independent indicators of fire regimes were determined at parish level: fire incidence and burn concentration. Most parishes presented higher values of both indicators in the second period. Higher values of fire incidence were associated with lower population densities, lower proportions of farmland areas and higher proportions of natural vegetation. Higher levels of burn concentration were associated with smaller areas of farmland and natural vegetation. These associations differed across periods, reflecting contrasting climatic and socio-economic contexts. Keeping 40% of a parish territory covered by farmland was effective to buffer the increased wildfire risks associated with different management and climate contexts. The effectiveness of higher population densities in keeping fire incidence low decreased in the last decades. The results can improve the knowledge on the temporal evolution of fire regimes and their conditioning factors, providing contributions for spatial planning and forest/wildfire management policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In previous studies, a large majority of dance students reported mental health issues, mainly eating disorders and depression. Aims: This project aimed to promote mental health and wellbeing as well as prevent maladaptive and risky behaviors – namely suicidal behavior – among adolescents who attend art and dance schools. It was implemented in sequential stages, including six moments of classroom intervention for adolescents. Methods: A quasi-experimental research design was applied, with two assessment moments (before and after the intervention) using questionnaires filled out by the adolescents. Results: The project was implemented in three art schools (Center and South of Portugal), and the sample consisted of 122 adolescents. 72.9% of our sample were girls aged 12–18 years (M = 13.88; SD = 1.54). Boys showed significantly higher well-being scores (M = 16.53; SD = 4.24 vs M = 14.67, SD = 4.17), and girls showed higher coping scores (M = 153.3; SD = 13.53 vs M = 146.73; SD = 13.22). Concerning depressive symptoms, 34.8% of adolescents had moderate/severe depressive symptoms, which decreased by 10% after the intervention. Conclusions: Adolescents attending art schools might be more vulnerable to developing mental distress, and this intervention proved to be an effective approach for promoting mental health and well-being as well as preventing suicidal behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many types of fish passage facilities have been built worldwide to mitigate river fragmentation by instream barriers and partially restore upstream movements of fish. Among these, fish lifts are a design that enables fish to pass through high‐head obstacles (>15 m height) and can be considered the most cost‐effective fishway. However, fishways may also be used by non‐native invasive species to disperse and impact new areas and organisms upstream. As far as the authors are aware, this short communication is the first record of the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) passing through a fish lift. The lift, built at the Touvedo hydropower plant on the Lima River (northwestern Portugal), was mainly designed for the upstream passage of diadromous fish. Fish‐lift use and upstream passage of two crayfish occurred over 3 years (November 2017–October 2020) during periods of turbine shutdown and high water temperatures (18°C). In the present case, the crayfish passage should not pose a serious threat due to the limiting characteristics of the upstream lotic environment. Nevertheless, despite the small sample size, this study shows the importance of considering the passage of invasive crayfish species while planning future fishways and the need to continuously monitor such facilities to detect the passage of this and other non‐native invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study examined the independent associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and circulating adiponectin concentration in adolescents, controlling for several potential covariates. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in Portuguese adolescents. A sample of 529 (267 girls) aged 12-18 years were included and categorized as overweight and nonoverweight. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by 20 meters shuttle run test. We measured serum adiponectin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, fasting glucose, insulin and HDL-cholesterol. Results: After adjustment for age, sex, pubertal stage, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, socioeconomic status, body fat percentage, insulin resistance, HDL-cholesterol and C-reactive protein, regression analysis showed a significant inverse association between adiponectin and cardiorespiratory fitness in nonoverweight participants (B=-0.359; p < .042). Analysis of covariance showed a significant difference between the highest cardiorespiratory fitness Healthy zone (above healthy zone) and the Under and the Healthy cardiorespiratory fitness zones in nonoverweight adolescents (p = .03) (F(2, 339) = 3.156, p < .001). Conclusion: Paradoxically, serum adiponectin levels are inversely associated with cardiorespiratory fitness in nonoverweight, but not in overweight adolescents. In nonoverweight adolescents, those with highest levels of cardiorespiratory fitness (above healthy zone) presented lower levels of adiponectin compared with those in Under and Healthy cardiorespiratory fitness zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oceans hold a stunning number of unique microorganisms, which remain unstudied by culture-dependent methods due to failures in establishing the right conditions for these organisms to grow. In this work, an isolation effort inspired by the iChip was performed using marine sediments from Memoria beach, Portugal. The isolates obtained were identified by 16S rRNA gene analysis, fingerprinted using BOX-PCR and ERIC-PCR, searched for the putative presence of secondary metabolism genes associated with polyketide synthase I (PKS-I) and non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS), screened for antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, and had bioactive extracts dereplicated by LC/HRMS. Of the 158 isolated strains, 96 were affiliated with the phylum Actinomycetota, PKS-I and NRPS genes were detected in 53 actinomycetotal strains, and 11 proved to be bioactive (10 against E. coli, 1 against S. aureus and 1 against both pathogens). Further bioactivities were explored using an "one strain many compounds" approach, with six strains showing continued bioactivity and one showing a novel one. Extract dereplication showed the presence of several known bioactive molecules and potential novel ones in the bioactive extracts. These results indicate the use of the bacteria isolated here as sources of new bioactive natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Spal: Revista de Prehistoria y Arqueologia de la Universidad de Sevilla is the property of Spal. Revista de Prehistoria y Arqueologia de la Universidad de Sevilla and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Living-donor liver transplant emerged as an alternative treatment for end stage liver disease due to the lack of cadaveric organs availability that met the demand. In Portugal, pediatric living-donor liver transplant (P-LDLT) was initiated in 2001 in Portugal in order to compensate for the scarcity of cadaveric organs for such cases. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyze the morbi-mortality of the 28 donors included in P-LDLT program performed at Coimbra's Pediatric Hospital (CHUC), a Portuguese reference center. Methods: We retrospectively collected pertinent donor data and stratified complications according to Clavien's scoring system. Results: In total, 28.6% (n=8) of the donors had surgical complications. According to Clavien-Dindo's classification, two donors had major complications (Clavien grade ≥3), four donors had grade 2 complications, and two donors had grade 1 complications. There were no P-LDLT-related mortalities in the present case series. The most common verified complications were biliary tract injuries and superficial incisional infections, which are consistent with the complications reported in worldwide series. Conclusion: These patients from CHUC shows that donor hepatectomy in P-LDLT is a safe procedure, with low morbidity and without mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Water Resources / Recursos Hídricos is the property of Associacao Portuguesa dos Recursos Hidricos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This short communication aims to explore and synthesize the main effects of COVID-19 on the labor market in Portugal regarding the dimensions related to job security and unemployment. Design/methodology/approach: Field research is used to identify and understand the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to the labor market in Portugal. Data from the National Institute of Statistics of Portugal are analyzed and compared with artifacts published in the field, which allow us to explore the impact of this phenomenon from multiple perspectives. Findings: The findings indicate that the impact on the labor market is very asymmetric regarding geographical regions, sectors of activity, age groups and the nature of labor ties. The most touristic regions and those with a strong dependence on the exterior are the most affected. Young people and women with unstable employment relationships and in temporary work situations are also particularly vulnerable. Originality/value: This study focuses on an emerging area with a strong impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the labor market. This study seeks both to identify challenges in the Portuguese labor market and to discuss measures that should be taken to mitigate their effects, such as reforming the social security model, the role of teleworking or the more balanced development of the territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effect of marketing mix elements on export propensity in Portugal. It focuses on an issue that has not been addressed from the point of view of the producers of wine. The research objectives are: i) to assess the importance given by Portuguese wine producers to the different attributes of wine when they export; ii) identify the marketing mix elements that require adaptation in order to be aligned with the international consumer. Results from a sample of Portuguese wine producers show that there are three main groups of factors that Portuguese producers of wine valued: the intrinsic attributes of wine (alcohol, color, certification and region of origin, quality, harvest year, and bottle closure system), market related factors (price, awards, recommendation, positioning, promotion, and context), and extrinsic attributes (brand image, packaging, and label design). Regarding the extent to which wine marketing mix elements should be adapted or not to international markets the results indicated that only intrinsic elements of the wine should remain standardized, while no definitive conclusions could be anticipated to extrinsic and marketing related elements due to lack of statistical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal Public Administration & Social Management / Administração Pública e Gestão Social is the property of Administracao Publica e Gestao Social and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An appropriated level of motor competence is essential for children´s healthy growth and development and a key factor in the promotion of lifelong active lifestyles and health. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between motor competence and different physical activity intensities (light, moderate, moderate-to-vigorous and vigorous physical activity), as well as total physical activity, over a two-year period, in adolescents. The sample comprised of 103 adolescents (13.49 ± 0.87 years, 53 girls), from the north of Portugal. Motor competence was evaluated with the body coordination test, Körperkoordination-Test-für-Kinder. Physical activity was objectively assessed with GT1M accelerometers (ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL, USA). Physical activity variables were expressed as proportions of accelerometer wear time. Regression analyses showed positive longitudinal associations between motor competence at baseline and moderate physical activity (B = 0.0033, p = 0.018), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (B = 0.0052, p = 0.024) and total physical activity (B = 0.067, p = 0.040) at follow up, after adjustments for age, sex, the corresponding physical activity intensity at baseline, body mass index, pubertal stage and socioeconomic status. Our findings highlight the importance of motor competence development to promote moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Physical fitness (PF) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet are important indicators of healthy lifestyles. The purpose of this study is to analyze the independent and combined associations between PF and adherence to Mediterranean diet with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adolescents. Methods This is a cross-sectional analysis with 956 Portuguese adolescents aged 12–18 years. HRQoL was measured with the Kidscreen-10 questionnaire. PF was assessed with the ALPHA health-related fitness battery. The 20-m shuttle run test was used for the estimation of cardiorespiratory fitness; handgrip strength and standing long jump tests were applied for the assessment of muscular fitness and the 4 × 10 m shuttle run test for the assessment of motor fitness (speed and agility). The results of the PF tests (cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness and motor fitness) were transformed into standardized values (Z -scores) by age and sex. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed with the KIDMED index. Regression analysis and analysis of covariance were performed. Results PF (B = 0.228; P < 0.05) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (B = 0.259; P < 0.05) were positively associated with HRQoL, after controlling for several variables. Participants classified as high PF and high adherence to Mediterranean diet had on average the highest HRQoL score compared with those with low PF and low adherence to Mediterranean diet (F (3, 939) = 4.270; P = 0.005), after adjustments for potential confounders. Conclusions The combination of high PF levels and optimal adherence to Mediterranean diet is positively associated with HRQoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High muscular fitness (MF) and high adherence to the Southern European Atlantic Diet (the SEADiet) have been associated with several positive metabolic outcomes. The purpose of the present study was two-fold: (i) to explore the independent associations between MF and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels; and (ii) to investigate the combined impact of MF and SEADiet on the CRP levels in a sample of adolescents. A cross-sectional school-based study was conducted on 463 adolescents (272 girls) aged 15–18 years, from the Portuguese Azorean Archipelago. Anthropometric indicators (stature, body mass, waist circumference (WC)) were measured by standardized protocols and pubertal stages were assessed by Tanner criteria. Blood samples were taken after an overnight fast. MF was assessed by the curl-up and push-up tests (from the Fitnessgram test battery). Adherence to the SEADiet was assessed with a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Linear regression models showed that MF was inversely associated with hs-CRP (unstandardizedB = −0.127;p < .009), after adjustments for age, sex, and pubertal stage, adherence of SEADiet, total energy intake and low-energy reporter and WC. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed a significant difference between the low adherence of SEADiet with low MF group and those with a high adherence of SEADiet and high MF (p < .05) (F(5, 453) = 2.238,p = .040). Our results showed that MF is inversely associated with hs-CRP. In addition, the adolescents with Low adherence of SEADiet/Low MF group had high levels of hs-CRP compared those who with high adherence of SEADiet/high MF group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction In recent years, the process of coming out as an LGBTQI+ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual / transgender, queer, intersex and others) person has emerged as a phenomenon that has been receiving increasing attention from researchers, both for its impact on family dynamics and mental health.1-5 Aim Considering this premise, and given the lack of research in this field, a scoping review was developed to map the existing evidence regarding the experiences of families of LGBTQI+ people, during the process of disclosing their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. To achieve that, the following review question was defined - "What are the experiences of families of LGBTQI+ people, given the phenomenon of coming out?". Methods A PCC (participants, concept, context) methodology, indicated for this type of review, was adopted. Families of LGBTQI+ persons were determined as participants. The concept under analysis in this review underlies their experiences during the coming out phenomenon. Considering that the context of a scoping review can include cultural, community or gender factors, young adults with an LGBTQI+ identity were included in this domain. The search was conducted in five major databases -- Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, Pubmed and APA Psyinfo. The selection, evaluation and data extraction process followed the procedures recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). This research project was developed between July 2021 and April 2022 and resulted in the identification of eighty articles, of which only nine were included in the last stage of synthesis. Results The analysis of the selected literature led to the emergence of five main themes "a pathway from shock to acceptance", "coming out, learning about", "the influence of culture", "navigating the outside world" and "naturalizing and normalizing". Conclusions The emerged results from the selected articles allow us to conceive coming out as a complex phenomenon, with a significant impact on family dynamics. This transition process influences and is highly influenced by family members and can dramatically impact the mental health of everyone involved. We believe that the evidence mapped in this scoping review will allow the development of future mental health intervention projects within these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As government is both a public and a political organization the goal of communication can thus be complex. Government communication balances between political marketing and the noble aim of government public relations - inform citizens and promote bidirectional communication. The aim of this article is to discuss the evaluation criteria of government communication, both theoretically and applied, based on the ethics of virtues. Instead of focusing the ethical analysis on the consequences of action (utilitarianism), or on a list of duties (deontological ethics), it is argued that the true foundation of moral life and ethicalpolitical coherence lies in the character of the agent, be it the politician or the public relations professional. This argument is illustrated by a recent example of the communication from the Government of Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Circulating leptin and adiponectin levels have been associated with impaired vascular function, insulin resistance, and acute cardiovascular evens. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of leptin, adiponectin, and the leptin/adiponectin (L/A) ratio with a clustering of metabolic risk factors (MRF) in adolescents aged 12–18 years. Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis with 529 Portuguese adolescents aged 12–18 years. Blood samples were taken to analyze total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (HDL-c), triglycerides glucose, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin levels. A continuous variable of clustered MRF score (sum of Z-scores of body fat percentage, systolic blood pressure, ratio TC/HDL, triglycerides, homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance, and cardiorespiratory fitness* [–1]) was computed. Results: Regression analyses showed that adiponectin was a significant and negative predictor of MRF score (boys: β = –0.199; p < 0.001; girls: β = –0.200; p < 0.001); whereas leptin was a significant positive predictor of MRF score (boys: β = 0.553; p < 0.001; girls: β = 0.399; p < 0.001). The L/A ratio was also a significant positive predictor of MRF score in both sexes (boys: β = 0.593; p < 0.001; girls: β = 0.461; p < 0.001), after adjustments for age, pubertal stage, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and socioeconomic status. In addition, adiponectin, leptin, and L/A ratio were accurate to predict MRF among adolescents, but L/A ratio showed the highest area under receiver operating characteristic curve. Conclusion: Leptin, adiponectin, and L/A ratio are associated with the clustering of MRF in adolescents after adjustments for age, sex, pubertal stage, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and socioeconomic status. L/A ratio was more strongly associated with MRF score than adiponectin or leptin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to analyze the utility of the Portuguese version of the Wechsler Memory Scale-3rd edition (WMS-III) with demented elderly people, namely its capacity to detect and discriminate between subcortical vascular dementia (SVD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We assessed early demented patients (SVD = 16; AD = 36) aged 65 or older who were compared to a control group (n = 40). Both clinical groups were adequately matched in terms of disease severity, overall cognitive functioning, depressive symptomatology, and pre-morbid intelligence. Between-group's differences were evaluated using the Quade's rank analysis of covariance. We also computed indexes and subtests optimal cut-off scores, and the corresponding sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values, which were able to successfully discriminate between patients and healthy subjects. The SVD patients had a better overall memory performance than AD patients on the majority of the indexes and the delayed condition subtests of the WMS-III. The AD patients only showed a better performance on digit span subtest. Several measures discriminated patients from healthy subjects. This study suggests some recommendations for the diagnostic accuracy of the Portuguese version of WMS-III in dementia and about differential diagnosis between SVD and AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of nature and biodiversity has been gaining importance in public opinion. Nevertheless, the implementation of conservation policies has experienced some public resistance, along with low levels of public involvement. This lack of public interest in and support to conservation may be related to citizens' images of nature. In this article, we examine the commonsensical image of nature and its conservation according to two dimensions: cognitive beliefs and normative ethics. This image of nature was examined through a series of focus-group discussions with members of the general public in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area - Portugal and reflects the commonsensical perceptions of what nature conservation is. The results suggest that, although the participants were not familiar with scientific terminology, they hold rich, mental and social representations about nature and biodiversity. We present a conceptual framework that reflects participants' overall image of nature as the basis of human life and, above all, as a source of multiple goods that ensure human beings' survival, which characterizes the common-sense view of nature as largely anthropocentric. Our work provides policy-makers, planners and managers with a framework that reflects lay people's perceptions of nature and biodiversity conservation that are instrumental in identifying conservation priorities, appropriate goals and suitable measures while ensuring communication between science and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Exposure to low frequency noise (LFN) can lead to vibroacoustic disease (VAD), recognized as a systemic disease with lesions in a broad spectrum of organs. Although gastrointestinal complaints are common among individuals exposed to noise, only few studies tried to evaluate the digestive lesions. The authors performed this study in order to investigate gastric lesions in an animal model of VAD.Material and Methods: Adult Wistar rats were exposed to continuous LFN. After five weeks they were sacrificed. The stomachs were studied by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and compared with stomachs of animals kept in silence.Results: Superficial erosions were present in the noise-exposed animals. Massive cell death of the gastric epithelium was observed, both by light and electron microscopy.Discussion: The erosions, reflecting cellular degeneration and death, occurred without inflammation, similar to what has been observed in other LFN-exposed organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescent suicidal behaviors are a public health priority. Objectives: Suicidal behavior is an understudied field in the Azores, and the few existing research studies with Portuguese adolescents only include young people from Mainland Portugal. This study aims at analyzing the adolescent student population from this island region so as to describe the current situation and plan community intervention projects in this area to meet the identified needs. Methodology: This is a non-experimental, quantitative and descriptive-correlational study with the purpose of describing phenomena and finding associations between variables. Results: The results showed that 17.9% of the 484 sampled adolescents reported self-harm behaviors, with 12.7% reporting self-cutting and 5.2% medication overdose or ingestion of toxic substances. Around 15.5% of the adolescents reported suicidal ideation. Additionally, they showed high levels of depressive symptoms (19.9%), ranging from moderate (12%) to severe (7.9%). Conclusion: Adolescents had more self-harm behaviors, more severe depressive symptoms, a lower self-concept and fewer coping strategies than similar populations in mainland Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Enfermagem Referência is the property of Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Enfermagem Referência is the property of Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There is a broad consensus in the academic and policy communities over the need to shift the focus from fire suppression to fire prevention. To inform policies that effectively promote this shift, we distinguish between prevention actions aimed at more fire-resilient landscapes and those focused on the protection of people, i.e., wildfire mitigation and adaptation (WM&A), respectively. With the goal of discussing the usefulness of this distinction and identifying local factors and external resources that promote each of those preventive actions, we developed an analysis of collective WM&A actions across 116 parishes in a wildfire-prone region in Portugal, using primary and secondary data. Two principal component analyses were used to explore relationships between variables expressing collective WM&A actions. Random forest, a machine learning technique based on multiple decision trees, was used to model how those actions are related to local factors (land use/land cover, population, institutions) and access to policy funding for wildfire prevention. Our results showed that collective mitigation and adaptation responses to wildfire are locally independent, in coherence with their distinct goals, actors involved, and institutional and policy framing. Mitigation through owners' collaboration proved to be strongly related to policy funding (notably that exclusively addressed at mitigation), local socioeconomic dynamism, and ownership structure, whereas adaptation responses are related with leadership by local governments. Considering these differences, the incipiency of adaptation actions, and the difficulties in expanding owner's collaboratives beyond the most favourable local conditions, we conclude that mitigation and adaptation actions are currently supported by two distinct policy domains with unequal consolidation but equally underfunded. • Mitigation and adaptation actions are compared across different territorial units. • Mitigation by owner collaboratives is supported by a consolidated policy domain. • The progression of mitigation depends on local demographic and economic vitality. • Adaptation mostly depends on leadership by local governments. • Self-organization is not enough to protect people in economically depressed regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Area of irrigated olive groves greatly increased in Southern Portugal in 1990–2017. • Irrigated groves mostly replaced open dry farmland (63%) and traditional groves (21%). • Availability of irrigation water on large farms boosted transitions to irrigated groves. • Transitions to irrigated groves had the worst impacts on farmland birds. • Further expansion of irrigated groves in biodiversity-rich farmland should be prevented. Over the last 30 years, olive farming has experienced a fast and large-scale intensification process across its Mediterranean range, that is reshaping Mediterranean farmland landscapes with associated impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. This study aims to analyze irrigated olive grove spatial expansion patterns across a 27–year period in a region of Southern Portugal, by exploring its drivers, describing the involved land-use dynamics, and to evaluating its potential biodiversity impacts. Land cover spatio-temporal dynamics were characterized by comparing recent land cover maps 2017 with those before the intensification upsurge (1990), using a grid of sampling points across the area. To investigate the drivers of intensification, these points were characterized using 10 variables reflecting policy context, previous land use (in 1990), biophysical features, and farm structure, which were used to model land cover transitions resulting in intensive olive farming. Finally, we used a counterfactual approach to assess the impacts of the olive intensification process on biodiversity in relation to alternative land cover change pathways, using farmland birds as an indicator group. We confirmed a large-scale expansion of irrigated olive groves in the region between 1990 and 2017, from being practically absent to covering ca. 6% of the study area. This expansion was made mostly at the expenses of open rainfed annual crops (63%) and, to a lesser degree, traditional rainfed olive groves (21%). Change was driven mainly by the combined effect of the availability of public irrigation water and large farms, although other factors related to legal constraints to land-use change, biophysical context and previous land management were also involved. During the study period, land cover transitions conducting to intensive olive farming were the most harmful for biodiversity, when compared to alternative land cover change pathways. By providing a quantitative insight into the underlying mechanisms and environmental consequences of the olive farming intensification process currently affecting biodiversity-rich Mediterranean farmland landscapes, our study contributes with valuable information that can be used by policy makers to better plan and manage the on-going expansion of intensive olive farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guimarães is a UNESCO world heritage site, deemed as such in 2001 and hosted the 2012 European Capital of Culture. This paper examines the profile, destination image, and motivations of tourists’ visiting behaviors in Guimarães before the cultural event. Based on survey responses from 276 tourists, we found that tourists arriving in Guimarães had previously visited the two most important cities in the northern part of Portugal. These respondents were relatively young and well educated compared to the average tourists that visited Portugal. The results suggest that many tourists were aware of the city status as a world heritage site that encompasses a historic center, monuments, and architectural buildings. Furthermore, these perceptions shape the image of Guimarães, as the factor analysis indicates that “historical background and functionality” was the most reliable and valid factor behind the choice of visiting the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Portuguese Journal of Mental Health Nursing / Revista Portuguesa de Enfermagem de Saúde Mental is the property of Portuguese Society of Mental Health Nursing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mediterranean landscapes with open cork oak (Quercus suber L.) woodlands have recently experienced drastic changes in southwestern Portugal. Changes in agricultural activities, the traditional driver of the economy in this region, led to new land uses, such as long-term set aside (shrublands) and eucalyptus plantations. A study was conducted on the oak woodland landscape dynamics over a 50-year period (from 1958 to 2007) in order to assess the effect of different biophysical conditions on landscape spatial changes, and to identify the resilience of lanscape composition to different disturbances (e.g., socio-economic changes and wildfires). Land use changes over two consecutive periods (1958-1995 and 1995-2007) were inferred by spatial analysis of land cover data (aerial photographs) and related to landscape physical attributes (slope and soil type). A transition matrix of four vegetation land-cover classes was obtained, allowing the assessment of the landscape composition changes bewteen the two above periods. Results showed that lansdcape in 1958 was largely occupied by open farmland, with large patches of open oak woodlands on steep slopes surrounding watercourses. Open farmland and shrubland drastically declined from 1958 to 1995, while eucalyptus plantation exhibited a dramatic expansion. Although large areas of cork oak forest turned into eucalyptus plantation, the net loss of oak forest was low and counterbalanced by its increment on former open farmland. The occurrence of a wildfire in 2003 promoted a dramatic decrease in cork oak woodlands, which mostly turned into shrubland. However, shrubland may be considered "safe sites" for ecological succession, ensuring natural cork oak regeneration and the colonisation of neighboring areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portugal is a small economy, with an open domestic market that needs competitive exporters to prosper. Trade fairs are an international promotion tool that can be used by firms when considering export development and expansion. This study identifies and evaluates the critical factors that influenced the decision making process of Portuguese SME's (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises) managers to participate (or not) in international trade fairs. The results indicate that the firm's critical decisions factors to select an international trade fair were value for money and the stand (location, typology and size). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A methodology is proposed to assess the effectiveness of the National Ecological Reserve (REN) law, which aims to protect ecologically valuable and/or vulnerable areas, in the municipalities of Sintra and Cascais, Portugal. Landsat satellite data classification and land change analysis show that urban area almost doubled between 1989 and 2001, when REN was already in force covering 36.5% of the study area. The approach involved multiple ordinary least squares (OLS) linear regression models to evaluate the evolution of five landscape metrics that translate the impact of urban sprawl in REN main functions: soil, water, and nature protection, and protection of people and belongings settled in hazard-vulnerable areas. Results show that REN had an impact on landscape change attributable to urbanization. However, these changes were unfavorable to its core ecological functions. Multiple linear OLS regression modeling proved to be an effective and simple method to compare and understand the evolution of landscape structure between areas protected by REN and their surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, field, petrographic, mineralogical, geochemical and isotopic (Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd) information from three areas within the Évora Massif (Iberian Variscan Orogen) is presented and discussed aiming at to unravel the relationships between granitoids and units mapped as migmatites and also to evaluate the interplay between mantle and crustal derived magmas. One of the areas – Almansor – displays a well-developed compositional layering (concordant with the regional Variscan structure) which was considered, in previous works, as an alternation of leucosome and melanosome. In this study, the layering is described as intercalation of diatexites, weakly foliated granitoids and trondhjemitic veins. Diatexites have characteristics of crustal melts plus restitic material and, according to geochemical and isotopic evidence, result from anatexis of Ediacaran metasediments. Weakly foliated granitoids and trondhjemitic veins from Almansor have calc-alkaline signatures and may be related to each other by crystal fractionation processes; however, the mixing between mafic (mantle-derived) and felsic (diatexitic melt) magmas revealed by the isotopic data may also explain their genesis. In the Alto de São Bento area, several igneous lithologies (tonalites, granodiorites, porphyritic granites and leucogranites) are present and show typical isotropic igneous textures. Despite structural and textural differences, geochemical data support, for most rocks, an origin from the same calk-alkaline suite, also present at Almansor. The Alto de São Bento leucogranites have an isotopic signature that, although different from that obtained in the Almansor diatexites, is still compatible with an origin involving melting of Ediacaran metasediments; compositions, with very low contents of usually incompatible elements, flat normalized REE patterns and strong negative Eu anomalies, suggest that the anatectic melt has undergone crystal fractionation processes before reaching the composition of the leucogranite magma. The Almansor outcrop is then interpreted as the remnants of a shear zone that operated as a pathway for melts that moved upward through the crust providing the locus for differentiation and mingling/mixing of magmas, whilst Alto de São Bento would correspond to the zone, at a higher crustal level, where magmas were trapped and forced to spread horizontally. At Valverde (the third area) foliated and non-foliated granitoids are spatially related and field criteria links these rocks to metamorphic protolith and anatectic melt, respectively. However, petrographic, geochemical and isotopic information shows that they all are compositionally identical trondhjemites with no evidence of metamorphic fabric. In the foliated rocks, mesoscopic features are interpreted as resulting from melt segregation structures formed in a crystallizing mush. In contrast to the previous areas, the Valverde trondhjemites probably do not belong to the main calc-alkaline plutonic suite of the Évora Massif, since they have a distinct Sr and Nd isotope signature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Portuguese Journal of Marketing / Revista Portuguesa de Marketing is the property of Revista Portuguesa de Marketing / Portuguese Journal of Marketing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

1 Over the last decade the development of small hydropower projects has been one of the most active areas of the energy sector. One of the main environmental challenges faced by such projects is related to fish passage. 2. The impact of 18 small hydropower plants (SHP5) with distinct levels of fish-pass effectiveness was investigated in the summers of 1998 and 1999 by comparing fish assemblage composition and structure at 36 sites, above and below SHPs. 3. With regard to effectiveness, it was estimated that eight (44.4%) of the surveyed passage facilities were suitable for target species, whereas the remaining 10 (55.6%) were considered unsuitable. In neither case did the composition of fish assemblages upstream and downstream from SHPs differ significantly, while assemblage similarity was relatively high. 4. Multivariate techniques identified cover, depth and coarse substrate as the main parameters structuring fish assemblages. It is suggested that these variables have created a rich, patchy, heterogeneous habitat, thereby providing satisfactory resources and favourable conditions required by fish and contributing to the maintenance of assemblages. 5. Although populations of some species that occurred both upstream and downstream from SHPs have developed differences in their size structures, SHP-induced fragmentation of fish populations may not necessarily result in genetic divergence among semi-isolated populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to understand the structure of fish assemblages in the modified Lima basin (Northern Portugal), two distinct datasets concerning the presence and abundance of fish species were subjected to multivariate analysis. On the River Lima two types of flow modification are present within kilometres of one another: (a) a reduced and constant flow due to hypolimnetic release; and (b) an intense and irregular flow. A comparison of their influence on fish assemblages revealed a gradient of assemblage types from tributaries to main river sites. The latter were characterised by a strong dominance of cyprinids, particularly Iberian barbel (Barbus bocagei). The former harboured two kinds of fish assemblages: those closer to the river mouth were dominated by the cyprinids Iberian chub (Squalius carolitertii) and Iberian nase (Chondrostoma polylepis), which were also frequently present in the main river; while in those further upstream the predominant species was the brown trout (Salmo trutta). Although explanatory variables such as distance from source, altitude, substrate coarseness and width were the primary correlates of fish assemblage composition, dam construction and flow regulation also had a significant effect upon assemblage structure, particularly by: i) reducing the importance of migratory species; ii) constraining the presence of trout in the regulated segments; and iii) simplifying the community, especially in the case of the constant and reduced flow regime. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]