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Introduction Psychiatry Pitstop is a role-play-based program for medical students aimed to improve communication skills in the framework of mental health. The workshop involved amateur actors who simulated different clinical scenarios and psychiatry residents, who facilitated the sessions and provided constructive feedback following the Pendleton method. Psychiatry Pitstop was originally developed in the United Kingdom and it was expanded to Lisbon, Portugal, in 2019. The authors adapted the course to the Portuguese context, adjusting the number of sessions and altering the scenarios to match common clinical situations faced by junior doctors in Portugal. By now, we conducted four courses. Objectives Our study aims to describe the Portuguese adaptation of the program and to learn insights from the students feedback. Methods The course was assessed using satisfaction questionnaires, completed by the students after each session. These included a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5, with items pertaining to Future Importance, Overall Quality, Theoretical Quality, and Practical Quality. Quantitative data was analyzed using Excel and standard descriptive statistics to summarize the results. The open questions invited students to articulate the main positive aspects, suggestions for improvement and future topics. A Natural Language Processing (NLP) software was used to evaluate open-ended responses and extract the main concepts. Results We obtained a total of 39 single-answers from 4 different courses. Evaluation results yielded a mean score of 4.7 for Future Importance, 4.9 for Overall Quality, 4.3 for Theoretical Teaching, and 4.9 for Practical Teaching. Notable positive aspects included students’ appreciation of the immersive interview environment, the dedication exhibited by actors and doctors, well-prepared case scenarios, and engaging interactions with participants. Suggestions for improvement encompass enhanced theoretical introductions, comprehensive topic coverage, universal participation in simulations, and expanded workshop days. Future prospects for the program include practicing interviews with other psychiatric diagnosis, addressing difficult patients, delivering bad news and covering topics related to sexuality, grief and moral dilemmas. Conclusions Our study shows that Psychiatry Pitstop adaptation to the Portuguese context was successful. Overall, the feedback from medical students has been consistently positive. Subsequent editions will draw upon the findings of this study to enhance overall program quality. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Introduction Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) have been described in many neurological disorders, including dementia. A meta-analysis by the authors (2021) reported a prevalence of OCS in dementia of approx. 35.8%, and a higher percentage in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) (46.7%). The literature also points that obsessive-compulsive disorder with late-life onset is rare, but those cases are frequently associated with neurologic injury, and some authors suggest a role of cognitive disfunction. Objectives Our main goal was to describe the neurobiologic and cognitive underpinnings of OCS in patients with dementia. Methods MEDLINE, CENTRAL and PsycNet databases were searched for articles about obsessive-compulsive symptoms in dementia. Search terms included “obsessive”, “compulsive”, “OCD”, “cognitive decline”, “cognitive dysfunction” and “dementia”. Titles, abstracts and full texts were screened independently by 2 reviewers. Results Correlations between dysfunction / lesions in various circuits in the context of dementia and OCS were found, such as (1) frontal regions (specially the orbitofrontal cortex) and anterior cingulate cortex (2) fronto-striatal-thalamic circuits (3) temporal structures; (4) cerebellar structures; (5) serotoninergic, dopaminergic, and cholinergic neurotransmission. A high proportion of studies concerned FTD. Regarding cognitive mechanisms, there is a focus on the importance subjective concerns about cognitive functioning, which could exacerbate obsessional beliefs and maladaptive responses to intrusions. Conclusions The main brain circuits implicated in dementia, specially FTD, and OCS are those involving frontal regions and the fronto-striatal-thalamic circuits, with areas such as the temporal and cerebellar structures algo being studied. The correlation between dysfunctional circuits in dementia and OCS could give us new hints about OCD and its treatment. Disclosure No significant relationships.

Introduction COVID-19 raises serious concerns regarding its unknown consequences for health, including psychiatric long term outcomes. Historically, influenza virus has been responsible for pandemics associated with schizophrenia. Epidemiological studies showed increased risk for schizophrenia in children of mothers exposed to the 1957 influenza A2 pandemic. Controversy remains concerning the mechanisms of pathogenesis underlying this risk. Objectives We aim to review the evidence for the association between influenza infection and schizophrenia risk, the possible pathogenic mechanisms underlying and correlate these findings with the schizophrenia hypothesis of neurodevelopment. Methods We reviewed literature regarding evidence from epidemiological, translational animal models and serological studies using medline database. Results The biological mechanisms likely to be relevant account to the effects of infection-induced maternal immune activation, microglial activation, infection-induced neuronal autoimmunity, molecular mimicry of the influenza virus, neuronal surface autoantibodies and psychosis with potential infectious antecedents. Influenza infection may fit into the theory of the neurodevelopment of schizophrenia as a factor that alters the normal maturation processes of the brain (possible second or third hit). Conclusions Influenza infection has multiple pathogenic pathways in both pre and post natal processes that might increase the risk of schizophrenia or psychosis. The existing evidence regarding the relationship between influenza virus and psychosis might help us draw similar long-term concerns of COVID-19. Disclosure No significant relationships.

Resumo Discute-se a composição percentual de água, gordura, proteínas e sais minerais de Hypophthalmus edentatus, no filé e no peixe inteiro e também, sua reprodução. O alto teor de gordura encontrado nesta espécie foi considerado como sendo uma possível adaptação ecológica, em virtude de tratar-se de um peixe pelágico de bexiga natatória extremamente reduzida. Em decorrência disto a baixa densidade da gordura poderia auxiliar na estabilidade do animal no meio aquático. O teor de água variou na razão inversa do teor de gordura, no filé e no peixe inteiro; observou-se ainda que o teor de gordura diminui com o aumento do grau de maturação dos ovários. As proteínas e os sais minerais sofreram pequenas variações sazonais. Em novembro verificou-se o início do desenvolvimento dos ovários, coincidindo com a subida do nível das águas. A desova ocorreu no período compreendido de fevereiro a abril, antes que as águas atingissem seus níveis mais elevados. A fecundidade mostrou-se mais relacionada com o peso dos ovários e com o comprimento total do peixe. Estimou-se a fecundidade absoluta média em 96.923 óvulos.

Resumo Foram feitas análises do conteúdo estomacal e observações de estruturas do trato digestivo e dos rastros de Hypophihalmus edentatus, com o objetivo de determinar-se o regime alimentar e as possíveis adaptações morfológicas relacionadas a este regime. Os resultados obtidos indicam que a espécie é pelágica zooplanctófaga e seletiva para os maiores componentes do zooplancton. Verificou-se que o número de rastros aumenta com o crescimento mas o espaço entre eles permanece praticamente constante.

Microglia are crucial for brain development and their function can be impacted by postnatal insults, such as early-life allergies. These are characterized by an upregulation of interleukin (IL)-4 levels. Allergies share a strong comorbidity with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). We previously showed that early-life allergic asthma induces hyperactive and impulsive behaviors in mice. This phenotype was reproduced in animals administered with IL-4 in the second postnatal week. Mechanistically, elevated IL-4 levels prevented microglia-mediated engulfment of neurons in the cerebellum, resulting in a surplus of granule cells and consequent dysfunction in cerebellar connectivity. Here, we aimed to further understand the impact of early IL-4 administration in microglia of the cerebellum and the prefrontal cortex (PFC), two brain regions with protracted developmental programs and susceptible to immune system malfunction after birth. While IL-4 administration induced differential short-term effects on microglia in the cerebellum and PFC, both regions presented similar microglial features in adult mice. Although Sholl analysis did not reveal significant alterations in overall microglia morphology at postnatal day (P)10, the density of microglia was decreased in the cerebellum at this age, especially in the granular layer (GL), but remained unaltered in the PFC. Interestingly, the presence of microglia with phagocytic cups, morphological features important for whole-cell engulfment, was decreased in both regions. When assessing the long-term consequences of IL-4 administration, cerebellar and PFC microglia were hypo-ramified and exhibited increased overall density. Importantly, microglia alterations were exclusive to the GL of the cerebellum and the infralimbic region of the PFC. Our results show that postnatal elevated levels of IL-4 impair the percentage of microglia engaged in cell clearing in two brain regions with protracted developmental programs. Interestingly, IL-4-exposed microglia adapt a similar phenotype in the adult cerebellum and PFC. Our data suggest that this early-life increase in IL-4 levels is sufficient to elicit long-lasting alterations in microglia, potentially increasing cell susceptibility to later insults., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Neurochemistry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society for Neurochemistry.)

This study examines the effect of ultrathin aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) passivation layer on the performance of the kesterite Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) solar cells. The Al 2 O 3 layer was applied at the back CZTS/Mo interface using atomic layer deposition (ALD). Our findings indicate that the interface passivation with Al 2 O 3 can significantly enhance the adhesion of CZTS to Mo, preventing delamination during annealing. An optimal Al 2 O 3 thickness of 1-2.5 nm yielded a more than 30% increase in efficiency, primarily through enhancements of the open-circuit voltage ( V oc ) and short-circuit current ( I sc ), which resulted from reduced interface recombination and improved charge collection within the CZTS bulk. Furthermore, the Al 2 O 3 layer modified MoS 2 formation at the CZTS/Mo back interface, reducing series resistance ( R s ). Nevertheless, a thicker Al 2 O 3 layer led to a sharp decrease in efficiency due to increased series resistance and hindered the extraction of holes. Our work reveals that precise control of the Al 2 O 3 layer thickness is essential to optimize CZTS solar cell performance by balancing the benefits of passivation with its potential drawbacks., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Several invasive species can occupy the same geographic area. Interaction between species depends on several factors, and the results of such interactions can be highly diverse. Asparagopsis armata is a invasive red seaweed whose exudates contain a cocktail of toxic halogenated compounds. In this study, the impact of high and low levels of A. armata on the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum was assessed in a laboratory experiment. Both are prominent invasive species in Europe and could share the same habitats. The effects of the algae were measured at different biological levels, framed by an integrated approach: bioturbation as a proxy for organismal activity and behaviour within the sediment, and several subcellular biomarkers related to oxidative stress and damage, energy metabolism, detoxification, and neurotransmission. While bioturbation revealed the effects of exudates on the bivalve, with a decrease in most parameters when exposed to the different amounts of algae, only marginal responses were found for biomarkers, suggesting a possible temporal decoupling between the behavioural response and the intrinsic biochemical environment. These results denote that despite the recognized potential of biomarkers to address a myriad of situations, a proxy for higher levels of biological organization, such as behaviour, for its integration of lower-level effects, is a robust tool to address complex and lesser-known mixtures of stressors., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) solar cells commonly undergo post-annealing treatments to enhance their performance. However, multiple concurrent effects, including Cu-Zn disorder, Na diffusion from the back contact, CZTS grain boundary passivation, and elemental interdiffusion at the CdS/CZTS interface, can occur simultaneously during post-annealing, making it challenging to isolate their specific influence on device performance. To address this complexity, we have utilized Cu-Zn-disordered CZTS absorbers to eliminate the influence of Cu-Zn disorder in this study. Post-annealing experiments conducted at 120 to 300 °C in nitrogen and air atmospheres aim to decouple and assess the impact of different annealing conditions on the performance of CZTS solar cells. Our findings suggest that the optimal post-annealing might be a combined effect of two distinct processes: CZTS absorber surface passivation occurring at 325 °C and CdS crystallization at 225 °C. Hence, improvement in device performance could result from multiple concurrent mechanisms occurring at different temperatures., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) is a species of high commercial and recreational value, but it exhibits highly variable recruitment rates and has been subject to recent declines. Emergency management measures put in place to protect spawning stocks include the annual closure of commercial and recreational fisheries over a 2-month, February-March, window. Whether this protection measure is having the desired outcome for this data-poor species remains unclear. Otolith microstructural analyses (counts and widths of daily growth rings and check marks indicative of settlement) were used to estimate (1) spawn timing, (2) pelagic larval duration and settlement timing, (3) growth rate and condition, and (4) the otolith-fish size relationship for juvenile European sea bass caught from two estuaries in Wales (Dwyryd, Y Foryd), located at the northern edge of the species range. We observed a significant mismatch between the timing of fisheries closures and the spawning, with 99.2% of recruits having been spawned after the fishery had reopened (back-calculated median spawn date = May 5 ± 17 days SD), suggesting that the closure may be too early to adequately protect this population. Further, we present the first empirically derived estimates of pelagic larval duration for sea bass recruits settling in UK habitats, which showed a strong negative relationship with spawn date. Finally, we found significant differences in fish condition between the two estuaries, suggesting local variation in habitat quality. The results suggest that the timing of current fisheries closures may not be adequately protecting the spawners supplying these northernmost estuaries, which are likely to become increasingly important as sea bass distributions shift northward in our climate future., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Fish Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Locally advanced breast cancer poses significant challenges to the multidisciplinary team, in particular with hormone receptor (HR) positive, HER2-negative tumors that classically yield lower pathological complete responses with chemotherapy. The increasingly significant use of CDK 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) plus endocrine therapy (ET) in different breast cancer settings has led to clinical trials focusing on this strategy as a primary treatment, with promising results. The impact of the microbiota on cancer, and vice-versa, is an emerging topic in oncology. The authors report a clinical case of a postmenopausal female patient with an invasive breast carcinoma of the right breast, Luminal B-like, staged as cT4cN3M0 (IIIB). Since the lesion was considered primarily inoperable, the patient started letrozole and ribociclib. Following 6 months of systemic therapy, the clinical response was significant, and surgery with curative intent was performed. The final staging was ypT3ypN2aM0, R1, and the patient started adjuvant letrozole and radiotherapy. This case provides important insights on primary CDK4/6i plus ET in locally advanced unresectable HR+/HER2- breast cancer and its potential implications in disease management further ahead. The patient's gut microbiota was analyzed throughout the disease course and therapeutic approach, evidencing a shift in gut microbial dominance from Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and a loss of microbial diversity following 6 months of systemic therapy. The analysis of the intratumoral microbiota from the surgical specimen revealed high microbial dissimilarity between the residual tumor and respective margins., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Vilhais, Alpuim Costa, Fontes-Sousa, Ribeiro, Martinho, Botelho de Sousa, Santos, Negreiros, Canastra, Borralho, Guia Pereira, Marçal, Germano Sousa, Chaleira, Rocha, Calhau and Faria.)

Estuaries are among the most valuable aquatic systems in the world and resolving how there are impacted by climate change is fundamental to their management under global change scenarios. In this study, a ten-year time series (2003-2013) of zooplankton in an estuarine area (Mondego estuary, Portugal) is used to determine the impact of climate variability on estuarine zooplanktonic secondary production. For that, a trend analysis of seasonal zooplankton production was applied and their link with large-scale, regional, and local environment was tested by Distance-based multivariate multiple regression (DistLM). The annual integrated production of zooplankton varied between 34.27 mg C m -3 (2003) and 179.804 mg C m -3 (2013). Results showed that estuarine and marine zooplanktonic production increased in the estuary, mostly during summer/autumn and spring/summer, respectively. Local and regional environmental forcing drove copepod production in the estuary, with large-scale regime shifts affecting both directly and indirectly., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Ana Ligia Primo reports financial support was provided by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. Filipe Martinho reports financial support was provided by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. Milene Guerreiro reports financial support was provided by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. Manuel J. Rodrigues reports financial support was provided by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. Miguel Pardal reports financial support was provided by Comissão de Coordenação da Região Centro., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Understanding the long-term effects of climatic factors on key species' recruitment is crucial to species management and conservation. Here, we analysed the recruitment variability of key species (Dicentrarchus labrax, Platichthys flesus, Solea solea, Pomatoschistus microps and Pomatoschistus minutus) in an estuary between 2003 and 2019, and related it with the prevailing local and large-scale environmental factors. Using a dynamic factor analysis (DFA), juvenile abundance data were grouped into three common trends linked to different habitat uses and life cycle characteristics, with significant effect of temperature-related variables on fish recruitment: Sea surface temperature and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. In 2010, a regime shift in the North Atlantic coincided with a shift in the common trends, particularly a decline in P. flesus and S. solea trend. This work highlights the thermophilic character of fish recruitment and the necessity to investigate key biological processes in the context of species-specific responses to climate change., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Early life phenology is a crucial factor for population dynamics in a climate change scenario. As such, understanding how the early life cycle of marine fishes is influenced by key oceanic and climate drivers is of chief importance for sustainable fisheries. This study documents interannual changes in early life phenology of two commercial flatfishes: European flounder (Platichthys flesus) and common sole (Solea solea) from 2010 to 2015 based on otolith microstructure. Using GAMs, we looked for correlations of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), Eastern Atlantic pattern (EA), sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyl a concentration (Chla) and upwelling (Ui) variation with the onset of hatch, metamorphosis, and benthic settlement day. We concluded that higher SST, more intensive upwelling, and EA were coincident with a later the onset of each stage, while increasing NAO induces an earlier onset of each stage. Although similar to S. solea, P. flesus showed a more complex interaction with the environmental drivers, most possibly because it is at its southern limit of its distribution. Our results highlight the complexity of the relationship between climate conditions and fish early life history, particularly those with complex life cycles that include migrations between coastal areas and estuaries., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: Resin cements with remineralizing and antibacterial properties are favorable for inhibition of caries. The objectives of this study were: (1) to investigate the capability of the novel dimethylaminohexadecyl-methacrylate (DMAHDM) and nano-sized amorphous calcium phosphate (NACP) containing cement to reduce saliva microcosm biofilm, and (2) to investigate the long-term ion release, recharge, and re-release of DMAHDM-NACP cement., Methods: Pyromellitic glycerol dimethacrylate (PMGDM) and ethoxylated bisphenol-A-dimethacrylate (EBPADMA) were used to make PEHB monomer. Five cements were fabricated: (1) PEHB+0%NACP+0%DMAHDM (experimental control); (2) PEHB+25%NACP+0%DMAHDM, (3) PEHB+25%NACP+0%DMAHDM; (4) PEHB+25%NACP+3%DMAHDM; (5) PEHB+25%NACP+5%DMAHDM. RelyX luting cement was used as commercial control. Colony-forming units (CFU), lactic acid production, metabolic activities, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) were performed. Long-term Calcium (Ca) and phosphate (P) ion release, recharge, and re-release were assessed., Results: Compared to experimental and commercial controls, the NACP-DMAHDM cement significantly reduced CFU biofilm by 2-3 orders of magnitude, metabolic activities from 0.24±0.06 A 540 /cm 2 to 0.03±0.01 A 540 /cm 2 , and lactic acid production from 27.7 ± 2.5 mmol/L to 5.4 ± 2.1 mmol/L (n = 6) (p<0.05). The DMAHDM showed an MIC value of 0.03 mg/L. However, when the DMAHDM was combined with PMGDM monomer, the MIC was greater than DMAHDM alone. The ion concentrations for the experimental groups significantly increased over time (1-84 days), indicating continuous ion release (n = 3) (p<0.05). Increasing the DMAHDM mass fraction from 0% to 5% and 3% to 5% significantly enhanced ion recharge and re-release at the third cycle (p<0.05)., Conclusions: Incorporating DMAHDM and NACP into resin-based crown cement provides strong antibacterial action against saliva microcosm biofilm and presents a high level of Ca and P ion recharge abilities, exhibiting long-term Ca and P ion release and remineralization potential., Clinical Significance: Resin based cement containing NACP and DMAHDM were developed with remineralizing and potent antibacterial effects. This cement formulation showed ion release and remineralization potential and are promising formulations to inhibit the incidence of recurrent caries and could promote remineralization and be sustainable for the long term., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Multijunction solar cells in a tandem configuration could further lower the costs of electricity if crystalline Si (c-Si) is used as the bottom cell. However, for direct monolithic integration on c-Si, only a restricted number of top and bottom cell architectures are compatible, due to either epitaxy or high-temperature constraints, where the interface between subcells is subject to a trade-off between transmittance, electrical interconnection, and bottom cell degradation. Using polySi/SiO x passivating contacts for Si, this degradation can be largely circumvented by tuning the polySi/SiO x stacks to promote gettering of contaminants admitted into the Si bottom cell during the top cell synthesis. Applying this concept to the low-cost top cell chalcogenides Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS), CuGaSe 2 (CGSe), and AgInGaSe 2 (AIGSe), fabricated under harsh S or Se atmospheres above 550 °C, we show that increasing the heavily doped polySi layer thickness from 40 to up to 400 nm prevents a reduction in Si carrier lifetime by 1 order of magnitude, with final lifetimes above 500 μs uniformly across areas up to 20 cm 2 . In all cases, the increased resilience was correlated with a 99.9% reduction in contaminant concentration in the c-Si bulk, provided by the thick polySi layer, which acts as a buried gettering layer in the tandem structure without compromising the Si passivation quality. The Si resilience decreased as AIGSe > CGSe > CZTS, in accordance with the measured Cu contamination profiles and higher annealing temperatures. An efficiency of up to 7% was achieved for a CZTS/Si tandem, where the Si bottom cell is no longer the limiting factor.

It is well-known that climate change significantly impacts ecosystems (at the macro-level) and individual species (at the micro-level). Among the former, estuaries are the most vulnerable and affected ecosystems. However, despite the strong relations between climate change and estuaries, there is a gap in the literature regarding international studies across different regions investigating the impacts of climate change and variability on estuaries in different geographical zones. This paper addresses this need and reviews the impacts of climate change, variability and extreme weather on estuaries. It emphasises the following: (i) a set of climate parameters governing estuarine hydrology and processes; and (ii) a sample of countries in Asia (Bangladesh), Europe (Portugal) and South America (Uruguay). We reviewed the influences of the climatic drivers of the estuarine hydrology, ecological processes and specific species in estuarine communities across the selected geographical regions, along with an analysis of their long-term implications. The key results from the three estuaries are as following: (i) Hilsa fish, of which the catches contribute to 10% of the total earnings of the fishery sector (1% of GDP), are affected by climate-forced hydrological and productivity changes in the Meghna; (ii) extreme droughts and short-term severe precipitation have driven the long-term abundance and spatial distribution of both fish larvae and juveniles/adults in the Mondego; and (iii) the river inflow and fluctuations increases since the early 1970s have contributed to variations in the salinity, the stratification, the oxygen, nutrient and trophic levels and the spatial pattern for the life stages of planktonic species, fish biomass and captures in the Rio de la Plata. The results suggested that immediate action is needed to reduce the vulnerability of estuaries to climate stressors, mainly the changing river flows, storms and sea-level rise. As a contribution to addressing current problems, we described a set of adaptation strategies to foster climate resilience and adaptive capacity (e.g., early-warning systems, dam management to prevent overflows and adaptive fisheries management). The implications of this paper are two-fold. Firstly, it showcases a variety of problems that estuaries face from changing climate conditions. Secondly, the paper outlines the need for suitable adaptive management strategies to safeguard the integrity of such vital ecosystems.

Global warming and the subsequent increase in the frequency of temperature anomalies are expected to affect marine and estuarine species' population dynamics, latitudinal distribution, and fitness, allowing non-native opportunistic species to invade and thrive in new geographical areas. Bivalves represent a significant percentage of the benthic biomass in marine ecosystems worldwide, often with commercial interest, while mediating fundamental ecological processes. To understand how these temperature anomalies contribute to the success (or not) of biological invasions, two closely related species, the native Ruditapes decussatus and the introduced R. philippinarum , were exposed to a simulated heat wave. Organisms of both species were exposed to mean summer temperature (~18 °C) for 6 days, followed by 6 days of simulated heat wave conditions (~22 °C). Both species were analysed for key ecological processes such as bioturbation and nutrient generation-which are significant proxies for benthic function and habitat quality-and subcellular biomarkers-oxidative stress and damage, and energetic metabolism. Results showed subcellular responses to heat waves. However, such responses were not expressed at the addressed ecological levels. The subcellular responses to the heat wave in the invasive R. philippinarum pinpoint less damage and higher cellular energy allocation to cope with thermal stress, which may further improve its fitness and thus invasiveness behaviour.

Atlantic horse mackerel is one of the most commercially important species in Europe. It can reach a longevity of 30 years, with potential implications in lifespan mercury contamination. This study conducted along the Portuguese coast aimed at evaluating the total Hg content and tissue distribution, to determine the annual mercury bioaccumulation patterns and the associated risk for consumption. The T-Hg accumulation patterns observed followed the order: muscle (0.34) > liver (0.28) > heart (0.19) > gills (0.11) > brain (0.041 mg kg -1 ). Significant differences between tissues reflect the role of the different tissues in storage and redistribution. Significant relationships observed between age and T-Hg for all tissues highlight the continuous nature of the bioaccumulation process. European food safety guidelines signalled significant risk of consumption in about 30% of the samples. Still, there was an overall low risk from the consumption of this species, which can be further minimized through consumer options to avoid health issues., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aims are: (a) To develop the first low-shrinkage-stress nanocomposite with antibacterial and remineralization capabilities through the incorporation of dimethylaminododecyl methacrylate (DMAHDM) and nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate (NACP); (b) to investigate the effects of the new composite on biofilm inhibition, mechanical properties, shrinkage stress, and calcium (Ca) and phosphate (P) ion releases. The low-shrinkage-stress resin consisted of urethane dimethacrylate and triethylene glycol divinylbenzyl ether. Composite was formulated with 3% DMAHDM and 20% NACP. Mechanical properties, shrinkage stress, and degree of conversion were evaluated. Streptococcus mutans biofilm growth on composites was assessed. Ca and P ion releases were measured. The shrinkage stress of the low-shrinkage-stress composite containing 3% DMAHDM and 20% NACP was 36% lower than that of traditional composite control (p < 0.05), with similar degrees of conversion of 73.9%. The new composite decreased the biofilm colony-forming unit by 4 log orders and substantially reduced biofilm lactic acid production compared to control composite (p < 0.05). Incorporating DMAHDM to the low-shrinkage-stress composite did not adversely affect the Ca and P ion release. A novel bioactive nanocomposite was developed with low shrinkage stress, strong antibiofilm activity, and high levels of ion release for remineralization, without undermining the mechanical properties and degree of conversion., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The present study describes the larval and juvenile fish fauna of an estuary and its adjacent coastal area (Mondego estuary, Northwest coast of Portugal) and evaluates their function as nurseries for marine fish. For this, larvae and juveniles were sampled in both systems. The temporal and spatial patterns of the ichthyoplankton community were described for each system and related to the influence of environmental factors. Additionally, the recruitment pattern was evaluated based on the composition of juveniles. Results show a seasonal variation of larval density and community structure between and within systems, indicating a degree of segregation according to their ecological functional classification. Temperature was the most important environmental factor structuring the communities. The juvenile recruitment patterns observed show a different nursery function of the estuary and coastal area for early life stages of different species, reinforcing the need to integrate larval and juvenile stages to better understand fish life cycles and the connectivity between systems., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

There is limited understanding on nearshore fish community functioning in relation to changing environmental gradients. To address this, we investigated the trait composition of fish communities in five regions along the Portuguese coast during 4 years. Northern regions were characterized by higher Chlorophyll-α and small-sized species with short lifespans. The southernmost region was characterized by warmer waters, more intense upwelling events and typical warm-water species. Higher species richness and functional redundancy at the southernmost region suggested that in case of potential species loss, community functioning would be less affected in this region, and thus, a certain level of community resilience is maintained. The central region presented lower functional redundancy and high functional richness, which indicated the presence of rare species with rare traits, suggesting a more vulnerable community. This information on the nearshore fish community distribution may be particularly important towards managing coastal ecosystems in response to changing environmental conditions., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The increase in frequency and intensity of extreme climate events over the last few decades has been leading to profound changes in estuarine and marine ecosystems worldwide, with strong implications for the species inhabiting these ecosystems as well as for the services provided by them. In this study, we analysed the effects of climate variability on the temporal and spatial variations in population dynamics of the green crab Carcinus maenas in the Mondego estuary (Portugal), between 2003 and 2018. In this 15-year period, a greater recruitment of C. maenas was observed during drought periods, periods which was matched by an increase in secondary production. Ontogenic stage segregation was also observed, with juveniles being found mainly in the further upriver areas of the estuary. The estuarine population was mainly composed of the green morphotype, with the orange and red morphotypes present in more downstream areas of the estuary. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed high spatial and temporal variability of C. maenas in the estuary which was related with environmental changes over the 15-year period. A correlation between C. maenas biological features and several local-scale (salinity and river runoff) and large-scale (North Atlantic Oscillation index and Eastern Atlantic pattern) environmental variables was identified through cumulative sums analysis (CUSUM), indicating a strong environmental control on C. maenas population dynamics. This paper shows the importance of relatively long-term datasets to unravel the effects of extreme weather events due to climate change on key epibenthic estuarine species, and also how they might cope with a changing marine environment., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Understanding how marine fish early-life history is affected in the long-term by environmental and oceanographic factors is fundamental given its importance to population dynamics and connectivity. This work aimed at determining the influence of these processes on the interannual variability in hatch day and early-life growth patterns of European seabass, over a seven-year period (2011-2017) in the Atlantic Iberian coast. To accomplish this, otolith microstructure analysis was used to determine seabass hatch day and to develop early-growth correlations. In most years, hatching occurred from February to April, with two exceptions: in 2012, hatching started in early-January, and in 2016 an exceptionally long hatching period was registered. Using generalized additive models (GAM), we observed that sea surface temperature (SST), the North Atlantic Oscillation index (NAOi) and Chlorophyll-a (Chla) were the main drivers behind the inter-annual variability in seabass hatch day. Analysis of correlations between growth increments allowed assessing important periods of seabass growth and how future growth is affected. Since seawater temperature is among the main drivers for seabass recruitment and growth, its life cycle may be hampered due to ocean warming and an increasingly unstable climate, with consequences for the natural marine stocks and their harvest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In this paper, we study the DMSO/thiourea/chloride salt system for synthesis of pure-sulfide [Formula: see text] (CZTS) thin-film solar cells under ambient conditions. We map out the ink constituents and determine the effect of mixing time and filtering. The thermal behavior of the ink is analyzed, and we find that more than 90% of the solvent has evaporated at [Formula: see text]. However, chloride and sulfoxide species are released continually until [Formula: see text], suggesting the advantage of a higher pre-annealing temperature, which is also commonly observed in the spin-coating routines in literature. Another advantage of a higher pre-annealing temperature is that the worm-like pattern in the spin-coated film can be avoided. We hypothesize that this pattern forms as a result of hydrodynamics within the film as it dries, and it causes micro-inhomogeneities in film morphology. Devices were completed in order to finally evaluate the effect of varying thermal exposure during pre-annealing. Contrary to the previous observations, a lower pre-annealing temperature of [Formula: see text] results in the best device efficiency of 4.65%, which to the best of our knowledge is the highest efficiency obtained for a pure-sulfide kesterite made with DMSO. Lower thermal exposure during pre-annealing results in larger grains and a thicker [Formula: see text] layer at the CZTS/Mo interface. Devices completed at higher pre-annealing temperatures display the existence of either a Cu-S secondary phase or an incomplete sulfurization with smaller grains and a fine-grain layer at the back interface.

In kesterite Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 (CZTSSe) solar cell research, an asymmetric crystallization profile is often obtained after annealing, resulting in a bilayered - or double-layered - CZTSSe absorber. So far, only segregated pieces of research exist to characterize the appearance of this double layer, its formation dynamics, and its effect on the performances of devices. In this work, we review the existing research on double-layered kesterites and evaluate the different mechanisms proposed. Using a cosputtering-based approach, we show that the two layers can differ significantly in morphology, composition, and optoelectronic properties and complement the results with a large statistical data set of over 850 individual CZTS solar cells. By reducing the absorber thickness from above 1000 to 300 nm, we show that the double-layer segregation is alleviated. In turn, we see a progressive improvement in the device performance for lower thickness, which alone would be inconsistent with the well-known case of ultrathin CIGS solar cells. We therefore attribute the improvements to the reduced double-layer occurrence and find that the double layer limits the efficiency of our devices to below 7%. By comparing the results with CZTS grown on monocrystalline Si substrates, without a native Na supply, we show that the alkali metal supply does not determine the double-layer formation but merely reduces the threshold for its occurrence. Instead, we propose that the main formation mechanism is the early migration of Cu to the surface during annealing and formation of Cu 2- x S phases in a self-regulating process akin to the Kirkendall effect. Finally, we comment on the generality of the mechanism proposed by comparing our results to other synthesis routes, including our own in-house results from solution processing and pulsed laser deposition of sulfide- and oxide-based targets. We find that although the double-layer occurrence largely depends on the kesterite synthesis route, the common factors determining the double-layer occurrence appear to be the presence of metallic Cu and/or a chalcogen deficiency in the precursor matrix. We suggest that understanding the limitations imposed by the double-layer dynamics could prove useful to pave the way for breaking the 13% efficiency barrier for this technology.

Local biodiversity trends over time are likely to be decoupled from global trends, as local processes may compensate or counteract global change. We analyze 161 long-term biological time series (15-91 years) collected across Europe, using a comprehensive dataset comprising ~6,200 marine, freshwater and terrestrial taxa. We test whether (i) local long-term biodiversity trends are consistent among biogeoregions, realms and taxonomic groups, and (ii) changes in biodiversity correlate with regional climate and local conditions. Our results reveal that local trends of abundance, richness and diversity differ among biogeoregions, realms and taxonomic groups, demonstrating that biodiversity changes at local scale are often complex and cannot be easily generalized. However, we find increases in richness and abundance with increasing temperature and naturalness as well as a clear spatial pattern in changes in community composition (i.e. temporal taxonomic turnover) in most biogeoregions of Northern and Eastern Europe.

Objective: Composite restorations are increasingly popular, but recurrent caries is a main reason for composite restoration failures. The objectives of this study were to investigate a dual strategy of combining rnc gene-deletion for Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) with antibacterial dimethylaminohexadecyl methacrylate (DMAHDM) composite, and determine the effects of rnc gene-deletion alone, DMAHDM composite alone, and rnc-deletion plus DMAHDM composite, on biofilm growth and lactic acid production., Methods: Parent S. mutans (UA159, ATCC 700610) and rnc-deleted S. mutans were used. DMAHDM was incorporated into a composite at mass fractions of 0%, 1.5%, and 3%. Gene expressions for biofilm formation and drug resistance were analyzed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Biofilms were grown on composite surfaces for 2 days. Live/dead, biomass, polysaccharide, metabolic activity (MTT), colony-forming units (CFU) and lactic acid production of biofilms were evaluated., Results: Compared to the parent S. mutans, the rnc-deletion technique yielded significantly less biofilm biomass, polysaccharides, metabolic activity, CFU, and lactic acid for biofilms grown on control composite (p <  0.05). With no gene modification, the biofilm CFU was decreased by 5-6 logs at 3% DMAHDM, when compared to control composite group. The dual strategy of combining rnc-deletion with 3% DMAHDM composite achieved the strongest biofilm-inhibition, with the greatest reduction in CFU by 8 logs. The combination of rnc-deletion with 3% DMAHDM composite decreased the biofilm lactic acid production by 95% (p <  0.05)., Conclusions: The dual strategy of rnc-deletion plus DMAHDM composite produced synergistic effects and achieved the strongest biofilm-inhibition. This method has great potential to inhibit dental caries and is promising to reduce secondary caries and protect tooth structures., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This paper aimed at evaluating the total mercury content in five common fish species from the western European Atlantic coastal waters, and the associated risk of consumption. Mercury concentrations in muscle of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus), Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias), European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) and European pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) ranged from 0.003 to 0.20 mg kg -1 wet weight, and no significant differences were observed between the average concentration in each species. A significant increasing trend in mercury content with fish size was observed for all species (except for European anchovy), suggesting mercury bioaccumulation throughout their life cycle. Still, the mercury content was far below the European Food Safety Authority and World Health Organization food safety thresholds in all species, highlighting the low risk to human health due to the ingestion of these species and the importance of consumer options for risk reduction., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Numerous previously undocumented factors may influence the healing of apical periodontitis (AP). The aim of this cohort study was to analyze the association between statin medication intake during the follow-up period and healing of AP., Methods: Patients who self-reported being on statins during nonsurgical root canal treatment or retreatment and patients who reported never taking statins were included. All patients who received treatment on a tooth with periapical radiolucency in the postgraduate endodontics clinic at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (2011-2014) were invited for follow-up 2 to 5 years after treatment. Healing was determined using the periapical index (PAI). Two calibrated endodontists assessed outcomes blinded to the statin intake. The association of statin intake and healing of endodontic treatment (ie, healed [PAI 1-2]/not healed [PAI 3-5]) was analyzed using the Fisher exact test. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between statin intake and treatment outcome, controlling for the following confounding variables: diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and smoking, with confidence intervals set at 95%., Results: A total of 60 cases were included in the final analysis, including 30 patients taking statins and 30 patients not taking statins as the control. The Fisher exact test showed significantly higher healing at the 2-year or greater follow-up in patients taking statins compared with controls (93.0% vs 70%; Fisher exact test, P = .02)., Conclusions: The results of this study show a significant association between long-term statin intake and healing of AP after nonsurgical root canal treatment., (Copyright © 2018 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The physiological and nutritional condition of fish larvae affect their survival and thus, the success of estuaries as nursery areas. Fatty acid composition has been useful to determine fish nutritional condition, as well as trophic relationships in marine organisms. The present study analyses the fatty acid (FA) composition of fish larvae during spring and summer in the Mondego estuary, Portugal. FA composition, trophic markers (FATM) and fish nutritional condition was analysed for Gobiidae and Sardina pilchardus larvae and the relationships with the local environment evaluated. Results showed that both taxa differed mainly in the stearic acid (C18:0) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) content, with important amounts in Gobiidae and S. pilchardus, respectively. Gobiidae larvae presenting high nutritional condition and omnivore FATM. Fatty acid composition seems to be related with their natural habitat selection and food availability, while fish larvae nutritional condition also showed a strong link with the water temperature and presence of potential predators. This study suggests that FA composition can be a useful tool in assessing planktonic trophic relationships and in identifying species natural habitat., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive tract and is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been associated with approximately 10% of the total cases of gastric carcinomas. No previous study has analyzed the prevalence of EBV infection in gastric cancer of the Portuguese population., Methods: In the present study, we have analyzed 82 gastric carcinoma cases and 33 healthy individuals (control group) from Coimbra region for the presence of EBV by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by in situ hybridization (ISH) for EBV-encoded small RNAs (EBERs). The status of H. pylori infection was assessed by serology and by PCR., Results: EBV was detected by PCR in 90.2% of stomach cancer cases, whereas EBERs were detected in 11%. In our series, EBV-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC) were significantly associated with gender and the majority of them presented lymph node metastasis. These cases were generally graded in more advanced pTNM stages and, non-surprisingly, showed worse survival. H. pylori infection was detected in 62.2% of the gastric cancers and 64.7% of these patients were CagA+. On the other hand, the H. pylori prevalence was higher in the EBV-negative gastric carcinomas (64.4%) than in those carcinoma cases with EBV+ (44.4%)., Conclusions: The present study shows that prevalence of EBVaGC among Portuguese population is in accordance with the worldwide prevalence. EBV infection seems to be associated to poorer prognostic and no relation to H. pylori infection has been found. Conversely, the presence of H. pylori seems to have a favourable impact on patient's survival. Our results emphasize that geographic variation can contribute with new epidemiological data on the association of EBV with gastric cancer.

Estuarine systems support the life cycle stages of commercially important marine fish and are influenced by large and local-scale climatic patterns. In this study, performed in the Mondego estuary, Portugal, we used an 11-year database (2003-2013) for analyzing the variability in the population of a marine juvenile migrant fish, the European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax, regarding changes in abundance, population structure, growth rates, secondary production and annual day of peak abundance. Higher densities and production occurred in 2003, but no differences in 0-group growth could be observed. In order to detect change points in both biological and climatic data, the cumulative sum (CUSUM) of the deviations from the mean for the 2003-2013 period were determined for each parameter. The relationship between large and local-scale drivers and 0-group biological attributes were evaluated using a Spearman rank correlation analysis of CUSUM of biological and environmental data, considering the correspondent yearly values and with a time-lag of 1 year. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index, sea surface temperature (SST) and their respective winter values were tested as large-scale factors, while river runoff, salinity and estuarine water temperature were considered as local climate patterns. The significant factors explaining D. labrax 0-group abundance and production were salinity and the NAO, the latter being also a significant predictor considering the 1-year lag. The NAO with 1-year lag was also positively correlated with the day of peak abundance. The early stages of European sea bass were demonstrated to have a climate-dependent life cycle, controlled by variations in both large-scale climatic patterns and local features. In southern European marine populations, the effects of the NAO seem less direct, and dependent on the magnitude of its expressions and on the time scale considered., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)