Pr��ticas centradas na fam��lia: um estudo de caso do Centro de Educaci��n Infantil y de Atenci��n Temprana da Universidade Cat��lica de Val��ncia

Disserta����o de mestrado em Educa����o Especial (��rea de especializa����o em Interven����o Precoce)

Assessment and management of the geomorphological heritage of Monte Pindo (NW Spain): a landscape as a symbol of identity

This study focuses on the granite mountain known as Monte Pindo (627 m above sea level) in the Autonomous Community of Galicia (NW Spain). This territory is included in the area classified as ���Costa da Morte��� in the ���Politica de Ordenaci��n Litoral��� (POL) (Coastal Planning Policy) for the region of Galicia. This coastal unit, located between ���R��as Baixas��� and ���Cape Fisterra��� has great potential for demonstrating geological processes and its geomorphological heritage is characterized by a high degree of geodiversity of granite landforms. The main objective of our work is to assess the geomorphological heritage of the site, thus revealing its wide geodiversity. We shall analyze and highlight: its scientific value, developing an inventory of granite landforms; its educational valuel and its geotouristic potential. It must be ensured that the Administration understands that natural diversity is composed of both geodiversity and biodiversity. Only then will the sustainable management of Monte Pindo become possible by integrating natural and cultural heritage values. The goal is to ensure that Monte Pindo and its immediate surroundings become a geopark with the aim of promoting local development projects based on the conservation and valorization of its geological heritage.

Early holocenic and historic mtDNA african signatures in the iberian peninsula: The andalusian region as a paradigm

Determining the timing, identity and direction of migrations in the Mediterranean Basin, the role of "migratory routes" in and among regions of Africa, Europe and Asia, and the effects of sex-specific behaviors of population movements have important implications for our understanding of the present human genetic diversity. A crucial component of the Mediterranean world is its westernmost region. Clear features of transcontinental ancient contacts between North African and Iberian populations surrounding the maritime region of Gibraltar Strait have been identified from archeological data. The attempt to discern origin and dates of migration between close geographically related regions has been a challenge in the field of uniparental-based population genetics. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) studies have been focused on surveying the H1, H3 and V lineages when trying to ascertain north-south migrations, and U6 and L in the opposite direction, assuming that those lineages are good proxies for the ancestry of each side of the Mediterranean. To this end, in the present work we have screened entire mtDNA sequences belonging to U6, M1 and L haplogroups in Andalusians--from Huelva and Granada provinces--and Moroccan Berbers. We present here pioneer data and interpretations on the role of NW Africa and the Iberian Peninsula regarding the time of origin, number of founders and expansion directions of these specific markers. The estimated entrance of the North African U6 lineages into Iberia at 10 ky correlates well with other L African clades, indicating that U6 and some L lineages moved together from Africa to Iberia in the Early Holocene. Still, founder analysis highlights that the high sharing of lineages between North Africa and Iberia results from a complex process continued through time, impairing simplistic interpretations. In particular, our work supports the existence of an ancient, frequently denied, bridge connecting the Maghreb and Andalusia.

Jos�� Anast��cio da Cunha e o projeto MAT�� : no trilho de uma hist��ria extraordin��ria

A ideia de que as Matem��ticas de Portugal (e de Espanha) atravessaram, depois de um per��odo ��ureo nos Descobrimentos, um longo deserto onde n��o foi poss��vel florescerem Mestres, nem escolas, nem cultura cient��fica, nem investiga����o de relevo foi, durante muito tempo, reiteradamente veiculada, inclusiv�� atrav��s de alguns dos nossos mais referenciados historiadores da Matem��tica, como �� o caso de Gomes Teixeira ou de Rey Pastor. Mas a verdade �� que o estudo da Hist��ria das Matem��ticas em Portugal tem, na ��ltima d��cada, vivido um interesse crescente onde sobressaem, em particular, uma leitura menos enviesada sobre, por exemplo, o papel educativo dos Jesu��tas ou a publica����o das obras completas de Pedro Nunes. Est��-se assim a contribuir para uma compreens��o mais completa da Hist��ria geral de Portugal, de que a Hist��ria da Ci��ncia e da Cultura faz parte. Jos�� Anast��cio da Cunha (1744-1787) foi figura de proa no s��culo XVIII portugu��s. Sab��amo-lo matem��tico que, sem nunca ter sa��do de Portugal, havia sido capaz de antecipar, em mais de 50 anos, os esfor��os de matem��ticos franceses e alem��es para fundar a Matem��tica com rigor. Sab��amo-lo tamb��m autor de uma vasta e diversificada obra de ineg��vel import��ncia matem��tica mas, igualmente, autor de textos po��ticos. Agora, com o projecto que denomin��mos de MAT2, centramo-nos em Jos�� Anast��cio da Cunha e pretendemos, se poss��vel, ir ainda mais al��m. Partimos de uma descoberta, ��rdua mas com final feliz, em um Arquivo de fam��lia: o da Casa de Mateus. Sentimo-nos, com esta ���sorte���, privilegiados e gratos por nos ter sido gentilmente concedido o acesso a um vasto conjunto de documentos ��nicos (di��rios de viagens, notas de aulas e correspond��ncia) que incluem mem��rias aut��grafas e in��ditas de Anast��cio da Cunha. Organiz��mo-nos, cientes do trabalho ��rduo que temos pela frente, multi e interdisciplinarmente englobando a Matem��tica (nas suas m��ltiplas especializa����es) e a Hist��ria (incluindo a da Matem��tica) mas tamb��m contando com a F��sica, a Inform��tica, os estudos militares ou a Arquiv��stica e as Humanidades; reunimos acad��micos, mais e menos veteranos, com investigadores jovens e junt��mos val��ncias nacionais e estrangeiras. No presente artigo daremos conta do percurso trilhado, at�� agora, pelo projecto MAT2.

Mosaic maternal ancestry in the Great Lakes region of East Africa

The Great Lakes lie within a region of East Africa with very high human genetic diversity, home of many ethno-linguistic groups usually assumed to be the product of a small number of major dispersals. However, our knowledge of these dispersals relies primarily on the inferences of historical, linguistics and oral traditions, with attempts to match up the archaeological evidence where possible. This is an obvious area to which archaeogenetics can contribute, yet Uganda, at the heart of these developments, has not been studied for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation. Here, we compare mtDNA lineages at this putative genetic crossroads across 409 representatives of the major language groups: Bantu speakers and Eastern and Western Nilotic speakers. We show that Uganda harbours one of the highest mtDNA diversities within and between linguistic groups, with the various groups significantly differentiated from each other. Despite an inferred linguistic origin in South Sudan, the data from the two Nilotic-speaking groups point to a much more complex history, involving not only possible dispersals from Sudan and the Horn but also large-scale assimilation of autochthonous lineages within East Africa and even Uganda itself. The Eastern Nilotic group also carries signals characteristic of West-Central Africa, primarily due to Bantu influence, whereas a much stronger signal in the Western Nilotic group suggests direct West-Central African ancestry. Bantu speakers share lineages with both Nilotic groups, and also harbour East African lineages not found in Western Nilotic speakers, likely due to assimilating indigenous populations since arriving in the region ~3000 years ago.

Methylation at the CpG island shore region upregulates Nr3c1 promoter activity after early-life stress

Early-life stress (ELS) induces long-lasting changes in gene expression conferring an increased risk for the development of stress-related mental disorders. Glucocorticoid receptors (GR) mediate the negative feedback actions of glucocorticoids (GC) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary and therefore play a key role in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the endocrine response to stress. We here show that ELS programs the expression of the GR gene (Nr3c1) by site-specific hypermethylation at the CpG island (CGI) shore in hypothalamic neurons that produce corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh), thus preventing Crh upregulation under conditions of chronic stress. CpGs mapping to the Nr3c1 CGI shore region are dynamically regulated by ELS and underpin methylation-sensitive control of this region's insulation-like function via Ying Yang 1 (YY1) binding. Our results provide new insight into how a genomic element integrates experience-dependent epigenetic programming of the composite proximal Nr3c1 promoter, and assigns an insulating role to the CGI shore.

A regi��o nas plataformas: o caso da Nordeste TV

Relat��rio de est��gio de mestrado em Ci��ncias da Comunica����o (��rea de especializa����o em Especializa����o em Audiovisual e Multim��dia)

Diversity of non-clinical Acinetobacter species in a sub-saharan Africa region: evidence of carbapenem-hydrolysing class D-��-lactamase producers

[Excerpt] Although Acinetobacter baumannii has been the main agent for healthcare infections, recent reports suggest that some Acinetobacter environmental species should be considered as a potential cause of disease. In Angola, there are no previous data on its environmental reservoirs and resistance features. We aimed to unveil the occurrence and diversity of Acinetobacter species and the presence of resistance mechanisms in different non-clinical settings in Angola.