Mónica Moura

Universidade dos Açores

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Luís Silva

Leibniz University Hannover

Maria M. Romeiras

University of Lisbon

Hanno Schaefer

Technical University of Munich

Miguel Menezes de Sequeira

Universidade da Madeira

Guilherme Roxo

Universidade dos Açores

Lurdes Borges Silva

Universidade dos Açores

Roberto Resendes

Universidade dos Açores

Rui B. Elias

Universidade dos Açores

Mark A. Carine

Natural History Museum

Diogo C. Pavão

Universidade dos Açores

Cooperative Institutions

University of Lisbon

Universidade dos Açores

Universidade do Porto

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos

Pompeu Fabra University

Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Natural History Museum

Institut de Biologia Evolutiva

Uppsala University

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Morphophysiological dormancy and germination in seeds of the Azorean tree Picconia azorica

Seed Science and Technology (2012)

J.M. Martins Orlanda Cristina Barros Moreira Nuno Rainha José Baptista Luís Silva

Picconia azorica (Oleaceae) is an Azorean tree with high ecological value. We investigated possible causes for P. azorica seed dormancy and the germination conditions to break it, using acid scarification (scarified stones) or complete removal of the endocarp (seeds), in conjunction with different stratification and incubation temperature regimes and gibberellic acid (GA3) treatments. Embryos in ripe drupes were subspatulate, axile and occupied 60% of the endosperm length. Water imbibition was verified for both acid scarified stones and seeds. The highest total phenolic compounds content occurred in the seed coat (36.4 ± 1.51 mg GAE g-1 FW). Germination was significantly affected by the type of endocarp treatment (acid scarification, 23%; removal of the endocarp, 46%), and by temperature (62% at 10/5°C and 15/10°C; 8% at 20/15°C and 4% 25/20°C), but not by concentration of GA3. Under the two best temperature regimes, only acid scarified stones were significantly affected by the stratification regime, with the highest germination (ca. 60%) after 60 days cold or 30 days warm followed by 30 days cold stratification regimes, although always lower than those obtained for seeds (> 80%). Epicotyl development required low temperature and three months to cotyledon leaf expansion. Germination requirements and embryo characteristics suggest a non-deep simple epicotyl morphophysiological dormancy including the occurrence of a possible chemical inhibition mechanism. For P. azorica propagation we recommend using naked seeds incubated at a temperature of 10/5 or 15/10°C.

Chilling Requirement

10.15258/sst.2012.40.2.02

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Citations (10)

The transition to selfing in Azorean Tolpis (Asteraceae)

Plant Systematics and Evolution (2019)

Daniel J. Crawford Mónica Moura Lurdes Borges Silva Mark E. Mort Benjamin Kerbs

Selfing

Archipelago

Endemism

10.1007/s00606-019-01573-7

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Citations (11)

Antimalarial and Cytotoxic Activity of Native Plants Used in Cabo Verde Traditional Medicine

Plants (2023)

Anyse Pereira Essoh Gustavo Capatti Cassiano Filipa Mandim Lillian Barros Isildo Gomes

Medicinal plants have historically been a source of drugs in multiple applications, including the treatment of malaria infections. The Cabo Verde archipelago harbors a rich diversity of native plants, most of which are used for medicinal purposes. The present study investigated the in vitro antiplasmodial activities of four native plants from Cabo Verde (i.e., Artemisia gorgonum, Lavandula rotundifolia, Sideroxylon marginatum, and Tamarix senegalensis). Traditional preparations of these medicinal plants, namely aqueous extracts (infusions) and ethanolic extracts, were tested against both chloroquine-sensitive (3D7) and chloroquine-resistant (Dd2) Plasmodium falciparum strains using the SYBR Green detection method. The in vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated in Caco-2 and PLP2 cells using a sulforhodamine B colorimetric assay. An ethanolic extract of A. gorgonum and infusions of T. senegalensis exhibited high antiplasmodial activities (EC50 < 5 μg/mL) without cytotoxicity (GI50 > 400 μg/mL). Extracts of L. rotundifolia and S. marginatum exhibited moderate activities, with EC50 values ranging from 10–30 μg/mL. The A. gorgonum ethanolic extract showed activity toward early ring stages, and parasites treated with the T. senegalensis infusions progressed to the early trophozoite stage, although did not develop further to the late trophozoite or schizont stages. Antimalarial activities and the lack of cytotoxicity of the extracts are reported in the present study and support previous claims by traditional practitioners for the use of these plants against malaria while suggesting their ethnopharmacological usefulness as future antimalarials.

EC50

10.3390/plants12040963

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Citations (2)

Evaluation of the Polyphenolic Composition and Bioactivities of Three Native Cabo Verde Medicinal Plants

Pharmaceuticals (2022)

Anyse Pereira Essoh Ângela Liberal Ângela Fernandes María Inês Días Carla Pereira

The use of medicinal plants in a variety of health conditions remains essential for the discovery of new treatments. The present study aimed to investigate the bioactive properties of three native plants from Cabo Verde Islands, namely Artemisia gorgonum Webb, Sideroxylon marginatum (Decne. ex Webb) Cout., and Tamarix senegalensis DC., contributing to the characterization of less-known medicinal plants and their potential benefits for human health. Known compounds, such as kaempferol, quercetin, caffeyolquinic, and apigenin derivatives, among others, were detected in the plant species under study. Overall, all species demonstrated good antioxidant capacity, especially the ethanolic extracts of A. gorgonum (EC50 = 0.149 mg/mL) in TBARS assay. Moreover, the ethanolic extracts of the studied plants showed cytotoxic properties against tumor cells, and again the A. gorgonum extract proved to be the most effective in inhibiting tumor growth, mainly in the CaCO2 (GI50 = 17.3 μg/mL) and AGS (GI50 = 18.2 μg/mL) cell lines. Only the ethanolic extracts of T. senegalensis and S. marginatum demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity, albeit weak (EC50 = 35 and 43 μg/mL, respectively). The present study contributed to increased knowledge about the bioactive properties of these plants commonly used in traditional medicine, some of which was discussed for the first time, opening new perspectives for their use in a wider range of health conditions, especially in African countries, where access to modern health care is more limited.

EC50

Health Benefits

10.3390/ph15091162

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Citations (7)

Crimes Violentos e Seriais de Agentes Psicopatas: A Busca por um Tratamento Jurídico Adequado

Revista de Ciências Jurídicas e Empresariais (2025)

Bruno de Omena Celestino Isabella Fabrizi Luís Silva Mónica Moura V. Oliveira

A psicopatia é questão importante e atual para várias ciências, inclusive à ciência jurídica. No direito penal, a questão da imputabilidade e da resposta ao crime cometido pelo agente psicopata em casos de crimes violentos e seriais ainda ocupa espaço no debate acadêmico para entender se a pena é o tratamento jurídico mais adequado ou se há necessidade de adoção de novas medidas. Para chegar à resposta, a discussão precisou ser feita em quatro pontos. O primeiro, delimitou o conceito de psicopatia, onde entendeu-se que não se tratava de doença mental, mas espécie de transtorno de personalidade. O segundo envolveu o debate sobre a imputabilidade criminal do agente psicopata, onde percebeu-se que era imputável. O terceiro ponto focou na eventual adequação da resposta que a lei dá para tais casos, se pena ou medida de segurança, no que se entendeu que a pena não era a medida mais adequada, que, no entanto, é vedada para agentes plenamente imputáveis. Em último tópico, partiu-se para a discussão sobre a necessidade de mudança do sistema legal para o tratamento adequado do agente psicopata que comete crimes violentos e seriais. Ao final, chegou-se à conclusão de que a pena não era, sozinha, medida adequada para o tratamento jurídico do tema, sendo necessário a readequação do sistema para permitir, novamente, a aplicação de medidas de segurança, ainda que para agentes plenamente imputáveis. A metodologia utilizada para tanto foi o método dedutivo e revisão bibliográfica. Palavras-chave: Agentes Psicopatas. Crimes Violentos e Seriais. Tratamento Legal. Medidas de Segurança. Abstract Psychopathy is an important and current issue for several sciences, including law studies. In criminal law, the issue of criminal responsibility and the response to the crime committed by the psychopathic agent in cases of violent and serial crimes still occupies space in the academic debate to understand whether the penalty is the most appropriate legal treatment or whether there is a need to adopt new measures. To reach the answer, the discussion needed to be carried out on four points. The first, delimited the concept of psychopathy, where it was understood that it was not a mental illness, but a kind of personality disorder. The second involved the debate on the criminal responsibility of the psychopathic agent, where it was realized that he was responsible. The third point focused on the possible adequacy of the response that the law gives to such cases, whether a penalty or another measure, in which it was understood that the penalty was not the most appropriate measure, which, however, is prohibited for fully criminal responsible agents. In the last topic, we discussed the need to change the legal system for the adequate treatment of psychopathic agents who commit violent and serial crimes. In the end, it was concluded that the penalty alone was not an adequate measure for the legal treatment of the issue, requiring the system to be readjusted to allow, once again, the application of legal security measures, even for fully criminal responsible agents. The methodology used for this was the deductive method and bibliographic review. Keywords: Psychopathic Agents. Serial and Violent Crimes. Legal Treatment. Legal Security Measures.

10.17921/2448-2129.2024v25n2p98-105

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Citations (0)

The European Reference Genome Atlas: piloting a decentralised approach to equitable biodiversity genomics

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (2023)

Ann M. Mc Cartney Giulio Formenti Alice Mouton Diego De Panis Luísa S Marins

A global genome database of all of Earth's species diversity could be a treasure trove of scientific discoveries. However, regardless of the major advances in genome sequencing technologies, only a tiny fraction of species have genomic information available. To contribute to a more complete planetary genomic database, scientists and institutions across the world have united under the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), which plans to sequence and assemble high-quality reference genomes for all ~1.5 million recognized eukaryotic species through a stepwise phased approach. As the initiative transitions into Phase II, where 150,000 species are to be sequenced in just four years, worldwide participation in the project will be fundamental to success. As the European node of the EBP, the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) seeks to implement a new decentralised, accessible, equitable and inclusive model for producing high-quality reference genomes, which will inform EBP as it scales. To embark on this mission, ERGA launched a Pilot Project to establish a network across Europe to develop and test the first infrastructure of its kind for the coordinated and distributed reference genome production on 98 European eukaryotic species from sample providers across 34 European countries. Here we outline the process and challenges faced during the development of a pilot infrastructure for the production of reference genome resources, and explore the effectiveness of this approach in terms of high-quality reference genome production, considering also equity and inclusion. The outcomes and lessons learned during this pilot provide a solid foundation for ERGA while offering key learnings to other transnational and national genomic resource projects.

10.1101/2023.09.25.559365

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Citations (9)

A revision of the genus Leontodon (Asteraceae) in the Azores based on morphological and molecular evidence

Phytotaxa (2015)

Mónica Moura Luís Silva Elisabete Dias Hanno Schaefer Mark A. Carine

Two endemic species of Leontodon are currently recognized in the Azores archipelago: Leontodon filii and L. rigens. However, there has been confusion regarding the application of these names and field observations and herbarium studies suggested three morphotypes in the islands. Here, we present a taxonomic revision of the Azorean endemic Leontodon species using morphological characters and new molecular data from the ITS region and from three chloroplast regions: trnQ, trnV and matK. Fifty-one quantitative and qualitative morphological characters were examined that revealed consistent differences between specimens from the western, central and eastern subarchipelagos (where, on the latter, Leontodon is restricted to São Miguel). Molecular analysis revealed two well defined monophyletic groups, one comprising accessions from São Miguel and the second comprising accessions from the western group, while central group accessions were in an unresolved polytomy. Both analyses also indicated the occurrence of hybridization with L. saxatilis, a widespread non-endemic species. Taken together, molecular and morphological data suggest the reinstatement of a third Azorean Leontodon taxon endemic to the western group. A key to the Leontodon of the Azores and descriptions of the endemic taxa are provided.

Monophyly

Herbarium

Endemism

Eudicots

Archipelago

Confusion

10.11646/phytotaxa.210.1.4

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Citations (13)

Arceuthobium M.Bieb. (Viscaceae) parasitizing an angiosperm: the unique case of A. azoricum Hawksw. & Wiens in the Azores islands

Plant Disease (2024)

Rui B. Elias Mónica Moura Guilherme Roxo Lurdes Borges Silva Diogo C. Pavão