Portuguese Environment Agency

The context of armed conflict situations presents unique challenges that can compromise the safety and well-being of both affected populations and responders in radiological and nuclear emergencies. The focus of the EU project RRADEW 'Resilience to RADiological Events in Wartime'(2024-2027) is to enhance nuclear Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery (EPR&R) systems by strengthening resilience to potential incidents in the context of war or armed conflict. The project is structured in five work packages focusing on the development of war scenarios (WP1), identification of resilience dimensions and indicators (WP2 and 3), development of decision-support, training materials and recommendations targeting key stakeholders (WP4), and key ethical questions for radiological protection in the context of armed conflicts (WP5). Since its start in 2024 the project has built a war-risk scenario matrix for nuclear facilities, produced a resilience framework that links the Sendai-definition of resilience to radiation emergencies, integrating social, technical and organisational dimensions across the EPR&R system, drafted training modules for deminers and first-responder monitors and produced an ethical matrix highlighting dilemmas such as dignity, autonomy and justice in armed-conflict radiological events. Together, these efforts aim to provide actionable frameworks and recommendations to ensure the safety and well-being of both affected populations and responders in wartime radiological incidents.

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the access to leadership development opportunities among European psychiatric trainees and early career psychiatrists (ECPs) and their perceptions and needs related to leadership skills training.

The southern region of Figueira da Foz (western coast of Portugal) faces a severe sediment deficit and high coastal vulnerability, largely due to the port jetties, which have partially blocked the southward longshore sediment transport, causing substantial shoreline retreat. To mitigate these effects, Cova-Gala beach (immediately north of the Figueira da Foz port) has undergone several small scale beach nourishment interventions. In July–August 2025, the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) carried out the largest intervention in this area, depositing approximately 3.3 million m³ of sand, distributed between the subaerial beach (1.8 million m³) and the shoreface (1.5 million m³).This study focuses only on the geomorphological and volumetric analysis of the Cova-Gala beach section between groynes 3 and 5 (cells 3-4 and 4-5). In this area, approximately 180,000 m³ of sediment was initially deposited in the dry beach above Chart Datum, representing the maximum retention capacity of the local groyne field. Digital Elevation Models (DEM) were generated from UAV and GNSS-RTK surveys to analyze coastal retreat and volumetric erosion. The analysis focused on the period between August 22, 2025 (post-filling) and January 7, 2026 (post-storm), using GNSS-RTK to ensure positional accuracy and to validate the January data through topographic profiles. This period presented a particular intense succession of storms. In December alone, three major storms occurred (Davide, Emilia and Francis). Under these synoptic conditions, atmospheric pressure ranged from 978 to 994 hPa, with peak winds of 90-124 km/h and hs ranging from 5 to 11 m. Analysis of the UAV data quantified the sediment volume loss to approximately 90,000 m³. Subsequently, surface interpolation in QGIS, comparing the August DEM with the January GNSS survey, determined a loss of approximately 88,000 m³, a value that shows strong convergence with the UAV. To ensure estimate reliability, vertical accuracy was assessed using an independent GNSS-RTK control point. This validation yielded a maximum cumulative error of 5 cm and a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of approximately 2.7 cm. The observed dry-beach erosion suggests a rapid cross-shore sediment transport mechanism, moving sand from the beach face/berm to the foreshore/shallow nearshore in response to wave action. Although the subaerial beach experienced significant retreat, partial recovery is expected in the coming months, driven by milder wave action that favors onshore sediment transport. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of UAV photogrammetry for high-precision, rapid assessment of artificial nourishment performance under storm wave conditions.This work is supported by FCT, I.P./MCTES through a PhD scholarship (2024.03765.BDANA) and national funds through (PIDDAC): LA/P/0068/2020 - https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0068/2020 , UID/50019/2025 and https://doi.org/10.54499/UID/PRR/50019/2025, UID/PRR2/50019/2025. Finally this work is a contribution to project iCoast (project 14796 COMPETE2030-FEDER-00930000).

Anthropogenic barriers fragment Portuguese rivers, threatening endemic freshwater fish communities. This study compiled national inventories and peer-reviewed research (2002–2024) to quantify fishway implementation, evolution and typology, while evaluating fish performance from published research. One hundred fishways built between 1950 and 2024 were recorded, half of which were constructed after the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Portugal (29 Dec 2005), tripling the annual construction rate. Fishways were found to be associated mainly with weirs (46%) and small hydropower plants (44%), with typology being dominated by the pool-type design (67%), nature-like facilities (18%), fish locks and combined systems (6% each), fish lifts (2%) and a single eel pass. Forty scientific contributions addressed fishway effectiveness; three-quarters dealt with pool-type facilities, while 12.5% and 10% focused on nature-like fishways and lifts, respectively. Experimental and field studies highlighted species-specific hydraulic preferences, the benefits of vertical slot and multislot configurations, and the potential of retrofitting fishways with macro-rugosities (i.e., fixed structural elements placed on the bottom) to improve non-salmonid fish passage. However, low attraction efficiency, limited multi-season monitoring and risks of aiding invasive species remain a concern. Research needs are proposed, including the refinement of species-specific hydrodynamic criteria, and the development of standardized efficiency metrics and of selective passage solutions, to advance fishway performance under Mediterranean hydrological constraints.

ABSTRACT Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) progressively impairs motor functions, making communication increasingly difficult for affected individuals. However, many patients with ALS retain control over their ocular and periocular muscles, providing an unique opportunity for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems. This work introduces a calibration-free surface electromyography (sEMG) decoding module, developed as part of the HALO system, an AAC solution that combines sEMG with Large Language Models (LLMs). The HALO system harnesses the power of the LLMs to generate personalized, context-aware response options. The user can then select a full-sentence reply with a single eyebrow muscle contraction. Eyebrow muscle activity is captured via textile electrodes embedded in a headband and processed in real time using a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN). Trained and evaluated on data from patients with ALS, the model achieved 96% accuracy and an 85% F1-score. While direct comparisons to existing systems are limited —since existing sEMG-based AAC systems are rarely benchmarked on ALS cohorts and fail to report key metrics such as gesture detection accuracy — our results demonstrate that the model’s reliable gesture detection can support efficient, low-effort communication for individuals with severe motor impairments.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) present significant challenges in modern healthcare, leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Examination gloves play a critical role in infection prevention by serving as a barrier to reduce the risk of cross-contamination between healthcare workers and patients. This manuscript aims to provide consensus-based guidelines for the optimal selection, use, and disposal of examination gloves in healthcare settings, addressing both infection prevention and environmental sustainability. The guidelines were developed using a multi-stage Delphi process involving healthcare experts from various disciplines. Recommendations were structured to ensure compliance with international regulations and sustainability frameworks aligned with the One Health approach and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key recommendations emphasize selecting gloves based on clinical needs and compliance with EN 455 standards. Sterile gloves are recommended for surgical and invasive procedures, while non-sterile gloves are suitable for routine care involving contact with blood and other body fluids or contaminated surfaces. Proper practices include performing hand hygiene before and after glove use, avoiding glove reuse, and training healthcare providers on donning and removal techniques to minimize cross-contamination. Disposal protocols should follow local clinical waste management regulations, promoting sustainability through recyclable or biodegradable materials whenever feasible. These consensus-based guidelines aim to enhance infection control, improve the safety of patients and healthcare workers, and minimize environmental impact. By adhering to these evidence-based practices, grounded in European regulations, healthcare settings can establish safe and sustainable glove management systems that serve as a model for global practices.

Introduction: Sexuality is an essential element for the health and quality of life. Rehabilitation Nursing allows training and maximization of the functionality of disabled persons. The purpose of this study is, in the scope of rehabilitation, to map the evidence of nursing interventions in terms of the function of sexuality in disabled persons.Method: Rapid Literature Review using PubMed and the EBSCOhost platform. Accepting only primary studies, published between January 1, 2014 and November 16, 2024. Cochrane guidelines were followed.Results: A total of seven articles were included. In the data analyzed, health education emerged as the main line of intervention in Rehabilitation Nursing. Nursing professionals must evaluate and teach disabled persons, and their family members and caregivers about the role of sexuality, the factors that affect it and the techniques used to optimize it. The application of intervention models and therapeutic communication facilitate the elaboration of individualized care plans. The use of techniques like videos or simulations strategies facilitate the discussion of sexuality and help to teach specific instructions.Conclusion: Rehabilitation Nursing Specialists must perform health education using validated intervention models. It is suggested that a Systematic Review of Literature and Case Reports be carried out to increase knowledge on this topic.

There is an urgent need for normative and regulatory provisions for metrological control of electrical energy supplied by the electrical network to the electric vehicles, in particular for DC fast chargers. This paper describes the steps taken regarding the Portuguese current situation, which is transversal to most countries, through the constitution of stakeholders' working groups and a standardization ad hoc electrotechnical technical commission which has published a Technical Specification (TS) in October 2022. This defines the procedures to undergo: a) for charging points (CPs) already installed and to be installed by a deadline to be defined by the competent entity; b) for CPs to be installed after the end of this transitory regime and until future specific legislation is published. The regulatory frame for this TS was partially defined but is still being developed. Detailed explanation of the implementation procedures together with technical details and some experimental results are also presented in this paper.