Portuguese Cities Research Articles

Combined HIV prevention: knowledge and attitudes among higher education students in Portugal

Abstract Introduction Combined Prevention is a strategy that combines different methods of HIV prevention that can be used simultaneously or sequentially, depending on the characteristics and life stage of everyone. Among the methods are condom use, regular HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Combined prevention is particularly important for more vulnerable groups, such as adolescents and young adults. Objectives To investigate the knowledge and attitudes related to combined HIV prevention among college students. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with college students from two institutions in a Portuguese city in the year 2022. Sampling was non-probabilistic, by convenience. Students aged 18 to 29 who had initiated sexual activity were included. The data collection instrument was a structured questionnaire sent to students online. Data were analyzed descriptively. Ethical aspects were respected. Results A total of 424 students participated in the study; majority were female (79.2%), white (92.9%), single (96.7%), Catholic (67.2%), with a mean age of 20.8 years (SD = 2.3). The number of sexual partners in the last semester ranged from none to 19, with an average of two partners (SD = 1.9). Nearly all students (94.3%) agreed that condoms are the main form of HIV prevention, however, 45.2% did not use condoms in their last casual sexual encounter. Only 15.5% and 13.9% of participants reported knowing about pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis, respectively. The majority had never been tested for HIV (81.8%) and did not know where tests could be done for free (70.9%). Conclusions Despite higher education, students are vulnerable to HIV and have unsatisfactory knowledge about combined prevention measures. Key messages • College students are young individuals with high vulnerability to contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. • Universities should assume their role as promoters of health and develop strategies that contribute to students’ knowledge and reflection on HIV and its prevention methods.

OPERA "CREONT" BY DMYTR BORTNIANSKY: FROM PORTUGAL TO UKRAINE

The article examines the creative activity of the outstanding Ukrainian artist Dmytro Bortnyanskyi as an opera composer. The focus is on the operas of his Italian creative period (1768 - 1779) - Creont (1776, Venice), Alcides (1778, Venice) and Quintus Fabius (1779, Modena). The happy modern stage fate of the opera "Alkid" is indicated, its score was published in Kyiv in 1985. The found manuscript of the score by Dmytro Bortnyansky's first opera "Creont" provides new opportunities for studying the artist's work, this score was considered to be lost for a long time; after establishing the location of the score in one of the archives of the Portuguese city of Lisbon, its copy was brought to Ukraine. The history of transfers of the surviving manuscripts of Dmytro Bortnyanskyi's opera works was studied, in addition, the author analyzes the plot, structure and musical dramaturgy of the opera "Creont". The author uses a combination of scientific methods to achieve the goal of investigation, in particular: the source method — for searching and analyzing contemporary handwritten and printed sources; the historical method — to establish historical and cultural parallels in the study of Dmytro Bortnyanskyi's opera heritage and to outline prospects for further study of the specified issues; theoretical method — for the systematization of musical and stylistic factors of the study of the musical text of the opera "Creont" and the creation of certain generalizations. The study determines the numerical structure of the two-act opera "Creont", the plot of which is based on the tragedy "Antigone" by the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles. It is noted that the main conflict of Dmitry Bortnyanskyi's opera takes place between the king of Thebes, Creont, and Antigone, the daughter of the deceased king Oedipus (compared to the tragedy of Sophocles, the ending in the opera is changed from tragic to happy — all the characters remain alive, Antigone becomes the queen of Thebes and wins in the confrontation with by Creont). It is emphasized that the preserved score of the opera "Creont" provides grounds for a deeper understanding of Dmytro Bortnyanskyi's opera heritage and the composer's achievements in the genre of Italian opera, and that an important task is the production of this opera in Ukraine, in the composer's homeland

Outdoor STEAM Education: Opportunities and Challenges

There is a consensus that students should be involved in interdisciplinary activities that promote a solid education in STEAM subjects from an early age. The outdoor settings of schools present an advantageous context for STEAM education, allowing for a myriad of learning experiences. To understand how teachers perceive the pedagogical use of the school’s outdoor space, a study was carried out in a cluster of schools in a Portuguese city, including one middle school and 10 kindergarten and elementary schools. A mixed methods approach was used, combining a questionnaire for teachers (N = 49) with interviews (N = 8). The results indicate that teachers’ perceptions of the characteristics of their school’s outdoor spaces either facilitate or hinder the implementation of outdoor pedagogical activities. Most teachers concur that the outdoors provides contact with nature and encourages interdisciplinary and collaborative activities. However, the teachers surveyed admit to using the school’s outdoor spaces only occasionally, and this use decreases as the educational level at which they teach increases. The most common use of outdoor spaces is for physical and motor activities, promoting the well-being of children and youth. Although interdisciplinary activities in outdoor spaces are recognised, their implementation is limited and hampered by factors such as the length of curricula and the lack of training for teachers in these approaches. In this sense, there is an urgent need to train teachers in the interdisciplinary use of outdoor spaces to promote a solid education in STEAM subjects.

Behaviour of Machine Learning algorithms in the classification of energy consumption in school buildings

Abstract The significance of energy efficiency in the development of smart cities cannot be overstated. It is essential to have a clear understanding of the current energy consumption (EC) patterns in both public and private buildings. One way to achieve this is by employing machine learning classification algorithms, which offer a broader perspective on the factors influencing EC. These algorithms can be applied to real data from databases, making them valuable tools for smart city applications. In this paper, our focus is specifically on the EC of public schools in a Portuguese city, as this plays a crucial role in designing a Smart City. By utilizing a comprehensive dataset on school EC, we thoroughly evaluate multiple ML algorithms. The objective is to identify the most effective algorithm for classifying average EC patterns. The outcomes of this study hold significant value for school administrators and facility managers. By leveraging the predictions generated from the selected algorithm, they can optimize energy usage and, consequently, reduce costs. The use of a comprehensive dataset ensures the reliability and accuracy of our evaluations of various ML algorithms for EC classification.

A data-driven clustering approach for assessing spatiotemporal vulnerability to urban emergencies

Urban vulnerability to emergencies has become a relevant issue as cities get bigger and the negative impacts of climatic changes become more prominent. In recent years, smart city systems devoted to detecting, alerting, and mitigating emergency situations have gained momentum, with different complexities and expected outcomes. Although such systems have become more common, their proper configuration and adoption should rely on a more comprehensive perception of urban vulnerabilities to critical events. This article defines a data-driven approach to numerically evaluate the vulnerability of each region of a city, taking real-world data from open databases as a reference for a proposed clustering-based assessment algorithm. Additionally, the temporal dynamics within a city are modelled through the definition of time frames, each one comprising an associated risk assessment factor based on the expected flow of inhabitants over time. This clustering analysis categorises urban areas with similar vulnerability profiles by modelling the temporal dynamics of urban infrastructure, capturing their fluctuating nature and impact on vulnerability. By leveraging temporal urban perceptions, this approach may contribute to more effective emergency management in urban areas since regions with higher population density may be assumed as more vulnerable to emergencies, potentially supporting the optimisation of smart cities and general urban planning. Experimental results for the Portuguese cities of Porto and Lisbon demonstrate the practical applicability of the proposed approach by accurately identifying regions with higher temporal vulnerability to urban emergencies.

The overlooked margins: how cities impact diversity of plants and terrestrial invertebrates along urban streams

The effect of different urbanization levels on terrestrial biodiversity associated with riparian zones remains poorly studied, despite the important ecosystem services it provides in cities. Studies focused on aquatic ecosystems in urban streams reported decreases in ecological quality and species richness, and lack of sensitive taxa. Thus, we investigated the impact of urbanization on riparian zone flora and terrestrial invertebrates using as case studies nine urban streams spanning an urbanization gradient in the Portuguese city of Coimbra. An unexpectedly high number of taxa were identified (163 plants, 80 terrestrial invertebrates), 80% new registrations for the region and one endemic-rare plant. Yet, diversity varied across streams, β-diversity reaching 39% Bray-Curtis similarity and averaging 25%, due to many underrepresented terrestrial taxa (N = 62 observed only in one site). Variation across the urbanization gradient reached 59% in plants and 82% in terrestrial invertebrates. High numbers of non-native taxa (13%; N = 32), mostly plants, suggested urbanization factors, e.g. human interference and discharge variation, may have favored invasions. Indeed, constructed natural spaces along streams, like parks, supported less biodiversity. Moreover, plant richness, especially of riparian plants, was correlated negatively with percentages of surrounding impervious areas and positively with water quality. This shows urbanization has negative effects on riparian vegetation, and water quality impacts both aquatic and terrestrial communities. Our results stress urban streams as novel ecosystems constituted by high numbers of non-native taxa, and the significance of riparian zones for biodiversity preservation. Less intense intervention on riparian vegetation is recommended to increase biodiversity.

Food waste collection versus food waste disposers: A case study of a Portuguese city

The European Union (EU) prioritises sustainable development and aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 through investments in green technologies and a legislative climate framework. Waste collection and treatment systems, including biowaste like food waste, protect natural capital and citizens' well-being. Directive 2008/98/EC defines biowaste and sets the stage for exploring alternative solutions. This study focuses on the city of Guarda (Portugal) and analyses the use of disposers for food waste treatment. By comparing storage/collection systems with disposers regarding environmental and economic costs and benefits, the study aims to determine the most effective solution for collecting food waste. The analysis utilises a simulator provided by the Portuguese Fundo Ambiental®. The results show that while operating costs are higher for food waste collection systems, disposers require a more significant initial investment. Nevertheless, the cost-benefit ratio favours disposers, while the net present value analysis suggests that the food waste collection system is more favourable. Additionally, food waste collection systems contribute to higher greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per tonne of food waste compared to using disposers.

Using Smart Traffic Lights to Reduce CO2 Emissions and Improve Traffic Flow at Intersections: Simulation of an Intersection in a Small Portuguese City

Reducing CO2 emissions is currently a key policy in most developed countries. In this article, we evaluate whether smart traffic lights can have a relevant role in reducing CO2 emissions in small cities, considering their specific traffic profiles. The research method is a quantitative modelling approach tested by computational simulation. We propose a novel microscopic traffic simulation framework, designed to simulate realistic vehicle kinematics and driver behaviour, and accurately estimate CO2 emissions. We also propose and evaluate a routing algorithm for smart traffic lights, specially designed to optimize CO2 emissions at intersections. The simulations reveal that deploying smart traffic lights at a single intersection can reduce CO2 emissions by 32% to 40% in the vicinity of the intersection, depending on the traffic density. The simulations show other advantages for drivers: an increase in average speed of 60% to 101% and a reduction in waiting time of 53% to 95%. These findings can be useful for city-level decision makers who wish to adopt smart technologies to improve traffic flows and reduce CO2 emissions. This work also demonstrates that the simulator can play an important role as a tool to study the impact of smart traffic lights and foster the improvement in smart routing algorithms to reduce CO2 emissions.

European Cities of Sport as a Strategic Policy for Local Development of Sports: A Perspective from Sports Management in the Last Decade

Abstract European sports policies have focused on the implementation of public instruments and policy measures, aiming to encourage EU member states to promote and improve sports habits, while simultaneously tackling high levels of sedentary lifestyle among Europeans. Despite these efforts, data concerning the various measures is quite limited, making it impossible to assess the real impact on the population, particularly in the case of the European Cities of Sport. This award has been held since 2007 and has already distinguished 193 cities; however, current knowledge does not allow researchers to theorise about its multiple impacts as a strategic policy instrument for the local development of sport in Europe, thus constituting a gap within sports management research. In order to further this knowledge, we explored European reality over a decade (2013–2022), analysing nine awards of Portuguese cities. We employed qualitative methods for documentary analysis of public information and descriptive statistics for data analysis. The results show that over 2 600 multidisciplinary events were organised, among which 402 had an international character (15%), an average of 50 sports disciplines per edition, 359 events related to culture and education, and involved over 1 000 000 participants, with an overall investment of over €39 million. This research now allows a theoretical-scientific and operational referential pattern of key indicators to be established for future European ECS applications, while demonstrating an encouraging relationship, from a sports perspective and economically, between public investment made and estimated return, thus contributing to better political decisions and to the positive implications of increasing public investment in sport.

Relevance of ecosystem services and disservices from green infrastructure perceived by the inhabitants of two Portuguese cities dealing with climate change: implications for environmental and intersectional justice

Green infrastructure provides ecosystem services (ESs) and disservices (EDSs), although EDSs are understudied. By considering both, this study contributes to the literature. The inhabitants’ perception of the importance of ESs/EDSs is assessed through a survey in two Portuguese cities facing extreme climatic events. “Heat reduction” and “contact with nature” are the most perceived ESs while “risk of fire” and “excessive water consumption” are the most perceived EDSs, respectively, in Elvas and Faro. Using rank-ordered logistic regression models, this study finds that the relevance of ESs/EDSs is perceived differently throughout the different areas of the cities, with Elvas revealing the highest signs of environmental injustice, since the importance of ESs is perceived differently by the inhabitants, specifically those inhabiting impoverished areas. The inhabitants perceiving heatwaves acknowledge less relevance to some ESs and more relevance to several EDSs. Gender, age, and income affect the perceived relevance of some ESs/EDSs, signalling intersectional injustice.

Intelligent approach to mining cultural tourism potential areas based on YOLOv4: insights from Macau

ABSTRACT Based on historical background and geopolitical factors, Macau is closely related to Portuguese cities; Macau also currently attaches great importance to the creation of a Sino-Portuguese platform and cultural tourism to drive better economic development. This study explores a method for identifying and mining cultural tourism potential areas developed under the YOLOv4 framework and cosine similarity. The main conclusions of this study are as follows: (1) While the YOLOv4 method shows good performance and can effectively identify the architectural texture of Portuguese cities, it may face certain difficulties if applied to newly built urban areas in Macau. (2) Through the cosine similarity method, it is found that the architectural texture slices of the three island cities of Portugal and Macau have certain similarities. The city with the highest level of similarity with Macau is Lisboa, followed by Porto and Evora, while Guimaraes has the lowest level of similarity with Macau. This finding serves as a certain reference for the subsequent construction of the cultural tourism characteristics of the region. (3) Comparing the characteristics of Macau city obtained through the cosine similarity algorithm with the city slices that have a high level of similarity in Portugal, we find the following: “street networks”, “street blocks”, squares, and open space form in the Macau Peninsula, while “street blocks” and “large-scale building complexes” form in the outlying islands. These types of spaces have different scales and can be developed in the future in conjunction with cultural tourism activities on different scales. This study applies machine learning methods to the development of urban cultural tourism potential areas, which provides new perspectives and methods for urban tourism development planning.

Prescription of antibiotic prophylaxis in implant placement among Portuguese dentists: A web survey.

This study aims to assess whether antibiotic prophylaxis for dental implant placement is commonly used by dentists in Portugal. This cross-sectional survey study was based on a web survey with 22 questions divided into 5 parts. The 1st part focused on demographic details, work experience, and academic expertise, whereas the 2nd and 3rd parts were about the pre- and postoperative antibiotic prescriptions. The 4th and 5th parts focused on dentists' motivation for using/avoiding antibiotic prophylaxis and the use of a protocol, respectively. Data interpretation included descriptive analysis and statistical inference via cross-tabling with chi-square adjusted standardised for residual effects. Of the 204 valid surveys, at least one was received from every large Portuguese city which ensured the national coverage of the survey. Most respondents are not specialist dentists (72%). Sixty-four percent of the respondents always use antibiotic prophylaxis, while 29% adopt it only when grafting materials are employed. Most respondents use both pre- and postoperative regimens (55%). Amoxicillin 875 mg + clavulanic acid 125 mg is the most prescribed antibiotic (57%). Finally, the risk reduction of postoperative infection is the most frequent justification for the use of antibiotic prophylaxis (60%). The results highlight that most of the respondents do not follow the consensual international guidelines for prophylactic antibiotherapy in dental implant placement surgeries. This finding should serve as a rationale to increase the dissemination of those guidelines.

Biological Impact of Organic Extracts from Urban-Air Particulate Matter: An In Vitro Study of Cytotoxic and Metabolic Effects in Lung Cells

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) with diameters below 10 µm (PM10) may enter the lungs through inhalation and are linked to various negative health consequences. Emergent evidence emphasizes the significance of cell metabolism as a sensitive target of PM exposure. However, the current understanding of the relationship between PM composition, conventional toxicity measures, and the rewiring of intracellular metabolic processes remains limited. In this work, PM10 sampled at a residential area (urban background, UB) and a traffic-impacted location (roadside, RS) of a Portuguese city was comprehensively characterized in terms of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and plasticizers. Epithelial lung cells (A549) were then exposed for 72 h to PM10 organic extracts and different biological outcomes were assessed. UB and RS PM10 extracts dose-dependently decreased cell viability, induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, caused cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, and modulated the intracellular metabolic profile. Interestingly, the RS sample, richer in particularly toxic PAHs and plasticizers, had a greater metabolic impact than the UB extract. Changes comprised significant increases in glutathione, reflecting activation of antioxidant defences to counterbalance ROS production, together with increases in lactate, NAD+, and ATP, which suggest stimulation of glycolytic energy production, possibly to compensate for reduced mitochondrial activity. Furthermore, a number of other metabolic variations hinted at changes in membrane turnover and TCA cycle dynamics, which represent novel clues on potential PM10 biological effects.

Death Commemoration Strategies in Medieval Portugal: A Mirror of Lay Participation in Religious Parochial Life (The Case of Coimbra)

This article will, through the analysis of three parishes in Coimbra between the twelfth and the fourteenth century, investigate practices surrounding the commemoration of death. Through the study of extant wills, post-mortem donations, and necrological documents—such as Obituaries and Anniversary Books—this work seeks to describe the populations and communities who entrusted their final salvation to these churches. This characterization will allow a description of the typology of the suffrage ceremonies founded by these souls, meanwhile presenting an evaluation of the maintenance and management of these foundations by the churches and its chapters throughout the centuries. This paper intends to highlight what survives after death—not only in terms of memory, but also in light of social relationships, interpersonal and familial connections, and professional solidarities. Focusing on a population that is otherwise poorly documented—and moreover, represents a socio-professional background of a low echelon—this text intends to present a global characterization of the cult of the dead, with a further aim of drawing attention to the intervention and enrichment of parish pastoral care by the lay population in this Portuguese city.

Geothermal energy system application: From basic standard performance to sustainability reflection

Shallow Geothermal Energy (SGE) systems are emerging as an attractive solution to enhance building energy efficiency and contribute to a low-carbon economy. This research investigates a SGE system comprising 40 boreholes installed in a university building located in Aveiro City under Mediterranean climate conditions. Both the building and the underground soil were monitored during the SGE operation, and EnergyPlus® software was subsequently employed for the integrated dynamic simulation. The building energy model was calibrated using field data, and a good agreement between the measured and the simulated temperatures was archived, with a Coefficient of Variance of the Root Mean Square Error (CVRMSE) below 10 %. The case study model performance was analysed and compared to other alternatives. The impact of the climate on the system performance was investigated by analyzing nine Portuguese cities situated in different climate contexts. A sustainability indicator was proposed, and an initial sustainability assessment was conducted. The results emphasize that the SGE system offered advantages compared to other alternative systems, achieving a 55 % reduction in heating and cooling energy consumption, and mitigating climate change by 405.67 ton of CO2 per 25-year lifespan. This study can guide further implementation of sustainable geothermal systems in Mediterranean climates.

Early Meteorological Observations in Almada (Portugal) for the Period 1788–1813 by Medical Doctors

Early meteorological observations have been found for the period 1788–1813 in a collection of historical documents entitled “Medical and meteorological observation books” (Livros de observações médicas e meteorológicas) that is preserved nowadays in the Municipal Historical Archive of Almada. Almada is a Portuguese city located on the southern bank of the Tagus River, near the mouth of the river, in front of the capital city of Lisbon, which is located on the northern bank. In this work, more than 5000 meteorological readings for the period 1788–1813 have been recovered and analyzed. Daily values have been preserved for the period 1788–1789. However, only monthly values have stood the test of time for the period 1792–1813. The meteorological variables recovered are temperature, pressure, wind direction and the state of the sky. A quality control was carried out to find possible errors, either in the original data or in the digitization process. Unfortunately, there is no information in the metadata about the instruments or the observational methodology. Pressure and temperature data from modern and reanalysis datasets were used as references to study the agreement between these datasets and the Almada dataset. Daily pressure and temperature values from the Almada dataset were used to study, in particular, the meteorological conditions of the winter of 1788/1789 in Almada because this season was one of the coldest in the last 300 years in Central Europe. The complete dataset of early meteorological observations in Almada is freely available to the scientific community.

Produce or Not Produce Certified Foods? An Exploratory Analysis from Portugal

The certification of origin and quality of rural provenance foods paves routes of protection and promotion of the products and the territories. While the importance of certification at socioeconomic, policy, and consumption levels has been addressed in previous research, the views of other key stakeholders—the producers—remain somehow underexplored. The present study contributes to this topic by analyzing data from a survey of producers (n=104) working with urban specialty shops located in three Portuguese cities. The sample was examined considering the differences between those who produce certified food products (n=74) and those who do not (n=30). Chi-square tests were used to compare the socio-demographic features, type of products produced and selling venues. Independent samples T-tests were applied to compare the differences between producers’ motivations, perceived challenges, and impacts of the production. Findings indicate that producers of certified products have distinct motivations, and value different aspects of their productions, namely to contribute to sustainable and healthier production and consumption and to the preservation of local and traditional ways of producing. They also perceive more positive economic impacts on rural places of provenance and tend to value more the Portuguese food products’ image.

Road dust resuspension in a coastal Atlantic intermunicipal urban area with industrial facilities: Emission factors, chemical composition and ecotoxicity

Road dust resuspension in urban environments can be both a means of transport of pollutants across the various environmental compartments and a source of pollutants itself, becoming a potential threat to human health. With the aim of obtaining emission factors and achieving a detailed chemical characterisation of road dust (RD) in typical Portuguese cities, a sampling campaign was performed in the region of Aveiro. Locations were chosen for intercomparison in various urban environments with different land uses, from the busier city centre and university campus to residential neighbourhoods and harbour-commercial areas with industrial activities. PM10 samples were analysed for organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC) by a thermal-optical technique, elemental composition by PIXE, organic speciation by GC–MS, and ecotoxicology by a luminescence inhibition bioassay with Aliivibrio fischeri. A health risk assessment for elements and PAHs was carried out. Dust loadings of 1.9 ± 1.8 mg PM10 m−2 were registered overall, whereas in the most trafficked areas of city centre they reached more than three times the average. OC accounted for 6.5–15.5% of total PM10, but element oxides represented the largest mass fraction (61.4 ± 8.6%). A strong enrichment was detected mostly for typical traffic-related elements such as Cu, Zn, As, Br, Cr, Ni and Mo and interestingly, Rb and Se. The analysed organic compounds accounted for 3.66–11.0 mg g−1 PM10, including PAHs and aliphatics, with a clear dominance of plasticisers. Some other compounds attributed to non-vehicle sources, such as fatty acid alkyl esters, were also detected. As concerns the 16 priority PAHs, their total mass concentration ranged from 5.58 to 36.3 μg g−1 PM10, with clear variability between sampling spots. All samples caused an ecotoxicological reaction in the bioassay, but samples from harbour and commercial areas proved to be most toxic.

City Branding and Intercultural Heritage in Amadora, Portugal

ABSTRACT The Portuguese city of Amadora hosts the first national registry of an immigrant Intangible Cultural Heritage to this day: the Kola San Jon celebration in the self-built neighbourhood of Alto da Cova da Moura. Many other practices, events, manifestations, and arts could be recognised as immigrant cultural heritage in this city, yet only a few are indeed recognised and supported by the municipality. Through the analysis of four ‘vignettes’, I suggest that municipalities shape a soft policy for immigrant integration by harnessing such apolitical, folklore traditions celebrated by the various immigrant groups present in the city as part of its city branding strategy and policy internationalisation. In other words, cultural heritage is exploited to serve purposes other than communal tradition, to promote the city’s profile. To that aim, this article examines local migrant cultural heritage policies in relation to urban development using the concept of ‘intercultural heritage’ as a critique. By intercultural heritage, I mean heritage practices that are adopted by public institutions to rebrand and legitimise their immigration agenda in cities with a very heterogenous demographic.

Assessment of Summer Branch Drop: A Case Study in Four Portuguese Cities

This paper addresses the problem of summer branch drop (SBD) in urban forests, namely through detecting the causes of this unpredictable event, aiming at preventing and increasing the control of this phenomenon, while using the most recent methodologies to detect wood deterioration, namely visual tree assessment (VTA), drilling resistance, and acoustic tomography, in an isolated and associated way. The study considers events in the cities of Arcos de Valdevez in Viana do Castelo district (Site 1), Ponte de Lima in Viana do Castelo district (Site 2), Montemor-o-Novo in Évora district (Site 3), and Paços de Ferreira in Porto district (Site 4), targeting trees of public interest. Given the phytosanitary condition recognized using nondestructive equipment, a set of measures for the preservation of the tree elements and their history are suggested. SBD is mostly related to internal degradation. A VTA diagnosis, applied in isolation, could lead to an incorrect prognosis of the internal degradation. So, it is important to confirm of the presence of biotic agents through equipment (acoustic tomography and drilling resistance). Even with instrumental diagnostics, for reducing the subjectivity of the approach to estimating the SBD, a global analysis is necessary, including dendrometric parameters, predisposing or inciting factors, lower tree defences against internal degradation due to environmental conditions, and biotic agents.