Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2017-01"
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- Data de colheita e qualidade do fruto, em citrinosPublication . Duarte, AmilcarOs citrinos são frutos que amadurecem na árvore. Esse processo de maturação é gradual e consiste na mudança de cor do fruto de verde para alaranjado e numa alteração do conteúdo da polpa em que o teor de ácidos vai diminuindo e o teor de açúcares vai aumentando. Com esta evolução, o fruto torna-se mais agradável à vista e ao paladar. Toda a gente conhece essa evolução, mas muitas vezes surgem dúvidas sobre qual o ponto do processo em que devemos colher a fruta, isto é, qual deve ser a data de colheita dos frutos.
- A method for sub-sample computation of time displacements between discrete signals based only on discrete correlation sequencesPublication . Teixeira, Cesar A.; Mendes, Luis; Graca Ruano, Maria; Pereira, Wagner C. A.In this paper, we propose a new method for sub-sample computation of time displacements between two sampled signals. The new algorithm is based on sampled auto- and cross-correlation sequences and takes into account only the sampled signals without the need for the customary interpolation and fitting procedures. The proposed method was evaluated and compared with other methods, in simulated and real signals. Four other methods were used for comparison: two based on cross-correlation plus fitting, one method based on spline fitting over the input signals, and another based on phase demodulation. With simulated signals, the proposed approach presented similar or better performance, concerning bias and variance, in almost all the tested conditions. The exception was signals with very low SNRs (<10 dB), for which the methods based on phase demodulation and spline fitting presented lower variances. Considering only the two methods based on cross-correlation, our approach presented improved results with signals with high and moderate noise levels. The proposed approach and other three out of the four methods used for comparison are robust in real data. The exception is the phase demodulation method, which may fail when applied to signals collected from real-world scenarios because it is very sensitive to phase changes caused by other oscillations not related to the main echoes. This paper introduced a new class of methods, demonstrating that it is possible to estimate sub-sample delay, based on discrete cross-correlations sequences without the need for interpolation or fitting over the original sampled signals. The proposed approach was robust when applied to real-world signals and presented a moderated computational complexity when compared to the other tested algorithms. Although the new method was tested using ultrasound signals, it can be applied to any time-series with observable events. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Phenolic profile, antioxidant activity and enzyme inhibitory activities of extracts from aromatic plants used in Mediterranean dietPublication . Goncalves, Sandra; Moreira, Elsa; Grosso, C.; Andrade, Paula B.; Valentao, Patricia; Romano, AnabelaThe antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties of methanolic extracts from four aromatic plants used in traditional medicine and food [Calamintha nepeta (L.) Savi subsp. nepeta, Helichrysum italicum subsp. picardii Franco, Mentha spicata L. and Origanum vulgare subsp. virens (Hoffmanns. & Link) Bonnier & Layens] were evaluated. The extract from O. vulgare exhibited the strongest DPPH (IC50 of 4.65 +/- 0.12 mu g/ml) and ABTS (1479.56 +/- 12.29 mu mol(TE)/g(extract)) scavenging capacities, as well as the largest ferric reducing ability (1746.76 +/- 45.11 mu mol(AAE)/g(extract)). This extract also showed the highest total phenolic content (1597.20 +/- 24.10 mu mol(GAE)/g(extract)) and although HPLC-DAD analysis revealed rosmarinic acid as the main compound of the extract, other compounds seem to be involved in the antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the extract from H. italicum, which was found to be rich in caffeoylquinic and dicaffeoylquinic acids and in pinocembrin, showed the highest inhibitory potential against acetylcholinesterase, tyrosinase and alpha-glucosidase. Overall, the results obtained validate the usefulness of the studied plants as valuable sources of natural agents beneficial for human health.
- Building bridges for innovation in ageing: synergies between action groups of the EIP on AHAPublication . Bousquet, J.; Bewick, M.; Cano, A.; Eklund, P.; Fico, G.; Goswami, N.; Guldemond, N. A.; Henderson, D.; Hinkema, M. J.; Liotta, G.; Mair, A.; Van Ganse, E.; Nadif, R.; Vera-Munoz, C.; Nalin, M.; Navarro-Pardo, E.; Malva, J.; Nekam, K.; Ninot, G.; Bousquet, P. J.; Kuna, P.; Magnan, A.; Paccard, D.; Pais, Sandra; Palummeri, E.; Panzner, P.; Van Hage, M.; Avignon, A.; Papadopoulos, N. K.; Schmid-Grendelmeier, P.; Papanikolaou, C.; Visser, F.; D'Angelantonio, M.; Pavlickova, A.; Passalacqua, G.; Pastorino, M.; Pastor, E.; Perrot, M.; Plavec, D.; Popov, T. A.; Postma, D. S.; Van den Berge, M.; Schulz, H.; De Carlo, G.; Price, D.; Farrell, J.; Bachert, C.; Raffort, N.; Reuzeau, J. C.; Robalo-Cordeiro, C.; Robine, J. M.; Ventura, M. T.; Schunemann, H. J.; Serrano, E.; Cholley, D.; Fiocchi, A.; Macnee, W.; Correia-Da-Sousa, J.; Sheikh, A.; Bel, E.; Shields, M.; Siafakas, N.; Scichilone, N.; Siciliano, P.; Skrindo, I.; Chorin, F.; Ranberg, K. Andersen; Vergara, I.; Wagner, A.; Dedeu, T.; Smit, H. A.; Sruk, V.; Sourdet, S.; Sousa-Costa, E.; Spranger, O.; Benson, M.; Gouder, C.; Sooronbaev, T.; Carriazo, A. M.; Vezzani, G.; Vidal, D.; Ferrando, M.; Fletcher, M.; Koppelman, G. H.; Blasi, F.; Siciliano, P.; Viegi, G.; Combe, B.; Wagemann, M.; Whalley, B.; Wickman, M.; Wilson, N.; Yiallouros, P. K.; Ferri, M.; Zagar, M.; Fonseca, J.; Zaidi, A.; Crooks, G.; Compas, B.; Kotska, T.; Teixeira, A. M.; Zidarn, M.; Molloy, W.; Hoogerwerf, E. J.; Usero, J.; Bernard, P. L.; Zuffada, R.; Senn, A.; Marcucci, M.; Camuzat, T.; De Oliveira-Alves, B.; Gutter, Z.; Iaccarino, G.; Manuel De Keenoy, E.; Tsartara, S. I.; Kovac, M.; Moda, G.; Fokkens, W. J.; Rodriguez-Manas, L.; Barbara, C.; Baroni, I.; Vontetsianos, T.; Fougere, B.; Abreu, C.; Alonso, J.; Alonso-Bouzon, C.; Ankri, J.; Arredondo, M. T.; Valiulis, A.; Garcia-Lizana, F.; Avolio, F.; Bergmann, K. C.; Kull, I.; Bedbrook, A.; Bialoszewski, A. Z.; Gamkrelidze, A.; Blain, H.; Vasankari, T.; Guerin, O.; Hellings, P. W.; Rodenas, F.; Valero, A. L.; Costa, D. J.; Haahtela, T.; Kvedariene, V.; Illario, M.; Inzerilli, M. C.; Carlsen, K. C. Lodrup; Kardas, P.; Keil, T.; Bonini, S.; Vellas, B.; Robusto, F.; Costa, E.; Maggio, M.; Murray, R.; Mendez-Zorrilla, A.; Menditto, E.; Mercier, J.; Lepore, V.; Michel, J. P.; Branchini, B.; Vollenbroek-Hutten, M.; Wickman, M.; Coste, O.; Roche, N.; Sterk, P. J.; Roller-Wirnsberger, R. E.; Garces, G.; Yorgancioglu, A.; Zuberbier, T.; Barbagallo, M.; Canonica, G. W.; Klimek, L.; Maggi, S.; Coupet, A. -L.; Aberer, W.; Romano, A.; Akdis, C.; Brightling, C. E.; Todo-Bom, A.; Garcia-Aymeric, J.; Adcock, I. M.; Apostolo, J.; Agache, I.; Albera, C.; Majer, I.; Alonso-Trujillo, F.; Angel Guarcia, M.; Vandenplas, O.; Annesi-Maesano, I.; Bruguiere, V.; Bunu, C.; Bush, A.; Garcia-Zapirain, B.; Touchon, J.; Monaco, A.; Nizinska, A.; Caimmi, D. P.; Maggio, M.; Calderon, M. A.; Romano, V.; Canovas, G.; Cardona, V.; Carlsen, K. H.; Cesario, A.; Chkhartishvili, E.; Gemicioglu, B.; Crepaldi, G.; Chiron, R.; Tramontano, D.; Chivato, T.; Chung, K. F.; Rosado-Pinto, J.; Monsonis-Paya, I.; Hellquist-Dahl, B.; Custovic, A.; Dahl, R.; Bourret, R.; Samolinski, B.; Dahlen, S. E.; Triggiani, M.; Demoly, P.; Devillier, P.; Didier, A.; Dinh-Xuan, A. T.; Djukanovic, R.; Manning, P.; Hermosilla-Gimeno, I.; Cabrera-Umpierrez, M. F.; Dokic, D.; Emuzyte, R.; Papadopoulos, H.; Du Toit, G.; Dubakiene, R.; Tsartara, S. I.; Dupeyron, A.; Marti, T.; Heve, D.; Holland, C.; Catala, A.; Nogues, M.; Bescos, C.; Roubille, F.; Humbert, M.; Pecorelli, S.; Hyland, M.; Johnston, S. L.; Just, J.; Jutel, M.; Kaidashev, I. P.; O'Caoimh, R.; Khaitov, M.; Masoli, M.; O'Byrne-Maguire, I.; Ruiz, F.; Kalayci, O.; Kowalski, M.; Kalyoncu, A. F.; Keijser, W.; Kerstjens, H.; Prados-Torres, A.; Vandenplas, O.; Knezovic, J.; Melen, E.; Miculinic, N.; Mihaltan, F.; Ryan, D.; Pappa, D.; Arshad, S. H.; Somekh, D.; Valovirta, E.; Milenkovic, B.; Cesari, M.; Millot-Keurinck, J.; Mlinaric, H.; Momas, I.; Montefort, S.; Morais-Almeida, M.; Salcedo, T.; Moreno-Casbas, T.; Parent, A. S.; Moesges, R.; Mullol, J.; Chavannes, N. H.; Attalin, V.The Strategic Implementation Plan of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) proposed six Action Groups. After almost three years of activity, many achievements have been obtained through commitments or collaborative work of the Action Groups. However, they have often worked in silos and, consequently, synergies between Action Groups have been proposed to strengthen the triple win of the EIP on AHA. The paper presents the methodology and current status of the Task Force on EIP on AHA synergies. Synergies are in line with the Action Groups' new Renovated Action Plan (2016-2018) to ensure that their future objectives are coherent and fully connected. The outcomes and impact of synergies are using the Monitoring and Assessment Framework for the EIP on AHA (MAFEIP). Eight proposals for synergies have been approved by the Task Force: Five cross-cutting synergies which can be used for all current and future synergies as they consider overarching domains (appropriate polypharmacy, citizen empowerment, teaching and coaching on AHA, deployment of synergies to EU regions, Responsible Research and Innovation), and three cross-cutting synergies focussing on current Action Group activities (falls, frailty, integrated care and chronic respiratory diseases).
- A full dimensional potential for H2O2 (X(1)A) covering all dissociation channelsPublication . Coelho, Daniela V.; Brandão, J.This work presents a new full dimensional potential energy surface for the ground singlet state of hydrogen peroxide, H2O2. This potential is based on a 3 x 3 matrix to accurately reproduce all the different dissociation channels in accordance with the Wigner-Witmer rules, namely, O(D-1) + H2O(X(1)A(1)), OH(X-2 Pi) + OH(X-2 Pi), O-2(a(1)Delta(g)) + H-2(X-1 Sigma(+)(g)) e H(S-2) + HO2(X(2)A ''). It has been obtained by fitting more than 38 thousand ab initio energies computed using the aug-cc-pVTZ and aug-cc-pVQZ basis sets and extrapolated to the basis set limit. The functional form used to represent the four-body short-range interactions is based on a sum of polynomial functions of the fourth degree multiplied by a range factor, both built with intrinsic permutation symmetry and centred at specific reference geometries, to which the ab initio points computed are assigned based on a k-means algorithm. It also accounts for the electrostatic dipole-dipole interaction between two OH((2)Pi) fragments.
- Antibacterial activity of propolis extracts from the south of PortugalPublication . Oliveira, Ana; Ferreira, Ana Luisa; Nunes, Susana; Dandlen, Susana; Miguel, Maria; Faleiro, Maria LeonorTo examine the antibacterial activity of diverse extracts of propolis harvested at winter and spring from several locations of Algarve, Portugal, against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria was the main goal of the present work. For such, the antibacterial activity was determined by agar diffusion. The results showed that all tested bacterial strains showed susceptibility to diluted propolis extracts and in a dose-dependent manner. Two propolis samples collected at springtime showed higher antibacterial activity, in comparison with samples harvested at wintertime. Ethanolic and methanolic extracts have a very similar activity (P<0.05). Helicobacter pylori strains J99 and 26695 were the most susceptible strains to the tested extracts (33.67 +/- 2.52 mm and 35.67 +/- 0.58mm, respectively). This study constitutes the first approach of the biological activities of Portuguese propolis from the Algarve region and evidences its potential use to combat bacterial infections, in particular against the gastric pathogen H. pylori.
- Is metal contamination responsible for increasing aneuploidy levels in the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum?Publication . Piló, David; Carvalho, S.; Pereira, P.; Gaspar, Miguel; Leitao, A.The present study assessed the metal genotoxicity potential at chromosome-level in the bivalve Ruditapes philippinarum collected along different areas of the Tagus estuary. Higher levels of aneuploidy on gill cells were detected at the most sediment contaminated area both in May (31.7%) and October (36.0%) when compared to a less contaminated area over the same periods (203% and 29.0% respectively). Interestingly, metal bioaccumulation in gills was higher in the specimens collected at the least contaminated area with the exception of Pb. Indeed, the multivariate analysis revealed a stronger relation between aneuploidy and sediment contamination than between aneuploidy and the bioaccumulation of the metals. The temporal and spatial inconsistency found for the bioaccumulation of metals in It philippinarum and the positive correlation between sediment contamination and aneuploidy at the most contaminated area suggest that these chromosome-level effects might be due to chronic metal contamination occurring in the Tagus estuary, rather than a direct result of the temporal variation of bioavailable contaminants. The vertical transmission phenomenon of bivalve aneuploidy levels may then be perpetuating those levels on clams from the most contaminated area. The present results shed light about the effect of metal toxicity at the chromosome-level in species inhabiting chronic contaminated areas and highlight the use of aneuploidy as an effective tool to identify persistent contamination in worldwide transitional waters. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
- Simplified model of finned-tube heat exchangers based on the effectiveness method and calibrated with manufacturer and experimental dataPublication . Ruivo, Celestino; Dominguez-Munoz, Fernando; Costa, Jose J.A simplified model for predicting the overall thermal performance of finned-tube heat exchangers considering water and air as hot and cold fluids, respectively, is investigated. The model is based on the classical epsilon-NTU method and the thermal convective resistance in each fluid is estimated after conventional type (Nusselt number) empirical correlations. The model is calibrated with catalogue data of a heating coil. Calibrations of six families of model versions are performed by using different numbers of operating cases ranging from 2 to 320, some of them taking into account the influence of varying properties. The calibrated versions are tested for operating cases listed in the catalogue and the best performing versions are identified, such as the one calibrated with 24 cases and taking into account the effect of the fluid properties, which provided better accuracy than the versions calibrated in previous works. A test of the method robustness is conducted regarding the influence of the initial guessed values of the thermal resistances on the calibration procedure. The validity of the component model is further investigated by using a set of published experimental data for an automotive radiator covering ranges of practical interest of the mass flow rates of both air and water streams, and some versions providing excellent results are identified. The model based on a suitable version previously calibrated and tested is a promising procedure for the modular component simulation of finned-tube heat exchangers, when used as air conditioning heating coils or in other particular applications. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Rapid climatic events and long term cultural change: the case of the Portuguese Upper PaleolithicPublication . Bicho, Nuno Gonçalo Viana Pereira Ferreira; Cascalheira, João; Marreiros, Joao; Pereira, TelmoIn Western Europe, the Upper Paleolithic is marked by clear regional and diachronic technological differences. Some of these are most likely related with human adaptations to the Late Pleistocene environmental shifts. In this paper we focus on the rapid climatic change events and their influence on the Iberian regional ecology and vegetation cover. Based on those changes and their impact on the main Upper Paleolithic cultural phases in central and southern Portugal, we propose an explanatory model, to be tested in the future, where rapid climatic events, such as the D-O and Heinrich Events, have direct impact on the ecology and vegetation cover and this, in turn, cause changes in human adaptations in terms of mobility, settlement patterns, land use and technology. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.
- Novel titanate nanotubes-cyanocobalamin materials: Synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic properties for pollutants removalPublication . Silva, T. A.; Diniz, J.; Paixio, L.; Vieira, Bernardete; Barrocas, B.; Nunes, C. D.; Monteiro, O. C.New hybrid nanomaterials, with improved photocatalytic performance in pollutants removal, were obtained through the modification of titanate nanotubes (TNT) with a cobalt porphyrin, the cyanocobalamin, also knowing as vitamin B12 (812). The nanocrystalline TNT were produced by hydrothermal treatment and after treated with cobalamin to produce B12-TNT materials. The characterization of the new hybrid material was performed by XRD, FTIR, TEM-EDS, DRS, XPS and ICP. The results show that the immobilization of the cobalt containing specie is dependent on the point of zero charge of the TNT and no modifications on the structure and morphology were observed. No significant changes in the optical band gap were observed after B12 incorporation, but an increasing in the visible light absorption, which arises from charge transfer and d-d transitions of the cobalt, was visualized. The samples photocatalytic performance was studied for the hydroxyl radical production and the highest catalytic ability was achieved by the B12-HTNT sample. The catalytic ability of these new hybrid nanomaterials for two model pollutants photodegradation, phenol and rhodamine B (RhB) was investigated. For both pollutants, the best results were achieved using B12-HTNT with a removal of 94% of a 10 ppm RhB and 87% of a 20 ppm phenol solution in 90 min of irradiation (150 mL, 0.2 g catalyst/L). (C) 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.