Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2019-02"
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- Geobotanical study of the microforests of Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. badia in the Central and Southern Iberian PeninsulaPublication . Cano, Eusebio; Musarella, Carmelo; Cano-Ortiz, Ana; Piñar Fuentes, José; Rodríguez Torres, Alfonso; Del Río González, Sara; Pinto Gomes, Carlos; Quinto Canas, Ricardo; Spampinato, GiovanniWe have studied Juniperus oxycedrus L. subsp. badia (H.Gay) Debeaux in the central and southern Iberian Peninsula, where the macrobioclimate ranges from Mediterranean-pluviseasonal-oceanic to Mediterranean-pluviseasonal-continental, and the thermotype from the thermo- to the supramediterranean. The releves were taken following the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological methodology. A statistical treatment was applied to establish a separation among Juniperus communities. To understand the presence of Juniperus communities in territories dominated by species in the Quercus genus, we applied Thornthwaite's formula to calculate potential evapotranspiration. The general cluster analysis clearly distinguishes two groups of plant communities and separates the different associations in each group. All the plant communities growing on rocky crests and in extremely steep sloping areas are significantly influenced by the soil. The ombroclimatic index does not explain the presence of plant communities influenced by substrate, so we proposed a new ombroedaphoxeric index which explains the presence of Juniperus communities in territories with a thermotype between the thermo- and supramediterranean. The areas of distribution of Juniperus species are expanding due to the spread of rocky areas; this phenomenon causes an increase in edaphoxerophilous areas and a decrease in climatophilous ones. We propose four new plant associations, with updated structures and floristic compositions. Efficient conservation is possible in both the territories studied (Spain and Portugal) through the implementation of specific cross-border cooperation projects.
- Sea knotgrass (Polygonum maritimum L.) as a potential source of innovative industrial products for skincare applicationsPublication . Rodrigues, Maria Joao; Matkowski, Adam; Slusarczyk, Sylwester; Magne, Christian; Poleze, Thatyana; Pereira, Catarina Guerreiro; L, CustódioSeveral Polygonum species and related genera display diverse skincare properties and were considered as active cosmetic ingredients. Thus, this work explored the halophyte sea knotgrass (Polygonum maritimum L.) as source of phenolics and flavonoids-enriched extracts with skincare properties, for the cosmetic industry. To improve the content in these compounds, different extraction solvents and methodologies were used, and the resulting extracts were tested for total contents of phenolics (TPC) and flavonoids (TFC). The acetone extract made on an ultrasound bath for 30 min had the highest TPC (275 mg of gallic acid equivalents [GAE]/g of dry weight [DW]), TFC (48.0 mg of rutin equivalents [RE]/g DW), and yield (20.3%). This extract was selected and evaluated for its in vitro antioxidant (total antioxidant, superoxide radical-scavenging and lipid peroxidation), anti-inflammatory (nitric oxide [NO] reduction on lipopolysaccharide [LPS]-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages), anti-wrinkles (elastase), anti-acne (lipase), antimicrobial (Escherichia colt Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida cdbicctris), anti-melanogenic (anti-tyrosinase and reduction of melanin production on B16 4A5 melanoma cells). The extract was also appraised for toxicity, and its chemical profile was determined by ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHRMS). The acetone extract showed a high O-2(-center dot) scavenging (half maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 40.4 mu g/mL), total antioxidant capacity (TAC
- Social life cycle analysis as a tool for sustainable management of illegal waste dumping in municipal servicesPublication . Santos, Ana Carina; Mendes, Paula; Ribau Teixeira, MargaridaSome wastes are illegally dumped on public/private areas, causing several aesthetic, environmental,economic and social negative impacts and representing a public hazard. These sites need to be treatedand managed and this task is often a responsibility of municipalities, representing high costs. However,there is a lack of strategies for the municipal management of these degraded areas that minimize costs,restore the ecological value of the area and eliminate the public hazard. This work proposes a conceptualmodel for the management of illegal dumping degraded areas by municipal services, based on a sociallife cycle assessment (SLCA). The model proposed is an open-participatory management tool whichsupplies the information needed for the waste management strategy for illegal waste deposit sites.Methods to evaluate and apply SLCA in this context are scarce. Therefore, SLCA is presented as a tool thatcan be applied to organisations in strategic analysis and structuring complex decision-making processesin order to identify optimisation potentials. It combines an environmental and a socio-economicassessment, contributing to the full assessment of products and services within the context of sustain-able development. The framework intends to promote the improvement of social conditions and thesocio-economic performance of a product throughout its life cycle for all the stakeholders involvedwithin the context of sustainable development. Illegal deposits sites of Construction and DemolitionWastes (CDW) in municipalities are used as a case study for model implementation. The outputs of thismodel are: i) understanding the real situation of the illegally deposited wastes; ii) management practicescomparing and integrating environmental, social, and economic objectives; iii) open-participatorymanagement; iv) orientations to strategy definition; v) use of the life-cycle product principle contrib-uting to a circular economy; and vi) assisting with municipalities performance.
- Farmed fish as a functional food: Perception of fish fortification and the influence of origin - Insights from PortugalPublication . Ribeiro, Ana Ramalho; Altintzoglou, Themistoklis; Mendes, Júlio; Nunes, Maria Leonor; Dinis, Maria Teresa; Dias, JorgeBeing a rich source of important nutrients, including highly digestible proteins, vitamins (A, D3), trace minerals (iodine, selenium) and n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA), fish consumption is generally regarded as part of a healthy dietary pattern. Exogenous feeding in aquaculture unlocks the possibility to tailor fish composition with healthy valuable nutrients. However, the use of supplements in the fish feed during fish production may undermine consumers' perception opinion of these fortified products. The effectiveness success of a functional food is a combination of its efficacy and meeting consumers' expectations. A self-administered questionnaire was designed to assess consumers' preferences regarding fish consumption, and their perception of farmed seabream as a functional food. A high consumption rate of fish, (between daily, and a minimum of three times a week), was reported by 47% of the respondents. Freshness, flavour, quality and price were the four most valued attributes. Good acceptance of the fish fortification concept was observed (53%), as well as positive receptiveness to its consumption (50%). Anti-oxidants and omega-3 fatty acids were the most accepted compounds for fish fortification. Additionally, two consumer groups were established based on their high (HIG) or low (LIG) interest in fish origin (wild vs aquaculture). The LIG was more receptive to all aspects of fish fortification and showed willingness to buy and consume it. This suggests that fortified fish could be targeted to the LIG profile group, which represents 42% of the studied population. With appropriate communication, farmed fish may be a good candidate for functional food.
- Harmful phytoplankton diversity and dynamics in an upwelling region (Sagres, SW Portugal) revealed by ribosomal RNA microarray combined with microscopyPublication . Danchenko, Sergei; Fragoso, Bruno; Guillebault, Delphine; Icely, John; Berzano, Marco; Newton, AliceThe study region in Sagres, SW Portugal, is subject to natural eutrophication of coastal waters by wind-driven upwelling, which stimulates high primary productivity facilitating the recent economic expansion of bivalve aquaculture in the region. However, this economic activity is threatened by harmful algal blooms (HAB) caused by the diatoms Pseudo-nitzschia spp., Dinophysis spp. and other HAB dinoflagellates, all of which can produce toxins, that can induce Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP), Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) and Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). This study couples traditional microscopy with 18S/28S rRNA microarray to improve the detection of HAB species and investigates the relation between HAB and the specific oceanographic conditions in the region. Good agreement was obtained between microscopy and microarray data for diatoms of genus Pseudo-nitzschia and dinoflagellates Dinophysis spp., Gymnodinium catenation and raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo, with less effective results for Prorocentrum. Microarray provided detection of flagellates Prymnesium spp., Pseudochattonella spp., Chloromorum toxicum and the important HAB dinoflagellates of the genera Alexandrum and Azadinium, with the latter being one of the first records from the study region. Seasonality and upwelling induced by northerly winds were found to be the driving forces of HAB development, with Pseudonitzschia spp. causing the risk of ASP during spring and summer upwelling season, and dinoflagellates causing the risk of DSP and PSP during upwelling relaxation, mainly in summer and autumn. The findings were in agreement with the results from toxicity monitoring of shellfish by the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere and confirm the suitability of the RNA microarray method for HABs detection and aquaculture management applications.
- Canopy microclimate modification in central and marginal populations of a marine macroalgaPublication . Monteiro, Cátia; Zardi, Gerardo I.; McQuaid, Christopher D.; Serrao, Ester; Pearson, Gareth; Nicastro, KatyThe effects of environmental changes on species distribution are generally studied at large geographical scales. However, aggregations of individuals can significantly moderate the impact of the environment at smaller, organismal scales. We focused on the intertidal macroalga Fucus guiryi and carried out field and laboratory common garden experiments to evaluate how the different individual morphologies and canopy densities typical of central and peripheral populations modify microhabitat conditions and associated levels of stress. We show that F. guiryi canopies significantly alter environmental conditions (i.e., temperature, humidity and light regimes) and mitigate the levels of stress experienced by individuals within the group. Southern algae are more branched and form denser canopies but, unexpectedly, despite these considerable differences, the mitigating effects of northern and southern canopies did not differ significantly. Microhabitat conditions beneath canopies were more stressful at marginal locations, indicating that southern populations are not more effective than northern algae at mitigating the harsher climate at the edge of the species distribution. Our findings highlight the importance of assessing structural changes in aggregating species across their distribution and relating these to local climates to understand the impact of environmental changes at scales relevant to individual organisms.
- Algarve hotel price determinants: a hedonic pricing modelPublication . Soler, Ismael P.; Gemar, German; Correia, Marisol B.; Serra, FranciscoThis study sought to assess customers' willingness to pay for a wide variety of characteristics and attributes of hotels in Portugal's Algarve region. After collecting nearly all the information available on TripAdvisor for hotels in this region, a hedonic pricing model was developed using a database of 9992 cases. The results suggest that - after standardisation - the most important variable shaping Algarve hotel room rates is the previous day's prices. When associated with a family-friendly hotel, star category and services have a greater value than beaches or golf courses do. Customers also appreciate some types of hotels, such as boutique, quaint or trendy hotels, but view others negatively, such as family-friendly or business hotels. Only the specific location of Falesia Beach adds value, although the Algarve is a desirable destination overall. Both destination and hotel managers can use the proposed method to analyse data for their region on customers' propensity to pay.
- Effects of dietary lipid sources on hepatic nutritive contents, fatty acid composition and proteome of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)Publication . Boonanuntanasarn, Surintorn; Nakharuthai, Chatsirin; Schrama, Denise; Duangkaew, Rungsun; Rodrigues, Pedro M.Dietary oils of varying fatty acid composition have been used in tilapia feeds; nevertheless, investigation of their effects on metabolism and physiological processes has been limited. Therefore, in this study, using proteomic technology, the effects of different dietary lipids (DLs) on hepatic lipid metabolism and physiological processes were investigaed in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Fish were fed with different DL, which included palm oil (PO), linseed oil (LO) and soybean oil (SBO) for 90 days. Growth performance appeared to be similar among the dietary group. Hepatic FA contents were reflected by DL. Dietary PO (source of saturated fatty acids; SFA) led to an increase in the hepatosomatic index as well as lipid and protein contents in liver. Dietary SBO (source of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids; n-6 PUFAs) increased hepatic carbohydrate contents, but decreased the hepatic protein. The proteomic analysis showed that these nutritive changes in the liver were mediated by several proteins involved in lipid, carbohydrate, and amino acid metabolism. Dietary SBO showed an increased accumulation in proteins related to oxidative stress, immune and inflammatory processes. Dietary LO (source of n-3 PUFAs) increased abundance of cytoskeleton-related proteins. qRT-PCR was performed to provide supportive information for the result of proteomic study. Similar effects of DLs on mRNA levels were observed for atp5b, krt18, and selenbp1. Combined together, dietary SFA could supply as energy reservoir for regular activites. Dietary n-3 and n-6 PUFAs led to induce vital metabolic and physiologic processes which would contribute to maintaining normal health and/or providing health-related benefits. Significance: Dietary SBO increased hepatic carbohydrate contents, but decreased the hepatic protein. Different dietary lipid led to alter the abundance of several proteins (i.e., DHRS1, ATP5B, PLA2G12B, APO, AMY2A, GRP78, PRSS1, FAH, and PRSS36) involved in lipid, carbohydrate, and amino acid metabolism. Dietary SBO showed an increased accumulation in proteins (i.e., QDPR, CABC1, and PRDX6) that respond to oxidative stress, suggesting that n-6 PUFAs induce oxidative conditions. Dietary SBO led to increase the accumulation of proteins (i.e., NITR26, NCCRP1, and LCN) involved in immune and inflammatory processes. Dietary LO increased the abundant levels of cytoskeleton-related proteins (i.e., ACTB, AHNAK, ERC2, KRT18, and RILP1). Other proteins (i.e., SELENBP1, FAM46C, and ANC1) involved in other physiological processes were also modulated by DL. qRT-PCR was performed to provide supportive information of proteomic study. Similar effects of DLs on mRNA levels were observed for atp5b, krt18, and selenbp1.
- Digital learning: developing skills for digital transformation of organizationsPublication . Sousa, Maria José; Rocha, AlvaroThe primary goal of this paper is to contribute to the discussion of an effective digital transformation of organizations based on the latest trends of skills. It also intends to analyze the perceptions of individuals regarding the challenges faced by organizations and opportunities for new disruptive business. A literature review about the digital learning contexts and the identification of skills needed for organizations digital transformation was made. Moreover, it was also launched an online survey to identify the importance of skills for an effective digital transformation. As primary results, the main skills identified were artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, robotization, internet of things, augmented reality, digitalization; and the main digital learning contexts were mobile technologies, tablets, and smartphone applications — which are becoming more and more popular among the employees. This study will help organizations to rethink their strategies according to skills development to respond to the challenges of digital transformation.
- Exploring the halophyte Cistanche phelypaea (L.) Cout as a source of health promoting products: In vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties, metabolomic profile and computational studiesPublication . Trampetti, Francesca; Pereira, Catarina; Rodrigues, Maria Joao; Celaj, Odeta; D'Abrosca, Brigida; Zengin, Gokhan; Mollica, Adriano; Stefanucci, Azzurra; Custódio, LuísaIn this study, ethyl acetate, acetone, ethanol and water extracts from flowers, stems and roots of Cistanche phelypaea (L.) Cout were appraised for radical scavenging activity (RSA) towards 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and superoxide free radicals, and for metal chelating activities on iron and copper ions. The water extracts had the highest antioxidant activity, especially those from roots and flowers, and were further appraised for in vitro inhibition of enzymes implicated on the onset of human ailments, namely acetyl- (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) for Alzheimer's disease, alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase for diabetes, and tyrosinase for skin hyper-pigmentation disorders. The extracts had a higher activity towards BuChE, and the roots extract had the highest capacity to inhibit tyrosinase. Samples showed a low capacity to inhibit carbohydrate hydrolysing enzymes, except for the root extract with a good inhibition on glucosidase. Samples were then characterized by NMR (1D and 2D): the main metabolites identified in the flowers extract were iridoid glycosides, in particular gluroside and bartsioside. In stems, phenylehanoid glycosides (PhGs) and iri doids were detected, especially acteoside. In roots were detected essentially PhGs, mainly echinacoside and tubuloside A. Docking studies were performed on the identified compounds. A favorable binding energy of tubuloside A to tyrosinase was calculated, and indicated this compound as a possible competitive inhibitor of alpha-glucosidase and tyrosinase. Our results suggest that C. phelypeae is a promising source of biologically-active compounds with health promoting properties for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.