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Environmental health is increasingly compromised by persistent toxic substances, which may have serious implications in food safety and, thus, in human health. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are anthropogenic contaminants with endocrine disruption abilities and are commonly found in seafood, the main route of human exposure. Growing evidence points out that the human gut microbiota interacts with xenobiotics, which may lead to impairment of host homeostasis if functions of microbiota become compromised. The aim of this study was to ascertain if the physiological balance of human gut microbiome is affected by the presence and degree of exposure to PBDEs. Fermentation was performed in a batch closed-system using an inoculum made from fresh human stool. The volatolomic profile was analysed by solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Mesophilic, Gram-negative bacteria and coliforms were quantified by classic plating methods. Changes in the gut microbiome were evaluated after DNA extraction followed by deep sequencing of the 16S rDNA region. The exposure to PBDEs resulted in an imbalance in sulfur, short-chain fatty acids and aromatic organic compounds, changing the microbial volatolome in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Slight deviations in the microbial structure of human gut occurred in the presence of PBDEs, especially for high doses of exposure. For the first time, the impact of PBDEs on the microbial homeostasis of human gut microbiota was taken into consideration, revealing noteworthy modifications with serious health implications even at oral exposure doses considered as safe by worldwide regulatory entities. The research leading to these results received financial support from FEDER (Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização - COMPETE 2020), from PIDDAC through FCT/MCTES project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028708 and from UID/QUI/50006/2019 with funding from FCT/MCTES. Rebeca Cruz thanks to FCT for the PhD grant SFRH/BD/101945/2014. António Marques thanks to FCT IF program. Miguel Faria acknowledges FCT the researcher contract. Sara C. Cunha also acknowledges FCT for the IF/01616/2015 contract.

Tese de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Biomédica e Biofísica (Engenharia Clínica e Instrumentação Médica), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2020 Submitted by Cristina Manessiez (camanessiez@fc.ul.pt) on 2021-06-07T17:35:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ulfc126406_tm_Luis_Venancio.pdf: 11010379 bytes, checksum: 57a80763041adf6c1f0efb7b0d6c7a2f (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-07T17:35:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ulfc126406_tm_Luis_Venancio.pdf: 11010379 bytes, checksum: 57a80763041adf6c1f0efb7b0d6c7a2f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2020

Limited information exists on the bioaccessibility and intestinal uptake of essential minerals from different types of beans cooked through different cooking methods. This study aimed to estimate the in vitro bioaccessibility and intestinal uptake of the essential minerals K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and Mo from four different types of beans (kidney, black, white and cowpea) cooked under different conditions (home-cooked and industrially processed canned product). Results showed that the bioaccessibility and uptake of most essential minerals is higher in canned beans. Mn was the mineral that presented the highest bioaccessibility (43–63%), and Mo had the lowest (3–36%). The highest uptake was observed for Mg (59.9%), while the lowest was found for Fe (10.5%). Regarding the type of beans, white beans presented the highest bioaccessibility and uptake for all the analyzed essential minerals and thus its consumption is preferable from a nutritional point of view., Edgar Pinto and César Oliveira acknowledge Instituto de Ciências e Tecnologias Agrárias e Agro-Alimentares da Universidade do Porto (ICETA) for their contracts NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-0001 and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000011, respectively. This work received financial support from the European Union (POCI/01/0145/FEDER/007265), from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through COMPETE – Operational Competitiveness Programme and from national funds provided by FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UID/QUI/50006/2013.

Meat and fish are muscle foods rich in valuable nutrients, such as high-quality proteins, vitamins, and minerals, and, in the case of fish, also unsaturated fatty acids. The escalation of meat and fish production has increased the occurrence of pesticide and antibiotic residues, as result of pest control on feed crops, and antibiotics used to fight infections in animals. Meat and fish are usually cooked to enrich taste, soften texture, increase safety, and improve nutrient digestibility. However, the impact of cooking on nutritional properties and formation of deleterious compounds must be understood. This review summarizes studies, published in the last decade, that have focused on how domestic cooking affects: (i) composition of nutrients (protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals); (ii) antibiotic and pesticide residue contents; and (iii) the formation of cooking-induced contaminants (heterocyclic aromatic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and thermal degradation products of antibiotics and pesticides). Cooking affects the nutritional composition of meat and fish; frying is the cooking method that causes the greatest impact. Cooking may reduce the pesticide and antibiotic residues present in contaminated raw meat and fish; however, it may result in the formation of degradation products of unknown identity and toxicity. Control of cooking time and temperature, use of antioxidant-rich marinades, and avoiding the dripping of fat during charcoal grilling can reduce the formation of cooking-induced contaminants.

The integration of foodomics data to explain the impact of diet on health requires a precise knowledge of nutrients composition of complex meals. This work assesses the adequacy of two food composition databases (FCDBs) for calculation of nutritional composition of whole meals, compared to the golden standard lab chemical analyses and search for predictive models to overcome some limitations of FCDBs. Six meals were designed by integrating healthy foods in a meal based on the Western diet pattern. The nutritional composition of each meal was i) chemically determined; ii) retrieved from the Portuguese food composition table (TCAP) and from iii) United States Department of Agriculture database (USDA). Compared to chemical analyses, both FCDBs significantly (p < 0.05) overestimate the amount of Na and vitamin B6; TCAP also overestimate the amount of Ca (p < 0.05), while USDA overestimate energy, fat, available carbohydrates, P, and Fe. Linear regression analyses were used to adjust nutrient values based on TCAP and USDA. Predictive models from both FCDBs were successfully obtained for reliable estimation of protein, PUFA, available carbohydrates, total carbohydrates, sugars, Zn, ß-carotene, vitamin E, riboflavin, and niacin in meals with a given uncertainty, which is provided by the respective correction factors. Those predictive models are limited to the range of theoretical values of meals studied. (c) 2021 Elsevier Inc.

“Plants of the Gods” is a term referring to the religious meaning members of many primitive cultures worldwide attribute to plants containing hallucinogenic or mind-altering substances. The plants are customarily considered sacred and consumed in religious rituals in an attempt to reach and communicate with gods or revered ancestors. They are frequently used in healing rites. Occasionally, they are used for purely recreational purposes, this being their main use in the modern societies of both industrialized and underdeveloped nations. However, it must be noted that the hallucinogenic or psychedelic experiences, recreational, are not always euphoric. Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers is well-written, fully illustrated with color photographs, and contains a good index. It is an effective compilation of ethnographic, historic, and neuropharmacologic information on the hallucinogenic plants of planet Earth and the psychological and sociological impact they have, particularly in primitive societies. The behavioral side effects and toxic manifestations that may be associated with transient or permanent neurological deficits or psychiatric conditions place them in the realm of neuropsychiatry, when affected individuals present to the emergency room or are referred for medical consultation.

Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua , L.) is one of the most consumed white fish with high gastronomic relevance in Europe occupying the 8th place in the most captured specie worldwide. G. morhua stocks are depleted configuring a framework favoring the fraudulent substitution of this specie by less valuable ones. The authentication of fish based products at the species level constitutes presently an important issue. Current methods for fish species identification are mainly based on sequencing, a technique that is time and resources consuming boosting the need for the development of more expedite methods. In this work we had developed a one-tube fast High Resolution Melting Analysis (HRMA) method for the identification of G. morhua adulteration with Gadus macrocephalus and Gadus chalcogrammus . HRMA of the ca. 600 bp COI fragment initially assayed proved to be inefficient in species discrimination which lead to the development of a new approach targeting small fragments (ca. 100 bp) containing sequence variations between the three species. Seven small polymorphic regions were identified and specific primer pairs were de novo designed. One region proved to be highly efficient in the species discrimination in HRMA mode. The technique was applied in marketed processed samples showing that 2 out of 33 samples (6%) were mislabeled as G. morhua (identified as G. macrocephalus ). PCR and SA-HRMA was performed in fast mode allowing very short analysis time (less than 1 h) enabling therefore the possibility of high sample throughput.

The Second Amendment of the USA Constitution states: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Today around the USA and the world some people are advocating the removal of guns from the citizens, called “Gun Control,” as the solution to violent crime that they associate with guns in the hands of the public, contrary to what the Second Amendment states. This review provides a factual background to the debate about the issues surrounding the arguments for and against “Gun Control.” The paper documents many factors that lead to violent crimes committed by people. The means used to cause violent crimes cover the history of human civilization. They include weapons of all types, bombs, toxic substances, vehicles of many kinds, and planes, all to cause the death of others. Some who commit or threaten violent crime against others are emotionally disturbed and in many cases are known to the police through screening systems. Family dysfunction, alcohol and drug abuse, an incessant stream of media and entertainment featuring gun violence, and an educational system that does not equip the young with the proper civic and ethical principles to deal with life’s challenges all contribute to violent behavior using guns and other lethal means. With this background of multiple factors leading to the commission of violent crimes against others, the focus has been concentrated on banning firearms from public ownership rather than understanding the reasons for this criminal behavior. Why? There is the overwhelming evidence that disarming the public from using firearms will not reduce violent crimes and will render people defenseless. Other facts indicate that allowing citizens to carry arms will prevent or reduce violent crimes. The debate over Gun Control has become politicized and emotionally based, because the real goal is not stated. In respected scientific journals and in the Media, factual information about the causes and prevention of violent deaths has been misrepresented or is blatantly false. Using censorship, the medical press and the mass media have refused to publish articles or print opposing opinions such as those supporting the rights of citizens to bear arms. There is evidence that tax-exempt foundations and wealthy individuals are financially supporting Gun Control efforts with the goal of disarming the public to establish a centrally controlled government and to eliminate the US Constitution. It is obvious that in the rapidly changing world we need to find answers to the many factors behind Violent Crime in which guns are used. That will take time and patience. In the meantime, is there a gray area for compromise in the Guns and Violence issue? Yes, logically, from all the evidence presented in this review, citizens should be encouraged to carry arms for self, family, and fellow citizen protection, and as a check on government, a right guaranteed by the constitution and endowed by our God-given natural right. The challenges facing us are multifaceted. Is Gun Control really about People Control?

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of ATP in cholinergic neurotransmission in the urinary bladder of control men and of patients obstructed as a result of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Human detrusor samples were collected from 41 patients who submitted to transvesical prostatectomy resulting from BPH and 26 male organ donors. The release of [3H]acetylcholine ([3H]ACh) was evoked by electrical field stimulation (10 Hz, 200 pulses) in urothelium-denuded detrusor strips. Myographic recordings were performed to test detrusor strip sensitivity to ACh and ATP. Nerve-evoked [3H]ACh release was 1.5-fold higher in detrusor strips from BPH patients compared with controls. This difference was abolished after desensitization of ionotropic P2X1-3 receptors with an ATP analog, α,β-methylene ATP (30 μM, applied for 15 minutes). TNP-ATP (10 nM, a preferential P2X2/3 antagonist) and A317491 (100 nM, a selective P2X3 antagonist) were about equipotent in decreasing nerve-evoked [3H]ACh release in control detrusor strips, but the selective P2X1 receptor antagonist NF023 (3 μM) was devoid of effect. The inhibitory effect of TNP-ATP (10 nM) increased from 27% ± 9% to 43% ± 6% in detrusor strips of BPH patients, but the effect of A317491 (100 nM) [3H]ACh release unaltered (20% ± 2% vs. 24% ± 4%). The amplitude of ACh (0.1-100 μM)-induced myographic recordings decreased, whereas sensitivity to ATP (0.01-3 mM) increased in detrusor strips from BPH patients. Besides the well characterized P2X1 receptor-mediated contractile activity of ATP in pathologic human bladders, we show here for the first time that cholinergic hyperactivity in the detrusor of BPH patients is facilitated by activation of ATP-sensitive P2X2/3 heterotrimers. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Bladder outlet obstruction often leads to detrusor overactivity and reduced bladder compliance in parallel to atropine-resistant increased purinergic tone. Our data show that P2X1 purinoceptors are overexpressed in the detrusor of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Besides the P2X1 receptor-mediated detrusor contractions, ATP favors nerve-evoked acetylcholine release via the activation of prejunctional P2X2/3 excitatory receptors in these patients Thus, our hypothesis is that manipulation of the purinergic tone may be therapeutically useful to counteract cholinergic overstimulation in obstructed patients.

Infections caused by filamentous fungi are rising in incidence and became a serious health concern. Their rapid and reliable identification in the clinical laboratory is essential for an early and accurate diagnosis to guide timely therapy. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been reported as a rapid and reliable method for identification of bacteria and yeasts isolated from clinical samples. However, it has less used for molds identification. The aim of this study was to evaluate Vitek

Submitted by Cristina Afonso (cac@lisboa.ucp.pt) on 2019-07-30T13:24:06Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de mestrado - Miguel Faria Ferreira - Cedências urbanísticas.pdf: 885232 bytes, checksum: d59dc5903cd028c70a9e4941706d6408 (MD5) Approved for entry into archive by Cristina Afonso (cac@lisboa.ucp.pt) on 2019-07-30T13:24:16Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de mestrado - Miguel Faria Ferreira - Cedências urbanísticas.pdf: 885232 bytes, checksum: d59dc5903cd028c70a9e4941706d6408 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2019-07-30T13:24:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de mestrado - Miguel Faria Ferreira - Cedências urbanísticas.pdf: 885232 bytes, checksum: d59dc5903cd028c70a9e4941706d6408 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019-07-22

Hop cones ( Humulus lupulus L.) or hops are essential beer ingredients that impart bitterness and pungent aroma. Moreover, it also contributes to beer preservation. More recently, hops usage is experiencing a new change driven by the internationally growing preference for more intensely flavored beers, sustained by the craft brew sector. This movement has led to the introduction of much higher amount of hops in different phases of beer production and to the ever-increasing search for new flavors. Some hop varieties have thus received special attention, including a few old typical hops largely used until present date, although intensive search for new varieties dubbed “Green Gold” has also occurred. A large number of new exquisite varieties have been described and increasingly valued in the market. The global area of hop cultivation has increased in the last 5 years although the total world beer production decreased during the same period, which corroborates the trend of using more hops per liter of beer. In addition, a wide range of pharmacological properties has been described for hop and hop derivatives, namely, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer-related properties, which are of major relevance to the pharmaceutical industry. Beer bioactivity can be influenced by hops usage, which can configure an important tool for brewers aiming the development of functional products. The aim of the present chapter is therefore to describe the importance of hops in this new trend of beer production, reviewing hops market, varieties, forms and methods of utilization, composition, importance in the beer bioactivity, and new discoveries in hops research.

The nutritional value and digestibility of leaf proteins is still a major issue. Therefore, the goal of this work was to optimize the production of a protein concentrate (PC) from Moringa Oleifera defatted leaves (MODL) by enzymatic extraction using Viscozyme L and evaluate its nutritional quality and digestibility. Protein extraction conditions were screened using a factorial design. Enzyme/Substrate ratio and pH had no significant effect, whereas, the significant variables, temperature (°C), enzyme concentration and incubation time (h) were optimized by central composite design (CCD). PC contained 55.7% of proteins with a balanced amino acid profile when compared with MODL and higher content of essential amino acids (EAAs) (488.6-402.9 mg/g of protein respectively). Improvement on protein digestibility was observed for MODL compared to PC (64.75-99.86% respectively) and higher protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) (62.10-91.41% respectively). PC meets FAO protein quality expectations. Highlights: Sustainable extraction of leaf proteins with the low temperatures/incubation times; Moringa protein concentrate has higher essential amino acids index than whole leaves; Protein isolation and concentration enhanced its nutritional value and digestibility. This work received financial support from FEDER funds and National Funds (FCT/MEC, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Ministério da Educação e Ciência) project PTDC/OCE-ETA/32567/2017- MOR2020. Tassadit Benhammouche thanks the PhD Grant awarded by the University of Porto under the Erasmus + Program in coordination with University of Bejaia Algeria. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The impact of culinary practices – oven or microwave cooking combined with herbs and/or beer – on antibacterial and coccidiostat drugs stability and bioaccessibility in chicken meat was evaluated. Fourteen compounds from 6 classes (β-lactams, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, and coccidiostats) were monitored after cooking and in vitro digestion (INFOGEST protocol) at two fortification levels. Depending on their reduction, the presence of transformation products derived from cooking or digestion was investigated. In general, compounds were stable during cooking except amoxicillin, chlortetracycline and tylosin (reductions > 50%). Molecular rearrangement and dechlorination reactions are the most probable transformations derived from cooking. Adding herbs/beer does not benefit their reductions. During in vitro digestion, maximum bioaccessibilities of 60% were observed for all quantified compounds. As drugs and bile salts interact, increasing the absorption of lipophilic drugs, their bioaccessibility predictions must not be based only on the determination of their free form using LC–MS/MS.

The practice of dry-hopping has been used by the brewing industry to obtain beers with increased contents of flavor and bitterness compounds. Notwithstanding this, other compounds such as α-acids (AA) and xhanthohumol (XN) are co-extracted influencing the final characteristics of the beer, particularly its beneficial bioactivity. In this context a model for the understanding of AA and XN extraction by dry-hopping is proposed. The varieties Chinook (CHI), East Kent Goldings (EKG) and Tettnanger (TET) were assayed and robust statistical approaches were applied for data interpretation. Concentration of AA in beers post-maturation reached values higher than 20 mg/L using 2.8 g/L of CHI hops and 10 days of maturation. For XN, a similar behavior was verified. The maximum efficiency of AA and XN extraction (transfer rate) were reached at 13.5 days with dose rates of 147 and 13.9 mg/L, respectively. Authors are grateful to the project UID/QUI/50006/2013-POCI/01/0145/FEDER/007265 with support from FCT/MEC through national funds and co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020. M. A. Faria is grateful for research contract from NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000011 – FoodNanoHealth and A. Melo wishes to thank the Fundação para a Ciência Tecnologia for grants SFRH/BPD/86898/2012. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Mycotoxins can contaminate poultry production via fungal infection of feeds. The impact of different cooking methods on mycotoxins stability and bioaccessibility is scarcely studied. Recent cooking practices such as the use of roasting bags along with some seasonings to cook chicken have become a trend to maintain the tenderness of the meat. This study evaluated the impact of oven roasting and microwaving of chicken breast muscles, with/without roasting bags and/or herbs addition on the stability and bioaccessibility of the 10 prevalent mycotoxins. Cooking itself reduced mycotoxins content, while using bags did not confer any advantage; adding herbs reduced mycotoxins content by up to 60%, but also appeared to increase their bioaccessibility. Thus, strategies to reduce their increased bioaccessibility should be the subject of future research. Notwithstanding, adding herbs prior to cooking could be used as a mitigation strategy to reduce mycotoxins in meat.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin B1 (FB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) are toxic fungal metabolites co-occurring naturally in the environment. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicological interactions of these mycotoxins concerning additive, antagonistic and synergistic toxicity towards human cells. The theoretical biology-based Combination index-isobologram method was used to evaluate the individual and binary effect of these toxins and determine the type of the interaction using as models Caco-2 (intestinal) and HepG2 (hepatic) cells. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT test at the concentrations of 0.625–20 μM for all the compounds. DON exerted the highest toxicity toward both cells, OTA and AFB1 also showed a dose-effect response, whereas no toxicity was verified for FB1. Synergism or antagonism effects occurred when exposing AFB1-DON and AFB1-OTA on Caco-2 cells at higher or lower concentrations, respectively; while DON-OTA showed synergism throughout all inhibition levels. Concerning HepG2, AFB1-DON exerted a strong synergism, regardless of the level; whereas AFB1-OTA had slight synergism/nearly additive effect; and, OTA-DON had a moderate antagonism/nearly additive effect. Synergistic strengths as high as a dose reduction index of 10 for AFB1-DON were observed in hepatic cells. Taken together our findings indicate that the toxicological effects differ regarding the type of mycotoxins used for combinations and the stronger synergistic effect was observed for mixtures containing DON in both cells. Therefore, even though DON has not been classified as to its carcinogenicity to humans, this mycotoxin may present a serious threat to health, mainly when co-occurring in the environment.

Determinism is a key concern in the certification of software for safety-critical systems. In this paper, we evaluate the role of determinism in certification standards, using airborne software as example. We analyze and speculate how the requirements and underlying concepts related to determinism can be adapted for Machine Learning algorithms.In addition, we systematically identify and analyze a large set of factors that contribute to variations of behavior in machine learning systems across multiple levels. Our suggestion is that such variability factors are handled in a similar fashion to failure modes in current software and systems development.We propose that the method followed and the identified set of factors is taken as a step towards a global catalog that can assist both developers and assessors in attaining certifiable machine learning systems.

Meat and fish are muscle foods rich in valuable nutrients, such as high-quality proteins, vitamins, and minerals, and, in the case of fish, also unsaturated fatty acids. The escalation of meat and fish production has increased the occurrence of pesticide and antibiotic residues, as result of pest control on feed crops, and antibiotics used to fight infections in animals. Meat and fish are usually cooked to enrich taste, soften texture, increase safety, and improve nutrient digestibility. However, the impact of cooking on nutritional properties and formation of deleterious compounds must be understood. This review summarizes studies, published in the last decade, that have focused on how domestic cooking affects: (i) composition of nutrients (protein, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals); (ii) antibiotic and pesticide residue contents; and (iii) the formation of cooking-induced contaminants (heterocyclic aromatic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and thermal degradation products of antibiotics and pesticides). Cooking affects the nutritional composition of meat and fish; frying is the cooking method that causes the greatest impact. Cooking may reduce the pesticide and antibiotic residues present in contaminated raw meat and fish; however, it may result in the formation of degradation products of unknown identity and toxicity. Control of cooking time and temperature, use of antioxidant-rich marinades, and avoiding the dripping of fat during charcoal grilling can reduce the formation of cooking-induced contaminants.

Hop is one of the most important ingredients of beer production and several varieties are commercialized. Therefore, it is important to find an eco-real-time-friendly-low-cost technique to distinguish and discriminate hop varieties. This paper describes the development of a method based on vibrational spectroscopy techniques, namely near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy, for the discrimination of 33 commercial hop varieties. A total of 165 samples (five for each hop variety) were analysed by both techniques. Principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis and partial least squares discrimination analysis were the chemometric tools used to discriminate positively the hop varieties. After optimizing the spectral regions and pre-processing methods a total of 94.2% and 96.6% correct hop varieties discrimination were obtained for near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy, respectively. The results obtained demonstrate the suitability of these vibrational spectroscopy techniques to discriminate different hop varieties and consequently their potential to be used as an authenticity tool. Compared with the reference procedures normally used for hops variety discrimination these techniques are quicker, cost-effective, non-destructive and eco-friendly.

Foram examinadas as propriedades psicométricas da versão Portuguesa do Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory - Revised (OCI-R; Foa et al., 2002) em duas amostras não-clínicas (N=509). A estrutura original de seis fatores correlacionados foi confirmada através de uma análise fatorial confirmatória, tendo sido igualmente evidenciada a invariância estrutural segundo o sexo do OCI-R. Os resultados, para a escala total e cada uma das subescalas, revelaram boa consistência interna, validade convergente e divergente e confiabilidade teste-reteste após um intervalo de um mês. Conclui-se que a versão em Português do OCI-R retém as boas propriedades psicométricas da versão original sendo um instrumento adequado para avaliar os sintomas obsessivo-compulsivos em amostras não-clínicas. The psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory - Revised (OCI-R; Foa et al., 2002) were examined in two non-clinical samples (N=509). The original six related factors structure was confirmed by means of confirmatory factor analysis, with results also showing structural gender invariance of the OCI-R. The results for the full scale and the six subscales revealed good internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, and test-retest reliability after an interval of one month. It is concluded that the Portuguese version of OCI-R retains the good psychometric properties of the original version and is an adequate instrument to evaluate obsessive-compulsive symptoms in non-clinical samples.

In this study, patulin levels in apples and tomatoes obtained in conventional and organic farms with 0 and 100% of rotten area, were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to assess the influence of the production system with patulin content. Additionally, mould species were isolated and identified using classic morphological techniques and a DNA barcode system based on nrITS, β-tubulin and calmodulin genes. The most frequently isolated genera were Rhizopus , Mucor , Alternaria , Cladosporium , Botrytis , Aspergillus and Penicillium . Higher patulin levels were found in samples contaminated by Penicillium expansum . Patulin levels were not significantly different in samples obtained from the two production system (conventional and organic). Among the three studied apple varieties, Golden delicious was the most contaminated with patulin followed by Reineta. Fuji apples with 0 and 100% of rotten area did not present quantifiable patulin levels. A survey for first time realized in commercialized tomato products showed that 35.7% of the samples (10 of 28) contained patulin in levels ranging from 3.22 to 47.72 μg/kg. In apple juices, patulin levels ranged from 1.86 to 45.47 μg/kg, which is below the maximum legal requirement (50 μg/kg).

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin B1 (FB1), and ochratoxin A (OTA) are prevalent mycotoxins co-occurring in food, and their oral intake is conceivable to occur in the gastrointestinal epithelium. The intestinal absorption of some mycotoxins has been studied but only considering their isolated intake, while their gastric absorption in humans has not been explored. This study evaluated the bidirectional in vitro transport of four mycotoxins, isolated and in mixture, across gastric NCI-N87 and intestinal Caco-2 monolayers. AFB1 and DON were bidirectionally transported, more rapidly for AFB1; whereas OTA and FB1 were only transported in the absorptive direction, the first in both monolayers, and the second only in the gastric epithelium. The mixture of four mycotoxins exhibited some differences in cell uptake/excretion ratios. AFB1 presented the highest fraction absorbed (>96%) isolated and in mixture, followed by DON (72.8 and 82.9%); and OTA (11 and 66%) when transported isolated and in mixture, respectively. Different absorptive patterns on both epithelia were found when mycotoxins are transported isolated or in mixture. Further investigation on combined ingestion of toxins and their mixed transport should be considered for the proper evaluation of human absorption and toxicity of those mycotoxins considering their frequent co-occurrence and consequent co-exposure.

PhD Thesis in Sciences - Specialty in Physics, Myopia affects approximately 25% of the World population, being a public health concern due to the socioeconomic impact and to the risk of vision loss related to other co-morbidities. If current trends continue, half the world’s population (almost 5 billion) will be short-sighted in just over three decades, with one-fifth of those expected to have a significantly increased risk of blindness. Clinical evidence from animal models and human clinical trials seems to indicate that the peripheral refraction pattern plays an important role in the regulation of eye growth. Lower progression rates have been reported over the last years in myopic children wearing orthokeratology (ortho-k) or special design contact lenses, when compared with those wearing traditional ophthalmic lenses. To date, the only justification for this effect seems to lie in the significant myopization effect induced by these alternative forms of correction beyond the foveal area, but despite the moderate results obtained researcher’s still lack knowledge of the exact mechanism behind this effect and why does it work better in some subjects than others. In this thesis a frame work was developed to model the possible impact of the eye’s posterior shape and the optical changes produced by ortho-k in myopia progression. Optical modeling and biometric eye length measures were used to calculate the retinal contour in 55 myopic subjects, with an accuracy of tenths of a micron. The results show that there is large inter-subject variability in the shape of the posterior pole, even among subjects with similar refractive errors. An exhaustive characterization of the ortho-k cornea was also conducted to analyze the main morphological, topographical and optical changes induced by these treatments and their possible implications in the peripheral refractive error and accommodative response. The results suggest that the reported effects in the retention of eye growth, supposedly due to the peripheral myopization produced by ortho-k treatments, might be dependent on pupil size. Optical quality analysis revealed that although the increase in positive spherical aberration is the main cause of the loss of retinal image quality in the unaccommodated eye after ortho-k, it also seems to have a positive effect, as it extends the depth of field of the eye and may contribute to a better image quality in subjects with accommodative lag during high contrast near vision tasks., A actual prevalência mundial da Miopia (25%) é já considerada um problema de saúde pública devido ao impacto sócio-económico e ao risco de perda de visão relacionada com outras co-morbidades. Se as tendências actuais se mantiverem, metade da população mundial (quase 5 mil milhões) será míope daqui a pouco mais de três décadas, e cerca de um quinto deverá ter um aumento significativo do risco de cegueira. Evidências clínicas baseadas em modelos animais e ensaios clínicos com pacientes humanos parecem indicar que o padrão da refracção periférica desempenha um papel importante na regulação do crescimento axial do olho. Níveis mais baixos de progressão têm sido reportados ao longo dos últimos anos em grupos de crianças míopes corrigidas com ortoqueratologia (orto-k) ou lentes de contacto com geometrias especiais, em comparação grupos de controle compensados com lentes oftálmicas tradicionais. Até à data, a única justificação plausível para estes resultados parece residir no efeito miopização periférica induzido por essas formas alternativas de correção para além da área foveal, mas apesar dos resultados moderados obtidos ainda falta conhecimento do exacto mecanismo por trás deste efeito e porque o efeito é maior em alguns indivíduos que em outros. Nesta tese foi desenvolvido um quadro de trabalho com o objectivo de modelizar o possível impacto da forma do polo posterior do olho e a das alterações estruturais induzidas pela ortoqueratologia na progressão da miopia. O contorno da retina de 55 indivíduos míopes foi calculado com recurso a modelização óptica e medidas biométricas do comprimento do olho, com uma precisão de décimos de micras. Os resultados demonstram que existe uma grande variabilidade inter-individual na forma do pólo posterior do olho, mesmo entre indivíduos com erros refractivos semelhantes. Foi também realizada uma caracterização exaustiva da córnea pós orto-k, com o objectivo de analisar as principais alterações morfológicas, topográficas e ópticas induzidas por estes tratamentos e as suas possíveis implicações no erro refractivo periférico, assim na resposta acomodativa. Os resultados sugerem que os relatos de uma menor taxa de progressão da miopia em olhos tratados com ortok, supostamente devido à miopização periférica produzida por estes tratamentos, pode ser dependente do tamanho da pupila. A análise da qualidade óptica revelou que, embora o aumento da aberração esférica positiva após orto-k seja a principal causa da diminuição da qualidade da imagem retiniana no olho desacomodado, também aparenta ter um efeito positivo na extensão da profundidade de campo, o que poderá contribui para um aumento da qualidade da imagem retiniana em indivíduos com atraso acomodativo durante tarefas de alto contraste em visão próxima.

Following the publication of the first part of this article, “Bioethics – Should they encourage the killing of unwanted newborn infants?” dealing with bioethics and infanticide,[6] I received correspondence from a former colleague, Dr. Richard L. Elliot, Director of Medical Ethics at Mercer University, contending there is little difference among medical and biomedical ethicists; that my characterization of bioethicists as utilitarian moralists (useful agents of the state) may not be accurate; and that autonomy (and personal choice) is given “high priority” by bioethicists.[2] I beg to differ on all counts.

Mestrado em Engenharia Eletrónica e de Telecomunicações Gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology has been revolutionizing the RF power amplifier (PA) market. Its potential, versus existing technologies, such as Silicon (Si) Laterally-Diffused MOS(LDMOS), is yet to be completely explored. However, the lack of good characterization and modelling of charge carrier trapping related phenomena has been hampering PA designers from extracting this technology’s promised performance. Hence, GaN HEMT trapping has been given a great amount of attention by the scientific and industrial worlds. This is mainly because the overall linearity of the PA built with this technology is affected, to a great extent, by the trapping state dependence on the device’s drain peak voltage. Circuit computer-aided design (CAD) tools are almost ubiquitous at research and development labs. However, these tools rely, not only on their simulation algorithms, but also on their built-in device models. This makes the development of accurate models a fundamental task. This work reports a multi-bias small-signal equivalent circuit (SSEC) model extraction procedure of a 3.3 W GaN HEMT from pulsed S-parameters as well as the development of a pulsed DC I-V measurement system and its use in the characterization of trapping-effects. This system, which is based on two pulser circuits, designed specifically for gate and drain pulsed measurements, was then automated through a MATLAB/PC controller. The pulser circuits allowed pulse widths on the microsecond scale at very low duty cycles as well as high peak voltages - close to 50 V - and currents - up to 4 A. With the developed system, isothermal standard pulsed I-V curves, as well as trapping-state dependent, isodynamic, pulsed I-V curves were obtained from a 15 W GaN HEMT device. In order to obtain the latter, the so-called double-pulse measurement technique was used. The expected asymmetric time constants associated with drain-lag were clearly observed: on the ns scale for the trapping and on the hundreds of milliseconds for the de-trapping. The predicted relatively reduced impact of gate-lag phenomena in more recent GaN HEMT technologies was also verified. A tecnologia GaN HEMT tem revolucionado o mercado dos amplificadores de potência para RF. O seu potencial, comparado com tecnologias anteriores, como a Si LDMOS, continua por ser completamente explorado. Contudo, a falta de uma boa caracterização e modelação dos efeitos de memória lenta causados pelo armadilhamento de cargas têm impedido o total aproveitamento desta tecnologia no desenho de amplificadores de potência. Consequentemente, estes fenómenos de armadilhamento têm sido alvo de um amplo estudo tanto a nível científico como industrial. Isto deve-se, sobretudo, porque a linearidade dos amplificadores baseados nesta tecnologia é bastante afectada pelo estado de armadilhamento de cargas no dispositivo, que, por sua vez, é definido pela tensão de pico na saída, drain, do transístor. As ferramentas de desenho de circuitos auxiliado por computador estão presentes na maioria dos laboratórios de investigação. No entanto, estas dependem não só dos seus algoritmos de simulação mas também, em larga medida, dos modelos nelas utilizados, tornando fundamental o desenvolvimento de melhores modelos. O presente documento descreve a extracção de um modelo de circuito equivalente de pequeno signal dependente da polarização, de um transístor GaN HEMT de 3.3 W, a partir de medidas de parâmetros-S pulsadas, assim como a construcção de um sistema de medidas pulsadas DC I-V e a utilização deste último na caracterização de efeitos de armadilhamento. O sistema desenvolvido, baseado em dois circuitos pulsadores desenhados para medidas pulsadas quer no terminal de entrada, gate, quer no de saída, drain, foi automatizado através do software MATLAB instalado num PC. Os circuitos pulsadores permitem larguras de pulso na escala dos microsegundos com duty-cycles tão pequenos como 0.001%, assim como, elevadas tensões de saída - perto de 50 V - e correntes - pelo menos até 4 A. Com o sistema desenvolvido, obtiveram-se curvas I-V iso-térmicas e também curvas I-V iso-dinâmicas, dependentes do estado de armadilhamento, de um transístor GaN HEMT de 15 W. De modo a obter as últimas, foram utilizadas medidas de duplo-pulso. A assimetria esperada nas constantes de tempo associadas com o drain-lag foram claramente observadas: na escala dos ns para o armadilhamento e das centenas de milisegundos para o desarmadilhamento. Tal como a literatura prevê para tecnologias mais recentes de GaN HEMTs, o impacto dos fenónemos de gate-lag que foi observado revelou-se bastante reduzido.

Mestrado em Engenharia Eletrónica e de Telecomunicações Submitted by Carla Jesus (cjesus@ua.pt) on 2017-10-06T12:31:51Z No. of bitstreams: 1 JoseGomes_MSc_LTMEGaN.pdf: 21357469 bytes, checksum: a27daf77684b5e124b0d74f540bd94f9 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-06T12:31:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JoseGomes_MSc_LTMEGaN.pdf: 21357469 bytes, checksum: a27daf77684b5e124b0d74f540bd94f9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016

RESUMO - O cancro da mama é uma preocupação da saúde pública a nível mundial, pela sua incidência, mortalidade e custos económicos associados. As terapias utilizadas no seu tratamento, embora eficazes, conduzem a alterações de todas as dimensões da Qualidade de Vida (QdV) da mulher com cancro da mama. A garantia de uma qualidade de serviço prestado deve ser uma prioridade das organizações de saúde, sendo a QdV uma medida de resultado. Partindo do pressuposto que em Portugal existe uma diferença potencial na forma como as mulheres com cancro da mama recebem o apoio por parte da fisioterapia, importa saber se a fisioterapia tem ou não influência na QdV da mulher com cancro da mama, o que, no caso de ser afirmativo, poderá constituir uma mais-valia para a qualidade do serviço prestado em oncologia. O Objectivo deste trabalho é construir um modelo de análise no sentido de responder à questão inicial de investigação: “Será que a fisioterapia contribui para a melhoria da Qualidade de Vida das mulheres com cancro da mama submetidas a cirurgia e outras terapias oncológicas?”. Neste sentido o trabalho de projecto dividiu-se por etapas. Inicialmente foi realizado um enquadramento teórico, através de uma revisão de literatura e da realização de entrevistas exploratórias, permitindo desta forma ter um conhecimento actual das temáticas que definem as variáveis e o objecto de estudo. Na etapa seguinte, foi feita uma análise crítica sobre o conhecimento actual do tema em estudo, que permitiu definir as variáveis a estudar, escolher o instrumento de medida a utilizar, ter conhecimento dos procedimentos a seguir. Após a definição do objectivo geral (avaliar se a fisioterapia tem influência na QdV das mulheres submetidas a cirurgia e outras terapias oncológicas) e dos objectivos específicos, iniciou-se o delineamento da metodologia tida como adequada para responder às questões de investigação levantadas (tipo de estudo, as variáveis, a unidade de análise, os métodos e técnicas de recolha de dados, os procedimentos e a metodologia de tratamento de dados). No âmbito do trabalho de projecto está definida a colocação em campo de um caso de estudo efectivo que permita dar um contributo real no delineamento da metodologia. Neste trabalho optou-se pela realização de um estudo piloto, que se enquadra nos procedimentos da metodologia e que teve por objectivo retirar algumas conclusões sobre: a aplicabilidade do instrumento de medida; os tempos definidos para a recolha de dados; as características sociodemográficas e clínicas da amostra; as questões de investigação levantadas. O estudo piloto consistiu num estudo pré-experimental, com uma amostra de 35 indivíduos, submetidos a cirurgia a cancro da mama e a outras terapias oncológicas. Foram avaliadas as dimensões do bem-estar físico e actividades quotidianas, bem-estar psicológico, relações sociais, sintomas e características sociodemográficas/clínicas, no início do tratamento individual de fisioterapia e no momento de alta. Utilizou-se como instrumento de medida o questionário EORTC QLQ–30 e o seu questionário complementar EORTC QLQ–23. Tendo sido construída uma ficha para recolha de dados sociodemográficos e clínicos. A significância estatística foi aceite para valores de p

This study presents the results of the identification and quantification of 12 isoflavones (prunetin, irilone, pseudobaptigenin, glycitein, daidzin, genistin, daidzein, pratensein, puerarin, biochanin A, formononetin and genistein) in 23 species of Trifolium (T. arvense, T. pratense, T. ligusticum, T. striatum, T. lappaceum, T. angustifolium, T. hirtum, T. subterraneum, T. isthmocarpum, T. stellatum, T. mutabile, T. strictum, T. fragiferum, T. alexandrinum, T. tomentosum. T. nigrescens subsp. petrisavii, T. nigrescens, T. glomeratum, T. subterraneum subsp. brachycalycinum, T. cherleri, T. resupinatum, T. campestre and T. repens). Isoflavones were extracted by an MSPD method and analyzed with HPLC coupled with a diode-array detector. The evaluation of molecular phylogeny of the IFS gene and the relation with isoflavone content was also performed. Five species (T. subterraneum subsp. brachycalycinum, T. alexandrinum, T. pratense, T. subterraneum and T. lappaceum) were identified with high levels of biochanin A (431–83 mg/kg), formononetin (72–365 mg/kg) and genistein (9–509 mg/kg), which could be utilized as alternative sources for the nutraceutical industry. Genetic phylogeny for the IFS gene was found in the species studied, with 20 out of 23 species having been divided into two clades, while the remaining three were genetically distant. Based on our results, we confirm the direct correlation between IFS gene polymorphism and isoflavones content in species of Trifolium particularly noted for formononetin. Therefore, the IFS gene can be utilized for screening Trifolium genotypes for formononetin. The relation of the three isoflavones' contents and the molecular phylogeny of plants determined by the IFS sequences, as a screening marker for plants with high isoflavone contents in Trifolium species, are to the best of our knowledge described for the first time.

Isoflavones have been associated with several health protective effects. In this work spontaneous legume plants were screened as putative sources of dietary isoflavones. A molecular identification of the collected species was performed throughout DNA barcoding using ITS, rbcL, rpoC1 and matK sequences. The use of a multi-locus barcoding system complemented with basic morphological information allowed the unequivocal identification at the species level of 90% of the samples. The determination of isoflavone content was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection. Total average contents in the studied species were significantly different, Ononis natrix and Cytisus scoparius possessing the highest total isoflavones content (396 and 273 mg kg(-1), respectively) and Lotus creticus, the lowest (20 mg kg(-1)). The correlation of total isoflavone content with the phylogeny of this set of plants as determined by the rpoC1 sequences was evaluated for the first time.

A B S T R A C T A faster and more robust version of a previously developed method based on ion-pair extraction, acylation with isobutylchloroformate and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis for determination of 4-(5-)methylimidazole (4-MeI) in soft drinks and dark beer is proposed. The performance of the method was evaluated in terms of linearity (r always > 0.998); recovery (90–101%, 3 levels); and precision (3–8%, 3 levels, n = 6). Limits of detection and quantification in the matrices studied were 0.60 mg/L and 2.2 mg/L, respectively. The optimized method was applied to a wide variety of soft drinks (brand name and generic colas, uncarbonated flavor and energy drinks) and dark beers (lager, ales trappist, ales-stout, weissbier). Overall, soft drinks presented higher amounts of 4-MeI (ranging from 37 to 613 mg/L) than those found in the dark beers (ranging from 3 to 424 mg/L), with colas presenting the highest levels. When the different colas analyzed were compared, the 4-MeI levels in generic colas were generally higher than those in brand-name colas. 4-MeI was found in only one of eight energy drinks studied. Based on available consumption patterns, consumer exposure to the maximum 4MeI given by the soft drinks was 2.3 and 5.7 mg/kg body weight/day, in Europe and the United States, respectively.

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) may constitute a powerful tool for in-line monitoring of morphological properties of PVC particles in suspension polymerizations. It is shown that dynamic trajectories of morphological properties, as predicted with NIR-based calibration models, change smoothly along the batch; thus, these trajectories can be used as references for process monitoring and control. It is also shown that modification of operation variables during the batch leads to modification of the final morphological properties of the powder. This indicates that the morphology of PVC grains can be manipulated along the batch and that advanced NIR-based control procedures can be implemented for control of the morphological properties of PVC resins, as illustrated through simulation.

It is demonstrated that during suspension polymerizations it is possible to monitor morphological characteristics of PVC resins such as bulk density, cold plasticizer absorption and average particle diameter in-line and in real time using NIR spectroscopy. NIR spectra are obtained at different experimental conditions, showing that the spectra are sensitive to changes in the PVC properties. Standard mathematical procedures (partial least squares regression) are used to build empirical models and correlate the morphological properties with the obtained NIR spectra, allowing for monitoring of the PVC morphology in-line and in real time.

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most consumed legume in the world. In Portugal, the geographic isolation of the region surrounded by the mountainous barrier of Peneda-Geres, Barroso and Marao is thought to have the safeguard of a large number of adapted bean populations. In order to assess the value of this germplasm to breeding programs, a study of 20 Portuguese landraces collected in this Northern region were evaluated for agronomical (days to flowering, plant height, days to harvest, weight of seeds per plant and 100 seeds weight), chemical (crude protein) and genetic diversity (microsatellite DNA). The 6 microsatellite loci used for molecular characterization contributed to differentiate most of the accessions that were grouped in terms of genetic proximity in two main clusters and two out-groups. There were significant differences in agronomical traits among accessions being early maturity, short plant type, and lower productivity per plant responsible for the genetic variability found. The late maturity landrace 7434 presented the most promising values for breeding based on plant productivity (31.5 g/plant) and protein content (27.9%). The studied collection of common beans presented genetic variability potentially useful in plant breeding programs to select protein content and plant maturity.

A reliable gas chromatographic mass spectrometric method has been validated for the determination of trace levels ( −1 ) of patulin in apple products and quince jam. The method was based on extraction of patulin with ethyl acetate-hexane, alkalinisation and silylation with N,O -bis-trimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide with 1% of trimethylchloro-silane. The accurate determination of patulin was achieved by employing commercial 13 C 5–7 patulin labelled as an internal standard, which allowed compensating target analyte losses and enhancement or suppression matrix effects. Limits of detection and quantification of method using real samples were 0.4 and 1.6 μgkg −1 , respectively. Recoveries of patulin from samples spiked at 8–50 μgkg −1 levels ranged between 71% and 89%. The repeatability of measurements (expressed as relative standard deviation) was lower than 16%. The method was successfully applied to the determination of patulin in apple fruit and apple products including juice, cider and baby food, and also in quince fruit and quince jam. A new PCR system for the detection of Penicillium expansum in samples containing highly degraded DNA was developed which permitted the detection of the mould in 2/3 of the samples containing patulin, including juices and jams.

Varietal wines are defined as made primarily from a single variety of grape, which is identified on the label. However the inclusion of other varieties in their production is permitted under defined percentages. The fact that different grape varieties/varietal wines present far different economical values can attract fraudulent practices. Thus the development of methods, which allow the quantification of those varieties, is of crucial importance. The first approach to the method for the relative quantification of must containing two varieties based on microsatellite DNA analysis is presented. Quantification was achieved by densitometry measurements of the amplification products of the pooled varieties, obtained with loci VVMD6 and VVMD7, after their separation and staining on polyacrilamide gels. We have found that a good correlation between the proportion of each variety in must and the signal intensity of the alleles are dependent on the variety (varietal effect) and the microsatellite locus used. The relative quantification of musts can be accomplished by the presented method depending on the presence of overlapping alleles, and the composition of the varieties and their relative amounts.