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- Antimicrobial effect of essential oils against several pathogens and their influence on inhibition of salmonella enteritidis, listeria monocytogenes and staphylococcus aureus in paste of “alheira” during storagePublication . Carvalho, Marta Isabel Pimenta de; Teixeira, Paula Cristina MaiaFermented meat products are part of the daily diet in rural areas of Portugal and have become very popular in urban centers. “Alheiras" are traditional, slightly smoked, naturally fermented meat sausages typical of the Northern regions (Trás-os-Montes) in Portugal. Essential oils (EOs), traditionally used as flavoring agents, have been revealing good antimicrobial properties, becoming a good natural alternative to the use of chemical preservatives. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of some EOs against several pathogens and their influence on inhibition of Salmonella Enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in “alheira” during storage. First, the in vitro antimicrobial effect of 23 EOs against 41 foodborne and spoilage microorganisms was screened by the disc diffusion assay method (21 Gram-positive bacteria, 18 Gram-negative bacteria and two yeasts). Then, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) was studied for the EOs that displayed a better antimicrobial activity (i.e. halo > 10 mm) by the Microtiter plate assay. The antimicrobial effect of different concentrations of oregano EO (the EO with the lower MIC) (4%, 1.5%, 0.5%, 0.195% and 0.0975%) was evaluated in paste of “alheira” against Salmonella Enteritidis, L. monocytogenes and St. aureus along 21 days of storage at 4 ºC. The pH, water activity values and lactic acid bacteria were also evaluated. At last, sensory assessment was performed. Results showed that antimicrobial activity was variable, according to EOs used and microorganism. In general, oregano and thyme were the essential oils that showed highest antimicrobial activity and anise, fennel, garlic and ginger were the EOs with lower activity. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (0.0244%) against L. innocua was observed for Oregano. Oregano and thyme also showed higher MICs, against all microorganisms. Utilization of oregano EO in paste of “alheira” along 21 days of storage at 4 ºC resulted in a natural strategy to improve its safety against S. Enteritidis, L. monocytogenes and St. aureus. Although, oregano EO possesses antibacterial properties in vitro, their utilization as food antimicrobial agents must be assessed in the food product, in particular in a complex matrix as “alheira”. The antibacterial effect varies according to the oregano EO concentration and pathogen used. The results showed that 4% and 1.5% of oregano EO demonstrated the best antimicrobial activity against all the pathogens tested. 0.5% was able to result in ~ 2 log reduction for S. Enteritidis, whereas the lowest concentrations used (0.195% and 0.0975%) resulted in ~ 2-3 log reduction after 21 days Fermented meat products are part of the daily diet in rural areas of Portugal and have become very popular in urban centers. “Alheiras" are traditional, slightly smoked, naturally fermented meat sausages typical of the Northern regions (Trás-os-Montes) in Portugal. Essential oils (EOs), traditionally used as flavoring agents, have been revealing good antimicrobial properties, becoming a good natural alternative to the use of chemical preservatives. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of some EOs against several pathogens and their influence on inhibition of Salmonella Enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus in “alheira” during storage. First, the in vitro antimicrobial effect of 23 EOs against 41 foodborne and spoilage microorganisms was screened by the disc diffusion assay method (21 Gram-positive bacteria, 18 Gram-negative bacteria and two yeasts). Then, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) was studied for the EOs that displayed a better antimicrobial activity (i.e. halo > 10 mm) by the Microtiter plate assay. The antimicrobial effect of different concentrations of oregano EO (the EO with the lower MIC) (4%, 1.5%, 0.5%, 0.195% and 0.0975%) was evaluated in paste of “alheira” against Salmonella Enteritidis, L. monocytogenes and St. aureus along 21 days of storage at 4 ºC. The pH, water activity values and lactic acid bacteria were also evaluated. At last, sensory assessment was performed. Results showed that antimicrobial activity was variable, according to EOs used and microorganism. In general, oregano and thyme were the essential oils that showed highest antimicrobial activity and anise, fennel, garlic and ginger were the EOs with lower activity. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (0.0244%) against L. innocua was observed for Oregano. Oregano and thyme also showed higher MICs, against all microorganisms. Utilization of oregano EO in paste of “alheira” along 21 days of storage at 4 ºC resulted in a natural strategy to improve its safety against S. Enteritidis, L. monocytogenes and St. aureus. Although, oregano EO possesses antibacterial properties in vitro, their utilization as food antimicrobial agents must be assessed in the food product, in particular in a complex matrix as “alheira”. The antibacterial effect varies according to the oregano EO concentration and pathogen used. The results showed that 4% and 1.5% of oregano EO demonstrated the best antimicrobial activity against all the pathogens tested. 0.5% was able to result in ~ 2 log reduction for S. Enteritidis, whereas the lowest concentrations used (0.195% and 0.0975%) resulted in ~ 2-3 log reduction after 21 days
- Pensar na existência do Kisha Club no século XXIPublication . Kikuchi, Akiko; Ribeiro, Nelson CostaO Kisha Club foi estabelecido em 1890 como um clube de jornalistas, continuando ainda hoje a exercer um papel central no funcionamento do jornalismo no Japão. Como a presente dissertação demonstra, este clube possui três características principais: ‘acesso automático dos seus membros as informações provenientes das autoridades’, ‘regras muito restritas impostas aos membros’, e a ‘exclusividade do clube’, que impede o acesso a informação por parte de jornalistas não membros e aos cidadãos em geral. O sistema do Kisha Club auxilia as autoridades a filtrar a informação que chega ao público, e restringe a actividade dos jornalistas não-membros. Apesar do Japão se ter tornado num país democrático após a 2ª Guerra Mundial, os organismos oficiais, incluindo o gabinete do Primeiro-Ministro, Ministérios, departamentos da policia e partidos políticos, adoptam o sistema do Kisha Club, o que ao longo das últimas décadas tem motivado críticas severas por parte de organizações internacionais. O presente estudo, além de descrever o sistema do Kisha Club e o modo como este evoluiu ao longo das décadas, apresenta também um trabalho empírico baseado num inquérito, em entrevistas e em análise de conteúdo. Enquanto que o inquérito por questionário permitiu aferir o hábito da amostra em termos do consumo de jornais, as entrevistas e a análise de conteúdo dos jornais revelaram como na prática os jornalistas não membros do Kisha Club são discriminados no acesso às fontes oficiais e como os vários jornais tendem a publicar textos praticamente idênticos baseados nas informações que receberem das entidades oficiais.
- EPS production by bacteria from high salinity wastewater.Publication . Paulo, Ana M.S.; Amorim, Catarina L.; Castro, Paula M.L.Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is a promising technology for treating industrial wastewater, possessing higher biomass retention and tolerance to toxic substrates than conventional activated sludge systems. The presence of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the aerobic granules structure increases the bacterial protection towards stress conditions and the stability of granules. Several industrial wastewaters contain high salt concentrations in their composition, which can inhibit the bacteria responsible for nutrients removal in the AGS process [1]. A novel strategy to increase the robustness of the system to high salinity is to bioaugment the aerobic granules with halotolerant bacteria with ability to produce EPS. Using a robust AGS process, extra value can be obtained from the wastewater since the EPS from the biomass can be recovered and used as new biomaterials in different applications. The aim of the present study is to investigate the feasibility of EPS production by halotolerant bacteria isolated from high salinity wastewater collected in a fish canning industry. Bacterial isolates obtained from the saline water were grouped according to species similarity, based on RAPD profiles. Isolates displaying unique RAPD profiles were subsequently identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. The potential for EPS production by isolates presenting a sticky growth on agar plates is currently being evaluated. The content in proteins, humic acids and carbohydrates of the extracted EPS is quantified using reference methods. The obtained isolates are closely related to bacterial strains from the Acinetobacter, Psychrobacter, Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Exiguobacterium and Kocuria genera. The isolated halotolerant bacteria present different ability to produce EPS. The most promising EPS producers will be used for bioaugmentation of an AGS process treating high salinity wastewater. Valorization of the wastewater through EPS recovery from the AGS is in line with the circular economy concept.
- Cross-border acquisitions and firm internationalisation : the case of Sogrape and CotesiPublication . Rodrigues, Carolina Marques Leite Alves; Morais, Ricardo AlexandreIn a globalised world like today, new challenges are imposed on national companies and products. Internationalisation emerges as an imperative for the survival of organizations. There is rich literature in the field of the cross-border acquisitions. However, it is focused on its pre- and post-acquisition process, taking a financial, accounting and human resource’s perspectives. There is a gap in the study of cross-border acquisitions in an international business perspective. Therefore, this multiple case study research will analyse the effect of cross-border acquisitions in the firm internationalisation of two Portuguese multinational firms, which have several years of existence. In this way, the aim of this study is to realise how did these companies grew in the international arena through cycles of cross-border acquisitions, their organisational background, strategies adopted to the expansion of the brand and product to foreign markets and what was the role of the business networks. In the end, it is possible to understand the effect of cross-border acquisitions in their internationalisation process and how did they strengthened their positions within their business networks, becoming world leading companies.
- Prevalência de úlceras por pressão num centro hospitalar da região centroPublication . Mourão, Joana Correia; Alves, Paulo Jorge PereiraO principal objetivo desta investigação foi estimar a prevalência de úlceras por pressão de um Centro Hospitalar da região centro de Portugal, bem como a caracterizar os doentes com úlceras por pressão, tendo em conta as suas características demográficas e clínicas. Este estudo de prevalência foi desenvolvido em três unidades de um Centro Hospitalar, compondo uma amostra total de 1.064 indivíduos com úlcera por pressão, durante 1 de janeiro a 31 de dezembro de 2015. Os resultados deste estudo apontam para uma taxa de prevalência global de 6.4% de doentes com úlcera por pressão. Numa tentativa de caracterizar os doentes verificámos que a maioria eram do sexo feminino, com intervalo de idade entre os 80 e os 89 anos, estavam internados no serviço de Medicina Interna, apresentavam como diagnóstico principal doença respiratória e apresentavam em média cerca de duas úlceras por pressão, o que variou desde apenas uma até a um máximo de seis úlceras por pressão. Estas úlceras são na sua maioria de categoria 2 e estão localizadas, sobretudo, na região sagrada. A taxa de prevalência encontrada neste estudo apresenta-se consideravelmente inferior daquela que é apresentada em estudos anteriores, quer a nível nacional como a nível internacional. Conforme estudos anteriores, as úlceras por pressão mantêm-se como um problema grave para a população hospitalizada. O presente estudo possibilitou conhecer os resultados da prevalência de doentes com úlcera por pressão neste Centro Hospitalar, revelando ser uma importante ajuda no planeamento de intervenções eficazes na prevenção de úlcera por pressão, assumindo um contributo para futuros trabalhos de investigação nesta temática.
- Burnout em profissionais de saúde portugueses em cuidados paliativos : revisão integrativa da literaturaPublication . Rodrigues, Ana Maria Ferreira; Sá, Luís Octávio deOs reptos colocados aos profissionais de saúde que trabalham em Cuidados Paliativos são complexos e exigentes. O facto destes profissionais se confrontarem continuamente com o sofrimento, com a vulnerabilidade, com a finitude da vida humana e com as decisões éticas difíceis, resultam em contextos de trabalho particularmente exigentes e desgastantes, podendo resultar em burnout. É neste contexto que surge a realização deste trabalho, que procura dar resposta à seguinte questão de investigação: Qual o nível de burnout nos profissionais de saúde de cuidados paliativos? Para se dar resposta a esta inquietação, procedeu-se a uma revisão integrativa da literatura, suportada em estudos realizados com profissionais de saúde portugueses que exercem em Cuidados Paliativos. Efetuou-se uma pesquisa nos motores de busca da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde, SciELO Portugal, Repositório Científico da Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal e Google Académico, num espaço temporal decorrido entre janeiro a agosto de 2015, partindo dos critérios de inclusão previamente definidos. Seis estudos preencheram os critérios de inclusão, tendo-se constituído como corpus amostral. Como síntese da análise dos estudos, inferiu-se que os profissionais de saúde, designadamente médicos e enfermeiros das equipas de Cuidados Paliativos, demonstram um baixo risco de burnout. Embora seja indiscutível que estes profissionais estejam sujeitos a fatores de risco de burnout, decorrente, particularmente, do reiterativo contacto com o sofrimento e com a morte, tal não parece refletir-se em termos de burnout. Mas, a percentagem de profissionais de saúde em alto e médio risco de burnout assumiu-se como um fator preocupante.
- A bioeconomia : um novo paradigma económicoPublication . Nunes, Sara Deolinda da Costa; Leitão, Alexandra Paula Branco PintoA presente dissertação aborda a Bioeconomia enquanto estratégia económica que tem como plano de ação a utilização sustentável dos recursos renováveis para fins industriais e alimentares, garantindo simultaneamente a proteção do meio ambiente. Dado o caráter transversal da Bioeconomia esta constitui uma oportunidade única para enfrentar desafios atuais da sociedade interligados, tais como: a segurança alimentar, a escassez de recursos naturais, a dependência de recursos fósseis e as alterações climáticas, a par com um crescimento económico sustentável. Com este trabalho pretende-se compreender a Bioeconomia enquanto novo paradigma económico. É analisada a Bioeconomia na produção de recursos biológicos renováveis e na conversão dos mesmos recursos e fluxos de resíduos em produtos de valor acrescentado, tais como alimentos para consumo humano e animal, produtos de base biológica e bioenergia. Neste contexto, a investigação e a inovação são determinantes, assim como a interação entre as atuais políticas de promoção da Bioeconomia a nível da União Europeia e do mundo, de modo a fomentar as melhores práticas em questões globais em domínios como os da saúde, alterações demográficas e bem-estar da população mundial e com vista à implementação de uma política bioeconómica global. Com o trabalho, pretende-se ainda obter uma visão de como a Bioeconomia vem sendo implementada no mundo, verificando-se que vem avançando a um ritmo acelerado em muitos países europeus, bem como em alguns países americanos e asiáticos.
- Enrichment of bacterial strains for the biodegradation of endocrine disrupting compounds from sediments of the Pearl River Delta (PRD)Publication . Moreira, I. S.; Lebel, A.; Gonçalves, D.; Castro, P. M. L.Introduction: Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are those which alter the homeostasis, reproduction, development and/or behavior of organisms. Negative effects have been reported on aquatic species, wildlife, and humans due to exposure to very low (ng L−1) concentrations. Wastewater treatment plants are not able to completely remove these chemicals, contributing to the contamination of receiving water bodies. The situation of The Pearl River Delta (PRD) is of particular concern due to the high industrialization and dense urbanization. In the present study, bacteria degrading estradiols and bisphenols were isolated from sludge from an aeration tank and sediments obtained near a discharge site of a WWTP located in Coloane, Macao. Conclusions: The isolated strains represent valuable candidates for in situ bioremediation of contaminated soils and waters. Promising results were obtained by strain Castellaniella sp. ED55, able to degrade the four compounds at different extents. Further studies are ongoing to optimize the degradation of the compounds and to deepen the knowledge about the mechanisms of degradation including genome sequencing and transcriptomic experiments.
- Biodegradation of carbamazepine by the bacterial strain labrys portucalensis F11Publication . Bessa, V. S.; Moreira, I. S.; Murgolo, Sapia; Piccirillo, Clara; Mascolo, Giuseppe; Castro, P. M. L.Introduction and Objectives: The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the environment is a topic of concern. Most pharmaceuticals are not completely mineralized in the human body and are released to the sewage systems as the pharmaceutical itself and as their “biologically active” metabolites Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are not designed to remove them and they are released into the environment. Despite generally found at low concentrations (ranging from ngL−1 to μgL−1), they are classified as persistent microcontaminants due to their continuous release. Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a widely used anticonvulsant which has been found in different environmental compartments and has been suggested as a molecular marker of contamination in surface water and groundwater. In the present study, biodegradation of CBZ by strain Labrys Portucaliensis F11 was assessed. Transformation products (TPs) resulting from CBZ degradation were analysed. Methodology: CBZ biodegradation assays were performed in minimal salts medium (MM) supplemented with 2.0, 4.0, 10.0, 20.0 and 40.0 𝜇M of CBZ as a sole carbon and energy source and in the presence of acetate (5.9mM); CBZ was quantified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC); Transformation products (TPs) were detected and identified by UPLCQTOF/MS/MS; Ecotoxicological effects of cultures containing CBZ and of cultures containing the TPs after microbial degradation were assessed using Daphnia magna (OCED Guideline 202) and Lepidium sativum (OECD Guideline 208). Highlights: Supplementation with a second carbon source had a positive effect on CBZ degradation by strain Labrys Portucalensis F11; CBZ degradation by strain F11 proceeds mainly by oxidation, hydroxilation, hydrolysis and cleavage of the aromatic ring; CBZ TPs were detected until the end of the experiment time; CBZ and transformation products exhibited high toxicity on D. magna whereas inhibition of root elongation of L. sativum was practically neglectable.
- Detection and quantification by real-time PCR of ectomycorrhizal fungi in inoculum formulations for urban trees applicationPublication . Serafim, Cindy; Ramos, Miguel; Castro, Paula Lima; Sousa, NadineBackground: Urban trees are key elements in mitigating the common environmental problems in urban areas, through provisioning crucial ecosystem services such as air quality improvement, decrease of water runoff and microclimate mitigation. Because of their well-known host tree benefits, Ectomycorrhizal Fungi (EcM) may play an important role in urban tree management, improving tree vigor, and thus the extent and resilience of ecosystem services delivered by urban trees under stress. Therefore it is important to develop dedicated EcM-inocula to improve urban tree health and its associated ecosystem service delivery. To support the study of the effect of inoculum application in urban context it is necessary to establish new biotechnology tools and test their efficacy in laboratory trials. The major aims of this work were (i) to isolate EcM species known to associate with the selected tree species chosen (Tilia tomentosa) and (ii) to develop and test (in situ & ex situ) a specific RT-qPCR assays for detection and quantification of ectomycorrhizal RNA. The latter will allow fast, quantitative monitoring of the selected target species over time, space or different environmental conditions and can be directly applied to RNA samples from in-vitro and field experiments. Method: Two key-criteria were used in the fungi species selection: EcM species that are present on healthy urban trees, but absent on the unhealthy ones; and (ii) EcM species from forest/old park trees that are not found on the unhealthy street trees. Fungi were isolated from Northern Portugal and identified by molecular techniques (DNA extraction, PCR, sequencing). For each fungal species selected, a real-time reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay was developed based on the ITS sequences available in NCBI and UNITED data base enabling specific monitoring and quantification of viable or active EcM of interest during the experiments that will be conducted. Results & Conclusions: Ten new fungal isolates were successfully isolated, comprising the genera Russula, Pisolithus and Paxillus. The standard curves obtained for mycelial quantification of the chosen EcM species satisfy the requirements for real-time PCR, showing high reaction efficiency. Under the conditions established in the present work, mycelium concentration was detectable to levels adequate for biomass in situ quantification.