Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2024-01"
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- Escola e igualdade: reconstruindo o projeto societárioPublication . Machado, Joaquim
- DocLisboa 2023: the slow changePublication . Ribas, DanielA report on the DocLisboa film festival, discussing the films presented in the International Competition and the changing landscape of documentary film.
- Introdução: avaliação em interação: currículo, pedagogias e aprendizagensPublication . Palmeirão, Cristina; Alves, José Matias
- Microbial conjugated linolenic acid-enriched fermented milk using lipase-hydrolyzed flaxseed oil: biochemical, organoleptic and storage traitsPublication . Fontes, Ana Luiza; Pimentel, Lígia L.; Monteiro, Maria João P.; Domingues, M. Rosário; Rodríguez-Alcalá, Luis Miguel; Gomes, Ana MariaThe bioactive conjugated linolenic acid (CLNA) can be microbiologically produced by different probiotic strains when in the presence of α-linolenic acid (α-LNA). Food matrices are a good vector, such as has been previously demonstrated with fermented milk enriched with microbial CLNA by Bifidobacterium breve DSM 20091 from lipase-hydrolyzed flaxseed oil. The aim of the present work was to further assess the nutritional, biochemical and organoleptic properties of the developed dairy product, as well as its storage stability throughout 28 days at 4 °C, proving its suitability for consumption. Milk lactose hydrolyzed into glucose (0.89 g/100 g) and galactose (0.88 g/100 g), which were further metabolized into lactic (0.42 g/100 g), acetic (0.44 g/100 g) and propionic (0.85 g/100 g) acids. Titratable acidity reached 0.69% and pH 4.93. Compared with the control (no CLNA), fat content was slightly higher (2.0 g/100 g). Acetic acid was the major volatile (83.32%), lacking important dairy flavor contributors, like acetaldehyde. Sensory analysis revealed predominant astringency and bitterness. No microbial concerns arose during storage, but the CLNA content increased, and some saturated fatty acids seemed to oxidize. In conclusion, the CLNA-enriched fermented milk revealed reasonable compositional properties, yet further improvements are needed for optimal consumer acceptance and a prolonged shelf-life.
- Influence of lacto-fermented traditional and colored wheat grain wholemeal flour on wheat biscuit qualityPublication . Bartkiene, Elena; Valionyte, Aiste; Starkute, Vytaute; Klupsaite, Dovile; Mockus, Ernestas; Zokaityte, Egle; Cernauskas, Darius; Rocha, João Miguel; Özogul, Fatih; Ruibys, Romas; Liatukas, Zilvinas; Ruzgas, VytautasIn this study, the non-treated and lacto-fermented (with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei LUHS244) wholemeal of new breed lines of colored wheat (blue 8558-1 and black 8472-5) and traditional wheat "Silva", was evaluated for the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) viable count, acidity, color parameters, amino acid (AA) profile, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and biogenic amine content. The addition of 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 g of tested wheat wholemeal was used for biscuit preparation. The chromaticity characteristics of the dough and biscuits, dough pH, acrylamide concentration, overall acceptability, and volatile compounds (VC) were examined. In most cases, fermentation increased the AA and GABA contents in wheat wholemeal. The main biogenic amines in tested wholemeal were putrescine and spermidine. Wheat wholemeal, fermented for 48 h, was selected for biscuit preparation due to its lower pH and higher LAB viable counts. The acrylamide concentration showed correlations with individual VCs. In conclusion, wheat biscuits prepared with 200 and 250 g of non-fermented “Silva” wheat wholemeal, 50 and 100 g of non-fermented and fermented blue wheat wholemeal, as well as 50, 100, and 150 g of non-fermented black wheat wholemeal can be recommended for achieving appropriate acrylamide concentration reduction without impairing the sensory acceptability of the product.
- Fucoidans: exploring its neuroprotective mechanisms and therapeutic applications in brain disordersPublication . Batista, Patrícia; Cunha, Sara A.; Ribeiro, Tânia; Borges, Sandra; Baptista-Silva, Sara; Oliveira-Silva, Patrícia; Pintado, ManuelaBackground: Marine-derived natural products have been attracting attention from both the food and pharmaceutical sectors due to their promising therapeutic attributes. Algae and their biomolecules are examples of marine-derived products for ongoing research endeavors. Fucoidan, an algae-derived polysaccharide, has emerged as a recent biomolecule related to a diverse array of beneficial properties, with particular emphasis on its neuroprotective activities. Scope and approach: This review intended to understand the neuroprotective properties of Fucoidan and its impact on brain disorders. Fucoidan has risen to prominence as one of the most promising neuroprotective agents obtained from macroalgae, with in vitro and in vivo studies proving its efficiency. Nevertheless, the extant literature underscores the imperative for further clinical trials to substantiate its therapeutic prowess. The neuroprotective effect of fucoidan is related to oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, neuroinflammation, apoptosis, as well as the interaction between gut-brain-microbiota. Key findings and conclusions: Despite having numerous health benefits being approved by regulatory entities, fucoidan products consumption, and use by industry still needs to be explored. Henceforth, there is a need to search for an efficient method for the successful commercialization of fucoidan, focusing on its suitable dosage for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications, but it is also necessary to have clinical studies proving its efficacy in brain disorders. Therefore, this biomolecule has the potential to be exploited by researchers, investors and consumers. In this way, fucoidan could contribute to the promotion and improvement of society’s quality of life concerning specific brain pathologies.
- The science of micronutrients in clinical practice – Report on the ESPEN symposiumPublication . Berger, Mette M.; Amrein, Karin; Barazzoni, Rocco; Bindels, Laure; Bretón, Irene; Calder, Philip C.; Cappa, Stefano; Cuerda, Cristina; D'Amelio, Patrizia; Man, Angélique de; Delzenne, Nathalie M.; Forbes, Alastair; Genton, Laurence; Gombart, Adrian F.; Joly, Francisca; Laviano, Alessandro; Matthys, Christophe; Phyo, Pyi Pyi; Ravasco, Paula; Serlie, Mireille J.; Shenkin, Alan; Stoffel, Nicole U.; Talwar, Dinesh; Zanten, Arthur R. H. VanBackground & aims: The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism published its first clinical guidelines for use of micronutrients (MNs) in 2022. A two-day web symposium was organized in November 2022 discussing how to apply the guidelines in clinical practice. The present paper reports the main findings of this symposium. Methods: Current evidence was discussed, the first day being devoted to clarifying the biology underlying the guidelines, especially regarding the definition of deficiency, the impact of inflammation, and the roles in antioxidant defences and immunity. The second day focused on clinical situations with high prevalence of MN depletion and deficiency. Results: The importance of the determination of MN status in patients at risk and diagnosis of deficiencies is still insufficiently perceived, considering the essential role of MNs in immune and antioxidant defences. Epidemiological data show that deficiencies of several MNs (iron, iodine, vitamin D) are a global problem that affects human health and well-being including immune responses such as to vaccination. Clinical conditions frequently associated with MN deficiencies were discussed including cancer, obesity with impact of bariatric surgery, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, critical illness, and aging. In all these conditions, MN deficiency is associated with worsening of outcomes. The recurrent problem of shortage of MN products, but also lack of individual MN-products is a worldwide problem. Conclusion: Despite important progress in epidemiology and clinical nutrition, numerous gaps in practice persist. MN depletion and deficiency are frequently insufficiently searched for in clinical conditions, leading to inadequate treatment. The symposium concluded that more research and continued education are required to improve patient outcome.
- Anti-aging potential of a novel ingredient derived from sugarcane straw extract (SSE)Publication . Carvalho, Maria João; Pedrosa, Sílvia Santos; Mendes, Adélia; Azevedo-Silva, João; Fernandes, João; Pintado, Manuela; Oliveira, Ana L. S.; Madureira, Ana RaquelNatural and sustainable anti-aging ingredients have gained attention from the cosmetic industry. This study evaluated the anti-aging potential of a sugarcane straw extract-based (SSE) cosmetic ingredient. First, cytotoxicity tests were assessed in keratinocytes and fibroblast cell lines, and sensitization was carried out through the direct peptide reactivity assay. Subsequently, various anti-aging properties were investigated, including inhibiting skin aging-related enzymes, promoting elastin and hyaluronic acid synthesis, and anti-pollution activity. Finally, a permeability assay using a synthetic membrane resembling skin was conducted. The results demonstrated that the SSE ingredient effectively inhibited elastase (55%), collagenase (25%), and tyrosinase (47%) while promoting hyaluronic acid production at non-cytotoxic and low-sensitizer concentrations. Moreover, it reduced the inflammatory response provoked by urban pollution, as evidenced by decreased levels of IL1-α and IL-6. However, it was observed that the phenolic compounds predominantly reached the skin’s surface, indicating a limited ability to penetrate deeper layers of the skin. Therefore, it can be concluded that the SSE ingredient holds anti-aging properties, albeit with limited penetration into deeper skin layers. Further research and formulation advancements are needed to optimize the ingredient’s ability to reach and exert its effects in deeper skin layers.
- Machine learning-based cardiac activity non-linear analysis for discriminating COVID-19 patients with different degrees of severityPublication . Ribeiro, Pedro; Marques, João Alexandre Lobo; Pordeus, Daniel; Zacarias, Laíla; Leite, Camila Ferreira; Sobreira-Neto, Manoel Alves; Peixoto Jr, Arnaldo Aires; Oliveira, Adriel de; Madeiro, João Paulo do Vale; Rodrigues, Pedro MiguelObjective: This study highlights the potential of an Electrocardiogram (ECG) as a powerful tool for early diagnosis of COVID-19 in critically ill patients with limited access to CT–Scan rooms. Methods: In this investigation, 3 categories of patient status were considered: Low, Moderate, and Severe. For each patient, 2 different body positions have been used to collect 2 ECG signals. Then, from each collected signal, 10 non-linear features (Energy, Approximate Entropy, Logarithmic Entropy, Shannon Entropy, Hurst Exponent, Lyapunov Exponent, Higuchi Fractal Dimension, Katz Fractal Dimension, Correlation Dimension and Detrended Fluctuation Analysis) were extracted every 1s ECG time-series length to serve as entries for 19 Machine learning classifiers within a leave-one-out cross-validation procedure. Four different classification scenarios were tested: Low vs. Moderate, Low vs. Severe, Moderate vs. Severe and one Multi-class comparison (All vs. All). Results: The classification report results were: (1) Low vs. Moderate - 100% of Accuracy and 100% of F1–Score; (2) Low vs. Severe - Accuracy of 91.67% and an F1–Score of 94.92%; (3) Moderate vs. Severe - Accuracy of 94.12% and an F1–Score of 96.43%; and (4) All vs All - 78.57% of Accuracy and 84.75% of F1–Score. Conclusion: The results indicate that the applied methodology could be considered a good tool for distinguishing COVID-19’s different severity stages using ECG signals. Significance: The findings highlight the potential of ECG as a fast and effective tool for COVID-19 examination. In comparison to previous studies using the same database, this study shows a 7.57% improvement in diagnostic accuracy for the All vs All comparison.
- Diáspora e Humor étnico. Leituras múltiplas de conteúdos humorísticos a partir do YoutubePublication . Petrella, Simone; Cunha, Manuel Antunes da; Pessôa, ClarisseO humor étnico é uma das produções socioculturais que mais controversas gera, uma vez que conduz invariavelmente locutores e destinatários para os terrenos, por vezes ingremes, de identidade e de pertença. Suscita leituras plurais em função dos contextos de vida e das representações associadas às personagens e situações encenadas. Como nos recorda Sierra (2019), uma extensa literatura tem se debruçado sobre o papel dos meios de comunicação como espaço de (re)produção de estereótipos linguísticos e culturais, mas são escassas as pesquisas acerca da respetiva (re)apropriação no âmbito das interações sociais. São, de facto, as redes sociais digitais que constituem hoje um dos espaços privilegiados dessas interações na esfera pública e onde os diversos formatos proporcionam a capacidade de argumentar online, de partilhar ou manipular imagens, de criar memes ou de publicar as suas próprias produções, conferindo-lhes um potencial específico. De modo a compreender as diversas interpretações e analisar o papel do humor na (de)construção simbólica dos públicos portugueses ou de origem portuguesa residentes em França e Portugal, o presente estudo recorreu à aplicação de inquéritos por questionário em língua francesa e portuguesa, a residentes em França e em Portugal. A partir de variáveis como sexo, idade, estatuto migratório, área de residência, formação académica, categoria socioprofissional, entre outras, procurou-se assim apreender a diversidade das receções do vídeo “Vamos a Portugal” (950 000 visualizações), de autoria de uma dupla de humoristas lusodescendentes, Ro & Cut, que ganhou popularidade online através de vídeos no Youtube com mais de 125 milhões de visualizações. A partir de um total de 461 respostas (234 em França e 227 em Portugal) é possível perceber que os trajetos individuais e coletivos influenciam o processo de receção. Embora em ambos os casos considerem que o vídeo não retrata a realidade atual dos portugueses em França, procedem a uma leitura diferenciada desta produção em contexto digital. Nesta comunicação, iremos destacar as perceções dos residentes em Portugal, através da apresentação e discussão dos resultados decorrente das suas respostas ao inquérito (ou das respostas ao inquérito aplicado em Portugal).