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- Impact of in vitro gastrointestinal digestion on upcycled blackcurrant dried extractPublication . Sousa, Ana Sofia; Vilas-Boas, Ana A.; Gómez-García, Ricardo; Alonso, Mercedes; De Biasio, Filomena; Gorgoglione, Domenico; Fajardo, Paula; House, Alistair; Pintado, ManuelaPomaces, the major by-product of fruit juice processing industries, is rich in bioactive compounds. Among them, polyphenols boost the body's antioxidant capacity, improving cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of diabetes and inflammation, and promoting intestinal microbiota health. Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) is a highly antioxidant berry rich in anthocyanins, a polyphenols class that also gives the fruit a black-purple color. Thus, blackcurrant pomace polyphenols have the potential to be functional food ingredients that can enhance sustainability in the agri-food processing chain with health benefits. In order to have a beneficial effect on health, polyphenols must be bioaccessible. This means they must be released from the food matrix during gastrointestinal digestion (GID) and available for absorption in the gut.This study aimed to assess the bioaccessibility of anthocyanins and the antioxidant activity of polyphenolic extract from blackcurrant pomace. For this purpose, an enzymatic method was used to release the polyphenols from the pomace, which were then spray-dried. The INFOGEST 2.0 protocol was used to simulate the in vitro GID of the powder. The anthocyanins profile (HPLC-DAD), total phenolic content (TPC, Folin-Ciocalteu method), antioxidant capacity (ABTS, DPPH), and cytotoxicity (PrestoBlue assay) were evaluated.The blackcurrant powder extract initially contained over 900 mg/L of total anthocyanins. The major compounds are cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (54%), pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside (19%), and delphinidin-3-O-glucoside (18%). The anthocyanins remained stable during the gastric phase of GID, with a full recovery index of 20% and 12% for cyanidin-3-O-glucoside. Still, they drastically decreased in the intestinal stage due to a pH change that caused a break in the anthocyanin B-ring. The TPC of the extract significantly reduced during the oral and gastric phases but increased slightly during the intestinal phase, with a 19% recovery index. The extract's antioxidant activity decreased, resulting in a bioaccessibility index of 19% and 23% for ABTS and DPPH scavenging activity, respectively. Despite a decrease in TPC along the GID, the extract still exhibited antioxidant capacity due to the existence of various phenolic compounds, specifically hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, resulting from the degradation/transformation of anthocyanins3. A 2.5% (w/v) of antioxidant extract powder is safe for food formulations.Thus, this work provides insights into the effects of GID on anthocyanins and the potential use of blackcurrant pomace as a source of bioactive ingredients, promoting a circular economy.
- Whole genome analysis of Tibetan Kefir-derived Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 12-3 elucidates its genomic architecture, antimicrobial and drug resistance, potential probiotic functionality and safetyPublication . Aziz, Tariq; Naveed, Muhammad; Shabbir, Muhammad Aqib; Sarwar, Abid; Khan, Ayaz Ali; Hasnain, Ammarah; Haq, Taqweem Ul; Yang, Zhennai; Zinedine, Abdellah; Rocha, João Miguel; Alharbi, MetabBackground: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 12-3 holds great promise as a probiotic bacterial strain, yet its full potential remains untapped. This study aimed to better understand this potential therapeutic strain by exploring its genomic landscape, genetic diversity, CRISPR-Cas mechanism, genotype, and mechanistic perspectives for probiotic functionality and safety applications. Methods: L. plantarum 12-3 was isolated from Tibetan kefir grains and, subsequently, Illumina and Single Molecule Real-Time (SMRT) technologies were used to extract and sequence genomic DNA from this organism. After performing pan-genomic and phylogenetic analysis, Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) was used to confirm the taxonomic identity of the strain. Antibiotic resistance gene analysis was conducted using the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and virulence gene identification were also included in our genomic analysis to evaluate food safety. Prophage, genomic islands, insertion sequences, and CRISPR-Cas sequence analyses were also carried out to gain insight into genetic components and defensive mechanisms within the bacterial genome. Results: The 3.4 Mb genome of L. plantarum 12-3, was assembled with 99.1% completeness and low contamination. A total of 3234 genes with normal length and intergenic spacing were found using gene prediction tools. Pan-genomic studies demonstrated gene diversity and provided functional annotation, whereas phylogenetic analysis verified taxonomic identity. Our food safety study revealed a profile of antibiotic resistance that is favorable for use as a probiotic. Analysis of insertional sequences, genomic islands, and prophage within the genome provided information regarding genetic components and their possible effects on evolution. Conclusions: Pivotal genetic elements uncovered in this study play a crucial role in bacterial defense mechanisms and offer intriguing prospects for future genome engineering efforts. Moreover, our findings suggest further in vitro and in vivo studies are warranted to validate the functional attributes and probiotic potential of L. plantarum 12-3. Expanding the scope of the research to encompass a broader range of L. plantarum 12-3 strains and comparative analyses with other probiotic species would enhance our understanding of this organism's genetic diversity and functional properties.
- Violência no namoro : autoestima, imagem corporal e (des)ajustamento psicológicoPublication . Macedo, Catarina Maria Fernandes; Azevedo, Ângela Maria Pereira e SáA violência no namoro é um fenómeno de grande prevalência na população portuguesa, cuja relevância de investigações na área da psicologia tem aumentado. O objetivo deste estudo consiste em investigar se existe uma relação entre a violência no namoro (vitimização e perpetração), a autoestima, a imagem corporal e (des)ajustamento psicológico. Para alcançar esse objetivo, conduziu-se uma pesquisa quantitativa de natureza correlacional e transversal, composta por uma amostra de 100 estudantes universitários que se encontrem numa relação de namoro ou que tenham estado numa relação no último ano. Para avaliar a VN foi aplicado o Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) e para avaliar a autoestima utilizamos a Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). O Inventário de Esquemas sobre a Aparência (ASI-R) foi aplicado para avaliar a imagem corporal e por fim utilizamos o Inventário de Sintomas Psicopatológico (BSI) para avaliar o (des)ajustamento psicológico. Foi também aplicado um Questionário Sociodemográfico. Os resultados demonstraram que a VN está relacionada com a imagem corporal, com a autoestima e com o (des)ajustamento psicológico. Além disso, varia conforme a idade e o sexo. Encontra-se relacionada com a experiência de sofrer violência no passado. A imagem corporal também varia conforme o sexo e a autoestima está relacionada com a escolaridade do pai. Os resultados revelaram que a experiência de violência encontra-se relacionada com a autoestima, a imagem corporal e o (des)ajustamento psicológico. Esta investigação permitiu contribuir para a literatura ao aprofundar a compreensão dos impactos psicológicos da violência no namoro e ao identificar áreas cruciais para investigações futuras.
- Study of the impact of edible mushroom biomass obtained from by-products upcycling on the human intestinal microbiotaPublication . Cima, André; Voss, Glenise Bierhalz; Salsinha, Ana Sofia; Sousa, Ana Sofia; Gómez-García, Ricardo; Pintado, ManuelaIn recent years, there has been a rise in the consumption of mushrooms, leading to an increase in the production of related by-products. Given their nutritional profile, mushrooms have the potential to represent a novel source of dietary fiber, which has been linked to prebiotic benefits. Through the utilization of a human feces’ fermentation model, this study aimed to assess the possible prebiotic effect of by-product-derived mushroom biomass. To accomplish this, by-products from 2 types of mushrooms, namely Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus eryngii (attained after different extraction procedures - M1 and M2), were nutritionally characterized, with a particular emphasis on the fiber, structural carbohydrates, and glucans content (components known to be used as a substrate by microbiota microorganisms and for their prebiotic potential). The results showed that P. ostreatus possessed a marginal advantage over P. eryngii in terms of fiber content (P. ostreatus: 36.39 – 41.01% DW; P. eryngii: 35.19 – 39.69 % DW) and higher levels of β-glucans (P. ostreatus: 50.92 - 52.29 % DW; P. eryngii: 41.96 - 43.64 % DW). When comparing the flours, it was found that the M2 extraction process produced flour with higher quantities of structural carbohydrates and fiber. Therefore, the 2 P. ostreatus’ flours were selected and submitted to a simulated digestive process and tested in an in vitro human fecal fermentation model considering fluctuations in the microbiota (Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Clostridium) profile, and the formation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and other relevant organic acids. Overall, the impact of mushrooms flours on gut microbiota led to a Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio consistently close to 1, which supports their prebiotic potential. The SCFA (acetate, butyrate, and propionate) production also revealed a positive modulation of the microbiota metabolism. There was an increase in all metabolites (except for lactic acid) compared to the controls, indicating the flour’s prebiotic potential, even It is essential to note that the process of valuing mushroom by-products of mushroom in a zero-waste approach permitted the production of added-value extracts and the use of the residual biomasses as a functional prebiotic ingredient that might be used in new functional foods.
- Contemplar a salvação em Cristo crucificado : uma leitura da Paixão de Cristo na Suma Teológica de São Tomás de AquinoPublication . Almeida, Carlos Tiago Feijão Duarte Torres; Duque, João Manuel Correia RodriguesA Paixão de Cristo está no coração do anúncio cristão da salvação. Contudo, existe um mal-estar contemporâneo diante de muitos dos conceitos tradicionalmente usados na reflexão teológica sobre a salvação associada à Cruz de Cristo. Com esta dissertação, procura-se um olhar teológico aprofundado sobre as várias dimensões da Paixão de Cristo enquanto evento e da sua interpretação soteriológica, tendo como base o desenvolvimento dado a estes temas nas questões 46 a 49 da IIIª Parte da Suma de Teologia de São Tomás de Aquino. Com base nos conceitos desenvolvidos na primeira parte da sua cristologia, e em conceitos clássicos da soteriologia cristã, S. Tomás conduz a reflexão teológica a uma contemplação do Mistério da Cruz que alarga o seu sentido jurídico para revelar a profundidade da salvação oferecida em Cristo: a restauração da humanidade à comunhão com Deus, consumada na bem-aventurança eterna.
- TolerânciaPublication . Castello Branco, José Tomaz
- CSRD : os impactos da definição de métricas e da obrigação de divulgação de informação sobre ESGPublication . Pereira, Maria Beatriz Caetano Queiroga; Martins, Paulo Câmara Pires dos Santos
- Interventions for surgical site infection prevention care bundles in the intraoperative colorectal surgery - a literature reviewPublication . Cunha, Tiago; Maciel, João; Miguel, Susana; Zagalo, Carlos; Alves, Paulo Jorge
- A força maior e a alteração das circunstâncias nos contratos de concessão rodoviária : a sua aplicação à pandemia COVID-19Publication . Silva, Inês Duarte; Duarte, Tiago José Pires
- Inquisições. Uma proposta relacional e comparativaPublication . Cicerchia, Andrea; Puga, Gabriel Torres; Lourenço, Miguel Rodrigues; Mateus, Susana BastosEste artigo pretende apresentar-se como uma leitura historiográfica renovada do fenómeno inquisitorial. Partindo de uma discussão das considerações historiográficas e terminológicas que foram desenvolvidas desde as últimas décadas do século passado, propomo-nos abordar vários aspetos desta questão: o carácter “medieval” do ofício da inquisitio; o papel desempenhado pelo Papado na criação desta instituição jurídica e a sua posterior utilização numa perspetiva “universalista”; o desenvolvimento dos sistemas inquisitoriais modernos e as suas relações e interações. Isto permitir-nos-á centrar no que se pretende ser a espinha dorsal desta proposta historiográfica, ou seja, a análise do impacto exercido pela(s) Inquisição(ões) nas distintas sociedades de Antigo Regime, dos estados europeus aos seus territórios coloniais, considerando, para isso, as complexas relações existentes no interior dos três sistemas inquisitoriais aqui em apreço. Nesta perspetiva, queremos sublinhar a importância de uma investigação conjunta dos diversos quadros sociais, mas também dos grupos de poder que se constituem à sombra da instituição. Tudo isto, juntamente com uma profunda atenção aos diferentes graus de relações e perceções geradas quotidianamente pela máquina inquisitorial nas sociedades.