Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2024-07"
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- Heart with Mozambique: a Portuguese contribution to the eradication of rheumatic heart diseasePublication . Almeida, Inês Grácio de; Esteves, Ana; Gil, Victor
- Sustainable textiles with plant extracts for skin applicationsPublication . Oliveira, Cláudia S.; Rocha, Ashly; Antunes, Jéssica; Silva, Augusta; Silva, Carla; Tavaria, Freni K.The expanding market for antimicrobial textiles demands innovative products to support modern technological advancements across various industries. This growing need includes the food industry, where antimicrobial textiles are vital for preventing contamination through uniforms and surface coverings; healthcare institutions, which utilize these products to reduce infection spread; consumer goods such as clothing and sportswear that benefit from enhanced hygiene and odor control; and dermatotherapeutical applications where antimicrobial textiles aid in treating skin infections. Given their direct contact with human skin, it's crucial to consider their safety and effectiveness. To address this demand, numerous antimicrobial textiles have been developed, often relying on synthetic components like metals (silver, copper, zinc) and chemical agents (quaternary ammonium compounds, triclosan). However, the potential side effects of these synthetic materials highlight the need for natural antimicrobial agents, which are considered safer. Plant extracts, rich in bioactive compounds, offer a promising alternative. For instance, Eucalyptus and hop extracts have shown strong antimicrobial properties against various bacteria. This study evaluates the use of these plant extracts to functionalize textiles, testing their antimicrobial activity against common skin bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli), while assessing their biocompatibility with human skin cells to ensure safety for direct skin applications.
- Hybridizing machine learning with time series analysis for enhanced forecasting in management science and operational efficiency: a systematic reviewPublication . Teymourifar, Aydin; Trindade, Maria A. M.In the dynamic landscape of management science, this systematic review provides a comprehensive exploration of the amalgamation of machine learning techniques with traditional time series analysis methods. As time series analysis continues to play an increasingly pivotal role in enhancing managerial decision-making processes by offering insights derived from sequential data points, this study endeavors to shed light on the multifaceted applications and synergistic benefits resulting from the integration of time series analysis with machine learning. By scrutinizing a diverse array of studies and practical implementations, the study aims to illuminate the rich potential of this hybrid approach across various domains, including market trend forecasting, inventory management, financial management, and operational efficiency. Through an in-depth analysis, this review elucidates how the fusion of machine learning and time series analysis contributes to heightened forecasting accuracy and operational efficacy, thus empowering decision-makers with more robust insights and strategies.
- Impact of different diets and starvation periods on microbial load of Tenebrio molitor larvaePublication . Pereira, Inês; Carvalho, Teresa Bento de; Soares, Luís; Ribeiro, Tiago; Esteves, Vasco; Barbosa, Joana Bastos; Teixeira, PaulaIntroduction: In a world facing an environmental crisis, the growth of the world's population coupled with an increasing demand for natural resources emphasizes the importance of adopting new dietary patterns based on health and sustainability (1). The consumption of edible insects (e.g. Tenebrio molitor) offers an alternative to animal protein sources, providing a sustainable food production cycle that ensures food security with minimal environmental impact (2). The main challenges in the T. molitor production industry are the selection of an appropriate feeding regime, as this affects the growth performance, nutritional profile and microbiota of the insect, and the processing steps required to commercialize mealworm larvae for human consumption. These steps have a direct impact on safety by allowing the gut contents to be discarded, thereby reducing the microbiological load and the presence of pathogenic microorganisms (3, 4). Typically, mealworm larvae are reared in a dry, starchy substrate supplemented by a water source, such as slices of vegetables or fruit. After being reared under optimal growth conditions, the larvae are sifted and then subjected to a fasting period of at least 24 hours, as required by law. This fasting process allows the intestinal contents to be discarded and limits the microbiological load, with the fasting period being a legal requirement of at least 24 hours (3, 4). Objective: This study aimed to analyze the microbiology of Tenebrio molitor larvae subjected to various feeding regimes (substrate with water, potato, carrot, or a fresh vegetable mix) and subsequently subjected to different starvations periods (0 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours). Discussion and conclusions: In general, the performance of starvation is dependent on the diet to which the larvae were subjected for each microbiological parameter evaluated. A positive result is considered when, for larvae subjected to the same diet, the counts of a given parameter at a given starvation period (24 h, 48 h, 72 h) are lower than those observed in the control without starvation (0h). This was observed only for: larvae A, for anaerobic Bacillus spores after 48h, and for yeasts after 72h; larvae B, for aerobic Bacillus spores and anaerobic Bacillus spores after 24 h ,48 h and 72 h and for molds after 24 h and 72h; larvae C, for Enterobacteria and yeasts after 24h and 72h; for aerobic Bacillus spores after 24h, 48h and 72h; and for anaerobic Bacillus spores after 24 h and 48h; larvae D, for TVC, LAB and anaerobic Bacillus spores after 24, 48h, 72h; for Enterococcus after 48 h and 72 h; for Enterococcus after 48h and 72h; for aerobic Bacillus spores after 24 h and 72 h; and for yeasts after 48h. Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. were not detected in 10 g of each sample analysed. In conclusion, these results call into question the efficacy of fasting periods in reducing the microbial load of T. molitor larvae, as previously reported in other studies, and highlight the importance of heat treatments following fasting to ensure the food safety of the final product.
- Psychometric evaluation of the Swedish version of the Empathic Experience Scale (EES)Publication . Sarling, Andreas; Sundin, Örjan; Jansson, BillyBackground: This study assessed the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Empathic Experience Scale (EES), a recently developed scale for empathic traits (Innamorati et al., 2019). According to previous research, EES has two dimensions: Vicarious Experience and Intuitive Understanding. Methods: We used a split-sample method with a combination of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for an adult population (N = 805) from both Sweden and Finland. Results: Our findings support previous research, favoring a two-factor model over a unidimensional model. The final model provided support for measurement invariance across different grouping variables. Consistent with previous research on empathic traits, women obtained higher scores on both dimensions of the scale compared to men. Furthermore, the EES showed high internal consistency, good discriminant, and convergent validity.
- What is the most effective method for reducing the microbial load in date paste?Publication . Soares, Inês; Vedor, Rita; Muñoz-Bas, Clara; Pérez-Alvarez, José; Fernández-López, Juana; Brandão, Teresa; Miller, Fátima; Barbosa, Joana Cristina; Machado, Daniela; Gomes, Ana MariaDate paste's high moisture and sugar content, which nourishes microorganisms such as bacteria and molds, makes it susceptible to microbial contamination. These conditions are inherent to its composition and processing methods (Zamir et al., 2018, Muñoz-Tebar et al., 2023). Ensuring low microbial load in date paste is crucial for safety, compliance, and quality (Zamir et al., 2018). Contamination can cause illnesses, alter taste, and shorten shelf life, affecting consumer satisfaction and market competitiveness (Muñoz-Tebar et al., 2023). Therefore, implementing adequate microbial control strategies, such as optimized processing, hygiene protocols, controlled storage and effective microbial load reduction strategies, is vital for safety, quality, and market acceptance.
- Do cognitive subtypes exist in people at clinical high risk for psychosis? Results from the EU-GEI studyPublication . EU-GEI High Risk Study; Gifford, George; Avila, Alessia; Kempton, Matthew J.; Fusar-Poli, Paolo; Mccutcheon, Robert A.; Coutts, Fiona; Tognin, Stefania; Valmaggia, Lucia; Haan, Lieuwe de; Gaag, Mark van der; Nelson, Barnaby; Pantelis, Christos; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Bressan, Rodrigo; Barrantes-Vidal, Neus; Krebs, Marie-Odile; Glenthoj, Birte; Ruhrmann, Stephan; Sachs, Gabriele; Rutten, Bart P. F.; Os, Jim van; McGuire, PhilipBackground and Hypothesis: Cognition has been associated with socio-occupational functioning in individuals at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P). The present study hypothesized that clustering CHR-P participants based on cognitive data could reveal clinically meaningful subtypes. Study Design: A cohort of 291 CHR-P subjects was recruited through the multicentre EU-GEI high-risk study. We explored whether an underlying cluster structure was present in the cognition data. Clustering of cognition data was performed using k-means clustering and density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise. Cognitive subtypes were validated by comparing differences in functioning, psychosis symptoms, transition outcome, and grey matter volume between clusters. Network analysis was used to further examine relationships between cognition scores and clinical symptoms. Study Results: No underlying cluster structure was found in the cognitive data. K-means clustering produced “spared” and “impaired” cognition clusters similar to those reported in previous studies. However, these clusters were not associated with differences in functioning, symptomatology, outcome, or grey matter volume. Network analysis identifed cognition and symptoms/functioning measures that formed separate subnetworks of associations. Conclusions: Stratifying patients according to cognitive performance has the potential to inform clinical care. However, we did not fnd evidence of cognitive clusters in this CHR-P sample. We suggest that care needs to be taken in inferring the existence of distinct cognitive subtypes from unsupervised learning studies. Future research in CHR-P samples could explore the existence of cognitive subtypes across a wider range of cognitive domains.
- Selection of promising clean-label antimicrobials for novel meat productPublication . Barbosa, Luana; Barbosa, Joana Bastos; Carvalho, Teresa Bento de; Azevedo, Maria Alexandra; Teixeira, PaulaIn the current context of growing demand for healthier and transparently labeled foods, research into natural compounds as clean-label substitutes for synthetic preservatives is essential. Understanding the susceptibility of different pathogens to natural antimicrobials is crucial for the development of new effective preservation strategies. Incorporating these natural preservatives into meat products not only extends shelf life, but also increases consumer trust in products that are committed to transparency and quality [1,2].
- Turn down for watt: community fit and thermal comfort habituation predict average household heating energy consumptionPublication . Gruda, Dritjon; Hanges, PaulLowering average household heating energy consumption plays a pivotal role in addressing climate change and has been central to policy initiatives. Strategies proposed so far have included commitments, incentives/ disincentives, feedback, and social norms. Yet, findings so far have been mixed and fail to explain the mechanism that drives energy conservation behavior. Using a sample of 2,128 participants across the United States, we collected survey data matched with archival temperature data to investigate the influence of past experiences on current energy conservation behaviors. Our findings indicate that childhood home temperatures significantly predict current home temperature settings. Importantly, community fit moderated this relationship. Individuals with high community fit were more likely to align their home temperature settings to those of their community. These insights not only shed light on the underlying mechanisms driving energy consumption behavior but also suggest that fostering a sense of community fit might be a more effective strategy for promoting sustainable energy practices.
- Relatório de Outono 2023: cobertura e caracterização das equipas e profissionais das equipas de cuidados paliativosPublication . Capelas, Manuel Luís; Afonso, Tânia; Teves, Carla; Benittes, Larissa; Durão, Sofia