Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2025-01"
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- Boosting through-plane electrical conductivity: chitosan composite films with carbon-sepiolite and multiwalled carbon nanotubesPublication . Barra, Ana; Ferreira, Nuno M.; Pocas, Fátima; Ruiz-Hitzky, Eduardo; Nunes, Cláudia; Ferreira, PaulaFlexible and electrically conductive materials are gaining significant attention across various domains, notably in electronics, biomedicine and food industry. One promising strategy involves the integration of electrically conductive nanostructures into a polymeric matrix to fabricate composite materials. However, achieving uniform through-plane electrical conductivity remains a challenge due to the preferential alignment of carbon nanostructures in the in-plane direction. Herein, we report the development of electrically conductive chitosan (CS)- based biocomposite films incorporating a multicomponent filler system. By combining carbon supported on sepiolite clay (CARSEP) with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), it is aimed to facilitate an interconnected distribution in both in-plane and through-plane directions. The optimized film, featuring a CS/CARSEP/MWCNT mass ratio of 50/40/10, exhibited a maximum electrical conductivity of 55.5 S/m and 0.1 S/m in the in-plane and through-plane directions, respectively. Additionally, migration studies demonstrated the absence of harmful compounds upon heating the film up to 60 ◦C in air, ethanol, or hexane. These findings highlight the potential of these flexible and electrically conductive biocomposite films, primarily composed of biobased materials, for applications requiring through-plane electrical conductivity.
- Trends in delivery hospitalizations and the impact of ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM-PCS transition in Portugal between 2010 and 2018Publication . Camarinha, Catarina de Paraíso; Oliveira, Maria Miguel Gomes; Elias, Cecília; Nobre, Miguel de Araújo; Nicolau, Leonor Bacelar Costa; Furtado, Cristina; Costa, Andreia Silva da; Nogueira, Paulo Jorge da SilvaBackground: Hospital discharge data are essential for maternal health surveillance, clinical research, and healthcare resource allocation. In 2017, Portuguese hospitals transitioned from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition, Clinical Modification and Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-CM/PCS), impacting the recording of delivery hospitalizations. This study examines trends in delivery hospitalizations from 2010 to 2018 and assesses the impact of the ICD-10-CM/PCS transition. Methods: We conducted a register-based observational cross-sectional analysis using data from the National Hospital Discharge Database, covering delivery hospitalizations in public hospitals from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2018. Delivery episodes were identified using diagnosis codes, normal delivery codes, diagnosis-related group (DRG) codes, and procedure codes. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, interrupted time series with segmented regression, and Prophet forecasting models to evaluate trends and the impact of the coding transition. Results: A total of 673,978 delivery hospitalizations were recorded. The transition from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM/PCS in 2017 had minimal overall impact on delivery trends. DRG codes consistently identified the majority of delivery episodes, with outcome of delivery codes and selected procedure codes showing varying trends. An increase in episodes identified by normal delivery codes and a significant decrease in episodes identified by procedure codes was observed immediately after the ICD-10 transition (p < 0.001). The Prophet model indicated improved forecast accuracy for procedure codes when including the ICD-10 transition variable. Conclusion: The transition to ICD-10-CM/PCS had a limited impact on overall delivery hospitalization trends but significantly affected procedure coding. These findings underscore the importance of considering coding system changes in healthcare data analyses. Further research should incorporate private hospital data and continuously monitor coding practices to ensure reliable health data for research and policy-making.
- Machine learning-based spectral analyses for camellia japonica cultivar identificationPublication . Rodrigues, Pedro Miguel; Sousa, ClaraCamellia japonica is a plant species with high cultural and biological relevance. Besides being used as an ornamental plant species, C. japonica has relevant biological properties. Due to hybridization, thousands of cultivars are known, and their accurate identification is mandatory. Infrared spectroscopy is currently recognized as an accurate and rapid technique for species and/or subspecies identifications, including in plants. However, selecting proper analysis tools (spectra pre-processing, feature selection, and chemometric models) highly impacts the accuracy of such identifications. This study tests the impact of two distinct machine learning-based approaches for discriminating C. japonica cultivars using near-infrared (NIR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies. Leaves infrared spectra (NIR—obtained in a previous study; FTIR—obtained herein) of 15 different C. japonica cultivars (38 plants) were modeled and analyzed via different ma- chine learning-based approaches (Approach 1 and Approach 2), each combining a feature selection method plus a classifier application. Regarding Approach 1, NIR spectroscopy emerged as the most effective technique for predicting C. japonica cultivars, achieving 81.3% correct cultivar assignments. However, Approach 2 obtained the best results with FTIR spectroscopy data, achieving a perfect 100.0% accuracy in cultivar assignments. When comparing both approaches, Approach 2 also improved the results for NIR data, increasing the correct cultivar predictions by nearly 13%. The results obtained in this study highlight the importance of chemometric tools in analyzing infrared data. The choice of a specific data analysis approach significantly affects the accuracy of the technique. Moreover, the same approach can have varying impacts on different techniques. Therefore, it is not feasible to establish a universal data analysis approach, even for very similar datasets from comparable analytical techniques.
- Insights for sustainable business practices: comparative impact of independent and corporate venture capital funding on financial and environmental performancePublication . Shuwaikh, Fatima; Tanguy, Agathe; Dubocage, Emmanuelle; Alolah, OthmanThis study aims to analyze the effects of venture capital (VC) financing schemes on the financial and environmental performance of their VC-backed companies. This research leverages a dataset including 325 U.S. firms between 2002 and 2022 and examines two issues of interest: independent venture capital (IVC) and corporate venture capital (CVC) funding. The results show that IVC-backed companies have significantly better environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings and emit fewer greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions when compared to companies backed by CVC. This highlights that the function of IVC is to improve the environmental sustainability of businesses. Together this helps provide a valuable perspective about which VC models (CVC, IVC) does have an impact on how businesses pursue sustainability practices alongside financial performance. This paper contributes to the sustainable entrepreneurship literature by focusing on the importance of funding types with performing sustainable practices.
- Impact of polysorbate 80 on the antimicrobial activity of oregano and thymePublication . Carvalho, Marta; Barbosa, Joana; Silva, Marcelo Belchior Rosendo da; Albano, Helena; Teixeira, PaulaPlant-derived essential oils (EOs) possess significant antimicrobial potential against spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. However, their efficacy can vary depending on the test method, making it difficult to standardise results. This study aimed to investigate the effect of polysorbate 80, a common surfactant used to emulsify EOs, on antimicrobial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determinations. The antimicrobial activity of oregano and thyme EOs was tested against 40 microorganisms with and without the presence of polysorbate 80. Antimicrobial activity was qualitatively assessed using the disc diffusion assay (DDA) and quantitatively via broth microdilution to determine MIC values. Both oregano and thyme EOs exhibited antimicrobial activity against all tested microorganisms in the DDA, regardless of the surfactant’s presence. However, MIC determinations revealed that higher EO concentrations were required to inhibit microbial growth when polysorbate 80 was included in the emulsification process. These findings indicate that polysorbate 80 influences antimicrobial test results by reducing EO efficacy while enhancing solution homogeneity and handling in aqueous media. The study highlights the critical role of emulsifiers in antimicrobial testing, as their use can significantly impact the interpretation of results and the perceived effectiveness of EOs in food preservation, pharmaceuticals, and other applications.
- Alterations of white matter microstructure in migraine patients vary in the peri-ictal phasesPublication . Fouto, Ana R.; Nunes, Rita G.; Guadilla, Irene; Ruiz-Tagle, Amparo; Esteves, Inês; Caetano, Gina; Silva, Nuno A.; Vilela, Pedro; Gil-Gouveia, Raquel; Figueiredo, PatriciaAlterations in white matter (WM) microstructure are commonly found in migraine patients. Here, we employ a longitudinal study of episodic migraine without aura using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) to investigate whether such WM microstructure alterations vary through the different phases of the pain cycle. Fourteen patients with episodic migraine without aura related with menstruation were scanned through four phases of their (spontaneous) migraine cycle (interictal, preictal, ictal, and postictal). Fifteen healthy controls were studied in the corresponding phases of the menstrual cycle. Multishell dMRI data were acquired and preprocessed to obtain maps of diffusion parameters reflecting WM microstructure. After a whole-brain analysis comparing patients with controls, a region-of-interest analysis was performed to determine whether the patients’ microstructural changes varied across the migraine cycle in specific WM tracts. Compared with controls, patients showed reduced axial diffusivity (AD) in several WM tracts across the whole brain in the interictal phase and increased fractional anisotropy (FA) in commissural fibers in the ictal phase. Interestingly, AD returned to baseline levels during peri-ictal phases in specific projection and association fibers. In contrast, FA values decreased in the ictal phase away from normal values in a few commissural and projection tracts. Widespread WM fiber tracts suffer structural variations across the migraine cycle, suggesting microstructural changes potentially associated with limbic and salience functional networks and highlighting the importance of the cycle phase in imaging studies of migraine.
- Crise da educação como crise da razão públicaPublication . Bartolomei, TeresaO texto questiona se a crise da educação (isto é, do Pacto Educativo, na formulação dada pelo magistério pontifício) deve ser considerada como um aspeto constitutivo da crise da tradição que caracteriza, em geral, as sociedades de massa contemporâneas. Nenhuma resposta setorial de carácter exclusivamente pedagógico, por mais bem intencionada e reflexivamente bem elaborada que seja, pode ultrapassar o impasse no processo de transmissão transgeracional de códigos culturais - éticos e simbólicos - que se tem vindo a registar, cada vez mais, em todo o mundo. Para encontrar uma solução é antes necessário identificar as causas da atual crise generalizada da razão pública, isto é, as causas da desconfiança no poder normativo da racionalidade, e trabalhar no sentido da sua reconstrução, procurando evidenciar e corrigir o papel culturalmente distorcivo do primado funcional da racionalidade técnico-produtiva, inerente à própria modernidade enquanto tradição ainda preponderante a nível global. A descontinuidade com as autocontradições da modernidade torna-se assim a condição para salvar o seu núcleo normativo e, a partir da esfera educativa, reabilitar uma razão pública, uma razão intersubjetivamente vinculante de sentido, sem a qual não pode haver convivência livre, justa e pacífica.
- On the centrality of propagandaPublication . Zelizer, Barbie; Ribeiro, NelsonImagine a world without media, and then ask yourself: would propaganda still be possible? How would governments convey their truest, even if most malign, intentions? How would corporate executives give shape to products still unfamiliar to their consumers? How would platforms sustain public engagement? How would local municipalities keep people safe and informed in times of natural disaster or war? How would children learn?
- Bacteriological safety and quality of composted products from animal, urban or sewage sludge wastesPublication . Vaz-Moreira, Ivone; D’Arnese, Angelo; Knoll, Maurice; Teixeira, A. Margarida; Barbosa, Joana Bastos; Teixeira, Paula; Manaia, Célia M.Abstract: This study investigated the presence of culturable bacterial pathogens, and antibiotic resistance and associated genes (quantitative PCR) in commercially available composted products from animal excrements or manure (n=7), urban wastes (n=1) or (sewage sludge) (n=1). Metals quantification and 16S rRNA-based bacterial community composition analyses supported the results to infer potential risks to downstream environments (e.g., soils). Bacilli and Actinomycetes were the dominant bacterial classes in seven composts, while two were dominated by different classes of Pseudomonadota or the class Bacteroidia. Salmonella spp. was not detected in all composts, meeting recommended quality criteria, while Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes were only detected in the sewage sludge compost. The antibiotic resistance genes ermB and ermF were detected in most of the composts, and the antibiotic resistance gene sul1 and the intI1 gene (proxy for antibiotic resistance recombination) in all composts in the range of 6-9 log gene copy number/g dry weight. Listeria spp. and the gene blaCTX-M were detected only in chicken/poultry composts suggesting increased risk. All composts, except the urban waste compost, presented at least one metal (zinc, copper, and/or cadmium) above the recommended value. The genes uidA, crAssphage, ermB and blaCTX-M were negatively correlated with the abundance of total heterotrophs and moisture content, and the genes intI1 and sul1 were negatively correlated with the concentration of the metals Cr, Ni and Pb. Overall, the urban waste compost presented the best quality, exhibiting the lowest antibiotic resistance load. These findings alert for the fact that composts may contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance, highlighting the need of regular assessment. It is suggested that multiple factors, including the raw materials, may influence the safety of the final compost, and the knowledge of the variables affecting compost safety need to be thoroughly investigated and understood.
- Preparing the 2025 revision of the International Code of Nomenclature of ProkaryotesPublication . Oren, Aharon; Arahal, David R.; Christensen, Henrik; Göker, Markus; Manaia, Célia M.; Moore, Edward R.B.The editorial Board of the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP) – the Prokaryotic Code – has compiled already ratified proposed emendations of the ICNP, together with additional editorial changes and clarifications. These were implemented in a draft 2025 revision of the Prokaryotic Code. To comply with Articles 13(b)(4) and 4(d) of the statutes of the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP), a public discussion of the document will start on 1 January (or later if required) 2025, to last for 6 months. Here, we present the basis for the revision and the procedure for the discussion. The discussion will be followed by the balloting of the ICSP members.