Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2025-12-04"
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- Playing solo, against rivals, or in a team? Exploring individual, competitive, and cooperative dynamics in gamified digital educationPublication . Coelho, Franz; Rando, Belén; Bernardes, Rafael; Pontífice-Sousa, Patrícia; Gonçalves, Daniel; Abreu, Ana MariaWhile gamification is increasingly applied in education, research rarely compares distinct social dynamics and evaluates their cognitive, emotional, and motivational impact in a learning context. This study examines the effects of social gamification in education using a digital learning platform and a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Following research standards (CONSORT, Cochrane Collaboration, EVAT©), we compared individual, competitive, and cooperative gamification modes to assess the impact of social dynamics on nursing undergraduate students (n?=?42). We analyzed participant characteristics (sociodemographics, gaming habits, player traits) alongside cognitive (learning, engagement, eye-tracking visual attention), emotional (facial emotion recognition), and motivational (intrinsic motivation) outcomes. Participants in the individual mode showed significantly higher eye-tracking visual attention than those in competition or cooperation modes. Social gamification appeared to reduce attention, likely due to cognitive overload from digital multitasking and distractions. Given the rise of the attention economy, individual gamified sessions may better sustain focus, aligning with trends toward personalized digital learning. Digital social gamification may not mirror the benefits of in-person interaction. The absence of significant differences in outcomes beyond visual attention may stem from contextual factors—such as weak social traits, low gaming interest, and health-related backgrounds—suggesting effective gamified strategies must align with learner profiles and context.
- Exploring persistence markers through fatty acid profiles of listeria monocytogenes under distinct temperature conditionsPublication . Magalhães, Rui; Machado, Manuela; Teixeira, PaulaIntroduction: Listeria monocytogenes, the causative agent of listeriosis, is a major foodborne pathogen. It is a ubiquitous, facultative anaerobic, gram-positive bacterium. Listeriosis can be a severe illness particularly affecting vulnerable groups: the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women and neonates. Listeria monocytogenes exhibits remarkable adaptability to diverse and challenging environments, demonstrating an exceptional capacity to thrive in conditions such as refrigeration temperatures or high salt concentrations or other factors found in food processing environments (FPE). This resilience is a key factor in its ability to persist within food processing facilities and proliferate in various food products. Only certain strains are routinely isolated from these FPEs (persistent strains) while others are isolated sporadically (non-persistent strains). Objectives: This study aimed to identify fatty acids that could serve as persistence markers in isolates from the GenoPhenoTraits4Persistence collection, classified as persistent (P) or non- persistent (NP). Conclusions: Fatty acid profiles at 10 ?C demonstrate clear clustering according to clonal complex, indicating that membrane lipid composition is predominantly influenced by genetic lineage. Variations in persistence status do not account for differences in lipid profiles, implying that persistence in food-processing environments is governed by factors beyond membrane fatty acid composition. The detection of branched-chain fatty acids iso-C15 and iso-C17, along with ?C19 at low temperatures, underscores their significance in L. monocytogenes adaptation to environmental stresses, particularly temperature changes and membrane fluidity regulation. Principal component analysis (PCA) confirmed strong clustering of fatty acid profiles by clonal complex, reinforcing the role of genetic background in shaping membrane lipid composition. Persistence status failed to explain the variability observed, suggesting that survival in food-processing settings depends on mechanisms other than fatty acid makeup. These lipid markers will be further investigated to determine their potential role in the adaptation and resilience of these strains under challenging conditions.
- Alkaline extraction of phenolic compounds from Eucalyptus leaves: influence on antioxidant and antimicrobial activityPublication . Afonso, Tiago Barros; Bonifácio-Lopes, Teresa; Costa, Eduardo; Macedo, Tiago; Moreira, Joana; Oliveira, Juliana; Pintado, ManuelaBackground: The valorization of agro-industrial by-products is a strategic approach to reducing biomass waste while advancing circular bioeconomy practices. Eucalyptus leaves, an abundant residue from the forestry and pulp industries, are particularly rich in phenolic compounds with well- known antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. These bioactivities highlight the potential of eucalyptus extracts for sustainable applications in the cosmetic and textile industries. However, their efficient recovery requires optimized extraction methodologies capable of disrupting the complex plant matrix and maximizing compound release. In this work, we explored alkaline extraction, focusing on the influence of particle size and alkali concentration on the recovery of phenolic-rich extracts with bioactive potential. Methods: Eucalyptus leaves were processed at two particle sizes (4 mm and 10 mm) and extracted using NaOH at two concentrations (0.1 M and 0.3 M). Extracts were analyzed for total phenolic and flavonoid content as well as antioxidant capacity using ORAC assay. Phenolic composition was characterized by LC-ESI-QqTOF-HRMS. Furthermore, the antimicrobial efficacy of the extracts was tested against different Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as the yeast Malassezia furfur. Additionally, the biocompatibility of the extracts was evaluated on a human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). Results: Smaller particle sizes (4 mm) combined with lower NaOH concentrations (0.1 M) yielded extracts with higher total phenolic and flavonoid content. In terms of antioxidant activity, no significant differences were observed between the different extracts. LC-ESI-QqTOF-HRMS analysis revealed the presence of phenolic acids (e.g., quinic and gallic acid) and flavonoids (e.g., quercetin-3-O-glucuronide) with compositional differences across conditions. All extracts displayed strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria and M. furfur, with MIC values below 1.25 mg/mL in most cases. However, cytotoxicity assays indicated reduced HaCaT viability at concentrations ? 500 ?g/mL. Conclusions: Alkaline extraction proved effective for recovering phenolic compounds from eucalyptus leaves, yielding extracts with strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. These findings support their potential for skin-related applications, including cosmetics and functional textiles, although further optimization of extraction conditions and safety thresholds is required.
- Interações gene-ambiente envolvendo genes de metabolismo de xenobióticos e risco de HNSCC : uma revisão sistemáticaPublication . Monteiro, Mateus Luís; Santos, Luís Filipe de Sepúlveda Silva; Silva, Raquel Monteiro Marques daIntrodução e objetivo: O carcinoma de células escamosas da cabeça e pescoço (HNSCC) é o sexto cancro mais prevalente mundialmente. Esta revisão sistemática teve como objetivo avaliar a evidência existente sobre as interações entre polimorfismos genéticos (SNPs) em genes de metabolismo de xenobióticos e fatores ambientais, bem como o papel dessas interações na suscetibilidade individual ao HNSCC. Materiais e Métodos: A prossecução desta revisão sistemática compreendeu a realização de uma busca nas bases de dados PubMed, Scopus e Web of Science, combinando termos MeSH e linguagem corrente. Incluíram-se estudos caso-controlo que analisaram interações entre SNPs em genes de metabolismo de xenobióticos e fatores ambientais associados ao risco de HNSCC. A revisão foi conduzida de acordo com os critérios PICO e as diretrizes PRISMA e registadas na base de dados PROSPERO (ID: 1076564). Os programas Rayyan e Excel foram utilizados para a extração e análise dos dados, respetivamente. Resultados: Dos 27 estudos incluídos (275 interações GxE), 138 apresentaram resultados estatisticamente significativos. As interações mais significativas envolveram genes da família CYP, outros genes de fase I e genes da família GST. Entre os fatores ambientais, destacaram-se o consumo de álcool, tabaco e o hábito de mascar tabaco. Os genes CYP1A1, CYP1B1 e CYP2E1 interagiram significativamente com os três consumos, enquanto GSTM1 e GSTT1 mostraram associações com álcool e mascar tabaco. Já GSTM1, GSTP1 e GSTT1 apresentaram interações relevantes com o tabaco. Entre os genes de fase I, ALDH1B, ADH1C e ALDH2 associaram-se particularmente ao consumo de álcool. Conclusão: A presença de SNPs em genes das famílias CYP e GST, entre outros, interage com o consumo de álcool, tabaco bem como o hábito de mascar tabaco, com impacto no risco de HNSCC. Estudos futuros com amostras maiores e populações diversificadas são necessários para confirmar estas associações e clarificar o seu impacto clínico.