CBQF - Contribuições em Revistas Científicas / Contribution to Journals
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- Influence of field beans Vicia faba L.on yield and environmental footprint of following spring barley Hordeum vulgare L. cropsPublication . Kartal, Umut; Duffy, Colm; Saget, Sophie; Sandison, Frances; Christie, Andrew; Hawes, Cathy; Howard, Becky; Vickers, Roger; Savvas, Dimitrios; Styles, David; Iannetta, Pietro P. M.Background and Aims: The urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has increased interest in legume-based cropping systems. Among the various crop-legume species available, the cool-season species Vicia faba L. (cv. minor; field beans) has attracted significant interest. Assessment of the environmental impact reduction of field beans in a crop-sequence (rotation) is understudied. Methods: Data from a long term (2009–2023) field bean experimental platform (the Centre for Sustainable Cropping, CSC; James Hutton Institute, Scotland, UK) were analysed using attributional life cycle assessment (aLCA). This focused on elaborating the impacts of a spring field bean to spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cropping sequence compared with a spring barley to spring barley cropping sequence. Results: Field beans decreased the environmental impact of spring barley production in four of the five two-year crop-sequence periods, with mean impact reductions of approximately 25% across sequences. Spring barley grain yields tended to increase following field beans under drought conditions (2022). A combined index analysis indicated that humidity, maximum temperature, and previous field bean yields were the strongest determinants of spring barley production. Conclusions: The integration of field beans to cereal-dominated rotations may be of interest to major industries who seek to improve value chain sustainability, whilst ensuring crop-sequence yields are climate-impact resilient.
- Species-dependent wiring of jasmonate signalling determines pine defence efficiency against Bursaphelenchus xylophilusPublication . López-Villamor, Adrián; Silva, Marta Nunes da; Pastor, Victoria; Vasconcelos, Marta W.Pine wilt disease, caused by the pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, poses a serious threat to pine forests worldwide, yet the hormonal and metabolic mechanisms that determine whether a pine species succumbs to or tolerates infection remain poorly understood. Jasmonic acid (JA) signalling is a central defence pathway in plants, but its precise contribution to species-dependent resistance in Pinus has not been systematically evaluated. This study dissects how targeted activation and inhibition of the JA signalling pathway remodel defence responses and nematode infection dynamics in three pine species with contrasting susceptibility to the pathogen (from most to least susceptible, Pinus pinaster, P. pinea, and P. taeda). Seedlings were treated with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) or the jasmonate inhibitor sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DIECA) before nematode inoculation, and effects on symptom development, nematode colonisation, primary and secondary metabolism, oxidative stress, phytohormone profiles, and defence-related gene expression were assessed. P. pinaster developed clear symptoms and a marked increase in nematode numbers, whereas P. pinea and P. taeda remained largely asymptomatic. In P. pinaster, MeJA reduced both symptom severity and nematode proliferation, while DIECA impaired early defence activation although a delayed compensatory response was detectable. Across species, nematode infection triggered significant increases in phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and carotenoids, particularly in P. pinea, highlighting the contribution of secondary metabolism to plant resistance to the pinewood nematode. Overall, untreated infected plants showed higher lipid peroxidation compared with MeJA-treated, and phytohormone analyses revealed species-specific regulatory patterns. Gene expression patterns confirmed activation of phenylpropanoid and terpenoid pathways, with PAL, GGPPS, and MYC2 showing species- and treatment-specific regulation. Together, these results are consistent with the existence of distinct regulatory architectures underlying susceptibility versus tolerance, and provide hormonal, metabolic, and transcriptional profiles that may inform future breeding and priming strategies against pine wilt disease, though further functional validation will be needed to establish causation.
- Multitargeted metabarcoding and morphological identification reveal practice-specific soil biodiversity outcomes in Mediterranean cropping systemsPublication . Epelde, Lur; Delcourt, Ninon; Cortet, Jérôme; Lanzén, Anders; Garbisu, Carlos; Lavín, José Luis; D'Acqui, Luigi P.; Di Lonardo, Sara; Grattacaso, Martina; Tassi, Eliana L.; El Balghiti, Fatima Zahraa; Benidire, Leila; Boularbah, Ali; Prieto-Fernández, Ángeles; Trasar-Cepeda, Carmen; Soufi, Sihem; Allani, Mohamed; Bettaieb, Taoufik; Sahli, Ali; Sousa, Ana S. S.; Moreira, Helena; Castro, Paula; Pereira, SofiaMeeting future food demands while preserving ecosystem integrity requires agricultural systems that sustain soil biodiversity. Despite its critical role in regulating soil fertility, crop resilience, and food production, the response of soil biodiversity to sustainable agricultural practices remains poorly understood, particularly across multiple groups of organisms. Here, we evaluated the effects of organic amendments, cropping pattern diversification, and microbial inoculation on soil biodiversity using 23 treatment-control pairs from 11 case studies across six Mediterranean countries and three different cropping systems. We employed an integrative methodology combining multitargeted DNA metabarcoding (16S rRNA, ITS, 18S rRNA, COI, Oligo01) and morphological identification (Macfadyen extractor and pitfall traps) to study the structural and functional diversity of soil microorganisms, microfauna, microarthropods, and macrofauna. Data from molecular methods differed between primers and from morphological data; specifically, 18S rRNA and COI yielded markedly different diversity estimates, and both underperformed morphological identification for soil fauna resolution, indicating the need for primer standardisation, increased soil input mass and methodological complementarity between molecular and morphological approaches. Overall, our results show that compost addition positively influenced prokaryotic chemoheterotrophs, epigeic Collembola, spider richness, and total macrofauna abundance, with mulching eliciting broader positive responses. Cropping pattern diversification (i.e., rotations, cover crops, intercropping) more frequently enhanced than reduced soil biodiversity metrics, with 32% of effect sizes being moderately positive compared to 24% moderately negative. Microbial inoculations had limited influence on biodiversity, consistent with their intended role of enhancing specific functions while minimising disruption to resident communities. Although positive responses to sustainable agricultural practices were more frequent than negative ones, effects were often not statistically significant and were taxon- and context-dependent, highlighting the importance of site-specific assessments.
- Salivary protein changes over time in response to food smell - methodological implicationsPublication . Simões, Carla; Castelo, Paula Midori; Costa, Ana Isabel; Lamy, ElsaAlthough salivation triggered by smell is well documented less is known about potential changes at protein composition level. Methodological variability in saliva collection may be a limitation. Therefore, there is a need to set a best period for saliva collection in studies focused on assessing pre-ingestive salivary responses to smell. The aim of the present study was to assess continuous salivary responses triggered by the exposure to a food odorant (strawberry) over a 5-minute period. A total of 12 healthy-adults collected saliva samples at 1-minute intervals: immediately before (t0, no odorant, basal levels) and during five minutes exposure to an odorant (t1, t2, t3, t4 and t5). After a 5-minute break/wash period a new saliva collection was made (t10). Temporal changes in salivary responses among the different one-minute interval were evaluated for flow rate, alpha-amylase enzymatic activity and variations in salivary protein profile. A tendency for increased salivation and decreased protein concentration was observed at the first minute of exposure, although no statistically significant differences were observed in any stimulation minute. However, 5-minute continuous saliva collection fails to capture the early rise in flow rate during the initial minute(s) of stimulation. Bands potentially corresponding to proline-rich proteins increased after 2 minutes of stimulation, but this effect was transient. In conclusion, extended saliva collection times may mask salivary responses to smell. From a methodological perspective, these findings may have important implications for the design of experiments addressing sensory stimulation.
- Editorial: mechanisms of fermented foods and interactions with the gut microbiomePublication . Mukherjee, Arghya; Yilmaz, Birsen; Bartkiene, Elena; Rocha, João Miguel
- Microbial fuel cells integrated in constructed wetlands: systematic review on current status, challenges, and opportunitiesPublication . Ojediran, Adetunji; Carrillo, Valentina; Pereira, Sofia Isabel Almeida; Rosa-Santos, Paulo; Rodrigues, Ana Cristina; Calheiros, Cristina Sousa CoutinhoIntroduction: Constructed wetlands (CWs) are widely applied as low energy, nature-based wastewater treatment systems, particularly in decentralized contexts, while microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are increasingly being investigated to recover energy through bioelectrochemical processes that are favored by the redox gradients present within CWs. The integration of these two sustainable solutions is gaining increasing attention due to its potential to generate synergistic benefits. However, despite the growing number of studies on CWMFC systems, there still remains a lack of consolidated synthesis regarding system design, performance outcomes, and intensification strategies (approaches that enhance process efficiency by accelerating reaction rates, improving electron transport, and maintaining redox stratification for stable system operation). Consequently, several critical knowledge gaps persist, including limited reporting on long-term stability and durability, insufficient economic assessments, lack of standardized design and performance metrics, and underrepresentation of microbial community structure and function.Methodology: This review covers CW-MFC studies published between 2010 and 2026 across several regions of the world and includes laboratory, mesocosm, pilot, and full-scale systems, focusing on system design, operational strategies, microbial processes, treatment, and energy recovery performance.Results: Most CW-MFC studies are at laboratory and pilot scale, with limited full-scale applications, and their performance depends primarily on reactor and flow regime configurations, electrode materials and their positioning, substrate type, and redox gradient profile. Many studies have reported encouraging Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and nutrient removal efficiencies, with values reaching up to 99% COD removal, 95% Total Phosphorus (TP) removal, and 100% ammonium-nitrogen (NH4 +-N) removal. CW-MFC systems generally improve organic matter and nutrient removal compared to conventional CWs; however, the electrical energy recovered is typically low and tends to decrease with increasing system scale.Discussion: Overall, CW-MFC systems are best regarded as sustainable, multifunctional wastewater treatment technologies rather than primary energy recovery systems, as their practical feasibility is more constrained by long-term stability, material durability, and insufficient economic reporting rather than by treatment performance.
- Enzymatic hydrolysates from Fucus vesiculosus: optimal process, chemical profile and bioactivityPublication . Nova, Paulo; Coelho, Marta; Cunha, Sara A.; Machado, Manuela; Costa-Pinto, Ana R.; Gomes, Ana MariaFucus vesiculosus (FV) is a brown macroalga rich in bioactive compounds with significant industrial potential. This study aimed to produce enzyme-assisted water-soluble hydrolysates from FV with optimized antioxidant activity using Box–Behnken experimental designs. Two extraction methods were evaluated: cellulase alone (FVc) and a combination of cellulase and alcalase (FVca). The optimization focused on enzyme concentration, temperature, and incubation time, measuring extraction yield, total phenolic content as determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu assay (non-specific reducing capacity index, FC-derived TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Results demonstrated that the combined dual-enzyme (FVca) treatment was highly efficient, simultaneously maximizing the extraction yield (39.41%) and the overall reducing capacity (TAC of 142.80 µmol TE/g, ORAC of 477.64 µmol TE/g, and a FC-derived TPC of 252.57 mg GAE/g). Due to its higher potential, FVca was further characterized, revealing a rich profile of essential amino acids, low-molecular-weight peptides, and a diverse phenolic profile, dominated by phloroglucinol (6.23 mg/g). In addition, the FVca hydrolysate demonstrated severe abiotic interference with the redox viability assay at 10 mg/mL in Caco-2 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell cultures. These findings highlight that combining cellulase and alcalase effectively solubilizes key bioactive compounds, yielding a hydrolysate highly promising for industrial and biotechnological applications.
- Ready-to-eat meat foods as potential vectors for the transmission of antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus faeciumPublication . Piccioni, Giorgia; Gabucci, Claudia; Cesare, Andrea Di; Sabatino, Raffaella; Sbaffi, Tomasa; Mangiaterra, Gianmarco; Meli, Maria Assunta; Roselli, Carla; Manaia, Célia M.; Vaz-Moreira, Ivone; Savelli, David; Lorenzetti, Cinzia; Lullo, Stefania Di; Primavilla, Sara; Massacci, Francesca Romana; Scoccia, Eleonora; Diaconu, Elena Lavinia; Franco, Alessia; Blasi, Giuliana; Citterio, Barbara; Petruzzelli, AnnalisaEnterococcus faecium , a member of the human gut microbiota and the second most abundant enterococcal species after E. faecalis , is an important agent of healthcare-associated infection. Its high capacity to acquire antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) makes infections difficult to treat. This study investigated ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products, typical of central Italy, as potential vectors of antibiotic-resistant enterococci, focusing on E. faecium . A total of 148 enterococcal strains, 36 of which were identified as E. faecium , were isolated. Among 22 distinct clones, eight were resistant to tetracycline (TET), two also to linezolid (LZD), and one showed a multidrug-resistance phenotype. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by minimum inhibitory concentration testing, supported by whole-genome sequence analysis. Both LZD-resistant strains harbored LZD resistance genes ( optr A or a combination of optr A and poxt A), while only one isolate demonstrated horizontal gene transfer via conjugation. The isolates were further characterized for virulence factors and biofilm formation capacity, both under basal conditions and following exposure to simulated upper gastrointestinal transit. All eight TET resistant strains presented genotypic virulence traits. Following exposure to simulated upper gastrointestinal transit, these isolates demonstrated high survival rates, maintaining both their antibiotic resistance phenotypes and biofilm-forming capacity. These findings highlight the potential role of the analyzed RTE meat products as vehicles for virulent and antibiotic-resistant E. faecium strains capable of surviving upper gastrointestinal exposure. The study underscores the need to implement enterococci surveillance in the food sector to improve monitoring of resistant E. faecium and to limit its possible dissemination and association in clinical risks.
- Mushroom-derived phenolic compounds as emerging prebiotic-like modulators of gut microbiota, intestinal health, and metabolismPublication . Garcia, Juliana; Olo-Fontinha, Eva; Silva, Jani; Dias-Costa, Rui; Alves, Maria José; Gouvinhas, IreneBackground/Objectives: Mushroom-derived phenolic compounds are gaining attention as bioactive molecules with potential roles in gut microbiota modulation, intestinal health, and metabolic regulation. Although mushroom polysaccharides are well established as fermentable substrates, the contribution of fungal phenolics to microbiota–host interactions remains less defined. This review aimed to critically analyse the evidence supporting mushroom-derived phenolic compounds as emerging prebiotic-like modulators of gut microbiota, intestinal function, and host metabolism. Methods: A narrative critical review was conducted using scientific literature retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Studies addressing phenolic profiling in edible and medicinal mushrooms, gastrointestinal digestion, colonic fermentation, microbial biotransformation, gut microbiota modulation, intestinal barrier function, inflammation, and metabolic outcomes were considered. Particular attention was given to chromatographic and mass spectrometry-based studies, in vitro digestion/fermentation models, mechanistic studies, animal experiments, clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Results: Current evidence shows that mushrooms contain diverse phenolic compounds, mainly phenolic acids such as gallic, protocatechuic, caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, vanillic, syringic, and cinnamic acids. Due to limited small intestine absorption, a substantial fraction of these compounds may reach the colon, where they undergo microbial biotransformation into smaller phenolic metabolites. These metabolites may influence microbial ecology, support beneficial taxa, modulate short-chain fatty acid production indirectly, attenuate oxidative stress and inflammatory signaling, and contribute to intestinal barrier integrity. However, most evidence derives from in vitro and preclinical studies, while human data remain limited and are mainly based on whole-mushroom interventions. Conclusions: Mushroom-derived phenolic compounds are promising prebiotic-like modulators within the microbiota–metabolite–host axis. Nevertheless, their specific contribution cannot yet be quantitatively distinguished from that of other mushroom constituents, particularly β-glucans, chitin, and other fungal polysaccharides, because most available evidence derives from whole-mushroom matrices, crude extracts, or polysaccharide-rich preparations rather than isolated phenolic fractions. Future studies should compare whole mushroom preparations, polysaccharide-rich fractions, and standardized phenolic-rich extracts, integrating metabolomics, microbiome profiling, and well-designed clinical trials to clarify the relative mechanistic and therapeutic relevance of mushroom phenolics. Future studies should use standardized phenolic-rich extracts, metabolomics, microbiome analysis, and well-designed clinical trials to clarify their mechanistic relevance, clinical significance, and translational potential.
- Fructooligosaccharides enhance the gut–liver effects of raspberry polyphenols in a rat model of diet-induced metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver diseasePublication . Fotschki, Bartosz; Kopcewicz, Marta; Fotschki, Joanna; Machcińska-Zielińska, Sylwia; Słowińska, Mariola; Sawicki, Tomasz; Wiczkowski, Wiesław; Sójka, Michał; Janda, Elżbieta; Ognik, Katarzyna; Jurgoński, Adam; Silva, Sara; Juśkiewicz, JerzyBackground MASLD is closely linked to gut–liver axis dysfunction, including altered microbial activity, disturbed bile acid metabolism, and hepatic lipid accumulation. Raspberry polyphenols may help counteract these disturbances, whereas fructooligosaccharides (FOS) may enhance their microbial transformation and biological activity. Methods and results Male Wistar rats were fed for 12 weeks with a control diet, a high-fat low-fiber diet (HF), or HF diets supplemented with raspberry polyphenols alone (HF + PP) or combined with FOS (HF + PP + FOS). Compared with HF feeding alone, the combined treatment produced the most favorable response, including lower hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol accumulation, improved plasma lipid indices, higher hepatic and plasma levels of polyphenol-derived metabolites, reduced hepatic Ahr/AHR expression, increased Cyp8b1/CYP8B1 expression, enhanced short-chain fatty acid production, altered cecal bile acid profile, lower activity of selected bacterial enzymes, and a distinct shift in cecal microbiota composition. Conclusion Combined supplementation with raspberry polyphenols and fructooligosaccharides partly alleviated selected metabolic and intestinal disturbances induced by a high-fat, low-fiber diet. The findings may support the involvement of the gut–liver axis and suggest that FOS may strengthen the functional effects of raspberry polyphenols by promoting microbial fermentation and increasing the formation and availability of smaller bioactive metabolites. Overall, the combination of a polyphenol-rich raspberry preparation with a microbiota-targeting prebiotic may represent a nutritionally relevant strategy for supporting metabolic homeostasis under MASLD-like conditions.