Veritati
Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica Portuguesa
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Beyond digital transformation: integrating digital strategy into museum management
Publication . Reis, Catarina dos
Digital transformation has become a key dimension for the sustainability and relevance of museums, affecting all domains of management and operation, including communication, audience development, collections, education, governance, and the articulation of the institutional mission. However, in many cases, digital initiatives emerge in a fragmented way, detached from broader strategic planning. How can digital development be effectively integrated into the overall management of museums and contribute to the fulfilment of their public mission? This is the central research question guiding our work. It also explores related questions: which models and frameworks currently inform digital transformation in the museum sector, what are their main limitations, and how can we develop a model better adapted to the specific context of the Portuguese National Museums managed by Museus e Monumentos de Portugal, E.P.E.? Adopting a holistic perspective, the study conceives digital transformation as a transversal process that intersects organisational structure, governance, and museological practices rather than as a set of isolated projects. The methodology combines a comparative analysis of international digital maturity and strategic planning models with a case study of the fifteen Portuguese national museums. Documentary analysis and qualitative data collection support the identification of critical gaps and patterns in digital planning and implementation. The expected outcome is the development of an integrated conceptual model to guide museums in aligning their digital strategies with institutional missions, organisational capacities, and audience needs. By proposing a framework for sustainable digital planning, this research contributes to advancing the debate on digital maturity and strategic management within the museum sector, particularly in the Portuguese cultural context.
Chemical and bioactive composition of mushroom biomass: understanding their nutritive and health value
Publication . Araújo-Rodrigues, Helena; Salsinha, Ana Sofia; Amorim, Manuela; Relvas, João B.; Tavaria, Freni Kekhasharú; Pintado, Manuela E.
Beyond interesting nutritional properties, mushrooms possess numerous bioactive compounds involved in human health1. Distinct macromolecules are found in the mushroom mycelium and fruiting body. Mushroom biomass (MB) corresponds to the mycelium and young fruiting body (primordia). A synergetic effect between their different molecules has been proposed2. Additionally, the entire mushroom valorization may increase the economic value and minimize waste, contributing to a circular economy approach. To understand the MB nutritional value, the chemical and bioactive composition of three food and medicinal species was assessed for the first time, namely, Coriolus versicolor (CV), Hericium erinaceus (HE) and Pleurotus ostreatus (PO). The methodological approaches included: enzymatic kits for fiber and glucans quantification; inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry for mineral analysis; and gas-chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography for other groups' quantification. No significant differences were found in total amino acids (AAs; 6.3-6.9%), α-glucans (71-78%) and β-glucans (3-5%) between species. Higher amounts of total (6.2%) and soluble proteins (2%), ash (1.5%), free sugars (1.2%) and free AAs (0.4%) were found in CV. Regarding HE composition, this had higher carbohydrates (93.1%), fat (1.8%), fiber (6.1%) and energy (382 kcal/ 100 g). The results of free and total AAs suggested that glutamic and aspartic acids, arginine, alanine and leucine were the most prevalent. Concerning mineral and fatty acid composition, the results indicated that the three species possessed very interesting profiles, being good sources of phosphorus, magnesium, calcium and potassium; and oleic, linoleic and α-linolenic acids. Moreover, a significant presence of other important bioactive groups that play important roles in human health was detected such as phenolics, carotenoids, and ergosterol in CV; and tocopherols in HE. The antioxidant capacity tests also suggested the high antioxidant potential of CV. These results demonstrated the high potential of these MBs to be used in human nutrition and health applications.
Selection of potential probiotic lactic acid bacteria isolated from Spanish fermented foods
Publication . Martín, Irene; Barbosa, Joana; Córdoba, Juan J.; Teixeira, Paula
Fermented foods are products with an autochthonous microbiota which confers characteristic sensory attributes and plays a role in their preservation by the production of inhibitory compounds [1]. This autochthonous microbiota, composed mainly of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), also has interesting probiotic and functional properties. Probiotics are live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts could confer a health benefit to the host [2]. Their consumption has several beneficial effects, including balancing of colonic microbiota, protection of the normal intestinal microbiota and prevention of gastrointestinal disorders, reduction of serum cholesterol, antagonism against food-borne pathogens and improvement in the nutritional value of foods [3]. The objective of this work was to evaluate several LAB strains isolated from dry-cured fermented meat products and ripened cheese for potential use as probiotic strains, concerning their safety, antimicrobial and functional activities. For this purpose, 33 LAB strains obtained from Spanish fermented products were studied regarding the presence of virulence factors and genes, susceptibility to antibiotics, antimicrobial activity against different spoilage and pathogens bacteria, survival during simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) passage and adhesion to intestinal epithelium. Despite the production of proteinaceous compounds inhibiting several pathogens by all the LAB strains analyzed, only five strains were selected due to the absence of virulence factors and genes and antibiotic resistance: Lactilactobacillus sakei 205 and 197 (isolated from dry-cured fermented sausages), Lacticaseibacillus casei 116 and 31 and Lactococcus garvieae 151 (isolated from ripened cheeses). With this study, five strains from three species were found as potential candidates for future use as protective and probiotic strains in fermented foods. Further tests should be performed to evaluate their beneficial effects when incorporated into fermented food matrices during their shelf life.
Characterization of bioactive compounds in mushroom biomass from Coriolus versicolor, Hericium erinaceus and Pleurotus ostreatus species
Publication . Araújo-Rodrigues, Helena; Amorim, Manuela; Salsinha, Ana Sofia; Marçal, Sara; Relvas, João B.; Tavaria, Freni Kekhasharú; Pintado, Manuela E.
Recent research data have suggested the high therapeutical potential of gut microbiota modulation in numerous diseases. Nowadays, faecal transplantation, probiotics and prebiotics supplementation are strategies extensively used in the treatment of several disorders [1]. Prebiotic rich-foods play an important role in gut microbiota modulation. Beyond the rich nutritional value and various biological properties of mushrooms, several species have been described as prebiotics [2]. Prebiotics are defined as “a substrate that is selectively utilized by host microorganisms conferring a health benefit” [3]. Mushrooms also possess several health benefits such as antitumor, immunomodulatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective. This fact results in an increasing interest in identifying mushroom species and their bioactive molecules. Most research works focus on testing extracts or isolated compounds but a positive synergistic effect between molecules present in mushroom biomass has also been proposed [2]. In the present work, the mushroom biomass of Coriolus versicolor (CV), Hericium erinaceus (HE) and Pleurotus ostreatus (PO) species were chemically characterized and their main bioactive groups were identified and quantified towards the understanding of their biological potential.
A macroeconomia nos cursos de economia da Universidade Católica em Lisboa
Publication . Correia, Isabel Horta; Neves, João César das