Interview with Edel Bhreathnach Irish Medieval History and its Possible Future Directions

This interview took place at the Discovery Programme, Dublin, on 25th September 2014. Edel Bhreathnach discussed the state-of-art in EarlyIrish Medieval History and her opinions about the Irish educational systemand the future of Irish Medieval Studies. She also provides some hints about the directions she is taking with her own research projects.Keywords: Edel Bhreathnach; Irish History; Medieval History; Discovery Programme; Monastic Ireland; Mapping Death; UCD Míchael Ó Cléirigh Insitute

Bioactive potential of aromatic and medicinal plants traditionally used as condiments

Aromatic and medicinal plants are highly appreciated and used worldwide as condiments, tinctures, and preservatives. Due to their nutritional value and chemical composition, related to beneficial properties to health, their inclusion in the human diet has gained increasing expression[1]. Certain mixtures of plants have greater potential when compared to isolated plants, due to synergistic effects, and these properties make them of great interest in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. They have been consumed directly in prepared dishes, but also by incorporation into foods, making them bioactive and functional[2]. In the present study, two mixtures of aromatic plants used to season meat (Petroselinum crispum L., Salvia officinalis L., Thymus mastichina L., and Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and salads (Allium schoenoprasum L., P. crispum, Origanum vulgare L., and T. mastichina) were characterized in terms of phenolic compounds (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS), organic acids (UFLC-PDA), and tocopherols (HPLC-fluorescence). The antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-proliferation capacities were also evaluated to validate their bioactive properties. Twenty-four phenolic compounds were identified, with concentrations of 101.2±0.6 mg/g and 52.1±0.8 mg/g of total phenolics in meat and salad seasoning mixtures, respectively, being apigenin-O-malonyl-pentoside-hexoside the most abundant compound in both extracts. Oxalic, citric, and malic acids were detected in both samples, as well as the four isoforms of tocopherols, namely, α, β, γ, and δ. In terms of bioactive properties, the meat blend extract revealed the best results for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. For the antioxidant activity, both extracts showed good results in the TBARS test, while in the OxHLIA assay, the mixture for meat stood out. On the other hand, the salad seasoning mixture had the best anti-proliferation property. In conclusion, these aromatic and medicinal plant mixtures demonstrated valuable bioactive properties, conferred by their chemical composition and cumulative and synergistic effects observed in the mixtures, which corroborates the importance of their inclusion in the Human diet.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for C. Pereira, M.I. Dias, R.C. Calhelha, and L. Barros contracts and A.K. Molina PhD grant (2020.06231.BD). To ERDF through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project GreenHealth - Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000042.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation of high-concentrate diets that vary in physically effective neutral detergent fibre for finishing lambs

The objective of this research was to evaluate lamb diets with a high proportion of concentrate and various levels of physically effective neutral detergent fibre (NDF) using tropical ingredients. Four diets were formulated: D1 with 16.5% physically effective NDF (peNDF), D2 with 21.4% peNDF, D3 with 23.3% peNDF, and D4 with 24.6% peNDF. Twenty male Santa Inês lambs at four months old with an average liveweight (LW) of 18.6 ± 3.4 kg were fed for 49 days. There were no differences (P >0.05) among the diets in dry matter (DM) intake. Crude protein (CP) intake, relative to either LW or metabolic live weight (LW0.75) or LW, was greater (P ≤0.05) for D2 and D3 than for D1 or D4. Lower (P ≤0.05) NDF intake, relative to LW0.75 or LW, was lower for D1 than for the other diets. Selection indexes (SIs) were similar (P >0.05) among diets. Animals that consumed D1 had less (P ≤0.05) rumination time per bolus. Meaningful variations were not observed in performance and efficiency of finishing lambs that were related to differences in peNDF among the diets. Santa Inês lambs were able to adapt to diets with low levels of peNDF by increasing rumination time as a consequence of increased fibre consumption and greater particle size selection

Nutritional, chemical and bioactive profiles of different parts of a Portuguese common fig (Ficus carica L.) variety

This study aims to give an unprecedented contribution on the chemical composition and bioactivities of the most produced and appreciated Portuguese fig variety (“Pingo de Mel”) with the view of expanding the knowledge on its potentialities. An advanced characterization of its peel and pulp parts was carried out. Four free sugars (glucose, fructose, trehalose and sucrose), 5 organic acids (oxalic, quinic, malic, citric, and succinic acids), tocopherols in all their 4 forms, besides 23 fatty acids were detected in the samples. Fifteen different phenolic components were found in the peel hydroethanolic extract; whereas 12 were detected in the pulp hydroethanolic extract. Quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (rutin) was the major constituent of the peel, accounting for 33.8% of its phenolic content, followed by 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid and vanillic acid malonyl di-deoxyhexoside. Caffeic acid derivatives, such as caffeic acid hexosides, were the major components of pulp, followed by vanillic acid derivatives and O-caffeoylquinic acid. Both extracts displayed promising antioxidant capacities in all methods used, namely the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging, the reducing power, the inhibition of β-carotene bleaching assays, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay and the oxidative haemolysis inhibition assay; however, the peel presented significantly lower IC50 values than pulp. The extracts showed practically identical antibacterial capacities, being effective against methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MICs=2.5 mg/mL), besides methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Escherichia coli and Morganella morganii (MICs=5 mg/mL). The obtained results evidence that the fig peel is superior to the corresponding pulp as it relates to nutritional and phenolic profiles as well as bioactivities, endorsing the urgency in valorising and exploiting this usually discarded industrial by-product.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2019); national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment programcontract for L. Barros, R. C. Calhelha, and M.I. Dias contracts, and Carla Pereira's contract though the celebration of program-contract foreseen in No. 4, 5 and 6 of article 23° of Decree-Law No. 57/2016, of 29th August, amended by Law No. 57/2017, of 19th July; to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E; the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-023289: DeCodE.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Portuguese Third Version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire: Preliminary Validation Studies of the Middle Version among Municipal and Healthcare Workers

A third version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III) was developed internationally aiming to respond to new trends in working conditions, theoretical concepts, and international experience. This article aims to present the preliminary validation studies for the Portuguese middle version of COPSOQ III. This is an exploratory cross-sectional study viewing the cross-cultural adaption of COPSOQ III to Portugal, ensuring the contents and face validity and performing field-testing in order to reduce the number of items and to obtain insight into the data structure, through classic test theory and item response theory approaches. The qualitative study encompassed 29 participants and the quantitative one 659 participants from municipalities and healthcare settings. Content analysis suggested that minor re-wording could improve the face validity of items, while a reduced version, with 85 items, shows psychometric stability, achieving good internal consistency in all subscales. The COPSOQ III Portuguese middle version proved to be a valid preliminary version for future validation studies with various populations, able to be used in correlational studies with other dimensions

Phenolic compounds and bioactive properties of Ruscus aculeatus L. (asparagaceae): the pharmacological potential of an underexploited subshrub

Ruscus aculeatus L. is a subshrub used in traditional medicine in different parts of the world, namely in Europe and the Iberian Peninsula. According to reported folk knowledge, the aerial parts are mainly used as diuretics and the underground organs are used for the treatment of disorders of the urinary system and as a laxative. In this work, the aerial part and the roots and rhizomes of R. aculeatus were chemically characterized with regard to the content of phenolic compounds and bioactive properties. Aqueous (infusions and decoctions) preparations and hydroethanolic extracts from the two mentioned parts of the plant were prepared. Nine phenolic compounds were detected in all the extracts. Apigenin-C-hexoside-C-pentoside isomer II was the major compound in aqueous extracts and, in the hydroethanolic extract was quercetin-O-deoxyhexoside-hexoside followed by apigenin-C-hexoside-C-pentoside isomer II. All extracts revealed antioxidant activity and potential to inhibit some of the assayed bacteria; aqueous extracts of the aerial part and infusions of roots and rhizomes did not show cytotoxic effects on a non-tumor primary cell culture. This preliminary study provides suggestions of the biological potential associated with the empirical uses and knowledge of this species, in particular its bioactivities.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through the national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program contract for L. Barros, A. Fernandes, M.I. Dias, C. Pereira, and R.C. Calhelha. The authors are also grateful to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal program for financial support through the project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P and to European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project Norte-01-0145-FEDER- 000042: GreenHealth.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Food preservative extracts from pumpkin by-products

Pumpkin is a vegetable widely consumed around the world, popularly known for its nutritional and pharmacological properties. Some reports in the literature reveal the rich profile of nutrients and bioactive compounds of pumpkin varieties [1,2]. However, the seeds, peels, and fibers resulting from pumpkin processing are still poorly explored by food industry. Considering the alarming scenario of losses and waste during all the food supply chain worldwide [3] and seeking to promote a more sustainable food system, the present study purposed to investigate the by-products of different varieties of pumpkin as a source of extracts with preservative capacity for food application. For that purpose, hydroethanolic extracts from the varieties “Butternut squash”, “Common pumpkin”, and “Kabocha squash” from Portugal, and “Butternut squash”, “Common pumpkin”, and “Musquée de provence” from Algeria, were evaluated in terms of their bioactivities, more specifically the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic capacities. All the samples presented great antioxidant capacity through two based-cell assays, namely the lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity (TBARS) and the anti-hemolytic activity (OxHLIA). Interestingly, the seeds of the common pumpkin from Algeria did not present antihemolytic properties, despite showing the strongest lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity. In fact, the seeds stood out for all the pumpkin varieties in the TBARS assay, while in the OxHLIA assay, the results were quite similar between the type of bioresidues and between the varieties. Moreover, the samples from Portugal showed greater antioxidant capacity than the Algerian ones. Regarding cytotoxicity, the effect of inhibiting non-tumor cell growth was not observed, even at the highest tested concentration of 400 μg/mL. This first validation is of great importance to prevent food safety issues. These preliminary results are the basis for future studies aiming at the valorization of these bioresidues from food industry as a great source of preservative compounds toward the replacement of synthetic additives with natural alternatives allied to health benefits, as also the promotion of a circular economyThe authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for C. Pereira and L. Barros contracts and A.K. Molina and M.G. Leichtweis PhD grants (2020.06231.BD and 2020.06706.BD, respectively). To FCT, P.I., within the scope of the Project PRIMA Section 2 - Multi-topic 2019: PulpIng (PRIMA/0007/2019).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bioactive properties of Ruscus aculeatus L.: na underexploited subshrub

Ruscus aculeatus L. is a sub-shrub used in traditional medicine in different parts of the world, namely in Europe and the Iberian Peninsula[1]. Traditionally, the aerial parts are mainly used as diuretics and the underground parts are used for the treatment of urinary tract diseases and as a laxative[2]. In the present work, the aerial part, roots, and rhizomes of R. aculeatus were characterized regarding their bioactive properties in order to contribute to the knowledge of the chemical composition of this unexplored species. The plant material of R. aculeatus was harvested in April 2019 inside woodlands and hedgerows, in Valpaços, Portugal. Two distinct parts were gathered: the aerial part (cladodes or laminar stems and lateral branches) and the underground organs (rhizomes with roots). Hydroethanolic extracts and aqueous (infusions and decoctions) preparations from the two mentioned parts of the plant were prepared. Multi-resistant clinical bacterial strains (Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria monocytogenes, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Morganela morganii, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were used to screen the antimicrobial activity and the antioxidant activity was evaluated through two different in vitro assays: inhibition of lipid peroxidation in brain homogenates by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and oxidative hemolysis inhibition assay (OxHLIA). The cytotoxic activity was assayed using MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung carcinoma), HeLa (cervical carcinoma) and HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) human tumor cell lines, and also a non-tumor cell line (porcine liver primary cells, PLP2). All extracts revealed antioxidant activity and potential to inhibit some of the assessed bacteria; except for the infusion of the aerial part (for the lines MCF7 and HepG2) and decoction extracts (line MCF7), all the remaining extracts presented effective results in the inhibition of the tested cell lines; the aqueous extracts of the aerial part and infusions of roots and rhizomes did not show cytotoxic effects in a non-tumor primary cell culture. This preliminary study provided innovative and interesting results in relation to the bioactive properties of this little-studied and explored wild plant.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros, A. Fernandes, C. Pereira and R.C. Calhelha´s contract. The authors are grateful to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000042: GreenHealth.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Valorization of cereal by-products from the milling industry as a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds to boost resource-use efficiency

Cereal by-products (wheat germ, maize bran–germ mixture, rye bran, and wheat bran) from the flour milling industry were characterized for their nutritional value and chemical composition, as well as for antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Carbohydrates (including sucrose) were the major nutritional constituents (56.35–78.12 g/100 g dw), followed by proteins (11.2–30.0 g/100 g dw). The higher energy value (432.3 kcal/100 g dw) was presented by the wheat germ. This by-product also presented the highest citric acid content (0.857 g/100 g dw), the most abundant organic acid detected. Unsaturated fatty acids predominated in all samples given the high content of linoleic (53.9–57.1%) and oleic (13.4–29.0%) acids. Wheat germ had the highest levels of tocopherols (22.8 mg/100 g dw) and phenolic compounds (5.7 mg/g extract, with a high apigenin-C-pentoside-C-hexoside content). In turn, while the wheat bran extract was particularly effective in inhibiting the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), the rye bran extract was the only sample capable of protecting erythrocytes from oxidative hemolysis. Regarding antibacterial properties, in general, the lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations were observed against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. These results highlight the characterized by-products as sustainable ingredients for the development of novel bakery and functional food products and contribute to a better bioresource-use efficiency and circularity.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for L. Barros, A. Fernandes, M.I. Dias, and C. Pereira and through the individual scientific employment program-contract for J. Pinela (CEECIND/01011/2018) and M. Carocho (CEECIND/00831/2018). To FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal program for financial support through the project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio