Intraspecific chemical variability of the leaf essential oil of Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata from Corsica

The composition of 50 samples of essential oil of individual plants of Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata from Corsica was investigated by GC, GC-MS and 13C NMR. [alpha]-Pinene, [beta]-phellandrene, [alpha]-terpinyl acetate, [Delta]-3-carene, myrcene and [alpha]-phellandrene were found to be the main constituents. The results were submitted to cluster analysis and discriminant analysis which allowed two groups of essential oils to be distinguished with respect to the content of [alpha]-pinene, [beta]-phellandrene and [alpha]-terpinyl acetate.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T4R-41TMSRJ-8/1/9a99aea13c1425fdcac449056f51c71

Antimalarial activity of medicinal plants used in traditional medicine in S. Tomé and Prí­ncipe islands

The present study investigates the antimalarial activity of 13 medicinal plants used in traditional medicine in S. Tomé and Prí­ncipe (STP) islands in the Gulf of Guinea, aiming at identifying the most effective plants for further research. Fieldwork was carried out with the collaboration of 37 traditional healers from both islands, during an ethnobotanical study, which was conducted from 1993 to 1999. Our results indicate that the traditional healers in STP use several medicinal plants against fever and/or [`]malaria' which reveal strong antiparasitic activity in vitro: four of the plant extracts have evident antiplasmodial activity against chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum, with IC50 values <10 [mu]g/ml, and also revealed hepatic schizontocidal activity (<5-35 [mu]g/ml). In vivo, the extracts caused partial reduction of Plasmodium berghei parasitaemia in mice.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T8D-452WHB8-3/1/6a9a0385ccbedbaacf74ee6a1ac9521

Património geomorfológico de relevância nacional e internacional em Portugal: estado atual do inventário nacional de geossítios

A inventariação do património geológico constitui a base de qualquer estratégia de geoconservação e deve ser realizada com critérios objetivos, de modo sistemático e considerando todos os elementos da geodiversidade. Entre 2007 e 2012, um projeto de investigação coordenado pelo Centro de Ciências da Terra da Universidade do Minho e que contou com a parceria de outras universidades portuguesas (Aveiro, Açores, Algarve, Coimbra, Évora, Lisboa, Madeira, Nova de Lisboa, Porto e Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro) foi o suporte para a definição de uma estratégia nacional de geoconservação. Os principais resultados desse projeto foram: i) Inventário do património geológico com valor científico, de relevância nacional e internacional; ii) base de dados on- line do inventário nacional de património geológico (disponível em http://geossitios.progeo.pt); iii) propostas legislativas sobre geoconservação; iv) avaliação quantitativa do valor científico e do risco de degradação dos geossítios, com vista à classificação oficial e à integração de geossítios nas redes de áreas protegidas do continente e das regiões autónomas; v) cooperação científica com investigadores e entidades de Espanha para a identificação de geossítios com relevância ibérica; vi) publicações de divulgação dirigidas ao público em geral. O inventário foi desenvolvido a partir da metodologia proposta pela Associação Europeia para a Conservação do Património Geológico (ProGEO). Foram definidas 27 categorias temáticas, representativas da evolução geológica do território português e considerando os vários elementos da geodiversidade (minerais, rochas, fósseis, geoformas, estruturas geológicas, ...) com elevado valor científico. 325 geossítios com relevância nacional e internacional foram selecionados por cerca de 70 geocientistas com base nos seguintes critérios de valor científico: representatividade, conhecimento, diversidade de elementos da geodiversidade, integridade e conhecimento científico. O risco de degradação foi avaliado quantitativamente usando os seguintes critérios: fragilidade natural dos elementos da geodiversidade, proximidade de potenciais atividades prejudiciais, estado atual de proteção, acessibilidade e densidade populacional. Um total de 141 dos geossítios inventariados são geomorfossítios, representando 7 das 27 categorias temáticas: i) Relevo e rede de drenagem do Maciço Ibérico (39); ii) Sistemas cársicos (37); iii) Arribas litorais fósseis e actuais (5); iv) Costas baixas (6); v) Vestígios das glaciações pleistocénicas (16); vi) Vulcanismo do arquipélago dos Açores (29); vii) Vulcanismo do arquipélago da Madeira (10). Os limites físicos dos geossítios estão atualmente a ser delimitados para efeitos de integração no Cadastro Nacional de Valores Naturais Classificados, ao abrigo da colaboração com o Instituto de Conservação da Natureza e Florestas (ICNF) e do previsto na legislação que regulamenta a conservação da natureza em Portugal (Decreto-Lei no 142/2008, de 24 de Julho). Apesar de grande parte estar incluída em áreas protegidas, a sua conservação não está automaticamente garantida. Nesse sentido, está em curso a formulação de medidas de conservação e de valorização através de planos de gestão para todos os geossítios, em função do seu valor científico e do seu risco de degradação. O inventário está aberto à participação e à discussão acerca da seleção e da incorporação de novos geossítios, mediante os critérios de valor científico definidos e considerando a evolução do conhecimento científico acerca de alguns locais

Intraspecific chemical variability of the leaf essential oil of Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata from Corsica

The composition of 50 samples of essential oil of individual plants of Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata from Corsica was investigated by GC, GC-MS and 13C NMR. [alpha]-Pinene, [beta]-phellandrene, [alpha]-terpinyl acetate, [Delta]-3-carene, myrcene and [alpha]-phellandrene were found to be the main constituents. The results were submitted to cluster analysis and discriminant analysis which allowed two groups of essential oils to be distinguished with respect to the content of [alpha]-pinene, [beta]-phellandrene and [alpha]-terpinyl acetate.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T4R-41TMSRJ-8/1/9a99aea13c1425fdcac449056f51c71

Essential oil composition and variability of Thymus lotocephalus and Thymus×mourae

The composition of the essential oils of four populations of Thymus lotocephalus G. López and R. Morales and one population of T.×mourae Paiva and Salgueiro, two endemic taxa from Portugal, was investigated mainly by GC and GC-MS. T×mourae is a natural hybrid between T. lotocephalus and T. mastichina (L.) L. subsp. donyanae R. Morales, which essential oil was analysed for the first time. In its oil, it was possible to find compounds of both parents, which could enable us to confirm its intermediate status between those two taxa. 1,8-Cineole and borneol were the main constituents in the essential oil of T.×mourae, whereas linalool, geranyl acetate and 1,8-cineol were the major ones in T. lotocephalus. Intermedeol was also an important constituent in the oils of both taxa. Nevertheless, the volatile oils of the four populations investigated of T. lotocephalus showed important differences among the main constituents. In order to study their infraspecific variability, the results obtained in the analysis of individual plants were submitted to a Principal Component and Chemometric Cluster Analyses. Five types of essential oils were found: linalool, 1,8-cineole, linalool/1,8-cineole, linalyl acetate/linalool and geranyl acetate.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T4R-3YVDB29-H/1/f0940829b58dc8189d6894d8e729310

Faulted Middle Pleistocene fluvial terrace deposits at Leiria, central Portugal

Folded and faulted Middle Pleistocene terrace deposits of the Rio Lis were identified at Capuchos-Quinta de Santa Clara site, located in the city of Leiria (central-western region of mainland Portugal). These deformed sediments present a relevant assemblage of Acheulean lithic industry making them an unequivocal marker of neotectonic deformation. A detailed study of the brittle and ductile structures revealed a strong relationship with two major regional seismogenic faults that cross the site and also with the diapiric structure of Leiria. The age, intensity, and location of this tectonic deformation is particularly relevant because it may potentially increase the seismic hazard for Leiria region.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chemotaxonomic study on Thymus villosus from Portugal

The composition of the essential oils of four populations of Thymus villosus subsp. lusitanicus (Boiss.) Coutinho from Portugal was investigated by GC and GC-MS. To study the chemical polymorphism the results obtained from GC analyses of the volatile oils from individual plants from four populations were submited to Principal Component and Cluster analyses. A comparision with the essential oil of T. villosus subsp. villosus, previously studied by us was done. Important differences with regard to the major constituents in these two taxa were found. Linalool, geranyl acetate, geraniol and terpinen-4-ol were the main components of the essential oils of T. villosus subsp. lusitanicus, whereas in the oil of T. villosus subsp. villosus p-cymene, myrcene and [alpha]-terpineol were the major ones. Although, both taxa showed chemical polymorphism, different types of essential oils were characterized in each one: linalool; linalool/ terpinen-4-ol/trans-sabinene hydrate; linalool/1,8-cineole; geranyl acetate/geraniol; geranyl acetate/geraniol/1,8-cineole in T. villosus subsp. lusitanicus and p-cymene/camphor/linalool; p-cymene/borneol; linalool/geraniol/geranyl acetate; [alpha]-terpineol/camphor/myrcene in T. villosus subsp. villosus. Thus, the two subspecies of T. villosus can be easely differenciated by the composition of their essential oils.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T4R-3YVDB29-J/1/c096b07e43484124aabbd956ee69a64

Physicochemical attributes and pollen spectrum of Portuguese heather honeys

The qualities of selected honey samples of "Serra da Lousã" (Portugal) from three consecutive harvests (20 samples from each harvest) were evaluated by determing the pollen spectrum and physicochemical attributes. The following determinations were carried out: moisture, electrical conductivity, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity, pH, acidity (free, lactone and total), formol number, reducing sugars, apparent sucrose, insoluble material and ash. The samples were found to meet all major national and international honey specifications. Honeys were considered to be monofloral whenever the dominant pollen was found to be over 45% of total pollen. From the 60 studied samples, 70% were monofloral honeys from Erica sp., 17% monofloral honeys from Ericaceae (Erica sp. and Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull) and 13% multifloral honeys with a high percentage of Erica sp.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T6R-3WN6GKB-C/1/13024ac5664a6601cb930e46057ed92

Frequência de Mutações de Resistência aos ARVs em novos casos de infeção por VIH-1, diagnosticados em Portugal no ano 2018

Introdução: A avaliação da presença de mutações que confiram resistência aos fármacos usados no tratamento da infeção por VIH-1, faz parte da avaliação laboratorial efetuada no quadro de um diagnóstico de novo, e a monitorização da sua prevalência é preconizada internacionalmente. Objetivos: Avaliar a frequência de mutações de resistência (MR) entre doentes com diagnóstico estabelecido em 2018 e identificar determinantes para a sua ocorrência.N/