Building Bio-Districts or Eco-Regions: Participative Processes Supported by Focal Groups

Over the years, rural areas have faced a number of problems and difficulties, such as an increase in the average age of the population, desertification, loss of employment and the abandon‐ ment of rural and agricultural activities, which have led to the emergence of new initiatives aimed at revitalizing these territories from a social, economic and environmental perspective, such as the successful Bio‐districts or Eco‐regions (e.g., Bio‐district of Cilento). Understanding and establishing a proper framework for each territory based on agroecology and participatory methodologies is still a challenge. In this sense, based on the analysis of two European examples—Cilento, Italy and São Pedro do Sul, Portugal—we described each of the building processes and defined a set of drivers that might constitute guiding principles to serve as a basis for the creation of Bio‐districts or Eco‐ regions. The drivers’ matrix identified was discussed in three focus groups carried out in Portugal in 2020. Such drivers included a technical and environmental component (the quality of the envi‐ ronment and landscape, the food system and the implementation of organic farming and agroeco‐ logical practices), a social and economic component (valorization of the farmers, products and ter‐ ritories and a set of different stakeholders—farmers, consumers, schools, tourism entities and res‐ taurants, local authorities) and a political component (the governance model). Most participants agreed that the recognition of a Bio‐district or Eco‐region should be informal, bottom‐up, with farm‐ ers as the main pillar, with a fair and representative participation, namely family farmers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Otimização de uma metodologia para a determinação da composição em ácidos gordos da membrana de eritrócitos por GC-FID

Atualmente é consensual a ideia de que a composição lipídica tem influência determinante no risco de algumas doenças crónicas. A ingestão de grandes quantidades de ácidos gordos saturados e ácidos gordos trans tem sido associado a dislipidémias e aumento do risco de doenças cardiovasculares, enquanto que o consumo de ácidos gordos polinsaturados, especialmente ómega-3, tem sido associado a diversos benefícios para a saúde. Pelo facto de os eritrócitos apresentarem um elevado tempo de vida, tem sido sugerido por diversos autores que o perfil em ácidos gordos das membranas destas células poderá ser usado não apenas como um biomarcador que reflita a ingestão de macronutrientes da dieta, mas também como um biomarcador associado a diferentes patologias como diabetes, cancro e doenças cardiovasculares. Por este motivo, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver um método simples e rápido para a identificação e quantificação de ácidos gordos presentes na membrana de eritrócitos utilizando cromatografia gasosa com detetor de ionização em chama (GC-FID). Para tal, foram obtidas amostras de sangue, a partir das quais se procedeu ao isolamento da fração contendo eritrócitos. Seguidamente foram testados diferentes protocolos para a preparação da amostra a ser analisada por GC-FID, incluindo um método clássico modificado (método de Folch) e quatro métodos rápidos, para os quais a realização da extração lipídica e reação de derivatização decorrem num passo único. No que concerne aos métodos rápidos, foi avaliada a influência de diferentes parâmetros, nomeadamente diferentes tempos de metilação e a realização, ou não, de reação de saponificação. Com base nos resultados obtidos, selecionou-se o método rápido com saponificação e com tempo de metilação de 60 minutos como sendo o mais adequado para o objetivo pretendido, permitindo obter um maior número de ácidos gordos identificados. Agradecimentos: Ao apoio financeiro concedido pela FCT no âmbito dos projetos PTDC/SAU-ENB/116929/2010 e EXPL/EMS-SIS/2215/2013, COMPETE, QREN e União Europeia (FEDER).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Assessment of sediment contamination in an impacted estuary: differential effects and adaptations of sentinel organisms and implications for biomonitoring

Conferência realizada em Lisboa, de 6-9 November de 2013Estuarine pollution is reflected in the concentration of toxicants in sediments, depending on their geochemical properties, since sediments trap substances from the water column, either dissolved or bound to suspended matter. However, determining risk of sediment contaminants to biota has many constraints. For such reason, integrative approaches are keystone. Taking the Sado estuary (SW Portugal) as a case study, contrasted to a reference estuary (the Mira) within the same geographical location, the present study aimed at integrating sediment contamination with the effects and responses to pollutants in distinct benthic organisms with commercial and ecological value

Toxicity ranking of estuarine sediments on the basis of Sparus aurata biomarkers

Sparus aurata biomarkers were used to rank sediments from the Sado River estuary (Portugal) according to their toxicity. Initially, the activities of liver ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase, liver and gill glutathione S-transferases, muscle lactate dehydrogenase, and brain acetylcholinesterase were tested in a laboratory bioassay with the reference compound benzo[a]pyrene. Enzymatic activities were determined in different tissues of fish exposed for 48, 96, or 240 h to three concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene (25, 50, and 100 g/L). Induction of liver ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase was observed at all the exposure periods and concentrations, suggesting a continuous response of this system to toxicant exposure. Induction of liver glutathione S-transferases activity was only observed after 240 h of exposure, whereas gill glutathione S-transferases activity was significantly inhibited at all the exposure periods, suggesting a direct or indirect effect of the toxicant on these enzymes. Inhibition of lactate dehydrogenases activity was only observed after 96 h of exposure to 25 g/L of benzo[a]pyrene. No significant effects were observed on acetylcholinesterase activity, suggesting that cholinergic function of S. aurata is not affected by benzo[a]pyrene. In a second phase, fish were exposed for 240 h to sediments collected at five sites of the Sado River estuary, and the same biomarkers were analyzed. For all the enzymes assayed, significant differences among sites were found. In this study, the battery of biomarkers used allowed to discrimination among sites with different types of contamination, levels of contamination, or both, after multivariate data analysis. Discrimination of sites was similar to the ranking provided by a more complex and parallel study (including chemical analysis of sediments, macrobenthic community analysis, amphipod mortality toxicity tests, and sea urchin abnormality embryo assays), suggesting its suitability to evaluate the toxicity of estuarine sediments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Canine and feline oral pathology

The aim of this work was to present a brief review of the main conditions affecting the oral cavity of dogs and cats. In recent years there has been increased attention with regard to veterinary dentistry, being several and frequent the pathologies located in the oral cavity of our pets. These diseases mainly affect the teeth and the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, and may, in chronic cases, also affect vital organs. This condition could have different causes, including hereditary, congenital, infectious, tumoural and even traumatic, requiring specific therapeutic approaches (Bellows, 2010; Holmstrom et al., 2007).FCT&DETS (PEest-OE/CED/UI4016/2011

Importance of vitamin C evaluation in infant and follow-on formulas

A vitamina C tem um papel crucial no crescimento e desenvolvimento saudáveis de bebés. As fórmulas infantis são muito consumidas por esta faixa etária e como tal, é de extrema importância garantir que esta vitamina esteja presente em concentrações adequadas. No presente trabalho de investigação, determinou-se o teor de vitamina C total, ácido L-ascórbico e ácido desidroascórbico em fórmulas infantis e compararam-se os resultados obtidos com os limites estabelecidos no Regulamento Delegado (UE) 2016/127. Em 2016, foram adquiridas 7 fórmulas infantis, 4 fórmulas para lactentes e 3 fórmulas de transição. Os teores totais de vitamina C determinados variaram entre 65,4 ± 0,28 e 134 ± 1,27 mg/100 g de amostra, encontrando-se dentro dos limites estabelecidos pela legislação em vigor. Uma vez que este tipo de produtos alimentares é muito importante na alimentação de consumidores de uma faixa etária tão jovem e tão vulnerável como são os lactentes, impõe-se a sua regulamentação, segurança e controlo da qualidade.Vitamin C plays a very important role in the healthy growth and development of babies. Infant and follow-on formulas are frequently consumed by this age group and it is extremely important to ensure that this vitamin is present in adequate concentrations in this type of products. This research aimed to determine the total vitamin C, L-ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid contents in infant foods, and compare the results obtained with the limits established in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/127. In 2016, 7 infant foods, 4 infant formulas and 3 follow-on formulas, were acquired. All vitamin C contents obtained for the analysed samples, ranged from 65.4 ± 0.28 to 134 ± 1.27 mg/100 g of sample, and were within the established limits. Since this type of food products is very important to a group of consumers belonging to an age group as young and as vulnerable as the infants, regulation, safety and quality control of this type of products is of extreme importance.Este trabalho foi financiado pelo Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge no âmbito do projeto BioCOMP (2012DAN730). Tânia Gonçalves Albuquerque agradece a bolsa de doutoramento (SFRH/BD/99718/2014) financiada pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Fundo Social Europeu e Ministério da Educação e Ciência.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Controlled release of cinnamon leaf oil from chitosan microcapsules embedded within a sodium alginate/gelatin hydrogel-like film for Pseudomonas aeruginosa elimination

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered a public threat, with antibiotics increasing their resistance. Essential oils (EOs) have demonstrated significant effects against microorganisms. However, due to their volatile nature, they cannot be used in their free-state. Here, hydrogel-like films were produced from a combination of sodium alginate (SA) and gelatin (GN) to serve as delivery platforms for the controlled release of cinnamon leaf oil (CLO) entrapped within chitosan (CS) microcapsules. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CLO was established at 39.3 mg/mL against P. aeruginosa. CS microcapsules were prepared via ionotropic gelation with tripolyphosphate (TPP), encapsulating CLO at MIC. Successful production was confirmed by fluorescent microscopy using Nile red as a detection agent. Microcapsules were embedded within a biodegradable SA/GN polymeric matrix processed by solvent casting/phase inversion with SA/GN used at 70/30 polymer ratio at 2 wt.% SA concentration. A concentration of 2 wt.% CaCl2 was used as a coagulation bath. The CLO-containing CS microcapsules’ homogeneous distribution was guaranteed by successive vortex and blending processes applied prior to casting. CLO controlled release from the films was monitored in physiological pH for 24 h. Hydrated films were obtained, with the presence of loaded CS capsules being confirmed by FTIR. Qualitative/quantitative antimicrobial examinations validated the loaded film potential to fight P. aeruginosa.Authors acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technolog