Bibliometric Analysis on Cyberspace Security - NIS Directives

The impact of security in cyberspace has been increasing, motivating companies to reconsider their security strategies. In addition, people from various countries who are aware of this growth are seeking to present studies in various journals that allow them to identify elements that contribute to the consolidation of the concept of security in cyberspace. With this reality in mind, this study, supported by a bibliometric analysis of security in cyberspace based on articles published in the last eight years, aims to analyze the evolution of scientific research, identify the most influential scientific publications on topics related to cyberspace security, and detect research opportunities in the field. The study also discusses the implementation of the legal framework for security in cyberspace and the NIS Directive, aspects that European companies should consider in their cybersecurity strategy. The study's conclusions highlight the multifaceted nature of cybersecurity challenges and the need for a holistic and collaborative approach to strengthening digital resilience, with an emphasis on promoting a culture of awareness encouraged at the organizational and social level by policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS ON CYBERSPACE SECURITY - NIS DIRECTIVES

The impact of security in cyberspace has been increasing, motivating companies to reconsider their security strategies. In addition, people from various countries who are aware of this growth are seeking to present studies in various journals that allow them to identify elements that contribute to the consolidation of the concept of security in cyberspace. With this reality in mind, this study, supported by a bibliometric analysis of security in cyberspace based on articles published in the last eight years, aims to analyze the evolution of scientific research, identify the most influential scientific publications on topics related to cyberspace security, and detect research opportunities in the field. The study also discusses the implementation of the legal framework for security in cyberspace and the NIS Directive, aspects that European companies should consider in their cybersecurity strategy. The study's conclusions highlight the multifaceted nature of cybersecurity challenges and the need for a holistic and collaborative approach to strengthening digital resilience, with an emphasis on promoting a culture of awareness encouraged at the organizational and social level by policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quercetin-biapigenin nanoparticles are effective to penetrate the blood–brain barrier

Search for efficient therapeutic agents for central nervous system (CNS) disorders has been extensive. Nevertheless, blood-brain barrier (BBB) is an obstacle that prevents the majority of compounds to act in these diseases. It is, thus, of extreme relevance the BBB overcome, in order to deliver a drugs therapeutically active concentration to the action site, with the least losses and interaction with other organs, tissues, or cells. The present study aimed to investigate the potential protective effect of quercetin-biapigenin encapsulated into poly(Ɛ-polycaprolactone) (PCL) nanoparticles against t-BOOH-induced oxidative stress in several brain cell lines, as well as evaluate the permeability of those active molecules through an in vitro BBB model. The three cell lines under study (BV-2, hcmec/D3, and U87) presented different reactions to t-BOOH. In general, quercetin-biapigenin PCL-loaded nanoparticles were able to minimize compound toxicity they convey, regardless the cell line. Quercetin-biapigenin PCL-loaded nanoparticles (Papp of approximately 80 × 10-6 cm/s) revealed to be more permeable than free compounds (Papp of approximately 50 × 10-6 cm/s). As of our knowledge, this is the first report of quercetin-biapigenin PCL-loaded nanoparticle activity in brain cells. It is also the first determining its permeability through BBB, as an effective nanocarrier for brain delivery.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Metabolic fate is defined by amino acid nature in gilthead seabream fed different diet formulations

The sustainability of the Aquaculture industry relies on optimising diets to promote nitrogen retention and maximise fish growth. The aim of this study was to assess how different dietary formulations influence the bioavailability and metabolic fate of distinct amino acids in gilthead seabream juveniles. Amino acids (lysine, tryptophan, and methionine) were selected based on their ketogenic and/or glucogenic nature. Seabream were fed practical diets with different protein (44 and 40%) and lipid contents (21 and 18%): 44P21L, 44P18L, 40P21L, and 40P18L. After three weeks of feeding, the fish were tube-fed the correspondent diet labelled with 14C-lysine, 14C-tryptophan, or 14C-methionine. The amino acid utilisation was determined based on the evacuation, retention in gut, liver, and muscle, and the catabolism of the tracer. The metabolic fate of amino acids was mainly determined by their nature. Tryptophan was significantly more evacuated than lysine or methionine, indicating a lower availability for metabolic purposes. Methionine was more retained in muscle, indicating its higher availability. Lysine was mainly catabolised, suggesting that catabolism is preferentially ketogenic, even when this amino acid is deficient in diets. This study underpins the importance of optimising diets considering the amino acids’ bioavailability and metabolic fate to maximise protein retention in fish.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation of antioxidant activity of selected Brazilian plants extracts

Numerous diseases are induced by free radicals and it has long been recognized that naturally occurring substances in higher plants have antioxidant activityinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

New drugs from traditional medicines: pharmacological evaluation of plant extracts from Chapada Diamantina (Brazil)

Plants are rich sources of medicines and Brazil is among the most biodiverse nations in the world.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

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

Systematic assessment of template-based genome-scale metabolic models created with the BiGG Integration Tool

Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) are essential tools for in silico phenotype prediction and strain optimisation. The most straightforward GEMs reconstruction approach uses published models as templates to generate theinitial draft, requiring further curation. Such an approachis used by BiGG Integration Tool (BIT), available for merlin users. This tool uses models from BiGG Models database as templates for the draft models. Moreover, BIT allows the selection between different template combinations. The main objective of this study is to assess the draft models generated using this tool and compare them BIT, comparing these to CarveMe models, both of which use the BiGG database, and curated models. For this, three organisms were selected, namely Streptococcus thermophilus, Xylella fastidiosa and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The models’ variability was assessed using reactions and genes’ metabolic functions. This study concluded that models generated with BIT for each organism were differentiated, despite sharing a significant portion of metabolic functions. Furthermore, the template seems to influence the content of the models, though to a lower extent. When comparing each draft with curated models, BIT had better performances than CarveMe in all metrics. Hence, BIT can be considered a fast and reliable alternative for draft reconstruction for bacteria models.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit. A. Oliveira (DFA/BD/10205/2020), E. Cunha (DFA/BD/8076/2020), F. Cruz (SFRH/BD/139198/2018), J. Sequeira (SFRH/BD/147271/2019), and M. Sampaio (SFRH/BD/144643/2019) hold a doctoral fellowship provided by the FCT. J. Ribeiro hold a fellowship provided by the University of Minho (UMI-NHO/BIM/2020/68). Oscar Dias acknowledge FCT for the Assistant Research contract obtained under CEEC Individual 2018.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bioactive and nutritional potential of medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) seasoning mixtures

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), worldwide appreciated and used as condiments, dyes, and preservatives, possess several biological properties that justify their continuous application in the food industry. In the present study, the nutritional and chemical profiles, as well as the bioactive properties of four combinations of condiments, sold for seasoning poultry, meat, fish, and salads, were evaluated. Twenty-five phenolic compounds (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS) were identified, with apigenin-O-malonyl-pentoside-hexoside as the major compound detected in all extracts. Oxalic and citric acids were identified in all mixtures (UFLC-PDA), as well as all the four tocopherol isoforms (HPLC-fluorescence). Regarding bioactivities, the mixtures for meat and salads (TBARS) and meat and poultry (OxHLIA) stood out for their antioxidant potential, whereas for the anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties, the mixtures revealing the greatest results were those for poultry and salad, respectively. In terms of antimicrobial activity, all the mixtures revealed the capacity to inhibit the growth of some bacterial strains. In brief, condiment mixtures showed to be a good source of bioactive compounds, as they confer health benefits, validating the importance of their inclusion in the human diet as a good dietary practice.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 F.C.T. and P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for C.P., M.I.D., R.C.C. and L.B. contracts and A.K.M. (2020.06231.BD) and M.A.-O. (2020.06297.BD) PhD grants. To FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P; 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

The choice of the spectral region in the use of spectroscopic and chemometric methods

A method is presented for the choice of spectral regions when absorption measurements are coupled to chemometric tools to perform quantitative analyses. The method is based on the spectral distribution of the relative standard deviation of concentration (s c/c). It has been applied to the development of PLS-FTNIR calibration models for the determination of density and MON of gasoline, and ethanol content and density of ethanol fuel. The new method was also compared with the correlation (R²) method and has proved to generate PLS calibration models that present better accuracy and precision than those based on R²