Comparing the Productive Efficiency of Cooperatives and Private Enterprises: The Portuguese Wine Industry as a Case Study

This paper compares the efficiency of cooperatives and private enterprises in the Portuguese wine industry, employing data envelopment analysis (DEA). The use of DEA for the analysis of comparative efficiency within a sector is a key tool in evaluating organizational competitiveness. Competitiveness should be based on benchmarking the different types of organizations that comprise the viniculture sector. We conclude that Portuguese wine cooperatives, on average, are more efficient than their private counterparts. Economic implications arising from the study are discussed.cooperatives, private enterprises, technical efficiency, DEA, wine industry, Portugal, Agribusiness,

Relationship between inoculum density of the nematophagous fungus Paecilomyces lilacinus and control of Meloidogyne arenaria on tomato

International audienc

A leucine-supplemented diet improved protein content of skeletal muscle in young tumor-bearing rats

Cancer cachexia induces host protein wastage but the mechanisms are poorly understood. Branched-chain amino acids play a regulatory role in the modulation of both protein synthesis and degradation in host tissues. Leucine, an important amino acid in skeletal muscle, is higher oxidized in tumor-bearing animals. A leucine-supplemented diet was used to analyze the effects of Walker 256 tumor growth on body composition in young weanling Wistar rats divided into two main dietary groups: normal diet (N, 18% protein) and leucine-rich diet (L, 15% protein plus 3% leucine), which were further subdivided into control (N or L) or tumor-bearing (W or LW) subgroups. After 12 days, the animals were sacrificed and their carcass analyzed. The tumor-bearing groups showed a decrease in body weight and fat content. Lean carcass mass was lower in the W and LW groups (W = 19.9 ± 0.6, LW = 23.1 ± 1.0 g vs N = 29.4 ± 1.3, L = 28.1 ± 1.9 g, P < 0.05). Tumor weight was similar in both tumor-bearing groups fed either diet. Western blot analysis showed that myosin protein content in gastrocnemius muscle was reduced in tumor-bearing animals (W = 0.234 ± 0.033 vs LW = 0.598 ± 0.036, N = 0.623 ± 0.062, L = 0.697 ± 0.065 arbitrary intensity, P < 0.05). Despite accelerated tumor growth, LW animals exhibited a smaller reduction in lean carcass mass and muscle myosin maintenance, suggesting that excess leucine in the diet could counteract, at least in part, the high host protein wasting in weanling tumor-bearing rats.1589159

Creation of antimicrobial biopolymers by the use of recombinant DNA technology

[Excerpt] The spread of antimicrobials resistant microorganisms has triggered the search for new ways to treat infections. One of these ways is the creation of antimicrobial devices and surfaces that kill or prevent the spread of microorganisms. In the present work we explored the properties of different antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) for the creation of biopolymers with broad antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial recombinant protein-based polymers (rPBPs) were designed by cloning the DNA sequence coding for the different AMPs in frame with the N-terminus of the elastin-like recombinamer consisting of 200 repetitions of the pentamer VPAVG, here named A200. [...]This work was supported by the strategic programme UID/BIA/04050/2013 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007569) funded by national funds through the FCT I.P. and by the ERDF through the COMPETE2020 - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI). By the Spanish Minister of Economy and Competitiveness (MAT2012-38043-C02-01) and Junta de Castilla y León-JCyL (VA152A12-2 and VA155A12-2), Spain. AC and RM, acknowledge FCT for SFRH/BD/75882/2011 and SFRH/BPD/86470/2012 grants, respectively

Antibacterial protein-based fibres: combining recombinant DNA technology with electrospinning

[Excerpt] With the increasing healthcare-associated infections and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms there is a demand not only for new antimicrobial compounds but also for antimicrobial materials. Genetically engineered protein polymers functionalized with bioactive domains offer potential as multifunctional versatile materials for biomedical use. The present work describes the fabrication and characterization of antimicrobial fibre mats comprising the antimicrobial elastin-like recombinamer CM4-A200 [1]. [...]This work was supported by the strategic programme UID/BIA/04050/2013 (POCI-01- 0145-FEDER- 007569) through FCT I.P. and by ERDF through COMPETE2020 - POCI. The authors are grateful for funding from FCT (project “FunBioPlas” ERA-IB-2-6/0004/2014) and a fellowship to RM (SFRH-BPD/86470/2012). The authors also thank support from the COST Action MP1206

Solving the Sports League Scheduling Problem with Tabu Search

In this paper we present a tabu approach for a version of the Sports League Scheduling Problem. The approach adopted is based on a formulation of the problem as a Constraint Satisfaction Problem (CSP). Tests were carried out on problem instances of up to 40 teams representing 780 integer variables with 780 values per variable. Experimental results show that this approach outperforms some existing methods and is one of the most promising methods for solving problems of this type

Antimicrobial Electrospun Membranes of Selp/Ag Composites

Silk-elastin-like proteins (SELPs) are a new class of bioinspired, biologically synthesized block copolymers, composed of silk and elastin repeating units. SELP electrospun fibre mats show potential for application as wound dressings for skin regeneration. In this work, antimicrobial nanofibrous mats were produced by electrospinning SELP solutions containing different concentrations of silver nitrate without addition of reducing agents. The SELP/Ag composite materials demonstrated antimicrobial activity against both Gram– and Gram+ bacteria. Furthermore, the SELP/Ag composite materials showed no cytotoxicity against normal human skin fibroblasts.This work was supported by FCT/MEC through Portuguese funds (PIDDAC) - PEst-OE/BIA/UI4050/2014, PEST-C/FIS/UI607/2011, Matepro - NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000037. RM, AC and VS, acknowledge FCT for SFRH-BPD/86470/2012, SFRH/BD/75882/2011 and SFRH/BPD/63148/2009 grants, respectively. The authors also thank support from the COST Action MP1206 “Electrospun Nano-fibres for bio inspired composite materials and innovative industrial applications”

Lusitania

The present study attempts to illustrate the large phytocoenotical diversity of forests, pre-forest, high-scrub and most of the corresponding sub-seral communities of the Lusitania territories and enables the identification of their clumped pattern of occurrence as landscape mosaics. These communities are syntaxonomically included in the Quercetea ilicis, Querco-Fagetea sylvaticae, Salici purpureae-Populetea nigrae, Alnetea glutinosae, Nerio-Tamaricetea, Calluno vulgaris-Ulicetea minoris, Cisto-Lavanduletea stoechadis and Rosmarinetea officinalis vegetation classes and span a large spectrum of environmental variables, being present in a wide range of bioclimatic stages and edaphic conditions. The grasslands, that represent seral stages of the Quercion broteroi and Quercion pyrenaicae and are included in the Stipo giganteae-Agrostietea castellanae class, are also described. In Lusitania, on soils rich in bases, without hydromorphy and salinity, dry grasslands are widespread in the potential areas of Quercus suber, Q. rotundifolia and/or Q. faginea, and are included in the Festuco-Brometea vegetation class; associations of the Arrábida mountain and Algarve are especially rich in endemic species. The ephemeral pioneer communities are dominated by non-nitrophilous, small therophytes included in the Helianthemetea guttati class. Grasslands linked to heavy grazing are also described. In this group we include pastures, with adequate sheep pasture, grazed and manured, dominated by dwarf perennial grasses and other nutritious prostrate chamaephytes and hemicryptophytes, which encompass the associations of the Poetea bulbosae class. Other herbaceous communities, dependent on anthropic influence, are those dense meadows and reed-beds included in the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class.The tall herbs of nitrified wood fringes and other semi-shaded anthropic biotope communities belong to the Galio-Urticetea class. The herbaceous ruderal vegetation is also described. Lastly, the coastal vegetation of sea cliffs and lithosols, dunes, and estuaries and saltmarshes is referred to, as well as the interior sandy soil or semi-fixed dune grasslands

Soybean oil transesterification for biodiesel production with micro-structured calcium oxide (CaO) from natural waste materials as a heterogeneous catalyst

In this study, micro-structured calcium oxide obtained from the calcination (850 degrees C for 3 h) of Gallus gallus domesticus (chicken) eggshells was used as a catalyst in the transesterification of soybean oil. This catalyst was characterized by Scanning Electron Spectroscopy (SEM) methods. The structure of the obtained CaO showed several agglomerates of white granular solids with a non-regular and unsymmetrical shape. In terms of calcium oxide catalytic activity, three different catalyst loadings (1%wt, 3%wt, and 5%wt) were tested for the same reaction conditions, resulting in transesterification yields of 77.27%wt, 84.53%wt, and 85.83%wt respectively. The results were compared to the current literature, and whilst they were lower, they were promising, allowing us to conclude that the tendency of yield improvement for this reaction, when the size range of catalyst particles is to be reduced to a nano scale, can be verified.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of osteoarthritis on the repeatability of patella tendon angle measurement in dogs

Objective: To evaluate the influence of osteoarthritis on the measurement of patella tendon angle (PTA) and determine intraobserver and interobserver variability. Study design: Retrospective clinical study. Sample population: Eighty‐seven mediolateral radiographs that were obtained prior to tibial tuberosity advancement. Methods: Radiographic osteoarthritis was scored by 2 observers using guidelines derived from the International Elbow Working Group Protocol. Patella tendon angle was measured by 3 observers on 3 occasions, with at least 7 days between measurements. The data were statistically analyzed via weighted κ and Kruskal‐Wallis testing. Results: A fair strength of agreement was found among observers scoring osteoarthritis, with the same grades in 48% of radiographs. The intraobserver average bias between PTA measurements 1 and 3 ranged from −0.38° to −0.94°. Interobserver bias in angle measurement ranged from −0.92° to −2.00°. Observer 1 had the narrowest range of PTA differences (12.1°), and observer 3 had the highest range of PTA differences (23.5°). Observer 2 had the lowest mean bias (−0.38°). The mean bias was lowest between observers 1 and 2 (−0.92°) and highest between observers 1 and 3 (−2.0°). The mean intraobserver standard deviation of the PTA measurement differences was 2.90°, and interobserver standard deviation of the PTA measurement differences was 2.26°. The degree of osteoarthritis did not influence PTA measurements or their variability. Conclusion: The current study did not find evidence of an influence of osteoarthritis on PTA or on the repeatability of measurements. Clinical significance: Our findings suggest that osteoarthritis should not affect the radiographic planning for tibial tuberosity advancement surgery. The high variances in PTA measurement in less experienced observers may influence the clinical outcome of surgery