Assessing natural and anthropogenic forcing and conditioning factors in transgressive dune fields in the last two centuries

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Iceland: a laboratory for non-indigenous ascidians

Non-indigenous species (NIS) represent a serious problem worldwide, where ascidians are one of the most important taxa. However, little has been done to document the non-indigenous ascidians in Iceland, and over the past decade only two species had been recorded prior to the present study, Ciona intestinalis in 2007 and Botryllus schlosseri in 2011. To increase the knowledge of this taxon, extensive sampling was carried out in shallow waters around Iceland, during the summer 2018, in ports and on ropes of a long-line mussel aquaculture. In total, eleven species were identified, four native and seven NIS, of which Diplosoma listerianum, Ascidiella aspersa, Botrylloides violaceus, Molgula manhattensis and Ciona cf. robusta, are now reported for the first time in Iceland. The highest abundance of non-indigenous ascidians appeared among the ports in southwestern Iceland (Sandgerði, Hafnarfjörður). As pointed out for other regions, the most likely vector is maritime traffic (hull fouling and ballast water), although other vectors cannot be ruled out. The future expansion of these non-indigenous ascidians around Iceland must be monitored, where local maritime traffic could play an important role. Furthermore, global warming may facilitate the access and establishment of these species in colder areas with arctic influence (north and east of Iceland), which are likely still free of these species.This work was partly supported by the Suðurnes Regional Development Fund under grant no. 34/2017. One of the authors (ARE) received two grants for stays for research staff in foreign centers from the University of Alicante (2018) and from the Generalitat Valenciana (BEST-2019 program)

β-lactoglobulin micro- and nanostructures as bioactive compounds vehicle: In vitro studies

β-Lactoglobulin (β-Lg) is known to be capable to bind hydrophilic and hydrophobic bioactive compounds. This research aimed to assess the in vitro performance of β-Lg micro- (diameter ranging from 200 to 300 nm) and nano (diameter < 100 nm) structures associated to hydrophilic and hydrophobic model compounds on Caco-2 cells and under simulated gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. Riboflavin and quercetin were studied as hydrophilic and hydrophobic model compounds, respectively. Cytotoxicity experiment was conducted using in vitro cellular model based on human colon carcinoma Caco-2 cells. Moreover, the digestion process was simulated using the harmonized INFOGEST in vitro digestion model, where samples were taken at each phase of digestion process - oral, gastric and intestinal - and characterized in terms of particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), surface charge by dynamic light scattering (DLS); protein hydrolysis degree by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBSA) assay and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; and bioactive compound concentration. Caco-2 cell viability was not affected up to 21 × 10−3 mg mL−1 of riboflavin and 16 × 10−3 mg mL−1 quercetin on β-Lg micro- and nanostructures. In the oral phase, β-Lg structures’ particle size, PDI and surface charge values were not changed comparing to the initial β-Lg structures (i.e., before being subjected to in vitro GI digestion). During gastric digestion, β-Lg structures were resistant to proteolytic enzymes and to acid environment of the stomach – confirmed by TNBSA and native gel electrophoresis. In vitro digestion results indicated that β-Lg micro- and nanostructures protected both hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds from gastric conditions and deliver them to target site (i.e., intestinal phase). In addition, β-Lg structures were capable to enhance riboflavin and quercetin bioaccessibility and bioavailability potential compared to bioactive compounds in their free form. This study indicated that β-Lg micro- and nanostructures were capable to enhance hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds bioavailability potential and they can be used as oral delivery systems.Livia de Souza Simoes gratefully acknowledges her grant to CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico, Brasil) from Brazil. The authors also would like to acknowledge Luis Abrunhosa, from Centre of Biological Engineering, for assistance in High Pressure Liquid Chromatography -Fluorescence detection. This study was supported by FCT under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. This study was also supported by FCT under the scope of the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Diaqua­(6-bromo­picolinato-κ2 N,O)(nitrato-κ2 O,O)copper(II)

In the monomeric title complex, [Cu(C6H3BrNO2)(NO3)(H2O)2], the CuII ion is coordinated by a bidentate 6-bromo­picolinate ion, one nitrate ion and two water mol­ecules in a geometry inter­mediate between five- and six-coordinate. Conventional O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the complex mol­ecules, forming layers parallel to the ab plane

(Benzoato-κ2 O,O′)(quinoline-2-carboxyl­ato-κ2 N,O)(quinoline-2-carboxylic acid-κ2 N,O)manganese(II)

The crystal structure of the title compound, [Mn(C7H5O2)(C10H6NO2)(C10H7NO2)], contains manganese(II) ions six-coordinated in a distorted octa­hedral environment. The equatorial plane is occupied by four O atoms, two from the carboxyl­ate group of the benzoate ion, the other two from carboxyl­ate/carboxyl groups of the quinaldate/quinaldic acid mol­ecules. The axial positions are occupied by the N atoms of the quinoline ring systems. The metal ion lies on a twofold rotation axis that bisects the benzoate ligand; the quinaldate and quinaldic acid ligands are therefore equivalent by symmetry, and the carboxylate/carboxyl groups are disordered. The complexes are joined together by hydrogen bonds between the carboxyl­ate/carboxyl groups of adjacent quinaldate/quinaldic acid mol­ecules, forming zigzag chains that run along the c axis

Unravelling the biological potential of Pinus pinaster bark extracts

Natural compounds from agro-food by-products have fostered interest in food industries. The aim of this study was to unravel potential uses for Pinus pinaster bark extracts (PBE). As functional features of this type of extracts are usually attributed to phenolic compounds, the extraction process was studied. Different PBEs were achieved, with high content in phenolic compounds, using different water/ethanol combinations as a solvent. These PBEs were chemically characterized, and their bioactivity and in vitro cell viability were evaluated. Extracts obtained with hydroethanolic solvents had higher content in phenolic and flavonoid compounds. All the PBEs presented high antioxidant, antibacterial and antihyperglycemic activities. Moreover, PBEs have low cytotoxicity and a selective activity against cancer cells as these were negatively affected. These features may allow the extracts to be used in food formulation and processing (as preservatives, antioxidants or bioactive ingredients), but they showed also potential for the pharmaceutical or nutraceutical sectors.This research was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) under the scope of Norte2020—Programa Operacional Regional do Norte, by program INTERREG V-B Sudoe (REDVALUE, SOE1/P1/E0123) and by project MOBFOOD (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-024524), cofounded by PORTUGAL2020, Lisb@a2020, COMPETE 2020 and the European Union. Zlatina Genisheva is supported by the project OH2O (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029145) funded by FCT and FEDER under the scope of Programa Operacional de Competividade e Internacionalizaçao (POCI)-COMPETE 2020 and PORTUGAL2020. Pedro Santos is recipient of a fellowship supported by a doctoral advanced training (call NORTE-69-2015-15), funded by the European Social Fund under the scope of Norte2020 (NORTE-08-5369-FSE-000036).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

(Benzoato-κ2 O,O′)(quinoline-2-carboxyl­ato-κ2 N,O)(quinoline-2-carboxylic acid-κ2 N,O)copper(II)

The crystal structure of the title compound, [Cu(C10H6NO2)(C7H5O2)(C10H7NO2)], contains copper(II) ions five-coordinated in a distorted trigonal-bipyramidal environment. The equatorial plane is occupied by three O atoms, one from the carboxyl­ate group of the benzoate ion considered as occupying a single coordination site, the other two from two carboxyl­ate groups of the quinaldic acid and quinaldate ligands. The axial positions are occupied by the N atoms of the quinoline ring system. The metal ion lies on a twofold axis that bisects the benzoate ion. The quinaldate and quinaldic acid ligands are equivalent by symmetry, and the carboxyl­ate/carboxyl groups are disordered. The disordered H atom is shared between the carboxyl­ate groups of adjacent quinaldic acid mol­ecules. Such hydrogen bonds delineate zigzag chains that run along the c axis. The structure is very similar to that of the MnII analog

Impacts of sheep versus cattle livestock systems on birds of Mediterranean grasslands

Mediterranean pastures are experiencing strong changes in management, involving shifts from sheep to cattle-based livestock systems. The impacts of such shifts on biodiversity are still poorly understood. Here, we sought to contrast the grazing regime, vegetation structure, bird species richness and abundance, between sheep and cattle grazed parcels, to understand the mechanisms through which management decisions impact farmland birds. During spring 2019, we characterized livestock management, bird populations and sward structure in 23 cattle and 27 sheep grazed parcels. We used a Structural Equation Model to infer the direct and indirect effects of sheep and cattle grazing on birds. Although no effects were found on overall species richness, there were species-specific responses to sheep and cattle grazed systems. Grazing pressure (variable integrating stocking rate and the number of days in the parcel) had negative impacts on the prevalence/abundance of Zitting Cisticola, Corn Bunting and Little Bustard, either directly or indirectly, through the effects of grazing pressure on vegetation height. Animal density and vegetation cover had direct positive effects in Galerida spp. and Common Quail, respectively. Zitting Cisticola and Little Bustard also showed a direct response to livestock type. Our study emphasizes the importance of grazing pressure as a driver of negative impacts for bird populations in Mediterranean grasslands. Since the ongoing transition from sheep to cattle-based systems involves increases in stocking rate, and therefore potentially higher grazing pressure, we propose a policy change to cap the maximum allowed grazing pressure. At the landscape scale, a mix of sheep and cattle grazed fields would be beneficial for maintaining bird diversityinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bis[(2-quinol­yl)methane­diol-κ2 N,O](sulfato-κO)copper(II) dihydrate

In the title compound, [Cu(SO4)(C10H9NO2)2]·2H2O, the CuII ion is chelated by two (2-quinol­yl)methane­diol ligands and coordinated by a monodentate sulfate ligand in a distorted trigonal–bipyramidal environment, with O atoms occupying the equatorial sites and N atoms in the axial sites. The dihedral angle between the two essentially planar quinoline ring systems is 45.02 (9)°. In the crystal structure, an extensive O—H⋯O hydrogen-bonding network forms layers parallel to the ab plane

The workaholism as an obstacle to safety and well-being in the workplace

The work aholism, defined as addiction at work, increase burnout and negatively affects the psychological well-being. It was developed a quantitative study using self-reported measures. This study aims to evaluate the variables: passion for work, work engagement, engagement for life and job satisfaction as predictors of workaholism and the effects of workaholism on the psychological well-being and burnout. With a sample of 199 workers, the results of multiple linear regression analysis allowed to identify that some of the variables and their dimensions have significant effects on the workaholism and on psychological well-being and burnout