Which table salt to chose?

The link between salt consumption and hypertension has been the focus of many studies and clinical trials in the past few years. It is recommended that table salt intake does not exceed the maximum of 5g per day and yet most people find almost impossible to comply with this recommendation. New types of salt have recently appeared in the market and they claim to be less harmful to health than current commercial salt. Besides being less salty to the taste these new types of salt contain less sodium and more trace minerals than commercial salt but there is a need of experiments and studies in order to establish their benefit to health.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Potential utilization of orange juice industrial production’s residues for the immobilization of metals in contaminated soils

Mestrado em Engenharia Agronómica - Hortofruticultura e Viticultura / Instituto Superior de Agronomia. Universidade de LisboaSoil contamination with potentially toxic elements (metals and metalloids) may affect the crops in several undesirable ways, and, consequently, the human food chain. The use of organic amendments to treat the contaminated soil is a possibility that cannot be excluded and thus must be taken into account when addressing this problem, since the organic matter has a sequestration potential for metals and, additionally, has the possibility to improve the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the amended soil. The application doses of the residue evaluated equivalent to 20 and 40 t/ha were not reflected in a significant variation of the OM content in both-contaminated and non-contaminated soils, contrarywise to what was verified in the application of orange residues in a rate of 80 t/ha, which evidenced significant differences when in comparison with the non-treated samples, in both contaminated and non-contaminated soils. Concerning the pH of the soils, in the non-contaminated soil only the highest rate application registered statistical differences when in comparison with the non-treated evidence, whereas for the contaminated soil none of the application rates registered significant differences. The obtained results showed that the application of orange juice residues caused significant differences in the pseudo-total and bioavailable contents of Cu but not of Cd, in both contaminated and non-contaminated soil. However, the Cd bioavailable contents are not considered high, varying between 5.67% and 6.45% of total Cd content. Further experiments should be made in order to assess the effects that higher doses of residue can produce in the bioavailable quantities of Cd, and also to evaluate how the application of the orange juice residues can influence the extractability of other potentially toxic elements, as well as validate the possibility of using this method to the remediation of soils in a real situation under non-controlled circumstancesN/

Pesticides in Worldwide Aquatic Systems: Part II

Contamination by pesticides is a worldwide problem that can greatly disturb the biota, directly and/or indirectly. Nonetheless, few efforts were done so far to present review-style publications that analyse and integrate monitoring data—in a global scale—and evaluate possible environmental risks. Herein, we assessed possible environmental risks through theoretical calculations, using worldwide data published at least during the last 17 years and considering different trophic levels and the maximum average environmental concentrations (in water) observed in each continent. Furthermore, hazard quotients—using the estimated average daily intake, theoretical maximum daily intake and the maximum residue limits—were calculated to estimate the potential risks to humans through direct consumption of molluscs, crustaceans and fish. In summary, several pesticides were quantified at concentrations capable to affect low to medium trophic level species, which through the food web can affect higher trophic levels; theoretical approaches considering the environmental mixtures showed that algae and invertebrates are the most sensitive groups. Moreover, fish and crustaceans evidenced the highest body concentrations. To evaluate a potential risk through direct consumption, human health risk assessments were done, and in spite of no direct risk, some hazard quotients indicate a potential risk for developing carcinogenic effects

Pesticides in Worldwide Aquatic Systems: Part I

The occurrence of pesticides in aquatic environments is registered worldwide, but few or no approaches have been used to summarize and integrate the data. In this work, 30 countries and 95 aquatic systems were taken into consideration, using the data collected in the past 17 years. Data were evaluated by continent, with a special focus on Europe, as the continent with the most information available. However, in terms of analyzed pesticides, the insecticides were the most common category of pesticides being applied in excess in several Asian countries. Moreover, priority pesticides settled for elimination were/are still present in almost all the continents, demonstrating that those compounds continue to be used. This leads to the existence of environmental mixtures containing both legal and illegal pesticides, which are able to affect different trophic levels, including humans. Thus, action plans like international discussions and pacts should exist to regulate the adequate usage of pesticides, and a continuous environmental monitoring should be enforced to understand potential toxicological risks promoted by these compounds. Further considerations, based on the Stockholm Convention list and European Directive 2013/39/EU as references, were used to evaluate the degree of contamination in the studied aquatic systems

A importância dos fatores estruturais na garantia da segurança alimentar na produção de refeições para escolares

O projeto de construção de um refeitório escolar deverá ser objeto de um estudo aprofundado da sua expectável atividade funcional e operacional e deverá considerar diversos fatores tais como os requisitos legais e as exigências técnicas de produção, de arquitetura e das condições de trabalho, conjugados com possíveis limitações económicas, de modo a garantir o fornecimento de refeições em segurança.Juntamente com a revisão da literatura, foram efetuadas visitas técnicas a unidades de produção de refeições, de modo a verificar in loco o cumprimento dos diferentes requisitos.Das evidências observadas identificaram-se diversas não-conformidades estruturais que afetam o cumprimento das boas práticas de produção de refeições e, que na sua maioria, poderiam ter sido evitadas se, na fase de conceção do projeto, tivessem sido previstas.Seria útil garantir que os técnicos envolvidos no serviço de refeições escolares, nomeadamente nutricionistas, participassem em reuniões multidisciplinares para avaliação de projetos e programas preliminares, contribuindo para a elaboração de um projeto adequado a todas as dimensões intrínsecas à utilização futura deste espaço.The design of school canteens shall be subject to detailed studies regarding its functional and operational activity. It must consider several factors such as legal aspects, production technical requirements, architectural and working conditions as well as economic aspects in order to guarantee the correct and safe supply of the meals.In addition to literature review some technical visits were done to allow the on-site checking of the fulfilment of the several factors considered.Several structural nonconformities were identified that affect compliance with the good manufacturing practices. Most of them could have been avoided if, at the design stage of the project, these factors had been considered.It would be useful to ensure that the different technicians involved in food service, namely nutritionists, participate in multidisciplinary meetings to evaluate base plans, and program briefs in order to achieve a better project proposal

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of Non Cardiac Cause in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Parenchymal lung diseases are the main cause of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). We aimed to assess the non cardiac conditions associated to PPHN in the newborn and the survival rate over the last 15 years, at our center. A retrospective chart review of the neonates admitted for PPHN from 1996 to 2010 was performed. New therapies were introduced in 2003, and the survival rates between two periods (1996–2002 and 2003–2010) were compared. Out of 6750 newborns, 78 (1.1%) had the diagnosis of PPHN of non cardiac cause. The most prevalent causes were associated to pulmonary hypoplasia (30.7%), infection (24.3%), and aspiration syndromes (15.3%). Many other causes were identified in 33.3%. The overall survival rate was 68%. There was a significant difference on survival rates between the two periods (1996–2002 = 63.8% and 2003–2010 = 71.4%, P = 0.04). Our study showed a myriad of non cardiac aetiologies for PPHN of the newborn, most of them related to lung disease or lung hypoplasia. We observed an improvement in survival rate since 2003, which was associated to the use of new therapies

e-Justice: Relating Practical Guidelines in Videoconferencing with the Concerns of Academic Literature

Videoconferencing was widely used in court proceedings during the covid 19 pandemic, and, probably, its use will not return to the point before the pandemic. The academic literature indicates many different concerns with videoconferencing in court proceedings that may ultimately impact the legitimacy of the judicial process. This study aims to appreciate if academic research has been incorporated into the practical recommendations which guide daily work in courts. First, we conducted a literature review to identify and organise the concerns about using videoconferencing in court proceedings. Then we selected two guidelines and evaluated whether their recommendations addressed solutions to concerns raised in the academic literature. We conclude that most of the concerns are present in the guidelines. Although, the concern regarding the difficulty of replicating the environment of the physical courtroom in videoconferencing, which is the most cited concern, is not addressed in the practical guidance

How does a luxury wine framework applies and affects the internationalisation of wineries of the Vinho Verde Region?

This dissertation provides an analysis of a luxury wineries in the region of Vinho Verde by applying a framework developed by Beverland and also trying to understand how this impacts the internationalisation process. To do so the study proceeds with multiple interviews to two owners of wineries that position themselves and were also considered by their peers as luxury within the Vinho Verde Region. These two wineries are Anselmo Mendes and Quinta de Santiago. The concept luxury is one very transversal that can be found in every category of commodities. However when it comes to the wine segment, it can be perceived as one of the oldest due to the nature and history of this product that has been one of the most traded goods throughout the last centuries. When it comes to luxury wines, they have their own proper characteristics with aspects such as a slight difference in palate might lead to significant changes in pricing. Vinho Verde is a unique region in the world that has been struggling with the image of low cost wines and where more and more a segment of luxury has been developing. It is for these reasons that they provide the perfect background to build a case study about luxury wines of that particular region and their internationalisation. Regarding the wineries, the dissertation intends to show how they have been developing their own luxury products while also improving their internationalisation process. The final objective is to obtain findings that will not only provide new insights about the region and the luxury segment but also be attractive for future research and also bring awareness to the particularities of this segment in this special region of Portugal, the Vinho Verde Region.A seguinte dissertação fornece uma análise sobre uma estratégia de vinhos de luxo na região do Vinho Verde seguindo por isso uma estrutura definida anteriormente por Beverland e qual o seu impacto a nível do processo de internacionalização. Consequentemente, o estudo prossegue com entrevistas a dois proprietários de adegas que se posicionam e também foram considerados pelos seus pares como luxo na região do Vinho Verde. Estas duas adegas são portanto Anselmo Mendes e Quinta de Santiago. O conceito de luxo é bastante transversal e pode ser encontrado em todas as categorias de comódite. No entanto, quando se trata do segmento do vinho, este pode ser considerado como um dos mais antigos devido a toda a história deste mesmo produto que tem sido um dos bens mais comercializados ao longo dos últimos séculos. No que toca aos vinhos de luxo, estes têm as suas próprias características como, por exemplo, uma ligeira diferença no palato pode levar a mudanças significativas no preço. O Vinho Verde é uma região única no mundo e que tem enfrentado a imagem de vinhos de baixo custo e onde cada vez mais um segmento de luxo se tem desenvolvido. São estas razões que fazem desta região o pano de fundo perfeito para construir um caso sobre os vinhos de luxo dessa mesma região e os seus processos de internacionalização. Em relação às adegas, esta dissertação pretende mostrar como estas têm desenvolvido seus próprios produtos de luxo, além de melhorar seu processo de internacionalização. O objetivo final é obter resultados que não só proporcionem novos conhecimentos sobre a região e o seu segmento de luxo, mas também sejam atraentes para futuras pesquisas e que por acréscimo transmitam as particularidades deste segmento nesta região especial de Portugal, a região do Vinho Verde

Determination of seventeen endocrine disruptor compounds and their spatial and seasonal distribution in Ria Formosa Lagoon (Portugal)

In spite of its outstanding ecological and touristic importance the Ria Formosa Lagoon shows signs of anthropogenic pollution. Nonetheless, until the present survey no studies had ever documented the measurement of natural and pharmaceutical estrogens (17β-estradiol, estrone, and 17α-ethynylestradiol), xenoestrogenic industrial pollutants (4-octylphenol, 4- nonylphenol, and their mono and diethoxylates and bisphenol A), phytoestrogens (formononetin, biochanin A, daidzein, genistein), and sitosterol in this area. The 17 compounds measured herein are known as endocrine disrupters (EDCs) and act over the endocrine system even in few amounts (ng L−1–μg L−1). Thus to conclude about the influx of EDCs in the lagoon, water samples were taken every 2 months, during 1 year (2010), in low tide at nine sites distributed along the coastline. Water samples (1 L) were preconcentrated in the Oasis HLB cartridges and cleaned in silica cartridges before their analysis by GC-MS. Data showed the ubiquitous presence of potentially hazardous amounts of estrogens (particularly of ethynylestradiol, up to 24.3 ng L−1), nonylphenol (up to 547 ng L−1), and sitosterol (up to 12,300 ng L−1), mainly in summer, suggesting that the increase of the local number of inhabitants (tourists), the rise of the water temperature (up to 26 °C), and the blooming of local flora may interfere with the water quality parameters. This makes the lagoon a potential model to study. Taking into account the data, it was concluded that there are conditions for the occurrence of endocrine disruption in aquatic animals, even in areas included in the natural park of the Formosa. Besides, both the high amounts of un-ionized ammonia (up to 0.3 mg L−1) and phosphates (up to 1.6 mg L−1) my pose risks for local fauna and humans.This work was financially supported by FEDER funds through the Competitiveness and Trade Expansion Program—COMPETE and by National Funds provided by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), via the project PTDC/MAR/70436/2006