Empowering Eco-Friendly Choices: An Environmental Impact Assessment Decision Support System for Textile and Clothing

The textile and clothing industry is one of the industries with the highest environmental impact, with a huge amount of waste during the product life cycle. However, there are few tools available for companies to assess the environmental impact of their production process. In this way, a decision support system was developed so that producers can calculate the environmental impact associated with the textile and clothing production process, with the main objective of helping producers and, consequently, consumers to make environmentally conscious decisions given the increasingly demanding market. The methodology of this study integrated the accounting of a set of indicators, allowing producers to calculate the environmental impact associated with the textile and clothing production process. The decision support system returns, depending on the results of the calculations of the indicators, different ecolabels that allow consumers to compare different products based on their environmental performance. In short, the study in question allows us to contribute to environmentally conscious decision making, both for the producer and the consumer, to promote sustainable practices in the textile and clothing industry. The decision support system is flexible and adaptable for different companies and industries in order to meet their needs and improve their environmental performance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estabilização proteica de vinhos brancos por adição de manoproteínas e impacto na qualidade

A instabilidade proteica é um defeito que pode conduzir à rejeição do vinho. A desnaturação e precipitação das proteínas instáveis, podem afetar a limpidez e/ou originar depósitos amorfos. A concentração e composição das proteínas, dependem da casta, condições climáticas, estado de maturação das uvas e da vinificação. A colagem com bentonite é o processo mais comum na prevenção desta instabilidade, mas apresenta limitações, particularmente quando aplicada em doses elevadas. Assim, têm sido estudadas alternativas, como por exemplo as manoproteínas

Serum phospholipidomics reveals altered lipid profile and promising biomarkers in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease causing disability in young adults. Alterations in metabolism and lipid profile have been associated with this disease. Several studies have reported changes in the metabolism of arachidonic acid and the profile of fatty acids, ceramides, phospholipids and lipid peroxidation products. Nevertheless, the understanding of the modulation of circulating lipids at the molecular level in multiple sclerosis remains unclear. In the present study, we sought to assess the existence of a distinctive lipid signature of multiple sclerosis using an untargeted lipidomics approach. It also aimed to assess the differences in lipid profile between disease status (relapse and remission). For this, we used hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry for phospholipidomic profiling of serum samples from patients with multiple sclerosis. Our results demonstrated that multiple sclerosis has a phospholipidomic signature different from that of healthy controls, especially the PE, PC, LPE, ether-linked PE and ether-linked PC species. Plasmalogen PC and PE species, which are natural endogenous antioxidants, as well as PC and PE polyunsaturated fatty acid esterified species showed significantly lower levels in patients with multiple sclerosis and patients in both remission and relapse of multiple sclerosis. Our results show for the first time that the serum phospholipidome of multiple sclerosis is significantly different from that of healthy controls and that few phospholipids, with the lowest p-value, such as PC(34:3), PC(36:6), PE(40:10) and PC(38:1) may be suitable as biomarkers for clinical applications in multiple sclerosis.publishe

Time-trends in human immunodeficiency virus infection in Portugal: 1984-2013

Avaliaram-se tendências temporais da infeção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (VIH) em Portugal. Calcularam-se incidência (1984-2013), prevalência e mortalidade por VIH (1988-2013). Com modelos de regressão linear segmentada obteve-se percentagem de variação anual (%VA) e intervalo de confiança a 95% (IC95%) para esses parâmetros, identificando-se anos (pontos de inflexão) em que ocorreram mudanças significativas na tendência. A incidência aumentou até 1999 (homens) e 2000 (mulheres) e depois diminuiu de 47 para 20/100000 homens e de 15 para 8/100000 mulheres até 2013, com decréscimo significativo desde 2003 em homens (%VA=-3,1;IC95%:-4,3;-1,9) e 2000 em mulheres (%VA=-2,8;IC95%:-4,1;-1,6 até 2010 e %VA=-11,3;IC95%:-18,5;-3,6 após 2010). O pico para a mortalidade ocorreu em 1996, decrescendo de 19 para 7/100000 homens e de 4 para 2/100000 mulheres durante 1996-2013, com declínio significativo desde 2003 em homens (%VA=-7,1;IC95%:-8,6;-5,6) e 1996 em mulheres (%VA=-2,9%;IC95%:-4,1;-1,7). A prevalência aumentou significativamente até 2013 para 0,4% (homens) e 0,2% (mulheres), mas com redução gradual da %VA entre pontos de inflexão. O maior declínio da incidência observou-se em utilizadores de drogas injetáveis (UDI) decrescendo de 17 para 1/100000 habitantes durante 1997-2013. Em heterossexuais decresceu de 12 para 8/100000 durante 2002-2013 mas em homossexuais aumentou até 2011 estabilizando em 4/100000. Portugal apresenta progresso favorável relativamente ao controlo da infeção com redução drástica da infeção entre UDI

Determination of the cell-free layer in circular PDMS microchannels

In microcirculation the cell-free layer is believed to reduce the friction between red blood cells (RBCs) and endothelial cells and consequently reduce blood flow resistance. However, the complex formation of the cell-free layer has not yet been convincingly described mainly due to multi-physical and hemorheological factors that affect this phenomenon. In this experimental work, we study the effect of hematocrit (Hct) on the thickness of the cell-free layer in straight circular polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannels. The channels studied are 73 ± 2 mm in diameter, flexible and circular to mimic blood vessels. The images are captured using confocal microscopy and are post-processed using Image J and MATLAB. The formation of a cell-free layer is clearly visible in the images captured and by using a combination of image analysis techniques we are able to detect an increase in the cell-free layer thickness as Hct decreases

A Review of the Challenges of Using Deep Learning Algorithms to Support Decision-Making in Agricultural Activities

Deep Learning has been successfully applied to image recognition, speech recognition, and natural language processing in recent years. Therefore, there has been an incentive to apply it in other fields as well. The field of agriculture is one of the most important fields in which the application of deep learning still needs to be explored, as it has a direct impact on human well-being. In particular, there is a need to explore how deep learning models can be used as a tool for optimal planting, land use, yield improvement, production/disease/pest control, and other activities. The vast amount of data received from sensors in smart farms makes it possible to use deep learning as a model for decision-making in this field. In agriculture, no two environments are exactly alike, which makes testing, validating, and successfully implementing such technologies much more complex than in most other industries. This paper reviews some recent scientific developments in the field of deep learning that have been applied to agriculture, and highlights some challenges and potential solutions using deep learning algorithms in agriculture. The results in this paper indicate that by employing new methods from deep learning, higher performance in terms of accuracy and lower inference time can be achieved, and the models can be made useful in real-world applications. Finally, some opportunities for future research in this area are suggested.This work is supported by the R&D Project BioDAgro—Sistema operacional inteligente de informação e suporte á decisão em AgroBiodiversidade, project PD20-00011, promoted by Fundação La Caixa and Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, taking place at the C-MAST-Centre for Mechanical and Aerospace Sciences and Technology, Department of Electromechanical Engineering of the University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Well-Being, Resilience and Social Support of Athletes with Disabilities: A Systematic Review

Sport for people with disabilities appears to play a positive role in the well-being, resilience and social support of athletes with disabilities. Thus, this systematic review aims to evaluate the effect of adapted sport on the well-being, resilience and social support in a population with disabilities. The Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus and SportDiscus databases were used, with several descriptors and Boolean operators. A total of 287 studies were identified through searching the databases. After the data extraction process, twenty-seven studies were included for analysis. In general, these studies show that adapted sport has a positive impact on the levels of well-being, resilience and social support resources for people with disabilities, contributing to their personal development, quality of life and integration into society. Considering the impact on the variables studied, these results are important to support and encourage the development of adapted sport.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Towards sustainable agriculture: A critical analysis of agrobiodiversity assessment methods and recommendations for effective implementation

Agriculture intensification has driven the loss of biodiversity at a global level. The imple- mentation of strategies to conserve and promote biodiversity in agricultural areas can be favoured by adequate assessment methods that foster the awareness of decision makers about the impact of management practices. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of assessment methods of the overall biodiversity in agricultural systems, focusing on the quantitative methods applied, indicators of biodiversity, and functionalities. It was concluded that compensation effects and difficulties in in- terpretation are associated with currently common methodologies of composite indicator calculation to assess biodiversity performance. This review allowed for the identification and critical analysis of current methodologies for biodiversity assessments in the agricultural sector, and it highlighted the need for more implementation-oriented approaches. By providing recommendations on what should be considered when formulating biodiversity assessment methods, this study can contribute to the formulation of appropriate assessment frameworks for agricultural management policies and strategies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Agricultural practices for biodiversity enhancement: evidence and recommendations for the viticultural sector

Agricultural expansion and intensification worldwide has caused a reduction in ecological infrastructures for insects, herbaceous plants, and vertebrate insectivores, among other organisms. Agriculture is recognized as one of the key influences in biodiversity decline, and initiatives such as the European Green Deal highlight the need to reduce ecosystem degradation. Among fruit crops, grapes are considered one of the most intensive agricultural systems with the greatest economic relevance. This study presents a compilation of management practices to enhance biodiversity performance, which applies generally to the agricultural sector and, in particular, to viticulture, concerning the diversity of plants, semi-natural habitats, soil management, and the chemical control strategies and pesticides used in agricultural cultivation. Through a critical review, this study identifies a set of recommendations for biodiversity performance and their corresponding effects, contributing to the dissemination of management options to boost biodiversity performance. The results highlight opportunities for future investigations in determining the needed conditions to ensure both biodiversity enhancement and productive gains, and understanding the long-term effects of innovative biodiversity-friendly approaches.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estabilização proteica de vinhos brancos por adição de manoproteínas e impacto na qualidade

As proteínas, embora em reduzida concentração no vinho branco, podem ser fatores de instabilidade, e podem afetar a limpidez e/ou originar depósitos amorfos. Para prevenir a instabilidade proteica é tradicionalmente efetuada a colagem dos vinhos brancos com bentonite. Contudo, esta cola inorgânica apresenta algumas limitações, particularmente quando aplicada em doses elevadas. Neste contexto, foram avaliadas várias manoproteínas comerciais para a estabilização proteica dos vinhos, como possíveis alternativas à bentonite. Para o efeito caracterizaram-se onze manoproteínas, quanto à sua composição proteica e em açúcares. A sua eficácia foi avaliada relativamente ao seu potencjal de estabilização proteica, bem como ao seu efeito no potencial de acastanhamento, composição fenólica e nas características sensoriais do vinho