CALM scale-Assessment of the total comfort of the popular female jeans

The present paper consists on the experimental stage of a PhD research, on the study of the popular female jeans comfort, referring to the process of subjective evaluation of comfort to wear, specifically the comfort objective evaluation of the jeans to wear, using CALM scale. The popular jeans in study, refers to the jeans created, produced and consumed by the poor classes of Fortaleza, in the state of Ceará, Brazil. The purpose is to investigate the female jeans, with the objective of collecting information about the comfort / discomfort perceptions of the consumers of the Fortaleza popular markets. When the collected responses were correlated, it was found that the perception of comfort/discomfort of the jeans is directly related to the touch sensation.FCT - Fundació Catalana de Trasplantament(POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007136

Ecologia do desenvolvimento profissional das crianças: uma revisão da literatura

Previous efforts to elaborate an organizing framework for the study of children’s career development identified its main dimensions and processes. However, the existing literature on children’s ecological subsystems is scarce. This article presents a literature review of the context of children’s career development. Based on Bronfenbrenner’s theory, 36 eligible articles covered the following subjects: the Microsystems family and school; the mesosystems family-school/peer-school relations and antecedents of transitions; the exosystems parents’ work situation, social class, curriculum and teachers’ professional development; the macrosystems ethnicity and culture; and the chronosystems passage of time over the life-course and across generations. An ecological perspective can be included in an organizing framework of children’s careers and support further research and intervention. Empirical and practical implications are discussed.Esforços prévios para organizar um modelo organizador do estudo do desenvolvimento profissional das crianças têm identificado as suas principais dimensões e processos. Contudo, a literatura existente sobre os subsistemas ecológicos das crianças é escassa. Este artigo apresenta uma revisão da literatura sobre os contextos de desenvolvimento profissional das crianças. De acordo com a teoria de Bronfenbrenner, 36 artigos elegidos abordam: os microssistemas família e escola; os mesossistemas família-escola/pares-escola e antecedentes de transições; os exossistemas situação profissional parental, classe social, currículo e desenvolvimento profissional de professores; os macrossistemas etnia e cultura; e os cronossistemas passagem do tempo no ciclo vital e entre gerações. Uma perspetiva ecológica pode ser incluída em um modelo organizador do desenvolvimento profissional das crianças e apoiar ivestigações e intervenção futuras. Discutem-se implicações empíricas e práticas.(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of bioplastics from agro-wastes

During centuries synthetic polymers have been used in a variety of applications in the everyday of human life. They became essential due to its versatility, durability and low cost [1]. However, due to their excessive use, several drawbacks as its resistance to the decomposition, toxicity after incineration and accumulation in the environment induce negative ecological impact in landfills and water contamination [2]. Moreover, plastics production implies the use of non-renewable resources, such as, oil and natural gas that represents about 8 % of global consumption [1,2]. Therefore, become crucial to search for new ecological materials toward innovative and cost-effective fabrication of environmentally degradable plastics demonstrating similar performance to conventional ones [1,3]. Simultaneously, the high amount of agro-wastes generated from food industry have been a growing concern, around 1.3 billion tons are leftover, which became an environmental and financial issue [1]. Among these agro-waste stands out, food waste, halum and stems of vegetables/fruits, grains and seeds, from which it is possible to obtain natural polymers [3]. Biopolymers exhibit unique properties and can be produced from plants and crops wastes. Rubber, proteins, starch and cellulose are some of the examples [4]. Cellulose has been used for the production of biopolymers, nevertheless, because of the difficulty inherent in its extraction process, various methods have been studied in order to optimize this process. Currently, cellulose derivatives are used, which is an example of cellulose acetate, whose chemical purification process is quite costly and lengthy [1]. Thus, the present work, aims to directly synthetize biopolymers from agro-wastes. Green chemistry methodology is applied to extract natural polymers, such as cellulose, from vegetable wastes. Structural, morphological and mechanical characterization of the produced materials are accessed and compared with conventional synthetic polymers. Also, biodegradability assays will be performed to check the microorganisms’ capability to assimilate the produced bioplastics

Novas metodologias para a identificação de adulterações de produtos cárneos com carne de cavalo

O consumo de carne de cavalo depende, principalmente, dos hábitos alimentares das populações que habitam em algumas regiões. Regra geral, este animal é mais consumido nos países onde é produzido [1]. Ao longo dos tempos, o seu consumo tem variado amplamente de acordo com as dife-renças culturais e económicas da sociedade. Este animal fornece uma fonte, relativamente barata, de proteína ani-mal em países onde os cavalos são extensivamente utiliza-dos como animais de trabalho e transporte humano [2]. A textura da carne de cavalo é relativamente firma, e o seu sabor adocicado é-lhe atribuído pelo seu elevado teor em glicogénio, em comparação com outras espécies [1]. Esta carne contém um elevado teor em água, proteínas, ferro e vitaminas, que são solúveis em água. O seu menor teor em lípidos e elevado em fibras musculares e vitaminas insolú-veis em água torna-a diferente, em comparação com a carne bovina e suína [3]. Muitas vezes a ingestão de carne de ca-valo esteve associada a épocas de escassez de alimentos. Contudo, o consumo deste animal é relativamente popular nos países nórdicos e asiáticos, bem como na Itália [4]. Nos países membros da UE, o consumo médio por habitante é de apenas 0,4 kg por ano, mas devido a uma produção insu-ficiente a importação abrange 66,7% das necessidades do mercado [3].Os autores agradecem o apoio financeiro da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) através do projeto PEst-C/EQB/LA0006/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Elaboration of distilled beverage from spent coffee ground

Spent coffee ground (SCG) is the solid residue obtained from the treatment of coffee powder with hot water to prepare instant coffee, and constitutes the main coffee industry residue. Finding alternatives for the reuse of this residue is of great interest from economical and environmental viewpoints. The goal of the present study was to use this residue as raw material for the production of a new distilled beverage. The process for elaboration of this beverage consisted in an initial extraction of the aromatic compounds from SCG with water, followed by the fermentation of this extract in a bench bioreactor and subsequently distillation of the fermented broth. The produced drink contained 40% v/v ethanol, and presented mild coffee flavor. Several volatile compounds were identified in this distillate among of which, higher alcohols were quantitatively the most abundant group. Isoamyl alcohol (3-methyl-1-butanol), isobutanol (2-methyl-1-propanol), and 2-methyl-1- butanol were the higher alcohols found in major quantities (810, 269, and 185 mg/l, respectively), contributing thus for the greatest proportion of the total aroma and essential character. Ethyl acetate and acetaldehyde, which are also volatile compounds of large influence on the flavor of alcoholic beverages, were found in SCG distillate in concentrations of 38 mg/l and 80 mg/l, respectively. On the other hand, methanol that is a compound harmful to the health was found at low level (11 mg/l). Considering the flavor, the volatile compounds present, and the ratio between isoamyl alcohol/2- methyl-1-propanol and 2-methyl-1-propanol/1-propanol, which are indicative of the quality of alcoholic beverages and have to be higher than unity, it was concluded that a novel spirit of acceptable organoleptic character can be produced by fermentation using SCG as raw material.(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tamoxifen and estradiol interact with the flavin mononucleotide site of complex I leading to mitochondrial failure

This study evaluated the action of tamoxifen and estradiol on the function of isolated liver mitochondria. We observed that although tamoxifen and estradiol per se did not affect mitochondrial complexes II, III, or IV, complex I is affected, this effect being more drastic (except for state 4 of respiration) when mitochondria were coincubated with both drugs. Furthermore, using two respiratory chain inhibitors, rotenone and diphenyliodonium chloride, we identified the flavin mononucleotide site of complex I as the target of tamoxifen and/or estradiol action(s). Tamoxifen (25 microm) per se induced a significant increase in hydrogen peroxide production and state 4 of respiration. Additionally, a significant decrease in respiratory control ratio, transmembrane, and depolarization potentials were observed. Estradiol per se decreased carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP)-stimulated respiration, state 3 of respiration, and respiratory control ratio and increased lag phase of repolarization. With the exception of state 4 of respiration whose increase induced by tamoxifen was reversed by the presence of estradiol, the effects of tamoxifen were highly exacerbated when estradiol was present. We observed that 10 microm tamoxifen in the presence of estradiol affected mitochondria significantly by decreasing FCCP-stimulated respiration, state 3 of respiration, respiratory control ratio, and ADP depolarization and increasing the lag phase of repolarization. All of the deleterious effects induced by 25 microm tamoxifen were highly exacerbated in the presence of estradiol. Furthermore, we observed that the effects of both compounds were independent of estrogen receptors because the pure estrogen antagonist ICI 182,780 did not interfere with tamoxifen and/or estradiol detrimental effects. Altogether, our data provide a mechanistic explanation for the multiple cytotoxic effects of tamoxifen including its capacity to destroy tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells in the presence of estradiol. This new piece of information provides a basis for the development of new and promising anticancer therapeutic strategie

Insulin restores metabolic function in cultured cortical neurons subjected to oxidative stress

We previously demonstrated that insulin has a neuroprotective role against oxidative stress, a deleterious condition associated with diabetes, ischemia, and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we investigated the effect of insulin on neuronal glucose uptake and metabolism after oxidative stress in rat primary cortical neurons. On oxidative stress, insulin stimulates neuronal glucose uptake and subsequent metabolism into pyruvate, restoring intracellular ATP and phosphocreatine. Insulin also increases intracellular and decreases extracellular adenosine, counteracting the effect of oxidative stress. Insulin effects are apparently mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-K and extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathways. Extracellular adenosine under oxidative stress is largely inhibited after blockade of ecto-5'-nucleotidase, suggesting that extracellular adenosine results preferentially from ATP release and catabolism. Moreover, insulin appears to interfere with the ATP release induced by oxidative stress, regulating extracellular adenosine levels. In conclusion, insulin neuroprotection against oxidative stress-mediated damage involves 1) stimulation of glucose uptake and metabolism, increasing energy levels and intracellular adenosine and, ultimately, uric acid formation and 2) a decrease in extracellular adenosine, which may reduce the facilitatory activity of adenosine receptor

Wet-white shavings as a potential source for leather retanning bioagents

The tanning industry generates a high quantity of solid wastes, so there is a need to create ways to value these wastes with aim to reduce environmental impact. A lot of research work has been done recently and some authors have shown the potential for obtaining protein hydrolysates from solid wastes and its application. The present work had a main objective the wet-white shavings valorization by production of hydrolysed protein and biopolymrs for leather retanning.The authors would like to acknowledge IAPMEI for the support of the Project LSW2Chem 45319 by Portugal 2020 ProgrammeN/

Differentiation of production method and geographical origin of salmon based on the analysis of fatty acid composition

Currently, aquaculture production supplies almost 50% of the global fish market, as a response to the increasing global demand for fish [1]. However, several consumers prefer wild over farmed fish, with the former generally attaining higher prices when the some species is considered. Therefore, there is the need to assure correct information, not only about the species, but also about the production method (farmed vs. wild) and the catch origin of fish. Salmon, a high-trophic - level carnivorous species with high economic value due to its popularity, is among the fish species that is frequently produced in aquoculture. Although the feed given to farm-raised salmon is designed to meet its nutritional requirements, it can present differences compared to the diet of wild salmon that con be reflected on the muscle composition of formed versus wild solmons. Therefore, in this work, the use of fatty acid composition combined with chemometrics was evaluated as a potential tool to authenticate salmon samples. In particular, the work aimed at identifying the geographical origin and production method (farmed vs. caught in the wild) of salmon.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio