O comércio das almas e a obtenção de prestígio social: traficantes de escravos na Bahia ao longo do século XVIII

A new perspective in historiography suggests that a diversity in commercial, social and political networks interacted within European overseas empires. Transoceanic trading relations linked the reproduction of different social structures as, for example, the organization of the Brazilian slave production with the African societies providing slaves to Brazil and with the own Portuguese social structure in Europe. Such practices can be found in colonial Bahia, where one of its main commercial activities was the transatlantic slave trade. Not only native merchants of Bahia participated in this busyness, but traders located overseas, who moved to Bahia to participate in the Atlantic economy. Therefore, this article proposes to focus on the role that these merchants performed in the life of colonial Bahia during the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century. Based on quantitative data and in the available literature, it will trace the profile of these merchants and place them at the center of our analysis. The idea is not merely to provide a description of the merchants engaged in the slave trade. Rather, the aim is to reduce the scale of observation in order to trace the life trajectories of these individuals and pursue their relationships, strategies and choices to obtain success, what would be impossible to observe through a wider analytical scope. To achieve this aim, we have selected a number of cases that present the most revealing ways through which slave traders in Bahia acted and interacted in a pre-industrial society.A new perspective in historiography suggests that a diversity in commercial, social and political networks interacted within European overseas empires. Transoceanic trading relations linked the reproduction of different social structures as, for example, the organization of the Brazilian slave production with the African societies providing slaves to Brazil and with the own Portuguese social structure in Europe. Such practices can be found in colonial Bahia, where one of its main commercial activities was the transatlantic slave trade. Not only native merchants of Bahia participated in this busyness, but traders located overseas, who moved to Bahia to participate in the Atlantic economy. Therefore, this article proposes to focus on the role that these merchants performed in the life of colonial Bahia during the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century. Based on quantitative data and in the available literature, it will trace the profile of these merchants and place them at the center of our analysis. The idea is not merely to provide a description of the merchants engaged in the slave trade. Rather, the aim is to reduce the scale of observation in order to trace the life trajectories of these individuals and pursue their relationships, strategies and choices to obtain success, what would be impossible to observe through a wider analytical scope. To achieve this aim, we have selected a number of cases that present the most revealing ways through which slave traders in Bahia acted and interacted in a pre-industrial society.Uma nova percepção da historiografia aponta a diversidades de redes comerciais, sociais e políticas que interagiam nos Impérios ultramarinos. Os negócios oceânicos conectavam a reprodução de diferentes estruturas sociais, como o entrelaçamento da produção escravista brasileira com as sociedades africanas e com a própria estrutura estamental no reino. Tais práticas podem ser verificadas na Bahia colonial, onde uma das principais atividades mercantis foi o comércio de escravos. Participavam deste negócio não apenas comerciantes nativos, mas também aqueles vindos de além-mar, que se transferiam para a Bahia e inseriam-se na economia Atlântica. A proposta deste artigo é, portanto, focalizar esse grupo de homens que desempenharam papel preponderante na vida colonial baiana ao longo do século XVIII e início do XIX. A partir de dados quantitativos e bibliografia específica buscaremos estabelecer o perfil dos comerciantes de escravos estabelecidos na Bahia. Para tanto, introduziremos os indivíduos no centro da análise. Seguir a trajetória de alguns personagens que atuavam no trato de africanos estabelecidos na Bahia não terá um caráter meramente ilustrativo. O objetivo ao reduzir a escala de observação será trilhar caminhos percorridos pelos comerciantes de homens testando a viabilidade de alguns perfis de carreira, apontando as relações nas quais estes indivíduos estavam inseridos, bem como suas estratégias e escolhas, o que seria impossível de observar apenas com uma análise macro. Desta forma, escolheremos aquelas histórias cujos percursos individuais nos pareçam mais reveladores da forma como os comerciantes de escravos atuavam e interagiam numa sociedade pré-industrial. &nbsp

Avaliação do potencial mineiro das escombreiras da Mina de São Domingos

Neste trabalho pretende-se avaliar os recursos geológicos associados aos resíduos mineiros da antiga exploração de sulfuretos da Mina de São Domingos, designadamente os depósitos de gossan e de rocha encaixante depositados junto à corta e aldeia mineira. A reinterpretação da informação geoquímica obtida pela Compañia Nacional de Piritas, S.A. e a análise da cartografia mineira realizada pelo LNEG, permitiu construir um modelo tridimensional para cada depósito de escombros e assim proceder a uma estimativa dos recursos inferidos em ouro e prata neles existentes. Considerando alguns factores limitantes à remoção dos resíduos, definiram-se diferentes cenários de exploração. O modelo mais restritivo aponta para um recurso geológico inferido de 2.4 Mt com 0,77 g/t de Au e 8,26 gt de Ag. Na totalidade dos resíduos analisados estimam-se 4.0 Mt com 0,64 g/t Au e 7,30 g/t de Ag, correspondentes a 82 878 oz t Au e 955 753 oz t Ag; ABSTRACT: Evaluation of the mining potential of the São Domingos mine waste piles This study aims to evaluate the geological resources related to the São Domingos old sulphide exploitation mining wastes, namely the gossan and host rock tailings located near the open pit and mine village. Three-dimensional waste pile models were constructed for gold and silver inferred resource estimation purposes from the reinterpretation of geochemical data obtained in a survey carried out by the Compañia Nacional de Piritas, S.A. and mining waste mapping analysis performed by LNEG (Portuguese Geological Survey). Due to some restricting factors to waste re-mining, different inferred resource scenarios were considered. In the most restrictive plan, an inferred resource of 2.4 Mt @ 0.77 g/t Au and 8.26 g/t Ag is presented. Considering all the evaluated wastes, an inferred resource of 4.0 Mt @ 0.64 g/t Au and 7.30 g/t Au is present, corresponding to a metal content of 82.878 oz t Au and 955.753 oz t Ag

Perfil compósito para colector solar, respectivo método de produção e utilização

A presente invenção diz respeito a um perfil compósito para caixa modular utilizada em colectores solares para aquecimento de águas para uso doméstico ou industrial cujas principais vantagens passam pela: produção através de um processo de extrusão, redução das perdas energéticas do colector solar devido ao design com perfil alveolar, fácil portabilidade devido a redução do peso por metro quadrado de painel, utilização de compósitos recicláveis na sua composição usando entre outros: borracha de pneu usado reciclada, redução dos tempos de montagem dos colectores solares, eliminação da necessidade de colocação de isolantes adicionais à caixa modular e redução dos custos de produção

Microplastic contamination and ecological status of freshwater ecosystems: a case study in two northern Portuguese rivers

Background: Most European rivers have not yet achieved “good” ecological status. In addition, the presence and abundance of microplastics (MPs) in freshwater is a matter of great concern to the scientific community. Methodology: This study assesses the ecological status of four sampling sites of Selho (S1–S4) and Costa-Couros (C1–C4) rivers (Guimarães, Portugal), and the abundance of MPs in sediments and benthic macroinvertebrates (Oligochaeta) from those sites. Results: All sites of both rivers under higher pressure did not reach a “good” ecological status (S2–S3, C2–C4) based on the macroinvertebrate community. High levels of nutrients were observed at all sites in both rivers (except C2), especially phosphorus. In the Oligochaeta’s gut of Costa-Couros river, the high number of MPs seems to be associated with their weight (95.25 ± 25.61 to 1069.00 ± 385.30 MPs g/fresh weight), suggesting the existence of malnutrition and digestive disorders, whereas the highest number of MPs in gut (134.00 ± 30.36 to 558.6 ± 100.70 MPs g/fresh weight) were found for the heaviest organisms of Selho. Conclusions: Thus, sites with higher ecological status do not necessarily have lower abundance of MPs. In the sediments, urbanization seems to be the main driver for MP contamination. MP contamination is pervasive across the sediments and Oligochaeta’s gut in both rivers. Since MPs have the potential to cause harm to environmental and human health, it is essential to monitor not only the ecological status of freshwaters, but also emerging pollutants such as MPs.This study was financially supported by the Guimarães City Council, by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Action (Portugal) through the project “Aqualastic: Educar, Reduzir e Valorizar”, by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the POPH/FSE (Human Potential Operational Program/European Social Fund) through funds of CESAM (UIDP/50017/2020; UIDB/50017/2020; LA/P/0094/2020), and by the project comPET (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030361)

UV-C light: a promising preservation technology for vegetable-based nonsolid food products

A variety of bioactive substances present in fruit- and vegetable-processed products have health-promoting properties. The consumption of nutrient-rich plant-based products is essential to address undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Preservation is paramount in manufacturing plant-based nonsolid foods such as juices, purees, and sauces. Thermal processing has been widely used to preserve fruit- and vegetable-based products by reducing enzymatic and microbial activities, thereby ensuring safety and prolonged shelf life. However, the nutritional value of products is compromised due to the deleterious effects of thermal treatments on essential nutrients and bioactive compounds. To prevent the loss of nutrients associated with thermal treatment, alternative technologies are being researched extensively. In studies conducted on nonsolid food, UV-C treatment has been proven to preserve quality and minimize nutrient degradation. This review compiles information on the use of UV-C technology in preserving the nutritional attributes of nonsolid foods derived from fruit and vegetables. The legislation, market potential, consumer acceptance, and limitations of UV-C are reviewed.PRIMA Horizon 2020 (H2020) grant number 2032, Functionalized Tomato Products (FunTomP) project.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Advances in the food packaging production from Agri-Food waste and by-products: Market trends for a sustainable development

Agricultural waste has been a prominent environmental concern due to its significant negative impact on the environment when it is incinerated, disposed of in landfills, or burned. These scenarios promoted innovations in the food packaging sector using renewable resources, namely agri-food waste and by-products such as bagasse, pulps, roots, shells, straws, and wastewater for the extraction and isolation of biopolymers that are later transformed into packaging materials such as bioplastics, biofilms, paper, and cardboards, among others. In this context, the circular bioeconomy (CBE) model is shown in the literature as a viable alternative for designing more sustainable production chains. Moreover, the biorefinery concept has been one of the main links between the agri-food chain and the food packaging industry. This review article aimed to compile recent advances in the food packaging field, presenting main industrial and scientific innovations, economic data, and the challenges the food packaging sector has faced in favor of sustainable development.Project PRIMA/2032/2021info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Easiness, usefulness and intention to use a MOOC in nursing

Background: The growing ageing population and the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases call for innovation and healthcare mastered professional skills. Emerging digital learning contents envisioning to complement education, lifelong learning and in-service training. The use of digital platforms allows nurses to access contents in several formats, enabling the required pedagogical autonomy and personal time management. This allows nurses to enrol in education wherever accessible, reducing personal and professional costs and ensuring high-quality standards. Objectives: To assess students and nurses’ easiness, usefulness and intention to use a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) as an educational resource to enhance self-management intervention skills in COPD patients. Methods: An exploratory, descriptive and transversal study was conducted. Participants were nursing students, registered nurses and rehabilitation nurses. A questionnaire supported by Davis Technology Acceptance Model and on the determinants of the ease-of-use perception of Venkatesh was applied. An EFA was performed and two dimensions were obtained (perceived easiness and global quality of the course and perceived usefulness and intention to use the MOOC) and groups were compared in these dimensions. Results: From the total participants (n = 93), 65.6% were nursing students, 15.1% were Portuguese nurses and 19.4% were Portuguese rehabilitation nurses. The perceived easiness and global quality score of the course were 4.70 (SD = 0.314) and the perceived usefulness and intention to use the MOOC was 4.73 (SD = 0.346). Rehabilitation nurses, who are older, scored higher than nurses and students (χ2(2, n = 93) = 8.43, p = .015, ε2 = 0.092). The dropout rate was 25%. Conclusions: The MOOC showed usefulness and nurses’ intention to use this educational resource in future education and yielded high average rates of perceived easiness and global quality. These massive courses unlock new opportunities for nursing education and to lifelong learning in nursing, enhancing safety and quality of the healthcare services in supporting patients to achieve a better quality of life.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Comparative study of the production of cellulose nanofibers from agro-industrial waste streams of Salicornia ramosissima by acid and enzymatic treatment

The study of the suitability of two isolation processes to produce cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) from Salicornia ramosissima waste, with potential applicability as a reinforcing agent of polymeric composites was carried out. To separate the cellulose fibrils from the cell wall and obtain CNFs an alkaline treatment was applied followed by a bleaching treat-ment and, the insoluble residue was next hydrolyzed by either an acid treatment (AT) or an enzyme treatment (ET). SEM and TEM images indicated fiber exposure caused by both treatments. The diameter, length, aspect ratio, and polydispersity index, were measured for both CNFs. CNF (ET) showed high zeta potential values suggesting that ET produces more electrically stable and thinner nanofibers. The FTIR spectra revealed that both treatments effectively removed the amorphous components allowing the CNFs isolation, and XRD patterns evidenced the increase in the degree of crystallinity of both CNFs. Nonetheless, CNF(AT) presented a lower mechanical resistance due to its smaller particle size, compared to the CNF(ET). In summary, the (ET) could successfully isolate CNFs from the Salicornia waste, encouraging the use of this treatment, once when compared to (AT), it does not generate toxic residues, presents mild thermal conditions, and produces CNFs with higher-value applications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Risco de Recidiva a 5 Anos Após Excisão Convencional de um Carcinoma Basocelular

Introduction: Basal cell carcinomas are mostly treated surgically, mostly by surgery with postoperative histopathologic margin evaluation (“conventional surgery”), but large long-term data regarding recurrence by completeness of excisions is limited. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of basal cell carcinomas treated by conventional surgery at different medical specialties in a large tertiary centre, between 2008 and 2014. Survival analysis with a Cox proportional-hazards was performed, stratified by completeness of excision (complete excision/incomplete excision) and adjusted to several potentially confounding covariates. Results: A total of 2876 basal cell carcinomas were identified, of which 2306 (2100 primary, 206 recurrent) were considered eligible for analysis. During the 5-years of follow-up, there were 80 (4%) recurrences among 1980 complete excisions (16/1000 cases-year) and 83 (23.9%) recurrences among 348 incomplete excisions (100/1000 cases-year). Survival analysis was performed with multivariable adjustment. In the final adjusted model, we identified an association between relapse and re-intervention on recurrent tumors [adjusted Hazard Ratio (HR) 2.20 (95% Confidence interval (IC), 1.26-3.84), p=0.006], a wrong preoperative clinical diagnosis/surgery devoid of preoperative biopsy [adjusted HR 2.75 (95% CI, 1.68-4.5), p<0.001], treatment prior to 2012 [adjusted HR 1.47 (95% IC, 1.06-2.05), p<0.021] and surgery on a high-risk location, accordingly to the NCCN stratification [adjusted HR 2.18 (95% CI, 1.08-4.40), p<0.030]. By specific anatomic location, the likelihood of recurrence was especially high in the nose [adjusted HR 3.18 (95% CI 1.71-5.87), p<0.001] and eyelids [adjusted HR 3.08 (95% CI, 1.32-7.17), p=0.009]. There was also a trend towards higher recurrence in aggressive histological subtypes [adjusted HR 1.43 (95% CI 0.99-2.07), p<0.058]. Conclusion: Recurrent basal cell carcinomas, regardless of location, and primary basal cell carcinomas on high-risk locations of the face, especially on the eyelids and nose, should be considered to have a higher and independent likelihood of recurrence, even on “complete excisions” evaluated by histopathology. On the other hand, wait-andsee approaches in incompletely excised BCCs should be considered against a significant 5-year risk of relapse (1 in 10 lesions).Introdução: O tratamento dos carcinomas basocelulares é maioritariamente cirúrgico, sobretudo por cirurgia com avaliação histopatológica pós-operatória da margem (cirurgia convencional), mas os dados a longo-prazo relativos a recidiva de acordo com o resultado histológico da margem (excisão completa versus excisão incompleta, mantida em follow-up) são limitados. Métodos: Estudo coorte retrospetivo dos carcinomas basocelulares tratados por cirurgia convencional e por diferentes especialidades médico-cirúrgicas num centro terciário, entre 2008 e 2014. Realizou-se uma análise multivariada com uma regressão de Cox, estratificada pelo resultado da avaliação histológica da margem (excisão completa/incompleta) e ajustada a várias variáveis recolhidas. Resultados: Um total de 2876 carcinomas basocelulares foram identificados, dos quais 2306 [2100 primários, 206 recidivantes (primeira recidiva)] foram considerados elegíveis para análise. Nos 5 anos de follow-up, verificaram-se 80 (4%) recidivas entre os 1959 tumores completamente excisados (16/1000 casos-ano), contrastando com 83 (23,9%) recidivas em 347 excisões incompletas (100/1000 casos-ano). Foi realizada uma análise de sobrevida ajustada. No modelo final, ajustado, multivariado, foi identificada associação entre recidiva e intervenção cirúrgica a tumores recorrentes [hazard ratio (HR) ajustado 2,20 (Intervalo confiança (IC) 95%, 1,26-3,84), p=0,006], cirurgia com diagnóstico pré-operatório errado/ausência de realização de biópsia prévia [HR ajustado 2,75 (IC 95%, 1,68-4,5), p<0,001], tratamento prévio a 2012 [HR ajustado 1,47 (CI 95%, 1,06- 2,05), p<0,021] e cirurgia em localização de alto-risco, de acordo com a classificação NCCN [HR ajustado 2,18 (IC 95%, 1,08- 4,40), p<0,030]. Por localização anatómica específica, a probabilidade de recidiva a longo-prazo é especialmente elevada se a cirurgia for na pirâmide nasal [HR ajustado 3,18 (IC 95%, 1,71-5,87), p<0,001] ou nas pálpebras [HR ajustado 3,08 (CI 95%, 1,32-7,17), p=0,009]. Verificou-se também uma tendência para maior recidiva nos subtipos histológicos agressivos [HR ajustado 1,43 (IC 95%, 0,99-2,07), p<0,058]. Conclusão: Os carcinomas basocelulares recorrentes, independentemente da localização, e os carcinomas basocelulares primários em localizações de alto-risco da face, particularmente na pirâmide nasal e nas pálpebras, determinam um risco de recidiva superior e independente a longo-prazo, mesmo nas excisões “completas”. Por outro lado, as estratégias wait-and-see nos carcinomas basocelulares incompletamente excisados devem ponderar o risco de recidiva aos 5 anos (1 in 10 lesões)