Much or More? Experiments of Rationality and Spite with School Children

Copyright © 2014 North American Journal of Pyschology.In a competitive environment the maximization of self-interest and the minimization of the other's interest can be seen as the two faces of the same coin. However, these motivations can lead to very different behaviors. In order to understand how these are expressed, we designed an experiment to measure the ability of children and teenagers to react to stimuli that induce behavior to act as a rational player (maximization of self interest) or as a spiteful player (minimization of other's interest). Each player faced the following dilemma: maximizing pay-off and incurring the risk of having a lower pay-off; or alternatively guaranteeing one’s own pay-off was not smaller than the opponent’s pay-off. A prize was attributed proportionally to the pay-off (Treatment 1) or to the player with highest pay-off (Treatment 2), which meant that the optimal behavior was different for each treatment. We performed experiments with 398 Portuguese children and teenagers and found evidence that younger children tended to be maximizers (in both variants) and that teenagers tended towards rational behavior when it was best for them and towards spiteful behavior when the latter was more advantageous

Identification of leaf volatiles from olive (Olea europaea) and their possible role in the ovipositional preferences of olive fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The olive fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), is a monophagous pest that displays an oviposition preference among cultivars of olive (Olea europaea L.). To clarify the oviposition preference, the olive leaf volatiles of three olive cultivars (Cobrançosa, Madural and Verdeal Transmontana) were assessed by headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS) at six different periods of olive fruit maturation and degrees of infestation. A total of 39 volatiles were identified, mainly esters and alcohols, with a minor percentage of aldehydes, ketones and terpenic compounds, including sesquiterpenes. At sampling dates with higher degrees of infestation, cv. Cobrançosa had, simultaneously, significantly lower infestation degrees and higher volatile amounts than the other two cultivars, with a probable deterrent effect for oviposition. The green leaf volatiles (GLVs) (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol acetate) were the main compounds identified in all cultivars, together with toluene. The abundance of GLVs decreas ed significantly throughout maturation, without significant differences among cultivars, while toluene showed a general increase and positive correlation with olive fly infestation levels. The results obtained could broaden our understanding of the roles of various types and amounts of olive volatiles in the environment, especially in olive fly host selection and cultivar preference.The authors are grateful to the Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology for financial support through the project EXCL/AGR-PRO/0591/2012 “Olive crop protection in sustainable production under global climatic changes: linking ecological infrastructures to ecosystem functions”. R. Malheiro thanks FCT, POPH-QREN and FSE for PhD grant (SFRH/BD/74675/2010). This manuscript is part of Ricardo Malheiro PhD Thesis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Caseinato de sódio como chaperona das proteínas do soro do leite sob aquecimento ôhmico

As caseínas, β- lactoglobulina e α- lactalbumina são as principais proteínas do leite. Quando aquecidas, acima de determinada temperatura, as proteínas globulares agregam-se devido à exposição e agregação de grupos hidrofóbicos, porém na presença de caseínas esta agregação pode ser menor devido à interação entre tais proteínas e as caseínas. Neste trabalho foi observada menor agregação das proteínas sob aquecimento a campos elétricos moderados (4 e 7 V cm-1) possibilitando o uso desta tecnologia para o controle da agregação de proteínas globulares e permitindo vislumbrar a manufatura de produtos com características diferenciadas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exploiting the bioactive properties of γ-oryzanol from bran of different exotic rice varieties

The rice industry is one of the most significant food industries since rice is a widely consumed cereal in the world. As a result of this substantial production, the rice industry has a significant amount of side streams, including bran, representing millions of tons of raw materials mainly designated to animal feed. Rice bran is a rich source of γ-oryzanol, a bioactive compound with substantial health benefits. In this perspective, different bran rice samples from distinct germplasm origins (Philippines, Italy and Portugal) were studied for their γ-oryzanol content by HPLC-PDA, cytotoxicity in four human tumour cell lines, hepatotoxicity in a normal cell line and for their antimicrobial effects on different bacterial and fungal strains. The Ballatinao sample presented the strongest activity against all the tumour cell lines, and was also the sample showing the highest amount of γ-oryzanol, suggesting its contribution to the exhibited cytotoxic properties. Regarding the antimicrobial activity, the tested samples were able to inhibit the majority of bacterial and fungal strains, with the Portuguese Ceres sample being the one presenting the highest bacterial inhibition and the Maluit and Dinorado samples, the highest fungal inhibition. Overall, the results show that rice bran extracts may be considered as potential candidates for antimicrobial agents when incorporated into food matrices.Ruaraid Hamilton from IRRI Philipines for supplying the rice seeds and Paula Marques from COTARROZ Portugal for multiplying the rice grain collection in COTARROZ greenhouses. Project POCI-01-0247-FEDER-017931 - ArrozBig - Development of rice products with low glycemic index and FCT SFRH/BD/120929/2016 PhD grant (Ana Castanho). The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT. Portugal) and FEDER under Program PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013) and R. Calhelha contracts.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Why not "do simple things in a simple way": Use of the Pap test as the first step in screening genetic stability for human cultured stem cell therapy?

The aim of this study was to analyze adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs) using the Pap test as a first screening step to evaluate genetic stability. Human adipose tissue from six healthy female donors was obtained from elective liposuction procedures. The cells were isolated, cultivated at P2/P3, characterized by flow cytometric analysis, and differentiation induced. The AT-MSCs were stained by Papanicolaou staining and analyzed according to the Bethesda classification, and viability-apoptosis relationships were evaluated. The results of the Pap test for Sample I indicated high-grade alterations consistent with genetic instability; for Samples II-V, atypical cells of undetermined significance; and for Sample VI, normal cells. These results demonstrate the potential of using the Pap test as an initial screening step to evaluate the genetic stability of cultured AT-MSCs and also suggest its use for other adherent cells such as embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells

Development and characterization of lactoferrin-GMP nanohydrogels : evaluation of pH, ionic strength and temperature effect

Lactoferrin (Lf) and glycomacropeptide (GMP), two bioactive proteins from milk, were used to produce nanohydrogels by electrostatic interaction and thermal gelation. Parameters such as protein concentration, molar ratio, pH, temperature and heating time were evaluated in order to develop the nanohydrogels, which were characterized in terms of morphology (Transmission Electron Microscopy TEM, Dynamic Light Scattering DLS, Atomic Force Microscopy AFM and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy CLSM) and stability. The aggregation of the mixture between Lf and GMP increased with the increase of temperature, resulting in particles with lower hydrodynamic diameter and polydispersity index (PdI). Nanohydrogels were obtained from the mixture of Lf and GMP solutions (0.02% (w/w) in molar ratio 1:7) at pH 5.0, and subsequently stirred and heated at 80 °C, during 20 min. Results showed that nanohydrogels have a spherical shape with a hydrodynamic diameter around 170 nm, a PdI of 0.1 and a swelling ratio of 30. The minimum size of nanohydrogels depends on protein concentration and molar ratio. Decreasing the protein concentrations and increasing the content of GMP molecules in solution, the hydrodynamic diameter and PdI of nanohydrogels decreased. The electrical charge values of nanohydrogels at different pH values suggest that Lf molecules are in the surface and GMP molecules are mostly in the core of the structure (confirmed by confocal microscopy). Also, it was observed that nanohydrogels' hydrodynamic diameter and PdI, after formation, are influenced when submitted at different conditions of pH, ionic strength and temperature. Lf-GMP nanohydrogels showed properties that indicate that they are a promising delivery system for food and pharmaceutical applications.The authors Ana I. Bourbon, Ana C. Pinheiro, Ricardo N. Pereira and Miguel A. Cerqueira are recipient of fellowships from the Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia, POPH-QREN and FSE (FCT, Portugal) through grants SFRH/BD/73178/2010, SFRH/BD/48120/2008, SFRH/BPD/81887/2011 and SFRH/BPD/72753/2010, respectively. Maria G. Carneiro-da-Cunha express is gratitude to the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq) for research grant. The authors would like to acknowledge to Jorge Padrao from Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho and Andre Coelho from Federal University of Ceara for helping in electrophoresis measurements and to Rui Fernandes from IBMC, University of Porto for assistance in taking the TEM pictures. Also, the authors thank the FCT Strategic Projects PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013 and PEst-C/EQB/LA0006/2013 (FCT and FEDER funds through COMPETE). The work also received financial support from the European Union (FEDER funds) under the framework of QREN (Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2 - O Novo Norte; FEDER) through projects NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000028 and NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000069

Voltammetric determination of sibutramine in beverages and in pharmaceutical formulations

A simple and sensitive method has been proposed for the determination of sibutramine-HCl in energy drinks, green tea and pharmaceutical formulations using differential pulse voltammetry performed on a hanging mercury drop electrode. In the chosen experimental condition (Mcllvaine pH 4.0 buffer, 50 mV pulse amplitude and 40 mV s-1 scan velocity), sibutramine-HCl presented a reversible behavior and a peak maximum at -80 mV. Detection limit was 0.4 mg L-1 and the working linear range extended up to 33.3 mg L-1 (r = 0.99). Analysis of real and fortified samples enabled recoveries between 91 and 102%. The electroanalytical method was compared with a HPLC method which indicated it accuracy

Designing whey protein-based architectures under application of moderate electric fields

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Occurrence and seasonal variation of several endocrine disruptor compounds (pesticides, bisphenols, musks and UV-filters) in water and sediments from the estuaries of Tagus and Douro Rivers (NE Atlantic Ocean coast)

Funding Information: This work was supported by FEDER (Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização - COMPETE 2020), from PIDDAC through FCT/MCTES project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028708-PTDC/ASP-PES/28708/2017 , by UIDB/04423/2020 and AgriFood XXI R&D&I project, operation No. NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000041 , co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through NORTH 2020 ( Northern Regional Operational Program 2014/2020 ). The Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) supported the contract of Sara C. Cunha (IF/01616/2015), the Ph.D. Grant of Isa Marmelo (DFA/BD/4413/2020) and the contract of Patrícia Anacleto (CEECIND/01739/2017). Other support was provided by the Laboratory of Ecotoxicology and Ecology, Department of Population Studies of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences of Abel Salazar (ICBAS) of the University of Porto , and by the Strategic Funding UIDB/Multi/04423/2019 , UIDB/04423/2020 and LA/P/0101/2020 through national funds provided by FCT and ERDF in the framework of the programme Portugal 2020 to CIIMAR. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Elsevier B.V.Exposure of aquatic environments to emerging contaminants is a global issue, special relevant in many estuaries due to impacts from anthropogenic activity. The aim of this work was to evaluate thirty-seven endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs) from four different classes (pesticides, bisphenols, polycyclic musks and UV-filters) in water and sediment samples collected during one-year in the estuaries of Tagus and Douro Rivers located into the NE Atlantic Ocean coast. EDCs analysis was achieved afterward validation of a gas-chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method using Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction (DLLME) as extraction procedure for water samples, and Quick, Easy, Cheap, Efficient, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) combined with DLLME for sediments. Tagus estuary presented higher levels of contamination with pesticide residues and bisphenols (BPs) than the Douro estuary in both water and sediment samples. Contrariwise, levels and frequency of polycyclic musks (PCMs) and UV-filters (UVF) were slightly higher in Douro estuary. Levels of pesticide residues in both sediment and water samples, and levels of PCMs and UVF in water samples were higher in warmer seasons (summer and spring) than in colder ones (winter and autumn). The opposite was found in what respect levels of BPs in water and sediment samples, and PCMs and UVF levels in sediment samples. Although the levels found for each contaminant are low, usually in the order of a few ng/mL(g), the presence of a high number of toxic compounds is a source of concern and requires constant monitoring.publishersversionpublishe