Evaluation of determinants of food waste in family households in the greater porto area based on self- reported consumption practices

Despite food waste occurring along the entire food supply chain, a significant proportion occurs in domestic settings. Large quantities of domestic food waste have been attributable to consumer behaviors during buying, cooking, consumption, and disposal. The main objective of this research was to understand the major determinants of household food waste from families in the north of Portugal. A convenience sample was used, which was drawn from households in the Greater Porto Area. Data were collected through a self-reported questionnaire that included three groups of structured questions related to perceived behavior and attitudes towards food consumption, leftover usage, and food waste. Exploratory data analysis was used to identify underlying dimensions. No relationships were found between socio-demographic data and food waste, buying behavior, or destination/use of leftovers. The majority of the participants reported a high level of planning of their grocery shopping. Fruits and vegetables presented the highest frequency of consumption, followed by sources of carbohydrates and sources of proteins. The storage of cooked food from different food groups presented a single factor, grouping the majority of the individual food leftovers, going from fruits and vegetables to sources of carbohydrates and proteins. The reported levels of wastage of the different food products were grouped into three dimensions: waste of vegetables, waste of protein sources, and waste of sources of carbohydrates. Waste of precooked foods emerged as an independent item, and it was the individual item with the highest frequency. The families studied reported a positive attitude concerning buying, consumption, and wastage, revealing a particular awareness of food waste and its social and environmental impact. (c) 2020 by the authors

Recomendação de Curvas de Crescimento para Crianças Nascidas Pré-Termo

Em 2013, a Secção de Neonatologia da Sociedade Portuguesa de Pediatria, face à existência de várias curvas de avaliação de crescimento para crianças nascidas pré-termo e à falta de homogeneidade de critérios na sua escolha, nomeou um grupo de peritos que procedeu à revisão crítica das curvas disponíveis e recomenda as que considera mais adequadas para utilização na prática clínica em fases específicas da vida: ao nascimento (Fenton 2013), durante o internamento na unidade de Neonatologia (Fenton 2013 e Ehrenkranz 1999) e a longo prazo (OMS 2006). As decisões foram tomadas com base na classificação sistemática do nível de evidência e do grau de recomendação. A presente recomendação: é válida enquanto não forem publicados os resultados do estudo do consórcio multicêntrico INTERGROWTH-21st, recentemente incumbido da construção de valores de referência, mais próximos do padrão, de crianças nascidas pré-termo; tem o propósito de auxiliar os clínicos na decisão clínica, mas não ser o único instrumento de avaliação do crescimento das crianças nascidas pré-termo; pode não proporcionar elementos suficientes para orientação do crescimento de todas estas crianças

Bioactivity of Trichilia pallida Swartz (Meliaceae) derived molecules on Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

A partir do extrato em diclorometano (DIC) de folhas e frutos de Trichilia pallida Swartz, objetivou-se fazer o isolamento e identificação de substâncias com atividade inseticida sobre a traça-do-tomateiro, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick). Do extrato em DIC de folhas de T. pallida foram isolados os triterpenos 24-metilenocicloarta-3β-ol (TRIT-1), 24-metilenocicloarta-3β-26-diol (TRIT-2) e cicloarta-23-eno-3β,25-diol (TRIT-3), os esteróides 24-metileno-3,22-diidroxicolesterol (EST-1), 24-metilenocolesterol (EST-2) e 24-metileno-3β,4β,22-triidroxicolesterol (EST-3), além do limonóide gedunina (LIM) obtido de frutos da planta. As substâncias foram dissolvidas em acetona e pulverizadas a 0,1% em folíolos de tomateiro infestados com lagartas recém-eclodidas. Foram avaliadas a mortalidade de lagartas aos quinto e nono dias após a infestação, duração e sobrevivência das fases de larva e pupa, peso de pupas e porcentagem de adultos deformados. TRIT-1, EST-1 e LIM foram as moléculas que apresentaram maior atividade sobre T. absoluta, alongando o desenvolvimento larval e reduzindo a sobrevivência dessa fase.Dichloromethane (DIC) leaf and fruit extracts of Trichiliapallida Swartz were obtained for the isolation and identification of molecules with insecticidal activity against the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick). DIC leaf extracts of T. pallida yielded six compounds, the triterpenes 24-methylenecycloarta-3β-ol (TRIT-1), 24-methylenecycloarta-3β-26-diol (TRIT-2) and cycloarta-23-eno-3β,25-diol (TRIT-3), the sterols 24-methylene-3,22-dihydroxycholesterol (EST-1), 24-methylenecholesterol (EST-2) and 24-methylene-3β,4β,22-trihydroxycholesterol (EST-3), while the fruit extract yielded the limonoid gedunine (LIM). These molecules were dissolved in acetone and sprayed at 0.1% on tomato leaflets infested with newly-hatched larvae. Larval mortality at day 5 and 9 after infestation, larval and pupal developmental time and survival, pupal weight and adult malformation were evaluated. TRIT-1, EST-1 and LIM were the most effective against T. absoluta due to larval development arrestment and reduced larval survivorship.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Gene sh e ginandromorfia em inflorescências masculinas de híbridos F1 entre o caiaué e o dendezeiro.

Neste estudo, foi analisada a relação entre o gene sh (gene da espessura do endocarpo) e a ocorrência da ginadromorfia nos HIE. Foram analisados três tipos de cruzamentos: 12 cruzamentos de caiaué com dendezeiro-dura, homozigoto sh+sh+ (C × D); 11 de caiaué com dendezeiro pisífera, homozigoto sh-sh-(C × P), e 15 de caiaué com dendezeiro-tenera, heterozigoto sh+sh- (C × T), com 10 a 13 plantas por cruzamento. A ocorrência de inflorescências ginandromorfas foi avaliada durante um ano

Developing a Compost Quality Index (CQI) based on the electrochemical quantification of Cd (HA) reactivity

The present work demonstrates the use of Cd2+ as a reactivity probe of the fulvic acids (FAs), humic acids (HAs) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) compost extracts. Significant differences were observed between the extracts, with the HA extract showing the highest reactivity. Comparing the different composts, the largest reactivity variation was again observed for HA then FA and finally DOM extracts. The Cd2+ binding extent was used to calculate the quality of composts and compared with a reference of uncomposted organic fertiliser (FLW), leading to the definition of an operational scale of compost quality. The parameter equivalent mass of fertiliser (mEF) was used for this scale sorted the seven composts from 0.353 to 1.09 kg FLW, for compost of sewage sludge (CSS) and vermicompost of domestic waste (CVDW), respectively. The significance of this parameter was verified through a correlation analysis between binding extent and the effect of compost application on lettuce crop growth in a field trial. The results demonstrate the potentiality of FA and HA extracts as markers of compost bioactivity and the use of Cd2+ as a reactivity probe.This work was financially supported by the Interreg VA Spain–Portugal Programme (EU) through the project Res2ValHum (0366_RES2VALHUM_1_P). A.C. Silva acknowledges receipt of a PhD grant (UMINHO/BD/40/2016) financed by the Operational Programme Norte 2020 (through the Project “NORTE-08-5369-FSE-000033”). J. Antelo and S. Fiol are also grateful for the financial support provided by Xunta de Galicia—Consellería de Educación e Ordenación Universitaria de Galicia (Consolidation of Competitive Groups of Research; GI-1245, ED431C 2022/40)

Corrosion behaviour of single layered ZrNxOy thin films in artificial sweat solutions

Applications of coloured thin films can be found on the production of high-quality consumer products, such as eyeglass frames, wristwatch casings and wristbands. These components should possess scratch and corrosion resistant surfaces through the desired lifetime. Recently, metal oxynitrides, MeNxOy (Me = early transition metal) were proposed for decorative applications. In these materials, variations on the amount of oxygen allow the film properties to be tailored, originating a wide range of colours. Additionally, these materials should also fulfil the wear and corrosion requirements above referred. In the present work the corrosion behaviour of single layered zirconium oxynitride, ZrNxOy films, immersed in artificial sweat solutions, is described. Films were produced by rf reactive magnetron sputtering at a constant substrate temperature of 300 ºC, from a pure Zr target. The main processing variable was the flow rate of reactive. The corrosion resistance was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarisation tests and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) at different immersion times, at room temperature. The corrosion resistance of the films is strongly affected by the O/N ratio. A slight tendency to improving the corrosion resistance of the films was found with the increasing in the atomic fraction of oxygen. Nevertheless, pitting was found in all samples. However, the amount of pits seems to be strongly dependent not only on the composition of the film, but also on the processing-induced defects distribution.European Union, FCT- Portugal and European community (FEDER)

Tribocorrosion behaviour of zrNxOy thin films for decorative applications

The main aim of this work is the investigation of the tribocorrosion behaviour of single layered zirconium oxynitride, ZrNxOy, thin films in alternative linear regime of sliding and immersed in an artificial sweat solution at room temperature. The films were produced by rf reactive magnetron sputtering, using a pure Zr target at a constant temperature of 300º C. Two different sets of samples were produced. In the first set of films the substrate bias voltage was the main variable, whereas in the second set, the flow rate of reactive gases (oxygen/nitrogen ratio) was varied. The control of the amount of oxygen allowed the film properties to be tailored from those of covalent zirconium nitride to those of the correspondent ionic oxide. During the wear test both the open circuit potential and the corrosion current were monitored. Also, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) tests were performed before and after sliding in order to evaluate, in detail, the modification of the protective character of the coating introduced by the joint action of wear and corrosion. The modifications of the coating microstructure and/or chemical composition induced by the variation of the deposition parameters was also evaluated and correlated with the corrosion mechanisms occurring in each system

Corrosion resistance of ZrNxOy thin films obtained by rf reactive magnetron sputtering

The main aim of this work is the investigation of the corrosion resistance of single layered zirconium oxynitride, ZrNxOy, thin films in artificial sweat solution at ambient emperature. The films were produced by rf reactive magnetron sputtering, using a pure Zr target at a constant temperature of 300 8C. Two different sets of samples were produced. In the first set of films, the substrate bias voltage was the main variable, whereas in the second set, the flow rate of reactive gases (oxygen/nitrogen ratio) was varied. The control of the amount of oxygen allowed the film properties to be tailored from those of covalent zirconium nitride to those of the correspondent ionic oxide. The corrosion behaviour was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarization and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) tests. The analysis of EIS data provided detailed information of the corrosion processes occurring at the surface of the system throughout the immersion time. The modifications of the coating microstructure and/or chemical composition induced by the variation of the deposition parameters were also evaluated and correlated with the corrosion mechanisms occurring in each system