Acantholippia salsoloides : Phytochemical Composition and Biological Potential of a Thujonic Population

Acantholippia salsoloides (Verbenaceae) is an aromatic plant widespread in the Andean region. The infusion (leaves and flowers) is widely used as a digestive stimulant as well as for the treatment of various diseases in traditional medicine. A. salsoloides attributes its common name “rica-rica” to the fresh and sweet fragrance of the plant. In this work, 2 different polar extracts and the essential oil of a selected rica-rica population were studied. The phenolic composition was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detector; the essential oil profile was determined by gas-chromatography ion-trap mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection. For all extracts, the antibacterial potential was performed by in vitro assays; the antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibition were determined in decoction and hydroethanolic extracts. The volatile profile allowed the identification of 26 volatile compounds, β-thujone (84%) being the major one in this rica-rica population. Eighteen phenolic compounds were identified; isoferulic acid (16%-18%) and cynaroside (45%-47%) were the larger ones. In a general way, the hydroethanolic extract was more active against Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus (minimum inhibitory concentrations= 0.3- 1.3 mg/mL). Both polar extracts have strong antiradical activities although decoction extract proved to be more active against DPPH· (half-maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] =36 µg/mL) and O2•− (IC50 =28 µg/mL) while hydroethanolic extract shows higher action over α-glucosidase (IC50 =217 µg/mL). The results suggest that A. salsoloides leaves and flowers may be an interesting source of natural antioxidants, antidiabetics, or antimicrobials, and could be used in dietary supplements, medicinal products and pharmaceutical formulations.Fil: Celaya, Liliana Soledad. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones En Tecnologias y Desarrollo Social Para El Noa. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Saltajujuy. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones En Tecnologias y Desarrollo Social Para El Noa.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Misiones; ArgentinaFil: Viturro, Carmen Ines. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones En Tecnologias y Desarrollo Social Para El Noa. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Saltajujuy. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones En Tecnologias y Desarrollo Social Para El Noa.; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy; ArgentinaFil: Silva, Luís R.. Universidade da Beira Interior; Portuga

Sweet cherries from Fundão possess antidiabetic potential and protect human erythrocytes against oxidative damage

Cherries are one of the most appreciated summer fruits due to their attractive colour, sweet taste, high water content, low level of calories and composition in bioactive compounds which, in turn, are important to prevent some pathologies like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. In this work we evaluated the phenolic profile and biological potential of 5 varieties of sweet cherries from Fundão region (Portugal) (Saco, Sweetheart, Satin, Maring and Hedelfinger). A total of 23 phenolic compounds were identified by LC-DAD and distributed by the several classes: 6 anthocyanins, 1 hydroxybenzoic acid, 8 hydroxycinnamic acids, 3 flavan-3-ols and 5 flavonols. Maring revealed higher contents in anthocyanins, while Hedelfinger was the richest in non-coloured phenolics. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated against DPPH and nitric oxide radicals. Hedelfinger was the most active against DPPH• (IC50=12.1μg/mL) and Maring against nitric oxide (IC50=140.9μg/mL). Afterwards, antidiabetic capacity was evaluated through the inhibition of α-glucosidase activity, pointing Hedelfinger as the most active (IC50=10.3μg/mL). The capacity of Saco extracts to inhibit the hemoglobin oxidation and the hemolysis of human erythrocytes was also evaluated. Both assays revealed a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect (IC50=38.6μg/mL and IC50=73.0μg/mL, respectively). The results obtained in this study allow us to conclude that sweet cherries possess a great biological potential, and further investigation should be done to promote commercialization and encourage its use in food supplements and in new pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

\Delta G/G results from the COMPASS experiment for Q^2 > 1 GeV^2, using high p_T hadrons

One of the goals of COMPASS experiment is the determination of the gluon polarisation, \Delta G/G, for a deep understanding of the spin structure of the nucleon. The gluon polarisation can be measured via the Photon-Gluon-Fusion (PGF) process. One of the methods to identify this process is selecting high p_T hadron pairs in the final state. The data used for this analysis were collected by the COMPASS experiment during the years 2002 to 2006, using a 160 GeV naturally polarised positive muon beam impinging on a polarised nucleon target. A new result of \Delta G/G from high p_T hadron pairs in events with Q^2>1 GeV^2 is presented. This result has a better precision due to the addition of 2006 data and an improved analysis based on a neural network approach. The gluon polarisation is also presented in three bins of x_G.Comment: Proceedings for SPIN2010 - 19th International Spin Physics Symposium September 27 - October 2, 2010, Juelich, German

Asteroid Impacts on the Ocean and Its Short-term Consequences: a Portuguese Case Study

Any location on Earth might be considered a subject to an asteroid impact because, as previous studies show, they are a proven global threat. the consequences of a collision could be catastrophic, even though such events are rare to occur in a person’s lifetime. Tsunami waves can constitute the greatest threat as the Earth’s surface is mostly water, making the probability of a water impact greater than a ground impact. This work expands the knowledge about asteroid impacts on the ocean and their short-term regional consequences. Three asteroids were assumed to impact the Earth: (1) the 2015 JJ asteroid with a 130 m diameter, (2) the 2020 FA5 asteroid with a 210 m diameter, and (3) the Apophis asteroid, a 370 m wide asteroid. We evaluated the consequences of all impacts, at a 45 degree angle, for a specific case study, where the chosen impact location was the midpoint between Portugal’s mainland, Azores, and Madeira Islands. The cratering process, overpressure, induced thermal radiation, and tsunami waves were assessed, along with the global effects. The overpressure mainly causes structural damage. The thermal radiation has too short a range to reach the studied localities. The tsunami is undoubtedly the most far-reaching and threatening effect of an asteroid impact in the ocean.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologiainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Short-Term Consequences of Asteroid Impacts into the Ocean: A Portuguese Case Study

Asteroid impacts are a proven global threat, meaning that any location on Earth might be a subject to their consequences. Such collisions are not likely in any person’s lifetime, but their aftermath could be catastrophic. As Earth’s surface is mostly water, a water impact is more probable than a ground impact, and tsunami waves could pose a significant threat. This study expands the knowledge about asteroid impacts in the ocean and their regional environmental consequences. Three asteroids were assumed to impact the Earth: (1) the Apophis asteroid, a 370 m wide asteroid, (2) a 204 m in diameter asteroid representative of the average impactor on the near-Earth objects, and (3) a 5 km in diameter asteroid. We evaluated the consequences of all impacts for a specific case study, where the chosen impact location was the midpoint between Portugal’s mainland, Azores, and Madeira Islands. The cratering process, generated seismic shaking, overpressure, ejected material, induced thermal radiation, and tsunami waves were assessed, along with the global effects. The overpressure mainly causes structural damage. The thermal radiation can be devastating but has a short reach. The tsunami is undoubtedly the most far-reaching and threatening effect of an asteroid impact in the ocean.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologiainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The metallic artifacts of the prehistoric fortified settlement of Leceia (Oeiras) inventory and analytical study

This paper presents the results of a study carried on a collection of 144 metal artefacts from the Early (ca. 2800-2600/2500 a.C.) and the Middle/Final Chalcolithic (ca. 2600/2500-2000 a.C.), found at the site of Leceia (Oeiras, Central Portugal) during the excavations conducted between 1983 and 2000. A systematised analysis of the collection was provided in order to enumerate the different typologies found in the site and to determine their chemical composition. From a typological point of view, a great diversity of artifacts was found, namely, punches, fish-hooks, flat axes, chisels, saws, ingots and foundry remnants. Elemental analysis, by X-ray Fluorescence, shows that the artefacts were made of copper, with a variable occurence of arsenic, nickel, silver, antimony, bismuth, lead and iron. In this paper, data is exposed and discussed within the regional early metallurgy.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation of Jerusalem artichoke as a sustainable energy crop to bioethanol: energy and CO(2)eq emissions modeling for an industrial scenario

ABSTRACT: An alternative to the sugar/starch-based crops bioethanol is lignocellulosic biomass, but its utilization to biofuels is still not economically viable. In this context, an increasing interest has arising on the search for specific energy crops that do not require arable lands and are not water intensive, such as Jerusalem artichoke (JA). So, this work consisted on the cultivation of JA on those agricultural conditions and its further evaluation as a sustainable feedstock towards bioethanol. Two strategies of producing bioethanol were evaluated pointing out for the consolidated bioprocessing with the Zygosaccharomyces bailii Talf1 yeast as the best approach for further scale-up, based on energy data analysis and ethanol productivity. Different industrial scenarios were outlined and compared for overall CO(2)eq emissions and energy consumption per liter of ethanol (L-EtOH), using adequate criteria on a cradle-to-gate approach. With no land-use change, no biogenic and no co-products credits, the comparison of the overall energy consumption and CO(2)eq emissions (100% process) from JA ethanol (9 MJ/L-EtOH; 679 g CO2/L-EtOH) with sugarcane/sugar beet ethanol (42/29 MJ/L-EtOH; 731/735 g CO2/L-EtOH) and with gasoline refinery (15 MJ/L-EtOH eq; 1154 g CO2/L-EtOH eq), highlights the JA as an alternative feedstock to be a focus of ethanol research for gasoline blends.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Analysis and optimisation of a logistic warehouse in the automotive industry

The automotive industry is one of the most competitive sectors, in which rigour, flexibility, quality and agility constitute the critical factors of success. Warehouse activities and their associated costs play a vital role in logistic functions. Their optimisation and performance assessment may result in substantial value gains for the company. This study was developed at Continental Mabor, with the purpose of developing a proposal to restructure and optimise the company’s warehouse. An analysis of the existing warehouse was carried out and the respective proposals were subsequently presented. The main goal of these proposals was to improve the efficiency of warehouse functions, reduce stock quantities and enhance the capacity to meet customer’s demand. A warehouse management system (WMS) was installed and a suitable bin management solution was defined. This system consisted of a basic WMS to support stock inventory and its location. In addition, this system envisaged warehouse performance and included elements such as the inventory management Key Performance Indicator (KPI) and warehouse productivity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Model-based user interface testing with Spec Explorer and ConcurTaskTrees

Analytic usability analysis methods have been proposed as an alternative to user testing in early phases of development due to the cost of the latter approach. By working with models of the systems, analytic models are not capable of identifying implementation related problems that might have an impact on usability. Model-based testing enables the testing of an implemented software artefact against a model of what it should be (the oracle). In the case of model-based user interface testing, the models should be expressed at an adequate level of abstraction, adequately modelling the interaction process. This paper describes an effort to develop tool support enabling the use of task models as oracles for model-based testing of user interfaces.FCT -Fuel Cell Technologies Program(POSC/EIA/56646/2004

Applying SMED methodology in cork stoppers production

Organizations are increasingly required to have a high level of quality and flexibility in production. In order to remain in the market and become competitive, the working methods practiced must be reliable and efficient. The present project sought the improvement of an equipment of the cork industry by introducing a variation, through the application of Lean methods. The equipment under study performs the union of a cork stopper to a capsule, which is done by gluing it with hot-melt glue. The amount of production makes the changeover activity a regular process. The method followed in this work was the study and collection of information on the Lean production philosophy and its application in the cork industry. The working conditions of the assembly machine were also analyzed in order to find opportunities for improvement. Thus, the tool used was the Value Stream Mapping (VSM) technique in order to acknowledge the processes that really add value to the product. The SMED (Single Minute of Exchange of Die) methodology was applied in a way to reduce the downtime caused by tool changes, and a reduction of 43% in total changeover time was obtained. It was also created an A3 model to monitor the entire development of the SMED project, Finally, the OEE (Overall Equipment Efficiency) calculation was implemented as an indicator of overall equipment efficiency, in order to improve the monitoring of possible deviations during production. The feedback also proves that lean tools are a powerful method to get solid returns without large investments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio