Rastreabilidade e autenticidade do vinho: abordagens para a avaliação da origem geográfica, casta e ano de vindima

The aim of this work is to identify and discuss physicochemical wine characteristics, to provide to some extent a link to the vintage, variety, and/or geographical origin. Bibliographic datasets were attempted to provide the main information for topic comprehension, identifying the sources of wine compositional variability and how these can be expressed in terms of the belonging categories. Since all the environmental and technological conditions which vineyard and wine are subjected are rarely known, different sources were inspected. Great importance was given to the study of isotopic composition because of its importance in food frauds detection history. The interaction of the plant genotype with the environmental conditions of the vintage is the main responsible for the wines organic and inorganic fraction variability in terms of both total and relative content. This phenotypical expression, together with human and abiotic variability sources, has been examined since it contains to some extent the information for the discrimination of wines according to their category. Recently, new proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy techniques have been under study and, used concurrently to chemometric data management procedures, showed to be an interesting and promising tool for wine characterization according to both vintage and varietyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of β-PVDF Piezoelectric Transducers’ positioning on the acoustic streaming flows

This paper reports the numerical and experimental analysis of the acoustic streaming effect in a fluidic domain. The actuation of a piezoelectric transducer generates acoustic waves that propagate to the fluids, generating pressure gradients that induce the flow. The number and positioning of the transducers affect the pressure gradients and, consequently, the resultant flow profile. Two actuation conditions were considered: (1) acoustic streaming generated by a 28 μm thick β-poly(vinylidene fluoride) (β-PVDF) piezoelectric transducer placed asymmetrically relative to the fluidic domain and (2) acoustic streaming generated by two 28 μm thick β-PVDF piezoelectric transducers placed perpendicularly to each other. The transducers were fixed to the lower left corner of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)cuvette and were actuated with a 24 Vpp and 34.2 MHz sinusoidal voltage. The results show that the number of transducers and their positioning affects the shape and number of recirculation areas in the acoustic streaming flows. The obtained global flows show great potential for mixing and pumping, being an alternative to the previous geometries studied by the authors, namely, a single transducer placed symmetrically under a fluidic domain.Work funded by FEDER funds through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors—COMPETE, ON.2—O Novo Norte—North Portugal Regional Operational Programme and National Funds through FCT— Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia under the projects: PEst-OE/EME/UI0532 and NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000025-RL2_Environment & Health, by the Eixo I do Programa Operacional Fatores de Competitividade (POFC) QREN, project reference COMPETE: FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-020241, and by FCT, project reference PTDC/EBB-EBI/120334/2010

Efficacy and tolerability of airway stents

The function of airway stents is to keep the tubular structures open and stable. Their insertion is essentially indicated for intrinsic obstruction or extrinsic compression of the airway, fistulae or tracheobronchomalacia. The aim of this study was to determine the tolera bility and efficacy of airway stents in situations in which their insertion was vital. A retrospective study of airway stent insertion with rigid bronchoscopy (23 patients) was carried out over a two year period (2006-2007) at the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques Unit. We assessed indication, efficacy, tolerability, complications and exact insertion based on chest CT imaging. In all situations Dumon flexible silicon stents (Tracheobronxane were used, with the need for complementary techniques such as laser therapy and mechanical dilation having been previously evaluated by flexible bronchoscopy. The authors conclude that stent insertion has no complications and good tolerability in the majority of advanced stage oncological situations with indication for palliative management

The impact of secondary pests on Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops

The intensification of agriculture and the development of synthetic insecticides enabled worldwide grain production to more than double in the last third of the 20th century. However, the heavy dependence and, in some cases, overuse of insecticides has been responsible for negative environmental and ecological impacts across the globe, such as a reduction in biodiversity, insect resistance to pesticides, negative effects on nontarget species (e.g. natural enemies) and the development of secondary pests. The use of recombinant DNA technology to develop genetically engineered (GE) insect resistant crops could mitigate many of the negative side effects of pesticides. One such genetic alteration enables crops to express toxic crystalline (Cry) proteins from the soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Despite the widespread adoption of Bt crops, there are still a range of unanswered questions concerning longer term agro-ecosystem interactions. For instance, insect species that are not susceptible to the expressed toxin can develop into secondary pests and cause significant damage to the crop. Here we review the main causes surrounding secondary pest dynamics in Bt crops and the impact of such outbreaks. Regardless of the causes, if non-susceptible secondary pest populations exceed economic thresholds, insecticide spraying could become the immediate solution at farmers’ disposal, and the sustainable use of this genetic modification technology may be in jeopardy. Based on the literature, recommendations for future research are outlined that will help to improve the knowledge of the possible longterm ecological trophic interactions of employing this technology

Adult-onset autoimmune diabetes: comparative analysis of classical and latent presentation

Introduction: Adult-onset autoimmune diabetes (AID) has two different phenotypes: classic type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), with insulin requirement just after diagnosis, and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). The purpose of this study is to characterize patients with AID followed on a tertiary centre, comparing classic T1DM and LADA. Methods: We collected data from patients with diabetes and positive islet autoantibodies, aged 30 years old and over at diagnosis. Patients who started insulin in the first 6 months were classified as T1DM and patients with no insulin requirements in the first 6 months were classified as LADA. Data regarding clinical presentation, autoantibodies, A1C and C-peptide at diagnosis, pharmacologic treatment and complications were analysed. Results: We included 92 patients, 46 with classic T1DM and 46 with LADA. The percentage of females was 50% in T1DM group and 52.1% in LADA group. The median age at diagnosis was 38 years (IQR–15) for T1DM and 42 years (IQR–15) for LADA (p = 0.057). The median time between diagnosis of diabetes and diagnosis of autoimmune aetiology was 0 months in T1DM group and 60 months in LADA group (p < 0.001). The mean BMI at diagnosis was 24.1 kg/m2 in T1DM group and 26.1 kg/m2 in LADA group (p = 0.042). In T1DM group, 67.4% of the patients had more than one positive autoantibody, comparing to 41.3% of LADA patients (p = 0.012). There was no statistical difference in what concerns to title of GAD autoantibodies, A1C and C-peptide at diagnosis of autoimmune aetiology. The presence of symptoms at diagnosis was associated with T1DM group (p < 0.001). The median daily insulin dose was 40 IU for T1DM (0.58 IU/kg) and 33.5 IU for LADA (0.57 IU/kg), with no statistical difference. LADA patients were more often under non-insulin antidiabetic drugs (p = 0.001). At 10 years follow up, 21.1% of T1DM patients and 63.3% of LADA patients had microvascular complications (p = 0.004). Diabetic nephropathy was present in 23.5% of T1DM patients and 53.3% of LADA patients (p = 0.047). At the last evaluation, 55.6% of T1DM and 82.6% of LADA patients had metabolic syndrome and this difference was independent of diabetes duration. Conclusion: Patients with classic T1DM presented more often with symptoms, lower BMI and higher number of autoantibodies, which may be related to a more aggressive autoimmune process. Patients with LADA developed more frequently microvascular complications for the same disease duration, namely diabetic nephropathy, and had more often metabolic syndrome

Aquisição de sinais electromiográficos recorrendo a eléctrodos em substratos têxteis

A electromiografia (EMG) constitui um método fundamental para o estudo do comportamento biomecânico de um indivíduo. Este artigo apresenta um estudo realizado na óptica do desenvolvimento de eléctrodos têxteis não invasivos para a realização de electromiografia de superfície. O trabalho apresenta um método de fabrico de eléctrodos, as suas vantagens e limitações e uma comparação entre dois tipos de eléctrodos têxteis e convencionais, utilizados neste tipo de medição. Os resultados obtidos indiciam um comportamento para estes eléctrodos têxteis considerado semelhante ao dos convencionais, podendo deste modo constituir uma alternativa válida, sobretudo quando se tem em consideração as vantagens que estes proporcionam.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - PTDC/EEA-ELC/70803/2006Universidade do Minh

Plants used by chimpanzees and humans in Cantanhez, Guinea-Bissau. Field guide

This is the final version. Available from LAE/CRIA via the link in this recordThe Portuguese version of this field guide is available in ORE: http://hdl.handle.net/10871/121034FC

Plants used by chimpanzees and humans in Cantanhez, Guinea-Bissau. Field guide

This is the final version. Available from LAE/CRIA via the link in this recordThe Portuguese version of this field guide is available in ORE: http://hdl.handle.net/10871/121034FC

Biosignal monitoring implemented in a swimsuit for athlete performance evaluation

Monitor athletes during exercise has always been a major challenge for engineers and researchers due to the restrictions involving the measurement of physiological and performance parameters. An athlete should have complete freedom to perform his normal activity, in order to be correctly monitored. The advent of e-textiles can give an important contribution to overcome these limitations since it is possible to integrate sensors in garments and thus perform monitoring without limiting the freedom of movements. This paper presents part of the work that is being carried out in the project entitled BIOSWIM, which envisions the development of an instrumented swimsuit, capable of acquiring several physiological and performance related signals with the purpose of aiding the trainer in improving the technical component of the swimmer and improve his performance. This paper will give an overview of the monitoring system and the textile sensors that were developed, namely for biopotential measurement.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - projeto Bioswim (PTDC/EEAELC/70803/2006