Assessment of indoor air quality in elderly care centers, 2013-2014: GERIA project

O risco da população idosa desenvolver efeitos adversos em virtude da exposição a contaminantes químicos e microbiológicos do ar interior é mais elevado tanto pelo facto do seu sistema imunitário ser mais débil, como por este grupo etário permanecer no interior de edifícios por períodos mais longos. O objetivo deste estudo foi a caraterização da qualidade do ar interior numa amostra representativa de lares de idosos de modo a estudar a sua relação com a ventilação dos locais e a saúde/qualidade de vida dos utentes. O estudo apresentado incidiu sobre a avaliação da qualidade do ar interior em 18 lares de idosos situados em Lisboa (116 locais avaliados), em duas campanhas, uma no inverno e outra na primavera/verão e incluiu a avaliação de contaminação do ar por agentes químicos - dióxido de carbono (CO2 ), monóxido de carbono (CO), formaldeído (HCHO), compostos orgânicos voláteis totais (COVT), PM10 e PM2,5; por agentes microbiológicos – bactérias e fungos. Os resultados indicam que, de um modo geral a contaminação do ar por compostos orgânicos voláteis totais e formaldeído é baixa. Contudo, os valores de referência são excedidos para o dióxido de carbono, microrganismos e as partículas em 20%, 35% e 25-30% dos locais estudados respetivamente. Assim, há que identificar as fontes de contaminação do ar por partículas por forma e reduzir os efeitos adversos associados à exposição e melhorar a ventilação dos lares, particularmente no inverno, por forma a conseguir ambientes interiores mais saudáveis.Elderly people are at a greater risk for adverse health effects from exposure to indoor air pollutants because their immune system become less effective with age and they stay more than 80% of their time indoors. The aim of this study was to characterize indoor air quality in a representative sample of Elderly Care Centers (ECC) in order to associate it with ventilation, health and comfort. Indoor air quality was performed twice, during winter and summer/spring in 18 ECC located in Lisbon and included the monitoring of chemical agents - carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) and Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2,5) and biological agents – bacteria and fungi. The results obtained for TVOC and formaldehyde indicate a low air contamination. However, reference concentrations of dioxide of carbon, particulate matter and microorganisms were exceeded in 20%, 25-30% and 35% of the rooms respectively. Consequently it is necessary to identify particulate matter contamination sources to reduce related adverse effects and to improve ventilation in ECC, particularly in the Winter, in order to achieve healthier indoor environments.Este projeto foi financiado pela Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FTC), PTDC/SAU-SAP/116563/2010

Physico-chemical characterization of chitosan-based edible films incorporating bioactive compounds of different molecular weight

Chitosan packaging films containing different bioactive compounds (a peptide fraction from whey protein concentrate (WPC) hydrolysate, glycomacropeptide (GMP) and lactoferrin) were produced and their mechanical and barrier properties were evaluated. The molecular weight of protein-based compounds was determined using SDS–PAGE. The addition of GMP and lactoferrin to chitosan film caused a significant reduction of tensile strength and the elongation-at-break significantly increased with the incorporation of lactoferrin. The addition of protein-based compounds also affected gas permeability: a significant decrease in water vapor permeability was observed with the incorporation of lactoferrin; oxygen permeability significantly decreased with the addition of GMP and lactoferrin and carbon dioxide permeability significantly decreased with the incorporation of all of the protein-based compounds. Such results were related with film’s hydrophilicity and crystallinity. This manuscript contributes to the establishment of an approach to optimize edible films performance based on physico-chemical properties, aiming at a higher benefit for the consumer.The authors gratefully acknowledge LoicHilliou for the fruitful discussions on the results and Ana Nicolau for helping in confocal analysis. The present work was supported by the project PTDC/AGR/ALI/67194/2006. The authors M.A. Cerqueira (SFRH/BD/23897/2005), M.C. Avides (SFRH/BPD/26913/2006) and M.A.C. Quintas (SFRH/BPD/41715/2007) were recipient of fellowships from the Fundacaopara a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal)

Nanoemulsions of β-carotene using a high-energy emulsification-evaporation technique

Nanoemulsions of β-carotene were prepared using a high-energy emulsification-evaporation technique based on a 23 level factorial design. Results show that it is possible to obtain dispersions at a nanoscale range. Process parameters such as time and shear rate of homogenization affected significantly particle size distribution in terms of volume-weighted mean diameter and surface-weighted mean diameter. The obtained nanoemulsions presented a volume-surface diameter ranging from 9 to 280 nm immediately after the production of particles, displaying in all cases a monomodal size distribution. Those nanoemulsions showed a good physical stability during 21 days storage. The stability was evaluated by the maintenance of size distribution. However, β-carotene retention inside the micelles and color were affected by storage. Processing conditions also influenced storage stability.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES, Brasil)Conselho Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia (CNPq, Brasil

HERA - Environmental Risk Assessment of a contaminated estuarine environment: a case study

Sado River estuary is located in the west coast of Portugal. Previous environmental studies identified industrial contamination, non-point anthropogenic sources and contamination coming from the river, all promoting accumulation of polluted sediments with known impacts on the ecological system. Surrounding human populations have intense economic fishery activities. Together with agriculture, estuary fishing products are available to local residents. Food usage previously characterized through ethnographic studies suggests exposure to estuarine products, farming products, and water in daily activities, as potential routes of contamination. It is well established that long term exposure to heavy metals are associated with renal and neurological diseases, most heavy metals are classified as carcinogenic and teratogenic.Instituição Financiadora: FCT; Instituições participantes: IMAR -Instituto do Mar (coord.)e PRÓ-INSA, Associação para a Promoção da Investigação em Saúde, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorg

Research trends in open education, distance learning and eLearning in network society: selected texts from LE@D Talks 2010-2018

Este trabalho foi financiado por fundos nacionais através da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, I.P., no âmbito do projeto UID/Multi/04372/2016. A coleção LE@D TALKS – diálogos globais reúne a produção científica realizada no âmbito das conferências, seminários, workshops que decorreram no contexto de iniciativas de disseminação da investigação produzida pela comunidade de investigadores da UID – investigadores integrados, colaboradores, doutorandos, mestrandos e investigadores visitantes e parceiros de investigação da UID.As LE@D Talks promovidas, desde 2010, pelo Laboratório de Educação a Distância e eLearning (LE@D), unidade de investigação sediada na Universidade Aberta (UAb) e financiada pela Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), têm como objetivo disseminar a investigação produzida pela comunidade de investigadores do LE@D, sejam investigadores integrados, colaboradores, doutorandos, mestrandos, investigadores visitantes ou parceiros de investigação da unidade. O e-book que agora apresentamos - Tendências de Investigação em Educação Aberta, a Distância e eLearning na Sociedade em Rede – inscreve-se no objetivo referido, permitindo, assim, trazer a público uma seleção de textos apresentados no âmbito das LE@D Talks realizadas nos últimos anos [entre 2010-2018].FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio