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Fire regime attributes shape pre-fire vegetation characteristics controlling extreme fire behavior under different bioregions in Spain
Full text linkDesigning effective land management actions addressed to increase ecosystem resilience requires us to understand how shifting fire regimes are shaping landscapes. In this study, we aim to assess the link between fire regime and pre-fire vegetation biophysical characteristics (type, amount, and structure) in controlling extreme fire behavior across Atlantic-Transition-Mediterranean bioregions in Spain marked by different summer drought conditions and dominant plant regenerative traits. We used remote sensing metrics to estimate fire severity and pre-fire vegetation characteristics in eight study areas recently affected by large and highly severe wildfires under different environmental contexts. Furthermore, to account for fire regime attributes, we retrieved, for each target wildfire, the perimeter of the past wildfires that occurred between 1985 and 2022 and calculated fire recurrence, the time the since last fire (TSLF), and fire severity of previous wildfires (FSPW). The effect of fire regime attributes on pre-fire vegetation was examined using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). Results: During the study period, fire recurrence decreased significantly in all bioregions analyzed. Fire severity increased under Atlantic conditions and decreased under Mediterranean environmental context, where the time since the last fire was the highest. Pre-fire fuel type and amount were identified as primary drivers of fire severity, being both strongly modulated by fire regime but following distinct mechanisms depending on the environmental context of each bioregion. In Atlantic sites, more frequent past wildfires of low to moderate fire severity were associated with a greater dominance of fire-prone shrublands with moderate fuel amounts, which increases the risk of severe wildfires. Similar trends occurred in Transition and Mediterranean sites but under the previous occurrence of highly severe wildfires. Specifically, long times after highly severe wildfires (> 30 years) increased fuel amount in conifer-dominated ecosystems in all bioregions analyzed, heightening susceptibility to extreme fire behavior. Conclusions: Our findings highlight that fire-prone ecosystems need adaptative management strategies to mitigate the effects of fire regime changes, but these actions should be specific to the climatic and ecological context.This study was financially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and
Innovation in the framework of LANDSUSFIRE project (PID2022-139156OB-C21,
PID2022-139156OB-C22) within the National Program for the Promotion of
Scientific-Technical Research (2021–2023); by the Spanish Ministry of Science
and Innovation and the Next-Generation Funds of the European Union (EU) in
the framework of the FIREMAP project (TED2021-130925B-I00); by the Regional
Government of the Principality of Asturias, the Foundation for the Promotion
of Applied Scientific Research and Technology in Asturias (FICYT) and the European
Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the framework of the REWILDING
project (AYUD/2021/51261); by the Regional Government of Castile and León
in the framework of the IA-FIREXTCyL project (LE081P23); and by Portuguese
funds through FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, project
UIDB/04033/2020 (DOI:https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/04033/2020). David
Beltrán-Marcos was supported by a pre-doctoral contract from the Regional
Government of Castile and León co-financed by the European Social Fund
(EDU/556/2019).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Meta-analysis of antimicrobial activity of Allium, Ocimum, and Thymus spp. confirms their promising application for increasing food safety
Full text linkBiopreservation strategies such as the use of Mediterranean plant extracts to ensure food safety are promising to deal with the emergence of antimicrobial resistances and the overreliance on food chemical additives. In the last few decades, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) for evaluating the in vitro antibacterial potential of plant extracts against the most relevant foodborne pathogens has been widely reported in the literature. The current meta-analysis aimed to summarise and analyse the extensive evidence available in the literature regarding the in vitro antimicrobial capability of Allium, Ocimum and Thymus spp. extracts against foodborne pathogens. A systematic review was carried out to gather data on AST results of these extracts against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus, including inhibition diameters (ID) and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC). A total of 742 records were gathered from a raw collection of 2,065 articles. Weighted mixed-effect linear models were adjusted to data to obtain pooled ID, pooled MIC and the relationship between both model estimations and observations. The pooled results revealed B. cereus as the most susceptible bacteria to Allium sativum (pooled ID = 20.64 ± 0.61 mm) by diffusion methods and S. aureus (pooled MIC = 0.146 mg/mL) by dilution methods. Diffusion methods did not yield conclusive results for Ocimum spp. extracts; however, the lowest pooled MIC was obtained for S. aureus (0.263 mg/mL). Among the foodborne pathogens evaluated, B. cereus showed the highest sensitivity to Thymus spp. extracts by both diffusion and dilution methods (pooled ID = 28.90 ± 2.34 mm and MIC = 0.075 mg/mL). The methodology used for plant extraction was found to not significantly affect MIC values (p > 0.05). Overall, the antimicrobial effectiveness of the studied extracts against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was demonstrated. Finally, the robustness of the meta-regression model was confirmed, also revealing an inversely proportional correlation between the ID and MIC measurements (p < 0.0001). These results provide a robust scientific basis on the factors affecting the in vitro antimicrobial efficacy of extracts from Mediterranean plants. They also provide valuable information for stakeholders involved in their industrial application in food, including producers, regulatory agencies and consumers which demand green-labelled foods.The authors are grateful to EU PRIMA program and the International
Joint Programming (Project Reference PCI2019-103453) R&D Projects
2019 from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Plan Estatal
de Investigación Científica y T´ecnica y de Innovaci´on 2017–2020: State
R&D Program Oriented to the Challenges of the Society) for funding the
ArtiSaneFood project (PRIMA/0001/2018). The authors also wish to
thank the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research
and Innovation (MESRSI) and the Portuguese Foundation for Science
and Technology (FCT). Funding for open access charge: Universidad de
Córdoba / CBUA.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Evaluating the potential of natural polymers for water-dispersible curcumin-based solid dispersion colourant systems for food applications
Full text linkSolid dispersion (SD) technology, a strategy through which a hydrophobic compound is molecularly dispersed into a hydrophilic carrier, is raising interest in food applications to surpass natural colourants’ low water solubility. Motivated by the importance of using natural solutions, five natural polymers (k-carrageenan (KC), maltodextrin (MD), Arabic gum (AG), potato starch (PS), and pectin (PC) were evaluated against the synthetic benchmark polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)). Targeting a stable yellow hue, pH 6 was used, and the effect of salt addition on crystallinity was evaluated. Comparatively with PVP, used as a synthetic polymer reference, SDs based on MD, AG, and PC presented a deeper orange shade. Similar size distributions were achieved for the produced samples except for PS-based SDs, which showed higher sizes in volume. For all systems, polymer-curcumin hydrogen bonding was perceptible and reflected in the curcumin crystallinity modification/reduction, particularly if produced under natural pH conditions. The water solubility was significantly improved compared to free curcumin, from 1 μg/mL to 25–37 μg/mL (pH 6, PVP - 24.54 μg/mL) and 18–86 μg/mL (without pH control, PVP - 28.34 μg/mL), highlighting the favourable effect of natural polymers.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology
(FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for
financial support to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020 and UIDP/00690/2020)
and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2021), LSRE-LCM (UIDB/50020/2020 and
UIDP/00690/2020) and ALiCE (LA/P/0045/2020). FCT for the
Research grant SFRH/BD/147326/2019 of Stephany C. de Rezende and
national funding by FCT, PI, through the institutional scientific
employment program contract for Arantzazu Santamaria-Echart. In
addition, the technical support provided by I3Bs- Research Institute on
Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics of the University of
Minho is also acknowledgedinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The Potential of Mushroom Extracts to Improve Chemotherapy Efficacy in Cancer Cells: A Systematic Review
Full text linkChemoresistance is a challenge in cancer treatment, limiting the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Mushroom extracts have shown potential as treatments for cancer therapies, offering a possible solution to overcome chemoresistance. This systematic review aimed to explore the role of mushroom extracts in enhancing chemotherapy and reversing chemoresistance in cancer cells. We searched the PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases, following the PRISMA guidelines, and registered on PROSPERO. The extracts acted by inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells, as well as enhancing the effect of chemotherapy. The mechanisms by which they acted included regulating anti-apoptotic proteins, inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, inhibiting the ERK1/2 pathway, modulating microRNAs and regulating p-glycoprotein. These results highlight the potential of mushroom extracts to modulate multiple mechanisms in order to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. This work sheds light on the use of mushroom extracts as an aid to chemotherapy to combat chemoresistance. Although studies are limited, the diversity of mushrooms and their bioactive compounds show promising results for innovative strategies to treat cancer more effectively. It is crucial to carry out further studies to better understand the therapeutic potential of mushroom extracts to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy in cancer cells.The Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Politécnico e Universitário (CESPU) is gratefully
acknowledged for the PhD grant, no. BD/DCB/CESPU/01/2023, to Jéssica Fonseca.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Nutraceuticals and dietary supplements: balancing out the pros and cons
No full textWhile the market is full of different dietary supplements, in most countries, legislation is clear and strict towards these products, with severe limitations on their health claims. Overall, the claims cannot go beyond the consumption of a said supplement will contribute to a healthy diet. Thus, the supplement industry has been reacting and changing their approach to consumers. One change is the considerable growth of the nutraceutical market, which provides naturally produced products, with low processing and close to no claims on the label. The marketing of this industry shifts from claiming several benefits on the label (dietary supplements) to relying on the knowledge of consumers towards the benefits of minimally processed foods filled with natural products (nutraceuticals). This review focuses on the difference between these two products, their consumption patterns, forms of presentation, explaining what makes them different, their changes through time, and their most notable ingredients, basically balancing out their pros and cons.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) through National Funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020 and UIDP/00690/2020) and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2020), through the Individual Research grant (SFRH/BD/145467/2019) of Filipa Fernandes, through the Individual Scientific Employment Program-contract with M\u00E1rcio Carocho (10.54499/CEECIND/00831/2018/CP1578/CT0001) and through the Institutional Scientific Employment Program-contract with Sandrina A. Heleno and Lillian Barros; to the MICINN through the contract to researcher Miguel A. Prieto.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Oliveiras Centenárias: Vale do Côa
Full text linkRedescobrindo o passado para valorizar o futuro o projeto OLIVECOA teve por objetivo caracterizar o património olivícola ancestral da região do Vale do Côa, tendo em conta a sua importância no passado, do ponto de vista económico, histórico, cultural e paisagístico, para a sua valorização atual e futura. Para tal estabeleceu-se um consórcio liderado pelo Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB), através do Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), com a Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, através da Requimte, e a Fundação Côa Parque.
Com a informação gerada por esta equipa multidisciplinar foi possível criar este catálogo que aqui é apresentado. Foram estudadas 150 oliveiras centenárias divididas em oito parcelas na região do “Vale do Côa” onde se registou cada planta e que é aqui apresentado. Em cada planta foi feito o registo biométrico do tronco e da copa, feita a caracterização morfologia da folha, fruto e endocarpo (caroço) para gerar informação à cerca das oliveiras da região. Foram colhidas azeitonas de cada planta e extraído azeite que também foi estudado. Procedeu-se, juntamente com os agentes locais, ao levantamento de histórias e lendas que incluam a oliveira nas parcelas selecionadas. Apresenta-se a informação gerada, destacando algumas plantas pela sua beleza, e/ou pela composição nos seus produtos.Este trabalho foi apoiado por fundos nacionais através da FCT pelo “Projeto ‘OLIVECOA - Oliveiras centenárias da região do Vale do Côa: redescobrindo o passado para valorizar o futuro’ (ref. COA/BRB/0035/2019; DOI: 10.54499/COA/
BRB/0035/2019).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Pacientes hospitalizados com acidente vascular cerebral. Caraterização sociodemográfica, clínica e antropométrica
No full textProceder à caraterização sociodemográfica, clínica e antropométrica dos pacientes admitidos, consecutivamente durante um período de seis meses numa Unidade de Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC) do interior norte de Portugal. Métodos: Estudo descritivo com recolha de dados por formulário de entrevista, aplicado ao paciente e/ou familiares nas primeiras 48 horas do internamento, e pesquisa de informação pertinente em registos eletrónicos do paciente. Resultados: Amostra constituída por 70 utentes (76,1±11,2 anos), na sua maioria homens (62,9%). O AVC isquémico foi prevalente em 80% dos pacientes, apresentando AVC hemorrágico os restantes 20%. Os fatores de risco cardiovascular mais comumente encontrados foram, por esta ordem: hipertensão arterial (78,6%), dislipidemia (41,4%), fibrilação atrial (28,6%), cardiopatia prévia (21,4%), Diabetes Mellitus (20,0%), consumo de álcool (12,9%) e tabagismo (7,1%). O IMC (Índice de Massa Corporal) médio foi de 27,15 kg/m², para uma cintura abdominal média de 99,9 cm. Conclusão: A amostra de pacientes com AVC é envelhecida, predominantemente masculina, com hipertensão prevalente em 78,6%, evidenciando a importância da prevenção e monitorização. A obesidade é comum, recomendando-se a avaliação nutricional no ingresso hospitalar.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Chemical and Bioactive Evaluation of Essential Oils from Edible and Aromatic Mediterranean Lamiaceae Plants
Full text linkThe Lamiaceae family, which includes several well-known aromatic plants, is scientifically relevant due to its essential oils (EOs). In this work, four EOs from Mediterranean species, namely Origanum vulgare L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Salvia officinalis L., and Thymus vulgaris L., were evaluated for their volatile profiles and the biological activity in vitro to assess their potential use in the food and cosmetic sector. GC/MS analysis revealed dominant compounds, such as carvacrol, thymol, and eucalyptol. Regarding biological action, the samples exhibited antioxidant, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal activities, with O. vulgare and T. officinalis standing out. T. vulgaris showed the lowest EC50 in the reducing power assay, and O. vulgare had the lowest EC50 in the DPPH assay. Most EOs also displayed excellent anti-inflammatory responses and antifungal properties, with O. vulgare and T. vulgaris also demonstrating antibacterial activity. All EOs from Mediterranean species showed cytotoxicity against tumoral cell lines. Overall, the selected EOs stood out for their interesting bioactivities, with the obtained results underscoring their potential as natural preservatives and bioactive agents in various industrial applications, including food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.This work was supported by national funding by FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC): CIMO, UIDB/00690/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/UIDB/00690/2020) and UIDP/00690/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/UIDP/00690/2020); national funding by SusTEC, LA/P/0007/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/LA/P/0007/2020); national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional and individual scientific employment program-contracts for L. Barros, R. Calhelha, and E. Pereira (2021.03908.CEECIND); and research contracts ofC. Caleja, T. Finimundy, and T.C.S.P. Pires (VIIAFOOD project no. C644929456-00000040) and RafaelMascoloti Sprea (2020.08092.BD)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Las Inteligencias Múltiples en un Contexto Educativo: Capacidades y Aptitudes de Base Cultural en el Binomio Cuerpo-Mente
Full text linkO objetivo deste estudo é demonstrar que a educação tradicional, baseada na teoria psicométrica, usa testes padronizados que causam insatisfações devido ao seu caráter seletivo e excludente. Enquanto que, a Teoria das Inteligências Múltiplas contesta essa abordagem, argumentando que a padronização favorece alguns alunos e prejudica outros. Referencial Teórico: Reunimos autores de referência na área específica, além de outros que, através de investigações mais recentes, têm desenvolvido estudos na atividade educacional, cultural e artística na comunidade, na área das artes, da cultura e suas relações neste domínio da educação, com enfoque direto no universo das inteligências aferidas, para serem potencializadas e reforçadas. Método: A metodologia adotada para esta pesquisa compreende um estudo de caráter quantitativo-qualitativo e descritivo, com recurso a um questionário (Inventário de Inteligências Múltiplas - IMM) com perguntas fechadas, desenvolvido num agrupamento de Escolas da Zona Norte de Portugal, em que participaram alunos (n=120) das diferentes tipologias de ensino: regular, profissional e programa para a inclusão e cidadania. Resultados e Discussão: Os resultados obtidos revelaram que as inteligências múltiplas mais desenvolvidas são a Corporal-Quinestésico e a menos desenvolvida, a aprendizagem Lógico-Matemática. Implicações da Pesquisa: As implicações práticas e teóricas desta pesquisa são diversas; entre elas, destaca-se a existência de inteligências múltiplas que se manifestam de forma equitativa. As implicações incluem a utilização desses dados para investigações futuras no campo da intervenção educativa para profissionais de diversas áreas, principalmente no estímulo e reforço desses indicadores e resultados. Originalidade/Valor: A presente investigação reveste-se de particular importância por munir educadores e outros profissionais, quer na formação inicial (ensino superior) e futuros professores, quer para profissionais que já se encontram no terreno e universo educacional, a intervirem de forma informada, adequada e consciente nestes domínios específicos.The aim of this study is to demonstrate that traditional education, based on psychometric theory, utilizes standardized tests that lead to dissatisfaction due to their selective and exclusionary nature. Meanwhile, the Theory of Multiple Intelligences challenges this approach, contending that standardization benefits some students while harming others. Theoretical Framework: We brought together reference authors in the specific area, as well as others who, through more recent research, have developed studies in educational, cultural and artistic activity in the community, in the area of the arts, culture and their relationship in this field of education, with a direct focus on the universe of the intelligences measured, to be enhanced and reinforced. Method: The methodology adopted for this research comprises a quantitative-qualitative and descriptive study, using a questionnaire (Multiple Intelligences Inventory - MII) with closed questions, developed in a group of schools in the North of Portugal, in which students (n=120) from the different types of education participated: regular, professional and programme for inclusion and citizenship. Results and Discussion: The results showed that the most developed multiple intelligences are Bodily-Kinesthetic and the least developed is Logical-Mathematical learning. Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are diverse; among them, the existence of multiple intelligences that manifest themselves equally stands out. The implications include the use of this data for future research in the field of educational intervention for professionals in various areas, mainly in stimulating and reinforcing these indicators and results. Originality/Value: This research is of particular importance as it provides educators and professionals, both in initial training (higher education) and future teachers, as well as for professionals already in the field and educational universes, to intervene in an informed, appropriate and conscious manner in these areas.El objetivo de este estudio es demostrar que la educación tradicional, basada en la teoría psicométrica, utiliza pruebas estandarizadas que causan insatisfacción por su carácter selectivo y excluyente. Por su parte, la Teoría de las Inteligencias Múltiples cuestiona este enfoque, argumentando que la estandarización favorece a unos alumnos y perjudica a otros. Marco Teórico: Reunimos autores de referencia en el área específica, así como otros que, a través de investigaciones más recientes, han desarrollado estudios en la actividad educativa, cultural y artística en la comunidad, en el ámbito de las artes, la cultura y su relación en este campo de la educación, con un enfoque directo en el universo de las inteligencias medidas, para ser potenciadas y reforzadas. Método: La metodología adoptada para esta investigación comprende un estudio cuantitativo-cualitativo y descriptivo, utilizando un cuestionario (Inventario de Inteligencias Múltiples - IIM) con preguntas cerradas, desarrollado en un grupo de escuelas del Norte de Portugal, en el que participaron alumnos (n=120) de los diferentes tipos de enseñanza: regular, profesional y programa de inclusión y ciudadanía. Resultados y Discusión: Los resultados mostraron que las inteligencias múltiples más desarrolladas son la Corporal-Kinestésica y la menos desarrollada es la Lógico-Matemática. Implicaciones de la investigación: Las implicaciones prácticas y teóricas de esta investigación son diversas; entre ellas destaca la existencia de inteligencias múltiples que se manifiestan por igual. Las implicaciones incluyen la utilización de estos datos para futuras investigaciones en el campo de la intervención educativa para profesionales de diversas áreas, principalmente en el estímulo y refuerzo de estos indicadores y resultados. Originalidad/Valor: Esta investigación es de particular importancia, ya que proporciona a los educadores y profesionales, tanto en la formación inicial (educación superior) y futuros profesores, así como para los profesionales que ya están en el campo y universos educativos, para intervenir de manera informada, adecuada y consciente en estas áreas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Applications of Machine Learning to Optimize Tennis Performance: A Systematic Review
Full text linkTennis has changed toward power-driven gameplay, demanding a nuanced understanding of performance factors. This review explores the role of machine learning in enhancing tennis performance. (2) Methods: A systematic search identified articles utilizing machine learning in tennis performance analysis. (3) Results: Machine learning applications show promise in psychological state monitoring, talent identification, match outcome prediction, spatial and tactical analysis, and injury prevention. Coaches can leverage wearable technologies for personalized psychological state monitoring, data-driven talent identification, and tactical insights for informed decision-making. (4) Conclusions: Machine learning offers coaches insights to refine coaching methodologies and optimize player performance in tennis. By integrating these insights, coaches can adapt to the demands of the sport by improving the players’ outcomes. As technology progresses, continued exploration of machine learning’s potential in tennis is warranted for further advancements in performance optimizationThis work is supported by national funds (FCT\u2014Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) under the project UIDB/DTP/04045/2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio