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Grzibovskis R, Aizstrauts A, Pidluzhna A, Marcinskas M, Magomedov A, Karazhanov S, Malinauskas T, Getautis V, Vembris A. Energy-Level Interpretation of Carbazole Derivatives in Self-Assembling Monolayer. Molecules 2024; 29:1910. [PMID: 38731400 PMCID: PMC11085244 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29091910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Energy-level alignment is a crucial factor in the performance of thin-film devices, such as organic light-emitting diodes and photovoltaics. One way to adjust these energy levels is through chemical modification of the molecules involved. However, this approach may lead to unintended changes in the optical and/or electrical properties of the compound. An alternative method for energy-level adjustment at the interface is the use of self-assembling monolayers (SAMs). Initially, SAMs with passive spacers were employed, creating a surface dipole moment that altered the work function (WF) of the electrode. However, recent advancements have led to the synthesis of SAM molecules with active spacers. This development necessitates considering not only the modification of the electrode's WF but also the ionization energy (IE) of the molecule itself. To measure both the IE of SAM molecules and their impact on the electrode's WF, a relatively simple method is photo-electric emission spectroscopy. Solar cell performance parameters have a higher correlation coefficient with the ionization energy of SAM molecules with carbazole derivatives as spacers (up to 0.97) than the work function of the modified electrode (up to 0.88). Consequently, SAMs consisting of molecules with active spacers can be viewed as hole transport layers rather than interface layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raitis Grzibovskis
- Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, LV-1063 Riga, Latvia; (R.G.); (A.A.); (A.P.)
| | - Arturs Aizstrauts
- Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, LV-1063 Riga, Latvia; (R.G.); (A.A.); (A.P.)
| | - Anna Pidluzhna
- Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, LV-1063 Riga, Latvia; (R.G.); (A.A.); (A.P.)
| | - Mantas Marcinskas
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Kaunas University of Technology, 44249 Kaunas, Lithuania; (M.M.); (A.M.); (T.M.); (V.G.)
| | - Artiom Magomedov
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Kaunas University of Technology, 44249 Kaunas, Lithuania; (M.M.); (A.M.); (T.M.); (V.G.)
| | - Smagul Karazhanov
- Department for Solar Energy, Institute for Energy Technology, 173 Kjeller, Norway;
| | - Tadas Malinauskas
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Kaunas University of Technology, 44249 Kaunas, Lithuania; (M.M.); (A.M.); (T.M.); (V.G.)
| | - Vytautas Getautis
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Kaunas University of Technology, 44249 Kaunas, Lithuania; (M.M.); (A.M.); (T.M.); (V.G.)
| | - Aivars Vembris
- Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, LV-1063 Riga, Latvia; (R.G.); (A.A.); (A.P.)
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Amaro J, Costa R, Popovic M, Maule MM, Mehlum IS, Lucas R. Association of child neurodevelopmental or behavioural problems with maternal unemployment in a population-based birth cohort. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2024; 59:643-655. [PMID: 36967439 PMCID: PMC10960748 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-023-02464-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To estimate associations between suspected or diagnosed neurodevelopmental or behavioural problems in 7-year-old children and maternal unemployment at child age 7 and 10, in a Portuguese birth cohort. METHODS We evaluated 5754 mothers and their children of the population-based birth cohort Generation XXI in Porto, Portugal. Data on suspected and diagnosed child neurodevelopmental and behavioural problems (exposures)-learning, attention and language problems, externalising behaviours, developmental delay, autism spectrum disorders, and other neurodevelopmental problems-were retrieved at 7 years of age by interviewing caregivers. Maternal employment status (outcome) was collected at the 7- and 10-year follow-up waves. Robust Poisson regression models were used to estimate associations. RESULTS After adjustment for maternal and household characteristics, women were more likely to be unemployed at child age 10 if the child had, up to age 7, any of the following suspected problems: an autism spectrum disorder (PR = 1.73; 95% CI 1.07, 2.79), developmental delay (PR = 1.58; 95% CI 1.20, 2.06), externalising behaviours (PR = 1.29; 95% CI 1.11, 1.50) or learning problems (PR = 1.26; 95% CI 1.07, 1.48). When the exposure was restricted to clinically diagnosed disorders, the magnitude of associations remained similar but estimates were less precise. Associations with unemployment were stronger at child age 10 (prospective analyses), than at child age 7 (cross-sectional). CONCLUSION Having a child with learning, developmental or behavioural problems, or an autism spectrum disorder up to age 7 was associated with maternal unemployment three years later, even in a less affluent European economy where the dual-earner family structure is often necessary to make ends meet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Amaro
- EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas, nº 135, 4050-600, Porto, Portugal.
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Rua das Taipas, nº 135, 4050-600, Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Raquel Costa
- EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas, nº 135, 4050-600, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Rua das Taipas, nº 135, 4050-600, Porto, Portugal
- Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab (HEI-Lab), Universidade Lusófona, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maja Popovic
- Unit of Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | - Milena Maria Maule
- Unit of Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO Piemonte, Turin, Italy
| | - Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, National Institute for Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Raquel Lucas
- EPIUnit - Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Rua das Taipas, nº 135, 4050-600, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Rua das Taipas, nº 135, 4050-600, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal
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Raposo M, Soreto S, Moreirinha C, Gomes MTSR, Costa ST, Botelho MJ, Melo BMG, Costa LC, Rudnitskaya A. Carbamoylase-based impedimetric electronic tongue for rapid detection of paralytic shellfish toxins. Anal Bioanal Chem 2024; 416:1983-1995. [PMID: 38358533 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-024-05199-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Phytotoxins produced by marine microalgae, such as paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), can accumulate in bivalve molluscs, representing a human health concern due to the life-threatening symptoms they cause. To avoid the commercialization of contaminated bivalves, monitoring programs were established in the EU. The purpose of this work is the implementation of a PST transforming enzyme-carbamoylase-in an impedimetric test for rapid simultaneous detection of several carbamate and N-sulfocarbamoyl PSTs. Carbamoylase hydrolyses carbamate and sulfocarbamoyl toxins, which may account for up to 90% of bivalve toxicity related to PSTs. Conformational changes of carbamoylase accompanying enzymatic reactions were probed by Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy (FT-MIR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Furthermore, a combination of EIS with a metal electrode and a carbamoylase-based assay was employed to harness changes in the enzyme conformation and adsorption on the electrode surface during the enzymatic reaction as an analytical signal. After optimization of the working conditions, the developed impedimetric e-tongue could quantify N-sulfocarbamoyl toxins with a detection limit of 0.1 µM. The developed e-tongue allows the detection of these toxins at concentration levels observed in bivalves with PST toxicity close to the regulatory limit. The quantification of a sum of N-sulfocarbamoyl PSTs in naturally contaminated mussel extracts using the developed impedimetric e-tongue has been demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Raposo
- CESAM and Chemistry Department, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Silvia Soreto
- I3N and Department of Physics, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Catarina Moreirinha
- CESAM and Chemistry Department, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | | | - Sara T Costa
- IPMA, Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, 1449-006, Lisbon, Portugal
- CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
- ICBAS, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria João Botelho
- IPMA, Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, 1449-006, Lisbon, Portugal
- CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Bruno M G Melo
- I3N and Department of Physics, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Luís Cadillon Costa
- I3N and Department of Physics, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Alisa Rudnitskaya
- CESAM and Chemistry Department, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal.
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Fijalkowski M, Coufal R, Ali A, Adach K, Petrik S, Bu H, Karl CW. Flexible Hybrid and Single-Component Aerogels: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications. Langmuir 2023; 39:16760-16775. [PMID: 37955990 PMCID: PMC10688192 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The inherent disadvantages of traditional nonflexible aerogels, such as high fragility and moisture sensitivity, severely restrict their applications. To address these issues, different techniques have been used to incorporate the flexibility in aerogel materials; hence, the term "flexible aerogels" was introduced. In the case of introducing flexibility, the organic part is induced with the inorganic part (flexible hybrid aerogels). Additionally, some more modern research is also available in the fabrication of hybrid flexible aerogels (based on organic-organic), the combination of two organic polymers. Moreover, a new type (single-component flexible aerogels) are quite a new category composed of only single materials; this category is very limited, charming to make the flexible aerogels pure from single polymers. The present review is composed of modern techniques and studies available to fabricate hybrid and single-component flexible aerogels. Their synthesis, factors affecting their parameters, and limitations associated with them are explained deeply. Moreover, a comparative analysis of drying methods and their effectiveness in the development of structures are described in detail. The further sections explain their properties and characterization methods. Eventually, their applications in a variety of multifunctional fields are covered. This article will support to introduce the roadmap pointing to a future direction in the production of the single-component flexible aerogel materials and their applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Fijalkowski
- Department
of Advanced Materials, Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies
and Innovation (CXI), Technical University
of Liberec, 461 17 Liberec, Czech Republic
| | - Radek Coufal
- Department
of Science and Research, Faculty of Health Studies, Technical University of Liberec, 461 17 Liberec, Czech Republic
| | - Azam Ali
- Department
of Material Sciences, Technical University
of Liberec, 461 17 Liberec, Czech Republic
| | - Kinga Adach
- Department
of Advanced Materials, Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies
and Innovation (CXI), Technical University
of Liberec, 461 17 Liberec, Czech Republic
| | - Stanislav Petrik
- Department
of Advanced Materials, Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies
and Innovation (CXI), Technical University
of Liberec, 461 17 Liberec, Czech Republic
| | - Huaitian Bu
- Department
of Materials and Nanotechnology, SINTEF
Industry, Forskningsveien 1, 0373 Oslo, Norway
| | - Christian W. Karl
- Department
of Materials and Nanotechnology, SINTEF
Industry, Forskningsveien 1, 0373 Oslo, Norway
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5
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Gundersen AB, van der Linden S, Piksa M, Morzy M, Piasecki J, Ryguła R, Gwiaździński P, Noworyta K, Kunst JR. The role of perceived minority-group status in the conspiracy beliefs of factual majority groups. R Soc Open Sci 2023; 10:221036. [PMID: 37859838 PMCID: PMC10582598 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Research suggests that minority-group members sometimes are more susceptible to misinformation. Two complementary studies examined the influence of perceived minority status on susceptibility to misinformation and conspiracy beliefs. In study 1 (n = 2140), the perception of belonging to a minority group, rather than factually belonging to it, was most consistently related with an increased susceptibility to COVID-19 misinformation across national samples from the USA, the UK, Germany and Poland. Specifically, perceiving that one belongs to a gender minority group particularly predicted susceptibility to misinformation when participants factually did not belong to it. In pre-registered study 2 (n = 1823), an experiment aiming to manipulate the minority perceptions of men failed to influence conspiracy beliefs in the predicted direction. However, pre-registered correlational analyses showed that men who view themselves as a gender minority were more prone to gender conspiracy beliefs and exhibited a heightened conspiracy mentality. This effect was correlationally mediated by increased feelings of system identity threat, collective narcissism, group relative deprivation and actively open-minded thinking. Especially, the perception of being a minority in terms of power and influence (as compared to numerically) was linked to these outcomes. We discuss limitations and practical implications for countering misinformation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michał Piksa
- Department of Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Mikołaj Morzy
- Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology, Poznan, Poland
| | - Jan Piasecki
- Department of Philosophy and Bioethics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Rafał Ryguła
- Department of Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Paweł Gwiaździński
- Department of Philosophy and Bioethics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
- Department of Philosophy and Sociology, Pedagogical University of Krakow, Kraków, Poland
| | - Karolina Noworyta
- Department of Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jonas R. Kunst
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Postboks 1094 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
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Ferreira JPA, Grácio M, Sousa I, Pagarete A, Nunes MC, Raymundo A. Tuning the Bioactive Properties of Dunaliella salina Water Extracts by Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:472. [PMID: 37755085 PMCID: PMC10532918 DOI: 10.3390/md21090472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Microalgae are promising feedstock for obtaining valuable bioactive compounds. To facilitate the release of these important biomolecules from microalgae, effective cell disruption is usually necessary, where the use of ultrasound has achieved considerable popularity as an alternative to conventional methods. (2) Methods: This paper aims to evaluate the use of ultrasound technology in water medium as a green technology to recover high added-value compounds from Dunaliella salina and improve its sensory profile towards a high level of incorporation into novel food products. (3) Results: Among the variables, the solid concentration and extraction time have the most significant impact on the process. For the extraction of protein, or fat, the most influential factor is the extraction time. Total polyphenols are only significantly affected by the extraction time. The antioxidant capacity is strongly affected by the solid to liquid ratio and, to a small extent, by the extraction time. Ultrasound-assisted extraction improves the overall odor/aroma of D. salina with good acceptability by the panelists. (4) Conclusions: The application of ultrasonic-assisted extraction demonstrates a positive overall effect on enhancing the sensory profile, particularly the odor of microalgal biomass, while the bioactive properties are preserved. Notably, the intense sea/fish odors are reduced, while earthy and citrus notes become more prominent, resulting in an improved overall sensory profile score. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that this innovative, green, and efficient technology has been used to upgrade the aroma profile of microalgae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana P. A. Ferreira
- LEAF—Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food—Research Center, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.G.); (I.S.); (M.C.N.); (A.R.)
| | - Madalena Grácio
- LEAF—Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food—Research Center, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.G.); (I.S.); (M.C.N.); (A.R.)
| | - Isabel Sousa
- LEAF—Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food—Research Center, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.G.); (I.S.); (M.C.N.); (A.R.)
| | - António Pagarete
- Pagarete Microalgae Solutions Soc. Unipessoal Lda., Rua João Chagas, 4, 7Esq, 1495-069 Algés, Portugal;
| | - M. Cristiana Nunes
- LEAF—Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food—Research Center, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.G.); (I.S.); (M.C.N.); (A.R.)
| | - Anabela Raymundo
- LEAF—Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food—Research Center, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.G.); (I.S.); (M.C.N.); (A.R.)
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7
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Mäestu E, Kull M, Mäestu J, Pihu M, Kais K, Riso EM, Koka A, Tilga H, Jürimäe J. Results from Estonia's 2022 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth: Research Gaps and Five Key Messages and Actions to Follow. Children (Basel) 2023; 10:1369. [PMID: 37628368 PMCID: PMC10453862 DOI: 10.3390/children10081369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this article is to summarize the results of the 2022 Estonian Physical Activity Report Card across 10 indicators based on available scientific data and national databases, and, additionally, to compare the current results with previous Report Card results. A national expert panel, consisting of research and policy experts, identified the available sources and synthesized as well as graded relevant data related to the physical activity (PA) of Estonian children and youth. Grade B was assigned to Organized Sports and Physical Activity (B-), Community and Environment (B+), and Government (B). Grade C was assigned to Overall Physical Activity (C+), Physical Fitness (C+), Family and Peers (C-), and School (C+). The lowest grade, D, was assigned to Active Play (D), Active Transportation (D+), and Sedentary Behaviors (D-). In Estonia, the participation rate in organized sport is relatively high, and government in addition to community support seem to be at a relatively good level. However, a relatively high number of children and youth did not meet the current PA guidelines, and the levels of sedentary behavior and screen time were very high. The PA of children and youth should be a cross-disciplinary priority, and focus should be put on developing schoolyards and outdoor breaks, varied and easily accessible organized sport, the use of active transportation, and the implementation of physical education that supports leisure time activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelin Mäestu
- Institute of Sport Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, 51008 Tartu, Estonia; (M.K.); (J.M.); (M.P.); (K.K.); (E.-M.R.); (A.K.); (H.T.); (J.J.)
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8
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Fonseca A, Branquinho M, Monteiro F, Araújo-Pedrosa A, Bjørndal LD, Lupattelli A. Treatment options and their uptake among women with symptoms of perinatal depression: exploratory study in Norway and Portugal. BJPsych Open 2023; 9:e77. [PMID: 37139793 DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2023.56] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perinatal depression is the most undertreated clinical condition during the perinatal period. Knowledge about women's decision-making in seeking and receiving treatment is scarce. AIMS To investigate and compare treatment option uptake in perinatal women with depressive symptoms in Portugal and Norway, and to identify sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with treatment uptake. METHOD Participants were women resident in Portugal or Norway (≥18 years) who were pregnant or had given birth in the past 12 months, who presented with active depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score ≥10). In an electronic questionnaire, women reported treatment received and sociodemographic and health-related factors. RESULTS The sample included 416 women from Portugal and 169 from Norway, of which 79.8% and 53.9%, respectively, were not receiving any treatment. Most Portuguese women were receiving psychological treatment, either alone (45.2%) or combined with pharmacological treatment (21.4%). Most Norwegian participants were receiving only pharmacological (36.5%) or combined treatment (35.4%). Compared with the Portuguese sample, a higher proportion of Norwegian women started treatment before pregnancy (P < 0.001). In Portugal, lower depressive symptoms and self-reported psychopathology were significantly associated with higher likelihood of receiving treatment. CONCLUSIONS We found that, in both Norway and Portugal, a substantial number of perinatal women with depressive symptoms do not receive any treatment. Differences exist regarding the chosen treatment option and timing of treatment initiation in the two countries. Only mental health-related factors were associated with treatment uptake for perinatal depression in Portugal. Our results highlight the importance of implementing strategies aimed to improve help-seeking behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Fonseca
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mariana Branquinho
- University of Coimbra, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Portugal
| | - Fabiana Monteiro
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Anabela Araújo-Pedrosa
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal; and Clinical Psychology Service, Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics, Reproduction and Neonatology (Maternity Daniel de Matos), Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ludvig D Bjørndal
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Angela Lupattelli
- Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway
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9
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Mandati S, Juneja N, Katerski A, Jegorovė A, Grzibovskis R, Vembris A, Dedova T, Spalatu N, Magomedov A, Karazhanov S, Getautis V, Krunks M, Oja Acik I. 4.9% Efficient Sb 2S 3 Solar Cells from Semitransparent Absorbers with Fluorene-Based Thiophene-Terminated Hole Conductors. ACS Appl Energy Mater 2023; 6:3822-3833. [PMID: 37064413 PMCID: PMC10091899 DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.2c04097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Fluorene-based hole transport materials (HTMs) with terminating thiophene units are explored, for the first time, for antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) solar cells. These HTMs possess largely simplified synthesis processes and high yields compared to the conventional expensive hole conductors making them reasonably economical. The thiophene unit-linked HTMs have been successfully demonstrated in ultrasonic spray-deposited Sb2S3 solar cells resulting in efficiencies in the range of 4.7-4.9% with an average visible transmittance (AVT) of 30-33% (400-800 nm) for the cell stack without metal contact, while the cells fabricated using conventional P3HT have yielded an efficiency of 4.7% with an AVT of 26%. The study puts forward cost-effective and transparent HTMs that avoid a post-coating activation at elevated temperatures like P3HT, devoid of parasitic absorption losses in the visible region and are demonstrated to be well aligned for the band edges of Sb2S3 thereby ascertaining their suitability for Sb2S3 solar cells and are potential candidates for semitransparent applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreekanth Mandati
- Department
of Materials and Environmental Technology, Laboratory of Thin Film
Chemical Technologies, Tallinn University
of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Nimish Juneja
- Department
of Materials and Environmental Technology, Laboratory of Thin Film
Chemical Technologies, Tallinn University
of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Atanas Katerski
- Department
of Materials and Environmental Technology, Laboratory of Thin Film
Chemical Technologies, Tallinn University
of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Aistė Jegorovė
- Department
of Organic Chemistry, Kaunas University
of Technology, Kaunas LT-50254, Lithuania
| | - Raitis Grzibovskis
- Institute
of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Kengaraga Str. 8, Riga LV 1063, Latvia
| | - Aivars Vembris
- Institute
of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Kengaraga Str. 8, Riga LV 1063, Latvia
| | - Tatjana Dedova
- Department
of Materials and Environmental Technology, Laboratory of Thin Film
Chemical Technologies, Tallinn University
of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Nicolae Spalatu
- Department
of Materials and Environmental Technology, Laboratory of Thin Film
Chemical Technologies, Tallinn University
of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Artiom Magomedov
- Department
of Organic Chemistry, Kaunas University
of Technology, Kaunas LT-50254, Lithuania
| | - Smagul Karazhanov
- Institute
for Energy Technology (IFE), P.O. Box
40, NO 2027 Kjeller, Norway
| | - Vytautas Getautis
- Department
of Organic Chemistry, Kaunas University
of Technology, Kaunas LT-50254, Lithuania
| | - Malle Krunks
- Department
of Materials and Environmental Technology, Laboratory of Thin Film
Chemical Technologies, Tallinn University
of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Ilona Oja Acik
- Department
of Materials and Environmental Technology, Laboratory of Thin Film
Chemical Technologies, Tallinn University
of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia
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10
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Ma Q, Miri Z, Haugen HJ, Moghanian A, Loca D. Significance of mechanical loading in bone fracture healing, bone regeneration, and vascularization. J Tissue Eng 2023; 14:20417314231172573. [PMID: 37251734 PMCID: PMC10214107 DOI: 10.1177/20417314231172573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In 1892, J.L. Wolff proposed that bone could respond to mechanical and biophysical stimuli as a dynamic organ. This theory presents a unique opportunity for investigations on bone and its potential to aid in tissue repair. Routine activities such as exercise or machinery application can exert mechanical loads on bone. Previous research has demonstrated that mechanical loading can affect the differentiation and development of mesenchymal tissue. However, the extent to which mechanical stimulation can help repair or generate bone tissue and the related mechanisms remain unclear. Four key cell types in bone tissue, including osteoblasts, osteoclasts, bone lining cells, and osteocytes, play critical roles in responding to mechanical stimuli, while other cell lineages such as myocytes, platelets, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and chondrocytes also exhibit mechanosensitivity. Mechanical loading can regulate the biological functions of bone tissue through the mechanosensor of bone cells intraosseously, making it a potential target for fracture healing and bone regeneration. This review aims to clarify these issues and explain bone remodeling, structure dynamics, and mechano-transduction processes in response to mechanical loading. Loading of different magnitudes, frequencies, and types, such as dynamic versus static loads, are analyzed to determine the effects of mechanical stimulation on bone tissue structure and cellular function. Finally, the importance of vascularization in nutrient supply for bone healing and regeneration was further discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianli Ma
- Department of Biomaterials, Institute
of Clinical Dentistry, University of Oslo, Norway
- Department of Immunology, School of
Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, PR China
| | - Zahra Miri
- Department of Materials Engineering,
Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Håvard Jostein Haugen
- Department of Biomaterials, Institute
of Clinical Dentistry, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Amirhossein Moghanian
- Department of Materials Engineering,
Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Dagnjia Loca
- Rudolfs Cimdins Riga Biomaterials
Innovations and Development Centre, Institute of General Chemical Engineering,
Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Riga Technical University, Riga,
Latvia
- Baltic Biomaterials Centre of
Excellence, Headquarters at Riga Technical University, Riga, Latvia
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11
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Gomes D, Jesus M, Rosa R, Bandeira C, da Costa CA. Women in family farming: Evidence from a qualitative study in two Portuguese inner regions. Front Sociol 2022; 7:939590. [PMID: 36569361 PMCID: PMC9768327 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.939590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The importance of family farming in food systems worldwide is recognized by different international bodies, as well as the leading role played by women and the inequalities they face in this sector of activity. The most recent data from Portugal highlight the importance of this type of agriculture in this Southern European country. In 2019, 68% of the total agricultural workforce in the country was concentrated in family farming, with almost half of them being women. This high permanence of women in agriculture is the result of a long process of feminization on this sector that is similar to other contexts. Despite this strong feminization of family farming, there are few studies that portrait agricultural activity from the women's viewpoint, since the voice of men is always predominant in all references. Based on the exploratory qualitative data from two focus groups, carried out in two Portuguese inner regions, we intend to address the perceptions and meanings of a small group of women farmers regarding their activity, the role taken by them in agriculture and the difficulties they experience. Issues such as changes in agriculture and the sexual division of labor will also be addressed in this article. Within these groups, women work in agriculture is perceived as long, solitary and uncertain. Also, the public/private dichotomy is evident, with decision-making and public places dominated by men. A prevalence of the discourse of "masculinization" still exists with certain tasks being attributed to men (e.g., operations with machinery). Younger women (34 and 40 years old) tend to overcome these gender differences choosing agriculture as a profession and healthy and sustainable life for their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Gomes
- School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Instituto of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal
- Faculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Miguel Jesus
- National Observatory of Violence and Gender, CICS.NOVA/NOVA Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rosário Rosa
- National Observatory of Violence and Gender, CICS.NOVA/NOVA Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, Lisbon, Portugal
- Open University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- CEF—Centre for Functional Ecology, Science for People and the Planet, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Cristina Amaro da Costa
- School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Instituto of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal
- CERNAS—IPV Research Centre, Viseu, Portugal
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12
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Fleming R, Gonçalves S, Davarpanah A, Radulov I, Pfeuffer L, Beckmann B, Skokov K, Ren Y, Li T, Evans J, Amaral J, Almeida R, Lopes A, Oliveira G, Araújo JP, Apolinário A, Belo JH. Tailoring Negative Thermal Expansion via Tunable Induced Strain in La-Fe-Si-Based Multifunctional Material. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2022; 14:43498-43507. [PMID: 36099579 PMCID: PMC9773235 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c11586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Zero thermal expansion (ZTE) composites are typically designed by combining positive thermal expansion (PTE) with negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials acting as compensators and have many diverse applications, including in high-precision instrumentation and biomedical devices. La(Fe1-x,Six)13-based compounds display several remarkable properties, such as giant magnetocaloric effect and very large NTE at room temperature. Both are linked via strong magnetovolume coupling, which leads to sharp magnetic and volume changes occurring simultaneously across first-order phase transitions; the abrupt nature of these changes makes them unsuitable as thermal expansion compensators. To make these materials more useful practically, the mechanisms controlling the temperature over which this transition occurs and the magnitude of contraction need to be controlled. In this work, ball-milling was used to decrease particles and crystallite sizes and increase the strain in LaFe11.9Mn0.27Si1.29Hx alloys. Such size and strain tuning effectively broadened the temperature over which this transition occurs. The material's NTE operational temperature window was expanded, and its peak was suppressed by up to 85%. This work demonstrates that induced strain is the key mechanism controlling these materials' phase transitions. This allows the optimization of their thermal expansion toward room-temperature ZTE applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael
Oliveira Fleming
- Institute
of Physics of Advanced Materials, Nanotechnology and Nanophotonics
(IFIMUP), Departamento de Física
e Astronomia da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sofia Gonçalves
- Institute
of Physics of Advanced Materials, Nanotechnology and Nanophotonics
(IFIMUP), Departamento de Física
e Astronomia da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Amin Davarpanah
- Institute
of Material Science, Technical University
of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Department
of Physics and CICECO, University of Aveiro, Universitary Campus of Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Iliya Radulov
- Institute
of Material Science, Technical University
of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lukas Pfeuffer
- Institute
of Material Science, Technical University
of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Benedikt Beckmann
- Institute
of Material Science, Technical University
of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Konstantin Skokov
- Institute
of Material Science, Technical University
of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Yang Ren
- Department
of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077 Hong Kong, China
| | - Tianyi Li
- X-ray
Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - John Evans
- Department
of Chemistry, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, United
Kingdom
| | - João Amaral
- Department
of Physics and CICECO, University of Aveiro, Universitary Campus of Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Rafael Almeida
- Institute
of Physics of Advanced Materials, Nanotechnology and Nanophotonics
(IFIMUP), Departamento de Física
e Astronomia da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Armandina Lopes
- Institute
of Physics of Advanced Materials, Nanotechnology and Nanophotonics
(IFIMUP), Departamento de Física
e Astronomia da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Oliveira
- Institute
of Physics of Advanced Materials, Nanotechnology and Nanophotonics
(IFIMUP), Departamento de Física
e Astronomia da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - João Pedro Araújo
- Institute
of Physics of Advanced Materials, Nanotechnology and Nanophotonics
(IFIMUP), Departamento de Física
e Astronomia da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Arlete Apolinário
- Institute
of Physics of Advanced Materials, Nanotechnology and Nanophotonics
(IFIMUP), Departamento de Física
e Astronomia da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - João Horta Belo
- Institute
of Physics of Advanced Materials, Nanotechnology and Nanophotonics
(IFIMUP), Departamento de Física
e Astronomia da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
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13
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Coggan H, Andres Terre H, Liò P. A novel interpretable machine learning algorithm to identify optimal parameter space for cancer growth. Front Big Data 2022; 5:941451. [PMID: 36172548 PMCID: PMC9510846 DOI: 10.3389/fdata.2022.941451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent years have seen an increase in the application of machine learning to the analysis of physical and biological systems, including cancer progression. A fundamental downside to these tools is that their complexity and nonlinearity makes it almost impossible to establish a deterministic, a priori relationship between their input and output, and thus their predictions are not wholly accountable. We begin with a series of proofs establishing that this holds even for the simplest possible model of a neural network; the effects of specific loss functions are explored more fully in Appendices. We return to first principles and consider how to construct a physics-inspired model of tumor growth without resorting to stochastic gradient descent or artificial nonlinearities. We derive an algorithm which explores the space of possible parameters in a model of tumor growth and identifies candidate equations much faster than a simulated annealing approach. We test this algorithm on synthetic tumor-growth trajectories and show that it can efficiently and reliably narrow down the area of parameter space where the correct values are located. This approach has the potential to greatly improve the speed and reliability with which patient-specific models of cancer growth can be identified in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Coggan
- Department of Mathematics, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Helena Coggan
| | - Helena Andres Terre
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Pietro Liò
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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14
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Tokkozhina U, Lucia Martins A, Ferreira JC. Uncovering dimensions of the impact of blockchain technology in supply chain management. Oper Manag Res 2022. [PMCID: PMC9187897 DOI: 10.1007/s12063-022-00273-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSupply chains around the globe are faced with difficulties and disruptions due to the worldwide pandemic situation and digital solutions are needed. There is significant research interest in the implementation of blockchain technology (BCT) for supply chain management (SCM). A challenge that remains is analyzing the interactions of BCT in different areas of SCM. This study aims to identify the influential dimensions of the impact of BCT adoption in SCM and to discuss the synergetic and counter-synergetic effects between these dimensions. Advantages, disadvantages, and constraints of adopting BCT in the SCM context are explored through a systematic literature review, which provides the foundation for identifying the dimensions of impact. The interactions between these dimensions are conceptually discussed. This study introduces three dimensions of the impact of implementing BCT in SCM: ‘operations and processes’, ‘supply chain relationships’, and ‘innovation and data access’. These dimensions are interrelated and have overlapping areas within them, which leads to synergetic and counter-synergetic effects. The overlaps and synergies of the three dimensions of impact are illustrated, and the virtuous and vicious cycles of BCT adoption in SCM cases are highlighted. This study assists scholars and practitioners by clarifying the synergetic relationships within the dimensions of the impact of BCT in SCM and by providing considerations to prevent undesirable effects and expand desired ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulpan Tokkozhina
- Business Research Unit (BRU-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal
- Inov Inesc Inovação—Instituto de Novas Tecnologias, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Lucia Martins
- Business Research Unit (BRU-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joao C. Ferreira
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal
- Inov Inesc Inovação—Instituto de Novas Tecnologias, 1000-029 Lisbon, Portugal
- Information Sciences and Technologies and Architecture Research Centre (ISTAR-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal
- Molde University College — Specialised University in Logistics, NO-6410 Molde, Norway
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15
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Haidău C, Năstase-Bucur R, Bulzu P, Levei E, Cadar O, Mirea IC, Faur L, Fruth V, Atkinson I, Constantin S, Moldovan OT. A 16S rRNA Gene-Based Metabarcoding of Phosphate-Rich Deposits in Muierilor Cave, South-Western Carpathians. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:877481. [PMID: 35663904 PMCID: PMC9161362 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.877481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Muierilor Cave is one of Romania's most important show caves, with paleontological and archeological deposits. Recently, a new chamber was discovered in the cave, with unique yellow calcite crystals, fine-grained crusts, and black sediments. The deposits in this chamber were related to a leaking process from the upper level that contains fossil bones and a large pile of guano. Samples were taken from the new chamber and another passage to investigate the relationship between the substrate and microbial community. Chemical, mineralogical, and whole community 16S rRNA gene-based metabarcoding analyses were undertaken, and the base of the guano deposit was radiocarbon dated. Our study indicated bacteria linked to the presence of high phosphate concentration, most likely due to the nature of the substrate (hydroxyapatite). Bacteria involved in Fe, Mn, or N cycles were also found, as these elements are commonly identified in high concentrations in guano. Since no bat colonies or fossil bones were present in the new chamber, a high concentration of these elements could be sourced by organic deposits inside the cave (guano and fossil bones) even after hundreds of years of their deposition and in areas far from both deposits. Metabarcoding of the analyzed samples found that ∼0.7% of the identified bacteria are unknown to science, and ∼47% were not previously reported in caves or guano. Moreover, most of the identified human-related bacteria were not reported in caves or guano before, and some are known for their pathogenic potential. Therefore, continuous monitoring of air and floor microbiology should be considered in show caves with organic deposits containing bacteria that can threaten human health. The high number of unidentified taxa in a small sector of Muierilor Cave indicates the limited knowledge of the bacterial diversity in caves that can have potential applications in human health and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Haidău
- Department of Biospeleology and Karst Edaphobiology, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Bucureşti, Romania
| | - Ruxandra Năstase-Bucur
- Department of Cluj-Napoca, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Paul Bulzu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Erika Levei
- Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation Subsidiary, National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics INOE 2000, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Oana Cadar
- Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation Subsidiary, National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics INOE 2000, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ionuţ Cornel Mirea
- Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Geospeleology and Paleontology, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Bucureşti, Romania
| | - Luchiana Faur
- Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Geospeleology and Paleontology, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Bucureşti, Romania
- Faculty of Geology and Geophysics, University of Bucharest, Bucureşti, Romania
| | - Victor Fruth
- Institute of Physical Chemistry “Ilie Murgulescu” of the Romanian Academy, Bucuresti, Romania
| | - Irina Atkinson
- Institute of Physical Chemistry “Ilie Murgulescu” of the Romanian Academy, Bucuresti, Romania
| | - Silviu Constantin
- Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Geospeleology and Paleontology, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Bucureşti, Romania
- Centro Nacional Sobre la Evolucion Humana, Burgos, Spain
| | - Oana Teodora Moldovan
- Department of Cluj-Napoca, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Romanian Institute of Science and Technology, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Centro Nacional Sobre la Evolucion Humana, Burgos, Spain
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16
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Bożejewicz D, Witt K, Kaczorowska MA, Urbaniak W, Ośmiałowski B. The Application of 2,6-Bis(4-Methoxybenzoyl)-Diaminopyridine in Solvent Extraction and Polymer Membrane Separation for the Recovery of Au(III), Ag(I), Pd(II) and Pt(II) Ions from Aqueous Solutions. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9123. [PMID: 34502032 PMCID: PMC8431065 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The work describes the results of the first application of 2,6-bis(4-methoxybenzoyl)-diaminopyridine (L) for the recovery of noble metal ions (Au(III), Ag(I), Pd(II), Pt(II)) from aqueous solutions using two different separation processes: dynamic (classic solvent extraction) and static (polymer membranes). The stability constants of the complexes formed by the L with noble metal ions were determined using the spectrophotometry method. The results of the performed experiments clearly show that 2,6-bis(4-methoxybenzoyl)-diaminopyridine is an excellent extractant, as the recovery was over 99% for all studied noble metal ions. The efficiency of 2,6-bis(4-methoxybenzoyl)-diaminopyridine as a carrier in polymer membranes after 24 h of sorption was lower; the percentage of metal ions removal from the solutions (%Rs) decreased in following order: Ag(I) (94.89%) > Au(III) (63.46%) > Pt(II) (38.99%) > Pd(II) (23.82%). The results of the desorption processes carried out showed that the highest percentage of recovery was observed for gold and silver ions (over 96%) after 48 h. The results presented in this study indicate the potential practical applicability of 2,6-bis(4-methoxybenzoyl)-diaminopyridine in the solvent extraction and polymer membrane separation of noble metal ions from aqueous solutions (e.g., obtained as a result of WEEE leaching or industrial wastewater).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Bożejewicz
- Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, UTP University of Science and Technology, 3 Seminaryjna Street, PL 85326 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (K.W.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Katarzyna Witt
- Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, UTP University of Science and Technology, 3 Seminaryjna Street, PL 85326 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (K.W.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Małgorzata A. Kaczorowska
- Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, UTP University of Science and Technology, 3 Seminaryjna Street, PL 85326 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (K.W.); (M.A.K.)
| | - Włodzimierz Urbaniak
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, 8 Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego Street, PL 61712 Poznań, Poland;
| | - Borys Ośmiałowski
- Faculty of Chemistry, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 7 Gagarin Street, PL 87100 Toruń, Poland;
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17
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Santos M, Matias F, Rito AI, Castanheira I, Torres D, Loureiro I, Assunção R. Breakfast Cereals Intended for Children: Opportunities for Reformulation and Potential Impact on Nutrient Intake. Foods 2021; 10:1772. [PMID: 34441549 PMCID: PMC8394760 DOI: 10.3390/foods10081772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ready-to-eat cereals (RTECs) have become a popular breakfast option claiming to provide important nutrients to children's diets, despite being a source of excess sugar and, therefore, a health concern. Thus, food reformulation constitutes an important public health strategy that could benefit from inputs provided by nutrient profiling. This study aimed to assess the adequacy of the RTECs for children available in Portuguese supermarkets, applying three nutrient profile models (NPMs)-the nutrient profile model of the World Health Organization's Regional Office for Europe (WHO-EURO), the profile of the private-sector EU Pledge (EU-Pledge), and the national model developed by the Directorate-General of Health (NPM-PT)-in order to explore the potential for reformulation of the RTECs identified as not adequate and evaluate the impact of RTECs' reformulation on the nutritional quality of Portuguese children's diets. In total, 78 RTECs intended for children were assessed and two scenarios-current (not considering reformulation) and alternative (considering reformulation to accomplish the nutrient profile requirements)-were considered to assess the impact of reformulation on nutritional quality. Across all RTECs, only 5.1% could be promoted to children according to the considered NPMs. The most common nutrients requiring reformulation were sugar, saturated fatty acids (SFA), salt, and dietary fiber. The scenarios of reformulation considered could reduce the RTECs average content of total sugars, SFA, and salt by 43%, 8.7%, and 1.1%, respectively, and dietary fiber intake could be increased by 34%. Thus, these results support policies to implement reformulation strategies for developing healthier food products to be promoted to children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Santos
- Food and Nutrition Department, National Health Institute Dr Ricardo Jorge, Av Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.S.); (F.M.); (A.I.R.); (I.C.)
- NOVA National School of Public Health, NOVA University of Lisbon, Av Padre Cruz, 1600-560 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Filipa Matias
- Food and Nutrition Department, National Health Institute Dr Ricardo Jorge, Av Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.S.); (F.M.); (A.I.R.); (I.C.)
| | - Ana Isabel Rito
- Food and Nutrition Department, National Health Institute Dr Ricardo Jorge, Av Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.S.); (F.M.); (A.I.R.); (I.C.)
- Center for Studies and Research in Social Dynamics and Health (CEIDSS), Av Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Isabel Castanheira
- Food and Nutrition Department, National Health Institute Dr Ricardo Jorge, Av Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.S.); (F.M.); (A.I.R.); (I.C.)
| | - Duarte Torres
- Epidemiology Research Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Rua Das Taipas 135, 4050-091 Porto, Portugal;
- Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel Loureiro
- NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Center (CISP), Comprehensive Health Research Center, NOVA University of Lisbon, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1600-560 Lisboa, Portugal;
| | - Ricardo Assunção
- Food and Nutrition Department, National Health Institute Dr Ricardo Jorge, Av Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.S.); (F.M.); (A.I.R.); (I.C.)
- NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Center (CISP), Comprehensive Health Research Center, NOVA University of Lisbon, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1600-560 Lisboa, Portugal;
- CESAM, Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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18
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Teixeira G, Raimundo J, Goulart J, Costa V, Menezes GM, Caetano M, Pacheco M, Martins I. Hg and Se composition in demersal deep-sea fish from the North-East Atlantic. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2020; 27:33649-33657. [PMID: 32358755 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08970-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
It has been emphasized that seafood consumers may have a higher risk of mercury (Hg) exposure. Nevertheless, the co-occurrence of selenium (Se) in organisms may affect the toxicity and bioavailability of Hg. In this work, we aim to demonstrate the possible role of Se as a potential protective element against Hg in muscle and liver tissues of three demersal deep-sea fish species: common mora Mora moro, birdbeak dogfish Deania calcea, and smooth lanternshark Etmopterus pusillus. Comparing species, the birdbeak dogfish D. calcea showed the highest Hg concentrations, the lowest Se levels, the lowest mean Se:Hg molar ratio, a negative HBV-Se index, and no correlation between total length. On the other hand, smooth lanternshark E. pusillus showed the lowest Hg concentrations, the highest Se concentrations, the highest mean Se:Hg molar ratio, a positive HBV-Se index, and a significant positive correlation between total length and Se concentrations in muscle. Comparing tissues, the common mora Mora moro seems to accumulate more Hg and Se in liver than shark species D. calcea and E. pusillus that showed to accumulate Hg and Se preferentially in muscle. Our results indicate that these three species for having Hg concentrations near and above the EU regulatory thresholds and for presenting low Se:Hg ratios, and negative (or low positive) HBV-Se index may pose a real risk of Hg toxicity for the consumer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Teixeira
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Joana Raimundo
- IPMA- Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere, Av. Brasília, 1449-006, Lisbon, Portugal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto (U.Porto), Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Joana Goulart
- IMAR- Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal
- OKEANOS- Research Unit- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal
| | - Valentina Costa
- IMAR- Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal
- OKEANOS- Research Unit- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal
| | - Gui M Menezes
- OKEANOS- Research Unit- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal
| | - Miguel Caetano
- IPMA- Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere, Av. Brasília, 1449-006, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mário Pacheco
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Inês Martins
- IMAR- Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal.
- OKEANOS- Research Unit- Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal.
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Gregório MJ, Rodrigues AM, Salvador C, Dias SS, de Sousa RD, Mendes JM, Coelho PS, Branco JC, Lopes C, Martínez-González MA, Graça P, Canhão H. Validation of the Telephone-Administered Version of the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) Questionnaire. Nutrients 2020; 12:E1511. [PMID: 32455971 PMCID: PMC7284796 DOI: 10.3390/nu12051511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A 14-Item Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) questionnaire was developed and validated in face-to-face interviews, but not via telephone. The aims of this study were to evaluate the validity and reliability of a telephone-administered version of the MEDAS as well as to validate the Portuguese version of the MEDAS questionnaire. A convenience community-based sample of adults (n = 224) participated in a three-stage survey. First, trained researchers administered MEDAS via a telephone. Second, the Portuguese version of Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and MEDAS were administered in a semi-structured face-to-face interview. Finally, MEDAS was again administered via telephone. The telephone-administered MEDAS questionnaire was compared with the face-to-face-version using several metrics. The telephone-administered MEDAS was significantly correlated with the face-to-face-administered MEDAS [r = 0.805, p < 0.001; interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.803, p < 0.001] and showed strong agreement (k = 0.60). The MEDAS scores that were obtained in the first and second telephone interviews were significantly correlated (r = 0.661, p < 0.001; ICC = 0.639, p < 0.001). The overall agreement between the Portuguese version of MEDAS and the FFQ-derived Mediterranean diet adherence score had a Cohen's k = 0.39. The telephone-administered version of MEDAS is a valid tool for assessing the adherence to the Mediterranean diet and acquiring data for large population-based studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Gregório
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, UNL, 1099-085 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.J.G.); (A.M.R.); (C.S.); (R.D.d.S.); (J.C.B.)
- EpiDoC Unit, Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC) da NOVA Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NMS/UNL), CEDOC—Campus Sant’Ana, Pólo de Investigação, NMS, UNL, Edifício Amarelo, Rua do Instituto Bacteriológico, n 5, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal;
- EpiSaúde Sociedade Científica, 7005-837 Évora, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal;
- Programa Nacional para a Promoção da Alimentação Saudável, Direção-Geral da Saúde, 1049-005 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana M. Rodrigues
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, UNL, 1099-085 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.J.G.); (A.M.R.); (C.S.); (R.D.d.S.); (J.C.B.)
- EpiDoC Unit, Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC) da NOVA Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NMS/UNL), CEDOC—Campus Sant’Ana, Pólo de Investigação, NMS, UNL, Edifício Amarelo, Rua do Instituto Bacteriológico, n 5, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal;
- EpiSaúde Sociedade Científica, 7005-837 Évora, Portugal
| | - Clara Salvador
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, UNL, 1099-085 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.J.G.); (A.M.R.); (C.S.); (R.D.d.S.); (J.C.B.)
| | - Sara S. Dias
- EpiDoC Unit, Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC) da NOVA Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NMS/UNL), CEDOC—Campus Sant’Ana, Pólo de Investigação, NMS, UNL, Edifício Amarelo, Rua do Instituto Bacteriológico, n 5, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal;
- EpiSaúde Sociedade Científica, 7005-837 Évora, Portugal
- Escola Superior de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, Unidade de Investigação em Saúde (UI), 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
| | - Rute D. de Sousa
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, UNL, 1099-085 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.J.G.); (A.M.R.); (C.S.); (R.D.d.S.); (J.C.B.)
- EpiDoC Unit, Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC) da NOVA Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NMS/UNL), CEDOC—Campus Sant’Ana, Pólo de Investigação, NMS, UNL, Edifício Amarelo, Rua do Instituto Bacteriológico, n 5, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal;
- EpiSaúde Sociedade Científica, 7005-837 Évora, Portugal
| | - Jorge M. Mendes
- NOVA Information Management School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1070-312 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.M.M.); (P.S.C.)
| | - Pedro S. Coelho
- NOVA Information Management School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1070-312 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.M.M.); (P.S.C.)
| | - Jaime C. Branco
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, UNL, 1099-085 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.J.G.); (A.M.R.); (C.S.); (R.D.d.S.); (J.C.B.)
- EpiDoC Unit, Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC) da NOVA Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NMS/UNL), CEDOC—Campus Sant’Ana, Pólo de Investigação, NMS, UNL, Edifício Amarelo, Rua do Instituto Bacteriológico, n 5, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal;
- EpiSaúde Sociedade Científica, 7005-837 Évora, Portugal
- Serviço de Reumatologia do Hospital Egas Moniz—Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Ocidental (CHLO-E.P.E.), 1349-019 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Carla Lopes
- Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, 4050-091 Porto, Portugal;
| | | | - Pedro Graça
- Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação da Universidade do Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal;
- Programa Nacional para a Promoção da Alimentação Saudável, Direção-Geral da Saúde, 1049-005 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Helena Canhão
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, UNL, 1099-085 Lisboa, Portugal; (M.J.G.); (A.M.R.); (C.S.); (R.D.d.S.); (J.C.B.)
- EpiDoC Unit, Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC) da NOVA Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NMS/UNL), CEDOC—Campus Sant’Ana, Pólo de Investigação, NMS, UNL, Edifício Amarelo, Rua do Instituto Bacteriológico, n 5, 1150-082 Lisboa, Portugal;
- EpiSaúde Sociedade Científica, 7005-837 Évora, Portugal
- Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1600-560 Lisboa, Portugal
- Unidade de Reumatologia—Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Central (CHULC-Hospital Curry Cabral), 1169-050 Lisboa, Portugal
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Vári Á, Arany I, Kalóczkai Á, Kelemen K, Papp J, Czúcz B. Berries, greens, and medicinal herbs-mapping and assessing wild plants as an ecosystem service in Transylvania (Romania). J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2020; 16:13. [PMID: 32131856 PMCID: PMC7057653 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-020-0360-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wild edible plants as well as medicinal herbs are still widely used natural resources in Eastern Europe that are frequently accessed by the local population. Ethnobotanical studies rarely give insight to the specific ecosystems in which wild food and medicinal plants grow in a spatially explicit way. The present work assesses the potential of different ecosystems to provide wild plants for food and medicinal use based on 37 selected plant species, gives an estimate on the actual use of wild plants, and allows insights into the motivation of local people to collect wild plants. METHODS A number of interdisciplinary methods were used: participatory stakeholder workshops with experts scoring the provisioning capacity of ecosystem types, GIS for representing results (capacity maps), basic data statistics for actual use assessment, and interviews for analysing motivations. RESULTS Capacity to provide wild edible plants was assessed highest in broad-leaved forests and wetlands, while for medicinal herbs, orchards were rated best. We could find a multitude of motivations for gathering that could be grouped along four main lines corresponding to major dimensions of well-being (health, habit/tradition, nutrition/income, pleasure/emotional), with health reasons dominating very clearly the range (59% of answers), which can be interpreted as a combination of modern "green" values with a traditional lifestyle. We detected some distinct patterns of motivations between the different social groups analysed with more fundamental needs associated with lower level socio-ecological background. CONCLUSION This case study provides an example on the importance of wild plants for locals from several points of view. We emphasize the relevance of these local stakeholder views to be included in decision-making and ecosystem management, which can be achieved by the presented workflow for mapping and assessment of ecosystem services which is also compatible with EU-suggested Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ágnes Vári
- MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary.
- MTA Centre for Ecological Research, GINOP Sustainable Ecosystems Group, Tihany, Hungary.
| | - Ildikó Arany
- MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Ágnes Kalóczkai
- MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Katalin Kelemen
- Milvus Group Association, Crinului Str. 22, 540343, Târgu Mureş, Romania
| | - Judith Papp
- Milvus Group Association, Crinului Str. 22, 540343, Târgu Mureş, Romania
| | - Bálint Czúcz
- MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary
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Sousa-Santos AR, Afonso C, Santos A, Borges N, Moreira P, Padrão P, Fonseca I, Amaral TF. The association between 25(OH)D levels, frailty status and obesity indices in older adults. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198650. [PMID: 30153256 PMCID: PMC6112621 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin D deficiency is common in older adults and has been linked with frailty and obesity, but it remains to be studied whether frail obese older adults are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the association between frailty, obesity indices and serum 25(OH)D concentrations. METHODS 1447 individuals with 65 years or older, participating in a cross-sectional study (Nutrition UP 65) were included. Frailty, according to Fried et al., body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), body roundness index (BRI) and body shape index (ABSI) were evaluated. A stepwise multinomial logistic regression was carried out to quantify the association between 25(OH)D quartiles and independent variables. RESULTS Median 25(OH)D levels were lower in individuals presenting both frailty and obesity (p<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, pre-frailty (OR: 2.65; 95% CI: 1.63-4.33) and frailty (OR: 3.77; 95% CI: 2.08-6.83) were associated with increased odds of lower 25(OH)D serum levels (first quartile). Regarding obesity indices, the highest categories of BMI (OR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.06-2.86), WC (OR: 3.46; 95% CI: 1.95-6.15), BRI (OR: 4.35; 95% CI: 2.60-7.29) and ABSI (OR: 3.17 95% CI: 1.86-5.38) were directly associated with lower 25(OH)D serum levels (first quartile). CONCLUSIONS A positive association between frailty or obesity and lower vitamin D levels was found. Moreover, besides BMI and WC, other indicators of body adiposity, such as BRI and ABSI, were associated with lower 25(OH)D serum concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Sousa-Santos
- FCNAUP—Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Cláudia Afonso
- FCNAUP—Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Alejandro Santos
- FCNAUP—Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- I3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Borges
- FCNAUP—Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS—Centro de Investigação em Tecnologia e Serviços de Saúde, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Moreira
- FCNAUP—Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- EPIUnit—Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Porto, Portugal
- CIAFEL—Centro de Investigação em Atividade Física, Saúde e Lazer, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Padrão
- FCNAUP—Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- EPIUnit—Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel Fonseca
- EPIUnit—Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Teresa F. Amaral
- FCNAUP—Faculdade de Ciências da Nutrição e Alimentação, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- UISPA, LAETA-INEGI—Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Rasse DP, Budai A, O’Toole A, Ma X, Rumpel C, Abiven S. Persistence in soil of Miscanthus biochar in laboratory and field conditions. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184383. [PMID: 28873471 PMCID: PMC5584961 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Evaluating biochars for their persistence in soil under field conditions is an important step towards their implementation for carbon sequestration. Current evaluations might be biased because the vast majority of studies are short-term laboratory incubations of biochars produced in laboratory-scale pyrolyzers. Here our objective was to investigate the stability of a biochar produced with a medium-scale pyrolyzer, first through laboratory characterization and stability tests and then through field experiment. We also aimed at relating properties of this medium-scale biochar to that of a laboratory-made biochar with the same feedstock. Biochars were made of Miscanthus biomass for isotopic C-tracing purposes and produced at temperatures between 600 and 700°C. The aromaticity and degree of condensation of aromatic rings of the medium-scale biochar was high, as was its resistance to chemical oxidation. In a 90-day laboratory incubation, cumulative mineralization was 0.1% for the medium-scale biochar vs. 45% for the Miscanthus feedstock, pointing to the absence of labile C pool in the biochar. These stability results were very close to those obtained for biochar produced at laboratory-scale, suggesting that upscaling from laboratory to medium-scale pyrolyzers had little effect on biochar stability. In the field, the medium-scale biochar applied at up to 25 t C ha-1 decomposed at an estimated 0.8% per year. In conclusion, our biochar scored high on stability indices in the laboratory and displayed a mean residence time > 100 years in the field, which is the threshold for permanent removal in C sequestration projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P. Rasse
- Department of Soil Quality and Climate Change, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
- * E-mail:
| | - Alice Budai
- Department of Soil Quality and Climate Change, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Adam O’Toole
- Department of Soil Quality and Climate Change, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
| | - Xingzhu Ma
- Institute of Soil Fertilizer and Environment Resource, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Cornelia Rumpel
- CNRS, IEES, UMR CNRS-INRA-UPMC-UPEC-IRD-ParisAgroTech, Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Samuel Abiven
- Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Antunes A, Frasquilho D, Cardoso G, Pereira N, Silva M, Caldas-de-Almeida JM, Ferrão J. Perceived effects of the economic recession on population mental health, well-being and provision of care by primary care users and professionals: a qualitative study protocol in Portugal. BMJ Open 2017; 7:e017032. [PMID: 28871022 PMCID: PMC5589016 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Economic recession periods can pose accentuated risks to population's mental health and well-being as well as additional threats to health systems. Users and health professionals are key stakeholders in care delivery; however, little attention has been given to their experiences of the crisis. This paper presents a qualitative study protocol to assess users' and health professionals' perceptions about the effects of the post-2008 economic recession on mental health and care delivery in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, Portugal. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The methodology to assess perceived effects of the economic recession by primary care users and professionals on population mental health, well-being and provision of care is presented. Focus groups with users and semistructured interviews with health professionals will be carried out in three primary healthcare units in Lisbon areas especially affected by the crisis. Thematic analysis of full-transcribed interviews will be conducted using an iterative and reflexive approach. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of NOVA Medical School, NOVA University of Lisbon. The findings will be useful for other researchers and policy-makers to develop and implement the assessment of prevailing experiences of users and health professionals on the effects of the economic recession on mental health and quality of care in primary health context, promoting their involvement and contribution to services responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Antunes
- Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CEDOC), NOVA Medical School | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NOVA University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Diana Frasquilho
- Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CEDOC), NOVA Medical School | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NOVA University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Graça Cardoso
- Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CEDOC), NOVA Medical School | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NOVA University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nádia Pereira
- Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Manuela Silva
- Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CEDOC), NOVA Medical School | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NOVA University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José Miguel Caldas-de-Almeida
- Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CEDOC), NOVA Medical School | Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NOVA University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João Ferrão
- Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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