Determinação da qualidade do fruto em citrinos de diferentes modos de produção

Dissertação mest., Agricultura Sustentável, Universidade do Algarve, 2007

Caracterização fisiológica e nutritiva da clorose férrica em citrinos

Tese dout., Ciências Agrárias, Produção Vegetal, Unidade de Ciências e Tecnologias Agrárias, Universidade do Algarve, 2000

Pomegranate liquor preparation and analysis

The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) liquor has been produced for several centuries in the south of Portugal, mainly in the mountain areas. The “Assaria” variety is the preferred cultivar due to its organoleptic properties and high arils to peel ratio. Wild pomegranates are also widely distributed but, despite the health benefits that have been associated to the fruits, they continue to be unappreciated for consumption. Liquor preparation is a very good alternative for wild pomegranate fruits. We prepared pomegranate liquors by following a maceration procedure using the arils or juice of Assaria and wild pomegranate fruits. Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) fruit spirits were used to prepare the liquors. At the end of the maceration time 5 day as minimum sugar syrup was added. The maturation period was three months or longer. The obtained liquors showed a very attractive pink colour. The colour and the total polyphenol, as well as the anthocyanin and ellagitannin profiles, were measured at the end of the maceration and maturation times. Wild pomegranates gave rise liquors with more intense pink colour and higher polyphenol contents than the prepared using Assaria fruits. The anthocyanin and ellagitannin profiles also indicated higher contents of polyphenols for liquors prepared using wild pomegranate fruits. When juice is used instead of complete arils during the maceration period punicalin is not present and the consequently total polyphenols is low. The main anthocyanins identified in the liquors were delphinidin-3,5-diglucoside, cyaniding-3,5-diglucoside, delphinidin–3-glucoside, cyaniding–3-glucoside, pelargonidin–3–glucoside; the main ellagitannins were punicalagin and punicalin.

Molecular characterization of Gla-rich protein (GRP) gene expression and function

Gla-rich protein (GRP) is a vitamin K-dependent protein related to bone and cartilage recently described. This protein is characterized by a large number of Gla (γ-carboxyglutamic acid) residues being the protein with the highest Gla content of any known protein. It was found in a widely variety of tissues but highest levels was found in skeletal and cartilaginous tissues. This small secreted protein was also expressed and accumulated in soft tissues and it was clearly associated with calcification pathologies in the same tissues. Although the biological importance of GRP remains to be elucidated, it was suggested a physiological role in cartilage development and calcification process during vertebrate skeleton formation. Using zebrafish, an accepted model to study skeletal development, we have described two grp paralog genes, grp1 and grp2, which exhibited distinct patterns of expression, suggesting different regulatory pathways for each gene. Gene synteny analysis showed that grp2 gene is more closely related to tetrapod grp, although grp1 gene was proposed to be the vertebrate ortholog by sequence comparison. In addition, we identified a functional promoter of grp2 gene and using a functional approach we confirmed the involvement of transcription factors from Sox family (Sox9b and Sox10) in the regulation of grp2 expression. In an effort to provide more information about the function of grp isoforms, we generated two zebrafish transgenic lines capable to overexpress conditionally grp genes and possible roles in the skeleton development were studied. To better understand GRP function a mammalian system was used and the analysis of knockout mice showed that GRP is involved in chondrocyte maturation and the absence of GRP is associated to proteoglycans loss in calcified articular cartilage. In addition, we detected differences in chondrogenesis markers in articular chondrocyte primary culture. Overall, our data suggest a main role for GRP on chondrocyte differentiation.

Potential biomarkers on gametogenesis process and in sperm quality of european EEL (Anguilla anguilla)

Dissertação de mestrado, Aquacultura, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2015

The effect of stress on egg quality in farmed Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua L.)

Dissertação de mestrado, Aquacultura, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2011