11 resultados para Maria II, Queen of Portugal, 1819-1853

em Instituto Politécnico de Bragança


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This paper analyses the intermediary role of the technical bodies that support the use of budgetary and financial information by central government politicians in Portugal. The main findings show that information brokers are playing a central role in preparing this information in a credible, simple and understandable way. However, even if not intentionally, the information they present can be biased. Politicians need to be aware that the information brokers they rely on may not be giving them ‘neutral’ information.

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Counts of total viable mesophilic bacteria (TVC), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Microccocaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, in traditional Portuguese dry sausages from two industrial producers, were compared in batter and final product. During the production process, the TVC increased significantly, most likely due to the multiplication of fermentative flora. Enterobacteriaceae decreased from batter to final product while the S. aureus increased. Great variability was verified in detection of L. monocytogenes both between batches and industrial producers

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Repeat photography is an efficient, effective and useful method to identify trends of changes in the landscapes. It was used to illustrate long-term changes occurring in the landscapes. In the Northeast of Portugal, landscapes changes is currently driven mostly by agriculture abandonment and agriculture and energy policy. However, there is a need to monitoring changes in the region using a multitemporal and multiscale approach. This project aimed to establish an online repository of oblique digital photography from the region to be used to register the condition of the landscape as recorded in historical and contemporary photography over time as well as to support qualitative and quantitative assessment of change in the landscape using repeat photography techniques and methods. It involved the development of a relational database and a series of web-based services using PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor language, and the development of an interface, with Joomla, of pictures uploading and downloading by users. The repository will make possible to upload, store, search by location, theme, or date, display, and download pictures for Northeastern Portugal. The website service is devoted to help researchers to obtain quickly the photographs needed to apply RP through a developed search engine. It can be accessed at: http://esa.ipb.pt/digitalandscape/.

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Mushrooms are known as a powerful source of bioactive compounds including antioxidants, inhibitors of human tumour cell lines growth, inducers of apoptosis and enhancers of immunity. Indeed, many pre-clinical studies have been conducted in human tumour cell lines and in some cases a number of compounds isolated from mushrooms have followed to clinical trials. The Northeast of Portugal is one of the European regions with higher wild mushrooms diversity. However, to our knowledge, no studies had been conducted so far to verify their bioactivities. The main aim of this work was the evaluation of the bioactive properties (antioxidant properties and growth inhibitory potential on human tumour cell lines) of wild edible mushrooms collected in the Northeast of Portugal. Once properly identified, methanolic, ethanolic and boiling water extracts were prepared from thirty eight wild mushroom species collected in that region. Chemical characterization was obtained by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to a photodiode array detector (DAD) or to a refraction index detector (RI). Antioxidant activity assays were carried out in those extracts, including evaluation of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals scavenging capacity, reducing power and inhibition of β-carotene bleaching. Extract-induced cell growth inhibition was assessed with the sulforhodamine B assay in four human tumour cell lines (NCI-H460 - lung cancer, MCF-7 -breast cancer, HCT-15 -colon cancer and AGS - gastric cancer). The effects on cell cycle profile and apoptosis were evaluated by flow cytometry and the effect on the expression levels of proteins related to cell cycle and apoptosis was further investigated by Western blotting. Three wild edible mushroom species revealed growth inhibitory activity in the studied human tumour cell lines: Clitocybe alexandri ethanolic extract, Lepista inversa methanolic extract and Suillus collinitus methanolic extract. C. alexandri ethanolic extract induced an S-phase cell cycle arrest and increased the percentage of apoptotic cells, in the NCI-H460 cell line. The analysed mushroom species also provided interesting antioxidant potential, mainly the boiling water extract of L. inversa which showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power and β-carotene bleaching inhibition. S. collinitus methanolic extract induced a slight increase in the number of cells in G1, with a concomitant decrease in the percentage of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle and an increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells, in the MCF-7 cell line. The combined use of the S. collinitus methanolic extract and etoposide caused a greater decrease in the percentage of cell growth, when compared to either of them used individually, indicating the potential benefit of this combination. The tested extracts were chemically characterized and protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric and cinnamic acids were the main compounds identified on the phenolic (methanolic and ethanolic) extracts, while mannitol, trehalose and arabinose were the main sugars found in the polysaccharidic (boiling water) extracts after hydrolysis. The individual compounds identified in the extracts were submitted to a screening of tumour cells growth inhibitory activity, but only the phenolic acids and a related compound, cinnamic acid, presented activity. This compound was found to be the most potent one regarding cell growth inhibition in the NCI-H460 cell line. The effect of the individual and combined treatment with the identified compounds was also evaluated. Cinnamic and protochatequic acids caused a statistically significantly reduction in the number of viable cells. In addition, p-hydroxybenzoic acid did not show any significantly reduction in the viable cell number. Nevertheless, it was verified that the concomitant use of the three compounds provided the strongest decrease in the viable cell number, suggesting a possible concomitant effect of those compounds. Overall, the present work has contributed to further understand the bioactive potential of wild edible mushrooms from the Northeast of Portugal. This study allowed to identify some species with antioxidant or tumour cell growth inhibitory potential.

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O presente trabalho servirá de apoio aos turistas e visitantes, facilitando-lhes o acesso aos produtos artesanais que mantêm vivas as nossas seculares tradições. Foi neste sentido que, com este trabalho, procuramos ampliar a fonte de conhecimentos humanos, principalmente sobre a temática artesanato como produto turístico de excelência, para que este possa constituir uma fonte de informação no âmbito do Marketing Turístico, contribuindo, de forma cabal, para o aumento da sua procura gerando mais rendimento, de forma sustentável, beneficiando social e economicamente as comunidades. Lamenta-se que o Município do Porto não faça parte deste trabalho, dado não facultar qualquer informação sobre o artesanato aí desenvolvido, nem haver uma base de dados sobre possíveis artesãos que eventualmente possam desenvolver esta atividade. Considerando esta limitação, o presente estudo envolveu 85 Municípios dos 86 que constituem a Nuts II Norte.

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The demand for natural sweeteners has been gaining more and more importance due to the great controversy associated with the use of some synthetic sweeteners as cyclamates, aspartame and acesulfame-K. The steviol glycosides (E 960) are a group of natural sweeteners of generalized use; these compounds are obtained from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, a sweet plant native from South America (Carocho et al., 2015). However, Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni may have other uses to be exploited, in particular due to its antioxidant capacity. This plant is already produced in Portugal but it is important to evaluate if the plant chemical composition is maintained regardless of culture conditions. Therefore, in this study, stevia samples were cultivated in Braganca (northeastern of Portugal) in a field trial with defined culture conditions. After harvesting, the plants were submitted to two different treatments: kept fresh by freezing (-20°C) and oven-dried (30°C). The antioxidant profile of the samples was studied through evaluation of free radicals scavenging activity, reducing power, phenolic compounds (HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS), tocopherols (HPLC-fluorescence) and free sugars (HPLC-RI). Significant differences were observed: while oven-dried samples showed the highest antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds concentration (mainly 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid and 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid), the frozen fresh samples had the highest values of total tocopherols and total sugars. These results confirm that the plants grown in Bragança have excellent bioactive secondary metabolites responsible for the observed antioxidant capacity.

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Aim of the study: To introduce and describe FlorNExT®, a free cloud computing application to estimate growth and yield of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) even-aged stands in the Northeast of Portugal (NE Portugal). Area of study: NE Portugal. Material and methods: FlorNExT® implements a dynamic growth and yield modelling framework which integrates transition functions for dominant height (site index curves) and basal area, as well as output functions for tree and stand volume, biomass, and carbon content. Main results: FlorNExT® is freely available from any device with an Internet connection at: http://flornext.esa.ipb.pt/. Research highlights: This application has been designed to make it possible for any stakeholder to easily estimate standing volume, biomass, and carbon content in maritime pine stands from stand data, as well as to estimate growth and yield based on four stand variables: age, density, dominant height, and basal area. FlorNExT® allows planning thinning treatments. FlorNExT® is a fundamental tool to support forest mobilization at local and regional scales in NE Portugal. Material and methods: FlorNExT® implements a dynamic growth and yield modelling framework which integrates transition functions for dominant height (site index curves) and basal area, as well as output functions for tree and stand volume, biomass, and carbon content. Main results: FlorNExT® is freely available from any device with an Internet connection at: http://flornext.esa.ipb.pt/. Research highlights: This application has been designed to make it possible for any stakeholder to easily estimate standing volume, biomass, and carbon content in maritime pine stands from stand data, as well as to estimate growth and yield based on four stand variables: age, density, dominant height, and basal area. FlorNExT® allows planning thinning treatments. FlorNExT® is a fundamental tool to support forest mobilization at local and regional scales in NE Portugal.

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The trees, hedgerows and woods are current configuration of the tree network in several ecological regions of the world. In Trás–os–Montes region, Northeast of Portugal, they are a traditional component of Terra fria landscape and they could be seen in several forms: scatter trees, fencerows, small woodlots, riparian buffer strips, among others. The extensive livestock systems in this region are based on a set of circuits across the landscape. In this practice, flocks interacts with these structures using them for different functions inducing an influence on the itineraries. Our purpose will be focused on the woody features of landscape regarding their configurations, abundance and spacial distribution; in order to examine how the grazing systems depends on the currency of these formations; particularly how species flocks behaviors are related on. Depending on spatial data, The investigation attain to compare the tree network within the agriculture matrix, to the grazed territory crossed by flocks. From the other side, the importance of spatial data on interpreting the issue by suggesting different parameter that may influence the circuits. The recognition of the pressure exerciced by the occurence of the woody structures on the grazed circuits is possible. We believe that the role of these woody structures features in supporting the tradicional silvopastoral systems has been sufficiently strong for change their distribution pattern.

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Watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.) is a semi-aquatic plant of the Brassicaceae family highly appreciated in the Mediterranean cuisine. It features sharp, peppery and slightly tangy taste and contains health-promoting phytochemicals. Its consumption as a fresh-cut product has increased in recent years, as well as the global market of minimally processed vegetables. This demand is driven by the growing interest in the role of food in promoting the human health and wellbeing and to meet consumer needs for fresh-like and more convenient foods. Due to the reduced shelf-life of this plant, the suitability of inert gas-enriched atmospheres and ionizing irradiation for preserving visual, nutritional and functional quality attributes during cold storage was studied. Watercress samples were gathered in the Northeast region of Portugal, rinsed in tap water and a portion was immediately analyzed (non-stored control). The remaining fresh material was packaged in polyethylene bags under N2- and Ar-enriched atmospheres, conventional atmosphere (air) and vacuum (no atmosphere). Samples under conventional atmosphere were irradiated at 1, 2 and 5 kGy of gamma-rays (predicted doses) in a 60Co experimental chamber. A non-irradiated control followed all the experiment. Then, all packaged samples were stored at 4 ºC for 7 days. The studied quality parameters included the colour that was measured with a Konica Minolta colorimeter, and total soluble solids and pH determined in squeezed juice. The proximate composition (moisture, proteins, fat, ash, carbohydrates and energy) was evaluated using the AOA C procedures. Organic acids, free sugars, fatty acids and tocopherols were analyzed by chromatographic techniques. Samples were also evaluated for its DPPH• scavenging activity, reducing power, and lipid peroxidation inhibition capacity trough the inhibition of the β-carotene bleaching and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBAR S) formation. Differences among treatments were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANO VA) and a linear discriminant analysis (LDA ) was used to evaluate the effects on the overall postharvest quality. After evaluating the effect on the individual quality parameters, the LDA revealed that the Ar-enriched atmosphere and the irradiation at 2 kGy were suitable processing choices for preserving the integrity of the non-stored control samples during cold storage. Thus, these non-thermal treatments were highlighted for shelf-life extension of fresh-cut watercress.

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After harvest, plants remain living organisms with the capacity to carry out metabolic processes. Thus, from the moment they are detached from the source of nutrients, they become entirely dependent on their own organic reserves [1]. Postharvest changes cannot be stopped, but they can be slowed within certain limits. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects induced by storage in the profiles of sugars, organic acids and tocopherols of two leafy vegetables. Wild samples of watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.) and buckler sorrel (Rumex induratus Boiss. & Reut.), from the Northeastern region of Portugal, were analyzed after harvest (control) and after storage in sterilized packages (using the passive modification mode) at 4ºC for 7 or 12 days, respectively. Analyses were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using different detectors, i.e., a refraction index detector (RID) for free sugars, a photodiode array detector (PDA) for organic acids, and a fluorescence (FP) detector for tocopherols. The storage time decreased the levels of fructose, glucose and total sugars in both leafy vegetables and increased the total organic acids content. The decrease of these sugars can be related to its use by the plant to produce the required energy. Ascorbic acid was detected in buckler sorrel and decreased with storage; while the amount of malic acid increased in both species. Curiously, all the tocopherol isoforms increased in watercress, while buckler sorrel just present higher values of γ- and δ- tocopherols. In fact, the de novo synthesis of these bioactives compounds can be a plant strategy to fight against the reactive species that are produced during storage. The knowledge of the behavior of these compounds during storage that was achieved with this study [2] may contribute to the development of more effective preservation strategies for leafy vegetables.

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Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) is the second most important vegetable crop worldwide and a key component in the so-called “Mediterranean diet”. In the Northeastern region of Portugal, local populations still prefer to consume traditional tomato varieties which they find very tasty and healthy, as they are grown using extensive farming techniques. A previous study of our research team described the nutritional value of the round (batateiro), long (comprido), heart (coração) and yellow (amarelo) tomato varieties [1], but the phenolic profile was unknown until now. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterize the phenolic profiles of these four tomato farmers’ varieties by using HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS and evaluate its antioxidant capacity through four in vitro assays based on different reaction mechanisms. A cis p-coumaric acid derivative was the most abundant compound in yellow and round tomato varieties, while 4-O-caffeolyquinic acid was the most abundant in long and heart varieties. The most abundant flavonoid was quercetin pentosylrutinoside in the four tomato varieties. Yellow tomato presented the highest levels of phenolic compounds, including phenolic acids and flavonoids, but the lowest antioxidant activity. In turn, the round tomato gave the best results in all the antioxidant activity assays. This study demonstrated that these tomato farmers’ varieties are a source of phenolic compounds, mainly phenolic acid derivatives [2], and possess high antioxidant capacity [1]; being thus key elements in the diet to prevent chronic degenerative diseases associated to oxidative stress, such as cancer and coronary artery disease.