Quantificação de polifosfatos no bacalhau. Validação de um método de análise

O bacalhau (Gadus morhua) faz parte da dieta alimentar dos portugueses há vários séculos, sendo atualmente, um dos maiores consumidores deste peixe a nível mundial. Após o processo de salga, esta espécie possui características únicas como a consistência, cheiro, paladar e cor amarela. É precisamente devido à coloração do peixe que alguns produtores da Islândia, Noruega e Dinamarca requisitaram às autoridades da União Europeia (UE) a aprovação da utilização de polifosfatos no processo de salga húmida do bacalhau. Os polifosfatos são aditivos alimentares bastante usados no processamento do pescado pois previnem a oxidação dos lípidos e proteínas do músculo do bacalhau, evitando assim a indesejada mudança de cor do peixe. Apesar dos esforços da Associação dos Industriais do Bacalhau (AIB) e do governo português para a rejeição da proposta nórdica, tal não se verificou. Deste modo, no início do próximo ano já será possível a venda na UE de bacalhau com fosfatos. A quantificação do teor de fosfatos no bacalhau é geralmente efetuada por Espetrofotometria de absorção molecular no ultravioleta-visível (UV-Visível). Esta quantificação é baseada no método de determinação do fósforo total, através da hidrólise dos fosfatos a ortofosfatos com posterior medição da cor amarela, gerada pela reação destes com uma solução de molibdato-vanadato. O objetivo desta dissertação foi a validação de um método de análise para a quantificação dos polifosfatos no bacalhau. O método validado foi o descrito na norma NP 4495 para produtos de pesca e aquicultura. O desenvolvimento deste trabalho foi realizado em laboratório acreditado para águas e produtos alimentares (Equilibrium - Laboratório de Controlo de Qualidade e de Processos Lda, L0312). Foi ainda determinada a influência do teor de cloreto de sódio na quantificação dos polifosfatos e o teor de humidade, uma vez que este pode afetar o produto durante a sua comercialização. No processo de validação do método foram estudados diversos parâmetros, tais como a seletividade, linearidade, sensibilidade, limite de quantificação e precisão. Pela análise dos resultados obtidos conclui-se que o método para determinação de fosfatos no bacalhau se encontra validado, uma vez que satisfaz todas as especificações determinadas para cada parâmetro de validação avaliado.

Conceptualização de um evento à luz do brand entertainment e ativação de marcas

Trabalho de projeto apresentado à Escola Superior de Comunicação Social como parte dos requisitos para obtenção de grau de mestre em Publicidade e Marketing.

Phonological development in relation to native language and literacy: Variations on a theme in six alphabetic orthographies

Phonological development was assessed in six alphabetic orthographies (English, French, Greek, Icelandic, Portuguese and Spanish) at the beginning and end of the first year of reading instruction. The aim was to explore contrasting theoretical views regarding: the question of the availability of phonology at the outset of learning to read (Study 1); the influence of orthographic depth on the pace of phonological development during the transition to literacy (Study 2); and the impact of literacy instruction (Study 3). Results from 242 children did not reveal a consistent sequence of development as performance varied according to task demands and language. Phonics instruction appeared more influential than orthographic depth in the emergence of an early meta-phonological capacity to manipulate phonemes, and preliminary indications were that cross-linguistic variation was associated with speech rhythm more than factors such as syllable complexity. The implications of the outcome for current models of phonological development are discussed.

Electrohysterogram signal component cataloging with spectral and time-frequency methods

The Electrohysterogram (EHG) is a new instrument for pregnancy monitoring. It measures the uterine muscle electrical signal, which is closely related with uterine contractions. The EHG is described as a viable alternative and a more precise instrument than the currently most widely used method for the description of uterine contractions: the external tocogram. The EHG has also been indicated as a promising tool in the assessment of preterm delivery risk. This work intends to contribute towards the EHG characterization through the inventory of its components which are: • Contractions; • Labor contractions; • Alvarez waves; • Fetal movements; • Long Duration Low Frequency Waves; The instruments used for cataloging were: Spectral Analysis, parametric and non-parametric, energy estimators, time-frequency methods and the tocogram annotated by expert physicians. The EHG and respective tocograms were obtained from the Icelandic 16-electrode Electrohysterogram Database. 288 components were classified. There is not a component database of this type available for consultation. The spectral analysis module and power estimation was added to Uterine Explorer, an EHG analysis software developed in FCT-UNL. The importance of this component database is related to the need to improve the understanding of the EHG which is a relatively complex signal, as well as contributing towards the detection of preterm birth. Preterm birth accounts for 10% of all births and is one of the most relevant obstetric conditions. Despite the technological and scientific advances in perinatal medicine, in developed countries, prematurity is the major cause of neonatal death. Although various risk factors such as previous preterm births, infection, uterine malformations, multiple gestation and short uterine cervix in second trimester, have been associated with this condition, its etiology remains unknown [1][2][3].

The traditions of the Hopi, by H. R. Voth -- George A. Dorsey --

v.8(1905)

Traditions of the Osage, by George A. Dorsey --

v.7:no.1(1904)

Traditions of the Crows, by S. C. Simms.

v.2:no.6(1903)

Aspectos da fitofisionomia do Sul do Estado de Mato Grosso

The Brazilian Institute for Agrarian Reform is promoting researches on soil fertility in southern Mato Grosso, complemented by a survey of the main types of vegetation. The data obtained were also to be used to build up the legends for the map of vegetation. Photos were taken by the authors and botanical material collected in order to permit the identification of important species. Observations made led to the above table of main physiognomies.

La literatura popular del nord del Marroc

Treball de recerca realitzat per una alumna d'ensenyament secundari i guardonat amb un Premi CIRIT per fomentar l'esperit cientí¬fic del Jovent l'any 2009. L’objectiu d’aquest treball és fer un recull de literatura de transmissió oral i reunir d’aquesta manera les històries, els contes, les llegendes. etc. que els avis de l’autora li contaven. Un dels objectius era que servís alhora de mitjà de coneixement per a tots els nens i nenes que, tenint un origen marroquí o berber, han nascut a Catalunya, per la qual cosa no han tingut accés a aquest tipus de literatura. Ja que, per una banda han estat sempre escolaritzats en català, i per l altra la font de coneixement que suposen els avis s ha quedat al Marroc. Aquests nens tenen poc coneixement sobre la seva cultura d’origen i més si aquesta gaudeix de poc valor.

Photographic art and dealing with death

Recently, we were faced with a request from a student photographer who wanted to take pictures of bodies donated to our institute and used for dissection courses for medical students or for scientific purposes. Students are expressly forbidden to take pictures in the dissection hall; however, we allowed this student photographer to do her diploma work in our institute. The reason why she was proposing such a topic was that her brother died young and her parents donated his body to science. To overcome this loss of a loved one, she wanted to know what happens to the donated bodies. She followed the procedure of embalming and different dissections that took place during the summer semester and she took pictures throughout. The outcome of this work was a very nice photographic document, called 'dissection', a book with many pictures but no figure legends. The image document shows the different steps in the preparation and preservation of bodies and the work of an anatomist in the dissection hall. As we impose rules on our students, we had also to give directives in the use of the photographs taken, especially for a photographer who will use the most prominent pictures for exhibitions, i.e. that the pictures do not show names or are used for publication on the internet, or show identification numbers of cadavers, or give indication ofn the institution and are relatively anonymous. This story tells how one can deal with death and at the same time advance one's personal career. The author represents the Swiss Anatomical Society SGAHE and is supported by the Swiss Academy of Science, ScNat.

Història i llegenda de Bernat I Unifred de Ribagorça

La pràctica consisteix a crear una pàgina web monogràfica sobre Bernat I -Unifred, que va exercir les funcions comtals a la Ribagorça (920 -950) i va generar al voltant de la seva figura la llegenda de Bernat de Ribagorça, entre d'altres. Dins aquest context, es vol relacionar la història amb la llegenda de Bernat de Ribagorça.

Del drac als xucladors passant per Katiuska... : Llegendes a vora de l'estany de Banyoles

Treball final de carrera on es planteja en primer lloc, una recerca bibliogràfica que permet veure quin tractament han fet de les llegendes les fonts escrites. En la gran majoria, autors locals, tot i que també és significativa, i rellevant, la inclusió de fonts d'autors de fora. Per altra banda, per entendre la vitalitat que puguin tenir encara ara les llegendes, es fa un treball de camp basat sobretot en dos col·lectius que han semblat determinants: per una banda les persones grans, moltes de les quals encara les havien sentides exclusivament per font oral, i per l'altra els escolars, per veure si encara les coneixien o ja s'anava perdent.

Health effects of volcano ash cloud

The Public Health Agency is advising that the plume of volcanic ash over the north Atlantic is not currently a risk to public health in Northern Ireland. The previous eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull Icelandic volcano in April 2010 had no impact on public health in the UK and a study of respiratory and related symptoms reported to GPs in the UK in 2010 showed no unusual increases during the period in which the volcanic dust from Iceland was present in the atmosphere.In view of the present dynamic weather conditions across the UK the PHA is liaising closely with health protection colleagues in England, Scotland, Wales and the Met Office in relation to the latest available scientific information on the volcanic ash.For more information visit www.hpa.org.uk

Mosques, sants i política a la Catalunya moderna. L’episodi del setge de 1653

Repàs de les posteriors referències en documents d’arxiu al miracle de les mosques als setges de Girona

Tradició i llegenda: Sant Narcís i les mosques

Presentació d’un dossier que tracta l’acostament crític a la figura del bisbe Narcís i als prodigis que li han estat atribuïts, així com a la producció historiogràfica i artística que ha generat el mite