Análise estratégica da internacionalização da APFF- Administração do Porto da Figueira da Foz

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Negócios Internacionais

Antioxidant potential of two Apiaceae plant extracts: a comparative study focused on the phenolic composition

The present study aimed to characterize the extracts prepared from Pimpinella anisum L. (anise) and Coriandrum sativum L. (coriander) (Apiaceae plants) seeds in terms of phenolic composition, and to correlate the obtained profiles with the antioxidant activity. Anise gave the highest abundance in phenolic compounds (42.09± 0.11 mg/g extract), mainly flavonoids (28.08±0.17 mg/g extract) and phenolic acids (14.01±0.06 mg/g extract), and also the highest antioxidant potential, accessed for the ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation and -carotene bleaching, reducing power and free radical scavenger activity. Apigenin and luteolin derivatives, as also caffeoylquinic acid derivatives appear to be directly related with the higher in vitro antioxidant potential of the anise extract.. In contrast, the weak antioxidant potential of coriander seems to be due to their lower abundance in phenolic compounds (2.24±0.01 mg/g extract). Further studies are necessary to evaluate the in vivo antioxidant potential of the tested extracts, but the performed in vitro experiments highlight them as potential health promoters.

The synthesis of new 6-hydrazinopurines as potential anticancer agents

[Excerpt] Purines, such as adenine, are one of the most important naturally occurring nitrogen heterocycles and they are frequently used as bioactive agents.[1,2] The increasing number of synthetic purines reveals the great potential of these compounds as enzyme inhibitors. Protein Kinases have an important regulatory role in cell proliferation, differentiation and signalling processes. Abnormal signal transduction is responsible for devastating diseases such as cancer. All of the protein kinases identified have in common the cofactor ATP indicating that the adenine nucleus is a very important scaffold for discovery of new anti-cancer agents.[3,4] Previous work identified a modest anticancer activity in a family of 6-arylaminopurines. In the view of these results, it seemed reasonable to assume that some interesting anticancer agents might result by replacement of the phenyl group by a secondary amino group linked to the N-6 atom of the adenine moiety. (...)

Cost-efficient one-part alkali-activated mortars with low global warming potential for floor heating systems applications

Increasing building energy efficiency is one the most cost-effective ways to reduce emissions. The use of thermal insulation materials mitigates heat loss in buildings, therefore minimising heat energy needs. In recent years, several papers were published on the subject of foam alkali-activated cements with enhanced thermal conductivity. However, on those papers cost analysis was strangely avoided. This paper presents experimental results on one-part alkali-activated cements. It also includes global warming potential assessment and cost analysis. Foam one-part alkali-activated cements cost simulations considering two carbon dioxide social costs scenarios are also included. The results show that one-part alkali-activated cements mixtures based on 26%OPC + 58.3%FA + 8%CS + 7.7%CH and 3.5% hydrogen peroxide constitute a promising cost-efficient (67 euro/m3), thermal insulation solution for floor heating systems. This mixture presents a low global warming potential of 443 KgCO2eq/m3. The results confirm that in both carbon dioxide social cost scenarios the mixture 26 OPC + 58.3 FA + 8 CS + 7.7 CH with 3.5% hydrogen peroxide foaming agent is still the most cost efficient.

Organização e gestão da manutencão de ferramentas numa empresa de produção de peças metálicas

Dissertação de mestrado Engenharia e Gestão da Qualidade

Análise comparativa do consumo de biomassa para fins energéticos

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Mecânica

Evolving hallmarks in urothelial bladder cancer: unveiling potential biomarkers

Urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC), the most frequent type (90%) of bladder cancer and the second most common malignancy of the urogenital region, is a relatively well understood type of cancer, with numerous studies concerning pathogenetic pathways, natural history and bladder tumor biology being reported. Despite this, it continues to remain a challenge in the oncology field, mostly due to its relapsing and progressive nature, and to the heterogeneity in the response to cisplatin-containing regimens. Although the formulae based on clinical staging and histopathological parameters are classically used as diagnostic and prognostic tools, they have proven insufficient to characterize the individual biological features and clinical behaviour of the tumours. Understanding the pathobiology of the disease can add important information to these classical criteria, and contribute to accurately predict outcome and individualize therapy for UBC patients. In this line of investigation, we found that tumour angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, the process of invasion and metastasis and the energy metabolism reprogramming/tumour microenvironment encompass several potential biomarkers that seem to infl bladder cancer aggressiveness and chemoresistance. We particularly highlight the roles of lymphovascular invasion, and of RKIP, CD147 and MCT1 immunoexpressions, as relevant prognostic and/or predictive biomarkers, and as promising areas of therapeutic intervention, eliciting for the development of additional studies that can validate and further explore these biomarkers.

Copper toxicity for Scinax ruber and Rhinella granulosa (Amphibia: Anura) of the Amazon: Potential of Biotic Ligand Model to predict toxicity in urban streams

In the last years many populations of anurans have declined and extinctions have been recorded. They were related to environmental pollution, changes of land use and emerging diseases. The main objective of this study was to determine copper sensitivity of the anuran of the Amazon Rhinella granulosa and Scinax ruber tadpoles at stage 25 and Scinax ruber eggs exposed for 96 h to copper concentrations ranging from 15 µg Cu L-1 to 94 µg Cu L-1. LC50 at 96 h of Rhinella granulosa Gosner 25, Scinax ruber Gosner 25 and Scinax ruber eggs in black water of the Amazon were 23.48, 36.37 and 50.02 µg Cu L-1, respectively. The Biotic Ligand Model was used to predict the LC50 values for these species and it can be considered a promising tool for these tropical species and water conditions. Copper toxicity depends on water physical-chemical composition and on the larval stage of the tadpoles. The Gosner stage 19-21 (related to the appearance of external gills) is the most vulnerable and the egg stage is the most resistant. In case of contamination by copper, the natural streams must have special attention, since copper is more bioavailable.

Evaluation of natural fibers from brazilian malvaceae family and its potential as reinforced composites

This study compares the physicochemical characteristics of six species from Brazilian Malvaceae family with natural fibers of recognized applicability in the industry. The objective of the present study is present the physicochemical characterization of six Brazilian vegetal fibers: Sida rhombifolia L.; Sida carpinifolia L. f.; Sidastrum paniculatum (L.) Fryxell; Sida cordifolia L.; Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Gurck; Wissadula subpeltata (Kuntze) R.E.Fries. Respectively the two first species are from Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome and the four remaining from Brazilian Cerrado biome, despite of present in other regions of the plane

Carbon materials as new generation of new electron shuttles for the anaerobic degradation of environmental xenobiotics

Tese de Doutoramento em Engenharia Química e Biológica

Modelação, simulação e implementação de agitação acústica para aplicações em microfluídica

Tese de Doutoramento (Programa Doutoral em Engenharia Biomédica)

O setor de distribuição farmacêutica em Portugal estrutura e estratégias

A presente investigação desenvolveu uma análise profunda do setor da distribuição farmacêutica, no período compreendido entre 2000 e 2009, procurando identificar as possíveis relações de interdependência entre o meio envolvente e as opções de estratégia das empresas que constituíram a amostra de estudo e entre as referidas opções de estratégia e as estruturas e o desempenho dessas empresas. A dinâmica do mercado do medicamento na economia nacional, com um valor de 3,2 mil milhões de euros anuais (Infarmed, 2010), apresenta um impacto significativo na esperança de vida e na qualidade de vida dos cidadãos. Segundo a OCDE, os produtos farmacêuticos são responsáveis por quase um quinto de todos os gastos com saúde, em média, nos países da OCDE. Neste contexto, a distribuição farmacêutica representa uma componente crítica. A disponibilização de medicamentos em ambulatório num curto espaço de tempo só é possível devido a uma estrutura logística com características muito específicas. A qualidade do armazenamento e do transporte dos medicamentos desde a saída dos laboratórios até à chegada às farmácias é rigorosamente monitorizada e controlada. O setor da distribuição farmacêutica assume assim uma postura elementar na cadeia do medicamento, contribuindo para a melhoria da qualidade do sistema de saúde que se tem vindo a verificar nas últimas décadas e prestando um serviço com valor para a comunidade, uma vez que se compromete a assegurar um adequado e contínuo fornecimento de medicamentos para que as necessidades dos doentes e das populações em geral sejam satisfeitas. As alterações verificadas ao longo dos últimos anos estimularam a dinâmica concorrencial entre os diferentes agentes neste mercado, bastante regulamentado e com elevado entrosamento financeiro com o Estado, o que obrigou a rápidas mudanças. Neste contexto, a sobrevivência das empresas, o seu crescimento e a sua perenidade futura têm constituído um desafio abordado de forma diversa por cada empresa.

Avaliação do desempenho ambiental do aglomerado negro de cortiça

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Civil

Divulgação de boas práticas como estratégia de marketing na construção

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Civil

Chondrogenic potential of injectable κ-carrageenan hydrogel with encapsulated adipose stem cells for cartilage tissue-engineering applications

Due to the limited self-repair capacity of cartilage, regenerative medicine therapies for the treatment of cartilage defects must use a significant amount of cells, preferably applied using a hydrogel system that can promise their delivery and functionality at the specific site. This paper discusses the potential use of k-carrageenan hydrogels for the delivery of stem cells obt ained from adipose tissue in the treatment of cartilage tissue defects. The developed hydrogels were produced by an ionotropic gelation met hod and human adipose stem cells (hASCs) were encapsulated in 1.5% w/v k-carrageenan solution at a cell density of 5  10 6 cells/ml. The results from the analysis of the cell-encapsulating hydrogels, cultured for up to 21 days, indicated that k-carrageenan hydrogels support the viability, proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of hASCs. Additionally, the mec hanical analysis demonstrated an increase in stiffness and viscoelastic properties of k-carrageenan gels with their encapsulated cells with increasing time in culture with chondrogenic medium. These results allowed the conclusion that k-carrageenan exhibits properties t hat enable the in vitro functionality of encapsulated hASCs and thus may provide the basis for new successful approaches for the treatment of cartilage defects.