Repositório RCAAP

Considerando o carácter breve do depoimento solicitado, este organiza-se em tópicos, apresentados de forma propositadamente sumária e organizados em torno de duas preocupações essenciais: estabelecer as circunstâncias do desenvolvimento actual do campo da educação e formação de adultos; enunciar alguns desafios que este enfrenta para que se possa promover o direito dos adultos à educação.

This paper presents an overview on how the European Project Semester capstone programme offered by the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (EPS@ISEP) fosters learning by challenging engineering, business and product development undergraduates to address sustainability issues afflicting cities and communities nowadays. This will be done by analysing the reports and the learning journey of three multicultural and multidisciplinary EPS@ISEP teams during the design, development and test of a smart billboard, a self-oriented solar mirror and a level monitoring system for waste oil bins. These three projects were conducted within EPS@ISEP, a project-based learning framework dedicated to the development of key engineering skills, namely multidisciplinary teamwork, inter-cultural communication, ethical and sustainability-oriented problem-solving. The involved students contributed, not only, to make cities more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, one of UNESCO’s sustainable development goals, but learnt and practiced together sustainability-driven design, while searching for an innovative solution for a smart city problem. This conclusion is supported by the analysis of the content the three project reports.

Crowdsourced repositories have become an increasingly important source of information for users and businesses in multiple domains. Everyday examples of tourism crowdsourcing platforms focusing on accommodation, food or travelling in general, influence consumer behaviour in modern societies. These repositories, due to their intrinsic openness, can strongly benefit from independent data quality modelling mechanisms. In this context, building trust & reputation models of contributors and storing crowdsourced data using distributed ledger technology allows not only to ascertain the quality of crowdsourced contributions, but also ensures the integrity of the built models. This paper presents a survey on distributed trust & reputation modelling using blockchain technology and, for the specific case of tourism crowdsourcing platforms, discusses the open research problems and identifies future lines of research.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable and highly debilitating condition characterized by the progressive degeneration and/or death of nerve cells, which leads to manifestation of disabilities in cognitive functioning. In recent years, the development of biosensors for determination of AD's main biomarkers has made remarkable progress, particularly based on the tremendous advances in nanoscience and nanotechnology. The unique and outstanding properties of nanomaterials (such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, gold, silver and magnetic nanoparticles, polymers and quantum dots) have been contributing to enhance the electrochemical and optical behavior of transducers while offering a suitable matrix for the immobilization of biological recognition elements. Therefore, optical and electrochemical immuno- and DNA-biosensors with higher sensitivity, selectivity and longer stability have been reported. Nevertheless, strategies based on the detection of multiple analytes still need to be improved, as they will play a crucial role in minimizing misdiagnosis. This review aims to provide insights into the conjugation of nanomaterials with different transducers highlighting their crucial role in the construction of biosensors for detection of AD main biomarkers.

Controlled release of aromatic mixtures to the atmosphere is a requirement for scented systems for indoor applications. The product must smell nice, but also be able to last, slowly releasing the perfume over time. Several adsorption materials have been used, for this purpose. In this study, cork was investigated as a potential perfume adsorbent for application in scented drawer sachets and equivalent products. Cork was selected due to its adsorption properties and because it is a natural, renewable, sustainable material. Granulated cork is a significant by‐product in cork industries and it was chosen for adsorption in this work. Linalool, an enantiomeric monoterpene alcohol and one of the main components of several essential oils, was selected as the model compound for adsorption studies. Activated carbon (AC) was used as the reference material. The sorption of linalool to granulated cork and AC was evaluated by HS‐SPME‐GC‐FID. The linalool isotherm on cork was shown to follow a Brunauer‐Deming‐Deming and Teller, Type IV model. The isotherm data on AC can be adjusted to Langmuir and Freundlich models. A maximum adsorption capacity of 3.9x103μg/g was achieved for AC. Desorption studies were performed. Linalool was still released from granulated cork after three equilibrium stages of desorption, whereas only two desorption values were obtained for AC from the equilibrium with highest linalool concentration. Thus, AC demonstrated good adsorption but not good desorption properties. Sorption and desorption studies of linalool from granulated cork, showed that granulated cork could be an excellent material allowing controlled release of the aroma.

Subcritical water extraction (SWE) has become a popular green extraction technique for the isolation of different classes of compounds from natural matrices. Low price, safety and green character of water, good yields of target compounds and reduced energy consumption, make this technique favorable for potential industrial applications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of four medicinal plants traditionally used in folk medicine of Serbia. Black mulberry (Morus nigra L.), wall germander (Teucrium chamaedrys L.), wild geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum L.) and comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.) were extracted by subcritical water at different temperatures. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was defined by conventional spectrophotometric methods, such as the total phenolic content (TPC), DPPH-radical scavenging activity (DPPH-RSA), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assessed by a DNA-based sensor. Additionally, the main phenolic compounds contributing to the antioxidant activity of the produced extracts were also identified and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). Antimicrobial properties of extracts were evaluated against eight microbial strains. Furthermore, the cytotoxic activity was observed for two human cancer cell lines and a cell line derived from murine fibroblast.

According to the recent statistics, Salmonella is still an important public health issue in the whole world. Legislated reference methods, based on counting plate methods, are sensitive enough but are inadequate as an effective emergency response tool, and are far from a rapid device, simple to use out of lab. An overview of the commercially available rapid methods for Salmonella detection is provided along with a critical discussion of their limitations, benefits and potential use in a real context. The distinguished potentialities of electrochemical biosensors for the development of rapid devices are highlighted. The state-of-art and the newest technologic approaches in electrochemical biosensors for Salmonella detection are presented and a critical analysis of the literature is made in an attempt to identify the current challenges towards a complete solution for Salmonella detection in microbial food control based on electrochemical biosensors.

The amphibian skin plays an important role protecting the organism from external harmful factors such as microorganisms or UV radiation. Based on biorational strategies, many studies have investigated the cutaneous secretion of anurans as a source of bioactive molecules. By a peptidomic approach, a novel antioxidant peptide (AOP) with in vitro free radical scavenging ability was isolated from Physalaemus nattereri. The AOP, named antioxidin-I, has a molecular weight [M+H]+ = 1543.69Da and a TWYFITPYIPDK primary amino acid sequence. The gene encoding the antioxidin-I precursor was expressed in the skin tissue of three other Tropical frog species: Phyllomedusa tarsius, P. distincta and Pithecopus rohdei. cDNA sequencing revealed highly homologous regions (signal peptide and acidic region). Mature antioxidin-I has a novel primary sequence with low similarity compared with previously described amphibian's AOPs. Antioxidin-I adopts a random structure even at high concentrations of hydrophobic solvent, it has poor antimicrobial activity and poor performance in free radical scavenging assays in vitro, with the exception of the ORAC assay. However, antioxidin-I presented a low cytotoxicity and suppressed menadione-induced redox imbalance when tested with fibroblast in culture. In addition, it had the capacity to substantially attenuate the hypoxia-induced production of reactive oxygen species when tested in hypoxia exposed living microglial cells, suggesting a potential neuroprotective role for this peptide.

Fitness centres (FC) represent a unique indoor microenvironment. Exercising on regular basis provides countless health benefits and improves overall well-being, but if these facilities have poor indoor air quality, the respective exercisers might be subjected to some adverse risks. Considering the limited existent data, this work aimed to evaluate particulate pollution (PM10, PM2.5, and ultrafine particles - UFP) in indoor air of FC and to estimate the respective risks for occupants (both staff and exercising subjects). Sampling was conducted during 40 consecutive days of May-June 2014 in general fitness areas, studios and classrooms (for group activities) of four different fitness centres (FC1-FC4) situated within Oporto metropolitan area, Portugal. The results showed that across the four FC, PM10 ranged between 5 and 1080 μg m-3 with median concentrations (15-43 μg m-3) fulfilling the limit (50 μg m-3) of Portuguese legislation in all FC. PM2.5 (medians 5-37 μg m-3; range 5-777 μg m-3) exceeded thresholds of 25 μg m-3 at some FC, indicating potential risks for the respective occupants; naturally ventilated FC exhibited significantly higher PM ranges (p < 0.05). Similarly, UFPs (range 0.5-88.6 × 103 # cm-3) median concentrations were higher (2-3 times) at FC without controlled ventilation systems. UFP were approximately twice higher (p < 0.05) during the occupied periods (mean of 9.7 × 103vs. 4.8 × 103 # cm-3) with larger temporal variations of UFP levels observed in general fitness areas than in classrooms and studios. Cardio activities (conducted in studios and classrooms) led to approximately twice the UFPs intakes than other types of exercising. These results indicate that even short-term physical activity (or more specifically its intensity) might strongly influence the daily inhalation dose. Finally, women exhibited 1.2 times higher UFPs intake than men thus suggesting the need for future gender-specific studies assessing UFP exposure.

BACKGROUND Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) and sour cherries (Prunus cerasus L.) contain substantial amounts of anthocyanins and polyphenolics, and their stems have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. However, comparative data on the composition of sweet and sour cherry stems using the same analytical methodologies are limited. Moreover, there is no data in terms of biological activity of subcritical water extracts of cherry stems. RESULTS AND DISSCUSION Results obtained by using several assays that focused on different mechanisms showed that subcritical water extracts of sour and sweet cherry stems were powerful antiradicals and antioxidants. Anti‐proliferative properties measured by MTT (3‐[4,5‐ dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) test showed prominent cytotoxicity against different tumor cell lines. Inhibitory concentrations obtained were in the range 8.38–11.40 µg mL‐1. GC–MS (gas chromatography mass spectrometry) analysis showed the presence of alcohols, fatty acids, organic acids and other organic compounds. However, the chemical compositions of the two samples observed were similar, indicating similar chemical composition of sour and sweet cherry stems. CONCLUSION Subcritical water extracts of cherry stem demonstrated excellent biological activity and the potential to be used for pharmaceuticals or supplements due to confirmed high antioxidant, antiradical and antitumor activity.

BACKGROUND Morus nigra (mulberry) fruit has been reported as a source of bioactive compounds, although information about their leaves is very limited. Usually, they are considered wastes and have been traditionally used only for tea preparation. The main objective of this work was to explore the valorization of mulberry leaves by polyphenols microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE) and characterization of their antioxidant activity and phenolic composition. A 23 factorial design combined with response surface methodology were applied to characterize the effect of main microwave parameters on total phenolic content (TPC). RESULTS The optimized MAE conditions were 20 mL of ethanol:water (1:1; v/v), 120 °C, 28 min, 0.414 g and medium stirring speed. Under these conditions, TPC was 19.7 ± 2.0 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) g‐1 dry plant (DP), and antioxidant activity was 15.3 ± 1.0 mg ascorbic acid (AA) g‐1 DP (ferric reduction activity power –FRAP– assay), 18.6 ± 1.3 mg Trolox equivalents (TE) g‐1 DP (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl –DPPH– assay) and 186 ± 15 mg TE g‐1 DP (oxygen radical absorbance capacity –ORAC– assay). When compared with ultrasound extraction and Pharmacopeia reference method, MAE was more efficient, representing a valuable technology. Of the 13 compounds identified by HPLC, the most abundant were rutin, chlorogenic, β‐resorcylic and caffeic acids. CONCLUSION These results indicate that mulberry leaves are of potential interest for agro‐food industries as a new source of natural antioxidants.

A educação de adultos vem assumindo, também em Portugal, uma crescente centralidade nos debates técnicos e políticos sobre a educação. A consciência crescente do papel do conhecimento como factor de desenvolvimento económico e da necessidade de valorizar a relação entre educação e cidadania tem contribuído para afirmar o carácter indissociável dos processos de educação de adultos e dos de desenvolvimento e democratização. A produção e distribuição mais equitativa de recursos, o alargamento da participação na vida cívica e política, a construção de uma sociedade inclusiva, a valorização da diversidade cultural passam, assim, a estar no cerne das preocupações educativas.

Removal of emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals, from wastewater is a challenge. Adsorption is a simple and efficient process that can be applied. Clays, which are natural and low-cost materials, have been investigated as adsorbent. In this work, raw vermiculite and its three modified forms (expanded, base, and acid/base treated) were tested for removal of a widely used antidepressant, venlafaxine. Adsorption kinetics followed Elovich's model for raw vermiculite while the pseudo-2nd order model was a better fit in the case of other materials. Equilibrium followed Langmuir's model for the raw and the acid/base-treated vermiculite, while Redlich-Peterson's model fitted better the expanded and the base-treated materials. The adsorption capacity of vermiculite was significantly influenced by the changes in the physical and chemical properties of the materials caused by the treatments. The base-treated, raw, and expanded vermiculites showed lower maximum adsorption capacities (i.e., 6.3 ± 0.5, 5.8 ± 0.7, 3.9 ± 0.2 mg g-1, respectively) than the acid/base-treated material (33 ± 4 mg g-1). The acid/base-treated vermiculite exhibited good properties as a potential adsorbent for tertiary treatment of wastewater in treatment plants, in particular for cationic species as venlafaxine due to facilitation of diffusion of the species to the interlayer gallery upon such treatment. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

The integration of nanomaterials in the field of (bio)sensors has allowed developing strategies with improved analytical performance. In this work, ultrasmall core-shell Fe3O4@Au magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were used as the platform for the immobilization of event-specific Roundup Ready (RR) soybean and taxon-specific DNA sequences. Firstly, monodisperse Fe3O4 MNPs were synthesized by thermal decomposition and subsequently coated with a gold shell through reduction of Au(III) precursor on the surface of the MNPs in the presence of an organic capping agent. This nanosupport exhibited high colloidal stability, average particle size of 10.2 ± 1.3 nm, and spherical shape. The covalent immobilization of ssDNA probe onto the Au shell of the Fe3O4@Au MNPs was achieved through a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) created from mixtures of alkane thiols (6-mercapto-1-hexanol and mercaptohexanoic acid). The influence of the thiols ratio on the electrochemical performance of the resulting electrochemical genoassays was studied, and remarkably, the best analytical performance was achieved for a pure mercaptohexanoic acid SAM. Two quantification assays were designed; one targeting an RR sequence and a second targeting a reference soybean gene, both with a sandwich format for hybridization, signaling probes labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), enzymatic amplification and chronoamperometric detection at screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE). The magnetogenoassays exhibited linear ranges from 0.1 to 10.0 nM and from 0.1 to 5.0 nM with similar detection limits of 0.02 nM and 0.05 nM for the event-specific (RR) and the taxon-specific (lectin) targets, respectively. The usefulness of the approach was demonstrated by its application to detect genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in feed and food.

This work aimed to determine the effect of culinary practices on the contamination level and bioaccessibility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in seafood. The selected farmed seafood species (marine shrimp, clams and seaweed) were commercially available in Portugal. The mean concentrations of PAHs varied between 0.23 and 51.8 µg kg-1, with the lowest value being observed in raw shrimp and the highest in dried seaweed. The number of compounds detected in seaweed and clams (naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and benzo(j)fluoranthene) were higher than in shrimp (fluorene and pyrene). Among the PAHs measured, fluorene was the predominant one. There was a significant interaction effect between species and culinary treatment (p < 0.05), thus boiled and dried seaweed samples presented the lowest and the highest levels of fluorene (0.13 and 1.8 µg kg-1), respectively. The daily intake of PAHs decreased with bioaccessibility, varying from 22% for benzo(k)fluoranthene (in raw clam) to 84% for phenanthrene (in steamed clam). According to the potency equivalent concentrations, screening values and bioaccessibility of PAHs, the consumption of marine shrimp, clam and seaweed is considered as safe for consumers.

Gedunin is an important limonoid present in several genera of the Meliaceae family, mainly in seeds. Several biological activities have been attributed to gedunin, including antibacterial, insecticidal, antimalarial, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects. The discovery of gedunin as a heat shock protein (Hsp) inhibitor represented a very important landmark for its application as a biological therapeutic agent. The current study is a critical literature review based on the several biological activities so far described for gedunin, its therapeutic effect on some human diseases, and future directions of research for this natural compound.

A cenografia como elemento móvel e manipulável. De que forma pode o intérprete ligar-se aos elementos cenográficos e com eles construir a performance/apresentação? O projeto desenvolvido e a presente monografia centram-se na matéria como elemento cenográfico, elemento este que é manipulado ao longo da apresentação e com o qual o intérprete se relaciona, criando assim uma relação simbiótica. É esta relação, em que dois elementos procuram tornar-se num só, que se foca todo este trabalho. O corpo que cria formas e linhas de pensamento, expressando-se através da matéria – a terra. A terra como elemento plástico e manipulável, munida de uma carga sensorial, simbólica de algo superior, ligado ao imaginário pessoal. O que se pode entender como cenografia? Numa abordagem de diluição de limites entre as diversas disciplinas, convoco para a área de trabalho da cenografia aspetos característicos das artes plásticas, do desenho, pintura e escultura. Cenografia como espaço de relação onde o intérprete e o seu corpo se relacionam com os elementos. O corpo e a matéria como um só.

The aim of the study is to develop and optimize the process of after-sales from PERUZA, a Latvian company inserted in the food industry specializes in manufacturing equipment for processing and transforming the fish. The company produces and commercializes its products in the Latvian market as well as in international markets such as Southeast Asia, Europe and North America. The after-sales activities of a manufacturing company plays an important role in the success of the business, as after the machine is purchased the quality of the service offered is the gate for new purchases and good feedbacks that spread among the markets and increase the reliability and reputation of both product and company. The project was developed based on a research-action methodology through a six-month internship in Latvia. During that period multiple activities were performed that allowed to acquire enough information and knowledge to develop a new strategy aiming to increase the after-sales revenues and the relationship with the existing clients. To begin the study, the current after-sales process was analyzed in order to identify the issues and possible improvement opportunities that could be implemented later on. From that analysis and after some discussions with the department managers it was carried an analysis that aimed to understand the customer's opinion of the current after-sales services offered. With the data collected and analyzed a series of improvement proposals was made and discussed with the company manager to obtain its approval for the further actions. At a later stage of the internship new improvements were implemented such as the introduction of new services, development of new process diagrams and optimizations of the spare parts management strategy. To conclude the study the new services were offered and presented to the customers and the trial period for the new after sales methodology started. During that time PERUZA collected information based on the feedback of the customers and continued to work on optimized the new strategy implemented, aiming to achieve a stage where the process is capable of increasing the company’s revenues as well as keeping a good reputation and reliability of its products and services offered.

Inserido em contexto empresarial, o presente trabalho tem como propósito melhorar o processo de picking da empresa Lactogal, uma empresa agroalimentar especializada em lacticínios e nos seus derivados. Fundada em 1996, a Lactogal produz e comercializa os seus produtos no mercado nacional e em diferentes mercados internacionais, sendo líder em Portugal com uma quota de mercado superior a 60%. O processo de picking da empresa é a atividade de armazém que está mais dependente de recursos humanos e que, por conseguinte, acarreta bastantes custos. Neste sentido, surge a necessidade de apresentar propostas de melhoria que tornem o processo menos dispendioso e, ao mesmo tempo, eficiente. O projeto foi desenvolvido seguindo uma metodologia investigação-ação. Assim, durante seis meses foi realizado um estágio na empresa que permitiu o acompanhamento diário do seu funcionamento. Durante esse período foram realizadas visitas a três instalações da empresa com o intuito de conhecer os diferentes processos de picking. Para começar, foi realizado um mapeamento e uma análise dos pontos fortes e fracos dos três processos de picking das três plataformas logísticas com o objetivo de identificar as etapas que acrescentam valor e as que são fonte de desperdício. Esta análise crítica permitiu formular um conjunto de propostas que foram discutidas em reuniões e apresentações formais com os gestores dos diferentes departamentos da empresa. Sendo que a empresa opera em três plataformas logísticas diferentes cujas necessidades são distintas, as propostas de melhoria diferem, em alguns casos, entre as plataformas. Por forma a estudar e avaliar a performance atual de cada plataforma foram definidos, numa primeira fase, alguns KPI’s (key performance indicators) de custeio para as várias atividades do armazém, que servem de critério para comparações futuras. Posteriormente, foram desenvolvidas quatro grandes propostas com particularidades específicas em cada plataforma. A primeira proposta consiste em manter o processo de picking atual otimizando algumas das suas atividades. A segunda proposta pretende realizar o processo de picking em dois turnos, ao invés de se realizar em três. A terceira proposta é baseada na criação de um processo de picking semiautomático denominado “Pick to Belt”. Por último, a quarta proposta, que é a mais disruptiva, defende a automatização do processo de picking na totalidade. De facto, é expectável que a primeira proposta, que se aplica a todas as plataformas, tenha inerente um ganho na produtividade dos armazéns, em 32% em Modivas, 23% em Oliveira de Azeméis e 12% em Frielas. A segunda proposta possibilita uma diminuição de 20% e 18% sobre os gastos com pessoal das plataformas de Modivas e Oliveira de Azeméis, onde se aplica. Os benefícios do cumprimento da terceira proposta refletem-se numa redução prevista de gastos com pessoal em Modivas e Oliveira de Azeméis de 45% e 40%, respetivamente. Finalmente, prevê-se que a quarta proposta aumente os níveis de produtividade e eficácia, e ainda proporcione uma redução dos custos totais das plataformas no longo prazo. Em termos exatos, não foi possível quantificar os resultados da aplicação desta última proposta.

A EFAFLU encontra-se inserida num mercado onde existe uma grande diversidade de oferta, sente ser necessário marcar a diferença pelo atendimento e satisfação do cliente, principalmente quando o serviço prestado e produtos oferecidos são muito semelhantes entre as várias empresas no mercado. O processo “Satisfazer encomenda” é um processo core desta empresa, pois está ligado diretamente à sua missão e no centro da sua atividade, sendo naturalmente transversal a todos os departamentos. Tendo em conta as enumeras famílias de produtos na empresa, o estudo focar-se-á em duas famílias em específico 1) Centrais contra incêndio (CCI) e 2) Centrais hidropressoras (CHP). O atraso na entrega das encomendas destas famílias de produto tal como o número de não conformidades levantadas apresentam números considerados elevados. Assim, a EFAFLU espera com o estudo deste processo obter respostas para a resolução/redução destes mesmos indicadores. O estudo deste processo é realizado com base na metodologia BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) iniciando-se pelo levantamento da situação atual, dando origem ao designado modelo AS IS. Após a sua análise, é concebida uma nova versão do modelo representando a situação desejável para o processo, designado por modelo TO BE, sendo o estudo complementado com um conjunto de melhorias e boas práticas. O objetivo deste trabalho, será analisar e propor soluções para que a EFAFLU, já no ano 2019, consiga reduzir o atraso médio nas entregas de encomendas de CCI de 19 dias (2018) para 14 dias e de CHP de 7 dias (2018) para 5 dias. Relativamente ao número de reclamações pretende-se reduzir 20% sobre os valores de 2018. Foram propostos KPI’s (indicadores de performance). Após implementação do modelo To Be e algumas das sugestões de melhoria apresentadas, e após análise do primeiro semestre de 2019, confirmamos a redução do atraso na entrega nas encomendas (19 para 17 de CCI e 7 para 5 de CHP) e a redução na ordem dos 11% no número de reclamações. São também feitas algumas sugestões de melhoria organizadas por diferentes períodos de implementação (curto, médio e longo prazo), e algumas considerações finais sobre a importância do «process thinking» numa empresa como a EFAFLU.