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Growing health and environmental concerns have increased demand for all-natural products, with a focus on clean labelling. Sodium nitrite is the most widely used additive in the meat industry because it imparts the typical cured flavour and colour to meat products and, most importantly, their microbiological safety. However, due to health concerns, the European Commission is proposing revised regulations to reduce nitrate and nitrite levels in meat products. As a result, the meat industry is actively seeking alternatives. This study explored the production of four cooked hams utilising nitrate-rich vegetable sources combined with two different nitrate-reducing commercial food cultures, alongside a control ham prepared with sodium nitrite (150 ppm). Microbiological, physico-chemical (pH, water activity, nitrate and nitrite concentration, lipid profile, lipid oxidation) and sensory (texture and colour profile) characterisation of the products was carried out. Challenge tests for Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium sporogenes and Clostridium perfringens have been performed to assess the growth of pathogens, if present in the products. Results revealed comparable microbiological and physico-chemical profiles across ham formulations, with minor differences observed in colour parameters for sample C. The sensory analysis showed that for the pilot ham formulations A and D, there were no significant differences in consumer perception compared to the control ham. In the challenge tests, L. monocytogenes levels were similar in both control and tested hams. There were no significant differences in C. sporogenes and C. perfringens counts at any temperature or between test and control samples. These results indicate that this technology has a potential future in the cured meat sector, as regulators mandate the reduction of added synthetic chemicals and consumers seek healthier and more natural ingredients in their daily diets. • Studies conducted on pilot scale prototypes of naturally cured cooked ham • Challenge testing with L. monocytogenes and Clostridium spp. • Physical, chemical and technological traits of naturally cured cooked ham evaluated • Consumers couldn't differentiate most natural cured hams from the control. • No differences in naturally cured versus E 250 hams observed over shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinoic acid enhances myeloid differentiation in acute promyelocytic leukemia cells, possibly due to its capacity to restore normal organization of subnuclear units. The PML-RAR-alpha hybrid converts nuclear antigens into aberrant structures that are closely bound to chromatin. The hybrid exerts a dominant negative effect by relocating a group of proteins away from their normal sites of action. Treatment of such aberrant cells with retinoic acid results in the relocalization of such proteins to their natural sites of action.

Wild animals are natural reservoir hosts for a variety of pathogens that can be transmitted to other wildlife, livestock, other domestic animals, and humans. Wild deer (family Cervidae) in Europe, Asia, and North and South America have been reported to be infected with gastrointestinal and vector-borne parasites. In Australia, wild deer populations have expanded considerably in recent years, yet there is little information regarding which pathogens are present and whether these pathogens pose biosecurity threats to humans, wildlife, livestock, or other domestic animals. To address this knowledge gap, PCR-based screening for five parasitic genera was conducted in blood samples (n = 243) sourced from chital deer (Axis axis), fallow deer (Dama dama), rusa deer (Rusa timorensis) and sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) sampled in eastern Australia. These blood samples were tested for the presence of DNA from Plasmodium spp., Trypanosoma spp., Babesia spp., Theileria spp. and Sarcocystis spp. Further, the presence of antibodies against Babesia bovis was investigated in serum samples (n = 105) by immunofluorescence. In this study, neither parasite DNA nor antibodies were detected for any of the five genera investigated. These results indicate that wild deer are not currently host reservoirs for Plasmodium , Trypanosoma , Babesia , Theileria or Sarcocystis parasites in eastern Australia. We conclude that in eastern Australia, wild deer do not currently play a significant role in the transmission of these parasites. This survey represents the first large-scale molecular study of its type in Australian wild deer and provides important baseline information about the parasitic infection status of these animals. The expanding populations of wild deer throughout Australia warrant similar surveys in other parts of the country and surveillance efforts to continually assess the level of threat wild deer could pose to humans, wildlife, livestock and other domestic animals. [Display omitted] • Deer carry pathogens potentially transmissible to livestock. • 243 whole blood samples and 105 serum samples were collected from wild deer in eastern Australia. • PCR and antibody screening for five parasitic genera was performed on blood or serum samples. • This survey represents the first large-scale molecular study of its type in Australian deer. • Wild deer populations in eastern Australia are unlikely to be currently acting as reservoirs for the parasites investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents a method to estimate the mass transfer rate during primary drying based on μ-computed tomographic measurements of a freeze-dried cake. The study was carried out in a defined setup in a lyomicroscope and confined geometry in which freezing occurred under homogeneous nucleation, and drying under mass-transfer-limited conditions. Pore size distribution, effective diffusivity, and primary drying rates of maltodextrin solutions at different weight concentrations (5%, 10%, and 20% (w/w)) and different cooling rates were determined. Furthermore, the effect of annealing treatment on primary drying rate was studied. Two different annealing treatments were tested, one for 90 min at −10 °C and another for 180 min at −5 °C. It was shown that solid concentration and annealing above Tg' have the strongest impact on pore size and, subsequently, on primary drying rate. Therefore annealing represents a powerful tool to accelerate primary drying which is the most time-consuming step during lyophilisation. • Prediction of mass transfer rates during primary drying based on μ-computed tomographic measurements of freeze-dried cake. • Connection between pore size and drying kinetics by lyomicroscopic study. • Impact of solid concentration and cooling rate on pore size distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PTSD Checklist-Military Version (PCL-M) is a brief self-report instrument widely used to assess Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomatology in war Veterans, according to DSM - IV . This study sought out to explore the factor structure and reliability of the Portuguese version of the PCL-M. A sample of 660 Portuguese Colonial War Veterans completed the PCL-M. Several Confirmatory Factor Analyses were conducted to test different structures for PCL-M PTSD symptoms. Although the respecified first-order four-factor model based on King et al.׳s model showed the best fit to the data, the respecified first and second-order models based on the DSM - IV symptom clusters also presented an acceptable fit. In addition, the PCL-M showed adequate reliability. The Portuguese version of the PCL-M is thus a valid and reliable measure to assess the severity of PTSD symptoms as described in DSM - IV . Its use with Portuguese Colonial War Veterans may ease screening of possible PTSD cases, promote more suitable treatment planning, and enable monitoring of therapeutic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The latest theories on the governance of water resources point to the need to adopt integrated approaches, allowing the mediation of conflict between public and private interests by building consensus to include the participation of stakeholders and civil society in formulating and implementing policies, thereby ensuring their legitimacy. Models of governance have particular relevance in the context of estuaries, because of the complexity associated with them. Estuaries are areas where valuable, highly sensitive and diverse natural systems coexist, which are frequently threatened by the numerous human activities concentrated there. They are also areas where several organizations overlap, with their own jurisdictions and management instruments and where there is a wide range of users with distinct interests. At a time when the Planos de Ordenamento de Estuários (POE) (Estuary Land Use and Management Plan), a new tool for water resource management and planning, are being drawn up in Portugal, this paper discusses the specificities of the new Portuguese estuary plans, as well as associated potentials and constraints to further understand how water resources and land use policies may effectively be integrated in estuary contexts. It critically analyses the Portuguese legal framework established for these plans, arguing that, in spite of the novelty of the newly defined legal measures to better plan and manage estuaries, implementation of its ambitious objectives requires a robust governance model for plan preparation and implementation. Taking into account the main institutional features of complex estuaries with various agencies, stakeholders and users, as well as relevant governance principles, this paper proposes a governance model capable of enriching the implementation of estuary plans by contributing to a stronger involvement of all stakeholders and users in the construction of the plan, allowing conciliation of interests and participation in decision-making, within a framework of collaborative governance. Whilst the paper focuses on the Portuguese Law, the approach adopted is also of interest to other countries to assessing estuary planning regulations and associated collaborative measures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of the research was to apply froth flotation to separate post-consumer PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) from other packaging plastics with similar density, in a continuously operated pilot plant. A representative sample composed of 85% PET, 2.5% PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) and 11.9% PS (Polystyrene) was subjected to a combination of alkaline treatment and surfactant adsorption followed by froth flotation. A mineral processing pilot plant, owned by a Portuguese mining company, was adapted for this purpose. The experimentation showed that it is possible to produce an almost pure concentrate of PET, containing 83% of the PET in feed, in a single bank of mechanical flotation cells. The concentrate grade attained was 97.2% PET, 1.1% PVC and 1.1% PS. By simulation it was shown that the Portuguese recycling industry specifications can be attained if one cleaning and one scavenger stages are added to the circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The life cycle of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum involves dramatic morphological and molecular changes required for infection of insect and mammalian hosts. Stage-specific gene expression is crucial, yet few nuclear factors, including potential epigenetic regulators, have been identified. Epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in the switched expression of members of species-specific gene families, which encode proteins exported into the cytoplasm and onto the surface of infected erythrocytes. This includes the large virulence-associated var gene family, in which monoallelic transcription of a single member and switching to other var genes leads to a display of different surface ligands with distinct antigenic and adhesive properties. Using a bio-informatic approach we identified 24 putative nuclear proteins. Tagging with sequences encoding GFP or haemagglutinin (HA) epitopes allowed for identification and localisation analysis of 12 nuclear proteins that are potential regulators of P. falciparum gene expression. These proteins specifically localise to distinct areas of the nucleus, reaching from the centre towards the nuclear envelope, giving new insights into the apicomplexan nuclear architecture. Proteins presenting a punctate distribution in the perinuclear sub-compartments are potential virulence gene regulators as silenced and active var genes reside at the nuclear periphery either clustered or in small expression sites, respectively. These analyses demonstrated an ordered compartmentalisation, indicating a complex sub-nuclear organisation that contributes to the complexity of transcriptional regulation in P. falciparum. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Fungal endophytes are micro-organisms that colonize healthy plant tissues without causing disease symptoms. They are described as plant growth and disease resistance promoters and have shown antimicrobial activity. The spatial-temporal distribution of endophytic communities in olive cultivars has been poorly explored. This study aims to investigate the richness and diversity of endophytic fungi in different seasons and sites, within the Alentejo region, Portugal. Additionally, and because the impact of some pathogenic fungi (e.g. Colletotrichum spp.) varies according to olive cultivars; three cultivars, Galega vulgar, Cobrançosa and Azeiteira, were sampled. 1868 fungal isolates were identified as belonging to 26 OTUs; 13 OTUs were identified to the genera level and 13 to species level. Cultivar Galega vulgar and season autumn showed significant higher values in terms of endophytic richness and diversity. At site level, Elvas showed the lowest fungal richness and diversity of fungal endophytes. This study reinforces the importance of exploring the combined spatio-temporal distribution of the endophytic biodiversity in different olive cultivars. Knowledge about endophytic communities may help to better understand their functions in plants hosts, such as their ecological dynamics with pathogenic fungi, which can be explored for their use as biocontrol agents. Highlights • Spatial and temporal distribution in terms of fungal richness and diversity were studied in olive trees. • Endophytic fungi were evaluated in different olive cultivars. • Season and Cultivar were the main factors that shaped the endophytic richness and diversity. • The Season 'Autumn' and the Cultivar 'Galega vulgar' exhibited the highest richness and diversity of endophytes. • The site Elvas showed the lower richness and diversity in terms of endophytic fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Portuguese-speaking countries (PSC) have a population of close to 250 million and occupy an area of about 10.7 million square kilometers across four continents. Most of these countries are rich in biodiversity and at the same time have a human development Index below the global average. This network of countries has a great potential to promote sustainability in higher education, due to cultural similarity and existing formal cooperation in other sectors. This is the first study to present a systematic review of the literature on this topic produced by PSC. Of the 50 publications selected for analysis in this paper, 36 were conducted by researchers in Brazil and 16 from Portugal, with only two partnerships occurring between authors of different PSC. The main contributions to the subject are in the areas of education, research, and assessment and reporting. Sustainability in operations and institutional frameworks were less represented in the analyzed sample, and therefore these are issues that need to be better exploited by PSC. Other contributions included strategies to reduce the gap between university and society and the political-emancipatory perspective as a pedagogical basis to support sustainability education in colleges and universities. Possibilities for future research on the topic of sustainability at universities are suggested considering the PSC context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monte Mozinho (NW of Portugal) is a large Roman settlement occupied since the beginning of the era until the late 5th century BC which spans over an area of 20 ha. Beginning in 2008, the excavations were centered in a new, previously unknown area, sector A-2008, where several soil samples were collected in 3rd–4th century levels, in order to obtain relevant archaeobotanical data. This paper focuses on the charcoal analysis carried out in three different combustion structures and surrounding areas in this sector's compartment 1 and 3. In Compartment 1, in samples associated with a hearth, Castanea sativa was the dominant taxa identified, followed by Quercus deciduous, Leguminosae and Populus . In the west corner of the compartment, a high concentration of charcoals – unrelated with the previous structure – was also identified. The vast majority of the charcoal collected there were from Pinus pinaster . The results from Compartment 3 relate to its defining structure: a large oven. Even if the range of species is roughly the same as in the other compartment, its proportion, quantity and dendrological data were very different. Leguminosae fragments with strong ring curvatures make up the majority of the analysed material, followed by Quercus deciduous and Castanea sativa . The comparative analysis of the charred material from these contexts allowed the understanding of different selective usages of wooden resources related to the structures' typologies and purposes. In Compartment 1, the small concentration of charcoals was most likely associated with a single combustion event. The hearth in the same compartment was used as a structure where fires were frequently set. The charred content of Compartment 3's oven proved to correspond to its use as a food oven, as ethnographic data demonstrates that Leguminosae was the preferred firewood for such usages. Additionally, the extensive presence of Castanea sativa , namely throughout Compartment 1, allowed the discussion of its role in the regional Roman ecological and economical dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A methodology based on Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, combined with multivariate analysis methods, was applied in order to monitor extra virgin olive oils produced from three distinct cultivars on different maturation stages. For the first time, this kind of methodology is used for the simultaneous discrimination of the maturation stage, and different cultivars. Principal component analysis and discriminant analysis were utilised to create a model for the discrimination of olive oil samples. Partial least squares regression was employed to design calibration models for the determination of chemical parameters. The performance of these models was based on the multiple coefficient of determination ( R 2 ), the root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC) and root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV). The prediction models for the chemical parameters resulted in a R 2 ranged from 0.93 to 0.99, a RMSEC ranged from 1% to 4% and a RMSECV from 2% to 5%. It has been shown that this kind of approach allows to distinguish the different cultivars, and to clearly discern the different maturation stages, in each one of these distinct cultivars. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that FTIR spectroscopy in tandem with chemometric techniques allows the creation of viable and accurate models, suitable for correlating the data collected by FTIR spectroscopy, with the chemical composition of the EVOOs, obtained by standard methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the effect of ovariectomy combined with a low Ca diet on bone healing following the implantation of bioactive glass into extraction sockets, in rats. Ovariectomized rats received a low Ca diet from the day of surgery until sacrifice while sham-operated animals were fed a standard laboratory chow. Two weeks after surgery the upper incisors were extracted and the alveolar sockets in both groups were partially filled with a particulate bioglass (PerioGlas®). The animals were killed 1, 2, 3 and 9 weeks after tooth extraction and the relative volume fraction of the healing components (bone trabeculae, connective tissue and coagulum remnants) was estimated in histological paraffin sections by a histometric differential point-counting method. The bioglass particles persisted inside the socket for all the experimental periods and, as bone repair proceeded, they were progressively enclosed in newly formed bone trabeculae which in some cases established a close contact with their surface. The volume fraction of neoformed bone trabeculae relative to the volume fraction of connective tissue and coagulum remnants was greater in the sockets of ovariectomized animals implanted with bioglass than in those of the overiectomized non-implanted groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Real-time PCR assay applied to food control. • Colletotrichum acutatum detection in olive drupes. • Colletotrichum acutatum detection in olive oils. The detection of latent Colletotrichum spp infection in olive drupes is crucial, to avoid contamination in the olive oil production chain. In order to detect the presence of C. acutatum in complex olive matrices a real-time PCR assay was developed, using olive drupe and oil samples from C. acutatum susceptible and tolerant olive cultivars (Galega Vulgar, Cobrançosa and Picual) with different infection levels. A C. acutatum specific sequence, belonging to the Internal Transcribed Spacers region, was used to design the real-time PCR detection assay, resulting in an 490 bp amplicon with a consistent melting temperature (T m = 87.8 °C). The assay allowed a rapid and high-sensitive C. acutatum detection mean, being able to detect the infection in a latent phase, for the first time, in olive drupes, 16 hai, and in olive oils containing 20% of infected olives. This novel method can be used to monitor C. acutatum presence in olive orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Methylphenidate (MPD) is increasingly prescribed for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and there are concerns about its appropriate use. Furthermore, little is known about the potential nephrotoxicity in patients using MPD. This study aimed to investigate the safety of MPD, with focus on the possible effects of this drug on renal function. Main methods We investigated the effects of MPD on renal perfusion system and renal tubular cells through in vivo and in vitro experimental models. Key findings In the in vivo experiments, 24 h and 48 h after MPD administration, urea, creatinine, creatinine clearance, and the fractional excretion of sodium and potassium were not changed. In the isolated kidney perfusion, MPD significantly reduced urinary flow, glomerular filtration rate and the percentage of tubular sodium transport. However, the perfusion pressure, renal vascular resistance and the percentage of tubular potassium transport were unchanged in this system. In the canine renal epithelial cell line MDCK culture, MPD was not cytotoxic and, in histopathological analysis, MPD did not promote alterations. Significance Our findings suggest a possible nephrotoxic effect of MPD, since it altered renal function by reducing the glomerular activity, urinary flow and sodium transport. These effects need to be further investigated in order to minimize potential harms associated with the use of MPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liver is the first organ infected by Plasmodium sporozoites during malaria infection. In the infected hepatocytes, sporozoites undergo a complex developmental program to eventually generate hepatic merozoites that are released into the bloodstream in membrane-bound vesicles termed merosomes. Parasites blocked at an early developmental stage inside hepatocytes elicit a protective host immune response, making them attractive targets in the effort to develop a pre-erythrocytic stage vaccine. Here, we generated parasites blocked at a late developmental stage inside hepatocytes by conditionally disrupting the Plasmodium berghei cGMP-dependent protein kinase in sporozoites. Mutant sporozoites are able to invade hepatocytes and undergo intracellular development. However, they remain blocked as late liver stages that do not release merosomes into the medium. These late arrested liver stages induce protection in immunized animals. This suggests that, similar to the well studied early liver stages, late stage liver stages too can confer protection from sporozoite challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Colletotrichum acutatum real-time qPCR assay. • Colletotrichum acutatum detection and quantification in olive drupes. • Colletotrichum acutatum single-copy gene: klap 1. Olive anthracnose is caused by fungal species within the Colletotrichum acutatum, C. gloeosporioides and C. boninense complexes. Anthracnose causes severe pre- and post-harvest olive drupe fall. This study aimed to design a species-specific qPCR assay, based on klap1 gene, suitable for C. acutatum s.s. quantification in cv. Galega Vulgar fruit samples. The developed qPCR assay presented a detection limit of 10.14 fg/reaction, and a linear cycle threshold of R2 = 0.996. C. acutatum inoculum was detected in pulverized olive fruits, and in early infection stages, before symptom appearance, 16 h after inoculation (Ct values = 28.29 ± 1.1). In olive samples, the derived melting curve was specific presenting a single dissociation peak (T melting = 88.7 °C). The designed assay was effectively applied in C. acutatum detection and quantification using infected olive samples, with a LOD of 0.59 ng and a LOQ of 1.8 ng, allowing its application to orchard management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]