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This article aims to outline a panoramic view of the paths taken by researchers, in the last 15 years, in the field of the religious history of the Modern Period in Portugal. Starting from the identification of the scientific production and activities that have achieved a more relevant place in the framework of the study of the religious history in early modern Portugal, since the 1950s, this article draws attention to a set of subjects that urgently need to be debated. It will be argued that research in the area in question continues to constitute a challenge. The focus of this article is the European space of Portugal, not considering productions and research about Portuguese imperial spaces, namely Asia and Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on questions concerning the world of dedications that framed Early Modern written culture. It does so in the context of the production and publication of works of different types, ranging from theatre to the literature of spirituality in sixteenth-century Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Some wastes are illegally dumped on public/private areas, causing several aesthetic, environmental, economic and social negative impacts and representing a public hazard. These sites need to be treated and managed and this task is often a responsibility of municipalities, representing high costs. However, there is a lack of strategies for the municipal management of these degraded areas that minimize costs, restore the ecological value of the area and eliminate the public hazard. This work proposes a conceptual model for the management of illegal dumping degraded areas by municipal services, based on a social life cycle assessment (SLCA). The model proposed is an open-participatory management tool which supplies the information needed for the waste management strategy for illegal waste deposit sites. Methods to evaluate and apply SLCA in this context are scarce. Therefore, SLCA is presented as a tool that can be applied to organisations in strategic analysis and structuring complex decision-making processes in order to identify optimisation potentials. It combines an environmental and a socio-economic assessment, contributing to the full assessment of products and services within the context of sustainable development. The framework intends to promote the improvement of social conditions and the socio-economic performance of a product throughout its life cycle for all the stakeholders involved within the context of sustainable development. Illegal deposits sites of Construction and Demolition Wastes (CDW) in municipalities are used as a case study for model implementation. The outputs of this model are: i) understanding the real situation of the illegally deposited wastes; ii) management practices comparing and integrating environmental, social, and economic objectives; iii) open-participatory management; iv) orientations to strategy definition; v) use of the life-cycle product principle contributing to a circular economy; and vi) assisting with municipalities performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holistic management of water and energy resources is critical for municipalities facing increasing energy prices and stringent regulatory requirements. Management for energy efficiency in water supply and wastewater collection systems demands evaluation of how energy is consumed and how efficiently such energy is spent. The present work proposes a performance indicators matrix that allows the evaluation and monitoring of energy consumption, energy costs and CO 2 emissions, leading to the identification of opportunities for performance improvement for continuous and sustainable development in municipalities. The methodology for the development of the indicators performance matrix was based the application of the activities from integrated management systems – the integrated management energy (ISO 50001), quality (ISO 9001) and environment (ISO 14001) systems. A set of criteria and performance indicators adapted from international guidelines and literature indicators, which complement energy efficiency measure by municipalities, were chosen by consensus between experts and stakeholders. Indicators were classified according to their strategic objective in four categories: environmental (E), technical (T), social (S) and governance (G). The indicator matrix was tested in a case study, namely the municipality of Loulé in Portugal. Results showed that experts and stakeholders attribute more importance to indicators from the strategic objectives Environmental protection and Promote efficient use of water resource (34.3%), meaning that most of the chosen indicators are directly related with energy efficiency. Results of meta-evaluation of the tool showed optimal performance for most of the indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tin(IV)-based compounds (mono-n-butyltin hydroxide oxide ( a ), di- n -butyl-oxo-stannane ( b ), di-n-butyl tin dilaurate ( c ) and tin oxide ( d )) were used as catalysts in the hydrolysis of triacylglycerides (TGs). The effects of the nature and amount of the catalysts, the nature of the TGs, the temperature and reaction time were evaluated. Compared with the usual industrial processes, these systems showed excellent activities at mild temperatures and pressures, and low amounts of catalyst (ca. 0.3% w /w oil ). Fatty acid (FA) conversions of ca. 97% were obtained at 180 °C, 4 h at oil:water:catalyst a molar ratio of 1:24:0.01 and, using soybean oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The -lipoic acid (ALA) has been used as a treatment to reduce oxidative damage in Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH), but there are no in vivo studies reporting the effect of its mechanism of action on iron metabolism.Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant effect of -lipoic acid on Blood cell count (CBC) and iron metabolism in hypertensive subjects with or without anemia.Method: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The sample consisted of 60 hypertensive patients that were randomly divided into treatment group (n = 32), receiving 600 mg / day of ALA for twelve weeks and control group (n = 28), receiving placebo for the same period. Blood cell count, serum iron, ferritin, Latent Iron-Binding Capacity (LIBC), Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC), Transferrin Saturation Index (TSI) and transferrin were assessed before and after intervention. To assess changes between groups, the Student t-test and ANOVA were used, adopting a significance level of 5%.Results: After intervention, ALA supplementation showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) association with the reduction of total leukocytes, increase in the number of neutrophils and reductions in the serum levels of iron and TSI.Conclusion: Oral administration of ALA as a therapeutic adjuvant changes the hematologic response of white blood cells and reduces the absorption of iron. It is observed that the mechanism of metals chelation by lipoic acid may be responsible for these changes and, consequently, could trigger a condition of iron deficiency anemia in hypertensive individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The α-lipoic acid (ALA) has been used as a treatment to reduce oxidative damage in Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH), but there are no in vivo studies reporting the effect of its mechanism of action on iron metabolism. Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant effect of α-lipoic acid on Blood cell count (CBC) and iron metabolism in hypertensive subjects with or without anemia. Method: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The sample consisted of 60 hypertensive patients that were randomly divided into treatment group (n = 32), receiving 600 mg / day of ALA for twelve weeks and control group (n = 28), receiving placebo for the same period. Blood cell count, serum iron, ferritin, Latent Iron-Binding Capacity (LIBC), Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC), Transferrin Saturation Index (TSI) and transferrin were assessed before and after intervention. To assess changes between groups, the Student t-test and ANOVA were used, adopting a significance level of 5%.Results: After intervention, ALA supplementation showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) association with the reduction of total leukocytes, increase in the number of neutrophils and reductions in the serum levels of iron and TSI. Conclusion: Oral administration of ALA as a therapeutic adjuvant changes the hematologic response of white blood cells and reduces the absorption of iron. It is observed that the mechanism of metals chelation by lipoic acid may be responsible for these changes and, consequently, could trigger a condition of iron deficiency anemia in hypertensive individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to draw attention to some letters written by Father João Cardim (S.J.), especially those that were addressed to his mother, Catarina de Andrada, and his sister, Mother Isabel de São Francisco (O.S.H), as they allow to listen up spiritual ascending, held, in this case, through advice and spiritual guidance, by this religious, despite his youth. Thus, these letters show us some interesting vectors of the guidance of the spiritual life and consciousness direction in the XVIIth century in Portugal: recommended readings, modes of prayer or ascetic and devotional practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: cigarette smoking has been the modifiable risk factor most consistently associated with earlier menopause. This preliminary study based on cross-sectional data aimed to analyze the association between smoking status and age of onset of menopause in a Brazilian population. Methods: a cross-sectional study was carried out with 1,222 female employees of Rio de Janeiro university campuses aged over 35 years who were at risk of natural menopause. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to investigate the association between smoking status and age at the onset of menopause, adjusting for education, parity and alcohol consumption. Results: current smokers showed a 56% increase in the risk of menopause, being 1.8 years younger at menopause onset compared with women who had never smoked. However, no differences were observed between former smokers and women who had never smoked. The adjusted median age at menopause was 49.5 years for current smokers and 51.3 years for women who had never smoked (p<0.05). Conclusions: the results suggest a deleterious but potentially reversible effect of smoking on the age of onset of menopause, which should receive greater attention in tobacco control efforts. Longitudinal analyses of this association will be carried out in the future in a follow-up study of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The evaluation of municipal solid waste (MSW) services using management systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001) is important for improving the quality of such services. In this study, we prioritize and select performance indicators (PIs) for MSW service evaluation and organize them in a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) tool. The tool is applied for the period 2008–2011 to the public administration organization responsible for waste management in Loulé Municipality, Portugal, a region characterized by strong tourist seasonality. MSW management priorities are well established through EU directives and the application of PIs should allow service objectives to be quantified, including reducing the production of waste, increasing the quantity of recyclables, improving clients’ satisfaction with the service, improving workers’ motivation, decreasing the quantities of waste in landfills, and reducing service costs. The results indicate that the use of indicators and BSC tool can assess the strategic objectives of the organization and monitor its performance over time. The overall BSC assessment ratings were 51.7%, 66.1%, and 70.1% for 2009, 2010, and 2011, respectively, indicating an improvement in overall service performance over time. The results demonstrate that monitoring seasonal variations of PIs in tourist regions is important since these variations can help to explain annual changes in the factors affecting waste services management, their impacts on overall service quality, and the best time for measures to be applied. Based on this case study, the BSC can effectively contribute to improvements in the quality and cost of MSW services in areas characterized by strong seasonal variations in population and waste. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Based on the examples of military «saints» included in the four volumes of Agiologio Lusitano dos Santos, e Varoens ilustres em virtude do Reino de Portugal, e suas conquistas (published between 1652 and 1744), by Jorge Cardoso and D. António Caetano de Sousa, this article seeks to draw attention to the sustainability of the prestige that accompanies this hagiographic model and the various updates that it suffered, in a context marked by the attempt to construct a history of the territorial «sanctity» of portuguese kingdom, enabling it to rival with other European catholic spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Municipal solid waste management is an area where improvements are needed, in accordance with European Union regulations, in order to ensure sustainable development principles and best management practices. In this context, Portugal implemented a strategy in 2003 under the title “New Public Management”, the main objective of which is to create value for citizens, with a particular focus on improving performance in the public management of wastes and allocating resources. This strategy is based on the introduction of market mechanisms, thus adopting management tools common in the private sector. The objective of this paper is to propose and implement a management tool − the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) − suited for the needs of the Public Administration (PA) service in the waste sector. The BSC was applied to the Urban Hygiene and Solid Waste Division of the Loulé Municipality in the south of Portugal. Four perspectives were used, namely, clients, internal processes, learning and growth and finances. Results indicate an overall management performance of 52.45%, which was considered a good result since it was the first implementation approach. Out of the four BSC perspectives, the learning and growth perspective (15% weighting of overall management performance) and the financial perspective (10% weighting) had the smaller achievement performances, of just 4% and 1.75% of the indicators achieved, respectively. The internal process perspective (50% weighting) and the client perspective (25% weighting) had higher achievement performances at 34.2% and 12.5%, respectively. Overall, in the Portuguese PA service, the BSC is able to: i) contribute to the precepts of modern public waste management; ii) focus on the strategic management of the client–customer relationship; iii) guarantee the best combination of improvement in service, through monitoring and a follow-up process; and iv) achieve management objectives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The background of this study is the problem of the reading of works on spirituality, in XVI-XVII centuries, in Portugal, especially "devote lives", and intending to draw attention to their dedication, and exposes, based on the analysis of three "devote lives", published between 1570 and 1625 and dedicated to two important female figures of the time - D. Juliana de Lara e Meneses, duchess of Aveiro, and D. Ana de Lencastre, comendadeira of the monastery of Santos - some questions concerning both the readings and spiritual or devotional practices, and the relations of authors and/or religious orders to influential families, especially with the female figures of these families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The background of this study is the problem of the reading of works on spirituality, in the XVI-XVIII centuries, in Portugal, especially saints and devoute «Lives», and aims to present a list of their dedications and people to whom they were addressed, trying to call attention to some issues that relate not only to the readings and spiritual practices or devout, but also the relationships with the authors and/or the various religious orders with influential figures of the time, today mostly virtually unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze some of the «Lives» of Portuguese religious women of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, focusing on the topics used by biographers when they proceed to the story about the childhood of the protagonists. On the other hand, this article also seeks to show how the appreciation of the moral virtues, spiritual and devotional practices and behavior of children and young people profiled reflects the introduction, in the field of holiness, of coding models that fall within the process of deep redefinition of holiness outlined by the post-Tridentine church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Portugal, in the eighteenth century, along with works that explicitly offer educational programs targeted to the education of women, will emerge a different kind of texts, also pedagogical and didactic in nature, that, in addition they can also focus on teaching various areas of knowledge (not just one program in the strict sense), recommend and prescribe both behavioral norms and moral teachings. This fits the seam of literature known as social behavior. This study analyzed two works directed to the education of women, namely Thesouro de Meninas, ou Dialogos entre uma sabia aia e suas discípulas (1774), of Madame Leprince de Beaumont, and Thesouro de Meninas, ou Lições d'uma mãi a sua filha, à cerca dos bons costumes e da religião, autorizadas com admiraveis exemplos de virtude e de piedade (1852), of José Inácio Roquette, trying to highlight the publics, the areas of knowledge and insider (s) model (s) educational run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commercialisation of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) has been hampered by the high cost of platinum metal. Due to its high durability and catalytic activity, platinum is widely used to catalyse the oxygen reduction and hydrogen oxidation reactions essential to the operation of these cells. Core@shell nanoparticles with thin layers of platinum deposited on cores composed of cheaper materials have offered an attractive route towards the reduction of overall loading of platinum, with the retention of active catalyst surface area. This review surveys approaches taken to prepare idealised active and durable core@shell nanocatalysts by tweaking core compositions. A critical reflection on the current status of the field, as well as predictions as to likely directions for future developments, are discussed as a conclusion to the review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to report the experience of implementing an educational action on the Life Project in a group of teenagers in socially vulnerable conditions based on Paulo Freire’s culture circle. This is an experience report of a group intervention based inthe method, with the participation of teenagers inserted in a context of social vulnerability, and which realization had two stages: Situational diagnosis and implementation of the culture circle. The action was accomplished in April and May of 2019, at the Social Assistance Reference Center, in a group formed by 20 participants. The theoretical framework adopted for this allowed a space for sharing knowledge, ideas, thoughts and visions, promoting a critical problematization about the matters identified by the group as defining teenagers' universe, besides being a strategy for transforming community realities. Therefore, the experience made it possible for teenagers to recognize and develop a leading role in individual and collective transformation, as well as a new confrontation of the context of vulnerabilities that surrounds them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to report the experience of implementing an educational action on the Life Project in a group of teenagers in socially vulnerable conditions based on Paulo Freire's culture circle. This is an experience report of a group intervention based in the method, with the participation of teenagers inserted in a context of social vulnerability, and which realization had two stages: Situational diagnosis and implementation of the culture circle. The action was accomplished in April and May of 2019, at the Social Assistance Reference Center, in a group formed by 20 participants. The theoretical framework adopted for this allowed a space for sharing knowledge, ideas, thoughts and visions, promoting a critical problematization about the matters identified by the group as defining teenagers' universe, besides being a strategy for transforming community realities. Therefore, the experience made it possible for teenagers to recognize and develop a leading role in individual and collective transformation, as well as a new confrontation of the context of vulnerabilities that surrounds them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV) and its mapping have become extremely important within the scope of habitat restoration in almost every European country. the aim of this study is to predict the PNV in Loures based on the vegetation series and the main environmental variables. The modelling approach is based on the distribution of communities referred to as classification-then-modelling. subsequently, several statistical model-fitting techniques, such as regression models, machine learning and rule-based, were successfully applied to the survey data (vegetation series; and 8 environmental/predictor variables). the spatial database was organized as a Geographic Information system (Gis) and was also used to perform the species Distribution Models (sDM) at community level. the results show a high correspondence between the vegetation series and the environmental gradients. the predicted PNV maps based on the Maximum Entropy Model were validated with the official map of the PNV of Loures, and presented an overall accuracy of 88%. Often, conservation planning and biodiversity resource management is carried out at more detailed scales, where sDM allows integration of community direct observations and improve our interpretation of PNV local distributions along environmental gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sn(IV) complexes (dimethyltin dineodecanoate ( 1 ), dibutyltin dineodecanoate ( 2 ), dioctyltin dineodecanoate ( 3 ), dimethyltin diundec-10-enoate ( 4 ), dibutyltin diundec-10-enoate ( 5 ), tributyltin undec-10-enoate ( 6 ) and tributyltin undecanoate ( 7 )) were tested as catalysts for transesterification or esterification in the presence of methanol, in order to investigate the effect of the substituents coordinated to the metal center. All complexes were active at relative high reaction temperatures, and their reactivity can be associated with the steric effects induced by the substituents (alkyls and carboxylates) at the metal center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the present work we develop a real-time electrochemical mediator assay to enable the assessment of cell numbers and chemical toxicity. This allowed us to monitor metabolism down to a single cell in a low cost easy to use rapid assay which is not possible with current technology. The developed assay was based on the determination of oxygen. This was made possible via the use of electrochemical mediator ferrocene carboxylic acid (FcA). The FcA showed distinctive catalytic properties in interacting with reactive oxygen species generated from oxygen when compared to ferrocene methanol (FcMeOH). A deeper insight into the chemistry controlling this behaviour is provided. The behaviour is then taken advantage of to develop a cellular aerobic respiration assay. We describe the properties of the FcA system to detect, in real-time, the oxygen consumption of Escherichia coli DH5-α (E. coli). We demonstrated that the FcA-based oxygen assay is highly sensitive, and using a population of cells, oxygen consumption rates could be calculated down to a single cell level. More importantly, the results can be accomplished in minutes, considerably outperforming current commercially available biooxygen demand assays. The developed assay is expected to have a significant impact in diverse fields and industries, ranging from environmental toxicology through to pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Three Sn(IV) complexes, named butyl stannoic acid (BTA), di-n-butyl-oxo-stannane (DBTO) and dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL), were initially tested as catalysts for esterification reaction of fatty acids in the presence of methanol as alcoholysis agent. Parameters like reaction time, temperature, and catalyst amount were systematically evaluated in this work. All complexes were active at relative high reaction temperatures, but BTA displayed the highest activity. Former studies have already demonstrated that these same complexes display good catalytic activity in methanolysis of triacylglycerides (TAGs). These results prompted us to test BTA catalyst also in simultaneous esterification/transesterification reactions from a mixture of free fatty acids (FFAs) and TAGs in the presence of methanol. BTA was able to convert the mixtures in to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) with good yields, with simple isolation processes. The results obtained and discussed in this work can help the development of new catalytic systems to biodiesel production from oils with very high acid content. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction - In a pioneering attempt in Portugal to characterize the state of the vision of the resident patients of a Psychiatric Hospital, it tried to identify the existing of ophthalmic alterations in this population, that could compromise the functioning of the visual system and with negative repercussions in the activities of the daily life; to characterize and to correct ametropias; to characterize/to relate the pathologies found with the medication and to select/to direct the patients for Ophthalmology consultation. Methods - 254 resident patients in a Psychiatric Hospital of Lisbon had been examined, with diagnosis in the scope of the mental health, capacity of displacement and some autonomy, in order to detect ocular anomalies for the study of the visual acuity, ocular movements, cover test, prismatic cover test, near point of convergence, stereopsis, chromatic vision, previous and posterior segment, ocular tension and refractive study, with 100 individuals. Results - The majority of the patient was of the masculine sex (64.2%). The most found psychiatric pathology was schizophrenia (47.24%). Only 20.87% of the sample already had been observed in an ophthalmic consultation. Significant alterations on the level of the previous segment had been found (33.86% of cataracts); on the visual acuity, especially for near, in OD e OE (26.38%). Of the refractive study resulted the prescription of 75 lenses, which improved the visual acuity significantly for near, in the interval of the luminous perception to the 6/10, diminishing the number of individuals of 50 to 3. Conclusions - This tracing allowed that many of the founded alterations were treated after the correction of the ametropias, thus allowing that this population used its vision in the best way, an increased of the quality of life of these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kidney and anemia in familial amyloidosis type I.Background.Familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) type I is caused by a mutated transthyretin (TTR V30M) and characterized by a sensorimotor and autonomic neuropathy. Renal, cardiac, and ocular abnormalities can also occur. Anemia has been described in previous reports, but its prevalence in Portuguese FAP patients is not precisely known. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of anemia in FAP type I Portuguese patients and to evaluate the contribution of erythropoietin (Epo) to its genesis.Methods.A retrospective cross-sectional study was undertaken to determinate the prevalence and characteristics of anemia in 165 FAP patients. For comparison analysis, 3 control groups were also evaluated, 1 group of 46 apparently healthy subjects, 1 group of 17 asymptomatic carriers of FAP-trait, and a group of 14 non-FAP patients with chronic renal insufficiency. Serum Epo levels were analyzed in all groups.Results.Anemia was present in 24.8% of symptomatic FAP patients. Iron stores, B12 vitamin, and serum folate levels were normal. FAP patients presented significantly lower serum Epo levels than healthy controls (P= 0.003). Epo levels were found lower than expected for the degree of anemia and in 17.5% were undetectable. Low Epo values were observed independently of the presence of renal failure or anemia, and sometimes preceded clinical disease.Conclusion.Anemia in FAP type I is a common manifestation. The results clearly suggest a defective endogenous Epo production in the genesis of the anemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) contribute significantly to overall postoperative morbidity and mortality. In abdominal surgery, PPCs remain frequent. The study aimed to analyze the profile and outcomes of PPCs in patients submitted to abdominal surgery and admitted in a Portuguese polyvalent intensive care unit. Methods: From January to December 2017 in the polyvalent intensive care unit of Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal, we conducted a retrospective, observational study of inpatients submitted to urgent or elective abdominal surgery who had severe PPCs. We evaluated the perioperative risk factors and associated mortality. Logistic regression was performed to find which perioperative risk factors were most important in the occurrence of PPCs. Results: Sixty patients (75% male) with a median age of 64.5 [47–81] years who were submitted to urgent or elective abdominal surgery were included in the analysis. Thirty-six patients (60%) developed PPCs within 48 h and twenty-four developed PPCs after 48 h. Pneumonia was the most frequent PPC in this sample. In this cohort, 48 patients developed acute respiratory failure and needed mechanical ventilation. In the emergency setting, peritonitis had the highest rate of PPCs. Electively operated patients who developed PPCs were mostly carriers of digestive malignancies. Thirty-day mortality was 21.7%. The risk of PPCs development in the first 48 h was related to the need for neuromuscular blocking drugs several times during surgery and preoperative abnormal arterial blood gases. Median abdominal surgical incision, long surgery duration, and high body mass index were associated with PPCs that occurred more than 48 h after surgery. The American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status score 4 and COPD/Asthma determined less mechanical ventilation needs since they were preoperatively optimized. Malnutrition (low albumin) before surgery was associated with 30-day mortality. Conclusion: PPCs after abdominal surgery are still a major problem since they have profound effects on outcomes. Our results suggest that programs before surgery, involve preoperative lifestyle changes, such as nutritional supplementation, exercise, stress reduction, and smoking cessation, were an effective strategy in mitigating postoperative complications by decreasing mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a concise and novel method is developed to directly generate Mn‐doped ZnS QDs/alginate nanocomposite beads. In this method, the ionic gelation of alginate is employed to produce alginate gel beads in a solution of Zn2+ and Mn2+ ions. Subsequently, the gel beads serve as the reaction support for in situ synthesis of Mn‐doped ZnS QDs in the beads through the reaction of sodium sulfide with Zn2+ and Mn2+ ions. The method has many benefits such as the simple preparation, the environmentally friendly process, the mild conditions, and the easy post‐treatment for the beads. The resulting QDs/alginate beads are homogeneous and stable gel spheres which show clear fluorescence. TEM images demonstrate that Mn‐doped ZnS QDs are homogeneously distributed within the QDs/alginate nanocomposite, and their average size is 2.4 ± 0.3 nm. Potentially, the QDs/alginate beads can be utilized for fluorescence bioimaging, as well as fluorescence detection toward metal ions. In this work, a novel, concise, and convenient method, based on the ionic gelation of alginate and in situ synthesis of QDs, is developed to directly fabricate Mn‐doped ZnS QDs/alginate nanocomposite beads. The method offers benefits such as the simple operation, the environmentally friendly process, the mild conditions, and the easy separation and post‐treatment for the nanocomposite beads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]