Biblioteca Digital do IPB
Repositório de Publicações do Instituto Politécnico de Bragança
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Weather and seasonal effects in behavioural patterns for grazing cattle
Publication . Paixão, Gustavo; Mata, Fernando; Cerqueira, Joaquim; Araújo, José Pedro
Weather conditions influence grazing cattle behaviour, affecting activities like grazing, ruminating, and resting. Understanding these behavioural responses to temperature, humidity, wind, and solar radiation is essential for managing livestock welfare and productivity amid changing climate patterns. The study monitored 20 Minhota breed cattle year-round, from January 1 to December 31, 2024 using GPS-accelerometer collars in Northern Portugal. Behaviour and weather data were analysed via canonical correlation and Kruskal-Wallis tests to assess seasonal impacts on activity patterns and environmental influences. Significant differences (p < 0.001) were found between all the analysed behaviours between the seasons. Grazing and walking peaked in spring and summer, following greater pasture availability. Conversely, resting and rumination increased in autumn and winter, reflecting lower energy demands and greater reliance on roughage. All recorded behaviours were influenced by the temperature indexes and solar radiation (p < 0.001) and the temperature-humidity-sun-wind index correlated most strongly with resting time reductions (-0.62). Surprisingly, moderate heat stress did not suppress grazing and other behaviours like eating or playing. Rainfall negatively affected grazing while increasing rumination and resting (p < 0.001). Canonical correlation revealed strong links between behaviour and environment, and the two canonical covariate pairs (CCP) explain 79.9 % of the variation between the two sets of variables. Seasonal and heat-related factors shaped distinct activity-rest patterns, highlighting cattle's adaptive strategies and the importance of climate-aware livestock management. These findings highlight the need for climate-adaptive livestock management, including strategic feeding, shelter provision, and flexible grazing practices to mitigate climate change impacts.
Defining industrial tourism in the cross-border region of Portugal and Spain
Publication . Scalabrini, Elaine C.B.; Alves, Francisco; Neto, Reginaldo; Teixeira, F.; García, Joaquin; Velasco, M.; Teixeira, João Paulo; Vaz, Roberto; Fernandes, Paula Odete; .
This paper deals with the definition and valorisation of industrial and pre-industrial tourism in the cross-border region of Terras de Trás-os-Montes (Portugal) and Castilla y León (Spain). Industrial and pre-industrial heritage is crucial to collective memory and has significant cultural, historical and tourist value. Industrial tourism is emerging as an initiative that enhances historic landscapes and contributes to urban development, the revitalisation of communities and the preservation of heritage. It is considered an innovative strategy for rehabilitating territories, transforming old facilities into attractions, exploring historic sites or operating companies. The “IN_GENIOS_DUERO_DOURO” project focused on promoting this heritage in the Douro-Duero Euroregion. The methodology included detailed mapping and characterisation, creating a database with 1,079 sites identified in 22 Portuguese and 80 Spanish municipalities. The results show that most sites are in Spain (77.1 %). The municipalities with the most identified sites are Valladolid (250) in Spain and Mirandela (32) in Portugal. The main heritage categories include transport infrastructure (335), wineries (255) and the food industry (221). Around 47.27 per cent of the sites identified are accessible to tourists. The database created is fundamental for valuing, safeguarding and designing tourist routes.
Selective fixed-bed fractionation of stilbene subfamilies from grape cane waste using a pyridine-amide adsorbent
Publication . Bzainia, Amir; Keller, Erik; Heeres, André; Costa, Mário Rui P.F.N.; Dias, Rolando
The selective separation of structurally analogous polyphenols from complex plant matrices remains a longstanding challenge in bioseparation engineering. This study introduces a custom-designed adsorbent, poly(2,6-bis(acrylamido)pyridine) (poly(BAAPy)), tailored for subfamily-level resolution of stilbenes obtained from crude grape cane extracts. Leveraging dual amide and pyridine functionalities, poly(BAAPy) achieves selective retention of oligomeric stilbenes (e.g., trans-ε-viniferin, miyabenol C) via multivalent hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking interactions. Comparative breakthrough experiments against commercial poly(4-vinylpyridine) (poly(4VP)) demonstrate superior oligomer retention across both ethanol-water and acetonitrile systems. In dynamic closed-loop adsorption mode, poly(BAAPy) enabled polarity-driven elution and achieved up to a 3.4-fold enrichment of stilbene oligomers, with their recovery in fractions containing ≥ 90 % oligomeric content in a single desorption cycle. Uptake profiles and adsorption selectivity coefficients confirmed poly(BAAPy)’s preference for oligomers under both ethanol-water and acetonitrile conditions. The total stilbene recovery was 75 %. Breakthrough data were fitted using both empirical (Clark, Thomas) and mechanistic models, revealing distinct adsorption dynamics for poly(BAAPy) versus a commercial poly(4VP) resin. This work demonstrates a sustainable valorisation route for grape cane waste, converting viticultural residues into a high-value source of bioactive compounds. The use of green solvents and fixed-bed adsorption aligns with circular economy principles and environmentally conscious separation processes.
Explorando transformações lineares com recurso ao Geogebra
Publication . Cordeiro, Edite; Barros, Paula Maria
A compreensão de grande parte dos conceitos de álgebra linear exige um nível de abstração que quase sempre os estudantes do primeiro ano das licenciaturas de engenharia têm dificuldade em atingir. É consensual que se a sala de aula corresponder a um espaço dinâmico, onde os estudantes têm a oportunidade de interagir e de manipular os objetos em estudo, tal favorece o desenvolvimento de raciocínios que levam à identificação de relações/propriedades desses objetos. Vários estudos apontam para o facto de o software Geogebra facilitar a aprendizagem, muito por via da concretização de conceitos mais abstratos. Neste contexto, propomos uma abordagem para a compreensão da noção de transformação linear através das suas possíveis representações. Trata-se de uma experiência baseada na resolução de tarefas que incluem a construção em Geogebra de algumas aplicações, que se realizou em sala de aula no âmbito da unidade curricular de Álgebra Linear e Geometria Analítica de um curso de licenciatura em engenharia. Tais aplicações, ao permitir a exploração de múltiplas transformações lineares através das suas
representações, contribuíram para uma melhor apreensão dos conceitos envolvidos.
The Paradox of Consumption: Material Happiness vs. Environmental Impact
Publication . Ramos, Ricardo; Rodrigues, Maria José; Rodrigues, Isilda
This article analysesthe correlation between consumerism and happiness, investigating whether owning more material goods contributes to increasing happiness levels. The research addresses the issue of the ecological footprint since the consumerist lifestyle contributes significantly to increasing environmental impact. The methodology adopted is quantitative, using a questionnaire to collect the data. The data was statistically analysedto identify patterns, correlations,and possible differences between the groups, consideringvariables such as age, monthly income, gender,and the region of the planet where the participants lived most of their lives. The results show that monthly income does not influence happiness,and that young people are concerned about the environment. However, thoseaged18 to 24 are the ones who acquire more goods for the sake of status, especially males. They tendto prioritisepersonal relationships over material achievementsas they get older. This work will contribute to the discussion on the role of consumerism in contemporary society, reflecting not only on the implications for individual happiness but also for global sustainability