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- Short communication: Quality of ewe and goat meat cured product mantas. An approach to provide value added to culled animalsPublication . Oliveira, António Filipe Gomes de Faria; Rodrigues, Sandra; Leite, Ana; Paulos, Kátia; Pereira, Etelvina; Teixeira, AlfredoThe effect of species on quality of a cured meat product (mantas) was analyzed in eight culled ewes and eight culled goats. Carcasses were aged at 4 degrees C for 4 d, deboned, salted for 96 h and dried for 48 h. Samples (in triplicate) from the longissimus dorsi (LD) were analyzed for pH and water activity (a(w)). Samples of cured LD were subjected to chemical analyses. It was possible to conclude that cured goat meat had higher moisture content (P <0.001) than cured ewe meat, 44 and 51%, respectively. Directly related to the moisture content, a higher total, saturated, mono- and polyunsaturated fat content (P <0.001) was found in ewes. The others chemical determinations did not present differences (P >0.05) for the species effect.
- Equity in health care financing in Portugal: findings from the Househotd Budget Survey 2010-2011Publication . Quintal, Carlota; Lopes, José CarlosEquity in health care financing is recognized as a main-goal of health policy. There is broad consensus on the normative assumption that healthcare payments should be linked to ability to pay with use related to need, and that ali households should be protected against catastrophic financiai losses related to ill health. The link between payment and capacity to pay hás been evaluated through progressivity índices and protection against financial losses has been assessed through the analysis of catastrophic health payments (CHE), expenditure so high that it might mean that people have to cut down on necessities such as food, clothing or education. CHE is more likely in countries that lack prepayment mechanisms for risk pooling. Empirical data show that CHE remains low in countries where out-of-pocket payments (OOP) represent less than 15-20% of total national health expenditure and where the general government health expenditure is above 5-6% of GDP. In Portugal, in 2010, OOP represented 26% of total health expenditure and government health expenditure was 7% of GDP. This study aims to identify the proportion of households with CHE in Portugal and household factors predicting this outcome. Additionally, progressivity indices are calculated for OOP and private health insurance. Methods: Data carne from the Portuguese Household Budget Survey 2010/201 1 (9489 observations). CHE was calculated using WHO methodology (Xu, 2005); multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify determinants of CHE; and the convenient regression method was used to calculate the Kakwani index. Results: The global prevalence of CHE is 2.11%, occurring in all expenditure quintiles (4.1% in the 1 stand 1.1% in the 5th). Analyzing the various components of expenditure, the most striking differences across expenditure quintiles refer to medicines (account for 78% of total health expenditure in the 1st expenditure quintile while they weigh 42% in the 5th) and dentist services (weigh 2.48% in the 1st quintile and 18% in the 5th). In the logistic model, households with at least one old person (65 years or more) face 5.3 times more catastrophe than households without elderly members (OR=5. 27; IC= 3.324-8.358); head of household with basic education (compared to secondary/superior) increases risk of CHE (OR= 2.39; IC= 1.342-4.257). Other covariates were not statistically significant. Regarding the Kakwani index, for total OOP it is -0.074 (p-value=0. 000) and for medicines it is -0.225 (p-value=0.000); in terms of regions, Kakwani index is larger for the Centre (-0.132; p-value=0. 000) and lower, not significant, for Azores (0.016; p-value=0.656); for health insurance it is 0.098 (p-value=0. 000). Conclusions: Portugal has a NHS, accessible to all citizens; still, households face a considerable risk of CHE and OOP are particularly regressive in the case of medicines. Although comparisons are not straightforward, the prevalence of CHE in Portugal is at the same level as in many low, and low-middle, income countries. This is a worrying result in a context of high unemployment and wage cuts. Authorities should pay attention to the most vulnerable, especially households with elderly members, and think carefully on policy measures regarding medicine co-payments.
- Indicators and ratios that determine the return on equityPublication . Lopes, José Carlos; Nunes, Alcina; Garnacho, Ariana Daniela do CantoConcerning the business management, achieving profitability is considered one of the most important business objectives to be considered, allowing the survival of businesses and fostering their growth. Thus, it is fundamental to analyze the company performance regarding the return on equity. In this study, using a sample based on companies listed on the stock markets (components of the Euronext 100 index) and using the Ordinary Least Squares Method, we identified the most relevant financial indicators and ratios that have greater explanatory power on the return on equity. Our findings show that the return on assets, the return on sales and the net income to common stocks are the variables that seem to have the greater explanatory power in determining the return on equity.
- A taxa de juro sem risco e a informação financeiraPublication . Alberto, Fernanda; Lopes, José CarlosA determinação do valor atual (ou valor presente) na preparação da informação financeira é imprescindível e recorrente na aplicação dos principais normativos contabilísticos vigentes, mormente as normas internacionais IAS/IFRS. O cálculo desse valor requer necessariamente a adoção de uma taxa de desconto.
- The effect of sex and genotype on growth performance, feed efficiency, and carcass traits of local sheep group Pantaneiro and Texel or Santa Inês crossbred finished on feedlotPublication . Vargas Junior, Fernando Miranda; Martins, Charles Ferreira; Pinto, Guilherme dos Santos; Ferreira, Marcos Barbosa; Ricardo, Hélio de Almeida; Leão, André Gustavo; Fernandes, Alexandre Rodrigo Mendes; Teixeira, AlfredoThis study aimed to assess and compare the growth performance, feed efficiency, and carcass traits of Pantaneiro sheep and their Texel and Santa Inês crossbreds. Ninety-six lambs, fifty-one males, and forty-five females, with a mean weaning weight of 15.21±1.25 kg and 78±13 days of age, were slaughtered at a 32-kg body weight. The results showed better production efficiency from males compared with females. Texel-crossed lambs had a better growth performance than the other genotypes. The Texel×Pantaneiro lambs were more efficient with a better feedlot performance, higher ribeye muscle area, and better carcass characteristics with an adequate amount of fat cover. Pantaneiro lambs and their crosses with meat breeds could be useful in meat production systems under Savanna environmental conditions.
- Comportamento de ligações autoperfurantes de perfis enformados a frio a temperaturas elevadasPublication . Parente, Armandino; Dias, Rui Paulo Silva; Mesquita, L.M.R.; Barreira, LuísaA aplicação de perfis estruturais de aço enformados a frio na construção metálica, nomeadamente construção de edifícios, tem um conjunto de vantagens das quais se destacam a elevada eficiência estrutural destes perfis, com uma elevada relação resistência estrutural/peso, a possibilidade de criação rápida de perfis de formas variadas e adaptadas às necessidades, assim como a economia no transporte e a elevada rapidez de execução da obra. Esta última está diretamente relacionada com os sistemas de ligação dos elementos estruturais utilizados, em que, por se tratarem de perfis de chapa fina, as ligações por parafusos autoroscantes e autoperfurantes são as mais utilizadas. O dimensionamento destes elementos estruturais e dos seus elementos de ligação devem ser dimensionados à temperatura ambiente e também numa situação acidental de incêndio, em que é necessário o valor de cálculo da resistência da ligação em função da temperatura de exposição. Este trabalho apresenta um conjunto de ensaios experimentais acerca do comportamento de ligações aparafusadas sujeitas ao corte simples de chapas de aço a temperaturas elevadas. As ligações são feitas com recurso a parafusos autoperfurantes e roscantes. É realizado um estudo paramétrico ao nível da espessura das chapas a ligar e a influência da posição da ligação para a temperaturas elevadas, representativas da situação de incêndio. Os resultados permitem verificar que a resistência da ligação é limitada pela resistência ao corte do parafuso ou pela resistência ao esmagamento da chapa de aço, dependendo da espessura das chapas a ligar, da distância da ligação à extremidade da placa e da temperatura de exposição.
- Mercados informais do município Sumbe da província do Kuanza Sul: uma evidência empíricaPublication . Dum, João Ernesto Eduardo; Fernandes, Paula O.O presente trabalho de investigação que teve por objetivo conhecer por um lado o valor do Mercado Informal do Chingo - na perspetiva do vendedor e do consumidor, bem como observar o grau de satisfação dos consumidores. Foi propósito, ainda, reconhecer as razões que levam os consumidores a deslocarem-se ao mercado do Chingo, bem como identificar os cinco fatores que mais influenciam na decisão da compra dos consumidores, verificar se os mesmos têm uma imagem positiva, quais as suas expetativas sobre o mercado, se são leais ao mesmo e observar a sua perceção quanto a qualidade percebida e relação preço qualidade. Para dar resposta ao principal objetivo de estudo utilizou-se dois inquéritos por questionário, um dirigido aos vendedores e outro aos consumidores que se deslocam ao mesmo para adquirir os seus bens de consumo. Aplicaram-se questionários a 723 indivíduos repartidos entre 420 vendedores e 303 clientes. Tendo-se assumido para a categoria de vendedores um erro amostral de 4,58% e para os consumidores um erro amostral de 5,63% e um nível de significância de 5%. No tratamento dos dados recorreu-se à análise estatística descritiva exploratória, univariada e bivariada, e à análise inferencial. Através dos resultados obtidos concluiu-se que as cinco razões que levam os consumidores a fazerem compras no Mercado do Chingo foram: Variedade dos produtos; Facilidade de negociação do preço; Satisfação com o preço que se paga; Satisfação com o preço da maioria dos produtos; Gasta-se pouco com o transporte para se deslocar ao mercado; A maioria dos preços são baixos. Por outro lado os cinco fatores que influenciam a decisão de compra dos consumidores são: Disponibilidade de produtos tradicionais; Vantagem dos vendedores a retalho; Serviços prestado pelos retalhistas; Preço acessível; e, Otimização dos rendimentos quando se faz compras no mercado. Os consumidores têm uma perceção positiva relativamente às expetativas sobre o mercado, lealdade, qualidade percebida, relação preço/qualidade e encontram-se globalmente satisfeitos com o Mercado do Chingo. Por outro lado, os vendedores apresentaram uma perceção positiva relativamente ao valor do mercado.
- New perspectives of Juglans regia L. phytochemicals against Candida speciesPublication . Martins, Natália; Barros, Lillian; Carvalho, Ana Maria; Silva, Sónia; Henriques, Mariana; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.Opportunistic fungal infections have deserved special relevance in the last decades, presenting itself, a serious problem in terms of public health. Despite Candida albicans was considered the main agent responsible for those infections, other non-albicans Candida species have also been described in the last years [1-3]. Most of the species are susceptible to antimicrobial drugs, but recently it has been observed a growing number of microorganisms with drug resistance. Therefore, the discover/use of alternative therapies is crucial [4]. Juglans regia L. (walnut) leaves are commonly used in traditional medicine as antiseptic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory [5]; those benefits could be related with its richness in phenolic compounds [6]. In the present work, the antifungal potential of the hydroalcoholic extract prepared from walnut leaves was evaluated against a total of nineteen Candida strains (from the species: C.albicans, C.glabrata, C.parapsilosis and C.tropicalis), using the disc diffusion halo assay. All the tested strains were sensible to the plant extract. The obtained values of the inhibitory zones ranged between 0.9-1.4 cm, being the halo maintained after 48h. The observed antifungal activity is certainly related to the phenolic compounds previously determined in the extract [6]: five phenolic acid derivativescaffeoylquinic and p-coumaroylquinic acid derivatives, two dimers and one trimer of procyanidins, twelve flavonols- quercetin, myricetin and kaempferol derivatives, and five taxifolin O-pentoside isomers; 3-Ocaffeoylquinic acids and quercetin O-pentoside were the main phenolic compounds. Further studies are necessaries in order to elucidate the most active compounds and the specific role of each one.
- Expanding current knowledge on chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the Genus LactariusPublication . Vieira, Vanessa; Barros, Lillian; Martins, Anabela; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.Despite the presence of toxic compounds in inedible mushrooms, the question whether the chemical nutrients and non-nutrients compositions in edible and inedible Lactarius species are similar remains unanswered. To answer this question, Lactarius citriolens Pouzar and Lactarius turpis (Weinm.) Fr., two inedible species, were studied in order to obtain information about their chemical composition and bioactivity. Free sugars, fatty acids, tocopherols, organic and phenolic acids were analysed by chromatographic techniques coupled to different detectors. L. citriolens and L. turpis methanolic extracts were tested regarding antioxidant potential (reducing power, radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition). The composition of macronutrients varied among the two species, but the profiles were similar between them and among other Lactarius species; L. citriolens gave the highest energy contribution, saturated fatty acids and organic acids, while the L. turpis sample was richer in free sugars, mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols and phenolic compounds. L. turpis methanolic extract showed the highest antioxidant activity. The absence of hepatoxicity of the methanolic extracts was confirmed in porcine liver primary cells (in vitro conditions). The present study provided new information about wild L. citriolens and L. turpis, comparing their chemical composition and antioxidant properties with other Lactarius species, and expanding the knowledge about this genus.
- Surfactant-free emulsion polymerization by “Grafting from” polyvinylamine stabilizerPublication . Gomes, Catarina; Dias, Rolando; Leiza, Jose RamonEmulsion polymerization technique is one of the most common techniques employed in industry to synthesize a wide range of polymers due to its versatility, the possibility to control the properties of the final product and because it is an environmentally friendly technique. Nevertheless, large amounts of surfactant are usually required to stabilize the system which can have deleterious effects on water resistance and on the mechanical properties of the polymer. Among the different techniques employed to circumvent this problem, recently, graft copolymerization of a monomer from water-soluble polymers containing amino groups has been employed to synthesize polymer particles with amphiphilic core-shell nanostructures. Applications of these particles include controlled release drugs, water-borne coatings and diagnostic testing. In this project, water-soluble poly (N-vinylformamide) (PNVF) of different molecular weights was synthesized and characterized. Subsequently, the basic hydrolysis of these polymers was accomplished to obtain poly (vinyl amine) (PVAm) in an easy and controlled way. The synthesized poly (vinyl amines) were then employed as stabilizers in the surfactant-free emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA). The MMA monomer polymerizes via two different ways, grafting from polyvinylamine and homopolymerization, leading to a core-shell type particles with polyvinylamine-based shells. The effect of different variables such as initiator type and concentration, the pH of the reaction and the molecular weight of PVAm’s on the conversion, grafting efficiency and morphology of the polymer particles were investigated. Throughout all the work, an extensive characterization of the polymers obtained in each step was performed in order to clarify possible mechanisms involved in this polymerization process. For the characterization of the polymeric particles obtained during this work were used some characterization techniques such as AF4, NMR, DLS, TEM, SEC/GPC and FT-IR.