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- Progress in Nanofluid Technology: From Conventional to Green Nanofluids for Biomedical, Heat Transfer, and Machining ApplicationsPublication . Cardoso, Beatriz D.; Souza, Andrews; Nobrega, Glauco; Afonso, Inês Santos ; Neves, Lucas Boniatti; Faria, Carlos; Ribeiro, J.E.; Lima, Rui A.Nanofluids (NFs), consisting of nanoparticles (NPs) suspended in base fluids, have attracted growing interest due to their superior physicochemical properties and multifunctional potential. In this review, conventional and green NF technology aspects, including synthesis routes, formulation, and applications, are discussed. Conventional NFs, involving NPs synthesized using physical and chemical approaches, have improved NP morphology control but are likely to cause environmental and safety concerns. In contrast, green NFs that are plant extract, microorganism, and biogenic waste-based represent a sustainable and biocompatible alternative. The effect of key parameters (e.g., NP size, shape, concentration, dispersion stability, and base fluid properties) on the performance of NFs is critically examined. The review also covers potential applications: in biomedical engineering (e.g., drug delivery, imaging, theranostics, and antimicrobial therapies), in heat transfer (e.g., solar collectors, cooling electronics, nuclear reactors), and precision machining (e.g., lubricants and coolants). Comparative insights regarding green versus conventionally prepared NFs are provided concerning their toxicity, environmental impact, scalability, and functional performance across various applications. Overall, this review highlights the new promise of both green and conventional NFs and provides key opportunities and challenges to guide future developments in this field.
- Regenerative Agriculture: Insights and Challenges in Farmer AdoptionPublication . Moisés, Cristiano; Arrobas, Margarida; Tsitos, Dimitrios; Pinho, Diogo; Rezende, Raiza Figueiredo; Rodrigues, Manuel ÂngeloRegenerative agriculture has emerged as a new organic farming movement, initially difficult to distinguish from similar approaches. Its core concerns, such as ecosystem degradation caused by intensive farming, align with those of many other organic systems. However, regenerative agriculture prioritizes soil health, biodiversity, and social equity, setting itself apart through its scalability and flexibility. Unlike other ecological farming methods, often limited to smaller scales, regenerative agriculture aims to be implemented on large farms, typically major contributors to pollution due to reliance on external inputs like fertilizers and pesticides. Notably, regenerative certification standards are more flexible, allowing the use of industrially synthesized inputs under specific conditions, provided that regenerative principles are upheld. This review systematically examines seven core regenerative practices: no-tillage farming, crop rotation, cover cropping, green manures, intercropping, perennial cover systems, and integrated crop-livestock systems. It outlines the practical advantages and ecological benefits of each, while identifying key adoption challenges, including costs, farm size, and institutional barriers. The paper argues that addressing these issues, particularly concerning scale and socio-economic constraints, is essential for broader adoption. By synthesizing recent evidence, this review clarifies the distinctiveness of regenerative agriculture and highlights pathways for its scalable implementation.
- Grape Winemaking By-Products: Current Valorization Strategies and Their Value as Source of Tannins with Applications in Food and FeedPublication . Echave, Javier; González Pereira, Antía; Jorge, Ana O. S.; Barciela, Paula; Nogueira-Marques, Rafael; Yuksek, Ezgi N.; Oliveira, María B. P. P.; Barros, Lillian; Prieto, Miguel A.Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the most extensively cultivated crops in temperate climates, with its primary fate being wine production, which is paired with a great generation of grape pomace (GP). GP contains a plethora of antioxidant phenolic compounds, being well-known for its high content of various tannins, liable for the astringency of this fruit. Winemaking produces a great mass of by-products that are rich in tannins. Grape seed (GSd) and pulp waste, as well as leaves and stems (GSt), are rich in condensed tannins (CTs), while its skin (GSk) contains more flavonols and phenolic acids. CTs are polymers of flavan-3-ols, and their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are well-accounted for, being the subject of extensive research for various applications. CTs from the diverse fractions of grapefruit and grapevine share similar structures given their composition but diverge in their degree of polymerization, which can modulate their chemical interactions and may be present at around 30 to 80 mg/g, depending on the grape fraction. Thus, this prominent agroindustrial by-product, which is usually managed as raw animal feed or further fermented for liquor production, can be valorized as a source of tannins with high added value. The present review addresses current knowledge on tannin diversity in grapefruit and grapevine by-products, assessing the differences in composition, quantity, and degree of polymerization. Current knowledge of their reported bioactivities will be discussed, linking them to their current and potential applications in food and feed.
- From Apple Waste to Antimicrobial Solutions: A Review of Phenolics from PGI ‘Maçã de Alcobaça’ and Related CultivarsPublication . Ribeiro, Jessica; Silva, Vanessa; Dapkevicius, Maria de Lurdes N. E.; Igrejas, Gilberto; Barros, Lillian; Heleno, Sandrina A.; Reis, Filipa S.; Poeta, PatríciaApple by-products represent a valuable source of phenolic compounds with significant antimicrobial potential, aligning with sustainable strategies for waste valorisation within the circular bioeconomy. This review focuses on the phenolic profile and antimicrobial relevance of ‘Maçã de Alcobaça,’ a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) apple variety from Portugal. The main phenolics identified include phloridzin, phloretin, chlorogenic acid, quercetin glycosides, catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidins, which exhibit broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, particularly against Gram-positive pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus. Their structure-activity relationships and mechanisms of action, namely membrane disruption, enzyme inhibition, oxidative stress induction, and quorum sensing interference, are discussed. Different extraction methods and solvents influence phenolic yield and bioactivity, with ethyl acetate and hydromethanolic extracts generally showing stronger effects. Studies reveal the potential of phenolics to interact synergistically with antibiotics and the promising applications in food preservation, medical formulations, and antimicrobial packaging. Overall, apple-derived phenolics, particularly those derived from industrial by-products, have significant potential as natural antimicrobial agents. Further exploration of these phenolics in the context of One Health and antimicrobial resistance mitigation is recommended.
- Fatty acids profile in the honeybee: metabolic pathways, stressor interactions, and analytical approachesPublication . Mutlu, Ceren; Vilas-Boas, MiguelFatty acids play a crucial role in the metabolic activities, health, cognitive development, and behaviors of honeybees. The primary source of fatty acids for honeybees is the pollen consumed, though they can also produce specific fatty acids through de novo synthesis. Among the saturated fatty acids in honeybees, palmitic and stearic acids are the most abundant, while common unsaturated fatty acids include oleic, eicosenoic, palmitoleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids, which are present in various body parts and tissues. The composition and concentration of these fatty acids can be influenced by multiple biotic and abiotic factors such as developmental stage, nutrition, pathogens, season, temperature, sanitation conditions, industrial pollution, pesticides, and radiation. Therefore, monitoring the fatty acid profile of honeybees can be used as a bioindicator for monitoring the environmental conditions and the health status, enabling management actions that could improve honeybee sustainability. This study aims to provide foundational knowledge on the fatty acids identified in honeybees, examining their physiological roles, the impact of environmental stressors, and the analytical techniques used to determine their composition.
- Biological activity of 6,7-dehydroroyleanone derivatives from Plectranthus aliciaePublication . Filipe, Márcia Santos; Dominguez, Eva; Isca, Vera; Pereira, Raquel; Mandim, Filipa; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Diaz-Lanza, Ana María; Barros, Lillian; Rijo, PatríciaPlectranthus genus (Lamiaceae) is known to be rich in bioactive abietane royleanone-type diterpenes, such as 6,7-dehydroxyroyleanone (1, Fig. 1), which have been previously found in P. madagascariensis (var. aliciae Codd). This abietane royleanone presents moderate to significant to cytoxic activity against several cancer cell lines. Moreover, 1 has one hydroxyl group suitable for deri- vatization that can be explored to enhance the cytotoxic activity of lead com- pound 1. Based on this, the aim of the present work is to explore the obtention of 1, from P. aliciae aliciae (Codd) van Jaarsv. & T.J.Edwards., a subspecies of P. madagascariensis to be further used in the preparation of new derivatives with enhanced biological activities.
- Medicinal centauri honey: a promising ingredient?Publication . Filipe, Márcia Santos; Pires, Tânia C.S.P.; Calhelha, Ricardo C.; Diaz-Lanza, Ana María; Vilas-Boas, Miguel; Falcão, Soraia; Rijo, PatríciaHoney is a natural product with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, has been used as a medicinal substance for centuries. Thisnatural product is main- ly composed of a supersaturated solution of sugars, containing low water con- tent and trace amounts of bioactive compounds. The flower source, climate, geographical origin, harvesting process and storage conditions are factors that influence the composition of the nectar, leading to significant changes in the chemical composition, physical properties, and bioactivity of honey1. Centau- ri Honey is harvested from bee colonies located in the wild Alps of Turkey ́s mountainous region, approximately 2,500 meters above the Black Sea. The bees live in caves far from human settlements and other bees, and they have access to medicinal endemic blooms throughout the year. The aim of this work was to investigate the quality, physicochemical, nutrition- al parameters, and bioactivity of honey. The quality and physiochemical pa- rameters was analysed by colour, moisture content, conductivity, pH and acidity, 5-HMF (5-Hydroxymethylfurfural), diastase index and proline. The nutritional values were determined assessing ash, protein content, sugars, carbohydrates and energy. The biological activity was evaluated through the antioxidant, antimicrobial activity (broth microdilution method) and cytotox- icity in cell lines (AGS, CaCo-2, MCF-7, NCI-H460, PLP2, HFF-2, and HaCat), and anti-inflammatory activity (using RAW 264.7 macrophages). Further studies are ongoing to scientifically validate the medicinal properties of Centauri Honey due to its exceptional chemical composition and thus to become an innovative Ingredient.
- Therapy adherence in elderly of Northern PortugalPublication . Pinto, Isabel C.; Pereira, Fernando A.; Mateos-Campos, R.The elderly population has been growing significantly, leading to an increased prevalence of chronic diseases and consequent taking medication. The complex therapies of elderly can lead to therapy non-adherence, increasing several health risks. Aim This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of therapy adherence and associated factors. Material and Methods This cross-sectional study was based on a questionnaire, with MAT scale (measure of adherence to therapy) validated for the Portuguese population (Lima, 2001) based on the Morisky scale, applied to 52 elderly (≥65 years) from northern Portugal. To assess therapy adherence, those whose average adherence levels were ≥5, were called adherent. It was used descriptive statistics. The level of association between categories of variables was studied through the adjusted residuals (AdR) and the relationship between adherence to the therapeutic and the number of medications taken per day was studied using the Mann-Whitney U test, with a significance level of 5%. The study was approved by Ethics Committee. Results The sample consisted mainly of males elderly (61.5% vs. 38.5%), aged between 67 and 98 years (mean 82.71), and while 48.1% was between 75–84 years old. The participants shows high therapy adherence (96.2%). The non-adherent elderly are related to self-medication (AdR=4.3), with the high level of cholesterol (AdR=2.9) and chronic pain (AdR=2.9). The non-adherent elderly seem tend to take more drugs per day, although not statistically significant (P = 0.063). Conclusions This study shows that a large prevalence of elderly adhered to the therapy prescribed. Self-medication, having high cholesterol and chronic pain and higher number of different drugs per day seem related to non-adherence.
- Adherence to therapeutic in outpatients: literature reviewPublication . Ribeiro, Maria Isabel; Nascimento, Luís; Roque, Fátima; Herdeiro, M.T.F.Non-adherence to therapeutic is a widespread problem that contributes to the worsening of chronic diseases and to increase the expenditure on health care [1-3]. Objective: To present a review of the literature on the subject "Adherence to therapy" in outpatients. Methods: A search was carried out in the Medline database and the combinations of words Medication, Adherence and Outpatients were used for the period from 2010 to 2017. including only articles that adopted the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) to measure adherence to medication and studies developed in hospital context. In addition, articles with non-conventional therapies were excluded, namely those that resorted to the use of medicinal plants. Information was collected on the place of the study, period, type of study, sample, pathology, adherence to therapy in terms of rate or score (mean) and factors identified as being associated with non-adherence to therapy. Results: The search retrieved 461 publications and 44 were included in the analysis. The included studies are from Europe, Asia, Africa and America. Most of the studies were observational (84.1%). The remaining studies were interventional studies (15.9%). There were, also, 4 multicenter studies. In most studies, the Morisky scale was used with 8 item and only 31.8% used the shorter scale with 4 items. The sample sizes ranged from 34 to 2595 chronic patients and were mostly non-probabilistic (convenience) (75%). The most common pathologies were: diabetes, hypertension, diabetic retinopathy and hypercholesterolemia (34.1%); psychiatric diseases (25%), cardiovascular diseases (18.2%), among others. Taking into account the variable "adherence to therapeutic", 84.5% of the studies used a dichotomous variable. The others determined the score (mean with associated standard deviation). In general, therapeutic adherence was low. Considering the adherence rates, the lowest were recorded in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia (7.4%) and the highest was recorded in the treatment of hypertension in patients with apnea (83%). It should be noted that the cut-off point did not remain the same in all studies. The factors most commonly referred to as being associated with non-adherence were age, forgetfulness, lack of social support, the complexity of intake and stopping medication when the patient feels better. Conclusion: Interventional studies show significant improvements in adherence, comparing the situation before and after the intervention. Therefore, it is a priority to implement measures that improve adherence to therapy. References 1. Conn VS, Ruppar TM, Chan KC, Dunbar-Jacob J, Pepper GA, Geest SD. Packaging interventions to increase medication adherence: systematic review and meta-analysis. Current Medical Research And Opinion 2015, 31(1):145-60. 2. Ababneh MA, Al-Azzam SI, Alzoubi KH, Rababa'h AM. Adherence in outpatients taking warfarin and its effect on anticoagulation control in Jordan. Int J Clin Pharm. 2016, 38(4):816-21. 3. Napolitano F, Napolitano P, Angelillo IF. Collaborative Working Group. Medication adherence among patients with chronic conditions in Italy. Eur J Public Health 2016 26(1):48-52.
- Thymus zygis and thymus pulegioides as a source of phenolic compoundsPublication . Pereira, Olívia R.; Afonso, Andrea Luísa Fernandes; Domingues, Vasco; Cardoso, Susana M.Thymus is an important genus in the West Mediterranean region, where many species are cultivated for confection of several dishes, including salads, soups, stews and sauces. Many Thymus, including T. zygis and T. pulegioides are also commonly used in traditional medicine. Whist phenolic compounds are commonly associated to health-beneficial properties of Thymus, the specific phenolic composition of T. zygis and T. pulegioides is presently unknown. The extracts of the aerial parts of T. zygis and T. pulegioides species were prepared with hot water as previously described. Total phenolic contents were determined according to the adapted Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric method and the identification of the phenolic compounds was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD). The extracts of T. zygis and T. pulegioides contained 319±44 and 391±3 μg GAE/mg, respectively. Likewise other Thymus species, both extracts were enriched in caffeic acid derivatives, showing characteristic UV spectra maxima at 290 and 328 nm. The two extracts also contained moderate amounts of the flavone luteolin-7-O-glucoside that has been previously described in others Thymus species. Yet, T. zygis and T. pulegioides phenolic profiles could be clearly distinguished: while the first had high levels of the phenolic acid salvianolic acid K the extract of T. pulegioides was enriched in eriodictyol derivatives. The phenolic compounds of T. zygis and T. pulegioides are here described for the first time.