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- Deciphering the potential of orange peel polysaccharides for modulating black tea astringencyPublication . Vieira, Joana; Silva, Inês E.; Guerreiro, Carlos; Bravo, Carlo; Rinaldi, Alessandra; Ramos, Rui M.; Fernandes, Pedro A. R.; Coimbra, Manuel A.; Fernandes, Virgínia Cruz; Freitas, Victor de; Brandão, Elsa; Soares, Susana; Fernandes, VirgíniaAstringency: a complex oral sensation described as dryness, puckering, or tightening - limit consumer acceptance of polyphenol-rich products like black tea, with recognized health benefits. Traditional strategies, such as sugar addition or polyphenol removal, often compromise nutritional quality, highlighting the need for alternative approaches to modulate astringency. One promising strategy involves the use of pectic polysaccharides as modulators of polyphenol-oral constituents interactions. This study explored two pectic polysaccharides fractions (PPFs) from orange peels with different composition on the interactions between black tea polyphenols and oral constituents, using an advanced oral cell-based quaternary model and trained sensory panel. PPF1 had a high degree of methylesterification (88 %) and high molecular weight (1.004 kDa), while PPF2 had a low degree of methylesterification and low molecular weight (226 kDa). Both fractions exhibited high uronic acid content, 72–80 mol%, respectively. Results: showed that PPFs decreased black tea polyphenols-oral constituents interactions, particularly in the HSC- 3-Mu-SP model (HSC-3 tongue-derived cell line, mucosal pellicle, salivary proteins). Notably, PPF2 showed a greater effect (53 % reduction) of total polyphenols adsorbed (UV–Vis colorimetric assay) and decreased the adsorption of all individual polyphenols, with the stronger effect on theasinensin C (56 % reduction) (HPLC analysis). PPF2 also decreased cystatins–oral component interactions (64 % reduction). Conversely, PPF1 showed a reducing effect on theaflavin-3,3′-digallate adsorption (24 %) and on gRPPs/aPRPs precipitation (33–38 %). Sensory analysis corroborated that both PPFs reduced astringency perception of black tea and contributed to positive astringency subqualities: silkiness associated with high molecular weight and mouthcoating associated with high uronic acid content.
- DMO marketing strategies: fostering digital hosting in tourism destinationsPublication . Liberato, Pedro; Liberato, Dália; Martins, Telma; Sousa, Bruno Barbosa; Santos, José DuarteDigitalisation is one of the most striking phenomena of the 21st century. It is considered the third industrial revolution, also known as the digital revolution. In the last two decades, the popularisation of the internet and electronic devices has completely transformed society. The branch of tourism that has emerged from this revolution is called digital tourism, being directly linked to digital tools and the way they support the multiple activities of the sector. The aim of this chapter is to understand the impact of the different digital practices in tourism businesses in the Porto and North region of Portugal. For this purpose, a qualitative research methodology has been adopted, based on an exploratory study, using semi-structured interviews with representatives of different entities in the tourism sector, namely tourism agencies and local accommodation companies. The general objective of the research study is the analysis of the digital hospitality of the destination and the proposal of strategies for the improvement of the destination, to carry out a Benchmarking analysis of competing destinations, the identification of good practices in tourist hospitality in destinations and lastly, the contribution of the digitalisation of tourism businesses as a contribution to the digital hospitality of tourism destinations. In the main conclusions, it is possible to highlight some impacts that companies in Porto have felt in the last decade, such as the increase in the flow of sales, due to the implementation of e-commerce, as well as due to the adoption of e-marketing strategies and website innovation.
- Dual-Regulated Ru by Alloying and Metal-Substrate Interaction for Energy-Efficient Hydrazine Oxidation-Paired Hydrogen ProductionPublication . Zhang, Qijing; Wang, Jingshu; Li, Haibo; Zeng, Suyuan; Li, Rui; Yao, Qingxia; Chen, Hongyan; Meng, Lijian; Qu, Konggang; Meng, LijianOverall water splitting (OWS) is the most potential method for large-scale hydrogen production, but the high-potential and sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) greatly impedes its efficacy. Coupling the low-potential hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) with the cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has drawn widespread attention with energy-saving advantage and safe products, which necessitates the elaborate design of advanced bifunctional electrocatalysts. Herein, only using two complexes of Ru and Pd with 2,2′-bipyridine, the novel RuPd alloy/N-codoped carbon (RuPd/NC) composite was originally synthesize by direct mixing and pyrolysis, showing superior dual activity for HER and HzOR. Particularly, to deliver the current density of 10 mA cm−2, RuPd/NC merely needs the potentials of −8 and −42 mV for alkaline HER and HzOR, far outperforming Pt/C and being most advanced among the previously studied counterparts. Moreover, the two-electrode overall hydrazine splitting (OHzS) needs ultrasmall voltages of 0.042 and 0.239 V to achieve 10 and 100 mA cm−2, displaying great energy-saving feature. Moreover, the better activity for neutral HER, HzOR and OHzS on RuPd/NC was also found compared with Pt/C. The theoretical simulations uncover the water dissociation at Ru site with the greatly reduced energy barrier followed by the H desorption on the adjacent Pd site for HER, and the optimum activation energy on Ru site for HzOR, crediting to the synergistic regulation of alloying effect and metal-substrate interaction.
- Ecological validity of neuropsychological interventions: A systematic reviewPublication . Pinto, Joana O.; Pontes, Diogo; Peixoto, Bruno; Dores, Artemisa R.; Barbosa, FernandoThe concept of ecological validity (EV) in neuropsychological interventions (NI) has been consistently advocated, but there is a lack of reviews focused on how EV is operationalized in NI programmes. This review aims to address this gap by exploring the outcome measures more commonly used for assessing EV and to understand the main characteristics of programmes with good EV. A literature search was conducted to identify studies that examined the EV of NI programmes, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines. A total of twenty-seven studies were included in this review. Among these, only three studies explicitly described the procedures used to assess EV. Additionally, almost half of the studies assumed that interventions had good EV based on the characteristics of the programmes. The inconsistent assessment of EV of NI programmes prevented the identification of specific characteristics of programmes demonstrating good EV. This systematic review reveals a significant gap in the literature concerning the operationalization of EV within the field of NI. Further research is required to establish a consistent definition of EV in the context of NI and to develop criteria for its effective operationalization.
- A novel deleterious variant and a founder effect in four new families of MBD4-Associated Neoplasia Syndrome recruited over a period of 20 YearsPublication . Querido, Inês; Pinto, Carla; Arinto, Patrícia; Brandão, Andreia; Santos, Catarina; Pinheiro, Manuela; Guerra, Joana; Silva, João; Peixoto, Ana; Teixeira, Manuel R.; Pinto, CarlaDNA glycosylases play a crucial role in DNA repair mediated by the base excision repair (BER) pathway, and alterations in these enzymes have been associated with hereditary cancer predisposition. Recently, germline biallelic loss-of-function variants in MBD4 were shown to be responsible for a novel autosomal recessive multi-tumor predisposition syndrome, provisionally denominated as MBD4-associated neoplasia syndrome and characterized by the association of adenomatous polyposis, colorectal cancer, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here, we studied the MBD4 gene in five individuals from four families affected by adenomatous polyposis and AML, who had been referred for genetic counselling at a single institution over a period of approximately 20 years. All patients with this phenotype presented homozygous deleterious germline variants in MBD4, of which one is a founder variant recurrent in three of the families, and another variant has not been previously described in the literature. Our work allowed a molecular diagnosis for these families and significantly contributes to expanding the knowledge about this emerging syndrome caused by MBD4 constitutional deficiency.
- Occupational exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation: A systematic review of protective measuresPublication . Rocha, Ricardo; Santos, Joana; Baptista, João Santos; Guedes, Joana; Carvalhais, Carlos; Alberto Alves Carvalhais, Carlos; Santos, JoanaSolar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen and poses a significant occupational hazard to outdoor workers. Despite preventive guidelines, adherence to protective measures remains inconsistent. This systematic review identified the protective measures adopted by healthy outdoor workers and assessed their adherence to and the effectiveness of these measures. Following the PRISMA 2020 statement, the review searched Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed for peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025. Eligible studies included at least 100 healthy participants and evaluated preventive or protective measures against solar UVR. Independent reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias using the McMaster Critical Review Form. From 17,756 records, 51 studies met the inclusion criteria after screening and a subsequent snowballing process. The identified protective strategies clustered into physical, behavioural, and organisational categories. Adherence ranged from low to moderate, with structured interventions and employer support improving compliance. Sunscreen use remained low due to perceived inconvenience and lack of provision. Overall, the evidence revealed substantial variability in implementation and effectiveness across occupations. Strengthened regulations and integrated interventions combining education, personal protective equipment, and organisational measures are essential. Future research should prioritise longitudinal designs and objective indicators such as biomarkers and dosimetry.
- Deep technologies and safer gambling: A systematic reviewPublication . Cardoso, Leonor G.; Barroso, Beatriz C. R.; Piccoli, Gloria; Peixoto, Miguel; Morgado, Pedro; Marques, António; Rocha, Carla; Griffiths, Mark D.; Queirós, Ricardo; Dores, Artemisa; Pereira da Silva Marques, António José; de Faria Távora Moreira Peixoto, MiguelDeep technologies combine engineering innovation and scientific findings to solve complex problems and are becoming particularly relevant to the gambling industry. With the global rise of gambling practices and the subsequent increase of gambling-related problems and disorders, deep technologies have emerged as a way to create safer online gambling environments. However, there is still limited knowledge regarding their applica bility and consequences. The present study systematically reviewed the existing literature on deep technologies in gambling environments, such as online casinos and betting platforms, and explored their potential benefits, risks, and effectiveness in promoting safer gambling experiences. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Searches were conducted in Web of Sci ence, PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO, and IEEE databases, and manually. A total of sixty-eight studies were included in the review. In general, four primary applications of deep technologies in online settings were found: (i) behavioural monitoring and feedback; (ii) predictive risk modelling; (iii) decision support and AI classifiers; and (iv) limit-setting/self-exclusion tools. They were primarily used to identify and classify problematic gambling, prompt individual action, regulate gambling behaviours, raise awareness of risk levels, promote responsible gambling practices, support research, interventions, and evaluate player protection initiatives. Together, the findings suggest that deep technologies offer ample opportunities to enhance gambler safety and reduce potential risks, although challenges may arise from their implementation, such as privacy and ethical concerns, malicious data use, misclassification of risk levels, and difficulties in large-scale application. Limitations and directions for future studies are discussed
- Assessing resilience potentials in management of occupational safety and health in hospitals: Development and validation of a toolPublication . Fernandes, Joana Afonso; Barbosa, Judite Lopes; Arezes, Pedro; Ferreira, María del Carmen Pardo; Rubio-Romero, Juan Carlos; Rodrigues, Matilde A.; Rodrigues, Matilde; Afonso Fernandes, JoanaA resilient Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) management system is crucial for effectively addressing potential future public emergencies, ensuring the continuous protection of workers’ safety and health. Therefore, it is essential for organizations, particularly hospitals, to assess their resilient performance and employ tools that are appropriate and tailored to their specific context. This study aims to enhance the understanding of resilience potentials in OSH management within hospital settings. To this end, an assessment tool was developed based on the Resilience Assessment Grid (RAG). A Delphi study involving subject matter experts was conducted to refine the tailored RAG tool. Following this, a pilot test was administered to 404 healthcare professionals across three public hospitals, with subsequent psychometric analysis. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) identified a four- dimensional structure. Goodness-of-fit indices demonstrated acceptable values, confirming the adequacy of the measurement model. Reliability testing indicated that the 29 item assessment tool is both valid and reliable. The tailored RAG tool was successfully validated, enabling the identification of strengths and weaknesses in OSH management.
- Thermal tourism in Europe: exploring the wellness dimensionPublication . Liberato, Dália; Quintela, Joana A.; Neto, Paulo; Liberato, Pedro; Brandão, FilipaHealth tourism is considered a strategic product for the development of many tourist destinations with thermal resources (Pereira et al., 2023). Europe has one of the richest and best-documented areas of thermal waters – the use of which dates to Greek and Roman cultures where they formed part of everyday life – being one of the most ancient forms of western therapy (Solimene, 2020). In recent decades, health and wellbeing have become essential motivations for consumption (Kervankıran, 2016), drawing the interest of researchers from various disciplines (Río-Rama et al., 2018). However, one of the current challenges for academic research and the wellness tourism industry is the conceptual development related to the critical term ‘wellness’. Wellness is one of the new trends, not only in health tourism but also in modern tourism. It is a ‘state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and includes attitudes and actions that prevent diseases, improve health and quality of life, and lead to physical and mental balance’ (Šušić & Dimitrijević, 2015: 69).