Publications

Abstract Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste (PPWD) aimed at harmonizing regulations and coherence of the European Union (EU) internal market and preserving the environment and natural resources. Despite its economic importance, packaging production poses significant environmental challenges, including the generation of solid waste and the depletion of natural resources. This paper addresses the current policy framework that the EU intends to implement to minimize the growing generation of packaging waste, promote circularity, and integrate recycled materials in the EU. The proposed regulatory measures, including the transition from a directive to a Regulation, the establishment of mandatory targets for the reduction of solid waste and recycled content, and the strengthening of reuse systems, aim to promote a resilient value chain, mitigate environmental degradation, and stimulate economic growth. By adopting a circular economy approach, the EU strives to champion sustainable development in the internal market and improve social well-being in various sectors. © 2024 Cisa Publisher. All rights reserved.

Abstract The pharmacological interest in mitochondria is very relevant since these crucial organelles are involved in the pathogenesis of multiple diseases, such as cancer. In order to modulate cellular redox/oxidative balance and enhance mitochondrial function, numerous polyphenolic derivatives targeting mitochondria have been developed. Still, due to the drug resistance emergence in several cancer therapies, significant efforts are being made to develop drugs that combine the induction of mitochondrial metabolic reprogramming with the ability to generate reactive oxygen species, taking into consideration the varying metabolic profiles of different cell types. We previously developed a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant (AntiOxCIN6) by linking caffeic acid to lipophilic triphenylphosphonium cation through a 10-carbon aliphatic chain. The antioxidant activity of AntiOxCIN6 has been documented but how the mitochondriotropic compound impact energy metabolism of both normal and cancer cells remains unknown. We demonstrated that AntiOxCIN6 increased antioxidant defense system in HepG2 cells, although ROS clearance was ineffective. Consequently, AntiOxCIN6 significantly decreased mitochondrial function and morphology, culminating in a decreased capacity in complex I-driven ATP production without affecting cell viability. These alterations were accompanied by an increase in glycolytic fluxes. Additionally, we demonstrate that AntiOxCIN6 sensitized A549 adenocarcinoma cells for CIS-induced apoptotic cell death, while AntiOxCIN6 appears to cause metabolic changes or a redox pre-conditioning on lung MRC-5 fibroblasts, conferring protection against cisplatin. We propose that length and hydrophobicity of the C10-TPP+ alkyl linker play a significant role in inducing mitochondrial and cellular toxicity, while the presence of the antioxidant caffeic acid appears to be responsible for activating cytoprotective pathways.

Abstract Travel writing reflects placed subjective human experience and participates in the collective processes of assembling stable, consensual, or polemical geographical entities and identities. In this chapter, we reflect on the contributions of Critical Digital Humanities to the communication of travel writing studies. Using R language, we are exploring the Anglophone Travelers in Portugal databases—which provide annotated information on almost 200 foreigner travel accounts in English published since the eighteenth century—to visualize geographical entities, analyze topics, and design visualization tools for non-expert audiences. In the process, four contributions of Critical Digital Humanities became evident. First, toponymical and semantic sources of ambiguity require us to develop a strong understanding of data as an artifact or capta (Drucker, Digital Humanities Quarterly, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1–21, 2011) construed in the annotating process that may affect the accuracy of automatic geocoding and processing based on named entity recognition. Critical digital humanist scholars, even if aware of such issues, lack creative solutions to express ambiguity as informative per se of the liquid nature of social labeling. Second, digital humanities open doors to enhanced interactivity (for instance, web applications) but require thoughtful, parsimonious solutions to express complexity which raises issues related to minimal computing (Risam and Gil, Digital Humanities Quarterly, vol. 16, no. 2, 2022). Third, Critical Digital Humanities helped to understand that communicating foreign perspectives may impact the audiences’ understanding of the traveled territory, but also of the travelers as an exogroup, a social category built on stereotyped views. Fourth, Critical Digital Humanities allowed us to better communicate the entangled nature of traveling and socio-historical circumstances. The challenge is to use such information to promote meaningful, centrifugal travel experiences rather than centripetal, massive travel itineraries. In the future, the project aims to grow via participatory citizen science (crowdsourcing) and to extend its scope to online digital sources related to travel (for instance, blogs). These new steps will foster the need to examine web scraping and text cleaning techniques and develop suitable storytelling approaches to engage people and create narratives that reflect their inputs in a critical way. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.

Abstract Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a critical role in the functional competence of sperm cells. Conversely, excessive generation of ROS can impair sperm function, including their fertilization ability. Urolithin A (UA), a gut bacteria-derived metabolite produced from the transformation of ellagitannins, with anti-aging and antioxidant properties, was investigated for the first time in bovine sperm cells in the present study. Firstly, different doses of UA (0, 1, and 10 mu M; 8-16 sessions) were used during the capacitation process of frozen-thawed bovine sperm. Sperm motility was assessed using optical microscopy and CASA. Sperm vitality (eosin-nigrosin), ROS, and ATP levels, as well as mitochondrial membrane potential (JC1) and oxygen consumption were evaluated. A second experiment to test the effect of different doses of UA (0, 1, and 10 mu M; 9 sessions) in both the capacitation medium, as above, and the fertilization medium, was also implemented. The embryonic development and quality were evaluated. UA, at a concentration of 1 mu M, significantly improved sperm movement quality (p < 0.03). There was a trend towards an increase in the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of capacitated sperm with 1 mu M and 10 mu M UA supplementation. Moreover, an increase in ATP levels (p < 0.01) was observed, accompanied by a reduction in ROS levels at the higher UA concentration. These results suggest that UA may enhance spermatozoa mitochondrial function, modifying their metabolic activity while reducing the oxidative stress. Also, the number of produced embryos appears to be positively affected by UA supplementation, although differences between the bulls may have mitigated this effect. In conclusion, presented results further support previous findings indicating the potential therapeutic value of UA for addressing reproductive sub/infertility problems and improving ART outcomes. In addition, our results also reinforce the important bull effect on ART and that male sperm bioenergetic parameters should be used to predict spermatozoa functionality and developmental potential.

Abstract Heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in developed countries, and novel regenerative procedures are warranted. Direct cardiac conversion (DCC) of adult fibroblasts can create induced cardiomyocytes (iCMs) for gene and cell-based heart therapy, and in addition to holding great promise, still lacks effectiveness as metabolic and age-associated barriers remain elusive. Here, by employing MGT (Mef2c, Gata4, Tbx5) transduction of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and adult (dermal and cardiac) fibroblasts from animals of different ages, we provide evidence that the direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into iCMs decreases with age. Analyses of histone posttranslational modifications and ChIP-qPCR revealed age-dependent alterations in the epigenetic landscape of DCC. Moreover, DCC is accompanied by profound mitochondrial metabolic adaptations, including a lower abundance of anabolic metabolites, network remodeling, and reliance on mitochondrial respiration. In vitro metabolic modulation and dietary manipulation in vivo improve DCC efficiency and are accompanied by significant alterations in histone marks and mitochondrial homeostasis. Importantly, adult-derived iCMs exhibit increased accumulation of oxidative stress in the mitochondria and activation of mitophagy or dietary lipids; they improve DCC and revert mitochondrial oxidative damage. Our study provides evidence that metaboloepigenetics plays a direct role in cell fate transitions driving DCC, highlighting the potential use of metabolic modulation to improve cardiac regenerative strategies.

Abstract <jats:p>In the last years, major changes in the biosystem related to the industrial development and envi-ronmental modifications have had a direct impact on human and animal fertility, as well as on biodiversity. It is widely demonstrated that all these changes impair in the reproductive function. Several studies have connected the increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in mito-chondria to the recently identified decline of fertility due to various factors, including heat stress. The study of antioxidants and especially of mitochondria targeted antioxidants, has been ad-dressed to identify more efficient and less toxic therapies that could circumvent the problem of in-fertility in mammals. These antioxidants can be obtained from natural compounds used in the diet and converted into more effective forms to mitochondria, which will be a much more natural therapy. The use of mitochondriotropic diet-based antioxidants in Assisted Reproductive Tech-nologies (ART) may be an important way to circumvent the low fertility, allowing the conserva-tion of biodiversity in animal species, including domestic breeds. This paper provides a concise re-view of the current state of the art on this topic, with a particular focus on antioxidants: Mitoqui-none, AntiOxBEN2, AntiOxCIN4, Urolithin A and the most recent Piperine.</jats:p>

Abstract The thermodynamic properties of ionic liquids (ILs) bearing alkylsilane and alkylsiloxane chains, as well as their carbon-based analogs, were investigated. Effects such as the replacement of carbon atoms by silicon atoms, the introduction of a siloxane linkage, and the length of the alkylsilane chain were explored. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to study the thermal and phase behavior (glass transition temperature, melting point, enthalpy and entropy of fusion, and thermal stability). Heat capacity was obtained by high-precision drop calorimetry and differential scanning microcalorimetry. The volatility and cohesive energy of these ILs were investigated via the Knudsen effusion method coupled with a quartz crystal microbalance (KEQCM). Gas phase energetics and structure were also studied to obtain the gas phase heat capacity as well as the energy profile associated with the rotation of the IL side chain. The computational study suggested the existence of an intramolecular interaction in the alkylsiloxane-based IL. The obtained glass transition temperatures seem to follow the trend of chain flexibility. An increase of the alkylsilane chain leads to a seemingly linear increase in molar heat capacity. A regular increment of 30 JK-1mol(-1) in the molar heat capacity was found for the replacement of carbon by silicon in the IL alkyl chain. The alkylsilane series was revealed to be slightly more volatile than its carbon-based analogs. A further increase in volatility was found for the alkylsiloxane-based IL, which is likely related to the decrease of the cohesive energy due to the existence of an intramolecular interaction between the siloxane linkage and the imidazolium headgroup. The use of Si in the IL structure is a suitable way to significantly reduce the IL's viscosity while preserving its large liquid range (low melting point and high thermal stability) and low volatilities.

Abstract This ethnobotanical investigation was conducted in the rural commune of Bni Hadifa belonging to the Al Hoceima province (North of Morocco), to inventory the principal medicinal plants traditionally used to treat Covid-19. Ethnobotanical information was recorded from 84 inhabitants aged over 18 years in the different communes of the study area, using an ethnobotanical survey based on a questionnaire and semistructured interviews. Data were examined by surveying the relative citation frequency (RFC) and family importance value (FIV). The obtained results permitted the inventory of 40 aromatic and medicinal plants (MAPs) species owned by 20 families, the most important of which by their number of species were: Lamiaceae (12 species), Apiaceae (5 species), Asteraceae (3 species), and two species for each of Amaryllidaceae, Myrtaceae, and Rutaceae. Furthermore, the following species: Allium sativum, Thymus glandulosus, Lavandula dentata L, Citrus limon L, Eucalyptus globulus labill, Artemisia herba-alba, and Marrubium vulgare L were the most frequently cited by the RFC index. Leaves were found to be the common plant organ used to treat Covid-19, while decoction was the most frequent preparation mode. This study also showed that over 90% of the respondents proved the efficacy of the plants used against Covid-19. However, most of the users of these plants did not respect the administered doses and were unaware of the toxicity and lethal effects that could be caused by these plants when taking high doses. The results of this survey demonstrate that the plants used to combat Covid-19 may constitute a promising database for future research in the extraction and chemical analysis of potentially effective biomolecules against this virus. © 2024 Malque Publishing. All rights reserved.

Abstract Dittrichia viscosa, a perennial herb belonging to the Asteraceae family, was collected in a coastal site located in northern Morocco. This study focused on exploring the phytochemical composition and biological activities of essential oils (EOs) and solvents (methanol and acetone) extract of leaves, stems, and flowers. Total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents were determined, and the result showed a high level of TPC and TFC in leaves with the values of 127.61 mg GAEs/g and 117.82 mg CEs/g, respectively. HPLC-MS analysis highlighted 18 phenolic acids and flavonoids, with notable quantities of apigenin 7-glucoside (2233 μg/g) and chlorogenic acid (1429 μg/g). GC‒MS analysis of EOs allowed the identification of 27 biologically active compounds, dominated by decanoic acid (20.98%) and toluene (19.66%). Regarding the biological activities, antioxidant activity was evaluated through the DPPH test, while antifungal activity was tested using the microdilution method. The most potent antioxidant effect was observed in the methanol extract of leaves, with a value of 0.18 mg/mL, while the weakest effect was noted in the acetone extract of flowers, registering a value of 1.63 mg/mL. Similarly, the antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts surpassed that of acetonic extracts in each part of D. viscosa. Concerning antifungal activity, the findings reveal that all extracts demonstrated important capacity against the tested pathogens. The methanolic extract displayed high efficacy compared to the acetonic one, with MFC values ranging between 1.94-3.38 mg/mL and 2.88-4.75 for Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and Trichophyton rubrum, respectively. However, for Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis, the MFCs were higher (7.5-8.5 mg/mL). Regarding EOs, the MFCs were more favorable for the three human pathogenic fungi, ranging between 1.88 and 3.35 µL/mL, compared to F. oxysporum, which has an MFCs of 3.5 µL/mL. In summary, the findings demonstrated that D. viscosa could be considered a useful alternative and reliable source of bioactive compounds for the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. © 2024 Malque Publishing. All rights reserved.

Abstract The Periodic Table of the Elements of Green and Sustainable Chemistry (PT-GSC) represents a potentially meaningful tool for teaching and learning Green Chemistry. However, there is a lack of studies exploring the application of the PT-GSC in educational contexts. To contribute to filling this gap, a qualitative and participant approach was developed to examine the effects of using the PT-GSC in a high school setting, with a focus on analyzing the associated challenges and opportunities. Over a five-week period, 23 high school students enrolled in a chemistry course at a public school in Brazil worked in small groups to develop solutions for a case study addressing socio-scientific issues related to water scarcity in the local region using elements from the PT-GSC. Results from both the pre- and post-questionnaires, along with the written case study resolutions, provide evidence of the students' knowledge gains, particularly in critical scientific literacy for Green and Sustainable Chemistry Education. The findings showed that the PT-GSC is an interdisciplinary tool for introducing students to Green Chemistry concepts within the broader societal and scientific ecosystem. The implementation of novel case studies incorporating elements from the PT-GSC is a way to support our ongoing work with students and the public, contributing to a sustainable future.