ABSTRACT
The building sector is responsible for a significant percentage of the energy consumption in Europe. The level of thermal insulation of the building envelope leads to decrease energy consumption, thus contributing towards a sustainable and efficient built environment. As a result, the choice of the most suitable thermal insulation solution to be applied both in new construction and in retrofitting of building facades is fundamental for a satisfactory thermal performance of the building. Nevertheless, the thermal insulation solution should not be chosen considering only the thermal performance, but rather based on a set of performance parameters (i.e., water resistance, fire performance, impact on the environment and human health, among others) and climate-related requirements. This data article includes a dataset on criteria adopted in three European countries (namely Norway, Portugal, and Italy) considering a PESTE analysis (i.e., criteria related to Political, Economic, Social, Technological, and Environmental questions). The main objective was to evaluate the knowledge and perception of people living and/or working in these countries about the use and the performance of thermal insulation solutions in building facades. To this aim a questionnaire was developed within the scope of the EEA Granted EFFICACY research project (November 2022 - February 2023), whose overall objective is to create a database that serves as a reference for the choice of thermal insulation solutions to be applied in building facades for thermal and energy performances optimization. This database contributes to systemize criteria and can be extended by other researchers or professionals in the area, as well as in other countries.
ABSTRACT
Recognising the various sources of nitrate pollution and understanding system dynamics are fundamental to tackle groundwater quality problems. A comprehensive GIS database of twenty parameters regarding hydrogeological and hydrological features and driving forces were used as inputs for predictive models of nitrate pollution. Additionally, key variables extracted from remotely sensed Normalised Difference Vegetation Index time-series (NDVI) were included in database to provide indications of agroecosystem dynamics. Many approaches can be used to evaluate feature importance related to groundwater pollution caused by nitrates. Filters, wrappers and embedded methods are used to rank feature importance according to the probability of occurrence of nitrates above a threshold value in groundwater. Machine learning algorithms (MLA) such as Classification and Regression Trees (CART), Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machines (SVM) are used as wrappers considering four different sequential search approaches: the sequential backward selection (SBS), the sequential forward selection (SFS), the sequential forward floating selection (SFFS) and sequential backward floating selection (SBFS). Feature importance obtained from RF and CART was used as an embedded approach. RF with SFFS had the best performance (mmce=0.12 and AUC=0.92) and good interpretability, where three features related to groundwater polluted areas were selected: i) industries and facilities rating according to their production capacity and total nitrogen emissions to water within a 3km buffer, ii) livestock farms rating by manure production within a 5km buffer and, iii) cumulated NDVI for the post-maximum month, being used as a proxy of vegetation productivity and crop yield.
ABSTRACT
RESUMO O presente trabalho descreve a composição físico-química, a avaliação da atividade antioxidante pelo método de sequestro de radicais livres DPPH, determinação de flavonoides e de fenóis totais dos extratos etanol, acetona e aquoso de Plectranthus barbatus Andr. (Lamiaceae), desidratadas em secador solar e em estufa de circulação de ar a 60 oC. Os valores de atividade de água encontrados para as duas secagens foram inferiores ao mínimo necessário para o crescimento e produção de toxina de patógenos de importância alimentar. Os resultados das análises físico-químicas demonstraram que ambos os processos mostraram-se eficientes na desidratação de P. barbatus. Os resultados demonstraram que os extratos acetona (estufa) e etanol (estufa e secador solar) foram os que apresentaram maior conteúdo de fenóis totais. O extrato etanólico (estufa) apresentou maior quantidade de flavonoides e melhor potencial antioxidante (IC50 = 75,71 ± 10,57 µg mL-1).
ABSTRACT This paper describes the physicochemical composition, the evaluation of the antioxidant activity by free DPPH radicals using the scavenging method, the determination of flavonoids and total phenolic compounds of ethanol, acetone and aqueous extracts of the medicinal plant Plectranthus barbatus Andr. (Lamiaceae), dehydrated in solar dryer and circulation oven at 60 °C. Water activity rates for two drying methods were below the minimum necessary for growth and toxin production of important food pathogens. Physicochemical results showed that both processes were effective in the dehydration of P. barbatus. The results demonstrated that the acetone (over) and ethanol (over and solar dryer) extracts showed the highest content of total phenols. The ethanol extract (over) showed the highest amount of flavonoids and better antioxidant activity (75.71 ± 10.57 µg L-1).
Subject(s)
/analysis , Plectranthus/classification , /analysis , Antioxidants/analysis , Coleus/classification , Peumus/classificationABSTRACT
O fruto de noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) é consumido há milênios na medicina popular polinésia devido aos benefícios nutricionais e terapêuticos. O consumo de noni em outros países, incluindo o Brasil, cresceu vertiginosamente nos últimos anos em decorrência das atividades biológicas atribuídas a ingestão do suco da fruta, principalmente pela propriedade anticâncer. Contudo, a composição química da planta, que está relacionada com suas propriedades biológicas, é determinada pelo seu local de origem, e por influência do clima e do solo onde é cultivada. Neste sentido, este trabalho teve como objetivo analisar a polpa extraída de frutos maduros de noni cultivados em Maringá-PR. A análise da polpa in natura apresentou 89,16% de umidade, 0,75% de cinzas, 2,10% de proteínas, 2,19% de lipídios e 5,81% de carboidratos. Dos compostos bioativos, foram analisados antocianinas (1,39 mg.100 g-1 polpa), flavonoides amarelos (13,01 mg.100 g-1 polpa), carotenóides (0,45 mg.100 g-1 polpa) e vitamina C (12,16 mg.100 g-1 polpa). Para fenólicos totais e atividade antioxidante foram preparados diferentes extratos, sendo que os maiores teores de fenólicos totais foram encontrados no extrato aquoso (1143,56 mg equivalente de ácido gálico (EAG).100 g-1), seguido do extrato etanólico (966,96 mg EAG.100 g-1), metanol/acetona (820,88 mg EAG.100 g-1) e metanólico (306,33 mg EAG.100 g-1). Os melhores resultados para antioxidantes, determinado pelo EC50 - concentração do extrato necessária para reduzir 50% do radical DPPH, foram encontrados nos extratos metanol/acetona (EC50 de 25,18 mg.mL-1) e metanólico (EC50 de 25,96 mg.mL-1). A atividade antioxidante dos frutos pode estar relacionada com o conteúdo de vitamina C, uma vez que os extratos com um menor conteúdo de fenóis totais foram aqueles que apresentaram menores valores de EC50.
The noni fruit (Morinda citrifolia L.) has been consumed for millennia in the Polynesian folk medicine because of its nutritional and therapeutic benefits. The consumption of the noni fruit in other countries, including Brazil, has increased in recent years because of the biological activities attributed to the ingestion of noni juice, especially the anticancer effect. However, the chemical composition of the plant, which is related to its biological properties, is determined by its geographical origin and is influenced by climate and soil. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the pulp extracted from noni fruit grown in Maringá, state of Paraná, Brazil. The fresh pulp analysis showed 89.16% of moisture, 0.75% of ash, 2.10% of protein, 2.19% of fat and 5.81% of carbohydrates. The bioactive compounds analyzed were anthocyanins (1.39 mg.100 g-1 pulp), yellow flavonoids (13.01 mg.100 g-1 pulp), carotenoids (0.45 mg.100 g-1 pulp) and vitamin C (12.16 mg.100 g-1 pulp). For the analysis of total phenols and antioxidant activity, different extracts were prepared. The highest total phenolic contents were found in the aqueous extract (1143.56 mg EAG.100 g-1), followed by the ethanol extract (966.96 mg EAG.100 g-1), methanol/acetone extract (820.88 mg EAG.100 g-1) and methanol extract (306.33 mg EAG.100 g-1). The results for the antioxidant capacity were determined by the EC50, which is concentration of extract required to reduce 50% of the DPPH radical. The best results for the antioxidant capacity were found in the methanol/acetone extract (EC50 of 25.18 mg.mL-1) and in the methanol extract (EC50 of 25.96 mg.mL-1). The antioxidant activity of the fruit may be related to its vitamin C content, since the extracts with lower total phenolic content were those that had lower EC50 values.
Subject(s)
Morinda/chemistry , Antioxidants/chemistry , Chemistry , Phenolic Compounds/analysis , Fruit/anatomy & histologyABSTRACT
The Water Framework Directive establishes that the river basin management plans must have a summary of the pressures and impacts of human activities, such as agriculture, on the chemical and quantitative status of groundwater bodies. In order to identify those areas where a potential impact from agricultural activities on groundwater bodies exists, but currently lacking groundwater monitoring data, a methodology was developed that combines the use of gross nitrogen balance values with the results of a specific vulnerability assessment index. A farm management efficiency parameter is added, to identify the factors that contribute to nitrogen use efficiency and to assess the near-future scenarios. This methodology allows the identification of significant pressures that may be responsible for a groundwater body failing good status where there is no representative monitoring network.
Subject(s)
Fertilizers/analysis , Groundwater , Nitrogen/chemistry , Rivers , Water Pollutants, Chemical/chemistry , Agriculture , Portugal , Water MovementsABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to compare the BLUP selection method with different selection strategies in F(2:4) and assess the efficiency of this method on the early choice of the best common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) lines. Fifty-one F(2:4) progenies were produced from a cross between the CVIII8511 x RP-26 lines. A randomized block design was used with 20 replications and one-plant field plots. Character data on plant architecture and grain yield were obtained and then the sum of the standardized variables was estimated for simultaneous selection of both traits. Analysis was carried out by mixed models (BLUP) and the least squares method to compare different selection strategies, like mass selection, stratified mass selection and between and within progeny selection. The progenies selected by BLUP were assessed in advanced generations, always selecting the greatest and smallest sum of the standardized variables. Analyses by the least squares method and BLUP procedure ranked the progenies in the same way. The coincidence of the individuals identified by BLUP and between and within progeny selection was high and of the greatest magnitude when BLUP was compared with mass selection. Although BLUP is the best estimator of genotypic value, its efficiency in the response to long term selection is not different from any of the other methods, because it is also unable to predict the future effect of the progenies x environments interaction. It was inferred that selection success will always depend on the most accurate possible progeny assessment and using alternatives to reduce the progenies x environments interaction effect.
