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Repositório Institucional da Universidade NOVA de Lisboa
Entradas recentes
Sea within. Exploring Marine Identity as an Embodied and Relational Way of Knowing the Ocean through a Somatic Surf Retreat
Publication . Rickmann, Anna; Mesquita, Mônica; Fox, Natalie
Human and ocean health are deeply interconnected, but human–ocean relationships are often
addressed through cognitive, knowledge-based approaches that overlook lived and embodied
experience. This dissertation explores marine identity as an embodied and relational way of
knowing the ocean, and studies what a sea-centered approach reveals about how people relate
to the ocean.
Using a mixed methods design, the research was conducted within a six-day Ocean Re-
treat for adult women that integrated surfing, somatic movement, and guided reflection. Qual-
itative methods, including journaling, emotional check-ins, and in-field observations, were
complemented by quantitative pre–post surveys.
The findings reveal marine identity as an embodied, relational, and processual phenom-
enon, rather than a fixed or explicitly named identity. Marine identity became visible through
shifts in affective engagement, relational connectedness, wellbeing, and behavioral intentions,
whereas cognitive knowledge and self-reported behavior showed limited short-term change.
Participants mainly expressed their relationship with the ocean through emotional, metaphor-
ical, and embodied language, often together with ambivalence.
By foregrounding embodiment and relational experience, this research reframes ocean
literacy as a process of knowing with the ocean rather than about it, which has implications
for ocean education, wellbeing-oriented engagement, and Blue Care approaches.
Valorização material e energética de bagaço de azeitona de lagar de duas fases. Promoção de bioeconomia circular na indústria do azeite
Publication . Dias, Luís Manuel Machado Brito Coutinho; Gonçalves, Maria Margarida
A produção de azeite é uma atividade relevante no setor agroalimentar dos países mediterrânicos, incluindo Portugal. No entanto, esta indústria gera anualmente grandes volumes
de subprodutos sólidos e líquidos, que geralmente são transportados para unidades centralizadas de tratamento e valorização. Este processo implica custos de transporte elevados, reduzido valor acrescentado para os produtores e limita a criação de valor no setor primário.
Este estudo avaliou alternativas de valorização "in situ" do bagaço de duas fases, através
de soluções tecnologicamente simples, economicamente viáveis e capazes de gerar subprodutos com utilidade agrícola. Foram analisadas operações como filtração, secagem, trituração
e crivagem do bagaço húmido, evaporação da água ruça e carbonização de sólidos resultantes,
incluindo possíveis frações secas ricas em polpa.
Foram definidos dois cenários de valorização, em que a energia necessária é fornecida
por biomassa, com custos estimados de 713€ no caso da utilização de pellets ou de 220€
utilizando biomassa lenhocelulósica em bruto por cada 1000 Kg de azeitona processada.
Estes permitem recuperar 307 litros de água para irrigação, 154 kg de polpa seca para
alimentação animal e entre 75,9 e 190,5 kg de aditivos para o solo.
O modelo proposto é aplicável em lagares de azeite de duas fases, integrados em olivais
biológicos, promovendo uma abordagem sustentável e alinhada com os princípios da bioeconomia circular.
Aplicação da Metodologia SMED numa empresa da Indústria Farmacêutica: Caso de Estudo
Publication . Ramos, Ricardo Neves Duarte; Tenera, Alexandra
Num mercado altamente competitivo e regulado como o da indústria farmacêutica em
que recentemente se impuseram preços tabelados, diminuindo dessa forma as
margens praticadas, tornou-se premente a diminuição dos desperdícios de produção
para que seja possível manter numa primeira instância os lucros e, posteriormente,
aumentá-los.
O Single Minute Exchange of Die é uma ferramenta preconizada por Shigeo Shingo
com o intuito de reduzir os desperdícios inerentes ao tempo de paragem para troca de
referência (setup), resultando num processo mais flexível, responsivo e eficiente. A sua
aplicação, amplamente estudada na indústria automóvel com resultados favoráveis,
começou recentemente a ser implementada na indústria farmacêutica, com restrições
diferentes das existentes na automóvel, por ser necessário aplicá-la em conformidade
com as Good Manufacturing Practices.
Com a realização desta dissertação pretendeu-se explorar a aplicabilidade da
metodologia Single Minute Exchange of Die na área da Embalagem da Generis Grupo
Aurobindo. A sua utilização foi efetuada no âmbito dos projetos promovidos pelo
Departamento de Melhoria Contínua em parceria com o Instituto Kaizen, envolvendo a
utilização de ferramentas diversas tais como: o desenvolvimento de um relatório A3, a
elaboração de um diagrama de Ishikawa e normalização das tarefas executadas.
Realizada a observação dos métodos atuais e conversas informais com os operadores,
foram desenvolvidas propostas de melhoria tendo sido implementadas as que
obtiveram aprovação, cujos resultados se traduziram na redução em 44% dos custos
associados ao tempo de paragem das máquinas para realização de setups.
Evaluation of the antifungal potential of a neww marine-derived natural product
Publication . Ribeiro, Susana Marta Facas; Pimentel, Catarina; Rojas, Oscar; Miragaia, Maria
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) pose a critical health threat, particularly for
immunocompromised individuals. Among them, those caused by Candida species account for the
majority of hospital-acquired cases, resulting in significant morbidity, mortality, and increased
healthcare costs.
Marine organisms have emerged as promising sources of novel antifungal agents. In this study,
we have investigated SF1, a bioactive compound isolated from a marine sponge collected off the Yucatán
Peninsula, Mexico.
Antifungal susceptibility assays of SF1 against several clinically important fungal species
revealed its broad spectrum of activity. Time-kill assays demonstrated SF1 remarkable fungicidal effect
at concentrations twofold above its minimal inhibitory concentration in Candida albicans, the most
prevalent Candida spp causing IFI. Possible interactions between SF1 and marketed antifungal drugs
were assessed using checkerboard assays, which revealed an antagonistic effect with fluconazole. To
further support its antifungal potential, the stability, solubility and lipophilicity of SF1 was evaluated
using UHPLC-MS/MS.
Preliminary work from our laboratory indicated that SF1 does not act through standard
antifungal mechanisms of action (MOA), specifically fungal cell wall disruption or ergosterol
biosynthesis inhibition. Therefore, in this work, we began to investigate the novel MOA of SF1.
Similarity searches using the PubChem database combined with a literature review, highlighted two
possible mechanisms of action: inhibition of the heat shock protein Hsp90 and inhibition of the plasma
membrane H+-ATPase, Pma1.
Since Hsp90 autoregulates its expression and affects C. albicans filamentation, we monitored HSP90
gene expression after SF1 treatment using RT-qPCR and assessed the compound effect on yeast filamentation via
microscopy. No significant changes in gene expression or filamentation patterns upon treatment, ruling
out Hsp90 as a potential target of SF1.
To test whether SF1 could target Pma1, everted vesicles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a close
relative of Candida spp, were produced and used to measure Pma1 activity. The limited availability of
SF1 prevented full optimization of the assay and thus efforts were directed toward purifying a FLAG-
tagged version of S. cerevisiae Pma1 for future controlled insertion into liposomes, allowing pump
activity assays with smaller, well-defined amounts of protein.
Overall, this work supports the potential of SF1 as an antifungal agent with a novel mechanism
of action, which could be valuable for overcoming IFI resistant to current treatments.
Menstrual stigma, hygiene, and human capital
Publication . Macours, Karen; Rueda, Julieta Vera; Webb, Duncan; NOVA School of Business and Economics (NOVA SBE)
Menstrual stigma is pervasive in low- and middle-income countries, yet we know little about its consequences for girls’ human capital. In a field experiment in 140 schools in Madagascar (N=2,256), we evaluate a school hygiene program focused on reducing menstrual stigma through sanitation infrastructure, menstrual products, and teacher- and peer-led sensitization. The program generates substantial learning gains (0.15 SD) without improving attendance or health. The learning gains are instead explained by psychosocial mechanisms: reduced stigma, lower stress measured by heart rate, and a better school social climate. Our results suggest that menstruation can be a meaningful barrier to girls’ learning.