Moniz, AB, Silva AV, Woll T, Sampaio JJ.
2007.
Globalization processes of value chains in clothing industry in Portugal: implication in the working structures, Mar. , Number hal-00256824: HAL
AbstractSome of the phenomena where the “globalization” concept is applied include the internationalization of markets, globalization of culture, pol{\'ıtical hegemony of world by some states, or groups of states, the increasing power of supranational institutions, and the development of a global division of labour. A starting point to understand the global division of work is the study of how companies are re-structuring, once they are the key-actors in the decision on which work should be found and where. The “value chains” describe each step in the productive process of a final product or service. Separated units of value chains can be in the same company (in-house) or in different companies (outsourced). Similarly they can be in a same local, or in other location. Normalization of business processes, combined with digitalization of information and the development of telecommunication networks made possible the tele-mediated work. This paper presents results from the European WORKS project, where are studied Portuguese cases of firms that integrate globalized value chain, and are analized the implications on work organization models and the (new) professional structures.
Gaspar, {JF}, Baptista {PV}, Rueff J.
2007.
Gold nanoparticle based systems in genetics, mar. Current Pharmacogenomics. 5:39–47., Number 1: Bentham Science Publishers
AbstractAdvances in nanoscience are having a significant impact on many scientific fields, boosting the development of a variety of important technologies. The impact of these new technologies is particularly large in biodiagnostics, where a number of nanoparticle-based assays have been introduced for biomolecular detection. The physicochemical malleability and high surface areas of nanoparticle surfaces make them ideal candidates for developing biomarker platforms. Given the variety of strategies afforded through nanoparticle technologies, a significant goal is to tailor nanoparticle surfaces to selectively bind a subset of biomarkers, either for direct detection and characterization or to sequester the target molecules for later study using other available techniques. To date, applications of nanoparticles have largely focused on DNA- or protein-functionalized gold nanoparticles used as the target-specific probes. These unique biophysical properties displayed by gold nanoparticles have huge advantages over conventional detection methods (e.g., molecular fluorophores, microarray technologies). These gold-nanoparticle based systems can then be used for the detection of specific sequences of DNA (pathogen detection, characterization of mutation and/or SNPs) or RNA (without previous retro-transcription and amplification.
Sampaio, J, Moniz AB.
2007.
Qualifica{\c c}ão e Competência Profissional Num Sistema Complexo De Trabalho (Qualification and professional competence in a complex working system), Mar. , Number hal-00291729: HAL
AbstractNesta comunica{\c c}ão em que se discutem, numa perspectiva de complementaridade, os conceitos de qualifica{\c c}ão e de competência profissional, dá-se conta da metodologia adoptada para a identifica{\c c}ão e valida{\c c}ão de um conjunto de competências profissionais num sistema complexo de trabalho. O estudo incidiu sobre os Servi{\c c}os de Controlo de Tráfego Aéreo da Região de Informa{\c c}ão de Voo de Lisboa e permitiu concluir pela existência de uma dimensão integrativa das componentes trabalho e tecnologia, enquanto elementos estruturantes dos mapas de competências profissionais, indispensáveis à integra{\c c}ão sistémica dos diferentes agentes (humanos e tecnológicos) no processo produtivo.
Moniz, AB, Silva AV, Woll T, Sampaio JJ.
2007.
{Globalization processes of value chains in clothing industry in Portugal: implication in the working structures}, Mar. , Number hal-00256824: HAL
AbstractSome of the phenomena where the “globalization” concept is applied include the internationalization of markets, globalization of culture, polítical hegemony of world by some states, or groups of states, the increasing power of supranational institutions, and the development of a global division of labour. A starting point to understand the global division of work is the study of how companies are re-structuring, once they are the key-actors in the decision on which work should be found and where. The “value chains” describe each step in the productive process of a final product or service. Separated units of value chains can be in the same company (in-house) or in different companies (outsourced). Similarly they can be in a same local, or in other location. Normalization of business processes, combined with digitalization of information and the development of telecommunication networks made possible the tele-mediated work. This paper presents results from the European WORKS project, where are studied Portuguese cases of firms that integrate globalized value chain, and are analized the implications on work organization models and the (new) professional structures.
Sampaio, J, Moniz AB.
2007.
{Qualificação e Competência Profissional Num Sistema Complexo De Trabalho (Qualification and professional competence in a complex working system)}, Mar. , Number hal-00291729: HAL
AbstractNesta comunicação em que se discutem, numa perspectiva de complementaridade, os conceitos de qualificação e de competência profissional, dá-se conta da metodologia adoptada para a identificação e validação de um conjunto de competências profissionais num sistema complexo de trabalho. O estudo incidiu sobre os Serviços de Controlo de Tráfego Aéreo da Região de Informação de Voo de Lisboa e permitiu concluir pela existência de uma dimensão integrativa das componentes trabalho e tecnologia, enquanto elementos estruturantes dos mapas de competências profissionais, indispensáveis à integração sistémica dos diferentes agentes (humanos e tecnológicos) no processo produtivo.
Capela, JP, Macedo C, Branco PS, Ferreira LM, Lobo AM, Fernandes E, Remiao F, Bastos ML, Dirnagl U, Meisel A, Carvalho F.
2007.
Neurotoxicity mechanisms of thioether ecstasy metabolites, JUN 8. NEUROSCIENCE. 146:1743-1757., Number 4
Abstractn/a
Carreira, RJ, Cordeiro FM, Moro AJ, Rivas MG, Rial-Otero R, Gaspar EM, Moura I, Capelo JL.
2007.
New findings for in-gel digestion accelerated by high-intensity focused ultrasound for protein identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, Jun 15. Journal of Chromatography A. 1153:291-299., Number 1-2
AbstractNew findings in sample treatment based on high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for protein digestion after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis separation are presented. The following variables were studied: (i) sample volume; (ii) sonotrode diameter; (iii) previous protein denaturation; (iv) cooling; (v) enzyme concentration; and (vi) protein concentration. Results showed that positive protein identification could be done after protein separation by gel electrophoresis through peptide mass fingerprint (PMF) in a volume as low as 25 mu L. The time needed was less than 2 min and no cooling was necessary. The importance of the sonotrode diameter was negligible. On the other hand, protein denaturation before sonication was a trade-off for the success of procedure here described. The protein coverage was raised from 5 to 30%, and the number of peptides matching the proteins was also increased in a percentage ranging 10-100% when the classical overnight treatment is compared with the proposed HIFU procedure. The minimum amount of protein that can be identified using the HIFU sample treatment by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was 0.06 mu g. The lower concentration of trypsin successfully used to obtain an adequate protein digestion was 3.6 mu g/mL. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Coelho, C, Gonzalez PJ, Trincao J, Carvalho AL, Najmudin S, Hettman T, Dieckman S, Moura JJ, Moura I, Romao MJ.
2007.
Heterodimeric nitrate reductase (NapAB) from Cupriavidus necator H16: purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis, Jun 1. Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun. 63:516-9., Number Pt 6
AbstractThe periplasmic nitrate reductase from Cupriavidus necator (also known as Ralstonia eutropha) is a heterodimer that is able to reduce nitrate to nitrite. It comprises a 91 kDa catalytic subunit (NapA) and a 17 kDa subunit (NapB) that is involved in electron transfer. The larger subunit contains a molybdenum active site with a bis-molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide cofactor as well as one [4Fe-4S] cluster, while the small subunit is a di-haem c-type cytochrome. Crystals of the oxidized form of this enzyme were obtained using polyethylene glycol 3350 as precipitant. A single crystal grown at the High Throughput Crystallization Laboratory of the EMBL in Grenoble diffracted to beyond 1.5 A at the ESRF (ID14-1), which is the highest resolution reported to date for a nitrate reductase. The unit-cell parameters are a = 142.2, b = 82.4, c = 96.8 A, beta = 100.7 degrees, space group C2, and one heterodimer is present per asymmetric unit.
de Sousa, PM, Pauleta SR, Goncalves ML, Pettigrew GW, Moura I, Dos Santos MM, Moura JJ.
2007.
Mediated catalysis of Paracoccus pantotrophus cytochrome c peroxidase by P. pantotrophus pseudoazurin: kinetics of intermolecular electron transfer, Jun. J Biol Inorg Chem. 12:691-8., Number 5
AbstractThis work reports the direct electrochemistry of Paracoccus pantotrophus pseudoazurin and the mediated catalysis of cytochrome c peroxidase from the same organism. The voltammetric behaviour was examined at a gold membrane electrode, and the studies were performed in the presence of calcium to enable the peroxidase activation. A formal reduction potential, E (0)', of 230 +/- 5 mV was determined for pseudoazurin at pH 7.0. Its voltammetric signal presented a pH dependence, defined by pK values of 6.5 and 10.5 in the oxidised state and 7.2 in the reduced state, and was constant up to 1 M NaCl. This small copper protein was shown to be competent as an electron donor to cytochrome c peroxidase and the kinetics of intermolecular electron transfer was analysed. A second-order rate constant of 1.4 +/- 0.2 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1) was determined at 0 M NaCl. This parameter has a maximum at 0.3 M NaCl and is pH-independent between pH 5 and 9.
Ferreira, IMPLV, Pinho O, Mota MV, Tavares P, Pereira A, Goncalves MP, Torres D, Rocha C, Teixeira JA.
2007.
Preparation of ingredients containing an ACE-inhibitory peptide by tryptic hydrolysis of whey protein concentrates, Jun. INTERNATIONAL DAIRY JOURNAL. {17}:{481-487}., Number {5}
AbstractThis study describes the characterisation of whey protein hydrolysates obtained from tryptic hydrolysis to assess their application as ingredients with angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitory action. The levels of a-lactalbumin (alpha-la) and P-lactoglobulin (beta-lg) remaining after hydrolysis were quantified. Peptides were separated by RP-HPLC, and Ala-Leu-Pro-Met-His-Ile-Arg (ALPMHIR), the most potent beta-lg-derived ACE-inhibitory peptide was monitored. A correlation curve was established for the production of this peptide as a function of hydrolysis time. Heat-induced gelation of hydrolysates was studied by small-deformation rheology. The gelation times and the strength of the final gels were highly dependent on the degree of hydrolysis. Smaller peptides liberated by hydrolysis contributed to the inability of whey protein hydrolysates to gel. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Krings, B.
2007.
{Wandel der Arbeit: Die Krise der Arbeitsgesellschaft[Change on Work: the crisis of the labour economy]}, Jun. , Number 7130: University Library of Munich, Germany
AbstractIn 1982, at the 21st German Congress of Sociology the discussion was around a new topic: the crisis of the labour economy. Since then the conditions changed and the informatisation and technology development of work environments took place. Here are presented some of the new trends in terms of analisis of changes in the work environment. Der im Jahre 1982 durchgeführte 21. Deutschen Soziologentag in Bamberg mit dem Titel „Krise der Arbeitsgesellschaft?“ wurde sicherlich bewusst mit einem Fragezeichen versehen. Wenn im Rahmen der „Verhandlungen“ in Bamberg noch die Möglichkeit ausgeschlossen wurde, wissensbasierte Tätigkeitsfelder zu „normieren“, so wurden über die beiden organisatorischen Instrumente der Selbstorganisation und der Flexibilisierung höchst effektive Rahmenbedingungen geschaffen, um die Nutzung der Arbeitskraft zu kontrollieren und zu steigern. Aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln und Arbeitskontexten beschäftigen sich alle Beiträge des vorliegenden Schwerpunktes mit dem Wandel der Arbeit.
Santos-Silva, T, Dias JM, Dolla A, Durand M-C, Goncalves LL, Lampreia J, Moura I, Romao MJ.
2007.
Crystal structure of the 16 heme cytochrome from Desulfovibrio gigas: A glycosylated protein in a sulphate-reducing bacterium, Jul 20. Journal of Molecular Biology. 370:659-673., Number 4
AbstractSulphate-reducing bacteria have a wide variety of periplasmic cytochromes involved in electron transfer from the periplasm to the cytoplasm. HmcA is a high molecular mass cytochrome of 550 amino acid residues that harbours 16 c-type heme groups. We report the crystal structure of HmcA isolated from the periplasm of Desulfovibrio gigas. Crystals were grown. using polyethylene glycol 8K and zinc acetate, and diffracted beyond 2.1 angstrom resolution. A multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion experiment at the iron absorption edge enabled us to obtain good-quality phases for structure solution and model building. DgHmcA has a V-shape architecture, already observed in HmcA isolated from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough. The presence of an oligosaccharide molecule covalently bound to an Asn residue was observed in the electron density maps of DgHmcA and confirmed by mass spectrometry. Three modified monosaccharides appear at the highly hydrophobic vertex, possibly acting as an anchor of the protein to the cytoplasmic membrane. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Pauleta, SR, Duarte AG, Carepo MS, Pereira AS, Tavares P, Moura I, Moura JJ.
2007.
NMR assignment of the apo-form of a Desulfovibrio gigas protein containing a novel Mo-Cu cluster, Jul. Biomol NMR Assign. 1:81-3., Number 1
AbstractWe report the 98% assignment of the apo-form of an orange protein, containing a novel Mo-Cu cluster isolated from Desulfovibrio gigas. This protein presents a region where backbone amide protons exchange fast with bulk solvent becoming undetectable. These residues were assigned using 13C-detection experiments.
Pauleta, SR, Duarte AG, Carepo MS, Pereira AS, Tavares P, Moura I, Moura JJG.
2007.
NMR assignment of the apo-form of a Desulfovibrio gigas protein containing a novel Mo-Cu cluster, Jul. Biomolecular Nmr Assignments. {1}:{81-83}., Number {1}
AbstractWe report the 98% assignment of the apo-form of an orange protein, containing a novel Mo-Cu cluster isolated from Desulfovibrio gigas. This protein presents a region where backbone amide protons exchange fast with bulk solvent becoming undetectable. These residues were assigned using C-13-detection experiments.
Pereira, AS, Tavares P, Folgosa F, Almeida RM, Moura I, Moura JJG.
2007.
Superoxide reductases, Jul. European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry. :{2569-2581}., Number {18}
AbstractReactive oxygen species (ROS), when in excess, are among the most deleterious species an organism can deal with. The physiological effects of ROS include amino acid chain cleavage, DNA degradation and lipid oxidation, among others. They can be formed in the cytoplasm in a variety of ways, including autooxidation reactions (FMN- and FAD-containing enzymes) and Fenton reactions as a result of the cytoplasmatic pool of iron ions. The superoxide anion (021, despite its short half-life in solution, is particularly pernicious as it can form other reactive ROS (such as the strong oxidant peroxynitrite) or oxidize and/or reduce cellular components. For strict anaerobic or microaerophilic bacteria it is of particular importance to be able to dispose of ROS in a controlled manner, especially if these organisms are temporarily exposed to air. This review aims to describe the structural characteristics of superoxide reductases (SORs) and mechanistic aspects of biological superoxide anion reduction. SORs can be considered the main class of enzymes behind the oxygen detoxification pathway of anaerobic and microaerophilic bacteria. The geometry of the active site (three classes have been described), the possible electron donors in vivo and the current hypothesis for the catalytic mechanism will be discussed. Some phylogenetic considerations are presented, regarding the primary structure of SORs currently available in genome databases. ((c) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH \& Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007).
Almeida, MG, Silveira CM, Guigliarelli B, Bertrand P, Moura JJ, Moura I, Leger C.
2007.
A needle in a haystack: the active site of the membrane-bound complex cytochrome c nitrite reductase, Jan 23. FEBS Lett. 581:284-8., Number 2
AbstractCytochrome c nitrite reductase is a multicenter enzyme that uses a five-coordinated heme to perform the six-electron reduction of nitrite to ammonium. In the sulfate reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ATCC 27774, the enzyme is purified as a NrfA2NrfH complex that houses 14 hemes. The number of closely-spaced hemes in this enzyme and the magnetic interactions between them make it very difficult to study the active site by using traditional spectroscopic approaches such as EPR or UV-Vis. Here, we use both catalytic and non-catalytic protein film voltammetry to simply and unambiguously determine the reduction potential of the catalytic heme over a wide range of pH and we demonstrate that proton transfer is coupled to electron transfer at the active site.
de Martins, {RFP}, Baptista P, Raniero L, c}alo Doria G{\c, Silva {LB }, Franco R, Fortunato {EMC}.
2007.
Amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon biosensor for the specific identification of unamplified nucleic acid sequences using gold nanoparticle probes, jan. Applied Physics Letters. 90:n/d., Number 2: AIP - American Institute of Physics
AbstractAmorphous/nanocrystalline silicon pi'ii'n devices fabricated on micromachined glass substrates are integrated with oligonucleotide-derivatized gold nanoparticles for a colorimetric detection method. The method enables the specific detection and quantification of unamplified nucleic acid sequences (DNA and RNA) without the need to functionalize the glass surface, allowing for resolution of single nucleotide differences between DNA and RNA sequences-single nucleotide polymorphism and mutation detection. The detector's substrate is glass and the sample is directly applied on the back side of the biosensor, ensuring a direct optical coupling of the assays with a concomitant maximum photon capture and the possibility to reuse the sensor. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.
Baptista, {PMRV}, Franco R.
2007.
Imaging gold nanoparticles for DNA sequence recognition in biomedical applications, jan. Ieee Transactions On Nanobioscience. 6:282–288., Number 4: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
AbstractThe hybridization of single-stranded oligonucleotide-derivatized gold nanoparticles (An nanoprobes) with double stranded complementary DNA was directly observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). This specific interaction is the basis for an An nanoprobe-based homogeneous assay for specific DNA sequence detection, based on salt-induced particle aggregation that is prevented when a complementary target is present. For long DNA targets (linearized plasmid DNA) complicated hybridized target DNA-Au-nanoprobes structures were formed, that were interpreted as the basis for stability of the An nanoprobes against salt-induced aggregation. For shorter DNA targets (PCR amplified fragments) hybridization with the An nanoprobes occurred, in the majority of cases, in the expected location of the DNA target fragment containing the specific sequence. The formation of the observed DNA hybridized structures provides evidence at the molecular level for specific hybridization to the target sequence as the method of binding of the An nanoprobes.
Baptista, {PMRV}, Franco R.
2007.
Nanodiagnostics: fast colorimetric method for single nucleotide polymorphism/mutation detection, jan. Iet Nanobiotechnology. 1:53–57., Number 4: INST ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY-IET
AbstractAdvances in nanosciences are having a significant impact in many areas of research. The impact of new nanotechnologies has been particularly large in biodiagnostics, where a number of nanoparticle-based assays have been introduced for biomolecules detection. To date, applications of nanoparticles have largely focused on DNA-functionalised gold nanoparticles used as the target-specific probes. These gold nanoparticle-based systems can be used for the detection of specific sequences of DNA (pathogen detection, characterisation of mutation and/or single nucleotide polymorphisms) or RNA (without prior retro-transcription and amplification). Here a rapid and inexpensive nanoparticle-based method for single-base mismatch detection (single nucleotide polymorphism/mutation) in DNA samples is reported. Gold nanoparticles derivatised with thiol modified oligonucleotides complementary to DNA targets - Au-nanoprobes - are used to distinguish fully complementary from mismatched sequences, with a single-base mismatch. The authors have successfully applied this strategy to detect common mutations within the beta-globin gene.
Silva, {LB}, Baptista P, Raniero L, c}alo Dória G{\c, Franco R, de Martins {RFP}, Fortunato {EMC}.
2007.
Novel optoelectronic platform using an amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon biosensor for the specific identification of unamplified nucleic acid sequences based on gold nanoparticle probes, jan. Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Conference, 2007. :935–938.
Abstractn/a
Soares, SS, Martins H, Duarte RO, Moura JJ, Coucelo J, Gutierrez-Merino C, Aureliano M.
2007.
Vanadium distribution, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress markers upon decavanadate in vivo administration, Jan. J Inorg Biochem. 101:80-8., Number 1
AbstractThe contribution of decameric vanadate species to vanadate toxic effects in cardiac muscle was studied following an intravenous administration of a decavanadate solution (1mM total vanadium) in Sparus aurata. Although decameric vanadate is unstable in the assay medium, it decomposes with a half-life time of 16 allowing studying its effects not only in vitro but also in vivo. After 1, 6 and 12h upon decavanadate administration the increase of vanadium in blood plasma, red blood cells and in cardiac mitochondria and cytosol is not affected in comparison to the administration of a metavanadate solution containing labile oxovanadates. Cardiac tissue lipid peroxidation increases up to 20%, 1, 6 and 12h after metavanadate administration, whilst for decavanadate no effects were observed except 1h after treatment (+20%). Metavanadate administration clearly differs from decavanadate by enhancing, 12h after exposure, mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (+115%) and not affecting catalase (CAT) activity whereas decavanadate increases SOD activity by 20% and decreases (-55%) mitochondrial CAT activity. At early times of exposure, 1 and 6h, the only effect observed upon decavanadate administration was the increase by 20% of SOD activity. In conclusion, decavanadate has a different response pattern of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress markers, in spite of the same vanadium distribution in cardiac cells observed after decavanadate and metavanadate administration. It is suggested that once formed decameric vanadate species has a different reactivity than vanadate, thus, pointing out that the differential contribution of vanadium oligomers should be taken into account to rationalize in vivo vanadate toxicity.