DigitUMa
Repositório Institucional da Universidade da Madeira
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Assessing essential oils from Macaronesia: a study on their efficacy against phytopathogenic and obligate biotrophic fungi
Publication . Ferreira, Rui Miguel; Pereira, Verónica Sousa; Sardinha, Duarte Fernandes; Rodríguez Sabina, Samuel; Cabrera Pérez, Raimundo; Castilho, Paula Machado; Castilho, Paula C
BACKGROUND: Essential oils (EOs) extracted from eight culinary herbs and spices, some endemic to Macaronesia flora (Cedro
nella canariensis, Clinopodium ascendens and Laurus novocanariensis) and others common in Mediterranean cuisine (Cinnamo
mum burmannii, Ocimum gratissimum, Origanum vulgare subsp. virens, Syzygium aromaticum and Thymus vulgaris) were
evaluated via direct-contact bioassays, both in vitro and in vivo, against three species of phytopathogenic fungi (Alternaria
alternata, Botrytis cinerea, and Fusarium oxysporum) and the obligatory biotrophic fungus Oidium farinosum. Carvacrol-rich
Origanum vulgare was selected to study the influence of isomerism on bioactivity, because Thymus vulgaris is rich in thymol,
a structural isomer of carvacrol.
RESULTS:FiveEOsexhibitedstrongtomoderateantifungalactivityandwerefurtherscreenedatlowerconcentrationstoassess
their toxicity and growth inhibition thresholds. Cedronella canariensis showed no antifungal activity, whereas Laurus novoca
nariensis demonstrated only weak activity against Botrytis cinerea. This fungus was more susceptible to the tested EO than
the other phytopathogenic fungi. Origanum vulgare was slightly more effective than Thymus vulgaris, for all three phytopath
ogenic fungi. Ocimum gratissimum, Syzygium aromaticum, and Cinnamomum burmannii significantly reduced powdery mildew
severity, whereas Origanum vulgare and Thymus vulgaris showed moderate activity.
CONCLUSION:Phenylpropanoid-rich EOs, such as Cinnamomum burmannii, Ocimum gratissimum, and S. aromaticum, exhibited
the strongest antifungal activity in both bioassays with phytopathogenic and obligate biotrophicfungi.Ourresults confirmthe
higher antifungal activity of the phenylpropanoid class of EOs.
Emotional competencies and physical activity in primary school children: a comparative study across levels of learning support
Publication . Antunes, Filipa; Antunes, Hélio; Rodrigues, Ana; Sabino, Bebiana; Ashraf, Sadaf; Sousa, Duarte; Carvalho, Joana; Antunes, Hélio; Rodrigues, Ana; Sousa, Duarte
Children’s emotional development is a determining factor for their school success and overall
well-being. Additionally, physical activity is recognized as a relevant contribution in promoting
emotional self-regulation, self-esteem, and social inclusion. This aspect is especially important in
the inclusive educational context, where it seeks to respond to the needs of students with learning
difficulties through diversified support measures. The study aimed to analyse the relationship
between differentiation and emotional identification indices and levels of physical activity in
primary school children (ages 6–10). Three distinct groups were considered: students without
Learning and Inclusion Support Measures (No-LISM), with Selective Learning and Inclusion
Support Measures (S-LISM), and with Universal Learning and Inclusion Support Measures (U-
LISM). The sample size consisted of 69 children (mean age = 814 ± 1.13 years). Data were
collected on sports practice and physical activity using accelerometry, as well as emotional
indices were collected through the Inventory of Identification of Emotions and Feelings. The
results revealed statistically significant differences in emotional indices between the groups, with
No-LISM students presenting higher levels of differentiation and emotional identification. In
contrast, students with U-LISM demonstrated higher levels of moderate to vigorous physical ac
tivity. It is concluded that, although physical activity is important in the inclusive educational
context, its associations on emotional development are not always consistent. These results
suggest the need for more structured psychoeducational strategies to enhance the potential
impact of physical activity on emotional development, particularly in students with greater
support needs.
Short-term market impact of 2024 US President elections and Trump-Zelensky meeting in defence industry
Publication . Martins, António Miguel; Albuquerque, Bruno; Sardinha, Luís; Moutinho, Nuno; Martins, António; Albuquerque, Bruno; Sardinha, Luis
This study examines the short-term market effect of the US and European largest defence firms on
the 2024 US presidential election (November 5, 2024) and the Trump-Zelensky meeting
(February 28, 2025). By employing an event study methodology, our results show a positive and
statistically significant stock price impact for both events. The results for the 2024 US presidential
election are consistent with political business cycle theory. National elections in the arms-
producing country drive a growth in sales revenues for defence firms, which tend to be higher
when the Republican Party candidate wins the US elections. Our results also show the presence of
heterogeneous abnormal returns between US and European defence firms around the Trump-
Zelensky meeting, with European firms showing high and statistically significant positive
returns while US firms show non-significant returns. This result is explained by the failure of
security guarantees given by the US to the European countries and the awareness of the need for a
rapid increase in military spending for self-defence purposes in Europe. This meeting reinforced
the application of the principle of “Europe preference” in the acquisition of weapons. Finally, we
conclude that stock market responses are reinforced or mitigated by firm-specific characteristics.
Development and preliminary validation of an analytical methodology for the determination of organic UV filters in zooplankton samples
Publication . Íñiguez, Eva; Gouazé, Margaux; Dinis, Ana; Sosa-Ferrera, Zoraida; Cordeiro, Nereida; Kaufmann, Manfred; Montesdeoca-Esponda, Sarah; Iñiguez Santamaría, Eva; Dinis, Ana; cordeiro, nereida; Kaufmann, Manfred
The release of chemicals into marine environments from coastal human activities has raised growing concern
about pollution. Among these chemicals, organic ultraviolet filters (oUVFs), widely used in personal care
products and industrial applications, have recently been identified as pollutants of emerging concern. Their
extensive use and persistence highlight the need to assess their occurrence and potential impacts on aquatic
ecosystems. This study aimed to optimize and apply an analytical methodology for the determination of eleven
oUVFs in zooplankton matrices. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was employed for sample preparation,
while ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS)
enabled the identification and quantification of the target compounds. Extraction parameters, including solvent,
temperature, and time, were systematically optimized to enhance recovery and ensure accuracy and precision in
complex biological samples. The method achieved limits of detection (MLOD) between 1.47 and 5.98 ng g
weight (d.w.) and method limits of quantification (MLOQ) between 4.900 and 19.92 ng g
1
1
dry
d.w. Recovery ef
ficiencies were low, ranging from 28 to 63 %, reflecting the diverse physicochemical properties of oUVFs and the
strong matrix effects associated with zooplankton heterogeneity. Application of the validated method to
zooplankton collected around Madeira Island (Portugal) revealed the presence of six oUVFs. Homosalate was the
most frequently detected compound (53 % of samples), while octocrylene exhibited the highest concentrations,
ranging from 24.01 to 1029 ng g
1
d.w. These findings demonstrate the relevance of zooplankton as bio
indicators of oUVF contamination and support the need for regulatory monitoring and ecological risk assess
ments in coastal ecosystems.
User profiling and its dynamics: a narrative review
Publication . Freitas, Diogo Nuno; Varela, Katherin; Fermé, Eduardo; Freitas, Diogo Nuno; Varela, Katherin; Fermé, Eduardo
The need for personalized content has grown considerably with the increasing amount of online information. User profiles, as structured collections of user characteristics and interests, are essential for personalization because they help systems better understand individual preferences and deliver more relevant content. This review examines methods for user profiling and their adaptation over time. We organize existing literature into five categories: User Profile Modeling, Profile Dynamics, Recommendation Systems, Personalized Systems, and Adaptive Systems. Key findings highlight the importance of combining explicit and implicit data collection methods, differentiating between short- and long-term user preferences, and employing techniques such as evolutionary algorithms, context-awareness, and explainability. Additionally, we identify promising areas for future research, including multimodal data integration, scalability, privacy preservation, contextual adaptation, and universal user models. This review aims to help readers navigate the extensive literature and provide insights to support the development of practical applications based on user profiling techniques.