Continuous extraction strategies for monoclonal antibodies: From macro- to micro- scale

Aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) have shown to be a valuable option for the downstream processing of biopharmaceuticals, combining a high biocompatibility and selectivity with an easy and reliable scale up. Moreover, ATPE can overcome some of the technical drawbacks currently encountered using established purification platforms, such as batch operation, diffusional limitations and scale-related problems. We have developed a continuous ATPE process incorporating three different steps (extraction, back-extraction and washing) for the capture of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The ATPE process was set up and validated in a pump mixer-settler battery and successfully applied to a Chinese hamster ovary and a PER.C6® cell supernatant. The limited predictive design of ATPE, however, has restrict its applicability to current downstream processing. Microscale process techniques have recently emerged as effective tools for expediting bioprocess design in a cost-effective manner. ATPE in a microfluidic platform was therefore designed and tested for mAbs extraction, as an effective tool to accelerate bioprocess design and optimization. Furthermore, this platform has the potential of combining the process efficiency of ATPS with the reduced times and volumes associated with microfluidics, as well as the possibility to multiplex and parallel process in real downstream processes. In this way, we have develop a microfluidic channel-based toolbox for the rapid screening of antibody extraction conditions. Several microfluidic structures have been designed including a multiplexed structure that allows a simple negative-pressure driven rapid screening of up to 8 continuous extraction conditions simultaneously, using less than 20 μL of each phase forming solution per experiment. Results obtained from this device can be further applied in a second microfluidic structure (Figure 1) that integrates multiple-step continuous extraction protocols

Contribuição para o conhecimento biológico das águas interiores da Graciosa

XI Expedição Científica do Departamento de Biologia - Graciosa 2004.Das três pequenas lagoas permanentes existentes na ilha até meados do século passado, duas desapareceram e a terceira está completamente artificializada. Neste momento as zonas húmidas dulçaquícolas naturais da ilha Graciosa reduzem-se a dois pequenos charcos (Barreiro e Tanque), ambos fortemente eutrofizados. São apresentadas listas das espécies de algas, plantas vasculares, invertebrados bênticos e vertebrados aí encontrados

A importância da microscopia electrónica no estudo taxonómico do recife algal fóssil da Prainha.

XXXVIII Reunião Anual da Sociedade Portuguesa de Microscopia Electrónica e Biologia Celular. Ponta Delgada, Açores, 5-7 de Dezembro de 2003

Cobble beaches in oceanic islands : how they react to hydrodynamics and location in the island?

1st Mares Conference on Marine Ecosystems Health and Conservation. Olhão, Portugal 17-21 November 2014.Cobble beaches are a particular part of the coastal scenery in the Azores. The islands are geological recent and most of its coasts are composed of cliffs and basaltic lava flows, leaving only few spots for the accumulation of cobbles and the construction of cobble beaches. The beach structure changes with the hydrodynamics intensity from summer to winter, but wit it will its biological communities necessarily change? Will the location of a beach in one island be important in the community structure? This study was made in the island of Terceira. Four beaches were assessed, two in the northern coast, with heavy hydrodynamics and two in the eastern coast, more sheltered from the surge intensity. Each beach was surveyed in the summer and in the winter of 2013. At Each beach a beach profile was made for each season, cobble size was measured in three fringes of the shore, and animal and algal communities abundances were assessed as well. Data concerning wave size, direction and intensity and sea water temperature for the island all year round was obtained through oceanic buoys. Comparisons were made between seasons for each beach as well as between beaches from the north coast and beaches from the east coast of the island. Results showed differences between beaches and at the same beach between seasons, showing that the location of a cobble beach can influence its biological community, ant that seasonal alterations made by wave intensity are important in shaping the biological communities

Do you feel safe in the urban space? From perceptions to associated variables

This study aims to provide answers to the following questions: Do you feel safe at Historic Centre of Porto (HCP)? Do you think that crime is increasing? What are the most and less frequent crimes? And the most feared crimes? What conditions promote criminal occurrences? What incivilities occur at HCP? What measures can be taken to increase security? What variables are related to the perception of insecurity? Through the application of the Diagnosis of Local Security Questionnaire, 554 participants that attended HCP were assessed (58.5% women, mean age = 43.82). One in five participants reported feelings of insecurity due to the presence of crime/danger. Robbery, theft, and drugs traffic were perceived as the most common crimes; participants were especially fearful about robbery and theft. Nationality, education, criminal variables, adequacy and satisfaction with policing, seek for formal support, and years living/studying/working at HCP were variables related to perception of (in)security.Este estudio tiene como objetivo proporcionar respuesta a las siguientes preguntas: ¿se siente seguro en el Centro Histórico de Oporto (CHO)?, ¿cree que la delincuencia está aumentando?, ¿cuáles son los delitos más y menos frecuentes?, ¿y los crímenes más temidos?, ¿qué condiciones fomentan los actos delictivos?, ¿qué faltas de civismo ocurren en el CHO?, ¿qué medidas se podrían tomar para aumentar la seguridad?, ¿qué variables están relacionadas con la percepción de inseguridad? Mediante la aplicación del Cuestionario de Diagnóstico de Seguridad Local se evaluó a 554 participantes que asistieron al CHO (58.5% mujeres, edad media 43.82). Uno de cada cinco participantes manifestó sensación de inseguridad debido a la presencia de delitos/peligro. El robo, el hurto y el tráfico de drogas se percibían como los delitos más comunes; los participantes temían principalmente el robo y el hurto. La nacionalidad, la educación, las variables penales, la adecuación y la satisfacción con el trabajo policial, la búsqueda de apoyo formal y los años de vida/estudio/trabajo en el CHO fueron variables relacionadas con la percepción de (in)seguridad.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Campus Criminal Victimization among Higher Education Students: A Diagnosis of Local Security in Porto

This study addressed and characterized direct and indirect criminal victimization among college students and examined the associations between victimization and other variables. The participants were 775 students of both genders with a mean age of 21.76 years. Data were collected through self-reports using the “Diagnosis of Local Security Questionnaire”. Overall, 8.6% of the students reported direct victimization, and 39.7% reported indirect victimization. The most reported crimes were robbery and theft, while the least prevalent were sexual offense, domestic violence, and fraud. Most incidents involved a stranger and occurred at night in the street. Direct victimization was associated with gender, age, marital status, student level, attendance status, and institution domain. There were significant associations between indirect victimization and nationality, student type, attendance status, and institution domain. The perception of (in)security was significantly associated with victimization. Therefore, physical and social measures are necessary to reduce crime and increase security.FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nota sobre paleocorrentes na formação vermelha de Marco Furado (Península de Setúbal)

Empregou-se a análise de paleocorrentes, com o intuito de investigar a proveniência do material que constitui a formação vermelha de Marco Furado, descrita em trabalho anterior. Os resultados parecem confirmar as hipóteses aí postas, uma vez que apresentam certa zona da serra da Arrábida como centro emissor do mesmo material. Descreve-se também um achado de indústria lítica no mesmo depósito, o qual permite conferir-lhe um limite de idade máxima.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Peixes marinhos de Santa Maria.

V Expedição Científica do Departamento de Biologia – Santa Maria e Formigas 1990.0s peixes constituem um elemento conspícuo da fauna marinha açoreana e, como tal, é relativamente elevado o número de publicações dedicadas a este grupo. Apesar disso, não existe nenhum inventário da ictiofauna de Santa Maria. Procurando contribuir para superar esta lacuna, apresenta-se neste artigo a lista das 42 espécies de peixes colectadas em Santa Maria durante a Expedição Cientifica "Santa Maria e Formigas 1990", bem como dos respectivos nome vulgar (n.v.) e local de captura. A lista das espécies ictiológicas colectadas nas Formigas integrará um relatório separado, inteiramente consagrado a estes Ihéus, enquanto a lista completa de todas as espécies colectadas durante a referida Expedição foi já publicada noutro local (Arruda et al., in press). Todos os exemplares colectados serão depositados nas colecções do Museu Carlos Machado, em Ponta Delgada

Limpets (Patella and Haliotis) aquaculture in the Azores.

43rd European Marine Biology Symposium. Ponta Delgada, Açores, 8-12 de Setembro de 2008