Anaerobic biodegradation of oleate by a highly loaded biomass before and after degrading the associated substrate

Oleic Acid (C18:1) is an unsaturated Long Chain Fatty Acid (LCFA), described as especially problematic in anaerobic digestion processes. In this work, a sludge heavily loaded with 5985 mgCOD.gVSˉ¹ was studied in terms of its capability to biodegrade oleic acid in batch assays, in concentrations ranging from 100 to 1500 mg.lˉ¹. Lag phases before the onset of methane production increased with the oleic acid concentration, up to 17 days for 1500 mg.lˉ¹and methane production did not exceed 50% recovery for the highest concentrations tested (1000 and 1500 mg.lˉ¹). After the mineralization of the biomass-associated substrate, and for the same concentration range, maximum lag phases of three days and methane recoveries up to 80% were obtained, evidencing an improving capacity of the sludge to biodegrade oleic acid. Also the specific methanogenic activity with acetate and H2/CO2 as individual substrates increased 3.6 and 2 times respectively, after the mineralization of the biomass associated substrate, confirming the reversibility of the inhibitory effect of LCFA, even when the sludge was heavily loaded with more than 5 g COD.gVSˉ¹.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - POCTI/CTA/46328/2002

Anaerobic digestion of oily wastewater as a valuable source of bioenergy

Lipids are a group of organic pollutants whose conversion into biogas has been considered very difficult. During the anaerobic treatment of lipid-rich wastewater this conversion generally decreases with the increase of the organic loading rate (OLR) applied, due to long chain fatty acids (LCFA) accumulation. To overcome this problem, correct equilibrium between LCFA accumulation and degradation should be assured [1, 2, 3], and discontinuous operation was proposed by Pereira et al. [1] as a strategy to achieve an efficient rate of methane production. Based on these results, Cavaleiro et al. [4] studied the treatment of an oleate-rich effluent in an anaerobic reactor operated in cycles, with continuous feeding phases and batch reaction phases. The results obtained showed that continuous treatment was possible, with efficient conversion of LCFA to methane, after acclimation of the microbial consortium through discontinuous operation. This work aimed the optimization of biogas production in a continuous reactor fed with an oleate-rich wastewater and inoculated with acclimated anaerobic sludge. Acclimation was performed through discontinuous operation in a lab scale reactor. During the experiment, the OLR applied was gradually increased from 5 to 31 kgCOD m-3 day-1, by decreasing the hydraulic retention time. From 5 to 21 kgCOD m-3 day-1 the increase of the OLR was followed by a fast increase of the methane production rate, towards an average value that was directly related with the OLR, showing that there was no inhibition of the anaerobic consortium. However, when the OLR was increased to 26 kgCOD m-3 day-1, methane production rate fluctuated around the same average value as in the previous period (16 kgCOD-CH4 m-3 day- 1). For 31 kgCOD m-3 day-1, methane production rate tended to decrease, possibly due to microbial inhibition or mass transfer limitations. From 21 to 31 kgCOD m-3 day-1 methane production rate was very instable, indicating that the OLR applied were higher than the optimum value for the microbial community. Maximum methane yield (100%) was obtained for the OLR of 12 kgCOD m-3 day-1, but continuous anaerobic treatment of an OLR as high as 21 kgCOD m-3 day-1 was possible with a methane yield of 72% and average COD removal efficiency of 99%. Nevertheless, 16 kgCOD-CH4 m-3 day-1 is likely the optimum OLR to be applied, in order to optimize methane production. Oily wastewater can be used as a valuable source of bioenergy by applying proper anaerobic digestion technology

Interaction between cannabinoid type 1 and type 2 receptors in the modulation of subventricular zone and dentate Gyrus neurogenesis

Copyright © 2017 Rodrigues, Ribeiro, Ferreira, Vaz, Sebastião and Xapelli. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.Neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain occurs mainly in two neurogenic niches, the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus (DG). Cannabinoid type 1 and 2 receptors (CB1R and CB2R) have been shown to differently modulate neurogenesis. However, low attention has been given to the interaction between CB1R and CB2R in modulating postnatal neurogenesis (proliferation, neuronal differentiation and maturation). We focused on a putative crosstalk between CB1R and CB2R to modulate neurogenesis and cultured SVZ and DG stem/progenitor cells from early postnatal (P1-3) Sprague-Dawley rats. Data showed that the non-selective cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 promotes DG cell proliferation (measured by BrdU staining), an effect blocked by either CB1R or CB2R selective antagonists. Experiments with selective agonists showed that facilitation of DG cell proliferation requires co-activation of both CB1R and CB2R. Cell proliferation in the SVZ was not affected by the non-selective receptor agonist, but it was enhanced by CB1R selective activation. However, either CB1R or CB2R selective antagonists abolished the effect of the CB1R agonist in SVZ cell proliferation. Neuronal differentiation (measured by immunocytochemistry against neuronal markers of different stages and calcium imaging) was facilitated by WIN55,212-2 at both SVZ and DG. This effect was mimicked by either CB1R or CB2R selective agonists and blocked by either CB1R or CB2R selective antagonists, cross-antagonism being evident. In summary, our findings indicate a tight interaction between CB1R and CB2R to modulate neurogenesis in the two major neurogenic niches, thus contributing to further unraveling the mechanisms behind the action of endocannabinoids in the brain.This work was supported by LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-007391, project co-funded by FEDER through POR Lisboa 2020 (Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa) from PORTUGAL 2020, and by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT). AS thanks the following supports: PTDC/DTP-FTO/3346/2014 from FCT and H2020 Twinning Action from EU (SynaNet 692340). SX is grateful for the support by the COST action BM1402. RR (IMM/BI/42-2016), FR (SFRH/BD/74662/2010), SV (SFRH/BPD/81627/2011), and SX (SFRH/BPD/76642/2011 and IF/01227/2015) were in receipt of a fellowship from FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Oscillatory flow reactor: A solution for continuous bioprocessing

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Collaborative methodologies in island fishing communities of cape verde

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Marine litter has been considered one of the most serious global challenges, requiring urgent action by governmental bodies, especially in African Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where resources and research are limited. In addition to this, waste management and environmental education and ocean literacy programs in schools are scarce, with islands suffering more seriously from these problems. Despite the amount of literature regarding causes and impacts of marine litter, there is still not enough research conducted concerning the public perceptions on both the problem and the potential solutions. This is even more noticeable in African developing countries, where resources and research are scarce. Perception plays a key role for ecosystem management and conservation policies. This study intends to explore the perceptions of local island fishing communities in Cape Verde regarding marine litter, in order to contribute for an improvement of marine ecosystem management and development of conservation policies. To achieve that, two participatory sessions were conducted in two communities in the island of Santiago—Porto Mosquito and Porto Gouveia—where brainstorming and active listening were used to create shared and authentic spaces for dialogue between the members of the community. Results show that the population of both communities were very aware of the marine litter problem. They were able to identify the lack of a proper waste management system in the island and the inappropriate behaviours of the population as the main causes of this problem. Equipment damages and the presence of plastic inside the fish were the most relevant impacts identified by the participants. These findings reinforce previous research on the importance of public engagement and environmental education to contribute to the conservation of marine ecosystems and to build a strong collaborative ocean governance.publishersversionpublishe

Factors affecting polyhydroxyalkanoates biodegradation in soil

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are polymers with widespread applications, from medical devices to packaging. PHAs can be biodegradable in natural environments, such as soil, but the blend of PHA with other materials can change the polymer properties and consequently affect the biodegradation process. The composition of the microbial communities in soil also significantly affects the biodegradation, but other factors such as temperature, pH, and soil moisture, can also be determinant. These ecological and physic/chemical factors change in different seasons and in different soil layers. It is essential to know how these factors influence the PHAs biodegradation to understand the impact of PHAs in nature. This review compiles the results on PHA polymers and PHA blends biodegradation, with focus on laboratory tests. The main factors affecting PHA's biodegradation in soil, both in laboratory tests and in the environment are also discussed.Miguel Fernandes acknowledges the grant PD/BD/146195/2019 provided by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020–Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An Insight into the Release Kinetics

The authors acknowledge the financial support from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT-MEC), Portugal, through the dedicated project (PTDC/EDM-EDM/30828/2017) (BeLive) Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.This work explores the unique features of magnetic-responsive hydrogels to obtain liposomal hydrogel delivery platforms capable of precise magnetically modulated drug release based on the mechanical responses of these hydrogels when exposed to an external magnetic field. Magnetic-responsive liposomal hydrogel delivery systems were prepared by encapsulation of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocoline (DPPC) multilayered vesicles (MLVs) loaded with ferulic acid (FA), i.e., DPPC:FA liposomes, into gelatin hydrogel membranes containing dispersed iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs), i.e., magnetic-responsive gelatin. The FA release mechanisms and kinetics from magnetic-responsive liposomal gelatin were studied and compared with those obtained with conventional drug delivery systems, e.g., free liposomal suspensions and hydrogel matrices, to access the effect of liposome entrapment and magnetic field on FA delivery. FA release from liposomal gelatin membranes was well described by the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, indicating that FA release occurred under a controlled diffusional regime, with or without magnetic stimulation. DPPC:FA liposomal gelatin systems provided smoother controlled FA release, relative to that obtained with the liposome suspensions and with the hydrogel platforms, suggesting the promising application of liposomal hydrogel systems in longer-term therapeutics. The magnetic field, with low intensity (0.08 T), was found to stimulate the FA release from magnetic-responsive liposomal gelatin systems, increasing the release rates while shifting the FA release to a quasi-Fickian mechanism. The magnetic-responsive liposomal hydrogels developed in this work offer the possibility to magnetically activate drug release from these liposomal platforms based on a non-thermal related delivery strategy, paving the way for the development of novel and more efficient applications of MLVs and liposomal delivery systems in biomedicine.publishersversionpublishe

Improving analysis of meta-omics data with the MOSCA framework

Introduction: Meta-omics is an emergent field of research with many resources available in the form of databases and software. The information stored in databases is not always easily accessible, and software tools for meta-omics are often difficult to utilize. In this work, we present Meta-Omics Software for Community Analysis (MOSCA), a software framework that implements pipelines for the integrated analysis of metagenomics (MG), metatranscriptomics (MT) and metaproteomics (MP) data. This framework integrates tools allowing access to databases, handling of data and a complete workflow for meta-omics data analysis. Methodology and results: MOSCA was developed in Python 3, takes as input raw files obtained from Next-generation sequencing (in FastQ format), and from mass spectrometry (mass spectra in vendor or peak-picked formats), and integrates several tools for MG, MT and MP analysis. These tools are connected through their inputs/outputs by snakemake, in a fully automated workflow. MG analysis starts with preprocessing of sequencing reads, which automatically configures Trimmomatic to remove adapters and low-quality reads based on FastQC quality reports, and SortMeRNA for rRNA reads removal. Assembly can be performed with MetaSPAdes or Megahit and is followed by binning with MaxBin2 and CheckM for quality check. Genes are identified with FragGeneScan and are annotated with both UPIMAPI (homology-based annotation) and reCOGnizer (domain-based annotation), with reference to UniProt KB and eight databases included in the Conserved Domains Database, respectively. Bowtie2 is used to align reads to metagenomes. Protein identification and quantification can be performed with either SearchCLI coupled to PeptideShaker (performing peptide-to-spectrum matching and spectra count) or using MaxQuant (with quantification at the MS1 level). Differential gene expression analysis is performed with DESeq2, and heatmaps, volcano plots and PCA plots are generated. The expressed enzymes are plotted into hundreds of KEGG metabolic maps with the tool KEGGCharter, showing the metabolic functions that are differentially expressed and the taxonomic assignment. Tables, heatmaps and other representations obtained with MOSCA provide an interactive, accessible and comprehensive representation of the information obtained from MG, MT and MP analyses. Conclusions: MOSCA performs automatic analyses of MG, MT and MP datasets, integrating over 20 tools to obtain a comprehensive and easy to understand representation of microbial activity in different processes and conditions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Anaerobic biodegradability of meat-processing wastes: effect of physical, chemical and enzymatic pre-treatments

Methane is produced during the anaerobic degradation of greaves and rinds, two by-products of pig slaughter and meat-processing industry. However, although values of 914±37 and 664±35 m3 CH4 ton-1 waste (wet weight) respectively were obtained, the degradation rate in batch assays was slow and lasted between 25 and 30 days. Therefore, in order to assess the potential increase in the biodegradation rate and biodegradability of these substrates, physical (temperature), chemical (alkali) and enzymatic (lipase) pre-treatments were tested. Partial hydrolysis was achieved for all the conditions applied but the efficiency was higher in alkaline and enzymatic treatments. These conditions produced hydrolysates with higher soluble+colloidal COD, long-chain fatty acids and ammonia concentrations, comparatively with the other treatments applied. Enzymatic hydrolysis increased 14% the methane production potential of the rinds, and this increase was even higher (80%) when rinds were thermally treated before addition of the enzyme. With all other pre-treatments, anaerobic biodegradability of both wastes was not improved comparatively to the raw materials. Alkaline conditions induced a severe decreased (89%) of rinds’ biodegradability. Enzymatic pre-treatment appears to be a promising strategy for increasing methane production from meat-processing wastes

UPIMAPI, reCOGnizer and KEGGCharter: three tools for functional annotation

Omics technologies generate large datasets from which biological information must be extracted by using bioinformatics tools. Although web services provide easier to use interfaces, large datasets are difficult to handle. This is not a limitation of command-line tools and programmatic modules, but these may be challenging to use. In this work, three command-line tools were developed, aimed for speed and automation. The tools are available through Bioconda for Unix systems and were developed in Python 3, making use of multithreading/multiprocessing in computationally demanding steps. UPIMAPI integrates annotation with reference to the UniProt database with automatic retrieval of internal and cross-reference information from other databases (e.g., KEGG, BRENDA and RefSeq) through UniProts API, accessed with urllib package. The input is a FASTA file containing protein sequences, and the outputs are EXCEL or TSV files containing taxonomic, functional, and cross-reference information. reCOGnizer performs domain-based annotation of protein sequences with CDD, Pfam, NCBIfam, Protein Clusters, TIGRFAM, SMART, COG and KOG as reference databases, and obtains EC numbers and taxonomic assignments per domain identified. The results are outputted in TSV and EXCEL files. KEGGCharter is a command line implementation of KEGG Pathways mapping service, while also obtaining additional KOs and EC numbers, through the methods available in BioPython for accessing KEGGs API. KEGGCharter takes as input a table (TSV or EXCEL), containing either KEGG IDs, KOs or EC numbers. KEGGCharter represents identified KOs in metabolic maps and includes information on differential gene expression. When data from more than one organism is uploaded, KEGGCharter links function to taxonomic identification, which can be visualized in the maps. Differential expression of genes/proteins can be visualized in metabolic maps, by showing mini heatmaps. UPIMAPI and reCOGnizer are complementary tools, providing functional annotation based on protein sequencing homology and on identification of protein conserved domains, respectively. Both tools retrieve the IDs (KEGG IDs, EC numbers and KOs) necessary to run KEGGCharter. Together, these tools provide a complete characterization and visualization of results, facilitating the interpretation of omics experiments, and requiring minimal bioinformatics expertise.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio