Feeding diversity index as complementary information in the assessment of ecological quality status

The feeding diversity of macroinvertebrates from the estuary of Mondego was estimated with Shannon–Wiener complementary evenness following the methodology presented in Gamito and Furtado (2009. Ecological Indicators, 9: 1009-1019). Results were compared with those from BAT (Benthic Assessment Tool; Teixeira et al., 2009. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 58: 1477-1786) applied to the same data set, obtained from sampling carried out in 14 estuarine subtidal stations in Spring of 1990, 1992, 1998, 2000 and 2002. The BAT is a multimetric methodology based on three indices, the Shannon-Wiener and Margalef diversity indices, applied in conjunction with AMBI (Marine Biotic Index). To determinate the feeding diversity, each invertebrate was assigned to a feeding group. Six trophic groups were considered: surface deposit feeders, subsurface deposit feeders, herbivores or grazers, suspension feeders and suspension/deposit feeders. The carnivorous, omnivorous and scavengers were all grouped together, forming the sixth group. The results obtained with both tools pointed out, in general, to the same tendencies. However, in few occasions the feeding diversity pointed out to a high or a bad ecological quality condition whereas the BAT indicated a moderate condition. Occasionally, in stations with average species richness, all individuals were assigned to only one to three 2 feeding groups, and the feeding diversity was low. Even if these taxa were included in the first two or three AMBI sensitive groups, with their presence indicating a possible good ecological condition, they all perform the same ecological function, for example, they are all omnivorous. In these cases the trophic functioning of the system is reduced and the lower trophic levels are missing, such as the suspension-feeders and the decomposers or deposit-feeders. On the contrary, a highly diverse trophic assemblage might be found, but composed of taxa assigned to AMBI ecological groups of species indifferent or tolerant to organic enrichment, and of second-order opportunistic species, indicating a moderate ecological condition, while the feeding diversity will be high. The feeding diversity is, therefore, useful as a complementary information index, measuring other aspects of the community organization, which are not required for ecological quality assessment by the WFD, and so not included in metrics such as BAT

The importance of habitat-type for defining the reference conditions and the ecological quality status based on benthic invertebrates: the Ria Formosa coastal lagoon (Southern Portugal) case study

Coastal lagoons are complex systems, with considerable habitat heterogeneity and often subject to high temporal dynamics, which constitutes a great challenge for ecological assessment programs. For defining reference conditions for benthic invertebrates, under the EU Water Framework Directive objectives, historical data from the Ria Formosa leaky lagoon (wet surface area of about 105 km2) located in Southern Portugal was used. The influence of habitat features, such as channel depth, sediment type and seagrass cover, on the expression of these biological communities was inferred by analysing subtidal data collected at stations with different environmental characteristics. Such heterogeneity effect was analysed at the community compositional and structural levels, and also for three indices included in a multimetric Benthic Assessment Tool (BAT). This tool for the assessment of ecological status includes the Margalef index, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, and AZTI’s Marine Biotic Index (AMBI). Significant variations associated with environmental features were reflected on specific reference conditions at four habitats in the lagoon. After habitat calibration, the Benthic Assessment Tool (BAT) revealed that, in general and for the period of time covered by this historical data set, the status of the lagoon corresponded to a good ecological condition, which is mainly due to its high water renewal rate. Such classification is in accordance with the majority of studies at the lagoon. However, at punctual sites with human induced high water residence times, significantly lower BAT values were registered. Such community degradation can be associated with physical stress due to salinity increase and to a degradation of water quality, with occurrence of occasional dystrophic crisis, triggered by low water renewal. Habitat 2 differentiation was a crucial step for a correct evaluation of the ecological condition of invertebrate communities across the lagoonal system

Oxidação electroquímica de compostos lipídicos como precursora do tratamento anaeróbio

A digestão anaeróbia é um processo de tratamento de efluentes e simultaneamente uma fonte de energia, através da produção de biogás. A presença de compostos lipídicos nos efluentes não só causa problemas de inibição dos microorganismos como pode levar à lavagem do sistema, sendo frequente a aplicação de pré-tratamentos. Os tratamentos físico-químicos mostram-se, por vezes, insuficientes e originam lamas indesejáveis. Em alternativa, a oxidação electroquímica deste tipo de compostos orgânicos apresenta-se como um processo prometedor na medida em que proporciona a alteração dos lípidos e promove a respectiva conversão em biogás. No presente trabalho, as transformações electroquímicas do ácido oleico, em solução aquosa com eléctrodos de platina (Pt), chumbo (Pb) e grafite, são analisadas numa vasta gama de potenciais. Os dados obtidos permitem estabelecer as condições operativas para proceder à electrooxidação do lípido sob controlo potenciostático. Os rendimentos da oxidação electroquímica do composto lipídico sobre os diferentes substratos e de acordo com os parâmetros electroquímicos empregues são discutidos.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

A construção do pensamento complexo num grupo de pesquisa em educação: primeiros passos

O presente trabalho busca analisar a constituição e dinâmica de dois grupos de pesquisa da UFSCar/CNPq- “Formação de Professores, Ambientalização Curricular e Educação em Ciências” e “Grupo de Estudo e Pesquisa em Educação Científica” - à luz da teoria dos grupos operativos de Pichon-Rivière e da teoria da complexidade. Para isso foram realizadas análises qualitativas das gravações em áudio dos encontros dos grupos e dos resumos das atividades dos mesmos. A partir das análises observaram- se aproximações entre a dinâmica do grupo de pesquisa com algumas características específicasdos grupos operativos na perspectiva Pichoniana. Na relação com o paradigma da complexidade, a principal dificuldade do grupo foi o rompimento com paradigmas anteriores, porém também pode-se observar aproximações e avanços do grupo com a construção do pensamento complexo

Targeting cells with cathelicidin nanomedicines improves insulin function and pancreas regeneration in type 1 diabetic rats

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an incurable condition with an increasing incidence worldwide, in which the hallmark is the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic insulin-producing β cells. Cathelicidin-based peptides have been shown to improve β cell function and neogenesis and may thus be relevant while developing T1D therapeutics. In this work, a cathelicidin-derived peptide, LLKKK18, was loaded in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs), surface-functionalized with exenatide toward a GLP-1 receptor, aiming the β cell-targeted delivery of the peptide. The NPs present a mean size of around 100 nm and showed long-term stability, narrow size distribution, and negative ζ-potential (−10 mV). The LLKKK18 association efficiency and loading were 62 and 2.9%, respectively, presenting slow and sustained in vitro release under simulated physiologic fluids. Glucose-stimulated insulin release in the INS-1E cell line was observed in the presence of the peptide. In addition, NPs showed a strong association with β cells from isolated rat islets. After administration to diabetic rats, NPs induced a significant reduction of the hyperglycemic state, an improvement in the pancreatic insulin content, and glucose tolerance. Also remarkable, a considerable increase in the β cell mass in the pancreas was observed. Overall, this novel and versatile nanomedicine showed glucoregulatory ability and can pave the way for the development of a new generation of therapeutic approaches for T1D treatment.C.C., S.P., and J.M. acknowledge FCT for the granted scholarships SFRH/BD/139402/2018, SFRH/BD/144719/2019, and PD/BD/145149/2019, respectively. The authors acknowledge the support of the i3S Scientific Platform Histology and Electron Microscopy (HEMS), member of the national infrastructure PPBI─Portuguese Platform of Bioimaging (PPBI-POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022122), in particular, Nuno Mendes for performing the immunohistochemistry assay, and Tiago Bordeira Gaspar for the blind analysis of the tissue sections and for the antiglucagon antibody used in immunohistochemistry analysis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chondrosia reniformis marine-sponge collagen membranes for skin re-epithelialization

Chondrosia reniformis collagen has been identified as mainly of type IV. Being collagen IV the main component of the epidermal basal layer [1], C. reniformis represents a valuable source to be explored in the skin regeneration field. This work envisaged the production of C. reniformis collagen membranes for the selection of rapidly adherent epidermal cells, like the commercial collagen coatings, and for their subsequent culture. This approach would permit a single system for culturing and carrying basal epidermal cells aimed at re-epithelialize skin wounds. Materials and Methods The collagen of C. reniformis marine-sponge was extracted with 100mM Tris-HCl, 10mM EDTA, 8M urea and 100mM 2-mercaptoethanol. To define the best re-solubilization conditions, the obtained precipitate was dissolved in five different solutions: Solution A: 100mM Tris-HCl+8M Urea+10mM EDTA (pH 9.5); Solution B: 50mM Tris-HCl+1M NaCl (pH 7.4); Solution C: 100mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.4); Solution D: 0.5% H2O2 (v/v) (pH 11) and Solution E: 100mM Tris-HCl (pH 9.5). Solutions of 1% collagen were prepared and cross-linking was performed with HMDI, genipin and EDC/NHS at different concentrations. The membranes were obtained by solvent-casting and/or freeze-drying, and their stability was tested both in PBS and culture medium, for at least 7 days. Morphological characterization of the membranes was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cytotoxicity, based on metabolic activity (MTS assay) and cell proliferation (DNA quantification) analysis of the 100mM Tris-HCl (pH 9.5) and 8mM EDC/NHS cross-linked collagen membranes, was assessed with L929 cells. Results were analyzed by IBM SPSS Statistics Version 20 using one-way ANOVA and Kruskall-Wallis test. Significance was set for

Motor and cognitive deficits in the heterozygous leaner mouse, a Cav2.1 voltage-gated Ca2+ channel mutant

Supplementary data associated with this article can be found, in the online version, at doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.The leaner mutation in mice affects the Ca(v)2.1 voltage-gated calcium channel alpha(1A)-subunit gene (Cacna1a), causing a reduction in calcium currents predominantly in Purkinje cells. This reduction in calcium currents causes severe progressive cerebellar ataxia, beginning around postnatal day 10, in homozygous leaner mice (tg(la)/tg(la)), while their heterozygous littermates (tg(la)/+) present no obvious behavioral deficits. In humans, heterozygous mutations in the Cacna1a orthologous gene produce a broad range of neurological manifestations. To evaluate the phenotypic status of the tg(la)/+ animals, we assessed motor performance and cognition, at different ages, in these mutant mice. We were able to observe age-dependent impairment in motor and cognitive tasks; balance and motor learning deficits were found in demanding tasks on the rotarod and on the hanging wire test, while spatial learning and memory impairment was observed in the Morris water maze. Progressive dysfunction in escape reflexes, indicative of neurological impairment, was also present in tg(la)/+ animals. Although not presenting major motor alterations, tg(la)/+ mice show age-dependent motor and cognitive deficits.We would like to thank Carolina Lemos for her help with statistical analysis and Victor Mendes for image technical assistance. This work was supported by research grants POCTI/MGI/34517/00, POCTI/NSE/45352/2002 and POCI/SAU-MMO/56387/2004, FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) and co-funded by FEDER. I.A. is recipient of a scholarship from FCT, Portugal

Sulfonic Acid-Functionalized (Bio)Materials as Catalysts for Efficient Amide Bond Synthesis

Funding Information: The authors thank Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FC&T) for project PTDC/BII‐BIO/30884/2017 and EXPL/BII‐BIO/0436/2021 and also for the researcher contract 2021.03255.CEECIND (M.C.C) and 2020.01614.CEECIND/CP1596/CT0007 (A.F.P.). Authors also thank the support by the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry – LAQV, which is financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/2020) and i3 N (LA/P/0037/2020, UIDP/50025/2020 and UIDB/50025/2020 . The National NMR Facility is supported by FC&T (ROTEIRO/0031/2013 – PINFRA/22161/2016, co‐financed by FEDER through COMPETE 2020, POCI, and PORL and FC&T through PIDDAC) and CERMAX through project 022162. We thank Prof. Dr. Carlos A. M. Afonso from the Faculty of Pharmacy, ULisboa for the scientific discussions on the experiments carried out with furfuryl alcohol derivatives. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. ChemCatChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.Sulfonic acid carbon-(bio)based and natural clays-based catalysts were prepared and investigated for the first time as heterogeneous catalysts for amide bond synthesis by a Ritter reaction. The different SO3H-catalysts were screened using benzyl alcohol and acetonitrile as model substrates, and MWCNT-CSP revealed to be an efficient catalyst, affording the amide in 75 % yield. The practical utility of the catalysts was demonstrated by a diverse range of amides, obtained from alcohols and nitriles, in moderate to good yields. Biomass derived platform alcohols, such as 5-HMF and furfuryl alcohol, were also tested as potential building blocks for the synthesis of biopolymers. The SO3H-catalysts revealed to be a highly efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to the conventional acid catalysts commonly used in the Ritter reaction.publishersversionpublishe

Biodiversity and characterization of Staphylococcus species isolated from a small manufacturing dairy plant in Portugal

The level and the diversity of the staphylococcal community occurring in the environment and dairy products of a small manufacturing dairy plant were investigated. Species identification was performed using different molecular methods, viz. Multiplex-PCR, amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), and sodA gene sequencing. The main species encountered corresponded to Staphylococcus equorum (41 isolates, 39.0%), S. saprophyticus (28 isolates, 26.7%) and S. epidermidis (15 isolates, 14.3%). Additionally, low incidence of enterotoxin genes was obtained, with only 9 strains (8.6%) being positive for one or more toxin genes. With regard to antimicrobial resistance, 57.1% of the isolates showed at least resistance against one antibiotic, and 28.6% were multi-resistant, which might accomplish resistance for up to 6 antibiotics simultaneously. These results provided evidence that the presence of Staphylococcus species in dairy environment are mostly represented by S. equorum and S. saprophyticus, and illustrate that carrying antimicrobial resistance genes has become reasonably widespread in cheese and dairy environment.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

A new chalcone derivative with promising antiproliferative and anti-invasion activities in glioblastoma cells

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and most deadly primary malignant brain tumor. Current therapies are not effective, the average survival of GBM patients after diagnosis being limited to few months. Therefore, the discovery of new treatments for this highly aggressive brain cancer is urgently needed. Chalcones are synthetic and naturally occurring compounds that have been widely investigated as anticancer agents. In this work, three chalcone derivatives were tested regarding their inhibitory activity and selectivity towards GBM cell lines (human and mouse) and a non-cancerous mouse brain cell line. The chalcone 1 showed the most potent and selective cytotoxic effects in the GBM cell lines, being further investigated regarding its ability to reduce critical hallmark features of GBM and to induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. This derivative showed to successfully reduce the invasion and proliferation capacity of tumor cells, both key targets for cancer treatment. Moreover, to overcome potential systemic side effects and its poor water solubility, this compound was encapsulated into liposomes. Therapeutic concentrations were incorporated retaining the potent in vitro growth inhibitory effect of the selected compound. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that this new formulation can be a promising starting point for the discovery of new and more effective drug treatments for GBM.This research was funded by FCT to the PhD grant of DM fellowship (PD/BD/143038/2018) and the projects PATH (PD/00169/2013), FROnTHERA (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000023), Cells4_IDs (PTDC/BTM-SAL/28882/2017) and the NORTE 2020 Structured Project, co-funded by Norte2020 (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000021). This research was also supported by the Strategic Funding UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020 (Group of Natural Products and Medicinal ChemistryCIIMAR) through national funds provided by the FCT and ERDF, within the framework of the program PT2020. Joana Moreira acknowledges her grant (SFRH/BD/135852/2018)