Aplicação de nanomateriais na oxidação avançada de poluentes orgânicos

A constante preocupação com a preservação da saúde humana impulsiona o necessário desenvolvimento de novos e mais sustentáveis processos de tratamento para remoção de micropoluentes das águas, dado que alguns deles, quando em presença da matéria orgânica natural (MON), podem ser percussores de substâncias potencialmente cancerígenas e apresentar comportamento refratário às tecnologias convencionais instaladas na grande maioria das estações de tratamento de água (ETA). O presente trabalho de investigação teve como objetivos o desenvolvimento e a avaliação da eficiência da aplicação de técnicas de oxidação avançada na remoção de constituintes presentes na MON, com nanopartículas suspensas de dióxido de titânio (TiO2). Neste documento são apresentadas as metodologias utilizadas neste estudo e a análise dos resultados obtidos em ensaios de degradação de ácido húmico (AH), simulando a MON, num reator do tipo batch, sob incidência de radiação solar (RS) e radiação UV com e sem o contributo catalítico das nanopartículas de TiO2. A otimização das condições de degradação foi estudada procedendo-se à avaliação do efeito da dosagem de TiO2. A melhor eficiência de degradação de MON foi de 99%, tendo sido obtida sob incidência de radiação UV, com uma concentração inicial de AH igual a 8 mg/L e uma concentração de TiO2 de 5 mg/L. Os testes de toxicidade realizados às soluções resultantes do processo fotocatalítico de degradação do AH mostraram que os compostos formados não induziram toxicidade na matriz aquosa.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Characterization of the acoustic community of vocal fishes in the Azores

Sounds produced by teleost fishes are an important component of marine soundscapes, making passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) an effective way to map the presence of vocal fishes with a minimal impact on ecosystems. Based on a literature review, we list the known soniferous fish species occurring in Azorean waters and compile their sounds. We also describe new fish sounds recorded in Azores seamounts. From the literature, we identified 20 vocal fish species present in Azores. We analysed long-term acoustic recordings carried out since 2008 in Condor and Princesa Alice seamounts and describe 20 new putative fish sound sequences. Although we propose candidates as the source of some vocalizations, this study puts into evidence the myriad of fish sounds lacking species identification. In addition to identifying new sound sequences, we provide the first marine fish sound library for Azores. Our acoustic library will allow to monitor soniferous fish species for conservation and management purposes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Confirmatory assays for transient changes of omics in soil invertebrates - copper materials in a multigenerational exposure

Environmental risk assessment (ERA) based on effects caused by chronic and longer term exposure is highly relevant. Further, if mechanistic based approaches (e.g. omics) can be included, beyond apical endpoints (e.g. reproduction), the prediction of effects increases. For Cu NMs (and CuCl2) this has been studied in detail, covering multi-omics and apical effects using the soil standard species Enchytraeus crypticus. The intermediate level effects like cell/tissue and organ alterations represent a missing link. In the present study we aimed to: 1) perform long term exposure to Cu materials (full life cycle and multigeneration, 46 and 224 days) to collect samples; 2) perform histology and immunohistochemistry on collected samples at 12 time points and 17 treatments; 3) integrate all levels of biological organization onto an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework. CuO NMs and CuCl2 caused both similar and different stress response, either at molecular initiating events (MIE) or key events (KEs) of higher level of biological organization. Cell/Tissue and organ level, post-transcriptional and transcriptional mechanisms, through histone modifications and microRNA related protein, were similarly affected. While both Cu forms affected the Notch signalling pathway, CuCl2 also caused oxidative stress. Different mechanisms of DNA methylation (epigenetics) were activated by CuO NMs and CuCl2 at the MIE.publishe

Occurrence and Distribution of Fasciolosis in a Cohort of Ovine Livestock Restricted to a Mountain Plateau in Central Portugal

Fasciola hepatica is a parasite that is widespread in Europe, having been reported in ru- minants of several European countries and causing an important economic impact. This study ascertained the occurrence and distribution of fasciolosis in Portuguese ovine livestock by assessing F. hepatica IgG antibodies in a cohort of confined sheep from a high-altitude region of central Portugal in a 2-year period. Positive animals were found in most locations and in both years, with 18 of the 92 an- imals (19.6% [95% confidence interval CI: 12.03–19.15]) and 17 of the same 92 animals (18.5% [95% CI: 11.15–27.93]) showing to be seropositive in the first year and second year, respectively (p = 0.85). Pasture contamination by F. hepatica eggs could be reduced by thorough anthelmintic treatments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

De marginal a bem patrimonial: processos de divulgação científica na exposição "Tesouros de seis patas"

XV Congresso Ibérico de Entomologia. Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, Açores, Portugal, 1 a 6 de Setembro de 2012

Os mal-amados: contributos para a compreensão das atitudes dos jovens face aos insectos e à conservação da natureza

Encontro sobre Biodiversidade e Conservação de Invertebrados em Portugal (EBCI 2013). Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 3 a 5 de Julho de 2013 (Comunicação)

O lugar dos insetos na nova Arca de Noé

XV Congresso Ibérico de Entomologia. Universidade dos Açores, Angra do Heroísmo, Açores, Portugal, 1 a 6 de Setembro de 2012

Cell Therapy with Human MSCs Isolated from the Umbilical Cord Wharton Jelly Associated to a PVA Membrane in the Treatment of Chronic Skin Wounds

3. Departmento de Patologia e de Imunologia Molecular, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto (UP)

Insetos pela cidade: uma intervenção urbana em etnoentomologia

Encontro sobre Biodiversidade e Conservação de Invertebrados em Portugal (EBCI 2013). Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, 3 a 5 de Julho de 2013 (Comunicação)

A total transcriptome profiling method for plasma-derived extracellular vesicles: applications for liquid biopsies

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are key mediators of intercellular communication. Part of their biological effects can be attributed to the transfer of cargos of diverse types of RNAs, which are promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. EVs found in human biofluids are a valuable source for the development of minimally invasive assays. However, the total transcriptional landscape of EVs is still largely unknown. Here we develop a new method for total transcriptome profiling of plasma-derived EVs by next generation sequencing (NGS) from limited quantities of patient-derived clinical samples, which enables the unbiased characterization of the complete RNA cargo, including both small- and long-RNAs, in a single library preparation step. This approach was applied to RNA extracted from EVs isolated by ultracentrifugation from the plasma of five healthy volunteers. Among the most abundant RNAs identified we found small RNAs such as tRNAs, miRNAs and miscellaneous RNAs, which have largely unknown functions. We also identified protein-coding and long noncoding transcripts, as well as circular RNA species that were also experimentally validated. This method enables, for the first time, the full spectrum of transcriptome data to be obtained from minute patient-derived samples, and will therefore potentially allow the identification of cell-to-cell communication mechanisms and biomarkers.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Gillson-Longenbaugh FoundationNational Institutes of Health (NIH/NCATS) through the NIH Common Fund, Office of Strategic Coordination (OSC)AC Camargo Canc Ctr, Lab Med Genom, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilAC Camargo Canc Ctr, Lab Computat Biol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Inst Biomed Sci, Dept Cell & Dev Biol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Electron Microscopy Ctr, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Texas MD Anderson Canc Ctr, Dept Expt Therapeut, Houston, TX 77030 USAUniv Texas MD Anderson Canc Ctr, Ctr RNA Interference & Non Coding RNAs, Houston, TX 77030 USAUniv New Mexico, Comprehens Canc Ctr, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USAUniv New Mexico, Sch Med, Div Hematol Oncol, Dept Internal Med, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USAUniv New Mexico, Sch Med, Div Mol Med, Dept Internal Med, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USARockefeller Univ, Lab Mol Immunol, 1230 York Ave, New York, NY 10021 USAFMUSP, Lab Neurociencias Alzira Denise Hertzog Silva LIM, Inst Psiquiatria, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Electron Microscopy Ctr, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 2011/09172-3FAPESP: 2014/26897-0Web of Scienc