Kelp mariculture in Spain, a promising source for biofuel (ethanol) production and other valuable products

Bioethanol is the most widely used biofuel for transportation. Kelps (i.e. large brown algae) contain 50–60% carbohydrates of the dry weight, which represent a potential sugar source for microbial conversion into bioethanol. Scientific and technological advances on ethanol production from kelps have been extensively developed over the years, more particularly with regard to the hydrolysis and fermentation of complex carbohydrate such as alginate. Currently, kelp biomass has been proved as a suitable feedstock for bioethanol production and it has begun to go into industrial application. In addition, these macroalgae are already intended for direct human consumption and used as raw material for the alginate industry, animal feed and fertilizers. All these uses and applications are expected to be integrated into kelp biorefineries and supplied by marine farming. Besides its economic value, kelp mariculture would provide significant environmental benefits such as carbon and nitrogen sequestration, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and nutrient loads from the fish farming in coastal waters. Consequently, in the Spanish Atlantic coast, kelp mariculture may be in the near future an alternative, renewable, sustainable and environmentally friendly source for bioethanol production and many other valuable products. Herein, we describe the current progress in kelp mariculture at the commercial scale based on experiences in the Atlantic coasts of Spain. The up-to-date progress in converting kelp biomass into bioethanol is also reviewed. Finally, we provide a description of the process where kelp production (mariculture), its processing and uses (biorefinery) are merged

Explotación de las macroalgas marinas: Galicia como caso de estudio hacia una gestión sostenible de los recursos

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Regulation by Gonadal Steroids of Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors Along the Reproductive Tract in Female Lambs

The regulation of estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER, PR) expression by estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) in the oviduct, uterus and cervix of female lambs was studied. The animals received three intramuscular injections of E2, P4 or vehicle with an interval of 24 h and they were slaugthered 24 h after the third injection. Determinations of ER and PR were performed by binding assays and mRNAs of ERα and PR by solution hybridization. High levels of ER and PR in both cervix and oviduct were found in the female lamb, differing from other mammalian species. No significant effects by either E2 or P4 treatment on ER and PR levels in the cervix and oviduct could be observed. E2 treatment increased the mRNA levels of ERa and PR more than 3-fold in the cervix, while P4 treatment increased the mRNA levels of ERa and PR in the uterus. The results show differential effects of gonadal steroids on sex steroid receptor expression along the reproductive tract in female lambs, suggesting that steroid target tissues can modulate responses to the same circulating levels of steroid hormones

Cultivo de macroalgas mariñas: fonte sostible de biomasa para bio-refinerías?

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El potencial de la maricultura de laminarias como fuente para la obtención de biocombustibles y otros bioproductos en la costa atlántica de España

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Thermophysical Characterization of TFSI Based Ionic Liquid and Lithium Salt Mixtures

Este artigo pertence ás actas do The 23rd International Electronic Conference on Synthetic Organic Chemistry.[Abstract] The ionic liquids (ILs) doped with metal salts have become a real alternative as electrolytes for batteries, but the right choice of these compounds for reaching the adequate properties and performance is still a challenge, and strategies are therefore needed for achieving it. The thermophysical properties of IL 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide ([bmpyr] [TFSI]) and its mixture with bis-(trifluoromethane)-sulfonimide lithium salt (from 0.1 m to saturation level) were determined in this work. These properties are density (ρ), speed of sound (U), and corresponding derived magnitudes, such as the bulk modulus and the thermal coefficient, as well as electrical conductivity (σ) against temperature. Density shows a linear decreasing dependence with temperature and a clear increase with the addition of salt, whereas the thermal expansion coefficient increases with temperature and salt addition. Speed of sound decreases with both temperature and salt concentration, and the adiabatic compressibility calculated by means of the well-known Laplace equation increases, as expected, with temperature in all the studied cases, although a small variation with concentration was observed. Electrical conductivity increases with temperature following the Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann (VFT) equation and decreases with the addition of salt.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and FEDER (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional) Program through the projects MAT2014-57943-C3-1-P, MAT2014-57943-C3-3-P, MAT2017-89239-C2-1-P as well as by Xunta de Galicia through the GRC (Grupo de Referencia Competitiva) ED431C 2016/001 project, and the Galician Network of Ionic Liquids (ReGaLIs) ED431D 2017/06. P. Vallet and J. J. Parajó are thankful for funding support from the FPI (Formación de Personal Investigador) Program from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Education and Universities and I2C postdoctoral Program of Xunta de Galicia, respectively.Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2016/001Xunta de Galicia; ED431D 2017/0

Creación de bancos de germoplasma o “semillas” con algas laminarias para su conservación, restauración ecológica y/o cultivo comercial

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Germline cdh1 g212e missense variant: Combining clinical, in vitro and in vivo strategies to unravel disease Burden

E-cadherin, encoded by CDH1, is an essential molecule for epithelial homeostasis, whose loss or aberrant expression results in disturbed cell–cell adhesion, increased cell invasion and metas-tasis. Carriers of CDH1 germline mutations have a high risk of developing diffuse gastric cancer and lobular breast cancer, associated with the cancer syndrome Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC). The ubiquitous availability of cancer panels has led to the identification of an increasing amount of “incidental” CDH1 genetic variants that pose a serious clinical challenge. This has sparked intensive research aiming at an accurate classification of the variants and consequent validation of their clinical relevance. The present study addressed the significance of a novel CDH1 variant, G212E, identified in an unusually large pedigree displaying strong aggregation of diffuse gastric cancer. We undertook a comprehensive pipeline encompassing family data, in silico predictions, in vitro assays and in vivo strategies, which validated the deleterious phenotype induced by this genetic alteration. In particular, we demonstrated that the G212E variant affects the stability and localization, as well as the adhesive and anti-invasive functions of E-cadherin, triggering epithelial disruption and disorganization. Our findings illustrate the clinical implication of a complementary approach for effective variant categorization and patient management.This work was financed by FEDER funds through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors (COMPETE 2020), Programa Operacional de Competitividade e Inter-nacionalização (POCI) and Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (Norte 2020); and by National Funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the frame-work of the projects PTDC/MED-GEN/30356/2017, PTDC/BTM-SAL/30383/2017, PTDC/BIM-ONC/0281/2014, NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000029, as well as doctoral grants SFRH/BD/108009/2015-S.M. and SFRH/BD/130708/2017-M.G. E.M.S. is funded by the “FCT Scientific Employment Stimulus—Individual Call” program (CEECIND/00622/2017). We acknowledge the American Association of Patients with Hereditary Gastric Cancer “No Stomach for Cancer” for funding Seruca’s and Figueiredo’s research