Cellulose dissolution and gelation in alkaline-based solvents

Issues of environmental concern and sustainability are pressing for an efficient and growing use of biomass and naturally occurring polymers to create new materials and sustainable opportunities and solutions. An effective utilization and sourcing of cellulose, as the world’s most abundant renewable material, not only reduces the consumption of our limited fossil resources but also protects the environment. To produce cellulose based materials for various applications, cellulose requires dissolution at some point, and this task can be challenging. The traditional methods of dissolution have some limitations: some require high investments others create occupational health and environmental issues. Therefore, it is important to develop inexpensive and environmentally “friendly” alternatives to these solvents. With this purpose in mind, the main goal of this work was to study alkaline-based solvents regarding their interaction and effect on cellulose dissolution, while accessing the aggregation and gelation phenomena. This work was divided in two parts: The first part focus on cellulose dissolution and gelation in sodium hydroxide studied by time resolved rheology, turbidimetry and wide-angle X-ray scattering. The kinetics of gelation are observed to be strongly temperature dependent, changing from several hours down to few seconds when the temperature is increased from 25 to 30 ºC. The obtained gels are irreversibly formed. Wide angle X-ray scattering data reveals the formation of ordered domains, as the sample gels, and it is suggested the gelation is due to the crystallization and precipitation of cellulose. This strongly indicates that the gelation phenomena can be understood as cellulose precipitation/crystallization where an effectively cross-linked network and gelation results from that cellulose chains may participate in more than one crystallite. This part of the work resulted in a published article that can be found in Appendix B. The second part focussed on the molecular self-diffusion coefficients measured in cellulose solutions dissolved in 30 wt. %, 55 wt. % and mixtures of 40 wt. % TBAH (aq.) and DMSO at different ratios, using pulsed field gradient stimulated echo NMR. The results show that dissolution efficiency of TBAH (aq.) is not compromised significantly even when high amounts of the organic co-solvent (DMSO) are present, in agreement with previous studies. Compared with the standard TBAH (aq.) solvent - 55 wt. % TBAH (aq.), the systems with DMSO presented in this work are highly advantageous since they use much less TBAH (substituted by DMSO) making the dissolution process much less expensive and possibly viable for large scale applications. Additionally, the molecular self-diffusion coefficients obtained highlight that TBAH can “bind” to cellulose within an interval of 0.5 TBA+ to 2.3 TBA+ per anhydroglucose unit depending on the TBAH amount in solution. The main driving force for this binding may be the favourable electrostatic interactions between the TBA+ cations and the deprotonated hydroxyl groups on the cellulose molecules coupled with hydrophobic interactions. Moreover, temperature seems to not have a significant effect on the relative diffusion coefficient of the different species either in the presence or absence of DMSO in the mixture, at least in the temperature range studied.Desde a revolução industrial que a poluição tem sido um problema crescente e, consequentemente, o panorama futuro torna-se incerto devido às alterações ambientais e problemas que daí advêm, tais como alterações climáticas, perda de biodiversidade, acidificação dos oceanos, desertificação e a depleção dos recursos aquíferos. Devido a esta realidade, o interesse e motivação para a investigação na utilização eficiente de biomassa e polímeros naturais tem crescido significativamente com o foco no desenvolvimento de novos biomateriais. O crescente aumento da população gera uma discrepância, cada vez maior, entre oferta e procura de alimentos, materiais, produtos, etc, devido à escassez de área arável e diminuição dos recursos hídricos. No caso dos materiais têxteis, a produção de algodão tem a sua capacidade de produção estagnada, e por isso, procuram-se soluções renováveis e amigas do ambiente que lhe possam servir de alternativa. Um uso e fornecimento eficiente da celulose não só reduz a necessidade de consumo de recursos fósseis, como protege o planeta a curto e longo prazo. A madeira é a principal fonte de celulose, mas existem alternativas como o linho, cânhamo, sisal, entre outros; a celulose pode ainda ser encontrado em bactérias, algas e fungos. A celulose é o polímero mais abundante na natureza, com elevada importância económica e variadas aplicações. Graças à sua biocompatibilidade e não toxicidade, a celulose pode ser transformada em diferentes produtos, como fibras têxteis, filmes, espumas, incorporação em formulações alimentares e farmacêuticas, e aplicações biomédicas, entre elas: material de envolvimento para medicamentos, aditivos de produtos farmacêuticos, coagulante do sangue, membranas de rins artificiais, e várias aplicações na engenharia de tecidos e materiais para implantes. Como a celulose não funde, o seu processamento acarreta a necessidade de dissolução - o que não é tarefa fácil. Apesar de existirem vários solventes para a celulose, a maioria está limitada a usos laboratoriais de pequena escala devido à complexidade dos processos, toxicidade, volatilidade, custos de produção e reciclagem, etc. E por isso, aumenta a necessidade de procurar novos sistemas para a dissolução de celulose e compreender os fundamentos do processo de dissolução (interação soluto solvente) e regeneração. Com o aumento do conhecimento sobre os impactos ambientais e o consequente aumento da regulamentação das indústrias e seus resíduos, a procura por alternativas menos poluentes, mais amigas do ambiente e com processos mais simples, representa uma área de elevado interesse e com cada vez maior importância na indústria. Neste trabalho foram estudados dois solventes alcalinos. Os solventes estudados foram o hidróxido de sódio (NaOH) e o hidróxido de tetrabutilamónio (TBAH). O NaOH é um dos solventes mais populares usados na dissolução da celulose. É um sistema relativamente barato, potencialmente não poluente e fácil de aplicar. O intervalo de concentração a que este solvente funciona é pequeno, apenas de 1,5 a 2,5 M e funciona apenas a temperaturas abaixo de zero. Se estas condições não forem cumpridas, a celulose não vai ser dissolvida, apenas absorve solvente (turgência). Por sua vez, o TBAH é um solvente novo e muito eficiente na dissolução de celulose que tem vindo a ser alvo de vários estudos nos últimos anos. O TBAH é uma solução aquosa de um sal e apesar de ter algumas propriedades comuns aos líquidos iónicos, este tem a particularidade de ser estável em soluções aquosas, o que facilita a sua aplicação. A adição de DMSO como co-solvente ao TBAH, foi descrita por vários autores como benéfica à dissolução da celulose. O DMSO é um solvente polar que, por si só, não consegue dissolver a celulose, mas como co-solvente já pode participar no processo de dissolução da celulose. Tem a particularidade de atuar como base fraca ou forte, permitindo-lhe dissolver uma vasta gama de substâncias. O sistema de dissolução TBAH/H2O/DMSO tem várias propriedades atrativas, tais como a sua estabilidade na presença de água, rápida dissolução e a possibilidade de utilização à temperatura ambiente. No futuro, este sistema parece promissor e poderá vir a ter várias aplicações em equipamentos eletrónicos, ecrãs, tratamentos médicos, entre outros. Na primeira parte do trabalho, a gelificação de soluções de celulose microcristalina em solventes alcalinos de NaOH (2M), foi acompanhada através de reologia, turbidimetria e de espalhamento de raio-X a ângulo amplo (WAXS), para se compreender a associação das moléculas de celulose e o processo de gelificação. A cinética da gelificação das soluções de celulose é extremamente dependente da temperatura, variando de várias horas para apenas alguns segundos com o aumento da temperatura de 25 ºC para 30 ºC. Os dados de raio-X indicam a formação de domínios de maior ordem à medida que a amostra gelifica. Isto sugere que a gelificação da celulose pode ser entendida como um processo de precipitação/cristalização, onde a rede reticulada e a gelificação resultam da possível participação das cadeias de celulose em mais do que um domínio cristalino. A primeira parte do trabalho deu origem a uma publicação que pode encontrada no Appendix B. Na segunda parte do trabalho, focou-se a análise dos coeficientes de auto-difusão molecular em diferentes soluções de celulose à base de TBAH (aq.) e com DMSO em diferentes rácios. Observou-se que a celulose foi mais facilmente dissolvida em 55% TBAH (aq.) do que em concentrações mais baixas do solvente. Por si só, o 30% TBAH (aq.) não consegue dissolver a celulose, mas surpreendentemente, com a adição de DMSO, foi possível dissolver celulose com quantidades mínimas de TBAH (aq.), ca. 7%, o que torna a dissolução com TBAH mais vantajosa em termos económicos e possivelmente viável para aplicações de maior escala. Os resultados obtidos mostram que o TBAH pode interagir com a celulose, num intervalo de 0.5 iões de TBA+ a 2.3 iões de TBA+ (em média) por cada unidade de AGU, dependendo da quantidade de TBAH existente em solução. A principal força motriz desta interação é de natureza eletrostática entre o TBA+ e os grupos hidroxilo desprotonados da celulose, sendo espectável ainda a contribuição das interações hidrofóbicas. No intervalo estudado, a temperatura não teve um efeito significativo no coeficiente de difusão das diferentes espécies, tanto na presença como na ausência de DMSO

Osmolality of preterm formulas suplemented with monprotein energy supplements

Background: Addition of energy supplements to preterm formulas is an optional strategy to increase the energy intake in infants requiring fluid restriction, in conditions like bronchopulmonary dysplasia. This strategy may lead to an undesirable increase in osmolality of feeds, the maximum recommended safe limit being 400 mOsm/kg. The aim of the study was to measure the changes in osmolality of several commercialized preterm formulas after addition of glucose polymers and medium-chain triglycerides. Methods: Osmolality was measured by the freezing point depression method. Six powdered formulas with concentrations of 14 g/100 ml and 16 g/100 ml, and five ready-to-feed liquid formulas were analyzed. All formulas, were supplemented with 10% (low supplementation) or 20% (high supplementation) of additional calories, respectively, in the form of glucose polymers and medium chain triglycerides, maintaining a 1:1 glucose:lipid calorie ratio. Inter-analysis and intra-analysis coefficients of variation of the measurements were always < 3.9%. Results: The mean osmolality (mOsm/kg) of the non-supplemented formulas varied between 268.5 and 315.3 mOsm/kg, increasing by 3–5% in low supplemented formulas, and by 6–10% in high supplemented formulas. None of the formulas analyzed exceeded 352.8 mOsm/kg. Conclusion: The supplementation of preterm formulas with nonprotein energy supplements with up to 20% additional calories did not exceed the maximum recommended osmolality for neonatal feedings

An antisense transcript mediates MALAT1 response in human breast cancer

© The Author(s). 2019 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent a substantial portion of the human transcriptome. LncRNAs present a very stringent cell-type/tissue specificity being potential candidates for therapeutical applications during aging and disease. As example, targeting of MALAT1, a highly conserved lncRNA originally identified in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, has shown promising results in cancer regression. Nevertheless, the regulation and specificity of MALAT1 have not been directly addressed. Interestingly, MALAT1 locus is spanned by an antisense transcript named TALAM1. Methods: Here using a collection of breast cancer cells and in vitro and in vivo migration assays we characterized the dynamics of expression and demonstrated that TALAM1 regulates and synergizes with MALAT1 during tumorigenesis. Results: Down-regulation of TALAM1 was shown to greatly impact on the capacity of breast cancer cells to migrate in vitro or to populate the lungs of immunocompromised mice. Additionally, we demonstrated that TALAM1 cooperates with MALAT1 in the regulation of the properties guiding breast cancer aggressiveness and malignancy. Conclusions: By characterizing this sense/anti-sense pair we uncovered the complexity of MALAT1 locus regulation, describing new potential candidates for cancer targeting.This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) (PTDC/BIM-MED/0032/2014); UID/BIM/50005/2019, project funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)/ Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (MCTES) through Fundos do Orçamento de Estado; LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-016394, projeto cofinanciado pelo FEDER através POR Lisboa 2020 - Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa, do PORTUGAL 2020 e pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia; LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-028534, projeto cofinanciado pelo FEDER através POR Lisboa 2020 - Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa, do PORTUGAL 2020 e pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. B.B.J. was an FCT Investigator (IF/00166/2014). C.V. was a Gulbenkian Foundation Fellow. S.N.-P. was recipient of an individual FCT postdoctoral fellowship (SFRH/BPD/91159/2012).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Metabolomics Study

Funding Information: This work is financed by national funds from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), I.P., in the scope of the project UIDP/04378/2020 and UIDB/04378/2020 of the Research Unit on Applied Molecular Biosciences (UCIBIO) and the project LA/P/0140/2020 of the Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy—i4HB and through the project EXPL/MEDFAR/0203/2021. A. Dias-Carvalho acknowledges FCT and UCIBIO for her PhD grant (UI/BD/151318/2021). V.M.C acknowledges FCT for her grant (SFRH/BPD/110001/2015) that was funded by national funds through FCT under the Norma Transitória–DL57/2016/CP1334/CT0006. A.R.-M. acknowledges FCT for her grant SFRH/BD/129359/2017. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.Long-term cognitive dysfunction, or “chemobrain”, has been observed in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Mitoxantrone (MTX) is a topoisomerase II inhibitor that binds and intercalates with DNA, being used in the treatment of several cancers and multiple sclerosis. Although MTX can induce chemobrain, its neurotoxic mechanisms are poorly studied. This work aimed to identify the adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) activated in the brain upon the use of a clinically relevant cumulative dose of MTX. Three-month-old male CD-1 mice were given a biweekly intraperitoneal administration of MTX over the course of three weeks until reaching a total cumulative dose of 6 mg/kg. Controls were given sterile saline in the same schedule. Two weeks after the last administration, the mice were euthanized and their brains removed. The left brain hemisphere was used for targeted profiling of the metabolism of glutathione and the right hemisphere for an untargeted metabolomics approach. The obtained results revealed that MTX treatment reduced the availability of cysteine (Cys), cysteinylglycine (CysGly), and reduced glutathione (GSH) suggesting that MTX disrupts glutathione metabolism. The untargeted approach revealed metabolic circuits of phosphatidylethanolamine, catecholamines, unsaturated fatty acids biosynthesis, and glycerolipids as relevant players in AOPs of MTX in our in vivo model. As far as we know, our study was the first to perform such a broad profiling study on pathways that could put patients given MTX at risk of cognitive deficits.publishersversionpublishe

Hipertensão pulmonar tromboembólica crónica: experiência inicial de doentes submetidos a tromboendarterectomia pulmonar

© 2021 Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. on behalf of Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Introduction and objectives: Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is a potentially curative procedure in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). This study reports the initial experience of a Portuguese PH center with patients undergoing PEA at an international surgical reference center. Methods: Prospective observational study of consecutive CTEPH patients followed at a national PH center, who underwent PEA at an international surgical reference center between October 2015 and March 2019. Clinical, functional, laboratory, imaging and hemodynamic parameters were obtained in the 12 months preceding the surgery and repeated between four and six months after PEA. Results: 27 consecutive patients (59% female) with a median age of 60 (49-71) years underwent PEA. During a median follow-up of 34 (21-48) months, there was an improvement in functional class in all patients, with only one cardiac death. From a hemodynamic perspective, there was a reduction in mean pulmonary artery pressure from 48 (42-59) mmHg to 26 (22-38) mmHg, an increase in cardiac output from 3.3 (2.9-4.0) L/min to 4.9 (4.2-5.5) L/min and a reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance from 12.1 (7.2-15.5) uW to 3.5 (2.6-5,2) uW. During the follow-up, 44% (n=12) of patients had no PH criteria, 44% (n=12) had residual PH and 11% (n=3) had PH recurrence. There was a reduction of N-terminal pro-B-type natriureticpeptide from 868 (212-1730) pg/mL to 171 (98-382) pg/mL. Rright ventricular systolic function parameters revealed an improvement in longitudinal systolic excursion and peak velocity of the plane of the tricuspid ring from 14 (13-14) mm and 9 (8-10) cm/s to 17 (16-18) mm and 13 (11-15) cm/s, respectively. Of the 26 patients with preoperative right ventricular dysfunction, 85% (n=22) recovered. The proportion of patients on specific vasodilator therapy decreased from 93% to 44% (p<0.001) and the proportion of those requiring oxygen therapy decreased from 52% to 26% (p=0.003). The six-minute walk test distance increased by about 25% compared to the baseline and only eight patients had significant desaturation during the test. Conclusion: Pulmonary endarterectomy performed at an experienced high-volume center is a safe procedure with a very favorable medium-term impact on functional, hemodynamic and right ventricular function parameters in CTEPH patients with operable disease. It is possible for PH centers without PEA differentiation to refer patients safely and effectively to an international surgical center in which air transport is necessary.Introdução e objetivos A tromboendarterectomia pulmonar (TP) é um procedimento potencialmente curativo em doentes com hipertensão pulmonar (HP) tromboembólica crónica (TEC). O objetivo deste trabalho é reportar a experiência inicial de um centro português de tratamento de HP em doentes submetidos a TP num centro de referência cirúrgico internacional. Métodos Estudo observacional prospetivo de doentes consecutivos com diagnóstico de CTEPH seguidos em centro nacional de tratamento de HP e submetidos a TP em centro de referência cirúrgico internacional entre outubro de 2015 e março de 2019. Parâmetros clínicos, funcionais, laboratoriais, imagiológicos e hemodinâmicos foram obtidos nos 12 meses precedentes à cirurgia e repetidos entre quatro a seis meses após a TP. Resultados Foram submetidos a TP 27 doentes consecutivos (59% do sexo feminino) com mediana de 60 (49-71) anos. Durante um seguimento mediano de 34 (21-48) meses, verificou‐se melhoria da classe funcional em todos os doentes, tendo ocorrido apenas um óbito de causa cardíaca. Do ponto de vista hemodinâmico, observou‐se redução da pressão média na artéria pulmonar de 48 (42-59) mmHg para 26 (22-38) mmHg, aumento do débito cardíaco de 3,3 (2,9-4,0) L/min para 4,9 (4,2-5,5) L/min e redução das resistências vasculares pulmonares de 12,1 (7,2-15,5) uW para 3,5 (2,6-5,2) uW. Tendo em conta os parâmetros hemodinâmicos avaliados pós‐TP e a sua evolução durante o seguimento clínico, 44% (n = 12) dos doentes deixaram de ter critérios de HP, 44% (n = 12) mantiveram HP e 11% (n = 3) evoluíram com recorrência de HP. Laboratorialmente, a salientar redução do NT‐proBNP de 868 (212–1730) pg/mL para 171 (98–382) pg/mL. Dos parâmetros de função sistólica ventricular direita, verificou‐se melhoria da excursão e velocidade de pico sistólicas longitudinais do plano do anel tricúspide de 14 (13-14) mm e 9 (8-10) cm/s para 17 (16-18) mm e 13 (11-15) cm/s, respetivamente. Dos 26 doentes com critérios de disfunção sistólica ventricular direita pré‐cirurgia, 85% (n = 22) apresentaram critérios de recuperação. A proporção de doentes sob terapêutica vasodilatadora específica diminuiu de 93% para 44% (p < 0,001) e a proporção daqueles requerendo OLD diminuiu de 52% para 26% (p = 0,003). A distância percorrida no teste dos seis minutos de marcha aumentou em cerca de 25% relativamente ao valor prévio à intervenção cirúrgica e apenas oito doentes mantiveram dessaturação significativa durante a prova. Conclusão A TP realizada em centro cirúrgico de elevado volume é um procedimento seguro e com impacto muito favorável em médio prazo nos parâmetros funcionais, hemodinâmicos e de função ventricular direita em doentes com HPTEC operável. É possível, para centros de tratamento de HP sem diferenciação em TP, a referenciação dos doentes com segurança e efetividade a um centro cirúrgico internacional em que para tal seja necessário aerotransporte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Portuguese propolis antitumoral activity in melanoma involves ROS production and induction of apoptosis

Melanoma is the most aggressive and life-threatening skin cancer type. The melanoma genome is the most frequently mutated, with the BRAF mutation present in 40–60% of melanoma cases. BRAF-mutated melanomas are characterized by a higher aggressiveness and progression. Adjuvant targeted treatments, such as BRAF and MEK inhibitors, are added to surgical excision in BRAF-mutated metastatic melanomas to maximize treatment effectiveness. However, resistance remains the major therapeutic problem. Interest in natural products, like propolis, for therapeutic applications, has increased in the last years. Propolis healing proprieties offer great potential for the development of novel cancer drugs. As the activity of Portuguese propolis has never been studied in melanoma, we evaluated the antitumoral activity of propolis from Gerês (G18.EE) and its fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and n-butanol) in A375 and WM9 melanoma cell lines. Results from DPPH•/ABTS• radical scavenging assays indicated that the samples had relevant antioxidant activity, however, this was not confirmed in the cell models. G18.EE and its fractions decreased cell viability (SRB assay) and promoted ROS production (DHE/Mitotracker probes by flow cytometry), leading to activation of apoptotic signaling (expression of apoptosis markers). Our results suggest that the n-BuOH fraction has the potential to be explored in the pharmacological therapy of melanoma.Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)—projects UIDB/04050/2020, UDBI/04033/2020, UIDB/50026/2020, UIDP/50026/2020, UIDB/50006/2020, UIDP/50006/2020, and by the project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000055, supported by the Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). S.P.C., C.B.M. and A.S.F. are recipients of FCT grants (2020.05779.BD, SFRH/BD/145955/2019, and PD/BD/128276/2017, respectively

Effect of Dietary Incorporation of Yellow Mealworm as a Partial Fishmeal Replacer on Growth, Metabolism, and Intestinal Histomorphology in Juvenile Meagre (Argyrosomus regius)

Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Margarida Saavedra et al. This study was supported by the National Project DIVERSIAQUA II (MAR-02.01.01 FEAMP-0175) and by the project ATLAZUL–Impulsionar a Aliança Litoral Atlântica para o Crescimento Azul (0755_ATLAZUL_6_E) from Spain-Portugal Interreg (POCTEP).Efforts have been made to find alternatives to fish meal (FM), as the sustainability of aquaculture depends on it. Insect meal (IM) is a potential candidate to partially replace FM, being more sustainable and economically viable. In this experimental trial, three diets were tested with different yellow mealworm incorporation: a control diet with no IM, a diet with an inclusion of 10% IM (Ins10), and a diet with an incorporation of 20% IM (Ins20). The diets were tested on 10.5 g meagre for 47 days. The results showed that an IM inclusion higher than 10% affected both growth (2.6 vs. 2.2) and FCR (1.5 vs. 1.9) of meagre juveniles. However, this reduction in growth did not result from lower protein retention or changes in muscle fibre area or density. Little differences were observed in the activity of pancreatic and intestinal enzymes except for aminopeptidase total activity which was higher in the control and Ins10 compared to Ins20 (3847 vs. 3540 mU/mg protein), suggesting no limitations in protein synthesis. Also, the alkaline phosphatase intestinal maturation index was higher in the control group compared to the IM groups (437 vs. 296). On the contrary, several differences were also found in the proteolytic activity in the hepatic and muscle tissues of meagre juveniles fed the Ins10 diet. The inclusion of IM had no impact on intestine histomorphology but changes were detected in the enterocytes of fish from control and Ins10 which showed hypervacuolization and nucleus misplacement compared to the Ins20 treatment. Nevertheless, a higher percentage of Vibrionaceae was recorded for meagre fed on the Ins20 diet. Since no signs of inflammation were observed in the distal intestine, this suggests IM incorporation could have had an important impact on intestinal health due to its antimicrobial properties. This is supported by an increase in the haematocrit in the treatments where IM was added (20 to 25%). In conclusion, incorporations of IM at percentages up to 10% do not seem to have a negative impact on meagre performance at this age but can enhance the fish immune system and protection against intestinal inflammation.publishersversionpublishe

A New Perspective for Vineyard Terroir Identity: Looking for Microbial Indicator Species by Long Read Nanopore Sequencing

Grapevine is one of the most important fruit crops worldwide, being Portugal one of the top wine producers. It is well established that wine sensory characteristics from a particular region are defined by the physiological responses of the grapevine to its environment and thus, the concept of terroir in viticulture was established. Among all the factors that contribute to terroir definition, soil microorganisms play a major role from nutrient recycling to a drastic influence on plant fitness (growth and protection) and of course wine production. Soil microbiome from four different terroirs in Quinta dos Murças vineyard was analysed through long-read Oxford Nanopore sequencing. We have developed an analytical pipeline that allows the identification of function, ecologies, and indicator species based on long read sequencing data. The Douro vineyard was used as a case study, and we were able to establish microbiome signatures of each terroir.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

House dust fungal communities’ characterization: a double take on the six by sixty by six project (6x60x6)

Fungi are a group microbes, that are found with particular incidence in the indoor environment. Their direct toxicity or capability of generating toxic compounds has been associated with a large number of adverse health effects, such as infectious diseases, allergies and other toxic effects. Given that in modern society people spend a large part of their time indoors; fungal communities’ characterization of this environmental compartment assumes paramount importance in the comprehension of health effects. House dust is an easy to obtain, time-integrative matrix, being its use in epidemiological studies on human exposure to environmental contaminants highly recommended. Furthermore, dust can carry a great variety of fungal content that undergoes a large number of processes that modulate and further complexify human exposure. Our study aims to quantify and identify the fungal community on house dust samples collected using two different methodologies (an approach not often seen in the literature): active (vacuum cleaner bags) and passive sampling (dust settled in petri dishes). Sampling was performed as part of the ongoing 6x60x6 Project in which six houses from Covilhã (Portugal), with building dates representative of six decades, were studied for a period of sixty days.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio