Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2024-08"
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- Wastewater disinfection with photodynamic treatment and evaluation of its ecotoxicological effectsPublication . Bartolomeu, Maria; Gomes, Thierry J.; Campos, Fábio; Vieira, Cátia; Loureiro, Susana; Neves, M. Graça P. M. S.; Faustino, M. Amparo F.; Gomes, Ana T. P. C.; Almeida, AdelaideResearch has demonstrated the presence of viruses in wastewater (WW), which can remain viable for a long period, posing potential health risks. Conventional WW treatment methods involving UV light, chlorine and ozone efficiently reduce microbial concentrations, however, they produce hazardous byproducts and microbial resistance that are detrimental to human health and the ecosystem. Hence, there is a need for novel disinfection techniques. Antimicrobial Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) emerges as a promising strategy, utilizing photosensitizers (PS), light, and dioxygen to inactivate viruses. This study aims to assess the efficacy of PDI by testing methylene blue (MB) and the cationic porphyrin TMPyP as PSs, along a low energy consuming white light source (LED) at an irradiance of 50 mW/cm2, for the inactivation of bacteriophage Phi6. Phi6 serves as an enveloped RNA-viruses surrogate model in WW. PDI experiments were conducted in a buffer solution (PBS) and real WW matrices (filtered and non-filtered). Considering the environmental release of the treated effluents, this research also evaluated the ecotoxicity of the resulting solution (post-PDI treatment effluent) on the model organism Daphnia magna, following the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) immobilization technical 202 guideline. Daphnids were exposed to WW containing the tested PS at different concentrations and dilutions (accounting for the dilution factor during WW release into receiving waters) over 48 h. The results indicate that PDI with MB efficiently inactivated the model virus in the different aqueous matrices, achieving reductions superior to 8 log10 PFU/mL, after treatments of 5 min in PBS and of ca. 90 min in WW. Daphnids survival increased when subjected to the PDI-treated WW with MB, considering the dilution factor. Overall, the effectiveness of PDI in eliminating viruses in WW, the fading of the toxic effects on daphnids after MB’ irradiation and the rapid dilution effect upon WW release in the environment highlight the possibility of using MB in WW PDI-disinfection.
- Trauma sensitive schools: the roadmap of an experience of capacity building and certification in PortugalPublication . Negrão, Mariana; Veiga, Elisa; Rocha, JoséSchools are a front-line institution, present in the life of every children and youth, and therefore can display a critical role in the provision of trauma sensitive care. In fact, the epidemiology of developmental trauma, and the recognition of its consequences for learning and development, demands a greater accessibility to trauma sensitive care that can reduce the risk of re-vitimization and other negative effects, contributing to protect children’s rights. This poster shares the roadmap for a program of capacity building and certification on trauma sensitive schools being developed and implemented in Portugal. This program, based on a whole school approach - which summons for the participation of school leaders, teachers, assistant staff and psychologists - is aimed at: a. spreading basic knowledge on trauma and trauma sensitive care provision amongst school communities; b. support the distinct roles of school staff in understanding and acting with students considering the effects of adversity and trauma in their life trajectories; c. promote change in schools policies and practices, fostering further alignments with the principles of trauma sensitive care. To fulfill these goals, the program comprises a. basic training activities targeting the elementary knowledge of all school staff; b. advanced training activities in particular themes (eg. mourning, domestic violence, staff self-care) available to school staff; c. regular supervision of a workgroup of professionals responsible for the revision of policies and practices within each school, adjusting them to a trauma sensitive context. All these activities are based on a first assessment of schools regarding their preparation and implementation of trauma sensitive care that encompasses training, policies and practices (for screening, assessment and trauma focused intervention), supervision and infrastructures. This project, pioneer in Portugal, is currently ongoing in a municipality in Northern Portugal and it involves 36 schools from kindergarten to secondary. Challenges of the implementation relate to the involvement of teachers and other staff in an area not immediately perceived as their territory and competence (mental health vs. teaching and education) and also considering low motivation and involvement of an aged working class, currently with many struggles related to their professional role. Strengths relate to the change of perspective regarding the effects of adversity and trauma accomplished by school staff that attended training and to the mobilization of school community (professionals but also reaching parents) in analyzing, discussing, and creating change in a culturally silenced topic. The poster intends to share and encourage trauma sensitive care in schools in other regions with similar challenges.
- An eco-friendly and up-scalable approach to extract canthaxanthin from yeast cellsPublication . Pereira, Ana M.; Durão, Joana; Pereira, Joana Odila; Ferreira, Carlos; Faustino, Margarida; Oliveira, Ana Sofia; Pereira, Carla F.; Pintado, Manuela E.; Carvalho, Ana P.Canthaxanthin is a naturally occurring ketocarotenoid pigment present in plants, algae, bacteria and some fungi. In addition to its coloring role, canthaxanthin has an excellent antioxidant activity, thus having additional market demands in the feed, food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Canthaxanthin can be directly isolated from its natural source or produced by chemical synthesis, but these strategies either result in low yields, or use hazardous solvents, respectively. Therefore, the biosynthesis of canthaxanthin using microbial cell factories is becoming an advantageous alternative. Furthermore, microbial synthesis represents an economic and sustainable approach as it enables the use of agriculture and industrial wastes as substrates. In this work, the extraction, recovery and purification of canthaxanthin from modified yeasts using food grade solvents and up-scalable methodologies was studied. The resulting canthaxanthin-enriched extract was characterized (UV-Vis, PXRD and SEM) and quantified (HPLC), resulting in a canthaxanthin purity of 43.7 % (w/w).
- Cystatin F depletion in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected macrophages improves cathepsin C/granzyme B-driven cytotoxic effects on HIV-infected cells during coinfectionPublication . Mandal, Manoj; Pires, David; Calado, Marta; Azevedo-Pereira, Jose Miguel; Anes, ElsaCystatin F (CstF) is a protease inhibitor of cysteine cathepsins, including those involved in activating the perforin/granzyme cytotoxic pathways. It is targeted at the endolysosomal pathway but can also be secreted to the extracellular milieu or endocytosed by bystander cells. CstF was shown to be significantly increased in tuberculous pleurisy, and during HIV coinfection, pleural fluids display high viral loads. In human macrophages, our previous results revealed a strong upregulation of CstF in phagocytes activated by interferon γ or after infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). CstF manipulation using RNA silencing led to increased proteolytic activity of lysosomal cathepsins, improving Mtb intracellular killing. In the present work, we investigate the impact of CstF depletion in macrophages during the coinfection of Mtb-infected phagocytes with lymphocytes infected with HIV. The results indicate that decreasing the CstF released by phagocytes increases the major pro-granzyme convertase cathepsin C of cytotoxic immune cells from peripheral blood-derived lymphocytes. Consequently, an observed augmentation of the granzyme B cytolytic activity leads to a significant reduction in viral replication in HIV-infected CD4+ T-lymphocytes. Ultimately, this knowledge can be crucial for developing new therapeutic approaches to control both pathogens based on manipulating CstF.
- Incorporating sardine cooking water aromas into plant-based diets for european seabass: effects on appetite regulation, growth and sensory properties of fish fleshPublication . Resende, Daniela; Velasco, Cristina; Pereira, Maria J.; Sá, Tiago; Rocha, Célia; Cunha, Luís M.; Lima, Rui C.; Brazinha, Carla; Pintado, Manuela; Valente, Luisa M. P.Sardine cooking wastewaters are by-products of the canning industry with great potential for valorisation. We have hypothesized that they can be a source of aromas to enhance appetite when added to plant-based diets. The poor palatability of such diets often described in carnivorous species poses a recurring problem in fish farming, with harsh consequences on fish growth performance and flesh quality. Aromas from sardine cooking wastewaters were collected without processing (CW-A), processed through vacuum distillation (VD-A), or processed through liquid/liquid extraction with soybean oil (LLE-A) into plant-based diets. Each aroma was added to a plant-protein based diet for European seabass, at a concentration of 2 μg of 1-penten-3-ol/g diet, resulting in 3 experimental diets (CW, VD and LLE). A non-supplemented diet was used as a control. Each diet was assigned to triplicate fish groups (initial weight 95.7 g), that were hand-fed twice daily until apparent satiation in a recirculating saltwater system at 21 °C. After 18 weeks, fish growth performance and nutrient utilisation were evaluated. The expression in the brain of neuropeptides involved in feed intake regulation was also analysed. Moreover, flesh colour and texture were assessed instrumentally and by sensory analysis using a consumer panel. Fish fed LLE displayed a significantly higher feed intake than those fed CW which was correlated with an increased neuropeptide Y expression in the hypothalamus. However, LLE slightly hindered lipid metabolism, leading to lower available glucose and resulting in statistically similar final weights among diets. Despite variations in fillet hardness, the sensory panel revealed similar overall liking across all treatments. The findings indicate that aromas from sardine cooking wastewaters can modulate feed intake, but further refinement in processing or incorporation levels is required to potentiate their efficacy.
- The relative roles of common- and cross-ownershipPublication . Huse, Cristian; Ribeiro, Ricardo; Verboven, FrankOverlapping ownership has gained considerable momentum in the last decades, yet little is known about the role of its sources. We quantify the relative importance of common-ownership (by shareholders external to an industry) and cross-ownership (by firms within the industry). We focus on the global automobile industry, over the period 2007–2021, and document that common-ownership links constitute between 31% and 39% of the equity ownership of automobile manufacturers, while cross-ownership links amount to 6%–9%. We show that not accounting for these relatively modest cross-ownership links has important implications: it can increase the average weight assigned by managers to the profit of competitors by between 33% and 68%.
- WHO global research priorities for antimicrobial resistance in human healthPublication . WHO Research Agenda for AMR in Human Health Collaborators; Bertagnolio, Silvia; Dobreva, Zlatina; Centner, Chad M.; Olaru, Ioana Diana; Donà, Daniele; Burzo, Stefano; Huttner, Benedikt D.; Chaillon, Antoine; Gebreselassie, Nebiat; Wi, Teodora; Hasso-Agopsowicz, Mateusz; Allegranzi, Benedetta; Sati, Hatim; Ivanovska, Verica; Kothari, Kavita U.; Balkhy, Hanan H.; Cassini, Alessandro; Hamers, Raph L.; Weezenbeek, Kitty Van; Aanensen, David; Alanio, Alexandre; Alastruey-Izquierdo, Ana; Alemayehu, Tinsae; Al-Hasan, Majdi; Allegaert, Karel; Al-Maani, Amal Saif; Al-Salman, Jameela; Alshukairi, Abeer Nizar; Amir, Afreenish; Applegate, Tanya; Araj, George F.; Villalobos, Marlen Arce; Årdal, Christine; Ashiru-Oredope, Diane; Ashley, Elizabeth A.; Babin, François Xavier; Bachmann, Laura H.; Bachmann, Till; Baker, Kate Susan; Balasegaram, Manica; Bamford, Colleen; Baquero, Fernando; Barcelona, Laura Isabel; Bassat, Quique; Bassetti, Matteo; Basu, Sulagna; Beardsley, Justin; Vásquez, Grey Benoit; Berkley, James A.; Manaia, CéliaThe WHO research agenda for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in human health has identified 40 research priorities to be addressed by the year 2030. These priorities focus on bacterial and fungal pathogens of crucial importance in addressing AMR, including drug-resistant pathogens causing tuberculosis. These research priorities encompass the entire people-centred journey, covering prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of antimicrobial-resistant infections, in addition to addressing the overarching knowledge gaps in AMR epidemiology, burden and drivers, policies and regulations, and awareness and education. The research priorities were identified through a multistage process, starting with a comprehensive scoping review of knowledge gaps, with expert inputs gathered through a survey and open call. The priority setting involved a rigorous modified Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative approach, ensuring global representation and applicability of the findings. The ultimate goal of this research agenda is to encourage research and investment in the generation of evidence to better understand AMR dynamics and facilitate policy translation for reducing the burden and consequences of AMR.
- Clinical analysis of the influence of surface roughness in the primary stability and osseointegration of dental implants: study in humansPublication . Brum, Igor da Silva; Elias, Carlos Nelson; Lopes, João Carlos Amorim; Frigo, Lucio; Santos, Paulo Gonçalo Pinto dos; Carvalho, Jorge José deIn past decades, the success rates of the first dental implant treatments were low (75%). Nowadays, oral rehabilitation with titanium dental implants has a high success rate (95%–98%). The success rate significantly increases due to increased scientific knowledge about osseointegration, changes in surgical techniques, and the development of implant surface treatments. Despite the high success rate of implants, there are no protocols to define the time for the prosthesis to be installed, the insertion torque, and the prosthesis loaded after surgery. This work compares a new dental implant’s primary (mechanical) and secondary (osseointegration) stability. Dental implants with micro- and nano-roughness surfaces were placed in 24 patients with a minimum of 35 N·cm and a maximum of 60 N·cm. Primary stability was quantified with a torque wrench and an Ostell Mentor Device. The secondary stability 45 and 60 days after surgery was measured with Ostell. The results showed no statistical difference in secondary stability at 45 and 60 days postoperatively among implants. The success rate of dental implants can be associated with the surface morphology with micro- and nano-roughness, the insertion torque value, and the shape of the implant threads. When the manufacturer’s guidelines are followed, it is possible to prosthetically rehabilitate the patient with an implant 45 days after surgery.
- Exploring the potential of invasive species Sargassum muticum: microwave-assisted extraction optimization and bioactivity profilingPublication . Silva, Aurora; Cassani, Lucia; Carpena, Maria; Lourenço-Lopes, Catarina; Grosso, Clara; Chamorro, Franklin; García-Pérez, Pascual; Carvalho, Ana; Domingues, Valentina F.; Barroso, M. Fátima; Simal-Gandara, Jesus; Prieto, Miguel A.Sargassum muticum (SM) poses a serious environmental issue since it is a fast-expanding invasive species occupying key areas of the European shoreline, disrupting the autochthonous algae species, and disturbing the ecosystem. This problem has concerned the general population and the scientific community. Nevertheless, as macroalgae are recognized as a source of bioactive molecules, the abundance of SM presents an opportunity as a raw material. In this work, response surface methodology (RSM) was applied as a tool for the optimization of the extraction of bioactive compounds from SM by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). Five different parameters were used as target functions: yield, total phenolic content (TPC); and the antioxidant measurements of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), and β-carotene bleaching (BC). After the optimal extraction conditions were determined (time = 14.00 min; pressure = 11.03 bar; ethanol = 33.31%), the chemical composition and bioactivity of the optimum extract was evaluated to appraise its antioxidant capability to scavenge reactive species and as a potential antibacterial, antidiabetic, antiproliferation, and neuroprotective agent. The results lead to the conclusion that MAE crude extract has bioactive properties, being especially active as an antiproliferation agent and as a nitric oxide and superoxide radical scavenger.
- Urban planning, nature-based solutions and local sustainabilityPublication . Carvalho, RaquelThe 11th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) summons cities to strive for sustainable development. Cities’ resilience to the damaging effects of climate change must be enhanced. Urban sustainability is primarily the responsibility of local government. Nevertheless, it requires the participation of citizens, be they economic agents, workers, urban planners, or local leaders. Portuguese urban planning law already has legal instruments, namely municipal ecological structures (MES). As in other subjects, the law cannot and should not rule society without involving other areas of knowledge. Naturebased solutions (NBS) are already incorporated into legal planning instruments. Through natural processes, they contribute to counteracting the rise of urban temperatures, preserving public spaces and biodiversity, and promoting energy sustainability, thus, safeguarding public health, fighting harmful social effects such as energetic and social poverty, unemployment, and the breakdown of community ties. However, urban resilience requires networking with other urban centres. The paper will be a description of the state of the art involving three axes: urban planning, NBS, and the contribution of legal instruments to urban sustainability. To achieve this goal, the article will essentially be based on a survey of the literature and examples of NBS implementation