André Ribeiro

Age-related expression of TGF beta family receptors in human cumulus oophorus cells

PurposeDuring ovarian follicle growth, local cellular interactions are essential for oocyte quality acquisition and successful fertilization. While cumulus cells (CCs) nurture oocytes, they also deliver oocyte-secreted factors (OSFs) that activate receptors on CCs. We hypothesized that disturbance of those interactions contributes to age-related lower reproductive success in women submitted to assisted reproductive technology treatments.MethodsWomen aged 27–48, without recognized personal reproductive disorder, were enrolled in the study and divided in <35- and ≥35-year-old groups. CCs collected upon follicle aspiration were processed for immunocytochemistry and RNA extraction. The expression patterns of OSF receptors BMPR2, ALK 4, ALK5, and activin receptor-like kinase (ALK6) were studied.ResultsIndependently of age, receptors were found mostly in the cell periphery. The quantitative assay revealed that in older women, BMPR2, ALK 4, and ALK6 were all significantly decreased, whereas ALK5 was slightly increased.ConclusionsFemalexa0age imparts an effect on the expression of OSF receptors inxa0CCs. The findingsxa0indicate that reproductive aging affects the local regulation of signaling pathways mediated by BMPR2, ALK6, and ALK4 receptor activation, suggesting their joint involvement.

Lead (II) Removal from Contaminated Soils by Electrokinetic Remediation Coupled with Modified Eggshell Waste

Electrokinetic remediation deserves particular attention in soil treatment due to its peculiar advantages, including the capability of treating fine and low permeability materials, and achieving consolidation, dewatering and removal of salts and inorganic contaminants like heavy metals in a single stage. In this study, the remediation of artificially lead (II) contaminated soil by electrokinetic process, coupled with Eggshell Inorganic Fraction Powder (EGGIF) permeable reactive barrier (PRB), was investigated. An electric field of 2 V cm-1was applied and was used an EGGIF/soil ratio of 30 g kg-1 of contaminated soil for the preparation of the permeable reactive barrier (PRB) in each test. It was obtained high removal rates of lead in both experiments, especially near the cathode. In the normalized distance to cathode of 0.2 it was achieved a maximum removal rate of lead (II) of 68, 78 and 83% in initial lead (II) concentration of 500 mg-1, 200 mg-1 and 100 mg-1, respectively. EGGIF (Eggshell Inorganic Fraction) proved that can be used as permeable reactive barrier (PRB) since in all the performed tests were achieved adsorptions yields higher than 90%.

Development of Bioplastic Film for Application in the Footwear Industry

There is a growing interest in the use of biodegradable polymers that can help minimize the environmental impact of plastics. Biopolymers have been considered the most promising materials for this purpose. However, they generally have poorer mechanical properties. Starch is a low-cost polysaccharide derived from agricultural plants. To improve starch processing, the molecular order within the granules must be destroyed. This is generally achieved by heating the granular starch mixed with plasticizers. With this process, a conversion of the biopolymer’s molecular structure into thermoplastic starch is obtained. In this way, much of the starch changes from a crystalline structure to an amorphous structure. Of the various plasticizers used, the most common are polyols, in which glycerol is included, allowing a good structuring, although it induces the phenomenon of recrystallization. Four bioplastics were developed, based on corn flour, which differed in thickness (0.25 mm and 0.45 mm, on average), with and without a natural pine resin. Regarding the tests carried out in bioplastics, it was concluded that the bioplastic with 0.25 mm and with resin is the one that presents a greater transparency and a greater tensile strength. In turn, the bioplastic with the highest elongation was the one presenting 0.45 with resin. It was also concluded that up to a certain thickness of bioplastic (0.34 mm), the resin adds a certain resistance, from which it withdraws. Through the FTIR analysis, it was confirmed that the resin provides transparency to the bioplastic and that it causes interference in the bonds between the starch and the glycerol.

Waste-to-Energy Technologies Applied for Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) Valorisation

Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) is a solid fuel made after basic processing steps or techniques that increase the calorific value of municipal solid waste (MSW), commercial or industrial waste materials. Therefore, energy production from RDF can provide economic and environmental benefits as it reduces the amount of wastes sent to landfill and allows the energy recovery from a renewable source.

Potential of exhausted olive pomace for gasification

The research work here presented is related to the activities included in the project proposal nELAC2014/BEE0364, with the acronym SUMO - Sustainable Use of bioMass from Oleaginous nprocessing, insert in an ERANet-LAC program and financed by FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia ne a Tecnologia.

Integrated Process for Textile Cotton Waste (TCW) Valorization: Waste-to-Energy and Wastewater Decontamination

The increasing of world population, industrialization and global consuming, existing market products existed in the along with diversification of raw materials, are responsible for an exponential increase of wastes. This scenario represents loss of resources and ultimately causes air, soils and water pollution. Therefore, proper waste management is currently one of the major challenges faced by modern societies.Textile industries represents, in Portugal, almost 10% of total productive transforming sector and 19% of total employments in the sector composed by almost 7.000 companies. One of the main environmental problems of textile industries is the production of significant quantities of wastes from its different processing steps. According to the Portuguese Institute of Statistics (INE) these industries produce almost 500.000 tons of wastes each year, with the textile cotton waste (TCW) being the most expressive. It was estimated that 4.000 tons of TCW are produced each year in Portugal.In this work an integrated TCW valorisation procedure was evaluated, firstly by its thermal and energetic valorisation with slow pyrolysis followed by the utilization of biochar by-product, in lead and chromium synthetic wastewater decontamination.Pyrolysis experiments were conducted in a small scale rotating pyrolysis reactor with 0.1 m3 of total capacity. Results of pyrolysis experiments showed the formation of 0,241 m3 of biogas for each kilogram of TCW. Results also demonstrated that the biogas is mostly composed by hydrogen (22%), methane (14 %), carbon monoxide (20%) and carbon dioxide (12%), which represents a total high calorific value of 12.3 MJ/Nm3.Regarding biochar, results of elemental analysis demonstrated a high percentage of carbon driving its use as low cost adsorbent. Adsorption experiments were conducted with lead and chromium synthetic wastewaters (25, 50 and 100 mg L−1) in batch vessels with controlled pH. It was evaluated the behaviour of adsorption capacity and removal rate of each metal during 120 minutes of contact time using 5, 10 and 50 g L−1 of adsorbent dosage. Results indicated high affinity of adsorbent with each tested metal with 78% of removal rate in chromium and 95% in lead experiments. This suggests that biochar from TCW pyrolysis may be appropriated to wastewaters treatment, with high contents of heavy metals and it can be an effective alternative to activated carbon.Copyright