Fueling the bio-economy: european culture collections and microbiology education and training

A survey of European Microbial Biological Resource Centers and their users provided an overview on Microbiology education and training. The results identified future increases in demand despite several shortcomings and gaps in the current offer. Urgent adjustments are needed to match users' needs, integrate innovative programs, and adopt new technologies.

Semipermeable capsules wrapping a multifunctional and self-regulated co-culture microenvironment for osteogenic differentiation

A new concept of semipermeable reservoirs containing co-cultures of cells and supporting microparticles is presented, inspired by the multi-phenotypic cellular environment of bone. Based on the deconstruction of the â stem cell nicheâ , the developed capsules are designed to drive a self-regulated osteogenesis. PLLA microparticles functionalized with collagen I, and a co-culture of adipose stem (ASCs) and endothelial (ECs) cells are immobilized in spherical liquified capsules. The capsules are coated with multilayers of poly(L-lysine), alginate, and chitosan nano-assembled through layer-by-layer. Capsules encapsulating ASCs alone or in a co-culture with ECs are cultured in endothelial medium with or without osteogenic differentiation factors. Results show that osteogenesis is enhanced by the co-encapsulation, which occurs even in the absence of differentiation factors. These findings are supported by an increased ALP activity and matrix mineralization, osteopontin detection, and the up regulation of BMP-2, RUNX2 and BSP. The liquified co-capsules also act as a VEGF and BMP-2 cytokines release system. The proposed liquified capsules might be a valuable injectable self-regulated system for bone regeneration employing highly translational cell sources.

Nickel(II) complexes of bidentate N-N′ ligands containing mixed pyrazole, pyrimidine and pyridine aromatic rings as catalysts for ethylene polymerisation

This work describes the synthesis and characterisation of Ni(II) complexes of the following neutral bidentate nitrogen ligands containing pyrazole (pz), pyrimidine (pm) and pyridine (py) aromatic rings: 2-pyrazol-1-yl-pyrimidine (pzpm), 2-(4-methyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-pyrimidine (4-Mepzpm), 2-(4-bromo-pyrazol-1-yl)-pyrimidine (4-Brpzpm), 2-(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-pyrimidine (pz*pm), 2-pyrazol-1-yl-pyridine (pzpy) and bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)phenylmethane (bpz*mph). The complexes [NiBr2(pzpm)] (1), [NiBr2(4-Mepzpm)] (2), [NiBr2(4-Brpzpm)] (3), [NiBr2(pz*pm)] (4), [NiBr2(pzpy)] (5) and [NiBr2(bpz*mph)] (6) were tested as catalysts for ethylene polymerisation, in the presence of the cocatalysts methylaluminoxane (MAO) or diethylaluminium chloride (AlEt2Cl), the catalyst systems 1-3/MAO showing moderate to high activities up to the temperature of 20 °C only in the presence of MAO, whereas 4-6/MAO revealed to be inactive. Other related Pd(II) complexes, already reported in previous works, such as [PdClMe(pzpm)], [PdClMe(pz*pm)], [PdClMe(pzpy)] and [PdClMe(bpz*mph)], also showed to be inactive in the polymerisation of ethylene, when activated by MAO or AlEt2Cl. Selected samples of polyethylene products were characterised by GPC/SEC, 1H and 13C NMR and DSC, showing to be low molecular weight polymers with Mn values ranging from ca. 550 to 1500 g mol−1 and unusually low dispersities of 1.2–1.7, with total branching degrees generally varying between 2 and 12%, melting temperatures from 40 to 120 °C and crystallinities from 40 to 70%.

Production of medium-chain fatty acids and higher alcohols by a synthetic co-culture grown on carbon monoxide or syngas

Synthesis gas, a mixture of CO, H2, and CO2, is a promising renewable feedstock for bio-based production of organic chemicals. Production of medium-chain fatty acids can be performed via chain elongation, utilizing acetate and ethanol as main substrates. Acetate and ethanol are main products of syngas fermentation by acetogens. Therefore, syngas can be indirectly used as a substrate for the chain elongation process.

Effects of fermentation residues on the melt processability and thermomechanical degradation of PHBV produced from cheese whey using mixed microbial cultures

"Available online 28 March 2016"

Influence of oxygen conditions on bacterial interactions within biofilms related with cystic fibrosis

Dissertação de mestrado em Bioengineering

Comportamento das organizações: a influência da dimensão das empresas na capacidade de internacionalização e o interesse daquelas no aumento da dimensão

Teses de Doutoramento em Ciências Empresariais.