A DNA barcode approach of the Laurencia complex (Ceramiales, Rodophyta) in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic ocean

10th International Phycological Congress, Orlando, Florida, USA, 4-10 de agosto 2013.

Diversity of the Laurencia complex (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) in Lusitanian Macronesia

10th International Phycological Congress, Orlando, Florida, USA, 4-10 de agosto 2013.

Investigação em curso no Centro de Investigação de Recursos Naturais (CIRN)

Jornadas "Ciência nos Açores – que futuro? Tema Ciências Naturais e Ambiente", Ponta Delgada, 7-8 de Junho de 2013.

Biological activity and cellular uptake of [Ru(eta(5)-C5H5)(PPh3)(Me(2)bpy)][CF3SO3] complex

Anticancer activity of the new [Ru(eta(5)-C5H5)(PPh3)(Me(2)bpy)][CF3SO3] (Me(2)bpy = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine) complex was evaluated in vitro against several human cancer cell lines, namely A2780, A2780CisR, HT29, MCF7, MDAMB231 and PC3. Remarkably, the IC50 values, placed in the nanomolar and sub-micromolar range, largely exceeded the activity of cisplatin. Binding to human serum albumin, either HSA (human serum albumin) or HSA(faf) (fatty acid-free human serum albumin) does not affect the complex activity. Fluorescence studies revealed that the present ruthenium complex strongly quench the intrinsic fluorescence of albumin. Cell death by the [Ru(eta(5)-C5H5)(PPh3)(Me(2)bpy)][CF3SO3] complex was reduced in the presence of endocytosis modulators and at low temperature, suggesting an energy-dependent mechanism consistent with endocytosis. On the whole, the biological activity evaluated herein suggests that the complex could be a promising anticancer agent. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SCANNERS: constraining the phase diagram of a complex scalar singlet at the LHC

We present the first version of a new tool to scan the parameter space of generic scalar potentials, SCANNERS (Coimbra et al., SCANNERS project., 2013). The main goal of SCANNERS is to help distinguish between different patterns of symmetry breaking for each scalar potential. In this work we use it to investigate the possibility of excluding regions of the phase diagram of several versions of a complex singlet extension of the Standard Model, with future LHC results. We find that if another scalar is found, one can exclude a phase with a dark matter candidate in definite regions of the parameter space, while predicting whether a third scalar to be found must be lighter or heavier. The first version of the code is publicly available and contains various generic core routines for tree level vacuum stability analysis, as well as implementations of collider bounds, dark matter constraints, electroweak precision constraints and tree level unitarity.

Necessidades de formação em educação para a saúde em contexto escolar: contributos para os currículos de enfermagem

Tese de Doutoramento, Educação (Desenvolvimento Curricular), 9 de Dezembro de 2013, Universidade dos Açores.

Basic dyestuffs removal from textile effluents using feathers: equilibrium, kinetic and column studies

This research work has been focused in the study of gallinaceous feathers, a waste that may be valorised as sorbent, to remove the Dark Blue Astrazon 2RN (DBA) from Dystar. This study was focused on the following aspects: optimization of experimental conditions through factorial design methodology, kinetic studies into a continuous stirred tank adsorber (at pH 7 and 20ºC), equilibrium isotherms (at pH 5, 7 and 9 at 20 and 45ºC) and column studies (at 20ºC, at pH 5, 7 and 9). In order to evaluate the influence of the presence of other components in the sorption of the dyestuff, all experiments were performed both for the dyestuff in aqueous solution and in real textile effluent. The pseudo-first and pseudo-second order kinetic models were fitted to the experimental data, being the latter the best fit for the aqueous solution of dyestuff. For the real effluent both models fit the experimental results and there is no statistical difference between them. The Central Composite Design (CCD) was used to evaluate the effects of temperature (15 - 45ºC) and pH (5 - 9) over the sorption in aqueous solution. The influence of pH was more significant than temperature. The optimal conditions selected were 45ºC and pH 9. Both Langmuir and Freundlich models could fit the equilibrium data. In the concentration range studied, the highest sorbent capacity was obtained for the optimal conditions in aqueous solution, which corresponds to a maximum capacity of 47± 4 mg g-1. The Yoon-Nelson, Thomas and Yan’s models fitted well the column experimental data. The highest breakthrough time for 50% removal, 170 min, was obtained at pH 9 in aqueous solution. The presence of the dyeing agents in the real wastewater decreased the sorption of the dyestuff mostly for pH 9, which is the optimal pH. The effect of pH is less pronounced in the real effluent than in aqueous solution. This work shows that feathers can be used as sorbent in the treatment of textile wastewaters containing DBA.

Concepção e instalação de tabelas multifunções para recintos desportivos cobertos

Mestrado em Engenharia Electrotécnica – Sistemas Eléctricos de Energia

A educação Pré-Escolar e o 1.º ciclo do Ensino Básico: dinâmicas de cidadania em contextos de práticas curriculares e didáticas

Mestrado (PES II), Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, 1 de Julho de 2014, Universidade dos Açores.

Monte Carlo simulation of the basic features of the GE Millennium MG single photon emission computed tomography gamma camera

Objective - To describe and validate the simulation of the basic features of GE Millennium MG gamma camera using the GATE Monte Carlo platform. Material and methods - Crystal size and thickness, parallel-hole collimation and a realistic energy acquisition window were simulated in the GATE platform. GATE results were compared to experimental data in the following imaging conditions: a point source of 99mTc at different positions during static imaging and tomographic acquisitions using two different energy windows. The accuracy between the events expected and detected by simulation was obtained with the Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon test. Comparisons were made regarding the measurement of sensitivity and spatial resolution, static and tomographic. Simulated and experimental spatial resolutions for tomographic data were compared with the Kruskal–Wallis test to assess simulation accuracy for this parameter. Results - There was good agreement between simulated and experimental data. The number of decays expected when compared with the number of decays registered, showed small deviation (≤0.007%). The sensitivity comparisons between static acquisitions for different distances from source to collimator (1, 5, 10, 20, 30cm) with energy windows of 126–154 keV and 130–158 keV showed differences of 4.4%, 5.5%, 4.2%, 5.5%, 4.5% and 5.4%, 6.3%, 6.3%, 5.8%, 5.3%, respectively. For the tomographic acquisitions, the mean differences were 7.5% and 9.8% for the energy window 126–154 keV and 130–158 keV. Comparison of simulated and experimental spatial resolutions for tomographic data showed no statistically significant differences with 95% confidence interval. Conclusions - Adequate simulation of the system basic features using GATE Monte Carlo simulation platform was achieved and validated.

Occupational exposure to toxigenic fungi from Aspergillus flavus complex

Bioaerosols are mainly composed of fungal particles, bacteria and plant spores, being fungi responsible for the release of VOCs and micotoxins into indoor environments. Aspergillus flavus is a common opportunistic pathogen causing human infections and is involved in the production of aflatoxin and other secondary metabolites associated with toxic and allergic reactions. Poultry workers are exposed to high concentrations of fungi and are therefore more prone to develop associated pathologies. To evaluate occupational exposure of the workers to Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxins, six animal production facilities were selected, including 10 buildings, from which indoor air samples and outdoor reference samples were obtained. Twenty-five duplicate samples were collected by two methodologies: impactation onto malt extract agar of 25L air samples using a Millipore Air Tester were used to evaluate quantitative (CFU/m3) and qualitative (species identification, whenever possible) sample composition; 300 L air samples collected with the Coriolis Air Sampler into phosphate–saline buffer were used to isolate DNA, following molecular identification of Aspergillus section flavi using nor-1 specific primers by real-time PCR.

Gene expression regulation and lineage evolution: the North and South tale of the hybrid polyploid Squalius alburnoides complex

The evolution of hybrid polyploid vertebrates, their viability and their perpetuation over evolutionary time have always been questions of great interest. However, little is known about the impact of hybridization and polyploidization on the regulatory networks that guarantee the appropriate quantitative and qualitative gene expression programme. The Squalius alburnoides complex of hybrid fish is an attractive system to address these questions, as it includes a wide variety of diploid and polyploid forms, and intricate systems of genetic exchange. Through the study of genome-specific allele expression of seven housekeeping and tissue-specific genes, we found that a gene copy silencing mechanism of dosage compensation exists throughout the distribution range of the complex. Here we show that the allele-specific patterns of silencing vary within the complex, according to the geographical origin and the type of genome involved in the hybridization process. In southern populations, triploids of S. alburnoides show an overall tendency for silencing the allele from the minority genome, while northern population polyploids exhibit preferential biallelic gene expression patterns, irrespective of genomic composition. The present findings further suggest that gene copy silencing and variable expression of specific allele combinations may be important processes in vertebrate polyploid evolution.

A molecular perspective of the Laurencia complex (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) in Macaronesia region

IV Congress of Marine Sciences. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, June 11th to 13th 2014.

Coletores de distribuição e sua otimização hidráulica, aplicados a uma instalação de produção de água arrefecida em sistemas de AVAC ( Fórum Picoas)

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica