Publications by authors named "Teresa da Silva"

In this study, Rhodosporidium toruloides and Tetradesmus obliquus were used for lipid and carotenoid production in mixed cultures using primary brewery wastewater (PBWW) as a culture medium, supplemented with sugarcane molasses (SCM) as a carbon source and urea as a nitrogen source. To improve biomass, lipid, and carotenoid production by R. toruloides and T.

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Microalgae have almost unlimited applications due to their versatility and robustness to grow in different environmental conditions, their biodiversity and variety of valuable bioactive compounds. Wastewater can be used as a low-cost and readily available medium for microalgae, while the latter removes the pollutants to produce clean water. Nevertheless, since the most valuable metabolites are mainly located inside the microalga cell, their release implies rupturing the cell wall.

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In this work, primary brewery wastewater (PBWW) and secondary brewery wastewater (SBWW) separately, or mixed at the ratios of 1:1 (PBWW:SBWW) and 1:7 (PBWW:SBWW), with or without supplementation with sugarcane molasses (SCM), were used as culture media for lipid production by a mixed culture of the oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921 and the microalgae Tetradesmus obliquus (ACOI 204/07). Flow cytometry was used to understand the dynamics of the two micro-organisms during the mixed cultures evolution, as well as to evaluate the physiological states of each micro-organism, in order to assess the impact of the different brewery effluent media composition on the microbial consortium performance. Both brewery wastewaters (primary and secondary) without supplementation did not allow R.

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In the present work the use of a promising novel coagulant aid, Guazuma ulmifolia, was optimized to treat synthetic water using central composite being highly efficient at rotatable design (CCRD). The factors evaluated for the coagulation-flocculation process were coagulants dosages and pH. A model to describe the coagulation-flocculation process was successfully obtained.

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Background And Aims: Mitochondrial swelling is involved in the pathogenesis of many human diseases associated with oxidative stress including obesity. One of the strategies for prevention of deleterious effects related to obesity and overweight is engaging in regular physical activity, of which high intensity interval training (HIIT) is efficient in promoting biogenesis and improving the function of mitochondria. Therefore, our aims were to investigate the effects of HIIT on metabolic and neuro-cardiovascular dynamic control and mitochondrial swelling induced by high-fat diet (HFD).

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Dairy operations generate large volumes of polluted wastewater that require treatment prior to discharge. Chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) is a widely utilized wastewater treatment strategy; but it requires the use of non-biodegradable coagulants that can lead to toxic-byproducts. In this study, chitin from shrimp shell waste is extracted and converted into chitosan.

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Previous studies on multiple perpetrator rapes have shown that male sexual offenders who commit their offense alone differ on offender, offense, and victim characteristics from those who commit their offense in duos and 3+ groups. For the current study, 246 female sexual offenders have been studied regarding their co-offending pattern and the differences in offender, offense, and victim characteristics. Significant differences between solo ( = 73), duos ( = 146), and 3+ group offenders ( = 27) were found for the age at the first conviction, age at the time of the index offense, performed sexual acts, physical and verbal violence, victim gender, victim relationship, victim age, and location where the abuse took place.

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This study evaluated the repercussions of paternal exposure to radiation on reproduction and offspring in rats, as well as whether treatment with the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor antagonists telmisartan and losartan has a mitigating effect. Rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control, radiation, telmisartan, losartan, radiation + telmisartan, and radiation + losartan. A single 5 Gy dose of radiation was administered directly into the scrotum, followed by treatment with telmisartan (12 mg/kg/d) or losartan (34 mg/kg/2 times per day) for 60 days in the groups receiving these medications.

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Background: Recent scientific work proved that knowledge about body composition beyond the body mass index is essential. Both adipose tissue and muscular status are determining risk factors of morbidity and mortality. Analysis of single cross-sectional computed tomography (CT) images, acquired during routine care only to prevent additional radiation exposure, provide a detailed insight into the body composition of chronically and critically ill patients.

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The atmospheric CO increase is considered the main cause of global warming. Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms that can help in CO mitigation and at the same time produce value-added compounds. In this study, , , and were cultivated under 0.

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There is little empirical research examining the reasons behind multiple perpetrator sexual offending. A limited number of studies provide reasons for offending offered by perpetrators of this type of sexual violence, but only one published study exists where these perpetrators were interviewed regarding their offense. The Multi-Factorial Model of Multiple Perpetrator Sexual Offending (MPSO) proposed that various factors (individual, sociocultural, and situational) play a role in this type of sexual assault, noting in particular the importance of group dynamics and processes.

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The effect of the culture medium pH (3.5-6.0) on the carotenoid and lipid (as fatty acids) production by the yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921 was studied.

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The viability of bacteria plays a critical role in the enhancement of fossil fuels biodesulfurization efficiency since cells are exposed to toxic compounds such as 2-hydroxybiphenyl (2-HBP), the end product of dibenzothiophene (DBT) biodesulfurization. The goal of this work was to study the influence of the carbon source on the resistance of Gordonia alkanivorans strain 1B to 2-HBP. The physiological response of this bacterium, pre-grown in glucose or fructose, to 2-HBP was evaluated using two approaches: a growth inhibition toxicity test and flow cytometry.

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The present work studied low-cost carbon sources for carotenoid and lipid production using the yeast Rhodosporidum toruloides NCYC 921. Carob pulp syrup and sugarcane molasses at different concentrations were used as low-cost carbon sources in R. toruloides batch cultivations.

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The production of microbial biofuels is currently under investigation, as they are alternative sources to fossil fuels, which are diminishing and their use has a negative impact on the environment. However, so far, biofuels derived from microbes are not economically competitive. One way to overcome this bottleneck is the use of microorganisms to transform substrates into biofuels and high value-added products, and simultaneously taking advantage of the various microbial biomass components to produce other products of interest, as an integrated process.

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The effect of number of perpetrators involved in multiple perpetrator rapes on offense characteristics is underresearched despite beliefs that duos/dyads differ in their interactions and dynamics to groups of 3+ members. We analyzed a national sample of 336 allegations of completed and attempted rape of female victims from the United Kingdom. Rapes committed by multiple (duos and groups of 3+ perpetrators) and lone offenders were compared on offense characteristics (incorporating the approach, maintenance, and closure phases of each rape) and victim and offender sociodemographic characteristics.

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The use of lignocellulosic materials as substrate for bioethanol production is considered a cost-effective approach to make the biofuel production process economically sustainable. However, lignocellulosic hydrolysis releases toxic compounds such as weak acids which inhibit microorganism growth and ethanol production. In order to understand the physiological response of Saccharomyces carlsbergensis when fermenting glucose in the presence of formic acid (HF), the yeast growth was monitored by multi-parameter flow cytometry.

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Bioethanol produced from lignocellulosic materials has been considered a sustainable alternative fuel. Such type of raw materials have a huge potential, but their hydrolysis into mono-sugars releases toxic compounds such as weak acids, which affect the microorganisms' physiology, inhibiting the growth and ethanol production. Acetic acid (HAc) is the most abundant weak acid in the lignocellulosic materials hydrolysates.

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The yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides NCYC 921 was grown on carbon or nitrogen limited batch cultures. The fermentations were monitored using traditional techniques and multi-parameter flow cytometry. The lipid content was assessed by flow cytometry in association with the fluorocrome Nile Red which emits yellow gold fluorescence when dissolved in neutral lipids and red fluorescence when dissolved in polar lipids.

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In the present study, we analyze the genetic structure and diversity among accessions of popcorn obtained from the CIMMYT International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center that represent the diversity available for current use by breeding programs. The main objectives were to identify SSR loci that were the best indicators of genetic diversity, to measure the genetic diversity within popcorn genotypes, and to analyze the genetic structure of the promising populations destined for use in breeding programs. The mean gene diversity of all SSR loci was 0.

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Conventional microbiology methods used to monitor microbial biofuels production are based on off-line analyses. The analyses are, unfortunately, insufficient for bioprocess optimization. Real time process control strategies, such as flow cytometry (FC), can be used to monitor bioprocess development (at-line) by providing single cell information that improves process model formulation and validation.

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Sexual offences by multiple perpetrators are more violent and involve more severe forms of sexual violation than those perpetrated by a lone offender. Often a clear leader exists within these groups. Questions have been raised as to the relative risk of reoffending and the potentially differing criminogenic needs of leaders and followers.

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Jarosite, KFe(3)(SO(4))(2)(OH)(6), is a secondary iron sulphate often found in acid mine drainage (AMD) environments, particularly in mining wastes from polymetallic sulphide ore deposits. Despite the negative environmental connotation usually ascribed to secondary sulphate minerals due to the release of hazardous elements to aquifers and soils, jarosite acts as an efficient remover and immobilizer of such metals, particularly lead. The mineral chemistry of jarosite is reviewed and the results of a Fe K-edge XANES (X-Ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure) study of K-, Na- and Pb-jarosite are described and discussed within the context of the abandoned old mines of São Domingos and Aljustrel located in southern Portugal, in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB).

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Flow cytometry was used to monitor the lipid content, viability and intrinsic light scatter properties of Rhodotorula glutinis CCMI 145 cells growing on batch cultures using xylose and glucose as carbon sources. The highest lipid content was observed for cells grown on glucose, at the end of the exponential phase (17.8% w/w).

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Multi-parameter flow cytometry was used to monitor cell intrinsic light scatter, viability, and lipid content of Rhodotorula glutinis CCMI 145 cells grown in shake flasks. Changes in the side light scatter and forward light scatter were detected during the yeast batch growth, which were attributed to the different yeast growth phases. A progressive increase in the proportion of cells stained with PI (cells with permeabilized cytoplasmic membrane) was observed during the yeast growth, attaining 79% at the end of the fermentation.

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