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Introduction: We investigated the expression of angiotensin receptors in early pregnancy and established whether normal pregnancy or preeclampsia alters the expression and distribution of the uteroplacental AT1R, AT2R and mas/AT1-7R at late gestation.Methods: The percentage of each receptor subtype present in tissues from virgin rats and from normotensive and RUPP hypertensive pregnant rats was established by in vitro receptor autoradiography. Receptor mRNA levels were determined by quantitative PCR at early and late pregnancy.Results: AT1R mRNA levels were up-regulated in the interimplantation (IIS) site at day 7 of gestation. AT2R mRNA levels were decreased at day 5 and 7 in the IIS but increased in the implantation site (IS) at day 5 and 7 as compared to the IIS at day 5. Mas/AT1-7R mRNA was increased in early pregnancy. In normal pregnancy and RUPP the mRNA for all angiotensin receptors was reduced in the uterus at late gestation. The AT1R accounted for the majority of binding in the uterus of virgin and the placenta of pregnant and RUPP. In RUPP pregnancy there was a significant competition with d-Ala in the placenta labyrinth.Discussion and Conclusion: The expression of angiotensin receptors suggests their involvement in the maintenance of early stages of pregnancy. During late gestation down-regulation of Ang receptors in the uterus may arise from feedback down-regulation by Ang II. In the placenta the levels of AT1Rs are equivalent in the RUPP model. The increased binding of mas/AT1-7R at late gestation in RUPP may represent a compensatory mechanism to reduce uteroplacental vascular resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Different concentrations of oily waste were added in a discontinuous mode and recurrently to anaerobic continuous stirred tank reactors fed with cow manure and food waste. Four continuous stirred tank reactors were run in parallel. A control reactor (R1) received no additional oil and R2, R3 and R4 received increasing concentrations of oil in two different experimental approaches. First, the lipids composition was forced to change suddenly, in three moments, without changing the total chemical oxygen demand (COD) fed to the reactors. The only long chain fatty acid (LCFA) detected onto the R1 solid matrix was palmitic acid (C16:0). Nevertheless in the solid matrix of R2, R3 and R4C16:0 and stearic acid were detected. For occasional increase in the oil concentration up to 7.7gCODoil/Lreactor (55% OilCOD/TotalCOD) no statistical differences were detected between the reactors, in terms of methane production, effluent soluble COD, effluent volatile fatty acids and total and volatile solids removal. Therefore this experiment allowed to conclude that cow manure–food waste co-digestion presents sufficient buffer capacity to endure solid-associated LCFA concentration up to 20–25gCOD-LCFA/kgTS. In a second experiment higher concentrations of oil were added, raising occasionally the concentration in the reactors to 9, 12, 15 and 18gCODoil/Lreactor. All pulses had a positive effect in methane production, with the exception of the highest oil pulse concentration, that persistently impaired the reactor performance. This experiment demonstrates that threshold values for LCFA and C16:0 accumulation onto the solid matrix, of about 180–220gCOD-LCFA/kgTS and 120–150gCOD-C16:0/kgTS, should not be surpassed in order to prevent persistent reactor failure, as occurs in some full scale co-digestion plants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pulses of oil were added to completely mixed reactors fed with dairy cow manure and food waste, after achieving a stable performance at an organic loading rate of 4.6±0.1gCOD/(lreactor day), an oily waste effluent from a canned fish processing industry was fed in the form of pulses. The oil concentration rose up to 9, 12, 15 and 18gCODoil/lreactor, after the pulse feeding in the reactor. The highest fat concentration of 18gCODoil/lreactor promoted a persistent inhibition in the process of the continuous reactor, although in batch assays, the reactor content evidenced a capacity to degrade more oil and to degrade the accumulated organic matter. All the other pulses had a positive effect in the methane production. From a practical point of view, this work demonstrates that controlled intermittent inputs of oil can enhance the methane production in a co-digestion of cow manure and food waste. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A method for long chain fatty acids (LCFA) extraction, identification and further quantification by gas chromatography was developed and its application to liquid and solid samples collected from anaerobic digesters was demonstrated. After validation, the usefulness of this method was demonstrated in a cow manure digester receiving pulses of an industrial effluent containing high lipid content. From the LCFA analysis data it was showed that the conversion of oleic acid, the main LCFA fed to the reactor, by the adapted biomass became faster and more effective along the successive pulses. Conversely, the accumulation of palmitic acid in the solid phase suggests that degradation of this LCFA, under these conditions, is less effective. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A synthetic waste was used to study the effect of waste composition on anaerobic degradation of restaurant waste. It was made by blending melted pork lard, white cabbage, chicken breast, and potato flakes, to simulate lipids, cellulose, protein, and carbohydrates, respectively. Four blends of the four constituents with an excess of each component were assayed and compared with a fifth blend containing an equal amount of chemical oxygen demand (COD) of each of the four components. The methane production and the time course of soluble COD and volatile fatty acids were assessed in batch assays. A high reduction of volatile solids (between 94% and 99.6%) was obtained in all the assays. The methane yield was between 0.40m3 CH4/kg VSinitial (excess of carbohydrates) and 0.49m3 CH4/kg VSinitial (excess of lipids). The degradation of the lipid-rich assays differed from the others. Fifty percent of the biochemical methane potential was obtained after 3–6 days for all of the assays, except for the one with excess of lipids which achieved 50% methanation only after 14.7 days of incubation. In the assay with excess of lipids, a considerable fraction of COD remained in the liquid phase, suggesting an inhibition of the methanogenic process that was likely due to the accumulation of long chain fatty acids. The hydrolysis rate constants, assuming first order kinetics, over the first 6 days were between 0.12d−1 (excess of lipids) and 0.32d−1 (excess of carbohydrates). The results indicate that anaerobic digestion facilities with large variations in lipid input could have significant changes in process performance that merit further examination. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two different approaches were attempted to try and enhance methane production from an industrial waste composed of 100% barley, which results from production of instant coffee substitutes. In previous work, this waste was co-digested with an excess of activated sludge produced in the wastewater treatment plant located in same industrial unit, resulting in a very poor methane yield (25LCH4(STP)/kgVSinitial), and low reductions in total solids (31%) and in volatile solids (40%). When the barley waste (BW) was subjected to alkaline hydrolysis pre-treatment before co-digestion with activated sludge, the methane production increased to 222LCH4(STP)/kgVSinitial and the total and volatile solids reductions increased to 67% and 84%, respectively. The second approach, followed in the present work, consisted of co-digestion with kitchen waste (40% BW, 60% kitchen waste). The methane production was 363LCH4(STP)/kgVSinitial and the total and volatile solids reductions were 61% and 67%, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The feasibility of the anaerobic co-digestion of coffee solid waste and sewage sludge was assessed. Five different solid wastes with different chemical properties were studied in mesophilic batch assays, providing basic data on the methane production, reduction of total and volatile solids and hydrolysis rate constant. Most of the wastes had a methane yield of 0.24–0.28m3 CH4(STP)/kgVSinitial and 76–89% of the theoretical methane yield was achieved. Reduction of 50–73% in total solids and 75–80% in volatile solids were obtained and the hydrolysis rate constants were in the range of 0.035–0.063d−1. One of the solid wastes, composed of 100% barley, achieved a methane yield of 0.02m3 CH4(STP)/kgVSinitial, reductions of 31% in total solids, 40% in volatile solids and achieved only 11% of the theoretical methane yield. However, this waste presented the highest hydrolysis rate constant. Considering all the wastes, an inverse linear correlation was obtained between methane yield and the hydrolysis rate constant, suggesting that hydrolysis was not the limiting factor in the anaerobic biodegradability of this type of waste. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The use of a granular inoculum prevented acidification during the anaerobic batch biodegradation of a kitchen waste for waste/inoculum ratios in the range of 0.5–2.3 g VS/g VS, when the alkalinity/COD ratio was 37 mg NaHCO3/g COD. In similar experiments but using a suspended sludge with a significantly lower activity, the methane production rates and the biodegradability were significantly lower and the pH decreased below 5.5 at the waste/inoculum ratio of 2.3 g VS/g VS. When the added alkalinity was decreased to 2 mg NaHCO3/g COD, the ratio waste/inoculum was clearly more important than the inoculum activity, since, irrespective of the sludge used, acidification occurred at waste/inoculum ratios higher than 0.5 g VS/g VS. The advantage of using granular sludge was further investigated in order to define reasonable condition of waste/inoculum ratio and added alkalinity that could be applied in practice. For a waste/inoculum ratio of 1.35, there were no significant differences between the results obtained for the biodegradability and maximum methane production rate (MMPR), when the alkalinity decreased from 44 to 22 mg NaHCO3/g COD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objectives of this study were to characterize Staphylococcus aureus isolated from artisanal and industrialized Minas frescal cheeses, to determine their antimicrobial susceptibility profile as well as the genetic similarity among the isolates. The isolates were also tested for staphylococcal enterotoxin genes and other virulence factors. Fifty-six artisanal raw milk cheeses sold at street fairs and 10 industrialized cheeses commercialized in supermarkets of Goiania, Goias, were analyzed. Staphylococcus aureus was confirmed in 19 samples (33.9%) of artisanal cheese by detection of femA gene, in which 29 isolates were obtained. These isolates were submitted to the antimicrobial susceptibility test and classified into 9 different profiles (A-I). Thirteen isolates (44.8) were resistant to penicillin and 3 (10.3) to tetracycline, with 2 (7.4) resistant to both. The multiplex PCR technique was performed to detect virulence genes that code for the production of hemolysins (Hla and Hlb), toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST-1), exfoliative toxins (ETa and ETb), and staphylococcal enterotoxins [SE; SEA-SEE, SEG-SEJ, SEM-SEO]. All the isolates amplified for the hla gene and 14 (48.3%) for the hlb gene. The seh gene was the most frequently detected (n = 11, 37.9%), followed by seo gene (n = 3; 10.3%). In one isolate (3.4%), 4 enterotoxins genes were detected, and in another, 6 (3.4%) were detected. The comparison performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of the 29 isolates revealed 18 genotypic profiles, which were grouped into 5 clusters. The genotyping found high genetic similarity among the isolates. Identical isolates were obtained from different samples and one sample showed more than one genetically different isolate. The high prevalence of S. aureus in the Minas Frescal cheese samples, as well as the detection of toxin encoding genes identified in this study, warns of the necessity to reduce the contamination levels in this type of cheese through monitoring and controlling the production and trade of the product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This manuscript describes a failure analysis carried out in fuel tanks of a lightweight ship that was designed to operate not far from shore. The ship under study is a high speed light craft that was entirely designed and manufactured in Portugal and has been successfully operating as a patrol boat for several years. The vessel under study was manufactured with two types of naval aluminium series alloys, namely the 5083-H111 and the 6082-T6 alloys, which are commonly used in shipbuilding. The former alloy can be strain hardened by cold work and is used in the form of rolled plates and sheets for the vessel hull, the superstructure, and the bulkheads. The 6082-T6 alloy is a high-strength alloy that can be heat treated and softens near the heat affected zone during welding. It is used in the high-stressed structural members of the ship, namely in the stiffeners of the reinforced panels. The two fuel tanks under study are located at the rear of the ship, one at the starboard and the other at the portside. Cracks have propagated from the weld toe of some T-welded joints that possess low fatigue strength resistance. The welded joints were made using TIG and MIG processes and the weld quality was assessed by visual inspection, dye penetrant examination and radiography. The fuel tank’s failure due to exfoliation, hot cracking, stress corrosion cracking or fatigue are analysed in the paper and it was concluded that fatigue is the most probable cause of failure. In addition, the 3D modelling of the current fuel tank geometry and its analysis by the finite element method (FEM) allowed the behaviour of the structure to be studied and it was discovered that the highest stressed regions were located at the reinforcement stiffeners where cracks nucleated and propagated. As a result, several alternative geometries for the fuel tanks were simulated in a FE computer code and it was possible to reduce the overall maximum stresses applied in the structure in the order of 65% with an increase of 20kg per fuel tank to the total weight of the vessel. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Several cracks were detected in the internal structure of the bilge keels used to enhance the transverse stability of ships, as well as on the connection of these to the hull and in some regions of the plating edges of the bilge keels. These cracks compromised the watertight integrity of the bilge keels and, in the long run, could also jeopardize the integrity of the hull. A failure analysis of the structural damages detected was carried out, in order to identify the causes of failure and to propose improvements that could avoid them. Several stress concentration regions were identified in the structure studied, which coincided with the critical areas where the structural failures were found. The influence of the internal reinforcements of the hull (stiffeners) in the increased levels of stress induced in the welded joints of the bilge keels to the hull was also assessed. Improved design geometry for the bilge keel internal structure was proposed, taking into account the longitudinal and transversal structural performance of the bilge keels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Scour protection is an important component of fixed bottom foundations for offshore wind turbines. Depending on the hydrodynamic conditions, they might be indispensable to avoid the structural collapse of the foundation due to scour phenomena. The design of scour protections is typically deterministic, which often results in overestimated mean diameters of the armour layer. Moreover, the design methodologies currently applied do not provide a measure of safety associated with the proposed design. The present research proposes a novel methodology to assess the safety of the protection and to perform the probabilistic design of static and dynamic scour protections. A case study based on Horns Rev. 3 offshore wind farm is used to show how to select the mean stone diameter according to a pre-defined probability of failure of the protection. The results show that a dynamic scour protection could be safely designed with a reduction of the mean stone diameter up to 15 cm, when compared with the statically stable protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to estimate radon gas production rate in granitic rocks and identify the factors responsible for the observed variability. For this purpose, 180 samples were collected from pre-Hercynian and Hercynian rocks in north and central Portugal and analysed for a) 226Ra activity, b) radon (222Rn) per unit mass activity, and c) radon gas emanation coefficient. On a subset of representative samples from the same rock types were also measured d) apparent porosity and e) apparent density. For each of these variables, the values ranged as follows: a) 15 to 587 Bq kg-1, b) 2 to 73 Bq kg-1, c) 0.01 to 0.80, d) 0.3 to 11.4 % and e) 2530 to 2850 kg m-3. Radon production rate varied between 40 to 1386 Bq m-3 h-1. The variability observed was associated with geologically late processes of low and high temperature which led to the alteration of the granitic rock with mobilization of U and increase in radon 222Rn gas emanation. It is suggested that, when developing geogenic radon potential maps, data on uranium concentration in soils/altered rock should be used, rather than data obtained from unaltered rock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since free-range chickens are important for the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis, this study evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of different laboratory techniques for the diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii in these animals. Serum samples from 135 adult domestic chickens were tested for anti-T. gondii antibodies by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), modified agglutination test (MAT), and indirect hemagglutination test (IHAT). Tissue samples from all animals were analyzed by histopathology, immunohistochemistry and mouse bioassay (gold standard). Fifty-four chickens were positive for T. gondii in the bioassay. The sensitivity and specificity of the different tests were, respectively, 85% and 56% for ELISA; 80% and 52% for IFAT; 76% and 68% for MAT; 61% and 80% for IHAT; 7% and 98% for immunohistochemistry, and 6% and 98% for histopathology. The MAT was the most effective method for the diagnosis of T. gondii infection in chickens, followed by ELISA. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry are useful tools for the diagnosis of T. gondii infection in chickens due to their specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Zoonotic diseases are in the forefront position of emerging diseases, accounting for 70% of emerging diseases worldwide as a consequence of rapid deforestation, intense globalization, unplanned urbanization and global warming. Mozambique is a vast country, where rapid and unplanned urbanization is common, posing the risk for spill over of diseases from animals to humans. In 2012, Ministry of Health in collaboration with Faculty of Veterinary from Eduardo Mondlane University and Biotechnology Center established the first one health sentinel site to conduct research and surveillance in the interface between wildlife and humans. Methods&Materials: The One Health sentinel surveillance site was established in Caia District, a rural area situated in Zambeze valley in the central part of the country. This district was selected because of the following characteristics, i) intense contact between humans and wildlife, ii) high vulnerability for flooding, iii) abundance of domestic animals such as cattle, pigs and poultry, and also abundance of breeding places for mosquitoes. The one health sentinel surveillance in Caia comprised three key pillars, i) surveillance of zoonotic diseases in febrile patients attended at the local district hospital, ii) surveillance of zoonotic diseases in cattle, pigs, poultry and micro mammals (bats and rodents) and iii) entomologic investigation mostly in mosquitoes and ticks. Results: We assessed the following indicators: number of post graduation students involved, number of projects initiated, number samples collected, number of report generated and number of manuscripts published. A total of 2 PhD students and 4 Msc students from different disciplines, such as entomologists, biologists, veterinarians, medical doctors and epidemiologists are conducting their thesis in this site. An estimated 1000 serum samples were collected from febrile patients. Mosquitoes were collected as part two PhD thesis. Two project that will investigate zoonosis in poultry and cattle will start in February 2016. Conclusion: After two years of implementation of this project, we conclude that establishment of One Health surveillance sites represents a strong platform to conduct transdisciplinary research combining human, veterinary and entomological data, so that to improve our knowledge on the risk of spillover of zoonotic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]