| 1. |
- Oliveira, Helena Rodrigues, et al.
(författare)
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Biogas potential of biowaste: A case study in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 2024
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Ingår i: Renewable energy. - : PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. - 0960-1481 .- 1879-0682. ; 221
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Anaerobic digestion has been widely applied for waste treatment, renewable energy generation , biofertilizer production. The biogas potential in Brazil is sizable, but the state of Rio de Janeiro is largely dependent on fossil fuels , there is a lack of biogas potential assessments in the state. Thus, this study evaluated biomethane, electricity and biofertilizer potentials in the region. Three different scenarios of biomass supply were considered for four major biowaste streams: sewage sludge; cattle manure; sugarcane processing waste; and food waste. Biomethane generation from the assessed sources could reach 0.6-1.3 billion Nm(3) year(-1), corresponding to 1,768-3,961 GWh year(-1) of electricity , 1.6-3.3 million Mg year- 1 of biofertilizer. Cattle manure was responsible for 73-84% of the projected biomethane production, presenting an opportunity to reduce the sig-nificant emissions from livestock farming. The estimated biofertilizer production could meet the demands of the state , the produced electricity could offset up to 10% of the demand. The gas grid could facilitate the dis-tribution of upgraded biomethane, and 10-22% of the natural gas demand could be met. The findings of this work highlight the high potential for biogas generation in Rio de Janeiro, which is up to seven times larger than the current production.
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| 2. |
- Abreu, Fernanda, et al.
(författare)
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Culture-independent characterization of a novel magnetotactic member affiliated to the Beta class of the Proteobacteria phylum from an acidic lagoon
- 2018
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Ingår i: Environmental Microbiology. - : Wiley/Blackwell. - 1462-2912 .- 1462-2920. ; 20:7, s. 2615-2624
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Summary Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) comprise a group of motile microorganisms common in most mesothermal aquatic habitats with pH values around neutrality. However, during the last two decades, a number of MTB from extreme environments have been characterized including: cultured alkaliphilic strains belonging to the Deltaproteobacteria class of the Proteobacteria phylum; uncultured moderately thermophilic strains belonging to the Nitrospirae phylum; cultured and uncultured moderately halophilic or strongly halotolerant bacteria affiliated with the Deltaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria classes and an uncultured psychrophilic species belonging to the Alphaproteobacteria class. Here, we used culture-independent techniques to characterize MTB from an acidic freshwater lagoon in Brazil (pH ? 4.4). MTB morphotypes found in this acidic lagoon included cocci, rods, spirilla and vibrioid cells. Magnetite (Fe3O4) was the only mineral identified in magnetosomes of these MTB while magnetite magnetosome crystal morphologies within the different MTB cells included cuboctahedral (present in spirilla), elongated prismatic (present in cocci and vibrios) and bullet-shaped (present in rod-shaped cells). Intracellular pH measurements using fluorescent dyes showed that the cytoplasmic pH was close to neutral in most MTB cells and acidic in some intracellular granules. Based on 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analyses, some of the retrieved gene sequences belonged to the genus Herbaspirillum within the Betaproteobacteria class of the Proteobacteria phylum. Fluorescent in situ hybridization using a Herbaspirillum-specific probe hybridized with vibrioid MTB in magnetically-enriched samples. Transmission electron microscopy of the Herbaspirillum-like MTB revealed the presence of many intracellular granules and a single chain of elongated prismatic magnetite magnetosomes. Diverse populations of MTB have not seemed to have been described in detail in an acid environment. In addition, this is the first report of an MTB phylogenetically affiliated with Betaproteobacteria class.
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| 3. |
- Abreu, Soraia Carvalho, et al.
(författare)
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Differential effects of the cystic fibrosis lung inflammatory environment on mesenchymal stromal cells
- 2020
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Ingår i: American Journal of Physiology: Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. - : American Physiological Society. - 1040-0605 .- 1522-1504.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Growing evidence demonstrates that human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) modify their in vivo anti-inflammatory actions depending on the specific inflammatory environment encountered. Understanding this better is crucial to refine MSC-based cell therapies for lung and other diseases. Using acute exacerbations of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease as a model, the effects of ex vivo MSC exposure to clinical bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples, as a surrogate for the in vivo clinical lung environment, on MSC viability, gene expression, secreted cytokines, and mitochondrial function was compared to effects of BALF collected from healthy volunteers. CF BALF samples which cultured positive for Aspergillus sp. (Asp) induced rapid MSC death, usually within several hours of exposure. Further analyses suggested the fungal toxin gliotoxin as a potential mediator contributing to CF BALF-induced MSC death. RNA sequencing analyses of MSCs exposed to either Asp+ or Asp- CF BALF samples identified a number of differentially expressed transcripts, including those involved in interferon-signaling, anti-microbial gene expression, and cell death. Toxicity did not correlate with bacterial lung infections. These results suggest that the potential use of MSC-based cell therapies for CF or other lung diseases may not be warranted in the presence of Aspergillus.
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| 4. |
- Abreu, Soraia Carvalho, et al.
(författare)
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Lung Inflammatory Environments Differentially Alter Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Behavior
- 2019
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Ingår i: American Journal of Physiology: Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. - : American Physiological Society. - 1522-1504 .- 1040-0605. ; 317:6, s. 823-831
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mesenchymal stromal (stem) cells (MSCs) are increasingly demonstrated to ameliorate experimentally-induced lung injuries through disease-specific anti-inflammatory actions, thus suggesting that different in vivo inflammatory environments can influence MSC actions. To determine the effects of different representative inflammatory lung conditions, human bone marrow-derived MSCs (hMSCs) were exposed to in vitro culture conditions from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples obtained from patients with either the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or with other lung diseases including acute respiratory exacerbations of cystic fibrosis (CF) (non-ARDS). hMSCs were subsequently assessed for time- and BALF concentration-dependent effects on mRNA expression of selected pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, and for overall patterns of gene and mRNA expression. Both common and disease specific-patterns were observed in gene expression of different hMSC mediators, notably interleukin (IL)-6. Conditioned media obtained from non-ARDS BALF-exposed hMSCs was more effective in promoting an anti-inflammatory phenotype in monocytes than was conditioned media from ARDS BALF-exposed hMSCs. Neutralizing IL-6 in the conditioned media promoted generation of anti-inflammatory monocyte phenotype. These results demonstrated that different lung inflammatory environments differentially alter hMSC behavior. Further identification of these interactions and the driving mechanisms may influence clinical use of MSCs for treating lung diseases.
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| 5. |
- Anacleto, Thuane Mendes, et al.
(författare)
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Boosting manure biogas production with the application of pretreatments: A meta-analysis
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Cleaner Production. - Amsterdam, Netherlands : Elsevier. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 362
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a versatile manure management approach that can combine waste treatment, energy generation and nutrient recovery, thus playing a central role in circular economy. The AD process is highly influenced by manure composition which, depending on the source, may contain high loads recalcitrant materials (e.g., lignocellulosic and fibers) or lead to the formation of toxic compounds (e.g., NH3), decreasing the energetic potential of the waste and requiring specific pretreatments to increase its degradability and biogas production. Although there are distinctions in the chemical composition of manure according to animal diets, different manure sources are usually grouped together, leading to a suboptimal performance of both the pretreatment and the AD process. Here, we performed a meta-analysis of 54 studies to evaluate the effects of different pretreatments on different manure types and their effect on methane (CH4) yield and we estimated the energy potential if the appropriate pretreatment is applied to largest manure producing countries. The results showed that chemical and/or biological pretreatments were more effective for omnivore manure (e.g., swine, chicken), while physical and a combination of chemical and physical pretreatments negatively affected CH4 production. Physical and/or chemical pretreatments had a positive effect on CH4 yield from herbivore manure (e. g., cattle, horses), while biological pretreatments had a negative effect. The application of the adequate pretreatment can more than double the energy recovered from manure, allowing for an important substitution of fossil fuels, while decreasing operational costs and environmental risks and ultimately improving profitability. The development of pretreatment technologies and their application are strongly related to public policies for sustainable manure management and biogas use and production.
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| 6. |
- Jacome, Cristina, et al.
(författare)
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Monitoring Adherence to Asthma Inhalers Using the InspirerMundi App : Analysis of Real-World, Medium-Term Feasibility Studies
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Medical Technology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2673-3129. ; 3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Poor medication adherence is a major challenge in asthma and objective assessment of inhaler adherence is needed. InspirerMundi app aims to monitor inhaler adherence while turning it into a positive experience through gamification and social support.Objective: We assessed the medium-term feasibility of the InspirerMundi app to monitor inhaler adherence in real-world patients with persistent asthma (treated with daily inhaled medication). In addition, we attempted to identify the characteristics of the patients related to higher app use.Methods: Two real-world multicenter observational studies, with one initial face-to-face visit and a 4-month telephone interview, were conducted in 29 secondary care centers from Portugal. During an initial face-to-face visit, patients were invited to use the app daily to register their asthma medication intakes. A scheduled intake was considered taken when patients took a photo of the medication (inhaler, blister, or others) using the image-based medication detection tool. Medication adherence was calculated as the number of doses taken as a percentage of the number scheduled. Interacting with the app =30 days was used as the cut-off for higher app use.Results: A total of 114 patients {median 20 [percentile 25 to percentile 75 (P25-P75) 16-36] years, 62% adults} were invited, 107 (94%) installed the app and 83 (73%) completed the 4-month interview. Patients interacted with the app for a median of 18 [3-45] days, translated on a median use rate of 15 [3-38]%. Median inhaler adherence assessed through the app was 34 [4-73]% when considering all scheduled inhalations for the study period. Inhaler adherence assessed was not significantly correlated with self-reported estimates. Median adherence for oral and other medication was 41 [6-83]% and 43 [3-73]%, respectively. Patients with higher app use were slightly older (p = 0.012), more frequently taking medication for other health conditions (p = 0.040), and more frequently prescribed long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA, p = 0.024). After 4 months, Control of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Test (CARAT) scores improved (p < 0.001), but no differences between patients interacting with the app for 30 days or less were seen.Conclusions: The InspirerMundi app was feasible to monitor inhaler adherence in patients with persistent asthma. The persistent use of this mHealth technology varies widely. A better understanding of characteristics related to higher app use is still needed before effectiveness studies are undertaken.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Neves, Ana Luisa, et al.
(författare)
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Determinants of the Use of Health and Fitness Mobile Apps by Patients With Asthma : Secondary Analysis of Observational Studies
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Internet Research. - : JMIR Publications. - 1438-8871. ; 23:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Health and fitness apps have potential benefits to improve self-management and disease control among patients with asthma. However, inconsistent use rates have been reported across studies, regions, and health systems. A better understanding of the characteristics of users and nonusers is critical to design solutions that are effectively integrated in patients' daily lives, and to ensure that these equitably reach out to different groups of patients, thus improving rather than entrenching health inequities. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the use of general health and fitness apps by patients with asthma and to identify determinants of usage. Methods: A secondary analysis of the INSPIRERS observational studies was conducted using data from face-to-face visits. Patients with a diagnosis of asthma were included between November 2017 and August 2020. Individual-level data were collected, including age, gender, marital status, educational level, health status, presence of anxiety and depression, postcode, socioeconomic level, digital literacy, use of health services, and use of health and fitness apps. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model the probability of being a health and fitness app user. Statistical analysis was performed in R. Results: A total of 526 patients attended a face-to-face visit in the 49 recruiting centers and 514 had complete data. Most participants were <= 40 years old (66.4%), had at least 10 years of education (57.4%), and were in the 3 higher quintiles of the socioeconomic deprivation index (70.1%). The majority reported an overall good health status (visual analogue scale [VAS] score>70 in 93.1%) and the prevalence of anxiety and depression was 34.3% and 11.9%, respectively. The proportion of participants who reported using health and fitness mobile apps was 41.1% (n=211). Multivariate models revealed that single individuals and those with more than 10 years of education are more likely to use health and fitness mobile apps (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.22, 95%CI 1.05-4.75 and aOR 1.95, 95%CI 1.12-3.45, respectively). Higher digital literacy scores were also associated with higher odds of being a user of health and fitness apps, with participants in the second, third, and fourth quartiles reporting aORs of 6.74 (95%CI 2.90-17.40), 10.30 (95%CI 4.28-27.56), and 11.52 (95%CI 4.78-30.87), respectively. Participants with depression symptoms had lower odds of using health and fitness apps (aOR 0.32, 95%CI 0.12-0.83). Conclusions: A better understanding of the barriers and enhancers of app use among patients with lower education, lower digital literacy, or depressive symptoms is key to design tailored interventions to ensure a sustained and equitable use of these technologies. Future studies should also assess users' general health-seeking behavior and their interest and concerns specifically about digital tools. These factors may impact both initial engagement and sustained use.
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| 9. |
- Rodrigues Oliveira, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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A novel approach to estimate methanogenic pathways in biogas reactors via stable carbon isotope analysis
- 2024
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Ingår i: Biomass and Bioenergy. - : Elsevier. - 0961-9534 .- 1873-2909. ; 183
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Two microbial pathways are responsible for most of the methane produced during anaerobic digestion: acetoclastic methanogenesis (AM) and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis (HM) coupled with syntrophic acetate oxidation (SAO). Identifying the dominant methanogenic pathway active in a system provides the information necessary to manage and optimize productivity, stability, process control, and gas quality in biogas reactors. In this study, a modified method is proposed to estimate methanogenic pathways in different biogas systems via short-term parallel incubations with methyl-labeled acetate (2-13C-acetate). Cavity ring-down spectroscopy was applied to measure the δ13C–CH4 and δ13C–CO2 isotopic signatures of produced biogas. Preliminary experiments demonstrated that longer incubation times led to significant variations in δ13C–CH4 and δ13C–CO2 and consequently interfered with the calculated fraction of CH4 produced from HM (fHM). This variability is likely caused by the dilution of 13CH4 and 13CO2 as 2-13C-acetate is consumed, along with potential changes in organic matter quality and quantity, microbial community composition, and environmental factors such as pH, volatile fatty acid content, and ammonia levels, during longer incubations. We applied this new approach to sludge from six full-scale reactors (three mesophilic and three thermophilic) and validated its potential with consistent estimates of fHM with minimal variation. Mesophilic reactors exhibited AM dominance, while HM was the dominant pathway in thermophilic reactors, aligning with reports in the literature.
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