National Strategic Reference Framework Research Articles

Antibacterial borosilicate bioactive glasses for bone tissue engineering

Event Abstract Back to Event Antibacterial borosilicate bioactive glasses for bone tissue engineering João Fernandes1*, Margarida Martins1*, Nuno N. Neves1*, Ricardo A. Pires1* and Rui L. Reis1* 1 University of Minho, 3Bs Research Group, Portugal Introduction: The bioactive glasses (BGs), including Bioglass® 45S5, have been widely investigated in bone tissue engineering (BTE) field due to their extraordinary feature of bonding with bone by the formation of a hydroxyapatite (HA) layer. However, the majority of BGs show slow degradation rates and present no effect against bacterial infections [1,3]. However the borosilicate bioactive glasses (BBGs) are known to possess a faster degradation rate, which may be used to achieve a more controlled release of specific component ions (e.g. Mg2+, Ca2+ and Sr2+) [2] enhancing the activity on HA formation and antibacterial properties. The aim of this study was to assess if borosilicate bioactive glasses (BBGs) are able to present antibacterial properties for BTE applications. Experimental Methods: BBGs compositions of general formula 0.05Na2O . xMgO . yCaO . (0.35-x-y)SrO . 0.20B2O3 . 0.40SiO2 (molar ratio, where x, y = 0.35 or 0.00, and x ≠ y) were synthesized by melt quenching (T≈1450ºC) and ground to obtain particles with a size < 63 µm. The capacity to form bone-like structures was assessed after immersion of the BBGs into simulated body fluid (SBF) for 7 days. Microbial susceptibility was measured using standardized inocula of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis in contact with the BBGs. Disk diffusion (DD) and broth dilution (BD) methods were adapted to microparticles, testing known amounts of BBGs. The cytotoxicity of the BBGs was assessed by direct contact with human osteosarcoma cell line during 7 days of incubation (37ºC and 5% CO2). Cell proliferation (DNA) and metabolic activity (MTS) profiles were followed along the culture time. Results and Discussion: The BBGs were successful obtained by melt quenching, ground and presented non-toxic effects up to 3 days. After the immersion of BBGs into SBF, Ca- (BBG-Ca) and Sr-containing glasses (BBG-Sr) revealed the presence of bone-like structures onto the surface at different stages of crystallization. However, after 7 days of immersion, the BBG-Ca glass displayed an increase in bone-like structures deposition onto the surface with a Ca/P ratio of ≈ 1.67, similar to HA (Figure 1). The DD data demonstrated that the Mg-containing (BBG-Mg) and the BBG-Sr glasses inhibited the growth of bacteria S. epidermidis and P. aeruginosa respectively. Clear halos appeared around the agar discs containing BBGs. The inhibition zone for each bacterial strain is shown in Figure 2. Moreover, the BD method data of BBG-Mg (Figure 3a) indicates that it prevents the growth of S. epidermidis, having a bacteriostatic effect. Surprisingly, the BBG-Sr (Figure 3c), presented and outstanding bactericidal activity against P. aeruginosa for all concentrations tested but 9 mg/mL. In fact, it was observed that BBG-Sr is able to eradicate P. aeruginosa at concentrations ≥ 18 mg/mL. This contrasts with 45S5 bioglass (Figure 4b and 4d) that only exhibits bactericidal activity at high concentrations and high dissolution times. Conclusion: Novel BBGs with different substituted ions (Ca2+, Sr2+ or Mg2+) were successfully synthesised by melt-quench not showing cytotoxic effects up to 3 days culture. Bioactivity assay provides convincing evidence that BBGs produce bone-like structures onto the surface (e.g.: BBG-Ca has a Ca/P ratio ≈ 1.67). BBG-Mg has bacteriostatic activity against S. epidermidis and BBG-Sr has bacteriostatic/bactericidal activity against P. aeruginosa, eradicating this bacterium at higher concentrations (≥ 18 mg/mL). Results also revealed a concentration dependence on the anti-bacterial properties. Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (Ph.D. grant BD/73162/2010); The European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under Grant No. REGPOT-CT2012-31633-POLARIS.; M. Martins is financed by the project “Tissue engineering of connective tissues” (Ref. RL3 – TECT - NORTE-01-0124-FEDER-000020) co-financed by North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (ON.2 – O Novo Norte), under the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Injectable hyaluronic acid bionanocomposite hydrogels: from biomaterial development to biological performance outcomes

Event Abstract Back to Event Injectable hyaluronic acid bionanocomposite hydrogels: from biomaterial development to biological performance outcomes Rui M. Domingues1, 2, Marta Silva1, 2, Pavel Gershovich1, 2, Stefano Betta3, 4, Pedro Babo1, 2, Sofia G. Caridade1, 2, João F. Mano1, 2, Antonella Motta3, 4, Rui L. Reis1, 2 and Manuela E. Gomes1, 2 1 University of Minho, 3B’s Research Group, Portugal 2 ICVS/3B's-PT Associate Laboratory, Portugal 3 University of Trento, Department of Industrial Engineering and Biotech Research Centre, Italy 4 European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Italy Introduction: Injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels have been increasingly applied in tissue engineering (TE) envisioning minimal invasive approaches. However, traditional HA hydrogels lack structural integrity that makes them less competitive in strategies where good mechanical properties are required. Here we propose the use of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), the nature “carbon nanotubes”, as nanofillers and crosslinkers in a fully biobased strategy for the production of reinforced HA nanocomposite hydrogels[1]. Due to their distinct mechanical properties, biocompatibility and excellent aqueous colloidal stability, CNCs are being increasingly considered in hydrogel development targeting biomedical applications[2]. We hypothesise that besides structural reinforcement, in TE strategies the CNC’s surface SO3- groups may also potentially act as semisynthetic mimicry of ECM sulfated glycosaminoglycans, which are known to induce and control specific cell functions on the cellular microenvironment through interactions with soluble biomolecules, e.g. proteins, growth factors (GFs)[3]. Materials and Methods: In situ crosslinkable and injectable hydrogels were prepared based on hydrazone coupling of adipic acid dihydrazide-modified HA (ADH-HA) and aldehyde-modified HA (a-HA), reinforced with aldehyde-modified CNCs (a-CNCs) (Figure 1). The hydrogel precursors were fully characterized by several spectroscopic, chromatographic, and imaging techniques, and the hydrogels were characterized in terms of internal morphology, mechanical properties, swelling and degradation behaviour in the presence of hyaluronidase. The biological performance of the developed nanocomposites was assessed towards human adipose derived stem cells (hASCs). Figure 1. Schematic representation of the nanocomposite hydrogels production, characterization and biological performance evaluation. Adapted with permission from ref. [1]. Copyright 2015 American Chemical Society. Results and Discussion: The incorporation of a-CNCs in the hydrogel’s network had a remarkable impact over the physical and biological performance of the injectable biomaterial. Nanocomposite hydrogels showed improved microstructure and mechanical properties (increased E’ up to 2.7-fold compared to unfilled hydrogels), lower equilibrium swelling ratios and higher resistance to bulk hyaluronidase degradation. HA-CNCs exhibited preferential cell supportive properties in in vitro culture conditions, in both surface cell seeding and cell encapsulation tests. Particularly, hASCs encapsulated in HA-CNCs hydrogels demonstrated ability to spread within the volume of gels and exhibited pronounced proliferative activity. This impact over cell’s behaviour is correlated with the higher structural integrity of the hydrogel matrix and potential interaction of soluble microenvironmental cues with the CNC’s surface sulphate groups. Conclusions: The proposed strategy demonstrated to be a valuable approach for fine tuning the structural, biomechanical and biochemical properties of injectable HA hydrogels. The combined effects of enhanced stability and mechanical properties with the incorporation of mimetic ECM biochemical cues in HA-CNCs hydrogels, proved to positively impact their biological performance for TE applications. Considering the promising outcomes, we are currently exploring the potential of the developed system when combined with discrete GFs or the GFs pool from platelet lysates in specific TE strategies. The authors acknowledge the financial support from the Project RL1 - ABMR - NORTE-01-0124-FEDER-000016 cofinanced by North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (ON.2 – O Novo Norte), under the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

Incidental and intentional memory performance in depression and amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Incidental and intentional memory performance in depression and amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Does pollution by pharmaceutical drugs compromise the regeneration of Diopatra neapolitana?

Event Abstract Back to Event Does pollution by pharmaceutical drugs compromise the regeneration of Diopatra neapolitana? Bruno S. Nunes1*, Márcia Silva1, Rosa Freitas1, Amadeu Soares1 and Alberto T. Correia2, 3 1 Centro de Estudos Ambientais e do Mar da Universidade de Aveiro (CESAM), Portugal 2 Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR), Portugal 3 Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade Fernando Pessoa (FCS-UFP), Portugal The release of pharmaceutical drugs into the aquatic environment is responsible for specific environmental concern. Studies developed so far have shown that pharmaceutical residues are not exempt of ecotoxicity, but only a restricted number of them was undertaken to characterize the toxic response of marine invertebrates, namely polychaetes. This is the case of the drug paracetamol, whose toxicity towards aquatic organisms has recently been evidenced. Being used in large amounts, paracetamol may pose environmental unsuspected risks to a large number of non-target species, exposed through direct contact with urban effluents. The present study intended to know the toxicological response (biochemical and histopathological effects) and regeneration capacity of injured individuals of the polychaete species Diopatra neapolitana, exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of paracetamol for different periods of exposure. In terms of the histopathological assessment, no significant differences were recorded between exposed and non-exposed organisms, along all sampling intervals. In terms of biochemical effects, it was possible to observe a significant decrease in the activity of the enzyme AChE in organisms exposed for 28 days, and an increase in GPx activity only for specimens kept for 11 and 18 days under the influence of paracetamol. No alterations were reported concerning the activity of GSTs and the levels of lipid peroxides, neither among experimental periods nor exposed and non-exposed organisms. This entire set of data questions the well-known pro-oxidative effect of paracetamol, already reported to occur in other aquatic species. Furthermore, paracetamol exposure did not cause tissue effects, namely during regeneration, showing that this process is not affected by this specific drugs in the selected conditions. It is possible to conclude that the recovery from physical aggression and tissue damage can in fact occur, even under exposure to paracetamol. Acknowledgements This work was supported by European Funds through COMPETE and by National Funds through the Portuguese Science Foundation (FCT) within projects PEst-C/MAR/LA0017/2013 and PEst-C/MAR/LA0015/2013. Bruno Nunes was hired under the program Investigador FCT, co-funded by the Human Potential Operational Program (National Strategic Reference Framework 2007, Keywords: Ecotoxicology, Pharmaceutical drugs, polychaetes, paracetamol, biomarkers Conference: XIX Iberian Symposium on Marine Biology Studies, Porto, Portugal, 5 Sep - 9 Sep, 2016. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: 1. ECOLOGY, BIODIVERSITY AND VULNERABLE ECOSYSTEMS Citation: Nunes BS, Silva M, Freitas R, Soares A and Correia AT (2016). Does pollution by pharmaceutical drugs compromise the regeneration of Diopatra neapolitana?. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: XIX Iberian Symposium on Marine Biology Studies. doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2016.05.00159 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 01 Jun 2016; Published Online: 03 Sep 2016. * Correspondence: Dr. Bruno S Nunes, Centro de Estudos Ambientais e do Mar da Universidade de Aveiro (CESAM), Aveiro, Portugal, nunes.b@ua.pt Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Bruno S Nunes Márcia Silva Rosa Freitas Amadeu Soares Alberto T Correia Google Bruno S Nunes Márcia Silva Rosa Freitas Amadeu Soares Alberto T Correia Google Scholar Bruno S Nunes Márcia Silva Rosa Freitas Amadeu Soares Alberto T Correia PubMed Bruno S Nunes Márcia Silva Rosa Freitas Amadeu Soares Alberto T Correia Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Development and in vitro evaluation of bioinspired, chitosan based, 3D hybrid nanohydroxyapatite scaffolds.

Event Abstract Back to Event Development and in vitro evaluation of bioinspired, chitosan based, 3D hybrid nanohydroxyapatite scaffolds. Despoina Brasinika1, Athena Tsetsekou1, Kyriaki Kyriakidou2, Ioannis K. Karoussis2 and Triantafyllos Papadopoulos2 1 National Technical University of Athens, School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Greece 2 National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Dentistry, School of Health Sciences, Greece Introduction: In the present work the synthesis of 3D hybrid porous scaffolds was performed through a freeze drying method, aiming at the development of implantable materials with enhanced biocompatibility and bioactivity. These hybrid materials constitute an innovative alternative for implant development, in order to successfully replace damaged human tissue and provide adequate mechanical stability till the natural regeneration of the desired tissue. The hybrid scaffolds consist of hydroxyapatite nanocrystals, synthesized biomimetically in the presence of natural biomolecules, in an effort to tailor the nucleation process and control the hydroxyapatite’s crystal growth. Since these scaffolds serve as a template to support and guide formation of new tissue, the material is required to present a porous network with high interconnectivity and mechanical stability[1],[2]. However, the porous structure of the scaffolds, inevitably affects the material’s mechanical properties. For this purpose, chemical cross-linking was performed with organic crosslinkers, through bonding with the biomolecules’ amino groups[3],[4]. Materials and Methods: Aqueous suspensions of hybrid nanohydroxyapatite were prepared through a bioinspired approach[5],[6] and then they were undertaken lyophilization to develop porous 3D scaffolds. To improve scaffolds’ mechanical properties, cross-linking of the biomolecules was performed prior to lyophilization. Finally, the physicochemical and biological properties of the as-obtained scaffolds were examined. Results: Evaluation of scaffolds’ internal porosity with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray computed microtomography (micro-CT) indicates the development of a highly interconnected porous network with bimodal pore size distribution (Fig. 1). Fig. 1: SEM images of the internal structure of hybrid scaffolds differing in the biomolecules employed for increasing mechanical stability. Optimization work provided scaffolds with pore size ranging from 50 to 100 μm for the large pores and around 5 to 10 μm for the smaller ones. Cell viability and cytotoxicity tests (MTT assay and fluorescein diacetate/propidium iodide staining (FDA/PI)) proved that after 7 days of cultivation a well-populated biomaterial was obtained with viable cells distributed through the scaffold (Fig. 2). Fig. 2: SEM image of osteoblasts adhered into the porous structure of a 3D scaffold after 7 days of cultivation. Discussion: The adopted bioinspired approach led to the fabrication of 3D hybrid porous scaffolds with a complex architecture and high interconnectivity among the pores. Their chemical composition and nanostructure - resembling that of natural bone - along with their complex porous network provide a cell friendly environment which proved beneficial for cell distribution, attachment and proliferation. Conclusions: The as-produced hybrid scaffolds comprise biocompatible biomaterials with promising properties for tissue engineering applications. The research leading to these results has received funding from National Strategic Reference Framework 2007–2013, Cooperation programs, Project BIOMINY – 09SYN-41-757

Modernization of Public Administration and e-Government in Bulgaria

The present paper discusses current issues related to administration and government that affect e-Governance and e-Government. It considers the strategic document addressing the modernization of the Bulgarian state administration and the improvement of the judicial system functioning, as well as the implementation of e-Government in Bulgaria – the Operational Programme “Administrative Capacity”. It is part of the National Strategic Reference Framework 2007 – 2013 and contributes to achieving the following strategic objectives: 1. Enhancing economic competitiveness in terms of high and stable economic growth; 2. Stimulation of human potential by ensuring intensive employment, higher incomes and social integration. The Operational Programme has a horizontal nature and its purpose is to improve the operation of public administration directed to implementation of effective policies and quality services to citizens and businesses and creating conditions for sustained economic growth and employment, increasing professionalism and transparency, improving the functioning of the judiciary. On this basis, the priorities of the Operational Programme for achieving the strategic goals of modern administration – quality services and e-Governance – are considered.

SU‐E‐U‐01: Automatic Quantitative Analysis of Chronic Liver Disease Employing Shear Wave Ultrasound Elastography

Purpose:The purpose of this study was to quantify liver elastic heterogeneity in Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) by using textural features and evaluating their diagnostic performance on differentiating healthy from chronic liver disease patients, taking biopsy results as the gold standard.Methods:Clinical material includes 16 healthy (F0) and 15 with Chronic Liver Disease (F1,F2,F3,F4) patients according to the Metavir staging system. All exams were performed using the Aixplorer ultrasound system with a SuperCurved SC6‐1 transducer. From the SWE‐QBox the RGB displayed elasticity data of Young's modulus were transformed from RGB color space into an elasticity matrix of gray tones, whose values varied from zero to the maximum elasticity measurement. Every pixel with no RGB‐values was set to ‘−1’ due to non‐valid elasticity value for that pixel. From the elastogram map 185 textural features were computed (5 from the gray‐tone histogram, 26 second order statistic features, extracted from the co‐occurrence matrices and 10 features extracted from the run‐length matrices over four directions (00,450,900,1350) and distances of (d=1,3,5,7,9) pixels). Stepwise multi‐linear regression analysis was utilized to avoid feature redundancy leading to a feature subset feeding a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. SVM‐model evaluation was performed by means of the leave‐one‐out method.Results:Maximum classification accuracy (93.5%) in distinguishing healthy from chronic liver disease patients was obtained employing three textural features (Standard Deviation, Sum‐Variance, Contrast) that describe the elastogram's contrast, variability and complexity. Sensitivity and specificity values were 93.3% and 94.0% respectively.Conclusion:The proposed classification scheme can provide reproducibility and reliability of liver SWE application in clinical practice. It can also assist the interpretation of SWE measurements which is considered as a difficult task due to absence of guidelines in the literature and to decrease the time/cost of diagnosis and the need for patients to undergo invasive examination.This research has been co‐financed by the European Union (European Social Fund ESF) and Greek national funds through the Operational Program ’Education and Lifelong Learning’ of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) Research Funding Program: ARCHIMEDES III. Investing in knowledge society through the European Social Fund.

SU-E-I-69: A Cloud Based Application for MRI Brain Image Processing

Purpose: In this study we present a cloud based application dedicated to MRI brain image processing, providing the flexibility to end users for managing and processing medical image data, dynamically allocating computational resources. Methods: The proposed application is based on the Software as a Service (SaaS) cloud model and it can be accessible by any available browser. The developed cloud takes advantage of the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) in order to easily scale its capabilities. Virtual Machines are used on demand of the users’ requested pipeline. The implemented techniques were incorporated on a cloud application framework consisting of a web interface where the user can upload data (NIfTI format) and initiate the processing algorithms. The proposed application is providing the following functionalities: a) a user-based authentication and authorization mechanism, b) an application data manager which is a tool enabling the user to manage his/her uploaded image data, c) a “Data Processing Task” where the user is able to select the appropriate processing algorithm to define his/her processing pipeline on demand. Results: The proposed implementation has already been tested in several end-users’ devices executing a pipeline for brain tumor detection in followup scans. A pipeline processing has been implemented, where the user uploads two scans of a patient (before and after treatment), they are registered, normalized and a difference map is calculated for quantitative evaluation of tumor growth or reduction. Results are stored in the cloud storage space and are available to the user anytime, at request. Conclusion: Cloud computing is one of the current biggest trends in Information Technology providing and accessing computing resources via Internet adhoc. Our goal is to offer a cloud implementation providing a way to deploy medical image processing as an application, enabling algorithm sharing without the hustle of maintaining complex infrastructures. This research has been co-financed by the European Union (European Social Fund ESF) and Greek national funds through the Operational Program “Education and Lifelong Learning” of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) Research Funding Program: Thales. Investing in knowledge society through the European Social Fund.

Biometrical analysis reveals major differences between the two subspecies of the European rabbit

This study was partially funded by Projects PAI06-170, VP-0119-07,POII09-0099-2557, CGL2009-11665, 2012-30E060, CGL2013-43197, CGL2013-43197-R, FCT research project (PTDC/BIA-EVF/111368/2009), and ‘Genomics Applied to Genetic Resources’ co-funded by North Portugal Regional Operational Programme 2007/2013 (ON.2 – O Novo Norte), under the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). C.F. was supported by a PhD grant (Ref. SFRH/BD/22084/2005) and a postdoctoral grant (Ref. SFRH/BPD/88643/2012), and J.B.-A. by a postdoctoral grant (Ref. SFRH/BPD/65464/2009) all from the Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia of the Ministerio da Ciencia, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, Portuguese government. C.F. is currently supported by a Marie Curie Out going International Fellowship for Career Development (PIOF-GA-2013-621571) within the 7th Framework Programme of the European Union. M.D.-M. is currently funded by Consejeria de Economia, Innovacion, Ciencia y Empleo of Junta de Andalucia, and the European Union’s SeventhFramework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement 267226. C.A.R.-S. was supported by a doctoral grant from the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACyT). P.C.A. was supportedby an FCT sabbatical grant (SFRH/BSAB/1278/2012) and by FLAD (Luso-American Foundation).

Tissue engineering: new tools for old problems.

RL3-TECT-NORTE-01-0124-FEDER-000020, cofinanced by North Portugal Regional Operational Program (ON.2-O Novo Norte), under the National Strategic Reference Framework, through the European Regional Development Fund

Support of Local Entrepreneurship During Periods of Crisis: A Case Study for Serres-Greece on NSRF Programmes

Abstract The role of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME's) to regional development is crucial. Taking as a granted that National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) focuses on regional disparities reduction, the main scope of this paper is to examine the influence of the NSRF programs on Regional Unity of Serres taking under consideration the existence of great intraregional disparities in region of Central Macedonia. Recently, peripheral disparities undoubtedly deteriorate Greek recession, something that is underlined at the relevant literature. According to Joseph Stiglitz “with inequality at its highest level since before the Depression, a robust recovery will be difficult in the short term” Also, Paul Krugman adds “countries doing a lot of redistribution have, if anything, weathered the crisis better than those that do less” As enterprises confront huge sustainability problems, their investments are deteriorated. Greek state, under the framework of NSRF 2007-2013, announced on spring 2013 the program “Support of SME's which are activated in Manufacturing - Tourism - Commerce & Services” (the program will de completed until the end of 2015). The NSRF provide subsidizes using general geographical-economic (mainly income) criteria (at regional level NUTS2) without examining the NUTS3 level. It is common knowledge that Greek banks nowadays do not support firms sufficiently. Thus, many of the eligible (under the umbrella of the examining program) investments may not be completed. Hellenic Fund for Entrepreneurship and Development (ETEAN), the associated institution, does not provide the necessary funds to all the entrepreneurs. During the last 4 years the 20% of local enterprises have been closed. It is obvious that crisis badly affected local entrepreneurship. According to Serres Chamber of Commerce and Industry the number of enterprises at Regional Unity of Serres have been reduced from 14.103 (January 2010) to 10.715 (January 2015). All the above mentioned are analyzed in our theoretical part. Our empirical research was conducted in February 2014. The survey consists of two parts. At the first part, a comparative analysis between the region of Central Macedonia and the Borough of Serres takes place. At the second part, all the local eligible enterprises, that will receive subsidizes from ESPA were participated in this research (total 123 ones). The used methodology is the calculation of the main descriptive statistical measures (the average, the standard deviation and the coefficient of variation) and the statistical moment of distribution (the coefficient correlation). According to our main findings, the contribution of NSRF programs as they are regulated by the developmental national laws to the survival and development of local enterprises has been significant, although the legislator disregarded the fact that borough of Serres is poorer than the core region Thessaloniki. The intraregional disparities (which have been indicated both in the theoretical and in the empirical part) should be taken under consideration when a low is reconsidered. Finally it should point out that the general results of our empirical research are relying to the relevant used literature.

Predictive model of food intake of the Seabass Dicentrarchus labrax in closed aquaculture systems

Event Abstract Back to Event Predictive model of food intake of the Seabass Dicentrarchus labrax in closed aquaculture systems Allan T. Souza1*, Irene Martins2, José F. Gonçalves3 and Rodrigo Ozorio1 1 CIIMAR - Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Portugal 2 IMAR - Institute of Marine Reasearch, Portugal 3 ICBAS - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Portugal Fish feeding is the main source of waste in aquaculture and is also responsible for most of the environmental impacts derived from this activity. The European Seabass Dicentrarchus labrax is one of the most farmed fishes in the continent, generating an important load of waste on the environment. The consumption of food in fishes is highly dependent on the water temperature and salinity, which create a source of variability on the amount of the ration consumed by fishes. This issue is often neglected by farmers, which aggravates the ration waste. The use of models in aquaculture is increasing in the recent years, and is an excellent tool to combine an increased production with the mitigation of environmental impacts. In this context, this study aimed at developing a predictive model of the D. labrax consumption rate in closed aquaculture systems. Based on the literature review we were able to develop a conceptual diagram and a prototype of the model using the STELLA software (isee®). The preliminary results indicated that the model was capable of predicting the ration consumption of the D. labrax according to the oscillations in the water temperature and salinity. The consumption rate and growth were higher at 21ºC and with a salinity of 28 psu. Laboratory assays are need to validate the models outputs, and they are scheduled to start in October 2015. Finally, the model’s structure, equations, inputs and outputs were integrated into an easy-to-use software developed by the FoodInTech® company, that will help farmers to increase their yields and reduce the waste of ration and the nutrient load on the environment. Acknowledgements This research was supported by project MODELFISH (31-03-01-FEP-0152), funded by PROMAR and co-funded by the European Fisheries Fund (EFF). This work was partially funded by AQUAIMPROV (reference NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000038), co-financed by the North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (ON.2 - O Novo Norte), under the National Strategic Reference Framework, through the European Regional Development Fund. Keywords: Aquaculture, modelling, Modelling and simulation, piscicultura, sotware Conference: XV European Congress of Ichthyology, Porto, Portugal, 7 Sep - 11 Sep, 2015. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Physiology, Behavior and Toxicology Citation: Souza AT, Martins I, Gonçalves JF and Ozorio R (2015). Predictive model of food intake of the Seabass Dicentrarchus labrax in closed aquaculture systems. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: XV European Congress of Ichthyology. doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2015.03.00216 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 09 Dec 2015; Published Online: 09 Dec 2015. * Correspondence: Dr. Allan T Souza, CIIMAR - Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Porto, 4050-543, Portugal, allantsouza@gmail.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Allan T Souza Irene Martins José F Gonçalves Rodrigo Ozorio Google Allan T Souza Irene Martins José F Gonçalves Rodrigo Ozorio Google Scholar Allan T Souza Irene Martins José F Gonçalves Rodrigo Ozorio PubMed Allan T Souza Irene Martins José F Gonçalves Rodrigo Ozorio Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Insights on the Reproduction and Embryonic Development of Garra rufa (Cyprinidae)

Event Abstract Back to Event Insights on the Reproduction and Embryonic Development of Garra rufa (Cyprinidae) Mónica R S Gomes1, Mafalda M R S Catarino1, Sílvia C Gonçalves1, 2 and Susana M F Ferreira1, 3* 1 MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, School of Tourism and Maritime Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Portugal 2 MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Portugal 3 CFE - Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal Garra rufa is a small freshwater benthopelagic cyprinid, originally from Southwest Asia, which has become economically relevant during the last decade. G. rufa is a worthy element to control algae growth in aquariophilia, but it is mostly known for its use in treatments of skin problems in spa’s and clinics. It was made an attempt to reproduce G. rufa in captivity, in order to respond to an increasing marketing demand for this fish, plus to get an insight on its reproductive biology and embryonic development. Groups of 5 G. rufa were inserted in twelve aquaria of 20 l, with an internal filter, aeration and placed in a controlled temperature room at 26ºC. A net placed 1.5 cm above the bottom prevented the fish from eating their own eggs. The fishes were fed three times per day and checked for the presence of eggs. The eggs were removed, placed on separate aquaria and photographed hourly at a Leica DM2000LED compound microscope, equipped with a Leica DMC2900 camera G. rufa showed almost no sexual dimorphism, except for the presence of tubercles on the snout of males, which appeared only during the reproduction period. Males were larger than females and executed high velocity persecutions after them. In a total of 28 postures, only 17 resulted in newly born fish. This was mostly due to fungal development around the eggs that caused the embryos to degenerate. There was a hatching success of 60%. The eggs showed no adhesive properties, being deposited on the bottom. The most prominent structures of the embryos were noticeable after: 3h - tail bud; 6h - optic primordium; 10h - heart beating; 15h - pectoral fins buds. They hatched between 24 to 48h and the larvae consumed the yolk sac in 48h. Acknowledgements This work was developed in the scope of the project “SpaGaRufa – Production of the fish Garra rufa for therapeutic purposes”, an Ignition Fund INOV C, co-financed by the Operational Programme of the Centre Region (+ CENTRO), National Strategic Reference Framework (QREN 2007-2013) and the European Fund for Regional Development, developed by GIRM-IPL – Group of Investigation in Marine Resources from the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria. Keywords: Aquaculture, Doctor fish, Growth, Embryonic Development, Cyprinid Conference: XV European Congress of Ichthyology, Porto, Portugal, 7 Sep - 11 Sep, 2015. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Physiology, Behavior and Toxicology Citation: R S Gomes M, M R S Catarino M, C Gonçalves S and M F Ferreira S (2015). Insights on the Reproduction and Embryonic Development of Garra rufa (Cyprinidae). Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: XV European Congress of Ichthyology. doi: 10.3389/conf.fmars.2015.03.00085 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 12 Nov 2015; Published Online: 17 Nov 2015. * Correspondence: Prof. Susana M F Ferreira, CFE - Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3001-401, Portugal, susana.ferreira@ipleiria.pt Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract Supplemental Data The Authors in Frontiers Mónica R S Gomes Mafalda M R S Catarino Sílvia C Gonçalves Susana M F Ferreira Google Mónica R S Gomes Mafalda M R S Catarino Sílvia C Gonçalves Susana M F Ferreira Google Scholar Mónica R S Gomes Mafalda M R S Catarino Sílvia C Gonçalves Susana M F Ferreira PubMed Mónica R S Gomes Mafalda M R S Catarino Sílvia C Gonçalves Susana M F Ferreira Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Estimation of the ideal dosage and feeding frequency for Garra rufa (Cyprinidae)

Event Abstract Back to Event Estimation of the ideal dosage and feeding frequency for Garra rufa (Cyprinidae) Mafalda M. R. S. Catarino1, Mónica R. S. Gomes1, Sílvia C. Gonçalves1, 2 and Susana M. F. Ferreira1, 3* 1 MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, School of Tourism and Maritime Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Portugal 2 MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Portugal 3 CFE - Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal Garra rufa are widely used in skin treatments at beauty and wellness institutes. This freshwater species is native from Eurasia and has a large distribution area, including river basins in Turkey and Iran. It has a high commercial value and arouse interest among fish farmers. Even so, G. rufa methods of production are still unknown. In fact, aspects that sustain a rapid and healthy growth of these fish need to be investigated, like an adequate daily dose and feeding frequency. This work aimed to establish: 1) the optimal feed dose per day, correspondent to the amount necessary for obtaining satiation, with a commercial granulated food; and 2) the optimal frequency of feeding for intensive production of G. rufa in Aquaculture. A total of 60 fishes underwent a 3 weeks acclimation period in laboratory, distributed by 6 aquaria, containing 10 fishes with similar body weight and length. The animals were initially fed with a dose correspondent to 10% of their body weight. This dose was gradually increased until complete satiation of the fishes. An optimal dose of 0.04 g fish-1 day-1 was found. Afterwards, the same fishes went through a 1 month experimental trial to evaluate the ideal feeding frequency. Fish growth was compared between feeding 0.2 g twice per day and 0.1333 g three times per day. Variations in size (total and fork length), plus body weight were evaluated at the end of the trial. One-Way ANOVA procedures revealed that the variations in weight and in fork length were similar between treatments, but the variation in total length was significantly higher with 3 daily feeding moments (p<0.05). In conclusion, the present results showed that the optimal dose that ensures satiation for G. rufa is 0.04 g fish-1 day-1 and that 3 daily feeding moments promotes higher growth rates. Acknowledgements This work was developed in the scope of the project “SpaGaRufa – Production of the fish Garra rufa for therapeutic purposes”, an Ignition Fund INOV C, co-financed by the Operational Programme of the Centre Region (+ CENTRO), National Strategic Reference Framework (QREN 2007-2013) and the European Fund for Regional Development, developed by GIRM-IPL – Group of Investigation in Marine Resources from the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria. Keywords: Aquaculture, Diet, Doctor fish, Growth, ad libitum Conference: XV European Congress of Ichthyology, Porto, Portugal, 7 Sep - 11 Sep, 2015. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Physiology, Behavior and Toxicology Citation: Catarino M, Gomes M, Gonçalves S and Ferreira S (2015). Estimation of the ideal dosage and feeding frequency for Garra rufa (Cyprinidae). Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: XV European Congress of Ichthyology. doi: 10.3389/conf.fmars.2015.03.00076 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 11 Nov 2015; Published Online: 17 Nov 2015. * Correspondence: Prof. Susana M. F. Ferreira, MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, School of Tourism and Maritime Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Peniche, 2520-641, Portugal, susana.ferreira@ipleiria.pt Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Mafalda M. R. S. Catarino Mónica R. S. Gomes Sílvia C. Gonçalves Susana M. F. Ferreira Google Mafalda M. R. S. Catarino Mónica R. S. Gomes Sílvia C. Gonçalves Susana M. F. Ferreira Google Scholar Mafalda M. R. S. Catarino Mónica R. S. Gomes Sílvia C. Gonçalves Susana M. F. Ferreira PubMed Mafalda M. R. S. Catarino Mónica R. S. Gomes Sílvia C. Gonçalves Susana M. F. Ferreira Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Some Considerations on the Sustainable Urban Development in Romania

(Promoting an integrated approach is important for sustainable urban development. Most priorities identified during 2007-2013 were not achieved due to the global financial crisis, but also because of the lack of mature projects concerning regional development. As during the previous period, much development needs remain unresolved, including the level of high pollution in the urban areas, vacant, unused and degraded urban areas corresponding to the cities of Romania, as well as valuable resources of cultural heritage which are poorly capitalized. ROP continues during 2014-2020 with a strategic vision on regional development in Romania, contained in the 2007-2013 National Development Plan (NDP), in the National Strategic Reference Framework 2007- 2013 (NSRF) and the POS R for 2014 -2020. The POR program will receive 6.7 billion Euros.

Early HIV diagnosis through use of rapid diagnosis test (RDT) in the community and direct link to HIV care: a pilot project for vulnerable populations in Athens, Greece.

IntroductionAn increase in the incidence of HIV new infections among intravenous drug users (IDUs) by 1500%, was noted in the center of Athens in 2011. Increasing problematic drug use, homelessness, health cuts amidst the economic crisis, have contributed to the epidemic. New cases doubled within a year, challenging the HIV care delivery system [1].Materials and MethodsA pilot project funded by the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2007–2013 of the European Union (EU), was launched from August 2012 to March 2014. It was a partnership between the HIV Clinic of Evangelismos Hospital and the NGO PRAKSIS. The project is aimed at offering early diagnosis and comprehensive care to hard to reach populations. RDT diagnosis through mobile units, direct linkage to care, elimination of waiting times, flexibility, psychosocial support and link to harm reduction services for active IDUs were offered to the beneficiaries.ResultsA total of 117 people enrolled in the program following HIV RDT offered by mobile units of the NGO PRAKSIS in community sites. Sixty-eight percent were IDUs, 12% were men who have sex with men (MSM) and 19.5% were heterosexuals. Men were 74.3% and women were 25.6%. Country born patients were 43.5% and non-country born patients were 56.4%. Nine people were HIV negative but needed post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), treatment for Hepatitis C and one test was false positive. Two deaths occurred and six people were deported. Of the remaining 100 patients, 84 enrolled in the care program. Of those 77% (65/84) remain in care for three months after the end of the project. Care retention was 73.5% (39/53) for IDUs, 91% (10/11) for MSM, 80% (16/20) for heterosexuals, 73% (25/35) for country born and 82% (40/49) for non-country born individuals. Among those that remain in care, 77.7% (42/54) with <350 CD4 are on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Among those on ART >90% have undetectable viral load. Mean value of CD4 cells at enrollment was 298 cells/mm3. At follow up, three months after the end of the program, the mean value of CD4 cells was 464 cells/mm3.ConclusionsThe project has proven the feasibility of a novel approach of active case finding in the community with direct link to care. Retention to care was satisfactory as most of those patients would not have been able to access care through the normal ART delivery mode of the Public Health System. However, more obstacles to care remain. Being homeless, poor nutrition, complicated access to harm reduction services, lack of One Stop Shop services and police operations in the city center impede further progress [2,3].

Keynote Presentations

Acknowledgements: It is acknowledged the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology for the financial support provided to the project Maxbone, PTDC/SAU-ENB/115179/2009. It is also acknowledged the RL2 – SCN - NORTE-01-0124-FEDER-000020, co-financed by North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (ON.2 – O Novo Norte), under the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Project Polaris.

ABSTRACT 2

Background and aims: Heat-shock-proteins (HSPs) act as inducers of interleukins (ILs) and stimulants for immune cells during SIRS. Little is known on the role of extracellular HSP72/HSP90 in sepsis (S) or severe sepsis/septic shock (SS). Aims: We determined serum HSP90/HSP72 and ILs in children with S or SS compared to SIRS (trauma) or healthy children (H). Methods: Critically ill children with S (n=15), SS (n=15) or SIRS (n=19) and H (n=16) were enrolled in the study. ELISA was used to evaluate HSPs and ILs, flow-cytometry to evaluate CD64 expression (IRB approved). Results: Only patients with SS compared to H had elevated HSP90 (670 ± 1300 vs. 59 ± 11pg/mL, p<0.0001), IL8 (1253 ± 2780 vs. 11 ± 9.7ng/mL, p<0.02), IL10 (148 ± 373 vs. 8 ± 9.8ng/mL, p<0.02), TNFα (41 ± 34 vs. 13 ± 3ng/mL, p<0.03), and a trend for HSP72 (95.5 ± 360 vs. 0.6 ± 1.8pg/mL, p<0.06). HSP90 related to CD64, IL8, IL10, CRP, PRISM, PELOD, TISS, LOS (p<0.001). Negatively to HDL related HSP72, HSP90, IL8 (p<0.001); negatively to LDL related HSP90, IL8, IL10 (p<0.02). In a logistic regression model, only HSP90 (among biomarkers or severity of illness scores) was independently associated with mortality (p<0.0001). Conclusions: Extracellular HSP90 levels are significantly elevated in children with septic shock and relate to CD64, IL8, IL10, severity of illness, and outcome. The negative correlations of HSPs and ILs with LDL or HDL need further elucidation. GRANT ACKNOWLEDGMENT. This research has been co-financed by the European Union (European Social Fund (ESF)) and Greek national funds through the Operational Program ‘‘Education and Lifelong Learning’’ of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF)-Research Funding Program: THALES.

ABSTRACT 603

Background and aims: The inducible 90-kDa-heat-shock-protein (HSP90α) is involved in the heat-shock (HS) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stress response. Aims: We investigated the LPS or HS HSP90α induction in cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of Severe Sepsis (SS) or SIRS patients compared to healthy-controls (H) and any possible modulating Glutamine (Gln)-effects. Methods: PBMCs from 11/H, 5/SS, 4/SIRS patients were incubated either without stimulation or with 1μg/ml LPS or 43oHS. In each group 3 experiments involved L-Ala-Gln10mM incubation 1h before (Gln-b) or after (Gln-a) induction, or none (640 measurements). Intracellular Mean Fluorescence Intensity (MFI) levels of monocytes (mHSP90α) or lymphocytes (lHSP90α) determined using Flow Cytometry. (IRB approved). Results: Baseline septic PBMCs express higher mHSP90α (147 ± 34 vs. 111 ± 21MFI p<0.04) and lHSP90α (75 ± 15 vs. 44 ± 7MFI, p<0.05) compared to H. In SS the LPS-induced lHSP90α (87 ± 41 vs. 75 ± 15MFI, p<0.02) and the HS-induced lHSP90α (86 ± 12 vs. 75 ± 15MFI, p<0.05) showed declining trends by Gln-a or Gln-b (78 ± 11MFI, p<0.05). In healthy, HS mainly induced lHSP90 (HS 59 ± 11 vs. LPS 48 ± 10MFI, p<0.04) but LPS mainly induced mHSP90α (LPS 142 ± 22 vs. HS 122 ± 19MFI, p<0.03). Gln did not influence these effects, the induction differences remaining unaltered in healthy controls. Conclusions: Septic PBMCs express higher baseline mHSP90α and lHSP90α, expression further induced by LPS or HS. Gln pre-treatment may attenuate the induced HSP90α only in septic PBMCs. Grant Acknowledgment: This research has been co-financed by the European Union (European Social Fund (ESF)) and Greek national funds through the Operational Program ‘‘Education and Lifelong Learning’’ of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF)-Research Funding Program: THALES.

The pros and cons of topographic surveys using terrestrial or airborne platforms and their applicability in ICZM

The pros and cons of topographic surveys using terrestrial or airborne platforms and their applicability in ICZM