EU regulations recommend effluent treatment and nutrient recycling for aquaculture sustainability, so a study was undertaken to provide base-line data for the integration of commercial fish-farm effluents with the production of microalgae. The project relates to a specific bivalve consumer (Tapes decussatus) and biofiltration. Effluent inorganic nutrient composition was assessed and evaluated as culture media for Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Tetraselmis suecica and Tetraselmis sp. Optimization of the microalgal compartment included studies on preparation of a simple medium, nutrient or dilution rate manipulation and nutrient removal. Cell harvest was increased chiefly by N correction (6-fold for Tetraselmis sp.) and semi-continuous or continuous operation (by a factor of 3 to 11). Nutrient removal efficiency was high for ammonium and nitrite-nitrogen (80-100%), depending on species, nutrient ratio (Si correction for P. tricornutum) and culture regime for nitrate (41-100%) or phosphorus (21-99%). Data obtained under cyclostat cultivation (yields of 1.38 and 0.50 × 10 6 P. tricornutum or Tetraselmis sp. cells mL −1 d −1 and nutrient uptake rates of 2.32 mg N L −1 d −1 and 0.96 mg P L −1 d −1 ) were used to show clam production and simultaneous wastewater treatment possibilities through the proposed fish-microalgae-clam integrated aquaculture system.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate projects submitted to an Animal Research Ethics Committee regarding the use of analgesia in experimental surgery. A total of 106 projects submitted to the Animal Research Ethics Committee were evaluated and the following information was collected: methodology of the surgical procedure, use of analgesia, justification of the non-use of analgesia and application of the degree of invasiveness. Of the projects evaluated, 64.2% used surgical techniques, of which 65.6% did not use analgesia postoperatively, with the main reason being that the analgesic could alter the results. In 17% of cases the classification of the degree of invasiveness was used in an irregular manner. The stimulation and dissemination of analgesia-related knowledge must stem from both the ethics committees responsible and researchers. Keywords: Bioethics. Laboratory animals. Experimental surgery. Resumo Analgesia de animais de laboratório: responsabilidade dos comitês de ética e obrigação dos pesquisadoresObjetivando avaliar projetos submetidos ao Comitê de Ética no Uso de Animais em relação ao uso de analgesia em cirurgia experimental de animais, este trabalho avaliou 106 projetos, coletando as seguintes informações: metodologia do procedimento cirúrgico, utilização de analgesia, justificativa do não uso de analgésico e aplicação do grau de invasividade. Dos projetos avaliados, 64,2% empregaram técnica cirúrgica. Destes, 65,6% não utilizaram analgesia no pós-operatório, sendo a principal justificativa a de que o analgésico poderia alterar os resultados; em 17%, empregou-se a classificação de grau de invasividade de forma irregular. Assim, o estímulo e a divulgação dos conhecimentos relacionados a analgesia devem partir tanto dos comitês responsáveis quanto do corpo de pesquisadores. Palavras-chave: Bioética. Animais de laboratório. Cirurgia experimental. ResumenAnalgesia de animales de laboratorio: responsabilidad de los comités de ética y obligación de los investigadores Con el objetivo de evaluar los proyectos presentados al Comité de Ética en el Uso de Animales con respecto al uso de la analgesia en cirugía experimental, este estudio evaluó 106 proyectos y obtuvo la siguiente información: la metodología de la intervención quirúrgica, el uso de la analgesia, la justificación de no utilizar analgésico y la aplicación del grado de invasividad. De los proyectos evaluados, un 64,2% empleó técnicas quirúrgicas, de los cuales un 65,6% no utilizó analgesia en el postoperatorio, justificando principalmente que el analgésico podría alterar los resultados, y en un 17% la clasificación del grado de invasividad se utilizó de manera irregular, por lo que la estimulación y la difusión de los conocimientos relacionados con la analgesia deben partir tanto de los comités responsables como del cuerpo de investigadores. Palabras clave: Bioética. Animales de laboratorio. Cirugía experimental.

Background: Immunisation remains critical in prevention of serious COVID-19 infection. This study aimed to characterise the prevalence of humoral and cellular immunity in patients on maintenance dialysis in a nephrology centre 8 months after vaccination onset. Methods: Real-world single-centre prevalence cross-sectional study enrolling patients on peritoneal and haemodialysis. Humoral response was measured as specific IgG (anti-spike protein receptor-binding domain IgG) and cellular response as T cell reactivity through interferon γ quantification as response to antigen. Results: Of the 86 patients enrolled, 79.4% and 84.1% showed humoral and cellular immunity, respectively. Anti-spike protein receptor-binding domain IgG correlated with specific T cell reactivity (ρ=0.58; p<0.001). Vaccinated patients with associated high comorbidity burden and low serum albumin were at risk of absent immunity (p<0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of humoral and cellular immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in vaccinated Portuguese patients on maintenance dialysis is high. High comorbidity burden and low serum albumin are risk factors for absent immune response.

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Purpose: To evaluate incisional surgical wound healing in rats using Rose Hip (Rosa rubiginosa L.) oil.