Experimento para quantificar a eficiência de aspersão de líquidos: aplicação em distribuidores espinha de peixe

This paper describes a device developed on the pilot scale and a simple approach to compare liquid distributor efficiencies. The technique consists basically of analyzing the mass of the liquid collected in 21 vertical pipes measuring 52 mm in internal diameter and 800 mm in length placed in a quadratic arrangement and positioned below the distributor A 50 mm thick acrylic blanket that does not disperse liquids was placed between the distributor and the pipe bank to avoid splashes. Assays were carried out with ladder-type distributors equipped with 4 parallel pipes each for a column measuring 400 nun in diameter as an example of the application. The number (n) of orifices (95, 127, and 159 orifices/m(2)), orifice diameter (d) (2, 3, and 4 mm) and the flowrate (q) (1.2; 1.4; and 1.6 m(3)/h) were varied. The best spread efficiency, which presented the lowest standard deviation, was achieved with 159 orifices, 2 mm and 1.4 m(3)/h. The pressure (p) at the distributor inlet for this condition was only 51000 Pa (0.51 kgf/cm(2)), while the average velocity (v) was 6.3 m/s in each orifice. These results show some limitations of the practical rules used in distributor designs.

Sensory phenomena associated with repetitive behaviors in obsessive-compulsive disorder: An exploratory study of 1001 patients

A substantial number of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) report compulsions that are preceded not by obsessions but by subjective experiences known as sensory phenomena. This study aimed to investigate the frequency, severity, and age at onset of sensory phenomena in OCD, as well as to compare OCD patients with and without sensory phenomena in terms of clinical characteristics. We assessed 1,001 consecutive OCD patients, using instruments designed to evaluate the frequency/severity of OC symptoms, tics, anxiety, depression, level of insight and presence/severity of sensory phenomena. All together, 651 (65.0%) subjects reported at least one type of sensory phenomena preceding the repetitive behaviors. Considering the sensory phenomena subtypes, 371 (57.0%) patients had musculoskeletal sensations, 519 (79.7%) had externally triggered "just-right" perceptions, 176 (27.0%) presented internally triggered "just right," 144 (22.1%) had an "energy release," and 240 (36.9%) patients had an "urge only" phenomenon. Sensory phenomena were described as being as more severe than were obsessions by 102(15.7%) patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that the following characteristics were associated with the presence of sensory phenomena: higher frequency and greater severity of the symmetry/ordering/arranging and contamination/washing symptom dimensions; comorbid Tourette syndrome, and a family history of tic disorders. These data suggest that sensory phenomena constitute a poorly understood psychopathological aspect of OCD that merits further investigation. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neither bipolar nor obsessive-compulsive disorder: compulsive buyers are impulsive acquirers

Introduction: Compulsive buying (CB) is currently classified as an impulse control disorder (ICD) not otherwise classified. Compulsive buying prevalence is estimated at around 5% of the general population. There is controversy about whether CB should be classified as an ICD, a subsyndromal bipolar disorder (BD), or an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) akin to a hoarding syndrome. To further investigate the appropriate classification of CB, we compared patients with CB, BD, and OCD for impulsivity, affective instability, hoarding, and other OCD symptoms. Method: Eighty outpatients (24 CB, 21 BD, and 35 OCD) who were neither manic nor hypomanic were asked to fill out self-report questionnaires. Results: Compulsive buying patients scored significantly higher on all impulsivity measures and on acquisition but not on the hoarding subdimensions of clutter and "difficulty discarding." Patients with BD scored higher on the mania dimension from the Structured Clinical Interview for Mood Spectrum scale. Patients with OCD scored higher on obsessive-compulsive symptoms and, particularly, higher on the contamination/washing and checking dimensions from the Padua Inventory; however, they did not score higher on any hoarding dimension. A discriminant model built with these variables correctly classified patients with CB (79%), BD (71%), and OCD (77%). Conclusion: Patients with CB came out as impulsive acquirers, resembling ICD- rather than BD- or OCD-related disorders. Manic symptoms were distinctive of patients with BD. Hoarding symptoms other than acquisition were not particularly associated with any diagnostic group. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

THE STABILITY OF FROZEN MINCED AFRICAN CATFISH

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the stability (-18 degrees C) of minced African catfish (MF) for 180 days. Microbiological aspects, lipid oxidation, and total volatile nitrogenous bases (TVB-N) of the MF were determined with and without washing. Washing of the MF caused an increase in moisture content, decrease in proteins, and leaching of the compounds responsible for lipid oxidation. The TVB-N remained stable during the storage period. The microbiological parameters of the MF remained within the legal limits. Thus, a 180-days storage period does not affect the quality of MF and could be a good alternative for the exploitation of this species in Brazil.

Towards a post-traumatic subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder

We evaluated whether traumatic events are associated with a distinctive pattern of socio-demographic and clinical features of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We compared socio-demographic and clinical features of 106 patients developing OCD after post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; termed post-traumatic OCD), 41 patients developing OCD before PTSD (pre-traumatic OCD), and 810 OCD patients without any history of PTSD (non-traumatic OCD) using multinomial logistic regression analysis. A later age at onset of OCD, self-mutilation disorder, history of suicide plans, panic disorder with agoraphobia, and compulsive buying disorder were independently related to post-traumatic OCD. In contrast, earlier age at OCD onset, alcohol-related disorders, contamination-washing symptoms, and self-mutilation disorder were all independently associated with pre-traumatic OCD. In addition, patients with post-traumatic OCD without a previous history of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) showed lower educational levels, greater rates of contamination-washing symptoms, and more severe miscellaneous symptoms as compared to post-traumatic OCD patients with a history of OCS. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In Vitro Photodynamic Inactivation of Cryptococcus neoformans Melanized Cells with Chloroaluminum Phthalocyanine Nanoemulsion

The selection of fungi resistant to currently used fungicides and the emergence of new pathogenic species make the development of alternative fungus-control techniques highly desirable. Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) is a promising method which combines a nontoxic photosensitizer (PS) with visible light to cause selective killing of microbial cells. The development of PACT to treat mycoses or kill fungi in the environment depends on identifying effective PS for the different pathogenic species and delivery systems able to expand and optimize their use. In the present study, the in vitro susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans melanized cells to the photodynamic effects of the PS agent ClAlPc in nanoemulsion (ClAlPc/NE) was examined. Cells were killed in a PS concentration- and light dose-dependent manner. Treatment with ClAlPc/NE, using PS concentrations (e.g. 4.5 mu m) and light doses (e.g. 10 J cm-2) compatible with PACT, resulted in a reduction of up to 6 logs in survival. Washing the cells to remove unbound PS before light exposure did not inhibit fungal photodynamic inactivation. Internalization of ClAlPc by C.neoformans was confirmed by confocal fluorescence microscopy, and the degree of uptake was dependent on PS concentration.

Induction of cellulase and hemicellulase activities of Thermoascus aurantiacus by xylan hydrolyzed products

Thermoascus aurantiacus is able to secrete most of the hemicellulolytic and cellulolytic enzymes. To establish the xylanase inducers of T. aurantiacus, the mycelia were first grown on glucose up until the end of the exponential growth phase, followed by washing and re-suspension in a basal medium without a carbon source. Pre-weighed amounts of xylose (final concentration of 3.5 mg/ml), xylobiose (7 mg/ml) and hydrolyzed xylan from sugarcane bagasse (HXSB) which contained xylose, xylobiose and xylotriose (6.8 mg/ml) were evaluated as inducers of xylanase. It was observed that xylose did not suppress enzyme induction of T. aurantiacus when used in low concentrations, regardless of whether it was inoculated with xylobiose. Xylobiose promoted fast enzyme production stopping after 10 h, even at a low consumption rate of the carbon source; therefore xylobiose appears to be the natural inducer of xylanase. In HXSB only a negligible xylanase activity was determined. Xylose present in HXSB was consumed within the first 10 h while xylobiose was partially hydrolyzed at a slow rate. The profile of alpha-arabinofuranosidase induction was very similar in media induced with xylobiose or HXSB, but induction with xylose showed some positive effects as well. The production profile for the xylanase was accompanied by low levels of cellulolytic activity. In comparison, growth in HXSB resulted in different profiles of both xylanase and cellulase production, excluding the possibility of xylanase acting as endoglucanases.

Mass balance of pilot-scale pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse by steam explosion followed by alkaline delignification

Five pilot-scale steam explosion pretreatments of sugarcane bagasse followed by alkaline delignification were explored. The solubilised lignin was precipitated with 98% sulphuric acid. Most of the pentosan (82.6%), and the acetyl group fractions were solubilised during pretreatment, while 90.2% of cellulose and 87.0% lignin were recovered in the solid fraction. Approximately 91% of the lignin and 72.5% of the pentosans contained in the steam-exploded solids were solubilised by delignification, resulting in a pulp with almost 90% of cellulose. The acidification of the black liquors allowed recovery of 48.3% of the lignin contained in the raw material. Around 14% of lignin, 22% of cellulose and 26% of pentosans were lost during the process. In order to increase material recovery, major changes, such as introduction of efficient condensers and the reduction in the number of washing steps, should be done in the process setup. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epidemiological, parasitological and molecular aspects of Giardia duodenalis infection in children attending public daycare centers in southeastern Brazil

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, associated risk factors and genotype of Giardia duodenalis infection in children attending public daycare centers in the city of Araguari, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Fecal samples were collected from 245 children aged 0-5 years, and questionnaires were asked about sociodemographic and hygiene-related characteristics. At the daycare centers where children tested positive, fecal samples were collected from the staff handling food, and from family members and domestic animals. Positive samples were analyzed at the dehydrogenase glutamate (gdh) locus to determine the genotype. The prevalence of G. duodenalis was 51.8%, and drinking unfiltered and unboiled water (OR 2.12, CI 1.26-3.69, p<0.001) and washing hands only with water (OR 2.14, Cl 1.19-4.04, p<0.001) were related risk factors. No association was found between test-positive children anti their family members, domestic animals and food handlers. An analysis of the sequences of 30 samples revealed that they all belonged to genotype B. (C) 2012 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.