Influence of inoculum on performance of anaerobic reactors for treating municipal solid waste

The influence of bovine rumen fluid inoculum during anaerobic treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) was studied in this work. The parameters adopted for evaluation were the biostabilization constant of total volatile solids (TVs) and the biostabilization time of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) applied to the reactors. The work was realized in four anaerobic batch reactors of 20 1 capacity each, during a period of 365 days. The proportions between MSW/inoculum loaded in the reactors were Reactor A (100%/0%), Reactor B (95%/5%), Reactor C (90%/10%) and Reactor D (85%/15%). The necessary time for biostabilization of half of the applied COD was 459, 347, 302 and 234 days and the average of methane concentration in the biogas produced was 3.6%, 13.0%, 25.0% and 42.6% for Reactors A, B, C and D, respectively. The data obtained affirm that the inoculum used substantially improved the performance of the process. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

O gênero masculino e a arte de cuidar de si mesmo

Vários estudos comparativos entre os sexos masculino e feminino comprovaram o fato de que o primeiro é mais vulnerável às doenças, sobretudo às enfermidades graves e crônicas e que morre mais precocemente. A despeito da maior vulnerabilidade e das altas taxas de morbimortalidade, os homens não buscam, como as mulheres, os serviços de atenção básica. O presente estudo buscou compreender como os homens freqüentadores de uma Unidade Básica de Saúde (UBS) se comportam em relação aos cuidados com a sua saúde. Foi realizado em um Centro de Saúde Escola (CSE), Unidade Auxiliar de uma Universidade de uma cidade do interior do Estado de São Paulo, inserido na rede Municipal de Saúde do município. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, qualitativa e quantitativa. A organização dos dados qualitativos foi baseada na Análise de Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo (DSC), sendo que a obtenção dos discursos ocorreu através de uma entrevista semi-estruturada. Na parte qualitativa, a constituição da amostra foi por conveniência e foram selecionados 15 sujeitos do gênero masculino, maiores de 18 anos, que compareceram na UBS para um atendimento eventual ou para um atendimento pré-agendado. Na parte quantitativa, a constituição da amostra foi ao acaso, sendo sorteados 459 prontuários de usuários do sexo masculino, com 18 anos ou mais, que foram atendidos no período de Janeiro a Dezembro de 2009 para serem analisados através da estatística descritiva. Além disso, foram utilizadas as planilhas referentes às campanhas de vacinação contra a Gripe Pandêmica (H1N1) e Gripe Sazonal (Influenza) para a obtenção do número dos usuários do sexo masculino, de 20 anos ou mais, que participaram dessas campanhas no período de Janeiro a Julho de 2010. Em relação aos dados de caracterização dos indivíduos da amostra selecionada observamos que a faixa etária foi de 50 a 59 ano... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)

Avaliação do índice de Litle em indivíduos que utilizaram o aparelho funcional T4K

The study aimed to assess the degree of dental crowding correction on the lower anterior region of patients treated with T4k functional appliance using Little’s irregularity index. Twenty caucasian patients of both gender (10 female and 10 male) were selected. They featured malocclusion Class I and II in mixed dentition, with chronological age between 5.7 and 11 years. The treatment lasted from 1 year and 11 months up to 3 years and 11 months. Lower anterior crowding was measured using Little’s irregularity index. Measurements were obtained on study models achieved before and after functional orthopedic therapy, using a digital caliper in millimeters and placed parallel to the occlusal plane. Overjet and overbite measurements were also performed using a caliper. Results demonstrated that the therapy provided significant decrease in overjet (average = 1.55 mm) and also in the irregularity index (average = 1.23 mm). There was a nonsignificant raise in overbite. There was no relation between the studied variables and the treatment period or even with the patient’s age in the beginning of the therapy. The treatment with T4k resulted on reduction and improvement of dental crowding.

The evolution of a Pluto-like system during the migration of the ice giants

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A synergistic combination of reduced graphene oxide and antimony nanoparticles for estriol hormone detection

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Anti-inflammatory effects of Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia paniculata) on TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation: experimental evidence

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing, idiopathic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Clinical studies suggest that the initiation of IBD is multifactorial, involving genetics, the immune system and environmental factors, such as diet, drugs and stress. Pfaffia paniculata is an adaptogenic medicinal plant used in Brazilian folk medicine as an anti-stress agent. Thus, we hypothesised that the P. paniculata enhances the response of animals subjected to colonic inflammation. Our aim was to investigate the intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of P. paniculata in rats before or after induction of intestinal inflammation using trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS). The animals were divided into groups that received the vehicle, prednisolone or P. paniculata extract daily starting 14days before or 7days after TNBS induction. At the end of the procedure, the animals were killed and their colons were assessed for the macroscopic damage score (MDS), extent of the lesion (EL) and weight/length ratio, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and glutathione (GSH), cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Histological evaluation and ultrastructural analysis of the colonic samples were performed. Treatment with the 200mg/kg dose on the curative schedule was able to reduce the MDS and the EL. In addition, MPO activity was reduced, GSH levels were maintained, and the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and CRP were decreased. In conclusion, the protective effect of P. paniculata was related to reduced oxidative stress and CRP colonic levels, and due to immunomodulatory activity as evidenced by reduced levels of IL-1β, INF-γ, TNF-α and IL-6.

Brazilian soccer players and no-players adolescents: effect of the maturity status on the physical capacity components performance

The aim of this study was to compare the speed and the agility between Brazilian soccer players and non-players, regarding maturity status in adolescents 11-15 years old. Forty and two soccer players (age – 159.30±17.28 months old; weight – 48.45±9.96 kg; height – 1.53±0.10 m) and 45 non-players (age – 162.62±24.92 months old; weight – 48.30±8.35 kg; height – 1.54±0.12 m) participated of this study. Participants were classified by maturity status. On 2 different days with 1 week of differences between the assessments the participants were evaluated the agility, by Shuttle Run test, and the speed, by 30 m maximum speed test. The results showed that the maturity status was an influential factor in the performance with better results for individuals in a more advanced stage. The soccer practice does not seem to interfere in the performance of the physical capacity components analyzed, only effective when different maturity levels are involved in the analysis. It is also possible that late maturing boys selectively drop-out of soccer as age and sport specialization increase.

Equipamentos de pulverização associados a volumes de calda e avaliados por alvos artificiais em cafeeiro

The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of spray droplet spectrum on coffee tree, by using different equipments and syrup volumes. The experiment was set up in a coffee farm, Acaiá variety, Campos Gerais city, MG, Brazil. The treatments were three syrup volumes (150, 300 and 600 L/ha). The lower volume was sprayed with the pneumatic sprayer Martignani, Whirlwind B612 Autonom-Trac mode, and the other volume rates using the conventional hydraulic sprayer to coffee tree. It was possible concludes that the spray volume can be reduced in applications on coffee tree using the pneumatic sprayer.

Impacto do exercício físico combinado na função diastólica de pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca e fração de ejeção reduzida

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)