Effects of dredging operations on sediment quality: contaminant mobilization in dredged sediments from the Port of Santos, SP, Brazil

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

Ecotoxicological assessment of sediments from the Port of Santos and the disposal sites of dredged material

A dragagem dos sedimentos do Canal de Santos é necessária para permitir o trânsito de navios que operam no Porto de Santos. As áreas de disposição do material dragado estão situadas na zona costeira, em frente à Baía de Santos. Este estudo visou avaliar a qualidade dos sedimentos do Canal de Santos e das áreas de disposição atuais e antigas, utilizando testes de toxicidade de sedimento integral com anfípodos e de toxicidade de elutriatos com embriões de ouriço do mar. As amostras do Canal de Santos foram consideradas as mais tóxicas: todas as amostras dessa área foram consideradas significativamente tóxicas. Além disso, algumas amostras das áreas de disposição exibiram toxicidade. Os resultados mostraram, portanto, que os sedimentos apresentam evidências de degradação em sua qualidade, porém novos estudos devem ser conduzidos visando determinar as relações entre contaminação e toxicidade. Os resultados sugerem ainda que a disposição dos sedimentos dragados deva ser reavaliada.

Contamination of port zone sediments by metals from Large Marine Ecosystems of Brazil

Sediment contamination by metals poses risks to coastal ecosystems and is considered to be problematic to dredging operations. In Brazil, there are differences in sedimentology along the Large Marine Ecosystems in relation to the metal distributions. We aimed to assess the extent of Al, Fe, Hg, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn contamination in sediments from port zones in northeast (Mucuripe and Pecem) and southeast (Santos) Brazil through geochemical analyses and sediment quality ratings. The metal concentrations found in these port zones were higher than those observed in the continental shelf or the background values in both regions. In the northeast, metals were associated with carbonate, while in Santos, they were associated with mud. Geochemical analyses showed enrichments in Hg, Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn, and a simple application of international sediment quality guidelines failed to predict their impacts, whereas the use of site-specific values that were derived by geochemical and ecotoxicological approaches seemed to be more appropriate in the management of the dredged sediments. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stabilizability and Disturbance Rejection with State-Derivative Feedback

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Dynamic Tracking with Zero Variation and Disturbance Rejection Applied to Discrete-Time Systems

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

Maximum entropy, fractal dimension and lacunarity in quantification of cellular rejection in myocardial biopsy of patients submitted to heart transplantation

This paper presents a method for the quantification of cellular rejection in endomyocardial biopsies of patients submitted to heart transplant. The model is based on automatic multilevel thresholding, which employs histogram quantification techniques, histogram slope percentage analysis and the calculation of maximum entropy. The structures were quantified with the aid of the multi-scale fractal dimension and lacunarity for the identification of behavior patterns in myocardial cellular rejection in order to determine the most adequate treatment for each case.

Homomorphic self-incompatibility, with stylar rejection site, in Luehea grandiflora Mart. and Zucc. (Tiliaceae-Malvaceae s.l.)

The breeding system of Luehea grandiflora (Tiliaceae-Malvaceae s.l.) was investigated using hand pollinations and fluorescence microscopy studies of pollen tube growth. Although selfed flowers persisted for some 10 days, our study indicates that L. grandiflora is self-incompatible, with self pollen tube inhibition in the upper style, as occurs in many taxa with homomorphic, gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI). L. grandiflora is only the second species reported within the Malvales with homomorphic stylar inhibition. This result is discussed within the context of a report for self-compatibility in this species, and we also consider the phylogenetic implications for the occurrence of GSI in the family Malvaceae s.l.

Human leukocyte antigen-G expression after kidney transplantation is associated with a reduced incidence of rejection

HLA-G is a non-classic Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA-G) Class I of low polymorphism and restricted tissue distribution that displays tolerogenic functions. In heart transplantation and in combined liver/renal allograft transplantation, the expression of HLA-G has been associated with a lower incidence of acute graft rejection episodes and absence of chronic dysfunction. Since the expression of HLA-G in renal biopsies has been investigated only in few patients who received a combined kidney and liver transplant, in this study we performed a cross-sectional study, systematically comparing the expression of HLA-G in post-transplanted renal grafts, stratifying patients according to the presence or absence of rejection.Patients and Methods: Seventy-three renal specimens (10 with acute rejection and 13 with chronic allograft nephropathy, and 50 with no signs of rejection) were immunohistochemically evaluated for HLA-G expression.Results: In the group as a whole, HLA-G molecules were detected in 40 cases (54.8%). Among specimens that presented HLA-G expression, 2 out of 40 (5%) exhibited acute rejection, 2 (5%) exhibited chronic allograft nephropathy, and the remaining 36 (90%) exhibited no signs of rejection. The comparison between patients with rejection and those without rejection showed that the expression of HLA-G was significantly increased in specimens exhibiting no signs of rejection (p<0.0001). Considering only patients with acute rejection, 8 out of 10 patients showed no HLA-G expression in their kidney biopsies when compared to patients exhibiting no signs of rejection and absence of HLA-G was observed in 14 out of 50 (p=0.0032). Similarly, considering only patients with chronic allograft nephropathy, absence of HLA-G expression was observed in I I out of 13 specimens, whereas in patients without rejection absence of HLA-G was observed in 14 out of 50 (p=0.003). Therapy with tacrolimus was significantly associated with the expression of HLA-G and a better graft prognosis. Conclusions: Our results suggest that HLA-G expression in the kidney allograft and the use of tacrolimus are associated with a lower frequency of acute renal rejection and chronic allograft nephropathy. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synchronous machines parameters identification using load rejection test data

This work shows a computational methodology for the determination of synchronous machines parameters using load rejection test data. The quadrature axis parameters are obtained with a rejection under an arbitrary reference, reducing the present difficulties.

Identification of synchronous machine parameters using load rejection test data

This work shows a computational methodology for the determination of synchronous machines parameters using load rejection test data. By machine modeling one can obtain the quadrature parameters through a load rejection under an arbitrary reference, reducing the present difficulties. The proposed method is applied to a real machine.

In situ expression of mononuclear cell markers and interleukin-2 receptor in renal allograft biopsies of acute rejection and borderline cases

The correct diagnosis of renal allograft rejection may be difficult using only clinical and/or histopathological criteria. Immunological assays should be considered in order to evaluate the phenotype of inflammatory infiltrate in renal allograft biopsies. Immunohistochemical studies were performed to detect mononuclear cells, CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, macrophages, null cells, and positive cells for interleukin-2 receptors. A total of 41 allograft biopsies classified into three groups were studied: acute cellular rejection (28 biopsies/22 patients), borderline (7 biopsies/5 patients) and control (6 biopsies/6 patients). In the rejection group (RG), increased cellularity was found mainly at the tubulo-interstitial level. Expression of CD8 positive cells was higher in RG when compared to borderline (BG) and control (CG) groups, respectively (0.9 vs. 0.0 vs. 0.35 cells/mm2; p < 0.001). Expression of macrophages was not statistically significant among the three groups (RG = 0.6 vs. BG = 0.2 vs. CG = 0.0 cells/mm2; p < 0.02). In the BG, CD4 + cells predominated (BG = 0.2 vs. RG = 0.05 vs. CG = 0.0 cells/mm2; p < 0.05). Clinically these patients were treated as cases of acute rejection. The numbers and different types of infiltrating cells did not correlate with patient's clinical outcome. Copyright © Informa Healthcare.