Start-up of horizontal anaerobic reactors with sludge blanket and fixed bed for wastewater treatment from coffee processing by wet method

In this study it was evaluated the start-up procedures of anaerobic treatment system with three horizontal anaerobic reactors (R1, R2 and R3), installed in series, with volume of 1.2 L each. R1 had sludge blanket, and R2 and R3 had half supporter of bamboo and coconut fiber, respectively. As an affluent, it was synthesized wastewater from mechanical pulping of the coffee fruit by wet method, with a mean value of total chemical oxygen demand (CODtotal) of 16,003 mg L-1. The hydraulic retention time (HRT) in each reactor was 30 h. The volumetric organic loading (VOL) applied in R1 varied from 8.9 to 25.0 g of CODtotal (L d)-1. The mean removal efficiencies of CODtotal varied from 43 to 97% in the treatment system (R1+R2+R3), stabilizing above 80% after 30 days of operation. The mean content of methane in the biogas were of 70 to 76%, the mean volumetric production was 1.7 L CH4 (L reactor d)-1 in the system, and the higher conversions were around at 0.20 L CH4 (g CODremoved)-1 in R1 and R2. The mean values of pH in the effluents ranged from 6.8 to 8.3 and the mean values of total volatile acids remained below 200 mg L-1 in the effluent of R3. The concentrations of total phenols of the affluent ranged from 45 to 278 mg L-1, and the mean removal efficiency was of 52%. The start-up of the anaerobic treatment system occurred after 30 days of operation as a result of inoculation with anaerobic sludge with active microbiota.

Validation study of an overall radiation balance estimation method under Ponta Grossa (PR) Brazil weather conditions

Radiation balance is the fraction of incident solar radiation upon earth surface which is available to be used in several natural processes, such as biological metabolism, water loss by vegetated surfaces, variation of temperature in farming systems and organic decomposition. The present study aimed to assess and validate the performance of two estimation models for Rn in Ponta Grossa city, Paraná State, Brazil. To this end, during the period of 04/01/2008 to 04/30/2011, from radiometric data collected by an automatic weather station set at the Experimental Station, of the State University of Ponta Grossa. We performed a linear regression study by confrontation between measurements made through radiometric balance and Rn estimates obtained from Brunt classical method, and the proposed method. Both models showed excellent performance and were confirmed by the statistical parameters applied. However, the alternative method has the advantage of requiring only global solar radiation values, temperature, and relative humidity.

Method adjustment and equation set of maximum rainfall intensity, duration and frequency in the Mato Grosso do Sul State

Due to the lack of information concerning maximum rainfall equations for most locations in Mato Grosso do Sul State, the alternative for carrying out hydraulic work projects has been information from meteorological stations closest to the location in which the project is carried out. Alternative methods, such as 24 hours rain disaggregation method from rainfall data due to greater availability of stations and longer observations can work. Based on this approach, the objective of this study was to estimate maximum rainfall equations for Mato Grosso do Sul State by adjusting the 24 hours rain disaggregation method, depending on data obtained from rain gauge stations from Dourado and Campo Grande. For this purpose, data consisting of 105 rainfall stations were used, which are available in the ANA (Water Resources Management National Agency) database. Based on the results we concluded: the intense rainfall equations obtained by pluviogram analysis showed determination coefficient above 99%; and the performance of 24 hours rain disaggregation method was classified as excellent, based on relative average error WILMOTT concordance index (1982).

Modified method for bronchial suture by Ramirez Gama compared to separate stitches suture: experimental study

OBJECTIVE: To experimentally compare two classic techniques described for manual suture of the bronchial stump.METHODS: We used organs of pigs, with isolated trachea and lungs, preserved by refrigeration. We dissected 30 bronchi, which were divided into three groups of ten bronchi each, of 3mm, 5mm, and 7mm, respectively. In each, we performed the suture with simple, separated, extramucosal stitches in five other bronchi, and the technique proposed by Ramirez and modified by Santos et al in the other five. Once the sutures were finished, the anastomoses were tested using compressed air ventilation, applying an endotracheal pressure of 20mmHg.RESULTS: the Ramirez Gama suture was more effective in the bronchi of 3, 5 and 7 mm, and there was no air leak even after subjecting them to a tracheal pressure of 20mmHg. The simple interrupted sutures were less effective, with extravasation in six of the 15 tested bronchi, especially in the angles of the sutures. These figures were not significant (p = 0.08).CONCLUSION: manual sutures of the bronchial stumps were more effective when the modified Ramirez Gama suture was used in the caliber bronchi arms when tested with increased endotracheal pressure.

Transoperative refusion: a simple and safe method in emergency surgery

The objective is to reinforce the importance of blood reinfusion as a cheap, safe and simple method, which can be used in small hospitals, especially those in which there is no blood bank. Moreover, even with the use of devices that perform the collection and filtration of blood, more recent studies show that the cost-benefit ratio is much better when autologous transfusion is compared with blood transfusions, even when there is injury to hollow viscera and blood contamination. It is known that the allogeneic blood transfusion carries a number of risks to patients, among them are the coagulation disorders mediated by excess enzymes in the conserved blood, and deficiency in clotting factors, mainly the Factor V, the proacelerin. Another factor would be the risk of contamination with still unknown pathogens or that are not investigated during screening for selection of donors, such as the West Nile Fever and Creutzfeldt-Jacob, better known as "Mad Cow" disease. Comparing both methods, we conclude that blood autotransfusion has numerous advantages over heterologous transfusion, even in large hospitals. We are not against blood transfusions, just do not agree that the patient's own blood is discarded without making sure there will be enough blood in stock to get him out of the hemorrhagic shock.

Comparison of two methods of tear sampling for protein quantification by Bradford method

The aim of this study was to compare two methods of tear sampling for protein quantification. Tear samples were collected from 29 healthy dogs (58 eyes) using Schirmer tear test (STT) strip and microcapillary tubes. The samples were frozen at -80ºC and analyzed by the Bradford method. Results were analyzed by Student's t test. The average protein concentration and standard deviation from tears collected with microcapillary tube were 4.45mg/mL ±0.35 and 4,52mg/mL ±0.29 for right and left eyes respectively. The average protein concentration and standard deviation from tears collected with Schirmer Tear Test (STT) strip were and 54.5mg/mL ±0.63 and 54.15mg/mL ±0.65 to right and left eyes respectively. Statistically significant differences (p<0.001) were found between the methods. In the conditions in which this study was conducted, the average protein concentration obtained with the Bradford test from tear samples obtained by Schirmer Tear Test (STT) strip showed values higher than those obtained with microcapillary tube. It is important that concentration of tear protein pattern values should be analyzed according the method used to collect tear samples.

QT interval in healthy dogs: which method of correcting the QT interval in dogs is appropriate for use in small animal clinics?

The electrocardiography (ECG) QT interval is influenced by fluctuations in heart rate (HR) what may lead to misinterpretation of its length. Considering that alterations in QT interval length reflect abnormalities of the ventricular repolarisation which predispose to occurrence of arrhythmias, this variable must be properly evaluated. The aim of this work is to determine which method of correcting the QT interval is the most appropriate for dogs regarding different ranges of normal HR (different breeds). Healthy adult dogs (n=130; German Shepherd, Boxer, Pit Bull Terrier, and Poodle) were submitted to ECG examination and QT intervals were determined in triplicates from the bipolar limb II lead and corrected for the effects of HR through the application of three published formulae involving quadratic, cubic or linear regression. The mean corrected QT values (QTc) obtained using the diverse formulae were significantly different (ρ<0.05), while those derived according to the equation QTcV = QT + 0.087(1- RR) were the most consistent (linear regression). QTcV values were strongly correlated (r=0.83) with the QT interval and showed a coefficient of variation of 8.37% and a 95% confidence interval of 0.22-0.23 s. Owing to its simplicity and reliability, the QTcV was considered the most appropriate to be used for the correction of QT interval in dogs.

Standardization of metachromatic staining method of myofibrillar ATPase activity of myosin to skeletal striated muscle of mules and donkeys

This study aims at standardizing the pre-incubation and incubation pH and temperature used in the metachromatic staining method of myofibrillar ATPase activity of myosin (mATPase) used for asses and mules. Twenty four donkeys and 10 mules, seven females and three males, were used in the study. From each animal, fragments from the Gluteus medius muscle were collected and percutaneous muscle biopsy was performed using a 6.0-mm Bergström-type needle. In addition to the metachromatic staining method of mATPase, the technique of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide tetrazolium reductase (NADH-TR) was also performed to confirm the histochemical data. The histochemical result of mATPase for acidic pre-incubation (pH=4.50) and alkaline incubation (pH=10.50), at a temperature of 37ºC, yielded the best differentiation of fibers stained with toluidine blue. Muscle fibers were identified according to the following colors: type I (oxidative, light blue), type IIA (oxidative-glycolytic, intermediate blue) and type IIX (glycolytic, dark blue). There are no reports in the literature regarding the characterization and distribution of different types of muscle fibers used by donkeys and mules when performing traction work, cargo transportation, endurance sports (horseback riding) and marching competitions. Therefore, this study is the first report on the standardization of the mATPase technique for donkeys and mules.

Evaluation of bursal lymphoid depletion: comparison between the conventional histology method and digital lymphocyte depletion evaluation system

Abstract: Fifty-five bursa of Fabricius (BF) were evaluated by optical microscopy for three different avian histopathologists (H1, H3 and H4) to determine the degree of lymphoid depletion. One histologist evaluated the same slides at two different times (H1 and H2) with four-months interval between the observations. The same BFs were evaluated using the system of Digital Lymphocyte Depletion Evaluation (ADDL), being performed by three differents operators of the system, not histopathologists. The results showed was a significant difference between the histopathologists and between the scores established by the same expert (H1 and H2). However, there were not significant differences between the scores with the ADDL system, obtained using ADDL. The results make clear the fragility of the subjective lymphocyte depletion score classification by the traditional histologic method, while the ADDL system proves to be more appropriated for the assessment of the lymphoid loss in the BF.

Method to obtain platelet-rich plasma from rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus )

Abstract: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a product easy and inxpesnsive, and stands out to for its growth factors in tissue repair. To obtain PRP, centrifugation of whole blood is made with specific time and gravitational forces. Thus, the present work aimed to study a method of double centrifugation to obtain PRP in order to evaluate the effective increase of platelet concentration in the final product, the preparation of PRP gel, and to optimize preparation time of the final sample. Fifteen female White New Zealand rabbits underwent blood sampling for the preparation of PRP. Samples were separated in two sterile tubes containing sodium citrate. Tubes were submitted to the double centrifugation protocol, with lid closed and 1600 revolutions per minute (rpm) for 10 minutes, resulting in the separation of red blood cells, plasma with platelets and leucocytes. After were opened and plasma was pipetted and transferred into another sterile tube. Plasma was centrifuged again at 2000rpm for 10 minutes; as a result it was split into two parts: on the top, consisting of platelet-poor plasma (PPP) and at the bottom of the platelet button. Part of the PPP was discarded so that only 1ml remained in the tube along with the platelet button. This material was gently agitated to promote platelets resuspension and activated when added 0.3ml of calcium gluconate, resulting in PRP gel. Double centrifugation protocol was able to make platelet concentration 3 times higher in relation to the initial blood sample. The volume of calcium gluconate used for platelet activation was 0.3ml, and was sufficient to coagulate the sample. Coagulation time ranged from 8 to 20 minutes, with an average of 17.6 minutes. Therefore, time of blood centrifugation until to obtain PRP gel took only 40 minutes. It was concluded that PRP was successfully obtained by double centrifugation protocol, which is able to increase the platelet concentration in the sample compared with whole blood, allowing its use in surgical procedures. Furthermore, the preparation time is appropriate to obtain PRP in just 40 minutes, and calcium gluconate is able to promote the activation of platelets.