Effect of time-temperature binomial in obtaining biochemical oxygen demand of different wastewaters

Studies on the effects of temperature and time of incubation of wastewater samples for the estimation of biodegradable organic matter through the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), that nowadays are rare, considering that the results of the classic study of STREETER & PHELPS(1925) have been accepted as standard. However, there are still questions how could be possible to reduce the incubation time; whether the coefficient of temperature (θ) varies with the temperature and with the type of wastewater and if it approaches 1.047. Aiming the elucidation of these questions, wastewater samples of dairy, swine and sewage treated in septic tanks were incubated at temperatures of 20, 30 and 35 °C, respectively for 5, 3.16 and 2.5 days. From the parameter of deoxygenation coefficient at 20 °C (k20), θ30 and θ35 were calculated. The results indicated that θ values changes with the type of wastewater, however does not vary in the temperature range between 30 and 35 °C, and that the use of 1.047 value did not implied significant differences in obtaining k in a determined T temperature. Thus, it is observed that the value of θ can be used to estimate the required incubation time of the samples at different temperatures.

As infecções genitais podem alterar os resultados dos testes preditivos do parto prematuro?

OBJETIVOS: Verificar se a presença de agentes infecciosos no conteúdo vaginal ou cervical pode alterar os resultados dos testes da proteína-1 fosforilada ligada ao fator de crescimento insulina-símile (phIGFBP-1) e das medidas do comprimento do colo uterino (CC) pela ultrassonografia transvaginal.MÉTODOS: Um total de 107 gestantes com antecedente de prematuridade espontânea foram submetidas ao teste da phIGFBP-1 e à realização da ultrassonografia transvaginal para medida do comprimento do colo uterino, a cada três semanas, entre 24 e 34 semanas. As infecções genitais foram pesquisadas imediatamente antes da realização dos testes. As pacientes foram distribuídas em quatro grupos (GA, GB, GC e GD) e dentro de cada grupo foi avaliada a correlação entre infecção genital e alteração nos testes utilizando a análise das razões de chance (OR) e o coeficiente de correlação de Pearson.RESULTADOS: Em cada grupo, mais de 50% das pacientes apresentaram infecção genital (GA 10/17; GB 28/42; GC 15/24; GD 35/53), sendo a vaginose bacteriana a principal alteração de flora vaginal. O resultado positivo para phIGFBP-1 (GA 10/10; GB 18/28; GC 15/15; GD 19/35) e CC≤20 mm (GA 10/10; GB 20/28; GC 10/15; GD 20/35) foram os resultados encontrados com maior frequência nas pacientes com infecção genital em todos os grupos. Porém, aplicando o coeficiente de correlação de Pearson foi identificada correlação entre infecção genital e positividade para os marcadores.CONCLUSÃO: A presença de alteração da flora vaginal e de outras infecções genitais não alteram significativamente os resultados do teste da phIGFBP-1 e da medida do colo uterino quando comparados aos casos sem infecção. No entanto, é necessária a realização de estudos com maior casuística que comprovem esses resultados.

Imidazoline receptors in the heart: a novel target and a novel mechanism of action that involves atrial natriuretic peptides

Chronic stimulation of sympathetic nervous activity contributes to the development and maintenance of hypertension, leading to left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), arrhythmias and cardiac death. Moxonidine, an imidazoline antihypertensive compound that preferentially activates imidazoline receptors in brainstem rostroventrolateral medulla, suppresses sympathetic activation and reverses LVH. We have identified imidazoline receptors in the heart atria and ventricles, and shown that atrial I1-receptors are up-regulated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and ventricular I1-receptors are up-regulated in hamster and human heart failure. Furthermore, cardiac I1-receptor binding decreased after chronic in vivo exposure to moxonidine. These studies implied that cardiac I1-receptors are involved in cardiovascular regulation. The presence of I1-receptors in the heart, the primary site of production of natriuretic peptides, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), cardiac hormones implicated in blood pressure control and cardioprotection, led us to propose that ANP may be involved in the actions of moxonidine. In fact, acute iv administration of moxonidine (50 to 150 µg/rat) dose-dependently decreased blood pressure, stimulated diuresis and natriuresis and increased plasma ANP and its second messenger, cGMP. Chronic SHR treatment with moxonidine (0, 60 and 120 µg kg-1 h-1, sc for 4 weeks) dose-dependently decreased blood pressure, resulted in reversal of LVH and decreased ventricular interleukin 1ß concentration after 4 weeks of treatment. These effects were associated with a further increase in already elevated ANP and BNP synthesis and release (after 1 week), and normalization by 4 weeks. In conclusion, cardiac imidazoline receptors and natriuretic peptides may be involved in the acute and chronic effects of moxonidine.

Hyaluronidases and hyaluronan synthases expression is inversely correlated with malignancy in lung/bronchial pre-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions, affecting prognosis

We collected a series of 136 lung/bronchial and 56 matched lung parenchyma tissue samples from patients who underwent lung/bronchial biopsies and presented invasive carcinoma after lung surgery. The lung/bronchial samples included basal cell hyperplasia, squamous metaplasia, moderate dysplasia, adenomatous hyperplasia, severe dysplasia, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Matched lung parenchyma tissue samples included 25 squamous cell carcinomas and 31 adenocarcinomas. Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyze for the distribution of hyaluronidase (Hyal)-1 and −3, and hyaluronan synthases (HAS)-1, −2, and −3. Hyal-1 showed significantly higher expression in basal cell hyperplasia than in moderate dysplasia (P=0.01), atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (P=0.0001), or severe dysplasia (P=0.03). Lower expression of Hyal-3 was found in atypical adenomatous hyperplasia than in basal cell hyperplasia (P=0.01) or moderate dysplasia (P=0.02). HAS-2 was significantly higher in severe dysplasia (P=0.002) and in squamous metaplasia (P=0.04) compared with basal cell hyperplasia. HAS-3 was significantly expressed in basal cell hyperplasia compared with atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (P=0.05) and severe dysplasia (P=0.02). Lower expression of HAS-3 was found in severe dysplasia compared with squamous metaplasia (P=0.01) and moderate dysplasia (P=0.01). Epithelial Hyal-1 and −3 and HAS-1, −2, and −3 expressions were significantly higher in pre-neoplastic lesions than in neoplastic lesions. Comparative Cox multivariate analysis controlled by N stage and histologic tumor type showed that patients with high HAS-3 expression in pre-neoplastic cells obtained by lung/bronchial biopsy presented a significantly higher risk of death (HR=1.19; P=0.04). We concluded that localization of Hyal and HAS in lung/bronchial pre-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions was inversely related to malignancy, which implied that visualizing these factors could be a useful diagnostic procedure for suspected lung cancer. Finalizing this conclusion will require a wider study in a randomized and prospective trial.

Did ISI fail and is neoliberalism the answer for Latin America? Re-assessing common wisdom regarding economic policies in the region

The second phase of Import Substituting Industrialization, commonly known as ISI2, involved the move in Latin America to "heavy" industrialization, from around 1950-80. This period of economic history has been reviled on both the Left and the Right as being one of either heightened dependency or one demonstrating the clear failure of state intervention in the economy. In this research note, a basic statistical analysis is used to back up other descriptive claims that the ISI2 period was rather one of mixed success, with macroeconomic volatility accompanying great progress in GDP and manufacturing growth. In a sense, the ISI2 period succeeded in industrializing the large economies of the period, and contrasts favorably with the record of the succeeding paradigm of neoliberalism. This research note seeks to raise questions about the way we look at the historical period of ISI2, and suggests that a more open-minded perspective could lead to a more effective and sustainable political economy paradigm for the region in the future.

Globalização e inconversibilidade monetária

The central hypothesis of this article is that in the context of globalization, monetary inconvertibility is a crucial problem of peripheral countries. It begins with a brief review of the debate from a historical point of view and then stresses the contemporary opposite's views on the fragility of financial system of emerging countries: the original sin and the debt intolerance hypothesis. Despite of supporting the first one, the article goes further and explores the domestic implication of inconvertibility. It criticizes the jurisdicional uncertainty proposition showing that an inherent flaw in the store of value of emerging market currencies, derived from original sin is the main reason for de facto inconvertibility and underdevelopment of domestic financial system of these countries.

Taxa de câmbio real e crescimento econômico: uma comparação entre economias emergentes e desenvolvidas

Real exchange rate and economic growth: a comparison between emerging and developed economies. This paper presents a discussion on the relationship between economic growth and real exchange rate. The article presents the results generated by a dynamic panel that tested the relationship of economic growth with the level of the exchange rate, exchange rate volatility and the choice of exchange rate regime from 26 countries, 13 emerging and 13 developed. The results suggest that the level of the exchange rate and volatility are relevant for growth. Finally, the paper stresses that there are important differences when comparing developed and emerging economies.

Exchange rate regulation, the behavior of exchange rates, and macroeconomic stability in Brazil

In the last two decades an entirely new set of rules governing the foreign exchange transactions was established in Brazil, substituting for the framework inherited from the 1930s. Foreign exchange controls were dismantled and a floating exchange rate regime replaced different forms of peg. In this paper we argue that although successful by comparison to previous experiences, the current arrangement has important flaws that should be addressed. We discuss how it first led to high volatility and extremely high interest rates, which, when overcome, gave way to a long lasting appreciation of the real exchange rate with adverse consequences to industry.

La estructura económica del (sub)desarrollo y el equilibrio general o ¿qué ocurrió con la teoría del desarrollo y con las estructuras económicas?

Formerly the concept of economic development involved transforming the productive structures in order to employ the population in higher productivity activities, so that welfare improved. Development implied that economic systems followed development paths (not always in equilibrium) in order to reach more desirable welfare results: Equilibrium was not the main target. More recently, economic strategies emphasize reaching growth within equilibrium paths, thus, preserving economic structures. The latter vision yields incompatible results with the former. This paper revises some issues concerning structural change versus equilibrium targets as a means to reach development.

Neoliberalism and global capital mobility: a necessary reconsideration of textbook trade theory

Textbook theory ignores capital flows: trade determines exchange rates and specialisation. Approaches taking the effects of capital movements adequately into account are needed, and a new theory of economic policy including measures to protect the real economy from external volatility. Equilibrating textbook mechanisms cannot work unless trade-caused surpluses and deficits set exchange rates. To allow orthodox trade theory to work one must hinder capital flows from destroying its very basis, which the IMF and wrong regulatory decisions have done, penalising production and trade. A new, real economy based theory is proposed, a Neoclassical agenda of controlling capital flows and speculation.