Use of U-isotope disequilibrium to evaluate the weathering rate and fertilizer-derived uranium in São Paulo state, Brazil

The U-disequilibrium method was utilized to evaluate the velocity of alteration of rocks and fertilizer-derived uranium in the Corumbatai River basin, São Paulo state, Brazil. The Corumbatai River basin is affected by the continuous use of fertilizer-derived uranium utilized in sugar cane crops, increasing the dissolved uranium concentration in the Corumbatai River (Santa Terezinha station) in the wet period to 43%. The weathering rate in the Corumbatai River basin utilizing the U-isotope modeling was 0.0265 mm/year (corresponding to 38,000 years to weather 1 m of rock under actual climatic conditions). However, when the inputs of anthropogenic uranium were considered, then a weathering rate of 0.022 mm/year (corresponding to 45,500 years to weather 1 m of rock) was determined. The removed material in the Corumbatai River basin is mainly from two sub-basins (the Cabecas River and Passa Cinco River), where the sandstones weather easier than the siltstones and claystones in the basin.

Intermittent use of an anchor system improves postural control in healthy older adults

Haptic information, provided by a non-rigid tool (i.e., an anchor system), can reduce body sway in individuals who perform a standing postural task. However, it was not known whether or not continuous use of the anchor system would improve postural control after its removal. Additionally, it was unclear as to whether or not frequency of use of the anchor system is related to improved control in older adults. The present study evaluated the effect of the prolonged use of the anchor system on postural control in healthy older individuals, at different frequencies of use, while they performed a postural control task (semi-tandem position). Participants were divided into three groups according to the frequency of the anchor system's use (0%, 50%, and 100%). Pre-practice phase (without anchor) was followed by a practice phase (they used the anchor system at the predefined frequency), and a post-practice phase (immediate and late-without anchor). All three groups showed a persistent effect 15. min after the end of the practice phase (immediate post-practice phase). However, only the 50% group showed a persistent effect in the late post-practice phase (24. h after finishing the practice phase). Older adults can improve their postural control by practicing the standing postural task, and use of the anchor system limited to half of their practice time can provide additional improvement in their postural control. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Diel and seasonal variation in the use of a nearshore sandflat by a ray community in a near pristine system

Knowledge of movements and habitat use is necessary to assess a species’ ecological role and is especially important for mesopredators because they provide the link between upper and lower trophic levels. Using acoustic telemetry, we examined coarse-scale diel and seasonal movements of elasmobranch mesopredators on a shallow sandflat in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Giant shovelnose rays (Glaucostegus typus) and reticulate whiprays (Himantura uarnak) were most often detected in nearshore microhabitats and were regularly detected throughout the day and year, although reticulate whiprays tended to frequent the monitored array over longer periods. Pink whiprays (H. fai) and cowtail stingrays (Pastinachus atrus) were also detected throughout the day, but were far less frequently detected. Overall, there was no apparent spatial or temporal partitioning of the sandflats, but residency to the area varied between species. In addition, ray presence throughout the year suggests that previously observed differences in seasonal abundance are likely because of seasonal changes in habitat use rather than large-scale migrations. Continuous use of the sandflats and limited movements within this ray community suggests that rays have the potential to be a structuring force on this system and that focusing on nearshore habitats is important for managing subtropical ray populations.

The clinical significance of medicines reconciliation in children admitted to hospital

Aims and Objectives: The NICE/NPSA guidance on Medicines Reconciliation in adults upon hospital admission excludes children under the age of 16.1 Hence the primary aim and objective of this study was to use medicines reconciliation to primarily identify if discrepancies occur upon hospital admission. Secondary objectives were to clinically assess for harm discrepancies that were identified in paediatric patients on long term medications at four hospitals across the UK. Method: Medicines reconciliation is a procedure where the current medication history of a patient prior to hospital admission would be taken and verifying the medication orders made at hospital admission against this history, addressing any discrepancies identified. Medicines reconciliation was carried out prospectively for 244 paediatric patients on chronic medication across four UK hospitals (Birmingham, London, Leeds and North Staffordshire) between January – May 2011. Medicines reconciliation was conducted by a clinical pharmacist using the following sources of information: 1) the patient's Pre-Admission Medication (PAM) from the patient's general practitioner 2) examination of the Patient's Own Medications brought into hospital, 3) a semi-structured interview with the parent-carers and 4) identification of admission medication orders written on the drug chart prior to clinical pharmacy input (Drug Chart). Discrepancies between the PAM and Drug Chart were documented and classified as intentional or unintentional. Intentional discrepancies were defined as changes that were made knowingly by the prescriber and confirmed. Unintentional discrepancies were assessed for clinical significance by an expert panel and assigned a significance score based on the likelihood of causing potential discomfort or clinical deterioration: class 1 unlikely, class 2 moderate and class 3 severe.2 Results: 1004 medication regimens were included from the 244 patients across the four sites. 588 of the 1004 (59%) medicines, had discrepancies between the PAM and Drug Chart; of these 36% (n = 209) were unintentional and included for clinically assessment. 189 drug discrepancies 30% were classified as class 1, 47% were class 2 and 23% were class 3 discrepancies. The remaining 20 discrepancies were cases where deviating from the PAM would have been the right thing to do, which might suggest that an intentional but undocumented discrepancy by the prescriber writing up the admission order may have occurred. Conclusion: The results suggest that medication discrepancies in paediatric patients do occur upon hospital admission, which do have a potential to cause harm and that medicines reconciliation is a potential solution to preventing such discrepancies. References: 1. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. National Patient Safety Agency. PSG001. Technical patient safety solutions for medicines reconciliation on admission of adults to hospital. London: NICE; 2007. 2. Cornish, P. L., Knowles, S. R., Marchesano, et al. Unintended Medication Discrepancies at the Time of Hospital Admission. Archives of Internal Medicine 2005; 165:424–429

Arsenic and Chromium in Brazilian Agricultural Supplies

Arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) contents were measured in agricultural supplies used at different farms in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The highest mass fractions of As were found in thermophosphates, reaching levels of 4 mg/kg. The highest mass fractions of Cr (21 g/kg) were found in calcium magnesium silicate, while the thermophosphates also presented high values reaching approximately 1 g/kg. The levels of As were within Brazilian guidelines, but the values of Cr in thermophosphates exceeded the levels permitted in Brazil. The As content in fertilizers may be considered safe (5 mg/kg) in terms of environmental pollution. However, the Cr content in calcium magnesium silicate following continuous use may constitute a significant problem in Brazil due to potentially increasing levels of this metal in soils.

Sodicity and salinity in a Brazilian Oxisol cultivated with sugarcane irrigated with wastewater

Changes in soil sodicity-salinity parameters are one of the most characteristic alterations after treated sewage effluent (TSE) irrigation in agro-systems. Considering the importance of these parameters for agricultural management, as well as the economical value of sugarcane for Brazil, the present study aimed at evaluating effects on soil sodicity and salinity under tropical conditions over 16 months of TSE irrigation in a sugarcane plantation at Lins, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Soil samplings were carried out in February 2005 (before planting), December 2005 (after 8 months of TSE irrigation) and September 2006 (after 16 months of TSE irrigation) following a complete block design with four treatments and four replicates. Treatments consisted of. (i) control, without TSE irrigation; (ii) T100, T150 and T200, with TSE irrigation supplying 100% (0% surplus, total of 2524 mm), 150% (50% surplus, total of 3832 mm) and 200% (100% surplus, total of 5092 mm) of crop water demand, respectively. Compared to initial soil conditions, at the end of the experiment increases of exchangeable sodium (from 2.4 to 5.9 mmol(c) kg(-1)), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) (from 8 to 18%), soluble Na (from 1.4 to 4.7 mmol L(-1)) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of soil solution (from 3.6 to 12.6 (mmol were found in the soil profile (0-100 cm) as an average for the irrigated plots due to high SAR of TSE. Associated with the increments were mostly significant increases in clay dispersion rates at depths 0-10, 10-20 and 20-40 cm. Electrical conductivity (EC) of soil solution increased during the TSE irrigation period whereas at the end of the experiment, after short term discontinuation of irrigation and harvest, EC in the topsoil (0-10 and 10-20 cm) decreased compared to the previous samplings. Moreover, despite increasing sodicity over time mainly insignificant differences within the different irrigated treatments were found in December 2005 and September 2006. This suggests that independent of varying irrigation amounts the increasing soil sodicity over time were rather caused by the continuous use of TSE than by its quantity applied. Moreover, also plant productivity showed no significant differences within the TSE irrigated plots. The study indicates that monitoring as well as remediation of soil after TSE irrigation is required for a sustainable TSE use in order to maintain agricultural quality parameters. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diagnosis and control of polypharmacy in the elderly

The article had the purpose of commenting on studies on polypharmacy in the elderly, focusing on diagnosis and control. Polypharmacy is defined as the use of a number of medications at the same time and the use of additional drugs to correct drug adverse effects. The fact that the elderly take more medications for the treatment of several diseases makes them more susceptible to the occurrence of adverse reactions. Prophylactic actions such as balanced prescriptions are vital to reduce the incidence of these reactions and prevent longer hospital stay, increased costs and aggravation of the elderly health condition.

Veículo ZEV (sem emissões)

A crescente dependência energética do Petr óleo e o impacto ambiental daí resultante, tanto como as excessivas autonomias e desempenho dos veículos perante as nossas necessidades, leva a que Portugal, a Europa, o Mundo, necessitem de apostar em inovar e alterar costumes, de forma a que o nosso planeta se mantenha sustentável e de maneira a aumentar a qualidade de vida de todos nós. As emissões proveniente dos veículos representam uma excessiva parcela na poluição atmosférica causada pela queima dos derivados do petróleo. Uma das soluções mais viáveis para a redução de emissões, passaria pela implementação de leis que fomentassem a compra dos veículos ZEV. Este trabalho pretende provar a inviabilidade do uso contínuo de combustíveis fósseis, destaca as principais características dos veículos eléctricos e os benefícios destes quando comparados com os veículos convencionais, descreve as características dos veículos eléctricos comercializados em Portugal e apresenta a sugestão, com base no estudo elaborado, de um veículo ZEV que se adapte às necessidades do cidadão europeu.

Prevalence and factors associated with lipodystrophy in AIDS patients

Introduction: The published literature shows an increased occurrence of adverse events, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated lipodystrophy syndrome, that are associated with the continuous use of antiretroviral therapy. This study was performed to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with lipodystrophy in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study between October 2012 and February 2013. The sample consisted of patients with AIDS who attended the Outpatient Treatment Center for Infectious Diseases at Nereu Ramos Hospital, Florianópolis, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. We collected information on demographics, lifestyle, HIV infection, and clinical aspects of the disease. Self-reported signs of lipodystrophy and body measurements were used for lipodystrophy diagnosis. Results: We studied 74 patients (mean age 44.3±9.2 years; 60.8% men). Among the patients, 45.9% were smokers, 31.1% consumed alcoholic beverages, and 55.4% were sedentary. The prevalence of lipodystrophy was 32.4%, and sedentary subjects had a higher prevalence of lipodystrophy compared with physically active individuals. Conclusions: The prevalence of lipodystrophy was 32.4%. Physical activity was considered an independent protective factor against the onset of HIV-associated lipodystrophy.

Deltamethrin pyrethroid susceptibility characterization of Triatoma sordida Stål, 1859 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) populations in the Northern Region of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Introduction Triatoma sordida is the most captured Triatomine species in the Brazilian artificial environment. In 2008, the discovery of three Triatomine populations with altered susceptibilities to deltamethrin highlighted the importance of investigating the genetic potential for resistance in triatomines. The purpose of this study was to characterize the susceptibility to deltamethrin of peridomestic T. sordida populations in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods A susceptibility reference lineage derived from Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil was used. Serial dilutions of deltamethrin were prepared and applied to the dorsal abdomen of first instar nymphs. The control group received only pure acetone. Mortality was evaluated after 72h. Qualitative tests assessed mortality in response to a diagnostic dose of 1xLD99 of the susceptibility reference lineage. Results Susceptibility profile characterization of T. sordida populations revealed resistance ratios (RR50s) ranging from 0.42 to 3.94. The percentage mortality in response to the diagnostic dose varied from 70% to 100%. A comparison of the results obtained in the quantitative and qualitative assays demonstrated a lack of correspondence for some populations. Conclusions We demonstrated that only T. sordida populations that present a RR50>1.0 have altered susceptibility, and the execution of simultaneous field and laboratory tests is required to understand the actual effect of vector control. A possible cause of the observed resistance ratios might be the continuous use of pyrethroids in Brazil since the 1980s.

Testosterone Restoration by Enclomiphene Citrate in Men with Secondary Hypogonadism: a pharmacodynamic and Pharmacokinetic study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the pharmacodynamic (PD) profile of serum total testosterone levels (TT) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in men with secondary hypogonadism following initial and chronic daily oral doses of enclomiphene citrate in comparison to transdermal testosterone. To determine the effects of daily oral doses of enclomiphene citrate (Androxal®) in comparison to transdermal testosterone on other hormones and markers in men with secondary hypogonadism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a randomized, single blind, two-center phase II study to evaluate three different doses of enclomiphene citrate (6.25mg, 12.5mg and 25 mg Androxal®), versus AndroGel®, a transdermal testosterone, on 24-hour LH and TT in otherwise normal healthy men with secondary hypogonadism. Forty-eight men were enrolled in the trial (ITT Population), but 4 men had T levels >350 ng/dL at baseline. Forty-four men completed the study per protocol (PP population). All subjects enrolled in this trial had serum TT in the low range (<350 ng/dL) and had low to normal LH (<12 IU/L) on at least two occasions. TT and LH levels were assessed each hour for 24 hours to examine the effects at each of three treatment doses of enclomiphene versus a standard dose (5 grams) of transdermal testosterone (AndroGel). In the initial profile TT and LH were determined in a naïve population following a single initial oral or transdermal treatment (Day 1). This was contrasted to that seen after six weeks of continuous daily oral or transdermal treatment (Day 42). The pharmacokinetics of enclomiphene was performed in a select subpopulation. Serum samples were obtained over the course of the study to determine levels of various hormones and lipids. RESULTS: After six weeks of continuous use, the mean ± SD concentration of TT at Day 42 C0hrTT, was 604 ± 160 ng/dL for men taking the highest of dose of enclomiphene citrate (enclomiphene, 25 mg daily) and 500 ± 278 ng in those men treated with transdermal testosterone. These values were higher than Day 1 values but not different from each other (p = 0.23, T-test). All three doses of enclomiphene increased C0hrTT, CavgTT, CmaxTT, CminTT and CrangeTT. Transdermal testosterone also raised TT, albeit with more variability, and with suppressed LH levels. The patterns of TT over 24 hour period following six weeks of dosing could be fit to a non-linear function with morning elevations, mid-day troughs, and rising night-time levels. Enclomiphene and transdermal testosterone increased levels of TT within two weeks, but they had opposite effects on FSH and LH Treatment with enclomiphene did not significantly affect levels of TSH, ACTH, cortisol, lipids, or bone markers. Both transdermal testosterone and enclomiphene citrate decreased IGF-1 levels (p<0.05) but suppression was greater in the enclomiphene citrate groups. CONCLUSIONS: Enclomiphene citrate increased serum LH and TT; however, there was not a temporal association between the peak drug levels and the Cmax levels LH or TT. Enclomiphene citrate consistently increased serum TT into the normal range and increased LH and FSH above the normal range. The effects on LH and TT persisted for at least one week after stopping treatment.

Ampliació i extensió en l'ús del portafolis digital en l'avaluació de l'alumnat

El treball realitzat amb l’ajuda MQD2006 està relacionat amb l’ús de portafolis electrònics en un context universitari. Els objectius que ens havíem traçat, eren: 1)Dissenyar una versió beta del portafolis digital desenvolupat adhoc pel grup 2)Implementar una metodologia avaluativa basada en el portafolis digital desenvolupat 3)Generar portafolis digitals com a model de bones pràctiques d’avaluació de l’alumnat 4)Recollir dades sobre el seu funcionament en relació a l’alumnat A més dels anteriors objectius, relacionats amb els aspectes pedagògics freuit de la implementació i ús dels portafolis digitals, hi ha dos objectius relacionats amb aspectes didàctics. Aquests són: 5) Anàlisi dels canvis en la metodologia didàctica i en els continguts curriculars 6) Anàlisi de criteris de sostenibilitat de la utilització continuada del portafolis digital. Almenys 5 d’aquests 6 objectius s’han complert de manera completa, i un (el nombre cinc) ha quedat solament esbossat. Per altra banda, alguns resultats inesperats s’han produït en aquests dos anys i es poden afegir a aquesta llista inicial: 7) Expansió i difusió de l’experiència cap a altres universitats. 8) Possibilitat de plantejar un projecte d’investigació bàsica sobre les conseqüències de l’ús de portafolis en la docència universitària basada en l’EEES. La Memòria seguirà de prop aquests objectius, si bé es distribuiran d’una manera diferent. Com a resultats i conclusions hem pogut veure que l’eina ha estat ben valorada en quant a la metodologia d’ús proposada, en quant al propi seguiment de l’aprenentatge i per una autoavaluació continuada. Hem vist una millora en les reflexions dels estudiants fent servir un diàleg on-line entre professor-estudiant. D’altra banda, hem detectat que es requereix millorar la seva usabilitat, un ús continuat més llarg i algunes recomanacions encarades al treball docent del professorat i no tant de l’eina.

Effects of soil management systems on soil microbial activity, bulk density and chemical properties

The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of soil management systems on the bulk density, chemical soil properties, and on the soil microbial activity on a Latossolo Vermelho distrófico (Oxisol). Soil samples were collected from plots under the following management conditions: a) natural dense "cerrado" vegetation (savanna); b) degraded Brachiaria decumbens pasture, 20 years old; c) no-tillage treatment with annual crop sequence (bean, corn, soybean and dark-oat in continuous rotation), 8 years old; d) conventional tillage treatment with crop residues added to the soil, and annual crop sequence, 10 years old. The continuous use of no-tillage system resulted in an increase in microbial biomass and decrease in soil basal respiration, therefore displaying evident long-term effects on the increase of soil C content. The no-tillage system also provided an improvement in bulk density and chemical properties of the soil. Hence, the no-tillage management system could be an alternative for the conservation and maintenance of physical and chemical conditions and the productive potential of "cerrado" soils.

Liiketoimintasuunnitelman laatiminen katsastusalan yritykselle

Tämän diplomityön päätavoitteena oli laatia katsastusalan yritykselle liiketoimintasuunnitelma, joka luo perustan yrityksen johtamiselle ja jatkokehittämiselle.Katsastus Kovalainen Oy tarvitsee jatkuvaan käyttöönsä yrityksen toimintaa ohjaavan viitekehyksen. Ensimmäisenä alaongelmana oli selvittää, mitä liiketoiminnaneri osa-alueita liiketoimintasuunnitelma käsittelee? Onnistuneen liiketoimintasuunnitelman yhtenä peruspilarina voidaan pitää sitä, kuinka hyvin se soveltuu kohdeyrityksen käyttöön ja onko sen sisältämä tieto oleellista juuri kohdeyritykselle? Toinen alaongelma ratkaistiin vastaamalla kysymykseen: Millä tavoin yrityksestä ja sen toimintaympäristöstä kyetään erottamaan juuri se oleellisin tieto liiketoimintasuunnitelman luomiseksi? Kolmanneksi alaongelmaksi muodostui kysymys siitä, kuinka liiketoimintasuunnitelman viitekehys ja empiirinen tieto yhdistetään toimivaksi kokonaisuudeksi, jota yritys voi hyödyntää. Työn teoriaosuus on tehty kirjallisuustutkimuksena ja siinä esitellään liiketoimintasuunnitelmaan kuuluvat osa-alueet teorian näkökulmasta. Empiirisen osuuden tiedot on kerätty pääasiassa haastatteluiden avulla. Empiiristä aineistoa on kerätty myös käyttämällä hyväksi jo olemassa olevaa dokumentoitua tietoa yrityksestä, kuten yrityksen tilinpäätös- ja markkinaosuusraportteja. Liiketoimintasuunnitelmaan kuuluva yrityksen sisäinen analyysi auttoi yrityksen johtoa identifioimaan ja priorisoimaan ne toiminnot ja tekijät, jotka eniten vaikuttavat yrityksen menestymiseen ja kilpailukykyyn. Kyseisen analysoinnin avulla huomattiin, että suurimmat puutteet ja kehitystoimenpiteet koskivat Katsastus Kovalaisen markkinointia ja katsastustiloja.Toimintaympäristön analysoinnin tuloksena huomattiin, että Katsastus Kovalaisenmarkkinaosuus on jo 40 prosenttia, jota voidaan pitää sen verran suurena, että tärkeimmäksi tekijäksi tulevaisuudessa katsottiin nykyisen markkinaosuuden säilyttäminen muun muassa pitämällä nykyiset asiakkaat tyytyväisenä.

Typpeä sisältävien jätevesien käsittely 2-n-PRO menetelmällä

Työssä tutkittiin kaksivaiheisen typenpoistoprosessin (2-N-PRO) soveltuvuutta Joutsenon Kukkuroinmäen aluejätekeskuksen kompostointilaitoksen jätevesille pilot-kokein 12.1.- 5.4.2006. Kompostilaitoksella on jätevesien esikäsittelytarve korkeista ammoniumtyppipitoisuuksista johtuen. Pilot-laitteisto koostuu sekoitussäiliöstä, strippaustornista ja katalyyttipolttimesta. Käsiteltävän jäteveden pH nostetaan korkealle tasolle, jolloin ammoniumtyppi muuttuu ammoniakiksi. Vesi johdetaan strippaustorniin, jossa se sadetetaan tornin pohjalle. Ammoniakki erottuu sadetuksessa ilmaan, joka imetään katalyyttipolttimelle. Katalyyttinen poltin käsittelee ammoniakkia typpikaasuksi. Pilot-kokeet suoritettiin jatkuvatoimisesti. Laitteisto pystyy erottamaan jätevedestä ammoniumtyppeä ammoniakiksi ja käsittelemään ammoniakin pääosin typpikaasuksi. Lisäksi suoritettiin panoskoe, jonka tulokset tukevat jatkuvatoimisesta käytöstä saatuja tuloksia.