Pharmaceutical consumption and residuals potentially relevant to nutrient cycling in Greater Accra, Ghana

Recycling nutrients form sanitary wastes back into agricultural ecosystems offers an option to alleviate soil depletion in regions where the use of mineral fertiliser is limited. Exemplary nutrient and water cycling approaches, including collection, treatment and use of human urine, are established at Valley View University (VVU) in Greater Accra, Ghana. Concerns have been recently raised in regard to fate and impact of pharmaceutical residues in soils and interlinked environment. To evaluate in how far emerging knowledge can be transposed onto VVU, urban and rural environments in Greater Accra, spatial disease occurrence and drug consumption patterns were studied. Malaria has been found to represent the most severe health burden in Ghana, but there is also a high prevalence of infectious diseases. Drugs consumed in great quantities and in respect to their residual loads potentially problematic in the environment belong to therapeutic groups of: antibiotics, analgesics, drugs for diabetes, antimalarials, cardiovascular drugs and anthelmintics. Drug consumption revealed to be highest in urban and lowest in rural areas. At VVU the range of consumed drugs is comparable to urban areas except for the negligible use of diabetes and cardiovascular medication as well as contraceptives.

Análisis de la viabilidad de Bogotá como sede principal para el Mundial de Fútbol 2026

El pasado Mundial de Fútbol Categoría Sub-20 fue una gran oportunidad que tuvo Colombia para seguir mostrándose a nivel internacional y para mejorar su imagen negativa de ser un país violento. Debido al éxito de este evento, y que estuvo a la altura de los de su tipo, ya que también superó en record de asistencia a los que se habían realizado anteriormente (FIFA.COM, 2011), y sumado a las declaraciones del presidente de la FIFA: "Colombia está preparada para la gran Copa Mundial de FIFA, pero de momento deberá esperar hasta el año 2026, porque las sedes de los años 2014 (Brasil), 2018 (Rusia) y 2022 (Qatar) ya están asignadas" (Semana, 2011); este trabajo pretende analizar con base en los principales indicadores (infraestructuras, movilidad, vías, ciudades, seguridad), si Bogotá podría ser sede principal del mundial de fútbol del 2026. Para lograr el objetivo se tomaron como referencia los diferentes mundiales anteriormente realizados. Se hizo un análisis comparativo entre Johannesburgo (sede principal del Mundial realizado en Suráfrica en el 2010) y Bogotá, en 5 factores que permiten visualizar las fortalezas y debilidades de la capital colombiana para poder ser sede principal de un Mundial. Se presentan conclusiones.

To think museology today

In the present text we intend to analyse 5 basic documents that translate the Museological Thinking in our century and that, chiefly, have led professionals of the area to apply this “science” in a less hermetic way and to understand its practice. The option to study and analyse the documents results from the fact that they influence present day museological practice and thinking. It is impossible to speak of museology nowadays without referring to one of these documents, not to mention a few nations that have even modified and/or created specific laws for the management of their preservationist cultural policy. Anyway, we are aware that this text intends only to carry out a preliminary approach to the documents, in the sense that the wealth of its content would allow us to slowx over an infinity of issues that they raise. I specifically refer to the documents produced at UNESCO Regional Seminar on the Role of Museums in Education, which took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1958; at the Santiago Round Table in 1972, in Chile; at the 1rst New Museology International Workshop, in Quebec, Canada, 1984; at the Oaxtepec Meeting, in Mexico 1984; and at the Caracas Meeting in 1992. These are documents elaborated within the ICOM –International Council of Museums. These documents are the result of a joint reflection by professionals who seek the evolution of ideas within their areas of action, recognising that in order to do so it is necessary to leave the cocoon of the museological institutions and try to discuss their conceptual advances with professionals of related areas. It is important to be capacitated to reuse these advances in their areas of action. This is the recognition of the importance of interdisciplinarity for the museological context.

Scope and Limitations of The Co-Drug Approach to Topical Drug Delivery

Many currently available drugs show unfavourable physicochemical properties for delivery into or across the skin and temporary chemical modulation of the penetrant is one option to achieve improved delivery properties. Pro-drugs are chemical derivatives of an active drug which is covalently bonded to an inactive pro-moiety in order to overcome pharmaceutical and pharmacokinetic barriers. A pro-drug relies upon conversion within the body to release the parent active drug (and pro-moiety) to elicit its pharmacological effect. The main drawback of this approach is that the pro-moiety is essentially an unwanted ballast which, when released, can lead to adverse effects. The term ‘co-drug’ refers to two or more therapeutic compounds active against the same disease bonded via a covalent chemical linkage and it is this approach which is reviewed for the first time in the current article. For topically applied co-drugs, each moiety is liberated in situ, either chemically or enzymatically, once the stratum corneum barrier has been overcome by the co-drug. Advantages include synergistic modulation of the disease process, enhancement of drug delivery and pharmacokinetic properties and the potential to enhance stability by masking of labile functional groups. The amount of published work on co-drugs is limited but the available data suggest the co-drug concept could provide a significant therapeutic improvement in dermatological diseases. However, the applicability of the co-drug approach is subject to strict limitations pertaining mainly to the availability of compatible moieties and physicochemical properties of the overall molecule.

Cost-benefit analysis model of badger (Meles meles) culling to reduce cattle herd tuberculosis breakdowns in Britain, with particular reference to badger perturbation

Bovine tuberculosis (TB)is an important economic disease. Badgers (Meles meles) are the wildlife source implicated in many cattle outbreaks of TB in Britain, and extensive badger control is a controversial option to reduce the disease. A badger and cattle population model was developed, simulating TB epidemiology; badger ecology, including postcull social perturbation; and TB-related farm management. An economic cost-benefit module was integrated into the model to assess whether badger control offers economic benefits. Model results strongly indicate that although, if perturbation were restricted, extensive badger culling could reduce rates in cattle, overall an economic loss would be more likely than a benefit. Perturbation of the badger population was a key factor determining success or failure of control. The model highlighted some important knowledge gaps regarding both the spatial and temporal characteristics of perturbation that warrant further research.

When enough is not enough: information overload and metacognitive decisions to stop studying information

People are often exposed to more information than they can actually remember. Despite this frequent form of information overload, little is known about how much information people choose to remember. Using a novel “stop” paradigm, the current research examined whether and how people choose to stop receiving new—possibly overwhelming—information with the intent to maximize memory performance. Participants were presented with a long list of items and were rewarded for the number of correctly remembered words in a following free recall test. Critically, participants in a stop condition were provided with the option to stop the presentation of the remaining words at any time during the list, whereas participants in a control condition were presented with all items. Across five experiments, we found that participants tended to stop the presentation of the items to maximize the number of recalled items, but this decision ironically led to decreased memory performance relative to the control group. This pattern was consistent even after controlling for possible confounding factors (e.g., task demands). The results indicated a general, false belief that we can remember a larger number of items if we restrict the quantity of learning materials. These findings suggest people have an incomplete understanding of how we remember excessive amounts of information.

Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) as an attractive crop to natural enemies in onion fields

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

Interferon Alpha-2B and liver resection to treat multifocal hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma: A relevant approach to avoid liver transplantation

Background. Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is a rare malignant tumor of vascular origin with frequent multifocal appearance. Liver resection may cause tumor spread. Liver transplantation has been indicated for unresectable nodules. We hypothesized that adjuvant interferon treatment is effective to prevent metastasis after liver resection. We report a case of multifocal hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma successfully treated with interferon pulse therapy and bilobar hepatic resection.Methodology. CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging diagnosed three nodules in the liver (segments IV, VI and VII). Histopathology and specific immunostaining of a percutaneous nodule biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. The treatment protocol included daily interferon alpha 2b 9 weeks before and 1 week after resection of liver segments IV, VI and VII.Results. The postoperative outcome was complicated by a self-limited biliary fistula. The patient remains tumor free at 3 years after liver resection and currently enjoys excellent health.Conclusion. Interferon pulse therapy and hepatic resection was a good option to treat multifocal bilobar hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma; it may prevent metastasis dissemination.

Product development process: Using real options for assessments and to support the decision-making at decision gates

Enterprises need continuous product development activities to remain competitive in the marketplace. Their product development process (PDP) must manage stakeholders' needs - technical, financial, legal, and environmental aspects, customer requirements, Corporate strategy, etc. -, being a multidisciplinary and strategic issue. An approach to use real option to support the decision-making process at PDP phases in taken. The real option valuation method is often presented as an alternative to the conventional net present value (NPV) approach. It is based on the same principals of financial options: the right to buy or sell financial values (mostly stocks) at a predetermined price, with no obligation to do so. In PDP, a multi-period approach that takes into account the flexibility of, for instance, being able to postpone prototyping and design decisions, waiting for more information about technologies, customer acceptance, funding, etc. In the present article, the state of the art of real options theory is prospected and a model to use the real options in PDP is proposed, so that financial aspects can be properly considered at each project phase of the product development. Conclusion is that such model can provide more robustness to the decisions processes within PDP.

Análise de investimento em confinamento bovino no centro-oeste brasileiro: um estudo de caso.

This study analyzed the economic viability of an investment in feedlot cattle on a farm in the midsize state of Goias. The research identified that different thematic studies whose interests have focused mainly on cost analysis and profitability punctual. Differently, this study used the approaches of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) and the Real Options Theory (ROT). The first used the projected cash flow for 10 years and a discount rate determined by CAPM at 8% p.a. for containment of heads 400. The second was modeled by the binomial model of Cox, Ross and Rubinstein (1979) incorporating the option of waiting. This methodology has not been employed in Brazilian cattle industry. The search results pointed to the economic viability of the project when considered possible scenarios for the different price ranges of the ox that state bushel. In addition, the TOR proved to be a more robust tool for investment analysis, by incorporating the flexibility of farmers to wait for the right time to make the confinement.

Analysis of oxy-fuel combustion as an alternative to combustion with air in metal reheating furnaces

Using oxygen instead of air in a burning process is at present being widely discussed as an option to reduce CO2 emissions. One of the possibilities is to maintain the combustion reaction at the same energy release level as burning with air, which reduces fuel consumption and the emission rates of CO2. A thermal simulation was made for metal reheating furnaces, which operate at a temperature in the range of 1150-1250 degrees C, using natural gas with a 5% excess of oxygen, maintaining fixed values for pressure and combustion temperature. The theoretical results show that it is possible to reduce the consumption of fuel, and this reduction depends on the amount of heat that can be recovered during the air pre-heating process. The analysis was further conducted by considering the 2012 costs of natural gas and oxygen in Brazil. The use of oxygen showed to be economically viable for large furnaces that operate with conventional heat recovering systems (those that provide pre-heated air at temperatures near 400 degrees C). (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antipodal random sequences with prescribed second-order statistics: application to Compressive Sensing and UWB system based on DS-CDMA

It is usual to hear a strange short sentence: «Random is better than...». Why is randomness a good solution to a certain engineering problem? There are many possible answers, and all of them are related to the considered topic. In this thesis I will discuss about two crucial topics that take advantage by randomizing some waveforms involved in signals manipulations. In particular, advantages are guaranteed by shaping the second order statistic of antipodal sequences involved in an intermediate signal processing stages. The first topic is in the area of analog-to-digital conversion, and it is named Compressive Sensing (CS). CS is a novel paradigm in signal processing that tries to merge signal acquisition and compression at the same time. Consequently it allows to direct acquire a signal in a compressed form. In this thesis, after an ample description of the CS methodology and its related architectures, I will present a new approach that tries to achieve high compression by design the second order statistics of a set of additional waveforms involved in the signal acquisition/compression stage. The second topic addressed in this thesis is in the area of communication system, in particular I focused the attention on ultra-wideband (UWB) systems. An option to produce and decode UWB signals is direct-sequence spreading with multiple access based on code division (DS-CDMA). Focusing on this methodology, I will address the coexistence of a DS-CDMA system with a narrowband interferer. To do so, I minimize the joint effect of both multiple access (MAI) and narrowband (NBI) interference on a simple matched filter receiver. I will show that, when spreading sequence statistical properties are suitably designed, performance improvements are possible with respect to a system exploiting chaos-based sequences minimizing MAI only.

Highly Efficient IR to NIR Upconversion in Gd2O2S: Er3+ for Photovoltaic Applications

Upconversion (UC) is a promising option to enhance the efficiency of solar cells by conversion of sub-bandgap infrared photons to higher energy photons that can be utilized by the solar cell. The UC quantum yield is a key parameter for a successful application. Here the UC luminescence properties of Er3+-doped Gd2O2S are investigated by means of luminescence spectroscopy, quantum yield measurements, and excited state dynamics experiments. Excitation into the maximum of the 4I15/2 → 4I13/2 Er3+ absorption band around 1500 nm induces very efficient UC emission from different Er3+ excited states with energies above the silicon bandgap, in particular, the emission originating from the 4I11/2 state around 1000 nm. Concentration dependent studies reveal that the highest UC quantum yield is realized for a 10% Er3+-doping concentration. The UC luminescence is compared to the well-known Er3+-doped β-NaYF4 UC material for which the highest UC quantum yield has been reported for 25% Er3+. The UC internal quantum yields were measured in this work for Gd2O2S: 10%Er3+ and β-NaYF4: 25%Er3+ to be 12 ± 1% and 8.9 ± 0.7%, respectively, under monochromatic excitation around 1500 nm at a power of 700 W/m2. The UC quantum yield reported here for Gd2O2S: 10%Er3+ is the highest value achieved so far under monochromatic excitation into the 4I13/2 Er3+ level. Power dependence and lifetime measurements were performed to understand the mechanisms responsible for the efficient UC luminescence. We show that the main process yielding 4I11/2 UC emission is energy transfer UC.

Does tin pre-treatment enhance the bond strength of adhesive systems to enamel?

OBJECTIVES The study investigated the modification of composite-to-enamel bond strength by pre-treatment of enamel with a concentrated, acidic SnCl2-solution. METHODS Six groups of flat human enamel specimens (n=44 per group) were treated as follows: OB-H: H3PO4 etching, Optibond FL application (primer+adhesive; manufacturer's instructions); OB-S: SnCl2 pre-treatment, Optibond FL application (primer+adhesive); OB-HS: H3PO4 etching+SnCl2 pre-treatment, Optibond FL application (primer+adhesive); CF-N: Clearfil SE application (primer+bond; manufacturer's instructions); CF-H: H3PO4 etching, Clearfil SE application (primer+bond); CF-S: SnCl2 pre-treatment, Clearfil SE application (primer+bond). Enamel specimens were then built up with resin composite (Clearfil Majesty Esthetic) and stored (100% humidity, 37 °C, 1 week). μTBS-measurement and failure mode analysis of one-half of the specimens were performed immediately after storage, while the other half was analysed after a thermocycling procedure (8500 cycles; 5 °C and 55 °C; dwell time 30s). Additional specimens were prepared for SEM- and EDX-analysis. RESULTS Highest values were measured for OB-H before and after thermocycling, lowest values for CF-N. Compared to OB-H treatment, OB-S treatment reduced μTBS before/after thermocycling by 23%/28% and OB-HS treatment by 8%/24% (except for OB-SH before (n.s.), all p≤0.001 compared to OB-H). In the Clearfil SE treated groups pre-treatment increased μTBS significantly compared to CF-N (before/after: CF-H: +46%/+70%; CF-S: +51%/42%; all p≤0.001). CONCLUSION Pre-treatment with H3PO4 or SnCl2 markedly increased the μTBS of Clearfil SE to enamel. However, thermocycling partly reduced the gain in μTBS obtained by SnCl2 pre-treatment. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The application of an acidic and highly concentrated SnCl2 solution is a good option to increase the μTBS between enamel and a resin composite mediated by an adhesive system containing the multifunctional monomer MDP.

The prospect of applying chemical elicitors and plant strengtheners to enhance the biological control of crop pests

An imminent food crisis reinforces the need for novel strategies to increase crop yields worldwide. Effective control of pest insects should be part of such strategies, preferentially with reduced negative impact on the environment and optimal protection and utilization of existing biodiversity. Enhancing the presence and efficacy of native biological control agents could be one such strategy. Plant strengthener is a generic term for several commercially available compounds or mixtures of compounds that can be applied to cultivated plants in order to ‘boost their vigour, resilience and performance’. Studies into the consequences of boosting plant resistance against pests and diseases on plant volatiles have found a surprising and dramatic increase in the plants' attractiveness to parasitic wasps. Here, we summarize the results from these studies and present new results from assays that illustrate the great potential of two commercially available resistance elicitors. We argue that plant strengtheners may currently be the best option to enhance the attractiveness of cultivated plants to biological control agents. Other options, such as the genetic manipulation of the release of specific volatiles may offer future solutions, but in most systems, we still miss fundamental knowledge on which key attractants should be targeted for this approach.