Gestão de resíduos produzidos num sistema de drenagem e tratamento de águas residuais

O presente trabalho centra-se na gestão de resíduos produzidos no sistema de drenagem e tratamento de águas residuais do município de Vila Nova de Gaia. A entidade onde decorreu o trabalho é uma empresa responsável pela distribuição de água e pela drenagem e tratamento de águas residuais. A empresa está certificada pela norma NP EN ISO 14001, desde 2001, sendo então um dos objectivos o enquadramento da gestão dos resíduos em estudo na referida norma, acompanhando os requisitos da mesma com vista ao seu total cumprimento. Outros dos objectivos foi estudar qual a opção de tratamento mais adequada a aplicar ao resíduo no seu local de armazenamento temporário com vista a minorar os seus impactes ambientais. De acordo com a caracterização analítica do resíduo e com os aspetos legais aplicáveis, foram também analisados os destinos finais possíveis e ambientalmente adequados ao resíduo. A medida proposta para a minimização de impactes no local de armazenamento temporário do resíduo foi a estabilização com cal nos leitos de secagem, disponíveis numa antiga ETAR de loteamento. O doseamento de cal a aplicar ao resíduo será de 10 kg de cal apagada comercial (Ca (OH)2) por uma tonelada de resíduo fresco com um período mínimo de secagem de 2 meses. Outra das medidas de minimização de impactes selecionada foi a implantação de uma cortina arbórea ao redor da instalação. Sendo o resíduo em estudo muito heterogéneo, constituído principalmente por areias, terras e gradados, a valorização foi equacionada mas não foram encontrados alternativas viáveis. O destino final considerado como mais adequado tendo em conta todas as características do resíduo e eluato, analisadas de acordo com o previsto no Decreto-Lei n.º 183/2009 de 10 de Agosto, foi o aterro para resíduos não perigosos. Foi também objecto do estudo a identificação e análise de todos os aspectos ambientais relacionados com a gestão de resíduos e a avaliação da sua significância. Dos aspectos ambientais identificados como significativos, destacam-se aqueles que ocorrem presentemente, os resíduos armazenados (gradados/limpeza de redes), e os que podem ocorrer em situações de emergência, fuga/derrame de óleos/combustíveis e cheiros/odores. De forma a minimizar os aspectos ambientais identificados, e de acordo com a norma NP EN ISO 14001, foram propostas ações que constam de um programa de gestão elaborado para este trabalho, onde se definem os objectivos, metas e prazos. As principais medidas propostas no programa de gestão foram: Estabilização com cal (inicial e reforço se necessário); melhoria do espaço envolvente; análise de questões de saúde ocupacional/segurança; adjudicação de prestação de serviços da recolha por operador licenciado; implantação da cortina arbórea; registo no SIRAPA; criação de planos de emergência ambiental e de segurança.

Viscerocutaneous form of loxoscelism and erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate deficiency

In a period of time of five years, all patients who exhibited viscerocutaneous form of loxoscelism were investigated for erythrocyte glucose-6-phosphate deficiency, and in two patients out of seven it was found this deficiency. This finding suggests that this genetical enzyme deficiency could account for the hemolysis after Loxosceles bite, at least in some of the cases.

Biogeography, host specificity, and molecular phylogeny of the basidiomycetous yeast phaffia rhodozyma and its sexual form, xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 73, No.4

Hypoprothrombinemia in the compensated form of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis: further studies

Coagulation abnormality is frequently observed in schistosomiasis patients but its pathophysiology has not been established. We measured, by immunodiffusion. the prothrombin-antigen concentration in 56 individuals; of these 19 with demonstrated compensated form of hepatosplenic schistosomiasis, 17 with cirrhosis and 20 were control subjects. Transaminases, albumin, transthyretin, prothrombin time, antithrombin III, factor VII, and fibrinogen were also evaluated. All parameters were altered in the cirrhotic group but only albumin, prothrombin and antithrombin III levels were altered in the schistosomiasis group. Ninety percent of the patients with cirrhosis and sixty percent of the patients with schistosomiasis had abnormal plasma levels of albumin, transthyretin, prothrombin-antigen, and/or antithrombin III; an impaired hepatic synthesis was responsible for these results. Conversely forty percent of the schistosomiasis patients with normal plasma concentrations of both albumin and transthyretin had decreased mean plasma levels of both prothrombin and antithrombin III. These results suggest that either proth rombin and antithrombin III are more sensitive markers of impaired hepatic synthesis in schistosomiasis than are levels of albumin and transthyretin combined, or a low grade chronic consumption of clotting proteins also occurs. Considering the latter hypothesis it is possible that the thrombin formed would be inhibited by antithrombin III with the complexed thrombin-antithrombin III being cleared by the liver. Consequently the plasma levels of both prothrombin and antithrombin would be decreased, but the level of fibrinogen would be preserved.

Personalized public transportation information

Thesis to obtain the Master of Science Degree in Computer Science and Engineering

DOT-ELISA for detection of anti-Cysticercus cellulosae antibodies in human cerebrospinal fluid using a new solid-phase (resin-treated polyester fabrics): preliminary report

A dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DOT-ELISA) was developed to detect specific antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for human neurocysticercosis immunodiagnosis, with Cysticercus cellulosae antigen dotted on a new solid-phase. This was represented by sheets of a synthetic polyester fabric impregnated with a polymerized resin (N-methylol-acrylamide). A very stable preparation was thus obtained, the antigen being covalently bound by cross-linking with free N-methylol groups on the resin. Since robust, no special care was necessary for handling the solid-phase. The test could be performed at room-temperature. From 30 CSF samples assayed, 14 were positive, from a group of 15 cases of neurocysticercosis, with titers from 1 to 128; 15 other samples, from normals or other neurological diseases, were all negative. Test characteristics seem to indicate it as adequate for epidemiological surveys. A more detailed study on sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility and the use in serum samples is being conducted.

Fragmentos de um adeus: fado, tango e música popular brasileira em cena

Trabalho de Projecto submetido à Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Artes Performativas - especialização em Teatro-Música.

25 kV bipolar solid-state Marx generator for industrial food applications

The preliminary results from a bipolar industrial solidstate based Marx generator, developed for the food industry, capable of delivering 25 kV/250 A positive and negative pulses with 12 kW average power, are presented and discussed. This modular topology uses only four controlled switches per cell, 27 cells in total that can be charged up to 1000V each, the two extra cells are used for droop compensation. The triggering signals for all the switches are generated by a FPGA. Considering that biomaterials are similar to resistive type loads, experimental results from this new bipolar 25 kV modulator into resistive loads are presented and discussed.

Chronic gastritis and Helicobacter pylori in digestive form of Chagas' disease

Patients with the digestive form of Chagas'disease frequently present chronic gastritis. As the microorganism Helicobacter pylori is now accepted as the most common cause of human chronic gastritis, the present work was undertaken to verify a possible relationship between the presence of this bacterium and inflammatory changes of antral mucosa in chagasic patients. Seventeen chagasics, with megaesophagus and or megacolon were studied. Fragments from two different regions of antral mucosa were obtained by endoscopy, fixed in 4% neutral formaldehyde and embedded in paraffin. The sections were stained by haematoxylin and eosin for histology analysis, and by carbolfuchsin for H. pylori identification. H. pylori was found in 16 (94.1%) chagasic patients, all of them presenting chronic gastritis. Superficial gastritis was seen in 9 (52.9%) while atrophic gastritis was present in 8 (47.1%) patients. H. pylori was present on gastric mucosa of 8 (100%) patients with atrophic gastritis and of 8 (88.8%) patients with superficial gastritis. We concluded that the microorganism H. pylori should be considered a possible factor connected with the etiopathogenesis of chronic superficial and atrophic gastritis frequently observed in patients with the digestive form of Chagas' disease.

Characterization of the non-apparent clinical form in the initial phase of schistosomiasis mansoni

In this paper the history of 115 recruits that had bathed simultaneously in streams contaminated with Schistosoma mansoni, during military maneuvers, is reported. Thirty four of the infected patients presented the initial phase of the infection diagnosed through epidemiologic, clinical and laboratorial parameters. Three out of the 34 patients did not reveal the clinical picture of the infection, thus being considered representatives of the non-apparent form of the disease. Differences between the intensity of blood eosinophilia, the area of immediate cutaneous reaction and the number of Schistosoma eggs eliminated in the stools proved not to be statistically significant (p>0.05) when the non-apparent and acute cases of schistosomiasis were compared. These cases actually may be considered evidences of the non-apparent form hitherto merely taken for granted in the literature.

Search of intravascular hemolysis in patients with the cutaneous form of loxoscelism

Haptoglobin assay, a highly sensitive method to detect intravascular hemolysis was carried out in the sera of 19 patients referred to Hospital Vital Brazil with the cutaneous form of loxoscelism in order to investigate the occurrence of mild intravascular hemolysis. Data from this series did not show decreased levels haptoglobin, ruling out intravascular hemolysis in these patients with cutaneous form of loxoscelism.

Dot-ELISA-IgM in saliva for the diagnosis of human leptospirosis using polyester fabric-resin as support (Preliminary Report)

In order to improve the diagnosis of human leptospirosis, we standardized the dot-ELISA for the search of specific IgM antibodies in saliva. Saliva and serum samples were collected simultaneously from 20 patients with the icterohemorrhagic form of the disease, from 10 patients with other pathologies and from 5 negative controls. Leptospires of serovars icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, hebdomadis, brasiliensis and cynopteri grown in EMJH medium and mixed together in equal volumes, were used as antigen at individual protein concentration of 0.2 µg/µl. In the solid phase of the test we used polyester fabric impregnated with N-methylolacrylamide resin. The antigen volume for each test was 1µl, the saliva volume was 8 µl, and the volume of peroxidase-labelled anti-human IgM conjugate was 30 µl. A visual reading was taken after development in freshly prepared chromogen solution. In contrast to the classic nitrocellulose membrane support, the fabric support is easy to obtain and to handle. Saliva can be collected directly onto the support, a fact that facilitates the method and reduces the expenses and risks related to blood processing.

Comparison of Disposable Pipette Extraction and Dispersive Solid-Phase Extraction in the QuEChERS Method for Analysis of Pesticides in Strawberries

In this study, we sought to assess the applicability of GC–MS/MS for the identification and quantification of 36 pesticides in strawberry from integrated pest management (IPM) and organic farming (OF). Citrate versions of QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) using dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) and disposable pipette extraction (DPX) for cleanup were compared for pesticide extraction. For cleanup, a combination of MgSO4, primary secondary amine and C18 was used for both the versions. Significant differences were observed in recovery results between the two sample preparation versions (DPX and d-SPE). Overall, 86% of the pesticides achieved recoveries (three spiking levels 10, 50 and 200 µg/kg) in the range of 70–120%, with <13% RSD. The matrix effects were also evaluated in both the versions and in strawberries from different crop types. Although not evidencing significant differences between the two methodologies were observed, however, the DPX cleanup proved to be a faster technique and easy to execute. The results indicate that QuEChERS with d-SPE and DPX and GC–MS/MS analysis achieved reliable quantification and identification of 36 pesticide residues in strawberries from OF and IPM.

Dot-ELISA for the detection of anti-Cysticercus cellulosae antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid using a new solid phase (resin-treated polyester fabric) and Cysticercus longicollis antigens

A dot-ELISA was developed for the detection of antibodies in CSF in the immunologic diagnosis of human neurocysticercosis, using antigen extracts of the membrane and scolex of Cysticercus cellulosae (M+S-Cc) and, alternately, membrane (M) and vesicular fluid (VF) of Cysticercus longicollis (Cl) covalently bound to a new solid phase consisting of polyester fabric treated with N-methylol-acrylamide resin (dot-RT). The test was performed at room temperature, with reduced incubation times and with no need for special care in the manipulation of the support. The sensitivity rates obtained were 95.1% for antigen Cc and 97.6% for antigen Cl. Specificity was 90.6% when Cc was used, and 96.9% and 100% when M-Cl and VF-Cl were used, respectively. No significant differences in titer were observed between tests carried out with homologous and heterologous antigens. The low cost and easy execution of the dot-RT test using antigen extracts of Cysticercus longicollis indicate the test for use in the immunodiagnosis of human neurocysticercosis.

Polyvinyl alcohol-glutaraldehyde as solid-phase in Elisa for Schistosomiasis

Soluble adult Schistosoma mansoni antigen preparation (SWAP) was covalently fixed onto polyvinyl alcohol-glutaraldehyde discs and an enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was set up. The best conditions for the assay were established and it was found that small amount of antigen such as 1.5 µg was required. A comparison between this procedure and the conventional ELISA was proceeded. A reliable method of antigen immobilization was achieved and the low prices of the employed reagents are economically attractive