Biosolid soil application: Toxicity tests under laboratory conditions

A large volume of generated sewage sludge makes its disposal a problem. The usage of sludge in agriculture is highlighted by a number of advantages. However, heavy metals and other toxic compounds may exercise harmful effects to soil organisms. This study evaluated the possible toxic effects of a biosolid sample, under laboratory conditions, for 30 days, using diplopods Rhinocricus padbergi and plants Allium cepa (onion) as test organisms. The data obtained demonstrated that the biosolid raw sample had genotoxic potential for Allium cepa root tip cells. In the diplopods exposed to biosolid sample, epithelium disorganization in the midgut and a reduction of the volume of the hepatic cells were observed after 7 days of exposure. After 30 days, the animals still showed a reduction of the volume of the hepatic cells, but in minor intensity. Allium cepa analysis showed genotoxicity, but this effect was reduced after 30 days of bioprocessing by diplopods. This study was important to know the effects as well as to determine how this waste could be applied concerning the soil living organisms and plants. © 2012 Cintya Ap. Christofoletti et al.

Effect of seating forces on cement-ceramic adhesion in microtensile bond tests

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different seating forces during cementation in cement-ceramic microtensile bond strength (μTBS). Materials and methods: Forty-five blocks (5 × 5 × 4 mm3) of a glass-infiltrated alumina-based ceramic (In-Ceram Alumina) were fabricated according to the manufacturer's instructions and duplicated in resin composite. Ceramic surfaces were polished, cleaned for 10 min in an ultrasonic bath, silica coated using a laboratory type of air abrasion device, and silanized. Each treated ceramic block was then randomly assigned to five groups (n = 9) and cemented to a composite block under five seating forces (10 g, 50 g, 100 g, 500 g, and 750 g) using a dual-cured resin cement (Panavia F). The ceramic-cement-composite assemblies were cut under coolant water to obtain bar specimens (1 mm × 0. 8 mm2). The μTBS tests were performed in a universal testing machine (1 mm/min). The mean bond strengths values were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA (α ≤ 0. 05). Results: Different seating forces resulted in no significant difference in the μTBS results ranging between 13. 1 ± 4. 7 and 18. 8 ± 2. 1 MPa (p = 0. 13) and no significant differences among cement thickness. Conclusions: Excessive seating forces during cementation seem not to affect the μTBS results. Clinical relevance: Excessive forces during the seating of single all-ceramic restorations cementation seem to display the same tensile bond strength to the resin cement. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Proyecto de informe de la Reunión de Coordinación de Organismos Internacionales para Apoyar las Actividades Latinoamericanas y del Caribe para el Año Internacional de la Juventud, Lima

Presenta la organizacion y resumen de los debates de la reunion cuyos objetivos eran: conocer las actividades preparatorias para el AIJ realizadas por los distintos organismos; identificar areas de accion e investigacion y definir puntos de colaboracion interinstitucional; promover la difusion de la informacion proveniente de las actividades identificadas; y, sobre la base de lo anterior, estimular a los gobiernos para que realicen diagnosticos nacionales sobre la juventud y elaboren sus propias estrategias.

Longitudinal analysis of serological tests officially adopted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health for the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis in dogs vaccinated with Leishmune®

Development of vaccines against canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) may provide a prophylactic barrier, but antibody response detected by standard diagnostic techniques may not separate vaccinated from naturally infected dogs. Moreover, anti-Leishmania antibody levels in vaccinated dogs may be detectable for months. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to comparatively evaluate an in-house ELISA with three serological tests officially adopted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health for the diagnosis of CVL in dogs vaccinated with Leishmune®. A total of 18 mongrel dogs were submitted to a complete protocol of the vaccine, monitored and evaluated in 5 times (T0-T4) up to 180 days after T0. Twenty-one days after the first dose (T1), 50% of the dogs were seropositive by the in-house ELISA and 5.5% by IFAT, while by the official ELISA and DPP® CVL rapid test all dogs tested negative. At time T2, 42 days after of the first dose, 100%, 83.3%, 11.1%, and 5.5% of the dogs were seropositive by the in-house ELISA, IFAT, official ELISA kit and the DPP® CVL rapid test, respectively. Ninety days after the first dose (T3), 100%, 83.3%, 72.2% and 33.3% of the dogs were seropositive by the in-house ELISA, official ELISA kit, IFAT, and the DPP® CVL rapid test, respectively. Finally, at time T4, 88.8%, 33.3%, 11.1% and 5.5% of the dogs were seropositive by the in-house ELISA, official ELISA kit, DPP® CVL rapid test and IFAT, respectively. In conclusion, dogs vaccinated with Leishmune® cross-react by an in-house ELISA and by the three official Brazilian serological tests for the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis up to six months after the first vaccine dose, and may be mistakenly diagnosed and removed. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Parametric VaR with goodness-of-fit tests based on EDF statistics for extreme returns

Parametric VaR (Value-at-Risk) is widely used due to its simplicity and easy calculation. However, the normality assumption, often used in the estimation of the parametric VaR, does not provide satisfactory estimates for risk exposure. Therefore, this study suggests a method for computing the parametric VaR based on goodness-of-fit tests using the empirical distribution function (EDF) for extreme returns, and compares the feasibility of this method for the banking sector in an emerging market and in a developed one. The paper also discusses possible theoretical contributions in related fields like enterprise risk management (ERM). © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

El sistema de estadisticas sociales y demograficas y la investigacion socio-demografica en America Latina

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Avances teoricos y metodologicos de la investigacion demografica en America Latina y su relacion con otras disciplinas

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Estado, planificacion y politicas de poblacion en America Latina: los casos de Chile y Ecuador; proyecto de investigacion

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Evaluacion del metodo de Feeney para la estimacion de niveles y tendencias de la mortalidad infantil; Costa Rica, 1973; trabajo de investigacion

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Costa Rica: evaluacion de la informacion de la historia de embarazos en la Encuesta Nacional de Fecundidad 1976; trabajo de investigacion

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La investigacion del empleo

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Panama: estimacion de los niveles de fecundidad a partir de la investigacion especial de la EDEP

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Delimitacion del concepto "Estrategias de supervivencia" y sus vinculos con la investigacion socio-demografica; borrador para discusion

Se propone como definicion provisoria de estrategias de supervivencia el conjunto de acciones que a nivel economico, social, cultural y demografico, realizan los estratos o grupos poblacionales incorporados marginalmente a un determinado estilo de desarrollo, con el proposito de satisfacer las necesidades basicas. A diferencia de los conceptos de pobreza, calidad de vida y otros, el de estrategias hace referencia a un proceso social complejo que pretende aprehender un fenomeno dinamico. Asi definido, el concepto plantea una gama de problemas metodologicos, algunos de los cuales se examinan con el objeto de centrar la discusion. Estos son: a).la conceptualizacion adecuada de estilos de desarrollo; b).la determinacion de los grupos sociales a ser investigados en esta perspectiva; c).la determinacion de las distintas dimensiones que conforman las estrategias; d).la eleccion de la unidad de analisis; e).la compatibilizacion de las tecnicas de recoleccion de la informacion.