Ballast water: a review of the impact on the world public health

Since the nineteenth century ships have been using ballast water (BW) for safety, stability, propulsion and maneuverability, as well as to redress loss of fuel weight and water consumption, and to maintain structural stress at acceptable levels. Ballast water has been spreading many non-native species around the globe, but little is known about the extent and potential significance of ship-mediated transfer of microorganisms. The global movements of ballast water by ships create a long-distance dispersal mechanism for human pathogens that may be important in the worldwide distribution of microorganisms, as well as for the epidemiology of waterborne diseases. Only a few studies have been carried out on this subject, most of them involving ballast water containing crustacean larvae and phytoplankton. Specialized microbiological studies on these waters are necessary to avoid a repeat of what happened in 1991, when epidemic cholera was reported in Peru and rapidly spread through Latin America and Mexico. In July of 1992, Vibrio cholerae was found in the USA and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that it came from ballast water of ships whose last port of call was in South America. In Brazil, just a few studies about the subject have been performed. An exploratory study by the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (Agencia Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria - ANVISA) found in ballast water different microorganisms, such as fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Clostridium perfringens, coliphages, Vibrio cholerae O1 and Vibrio cholerae non-O1. Until now, Brazil has been focusing only on organisms transported to its territory from other countries by ballast water, to avoid their establishment and dissemination in Brazilian areas. Studies that can assess the probability that water ballast carries pathogenic microorganisms are extremely important, as is the examination of ships that arrive in the country. Treatment of the human infections caused by BW exists but none is completely safe and efficient.

The invasion of five alien species in the Delta do Parnaiba Environmental Protection Area, Northeastern Brazil

Marine biological invasions have been regarded as one of the major causes of native biodiversity loss, with shipping and aquaculture being the leading contributors for the introductions of alien species in aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, five aquatic alien species (one mollusk, three crustaceans and one fish species) were detected during dives, shore searches and from the fisheries on the coast of the Delta do Parnaiba Environmental Protection Area, in the States of Piaui and Maranhao, Northeastern Brazil. The species were the bicolor purse-oyster Isognomon bicolor, the whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, the giant river prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii, the Indo-Pacific swimming crab Charybdis hellerii and, the muzzled blenny Omobranchus punctatus. Ballast water (I. bicolor, C. hellerii, and O. punctatus) and aquaculture activities (L. vannamei and M. rosenbergii) in adjacent areas are the most likely vectors of introduction. All exotic species found have potential impact risks to the environment because they are able to compete against native species for resources (food and habitat). Isognomon bicolor share the same habitat and food items with the native bivalve species of mussels and barnacles. Litopenaeus vannamei share the same habitat and food items with the native penaeids such as the pinkspot shrimp Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis, the Southern brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus subtilis, and the Southern white shrimp Litopenaeus schmitti, and in the past few years L. vannamei was responsible for a viral epidemics in the cultivation tanks that could be transmitted to native penaeid shrimps. Charybdis hellerii is also able to cause impacts on the local fisheries as the species can decrease the populations of native portunid crabs which are commercialized in the studied region. Macrobrachium rosenbergii may be sharing natural resources with the Amazon River prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum. Omobranchus punctatus shares habit with the native redlip blenny Ophioblennius atlanticus and other fishes, such as the frillfin goby Bathigobius soporator. Some immediate remedial measures to prevent further introductions from ballast water and shrimp farm ponds should be: (i) to prevent the release of ballast water by ship/vessels in the region; (ii) to reroute all effluent waters from shrimp rearing facilities through an underground or above-ground dry well; (iii) to install adequate sand and gravel filter which will allow passage of water but not livestock; (iv) outdoor shrimp pounds located on floodable land should be diked, and; (v) to promote environmental awareness of those directly involved with ballast water (crews of ship/vessels) and shrimp farms in the region. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (3): 909-923. Epub 2010 September 01.

Isolation and characterization of latent and active polyphenoloxidase in BRS Clara (CNPUV 154-147 x Centennial seedless) and BRS Morena (Marroo seedless x Centennial seedless) seedless table grapes

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Scaling in few-body nuclear physics

The nuclear matter calculations with realistic nucleon-nucleon potentials present a general scaling between the nucleon-nucleus binding energy, the corresponding saturation density, and the triton binding energy. The Thomas-Efimov three-body effect implies in correlations among low-energy few-body and many-body observables. It is also well known that, by varying the short-range repulsion, keeping the two-nucleon information (deuteron and scattering) fixed, the four-nucleon and three-nucleon binding energies lie on a very narrow band known as a Tjon line. By looking for a universal scaling function connecting the proper scales of the few-body system with those of the many-body system, we suggest that the general nucleus-nucleon scaling mechanism is a manifestation of a universal few-body effect.

The few scales of nuclei and nuclear matter

The well-known correlations of low-energy three and four-nucleon observables with a typical three-nucleon scale (e.g., the Tjon line) is extended to light nuclei and nuclear matter. Evidence for the scaling between light nuclei binding energies and the triton one are pointed out. We argue that the saturation energy and density of nuclear matter are correlated to the triton binding energy. The available systematic nuclear matter calculations indicate a possible band structure representing these correlations. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Three- and Four-Nucleon Bound States in Three Dimensions, Without PW Decomposition

A brief review of a three-dimensional (3D) numerical method to solve few-nucleon bound and scattering states, without the standard partial-wave (PW) decomposition, is presented. The approach is applied to three-and four-nucleon bound states, by considering the solutions of the corresponding Faddeev-Yakubovsky (FY) integral equations in momentum space. Realistic spin-isospin dependent 3D and PW formalism are presented for the alpha particle and the triton binding energies, with numerical results given in both schemes for comparison.

Inner satellites of Neptune: I the disturbing function

In this work, we focus our attention to the expansion of the disturbing function (R) which governs the dynamics of a satellite (natural or artificial) in the Neptune-Triton system. What makes this problem quite unusual, is the fact that a small inner satellite can be strongly disturbed by Triton which is moving in a highly inclined and retrograde orbit. These features are unique in our solar system. Although a lot of retrograde satellites are currently known, all of them have negligible mass and the), do not offer almost any perturbation on the others satellites. However, in the case of the inner satellites of Neptune, Triton is an interesting exception. In a highly inclined orbit, the perturbation it exerts on the neighbouring satellites of Neptune cannot be ignored even for the present scenario. However, in the future, this perturbation will be much more important because due to the tides, the orbit of Triton is contracting, whereas the semi major axes of the remaining inner satellites of Neptune will remain almost unaffected by the tides. In this work we first obtain the disturbing function in the retrograde case. After that, we generalize R for arbitrary inclination. Several numerical tests are presented and a possible future case of resonant configuration is briefly discussed as well. (c) 2005 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variation of the Equator due to a Highly Inclined and Eccentric Disturber

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

Electrochemical reduction and cathodic stripping voltammetric determination of clotrimazole

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

Direct and Simultaneous Determination of Cd Cu, and Se in Blood Samples by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

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

Soil remediation using a coupled process: soil washing with surfactant followed by photo-Fenton oxidation

In the present work the use of a coupled process, soil washing and photo-Fenton oxidation, was investigated for remediation of a soil contaminated with p.p'-DDT (DDT) and p.p'-DDE (DDE), and a soil artificially contaminated with diesel. In the soil washing experiments,Triton X-100(TX-100) aqueous solutions were used at different concentrations to obtain wastewaters with different compositions. Removal efficiencies of 66% (DDT). 80% (DDE) and 100% (diesel) were achieved for three sequential washings using a TX-100 solution strength equivalent to 12 times the effective critical micelle concentration of the surfactant (12 CMC(eff)). The wastewater obtained was then treated using a solar photo-Fenton process. After 6 h irradiation, 99, 95 and 100% degradation efficiencies were achieved for DDT, DDE and diesel, respectively. In all experiments, the concentration of dissolved organic carbon decreased by at least 95%, indicating that residual concentration of contaminants and/or TX-100 in the wastewater was very low. The co-extraction of metals was also evaluated. Among the metals analyzed (Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu. Cd, Mn and Co), only Cr and Mn were detected in the wastewater at concentrations above the maximum value permitted by current Brazilian legislation. The effective removal of contaminants from soil by the TX-100 washing process, together with the high degradation efficiency of the solar photo-Fenton process, suggests that this procedure could be a useful option for soil remediation. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contaminação ambiental por compostos organoestânicos

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

Nitrate reductase activity in leaves and stems of tanner grass (Brachiaria radicans Napper)

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

Descrição de um surto de lepidopterismo (dermatite associada ao contato com mariposas) entre marinheiros, ocorrido em Salvador, Estado da Bahia

A ocorrência uma dermatite pápulo-pruriginosa em toda a tripulação de um navio comercial filipino em Salvador, BA, foi associada ao contato com mariposas do gênero Hylesia. Esta enfermidade insólita é causada por cerdas corporais das mariposas (flechettes). O relato dos casos serve como alerta para possíveis situações semelhantes.

Tests to determine LC50 and discriminating doses for macrocyclic lactones against the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus

Laboratory tests were carried out on larvae and adults of the cattle tick Boophilus microplus to determine the toxicity of macrocyclic lactone acaricides (MLs). Technical and commercial MLs were used in larval packet test (LPT), larval immersion test (LIT) and adult immersion test (AIT). Tn LIT and AIT the toxicity of MLs was much higher than for LPT. In the AIT, diluting the injectable formulation of MLs in water was as effective as dilution in ethanol + Triton X-100. LC50, LC99.9 and 95% confidence limits were determined so that a discriminating dose (DD) could be set for larval and adult tests in order to diagnose potential resistance to MLs in field samples of the tick. These DDs are for Australian strains of B. microplus and may not be suitable for other strains until further work is carried out.The value of these diagnostic tests can only be verified if or when resistance to MLs emerges in ticks. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.