Human chromosome aberrations induced in vitro by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis glycoproteic component (GP 43)

The in vitro cytogenetic effects of the 43-kDa molecular mass exocellular glycoproteic component (GP 43) from Paracoccidioides brasiliensis were studied in cultures from human lymphocytes. The sample included 10 healthy, white, non-smoking, non-related males (mean age of 31.3 ± 8.2 years). Besides the control, three concentrations of GP 43 (0.125, 1.25 and 5 μg/ml) were used. In each group, around 1000 cells were examined in search of chromosome aberrations, and 30,000 metaphases were analysed for the determination of the Mitotic Index. The authors conclude that GP 43 most probably causes inhibition of the cell cycle and aneugenic and clastogenic effects.

Hydrochemistry on a waste disposal area of sand mining activities at Analandia, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, and their implications on the mobilization of uranium

Groundwaters and surface waters from an area of treatment of sand for industrial purposes at Analandia municipality, nearly in the center of Sao Paulo State, Brazil, were chemically and isotopically analyzed with two aims: to evaluate if the anthropogenic activities that has taken place for the last 6 years is affecting the quality of the hydrological resources and to relate the hydrogeochemical behaviour of the uranium isotopes 234U and 238U with the pattern of circulation of groundwaters.

Coordinated, network-based research as a strategic component of science in Brazil

Scientific research plays a fundamental role in the health and development of any society, since all technological advances depend ultimately on scientific discovery and the generation of wealth is intricately dependent on technological advance. Due to their importance, science and technology generally occupy important places in the hierarchical structure of developed societies, and they receive considerable public and private investment. Publicly funded science is almost entirely devoted to discovery, and it is administered and structured in a very similar way throughout the world. Particularly in the biological sciences, this structure, which is very much centered on the individual scientist and his own hypothesis-based investigations, may not be the best suited for either discovery in the context of complex biological systems, or for the efficient advancement of fundamental knowledge into practical utility. The adoption of other organizational paradigms, which permit a more coordinated and interactive research structure, may provide important opportunities to accelerate the scientific process and further enhance its relevance and contribution to society. The key alternative is a structure that incorporates larger organizational units to tackle larger and more complex problems. One example of such a unit is the research network. Brazil has utilized such networks to great effect in genome sequencing projects, demonstrating their relevance to the Brazilian research community and opening the possibility of their wider utility in the future.

On a negative flow of the AKNS hierarchy and its relation to a two-component Camassa-Holm equation?

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

Residues of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in some Brazilian municipal solid waste compost

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), listed as per the Stockholm Convention (α -HCH, β -HCH, γ -HCH, p,p′-DDT, o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDD, p,p′-DDE, aldrin, endrin, dieldrin, PCBs 28, 52, 118, 138, 153, and 180), were analyzed in municipal solid waste (MSW) compost samples from three different Brazilian composting plants located in three São Paulo State cities: Araras, Araraquara and São Paulo (Vila Leopoldinha). Quantitative and qualitative analyses were carried out using gas chromatography electron capture detection (GC-ECD) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) (Ion Trap, electron impact ionization), respectively. The samples were analyzed in triplicate and the target POPs were not detected by GC-ECD. Twelve pollutants were identified in two samples when qualitative analysis (GC-MS) was used (β -HCH, γ -HCH, p,p′-DDT, o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDD, and p,p′-DDE, PCBs 28, 118, 138, 153 and 180). The composting process has advantages such as urban solid waste reduction and landfill life-span increase, however the MSW compost quality, which can be utilized for agricultural purposes, should be evaluated and be controlled. This kind of study is the first step in making available information to answer questions regarding MSW compost for sustainable agricultural use, such as the pollutants accumulation in soil and in groundwater, and plants uptake. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Produção de pimentão em substratos e fertirrigação com efluente de biodigestor

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Use of soybean oil fry waste for economical biosurfactant production by isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa using response surface methodology

The present study sought biotensoactive production from soybean oil fry waste using Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from the soil of a petroleum station having undergone gasoline and diesel oil spills. The results of the experiments were analyzed using a complete factorial experimental design, investigating the concentration of soybean oil waste, ammonia sulfate and residual brewery yeast. Assays were performed in 250-mL Erlenmeyer beakers containing 50 mL of production medium, maintained on a rotary shaker at 200 rpm and a temperature of 30±1 °C for a 48-hour fermentation period. Biosurfactant production was monitored through the determination of rhamnose, surface tension and emulsification activity. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145 strain and isolated Pseudomonas aeruginosa were able to reduce the surface tension of the initial mexlium from 61 mN/m to 32.5 mN/m and 30.0 mN/m as well as produce rhamnose at concentrations of 1.96 and 2.89 g/L with emulsification indices of 96% and 100%, respectively.

Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean: Trends, Progress, and Challenges in Sustainable Consumption and Production, Mining, Transport, Chemicals and Waste Management

Includes bibliography

Municipal solid waste management in the Caribbean: a benefit-cost analysis

Includes bibliography

Groundwater quality on a waste disposal area due to sand mining activities in São Paulo state, Brazil

This investigation reports the results of a study realized in an area related to the development of sand mining activities, which belongs to Sibelco Mineração Ltd. The site is located around Analândia municipality, nearly in the center of São Paulo State, Brazil. Hydrochemical analyses of groundwater were realized under different periods of time, with the aim of evaluating the possibility of release of several constituents to the liquid phase, which may be a source of pollution of the surface hydrological resources and of the deeper Guarani aquifer. This is because the site is located at the recharge area of Guarani aquifer and some tributaries from Corumbataí river may also be suffering contamination, implying on the impoverishment of the water quality that are very important resources in the region, as they are extensively used for drinking purposes, among others.© 2011 WIT Press.

Modelling thermodynamic properties of banana waste by analytical derivation of desorption isotherms

Banana is an agricultural product of great economic importance for various developing countries. The relationship between moisture content and water activity provides useful information for the processing and storage of banana waste. The water activity and moisture content of three banana (Mussa spp. Haploid AAB cv. Nanica) waste items were analyzed to determine the desorption isotherms at six different temperatures (20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70°C). The desorption isotherms of the peel, pedicel and pulp of overripe bananas were determined in wide ranges of moisture content (0.001-6.360 kg kg-1 d.b.) and water activity (0.02-0.907). The theoretical GAB model was used for modelling the desorption isotherms. An analytical solution of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation was proposed to compute the isosteric heat of sorption, the differential entropy and Gibbs' free energy by way of the GAB model when the effect of temperature on the hygroscopic equilibrium was considered. © 2012 de Gruyter. All rights reserved.

Ductal carcinoma in situ in core needle biopsies and its association with extensive in situ component in the surgical specimen

Background: We evaluated the presence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in core needle biopsies (CNB) from invasive ductal lesions. Methods: Retrospective study, which analyzed 90 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma lesions. The percentage of DCIS was quantified in each specimens obtained from CNB, which were compared to the surgical specimens. CNB and surgical specimens were evaluated by the same pathologist, and the percentage of DCIS in CNB was evaluated (percentage) and divided into categories. We considered the following parameters regarding the amount of DCIS: 1 = 0; 2 = 1 for 5%; 3 = 6 for 24%; 4 = 25 for 50%; 5 = 51 for 75% and 6 = 76 for 99%. The number of fragments and the histological pattern of DCIS was found. Results: We found the following results regarding the distribution of the percentage of DCIS in the CNB: 1 = 63.3%; 2 = 12.2%; 3 = 12.2%; 4 = 5.6%; 5 = 1.1% and 6 = 5.6%. The logistic regression analysis showed that CNB percentages above 45% reflected the presence of DCIS in the surgical specimen in 100% of the cases (p<0.001), with a specificity of 100%, accuracy of 83.3% and false positive rate of 0% (p <0.001). Conclusion: There is direct relationship between extensive intraductal component in the surgical specimen when the core biopsy shows 45% or more of the DCI or microinvasive in the material examined. © 2012 Barbalaco Neto et al.

Thermal behavior of lignin and cellulose from waste composting process

The lignin and cellulose were extracted from reference material (leaves and twigs) and food of compost at different times composting: zero (raw), 30, and 120 days. According to thermogravimetric analysis and its derivative and differential scanning calorimetry curves for these samples, were verified during composting process there were considerable changes in its thermal profiles, as well as, characteristics lignin in cellulose samples and cellulose in lignin samples. These features were found by fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. © 2012 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary.

From coffee industry waste materials to skin-friendly products with improved skin fat levels

Spent coffee grounds (SCG), which are the residue obtained from the treatment of coffee with hot water or steam, can be used for industrial applications, due to the high content in lipids. The cosmetic products might be a suitable application for these types of residues because the barrier properties of the stratum corneum (SC) are largely dependent on the intactness of the lipid lamellae that surrounds the corneocytes. The purpose of this work was to assess the feasibility of using the lipid fraction of SCG extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide in the development of new cosmetic formulations with improved skin lipids (sebum) and hydration. The use of spent coffee lipid extract in cosmetic industry seems to be a suitable approach to recycle the wastes from coffee industry. Emulsion containing 10% of the lipid fraction of SCG (SpentCofOil cream) presented promising characteristics in the improvement of sebum skin levels with a good acceptance by consumers when compared to an emulsion containing 10% w/w of green coffee oil (GreenCofOil cream) and a placebo without coffee oil (NoCofOil cream). Practical applications: In this work, the authors develop and characterize a cream containing 10% of the lipid fraction of SCG extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide with improved skin lipids (sebum) and hydration. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Brazil's new national policy on solid waste: challenges and opportunities

Brazil, one of the world's largest developing countries, has recently introduced a new solid waste management regulatory policy. This new regulatory policy will have implications for a wide variety of stakeholders and sets the stage for opportunities and lessons to be learned. These issues are discussed in this article. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.