Characteristics and Analyses of Strategic Factors in Reverse Channels of Açaí Pulp Production Waste in the Municipality of Castanhal/PA/ Caracterização e análise de fatores estratégicos nos canais reversos do resíduo da produção de polpa de açaí no município de Castanhal-PA

When disposed of inappropriately, waste from the production of açaí pulp, originating from the açaí production chain, is the cause of many environmental, economic, and social problems. In an attempt to minimize impact, Reverse Logistics is an instrument of economic, environmental, and social development characterized by actions aimed at the treatment and reuse of waste, which is managed and moved through Reverse Channels. Consulted bibliography defines Strategic Factors capable of promoting the structuring and organization of waste for environmentally appropriate destination by different production sectors. This research analyzed economic, environmental/ecological, technological, logistical, and legislative strategic factors of the reverse channels for açaí production waste in the city of Castanhal/PA, as this municipality’s açaí pulp production is nationally relevant. For this purpose, it was necessary first to characterize local reverse channels, since bibliographic and documentary research did not yield relevant information on the subject. Field research—consisting of in loco observation, structured interviews, and application of online questionnaires to agents directly and indirectly involved—was fundamental to characterize the object of this study. As a result, we achieved the characterization of reverse channels, as well as their logistical resources and the stakeholders involved, starting from the generation of waste through to transportation and final destination, ending our analysis with the main forms of waste revaluation. Our research also allowed the identification and analysis of strategic factors capable of influencing the structuring and maintenance of activities in this reverse chain

Análise dos entraves e facilitadores no processo de obtenção de recursos para P&D na Amazônia ocidental / Analysis of the barriers and facilitators in the process of obtaining resources for R&D in the western Amazon

A Lei de Inovação e a Lei de Informática localizam-se entre as várias tentativas de organizar, na Amazônia Ocidental, processos inovativos que sedimentem os conhecimentos constituídos a partir das décadas de experiência do polo industrial incentivado reunindo às potencialidades naturais do bioma amazônico. Porém, há indícios de que os incentivos legais a P&D na região não são insumos tratados efetivamente nos processos inovativos, pois não são suficientes para remover ou evitar alguns obstáculos aos atores envolvidos. Diante disso, a presente pesquisa mapeou as etapas necessárias para um pesquisador obter recursos para P&D previstos pelas leis de incentivo, e entrevistou atores representativos para identificar os entraves e os facilitadores neste processo. Os entraves na obtenção de recursos para P&D na Amazônia Ocidental são a falta de engajamento mercadológico dos pesquisadores e a estrutura burocrática típica de universidades governamentais. A atuação das instituições coordenadoras a partir da Res. 13/2016 CAPDA marca os facilitadores potenciais no processo de obtenção de recursos. 

VARIÁVEIS ANTROPOMÉTRICAS E FISIOLÓGICAS DE MILITARES DO 72º BATALHÃO DE INFANTARIA MOTORIZADO DE PETROLINA-PE SUBMETIDOS A DIFERENTES INTENSIDADES DE TREINAMENTO DE CORRIDA

Introdução: O treinamento físico militar (TFM) é fundamental para minimizar o risco de doenças e desenvolver o condicionamento físico necessário ao cumprimento das missões. No entanto, não obedece ao princípio da individualidade. Objetivo: Verificar a influência de três protocolos de treinamento sobre parâmetros antropométricos e fisiológicos. Métodos: Participaram do estudo 45 militares, alocados em três grupos. Todos os grupos realizaram 12 sessões de treinamento. O grupo controle realizou TFM e os grupos G70 e G95 realizaram treinamento físico individualizado (TFI) em intensidades de 70% e 95% do limiar anaeróbico, durante 70% do tempo limite para exaustão. Resultados: Os voluntários apresentavam médias de idade e IMC de 18,7À0,7 anos e 21,9À2,6 kg/m², respectivamente. Para todas as variáveis mensuradas não foram verificadas diferenças entre os grupos nos momentos PRÉ e PÓS. Porém, os grupos experimentais realizaram o TFI em tempo significativamente inferior ao grupo TFM (G95: 25min; G70: 60min; TFM: 90min; pConclusão: Os resultados demonstram que os protocolos experimentais são tão efetivos quanto o TFM, porém são executados em menor tempo. Neste sentido, o tempo reduzido de execução do treinamento otimiza o tempo de instrução dos militares e intensifica a preparação de instruções técnicas e táticas, sem comprometer o condicionamento físico

Mercado de gás natural no Brasil : desafios para novo ciclo de investimentos

Bibliografia: p. 467-470.O artigo trata da questão da regulação tanto da exploração e produção (upstream) como do transporte e distribuição (midstream e downstream). Mostra as especificidades da oferta de gás no Brasil e apresenta o papel exercido pelos diversos segmentos consumidores no mercado de gás. Destaca as áreas promissoras para produção de gás, incluindo-se áreas de fronteira de gás não convencional. Analisa a evolução de preços de gás tanto no Brasil como nos principais mercados no exterior. Com isso, procura-se evidenciar quão regional é o mercado de gás, diferentemente do mercado de petróleo cru. Ademais, descreve como, no Brasil, a oferta é balanceada com a demanda, tentando-se destacar aspectos relacionados à rigidez e à flexibilidade da oferta e da demanda. Apresenta as possibilidades de expansão da oferta e mostra o papel do BNDES no financiamento à infraestrutura de escoamento de gás para o mercado consumidor. Por fim, destaca os principais desafios para o segmento de gás natural nos próximos anos

The impact of care actions on the perception of the quality of the Single Health System (SUS), Brazil: a cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer in Brazil. Surgical resection is one of the pillars of management, and care actions, such as surgical task forces, are one way to reduce treatment waiting time. METHODS: In this research, we conducted a cross-sectional study with 40 patients; 20 of whom were treated by a surgical task force and 20 were controls. Epidemiological data were collected in addition to answers to nine questions related to the quality of the Single Health System (SUS in Portuguese). RESULTS: A significant difference was observed in responses related to the waiting time for surgery in the SUS (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: One can observe an improvement in the perception of patients, with regard to the SUS, when included in care actions

Otoliths-composed gelatin/sodium alginate scaffolds for bone regeneration

Evidence that otoliths, mineral-rich limestone concrescences present in the inner ear of bone fishes, can accelerate bone formation in vivo has been previously reported. The goal of this work was the development, characterization, and evaluation of the cytocompatibility of otoliths-incorporated sodium alginate and gelatin scaffolds. Cynoscion acoupaderived otoliths were characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (FRX), particle size, free lime, and weight loss by calcination. Furthermore, otoliths were incorporated into sodium alginate (ALG/OTL-s) or gelatin (GEL/OTL-s) scaffolds, previously developed by freeze-drying. Then, the scaffolds were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy with Fourier transform (FTIR), swelling tests, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cytotoxicity assays were run against J774.G8 macrophages and MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. Data obtained from TGA/DTG, DSC, and FTIR analyses confirmed the interaction between otoliths and the polymeric scaffolds. SEM showed the homogeneous porous 3D structure rich in otolith micro-fragments in both scaffolds. Swelling of the GEL/OTL-s (63.54±3.0%) was greater than of ALG/OTL-s (13.36±9.9%) (p0.05) and significantly higher than that treated with Triton-X (p0.05). However, by 48 h, only ALG/OTL-s showed growth similar to control (p>0.05), whereas GEL/OTL showed a significantly lower growth index (p<0.05). In conclusion, the physicochemical profiles suggest proper interaction between the otoliths and the two developed polymeric 3D scaffolds. Moreover, both materials showed cytocompatibility with J774.G8 macrophages but the growth of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts was higher when exposed to ALG/OTL-s. These data suggest that sodium alginate/otoliths scaffolds are potential biomaterials to be used in bone regeneration applications.We would like to thank the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and the Foundation for Research and Technological Innovation Support of the State of Sergipe for the financial support in this study. EMBS acknowledges the sponsorship of the projects M-ERA-NET-0004/2015-PAIRED and UIDB/04469/2020 (strategic fund), received support from the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, Ministry of Science and Education (FCT/MEC) through national funds, and was co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

High seroprevalence of Leishmania infantum is linked to immune activation in people with HIV: a two-stage cross-sectional study in Bahia, Brazil

Visceral leishmaniasis is an opportunistic disease in HIV-1 infected individuals, unrecognized as a determining factor for AIDS diagnosis. The growing geographical overlap of HIV-1 and Leishmania infections is an emerging challenge worldwide, as co-infection increases morbidity and mortality for both infections. Here, we determined the prevalence of people living with HIV (PWH) with a previous or ongoing infection by Leishmania infantum and investigated the virological and immunological factors associated with co-infection. We adopted a two-stage cross-sectional cohort (CSC) design (CSC-I, n = 5,346 and CSC-II, n = 317) of treatment-naïve HIV-1-infected individuals in Bahia, Brazil. In CSC-I, samples collected between 1998 and 2013 were used for serological screening for leishmaniasis by an in-house Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) with SLA (Soluble Leishmania infantum Antigen), resulting in a prevalence of previous or ongoing infection of 16.27%. Next, 317 PWH were prospectively recruited from July 2014 to December 2015 with the collection of sociodemographic and clinical data. Serological validation by two different immunoassays confirmed a prevalence of 15.46 and 8.20% by anti-SLA, and anti-HSP70 serology, respectively, whereas 4.73% were double-positive (DP). Stratification of these 317 individuals in DP and double-negative (DN) revealed a significant reduction of CD4+ counts and CD4+/CD8+ ratios and a tendency of increased viral load in the DP group, as compared to DN. No statistical differences in HIV-1 subtype distribution were observed between the two groups. However, we found a significant increase of CXCL10 (p = 0.0076) and a tendency of increased CXCL9 (p = 0.061) in individuals with DP serology, demonstrating intensified immune activation in this group. These findings were corroborated at the transcriptome level in independent Leishmania- and HIV-1-infected cohorts (Swiss HIV Cohort and Piaui Northeast Brazil Cohort), indicating that CXCL10 transcripts are shared by the IFN-dominated immune activation gene signatures of both pathogens and positively correlated to viral load in untreated PWH. This study demonstrated a high prevalence of PWH with L. infantum seropositivity in Bahia, Brazil, linked to IFN-mediated immune activation and a significant decrease in CD4+ levels. Our results highlight the urgent need to increase awareness and define public health strategies for the management and prevention of HIV-1 and L. infantum co-infectionThis study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001, RK; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia (FAPESB, grant APP0032/2016, RK); Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, grant 65083/2015-8, LS); FAPESB/CNPq (008/2014 PRONEX grant 8111/2014, AB); Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen (grant G0D6817N, A-MV and JW). None of the funding organizations had any role in the study design, data collection, data interpretation or writing of this repor