TEMPERATURE EFFECT ON HYDROGEN PRODUCTION FROM REACTIONS BETWEEN ETHANOL AND STEAM IN THE PRESENCE OF PD-RU/NB2O5-TIO2 CATALYST

The concern regarding the environment, especially with gases emission by burning fossil fuels, and the increase of energy demand have influenced the development of cleaner and more efficient technologies for energy generation. In this context, studies involving hydrogen and fuel cells are remarkable among future technologies due to its great commercial potential and high energetic efficiency of the process. Theoretically speaking, hydrogen production from biomass or liquids derived from biomass such as ethanol can be considered a carbon emission free process since all the carbon dioxide produced can be recycled by the plants using sun power [1]. Obtaining hydrogen from ethanol might be carried out through catalytic reaction of ethanol steam reforming: (C2H5OH + 3H2O „_ 6H2 + 2CO2) [2-4]. This pathway is extremely attractive and capable of solving many questions involved in hydrogen storage and delivery infrastructure, allowing a well spread production strategy [1]. This work presents an evaluation of performance of the 0.5% Pd-0.5% Ru/Nb2O5-TiO2 catalyst in the reaction between ethanol and steam at temperatures of 573, 648 and 723 K under atmospheric pressure. The catalysts tests were carried out with H2O/C2H5OH molar ratio equals to 10/1 and W/Feth equals to 17.16 (gcat h/mol). The feeding of the reagent mixture was carried out in liquid phase without the presence of inert gases and a packed bed tubular reactor (7g) built in stainless steel (18 cm X 2.1 cm i.d.) was used to obtain the data under closer conditions to the necessary ones for industrial application. Prepared by impregnation from alcoholic solutions of chloride salts precursors of Pd and Ru, the catalyst was characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), textural analysis by adsorption/desorption isotherms of N2 at 77 K, temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and temperature programmed desorption of NH2 (TPD-NH3). The catalytic tests results reveal that the increase in reaction temperature causes the decrease of catalytic activity to ethanol conversion. When the hydrogen production process was carried out at 573 K, it was possibly dominated by reactions of ethanol decomposition and partly of steam reforming reactions and ethanol dehydrogenation. At 648 and 723 K, the efficiency decrease for hydrogen production occurs due to catalytic activity increase for ethanol dehydration and dehydrogenation reactions causing the increase of acetaldehyde and ethane selectivity respectively. Under all temperature conditions evaluated H2, CO2, CH4, CO, C2H4, C2H6, C2H4O, (C2H5)2O and coke, were produced from simultaneous reactions identified as dehydrogenation, dehydration, decomposition and ethanol steam reforming. References [1] H. Song, L. Zhang, R. B. Watson, D. Braden, U. S. Ozkan, Cat. Today 129 (2007) 346. [2] D. R. Sahoo, S. Vajpai, S. Patel, K. K. Pant, Chem. Eng. J. 125 (2007) 139. [3] A. Casanovas, J. Llorca, N. Homs, J. L. G. Fierro, P. R. de la Piscina, J. Mol. Cat. A: Chem. 250 (2006) 44. [4] B. Zhang, X. Tang, Y. Li, W. Cai, Y. Xu, W. Shen, Cat. Commun. 7 (2006) 367

Obtaining microalgae biomass tolerant to herbicides for production of bio-fertilizers: a review based on methodi ordinatio methodology

The objective of this work was to use a systematic review of the literature on the cultivation of microalgae resistant to herbicide using the Method Methodi Ordinatio, which assists the search, selection, collection and classification of scientific articles. Initially, research was done on the databases Scopus, Science Direct and Web of Science, using the keywords “microalgae” and “herbicide”. The results were imported to the Mendeley bibliographic reference manager. Subsequently, the index In Ordinatio index was applied, which works with the three most important factors in a scientific article: The impact factor, the year of publication and the number of citations of the research. This index turns it is possible to classify the most important articles in the area of herbicide-tolerant microalgae and note the importance of this method, which made it possible to find current studies and demonstrate the relevance of this research theme. In order to show the dynamics of the methodology, a research with the theme is presented, comprising works from years 2008 to 2018. The results indicate that the methodology is effective in relation to the objectives proposed, and the most relevant work on the cultivation of herbicide resistant microalgae are used to construct the scenario in this theme.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of a UPLC-MS/MS method for establishing Serra da Estrela´s free amino acids profile

Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM-UID/EQU/50020/2019,strategic funding UID/BIO/04469/2019-CEB and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004), strategic project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2014–CIMOand by Project 02/SAICT/ 2016/23290-QCLASSE, funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Prevalence and Severity of Asthma, Rhinitis, and Atopic Eczema in 13- to 14-Year-Old Schoolchildren from Southern Brazil

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and severity of asthma, rhinitis, and atopic eczema in schoolchildren from southern Brazil. A cross-sectional study was carried out with the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood phase III written questionnaire. The questionnaire was self-applied by 2,948 randomly selected schoolchildren aged 13 to 14 years. The lifetime prevalence rates of symptoms were as follows: wheezing, 40.8%; rhinitis, 40.7%; eczema, 13.6%; self-reported asthma, 14.6%; rhinitis, 31.4%; eczema, 13.4%. Rhinitis was reported by 55% of adolescents with current asthma (60% females vs 46.9% males). Girls 13 to 14 years of age had higher prevalence rates of asthma, rhinitis, and eczema than boys had. Atopic eczema was reported by 42.7% of girls and 31.4% of boys with asthma. The prevalence rates were statistically significant for symptoms of asthma, rhinitis, and atopic eczema in females. However, there were no statistically significant differences between the sexes in regard to reported asthma and bronchospasm induced by exercise

O lugar do corpo na escola: uma revisão da abordagem psicomotora direcionada a crianças de 4 a 6 anos

O presente trabalho tem como tema “O lugar do corpo na escola: uma abordagem psicomotora direcionada a crianças de 4 a 6 anos”. Trata-se de uma revisão do conhecimento sobre o que é psicomotricidade, sua origem e como interfere na Educação Infantil. Seu principal objetivo é enfatizar a importância do movimento na aprendizagem dos alunos de 4 a 6 anos, seguido pelos objetivos específicos; organizar uma fonte de orientação para professores da Educação Infantil, relacionar a pratica psicomotora à aprendizagem cognitiva, evidenciar a formação do professor da Educação Infantil quanto a vivencia e a pratica de atividades psicomotoras e abordar a relação entre afetividade e aprendizagem. Com isso pode-se constatar que o universo da psicomotricidade é único é muito mais amplo do que os professores imaginam. Este estudo vem afirmar que a psicomotricidade quando contemplada em sua totalidade possibilita o desenvolvimento amplo e global da criança, coordenando mente e corpo

Uma revisão sobre a mostarda (Brassica ssp.) e seu possível uso com alternativa para produção de biodiesel

Em função da busca por alternativas de energias renováveis chegamos a novas tecnologias e com isso a novos biocombustíveis. Com a Lei 13.263 (23/06/2016) que prevê o aumento do uso de biodiesel, cria-se uma necessidade de expandir a quantidade oferecida para suprir a demanda existente. Assim, a procura por novas matérias-primas para produção do biodiesel, para abranger volume necessário, se faz presente. A mostarda é tradicionalmente conhecida como um dos condimentos mais utilizados do mundo. Apesar de ser uma cultura oleaginosa nova no Brasil, encontram-se estudos com referência ao uso de seu óleo na produção de biodiesel. O Canadá é o maior produtor de sementes de mostarda, sendo a França o maior consumidor. O objetivo deste presente trabalho foi apresentar essa cultura oleaginosa, de modo a tratar das características gerais, produção e uso do seu óleo como possível alternativa para produção de biodiesel.

Impact of Environment and Social Gradient on Leptospira Infection in Urban Slums

Leptospirosis, a life-threatening zoonotic disease, has become an important urban slum health problem. Epidemics of leptospirosis now occur in cities throughout the developing world, as the growth of slum settlements has produced conditions for rat-borne transmission of this disease. In this prevalence survey of more than 3,000 residents from a favela slum community in Brazil, Geographical Information System (GIS) and modeling approaches identified specific deficiencies in the sanitation infrastructure of slum environments—open sewers, refuse, and inadequate floodwater drainage—that serve as sources for Leptospira transmission. In addition to the environmental attributes of the slum environment, low socioeconomic status was found to independently contribute to the risk of infection. These findings indicate that effective prevention of leptospirosis will need to address the social factors that produce unequal health outcomes among slum residents, in addition to improving sanitation

Leptospirosis-associated Severe Pulmonary Hemorrhagic Syndrome, Salvador, Brazil

We report the emergence of leptospirosis-associated severe pulmonary hemorrhagic syndrome (SPHS) in slum communities in Salvador, Brazil. Although active surveillance did not identify SPHS before 2003, 47 cases were identified from 2003 through 2005; the case-fatality rate was 74%. By 2005, SPHS caused 55% of the deaths due to leptospirosis

Poor Sleep quality and health-related quality of life impact in adolescents with and without chronic immunosuppressive conditions during COVID-19 quarantine

OBJECTIVE: To assess the possible factors that influence sleep quality in adolescents with and without chronic immunosuppressive conditions quarantined during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 305 adolescents with chronic immunocompromised conditions and 82 healthy adolescents. Online surveys were completed, which included questions on socio-demographic data and self-rated healthcare routine during COVID-19 quarantine and the following validated questionnaires: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL4.0), and Pediatric Outcome Data Collection Instrument (PODCI). RESULTS: The median current age [14 (10-18) vs. 15 (10-18) years, p=0.847] and frequency of female sex (62% vs. 58%, p=0.571) were similar in adolescents with chronic conditions compared with healthy adolescents. The frequency of poor sleep quality was similar in both groups (38% vs. 48%, p=0.118). Logistic regression analysis, including both healthy adolescents and adolescents with chronic conditions (n=387), demonstrated that self-reported increase in screen time (odds ratio [OR] 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-6.8; p=0.008) and intrafamilial violence report (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.2-3.5; p=0.008) were independently associated with poor sleep quality in these adolescents. However, the PODCI global function score was associated with a lower OR for poor sleep quality (OR 0.97; 95% CI 0.94-0.99; p=0.001). Further logistic regression, including only adolescents with chronic conditions (n=305), demonstrated that self-reported increase in screen time (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.4-6.8; p=0.006) and intrafamilial violence report (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.2-3.4; p=0.011) remained independently associated with poor quality of sleep, whereas a lower PODCI global function score was associated with a lower OR for sleep quality (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.94-0.98; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Self-reported increases in screen time and intrafamilial violence report impacted sleep quality in both healthy adolescents and those with chronic conditions. Decreased health-related quality of life was observed in adolescents with poor sleep quality