Effects of ultrasound on the performance improvement of wastewater microfiltration through a porous ceramic filter

Filtration under an ultrasonic field is a technique that is gaining importance in the wastewater treatment research field, not only due to its ability as a cleaning mechanism, but also as a filtration intensifier. The main objective of this research was the study of the influence of ultrasonic waves on the filtration of theoilfield wastewater (known as produced water) in order to increase the operation performance and filter medium regenerative effectiveness. A 0.016 m2 hollow cylindrical porous ceramic filter was submitted to the filtration of produced water by two mechanisms: conventional filtration under vacuum and filtration under theinfluence of ultrasonic waves. Experiments were carried out using synthetic produced water by analyzing the variables oil and grease content (O&G) and total suspended solids (TSS) for each filtration run. Backwashing of the filter medium with distilled water was also performed to evaluate the regeneration efficiency. During conventional filtration, permeate flux decreased gradually, becoming stable around 0.06 cm3.cm-2.s-1. Furthermore, in the filtration assisted by ultrasound, the permeate flux was around 0.15 cm3.cm-2.s-1. Therefore, ultrasonic waves provided an increase of about 150% in the permeate flux. Moreover, the sonication improved filter medium regeneration effectiveness, even under conditions of high TSS and O&G contents. Taking into consideration the very positive results associated with the application of ultrasonicwaves, this filtration technique is likely to become an important industrial process

Stimulation of lymphocyte anti-melanoma activity by co-cultured macrophages activated by complex homeopathic medication

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, and the most rapidly expanding cancer in terms of worldwide incidence. Chemotherapeutic approaches to treat melanoma have been uniformly disappointing. A Brazilian complex homeopathic medication (CHM), used as an immune modulator, has been recommended for patients with depressed immune systems. Previous studies in mice have demonstrated that the CHM activates macrophages, induces an increase in the number of leukocytes and improves the murine response against Sarcoma-180.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Here we studied the interaction of mouse lymph node lymphocytes, co-cultured <it>in vitro </it>with macrophages in the presence or absence of the CHM, with B16F10 melanoma cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Lymphocytes co-cultured with macrophages in the presence of the CHM had greater anti-melanoma activity, reducing melanoma cell density and increasing the number of lysed tumor cells. There was also a higher proportion of activated (CD25⁺) lymphocytes with increased viability. Overall, lymphocytes activated by treatment destroyed growing cancer cells more effectively than control lymphocytes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Co-culture of macrophages with lymphocytes in the presence of the CHM enhanced the anti-cancer performance of lymphocytes against a very aggressive lineage of melanoma cells. These results suggest that non-toxic therapies using CHMs are a promising alternative approach to the treatment of melanomas. In addition, they are attractive combination-therapy candidates, which may enhance the efficacy of conventional medicines by improving the immune response against tumor cells.</p

Formação de Professores que Ensinam Matemática: um olhar sobre as redes sociais e intelectuais do BOLEMA

Nosso trabalho se insere no campo da formação de professores que ensinam Matemática, tendo como proposta analisar a rede social e intelectual dos artigos que tratam sobre o tema, publicados no periódico BOLEMA (1985-2015). Tem aporte teórico na epistemologia fleckiana, considerando que o conhecimento é produzido coletivamente, de forma que os pesquisadores ao compartilharem um problema, referencial teórico e práticas comuns formam um coletivo de pensamento. A pesquisa que dá origem ao texto é quali e quantitativa, desenvolvida a partir da metodologia de Análise de Redes Sociais (ARS) e com o auxílio do software Gephi que forneceu estatísticas para a análise. Apoiada nas categorias fleckianas, a análise nos permite inferir que: a produção do conhecimento disponibilizada no periódico está fortemente vinculada à pós-graduação; a maioria dos artigos é oriunda de instituições da região Sudeste; a rede de coautoria que emerge tem baixa densidade, o que implica em pouca representatividade perante as relações compartilhadas; a rede intelectual concentra-se em três clusters: a formação inicial; a formação continuada e a formação contínua e desenvolvimento profissional, as quais apresentam circulação intra e intercoletiva de ideias que possibilitam emergir novas categorias, tratando de questões mais específicas

As ferramentas de trabalho com famílias utilizadas pelas equipes de saúde da família de Curitiba, PR The toolkit used by family health teams for working with families in Curitiba, PR

Este estudo de revisão de literatura teve por objetivo apresentar as ferramentas de trabalho utilizadas com famílias pelas equipes de saúde da família da cidade de Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil. Inicialmente, conceitua-se o trabalho com famílias, cujo propósito central está fundamentado na compreensão de sujeitos integrados ao seu contexto e dinâmica familiar, sendo possível observar o convívio e a interação entre os membros da família. Dessa forma, para além do cuidado coletivo, mesmo a atenção clínica individual pode ser estruturada em bases mais amplas, com maior resolutividade nas intervenções sobre o processo saúde-doença-cuidado. Na sequência, foram caracterizados os objetivos e as finalidades de uso das ferramentas por equipes multiprofissionais do município, tais como o Genograma ou heredograma familiar, o Ciclo de vida das famílias, o modelo F.I.R.O. e o modelo P.R.A.C.T.I.C.E. Concluiu-se que, em Curitiba, o uso das ferramentas é essencial como dispositivo no âmbito das tecnologias leves para o trabalho de cuidado em saúde das equipes de saúde. Favorece a aproximação dos trabalhadores da saúde aos problemas das pessoas na comunidade, possibilitando a coleta de evidências narrativas e a elaboração de estratégias robustas de manejo de ações e serviços em saúde.<br>This literature review study aimed to present the toolkit for working with families used by family health teams in the city of Curitiba, state of Paraná, Brazil. Initially, the work with families is conceptualized. Its central purpose is based on the understanding of subjects integrated into their context and family dynamics, being possible to observe their daily relationship and interactions. In this way, beyond the collective care, even the individual clinical attention can be structured on wider bases, with more efficient interventions on the health-disease-care process. Then, the objectives and purposes of the use of the tools (for example, Genogram, the Life Cycle of the Families, the F.I.R.O. model and the P.R.A.C.T.I.C.E. model) by multiprofessional teams of the city were characterized. It was concluded that in Curitiba, the use of the toolkit is essential as a light health technology device, as it favors the workers' approach to the people's problems in the community, enabling the collection of narrative evidences and promoting the design of robust strategies for handling health actions and services