SARS-CoV-2 air sampling: A systematic review on the methodologies for detection and infectivity

This systematic review aims to present an overview of the current aerosol sampling methods (and equipment) being used to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the air, along with the main parameters reported in the studies that are essential to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each method and perspectives for future research regarding this mode of transmission. A systematic literature review was performed on PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus to assess the current air sampling methodologies being applied to SARS-CoV-2. Most of the studies took place in indoor environments and healthcare settings and included air and environmental sampling. The collection mechanisms used were impinger, cyclone, impactor, filters, water-based condensation, and passive sampling. Most of the reviewed studies used RT-PCR to test the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the collected samples. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected with all collection mechanisms. From the studies detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, fourteen assessed infectivity. Five studies detected viable viruses using impactor, water-based condensation, and cyclone collection mechanisms. There is a need for a standardized protocol for sampling SARS-CoV-2 in air, which should also account for other influencing parameters, including air exchange ratio in the room sampled, relative humidity, temperature, and lighting conditions.This work was financially supported by: LA/P/0045/2020 (ALiCE) and UIDB/00511/2020–UIDP/00511/2020 (LEPABE) funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC); Project PTDC/EAM-AMB/32391/2017, funded by FEDER funds through COMPETE2020 – Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) and by national funds (PIDDAC) through FCT/MCTES. Priscilla G. Silva thanks the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology – FCT for the financial support of her PhD work (2020.07806.BD, CRM: 0026504) contract through the DOCTORATES 4 COVID-19 program. Sofia I.V. Sousa thanks the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for the financial support of her work contract through the Scientific Employment Stimulus—Individual Call—CEECIND/02477/2017

APPLICATION OF THE LINEAR SPRING-DASHPOT MODEL IN THE CFD-DEM SIMULATION OF ALUMINA FLUIDIZATION

The coupling of the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to the Discrete Element Method (DEM) to simulate fluidization is computationally demanding. Although the Linear Spring-Dahspot (LSD) model can help to reduce the CFD-DEM simulation runtime due to its simplicity, its applicability is not reasonable for all sorts of problems. The objective of the present work is to show the application of the LSD model to the CFD-DEM simulation of alumina fluidization. The simulations were carried out with the software ANSYS FLUENT 14.5 and divided into two parts: (1) the reproduction with ANSYS FLUENT of simulations from the literature in which the LSD model and a representative particle approach were used. (2) the simulation of alumina fluidization and validation with experimental data. The results of three main sets of parameters were analysed to include different DEM and CFD time steps, drag models, the representation of particles with both uniform size and particle size distribution, etc. The main conclusion of this work is that the LSD model and the CFD-DEM approach can be used to model the actual behaviour of alumina fluidized beds, but the high simulation runtime and the correct setting of the strategies used to control it are still limiting factors which deserve special attention

Ten-year variations in population structure of pink-shrimp in a southwestern Atlantic Bay affected by highway construction

OBJETIVOS: A estrutura populacional de Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis e F. paulensis, consistindo principalmente de juvenis, foi avaliada durante a construção de uma via expressa ao longo de uma área de manguezais. Regiões estuarinas do sul do Brasil funcionam como locais de reprodução, berçários e de crescimento de uma variedade de organismos, incluindo duas das mais importantes espécies de camarões comerciais do Atlântico Sul Ocidental. Camarões foram coletados no Saco dos Limões, Baía Sul, Florianópolis, Estado de Santa Catarina, trimestralmente, de dia e de noite, entre 1997 e 2006. Flutuações em abundâncias de camarões podem estar relacionados aos seus ciclos de vida, com as maiores abundâncias no verão e primavera, ao invés de impactos promovidos pelas atividades de dragagem durante a construção da via expressa.OBJECTIVES: Population structures of Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis and F. paulensis, consisting mainly of juveniles, were evaluated during the construction of an expressway along a mangrove area. Estuarine regions in southern Brazil function as sites for reproduction, nursery and growth of a variety of organisms, including two of the most important species of shrimp for fisheries in the southwestern Atlantic. Shrimps were collected in Saco dos Limões creek, Baía-Sul, Florianópolis, State of Santa Catarina, four times a year, by day and night, between 1997 and 2006. Fluctuations in the abundances of shrimp appear to be related to their life cycles, with largest abundances in Summer and Spring, rather than to impacts promoted by dredging activities during the expressway construction

Socio economic crisis and mortality. Epidemiological testimony of the financial collapse of Argentina

BACKGROUND: Natural disasters, war, and terrorist attacks, have been linked to cardiac mortality. We sought to investigate whether a major financial crisis may impact on the medical management and outcomes of acute coronary syndromes. METHODS: We analyzed the Argentine cohort of the international multicenter Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE). The primary objective was to estimate if there was an association between the financial crisis period (April 1999 to December 2002) and in- hospital cardiovascular mortality, with the post-crisis period (January 2003 to September 2004) as the referent. Each period was defined according to the evolution of the Gross Domestic Product. We investigated the demographic characteristics, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 3220 patients, 2246 (69.8%) patients in the crisis period and 974 (30.2%) in the post-crisis frame. The distribution of demographic and clinical baseline characteristics were not significantly different between both periods. During the crisis period the incidence of in-hospital myocardial infarction was higher (6.9% Vs 2.9%; p value \u3c 0.0001), as well as congestive heart failure (16% Vs 11%; p value \u3c 0.0001). Time to intervention with angioplasty was longer during the crisis, especially among public sites (median 190 min Vs 27 min). The incidence proportion of mortality during hospitalization was 6.2% Vs 5.1% after crisis. The crude OR for mortality was 1.2 (95% C.I. 0.87, 1.7). The odds for mortality were higher among private institutions {1.9 (95% C.I. 0.9, 3.8)} than for public centers {1.2 (95% C.I. 0.83, 1.79)}. We did not observe a significant interaction between type of hospital and crisis. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the financial crisis may have had a negative impact on cardiovascular mortality during hospitalization, and higher incidence of medical complications

Space-time distribution of the ichthyofauna from Saco da Fazenda estuary, Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Copyright © 2009 Coastal Education and Research Foundation (CERF).A Ictiofauna do estuário Saco da Fazenda foi estudada mensalmente entre julho de 2003 e junho de 2004 em quatro áreas definidas em função das características fisiográficas e da representatividade do estuário nesta região. Foram capturados 4502 exemplares, distribuídos em 42 espécies, 35 gêneros e 21 famílias. Engraulidae foram os peixes mais abundantes, onde Cetengraulis edentulus dominou nas capturas. As espécies de ocorrência ocasional, representadas, principalmente por indivíduos juvenis, predominaram nas amostragens. As maiores abundâncias ocorreram durante os meses de verão e outono, em contraste com as elevadas biomassas na primavera-outono; sendo que a área IV diferenciou-se das demais, por contribuir com as maiores capturas. Os índices de riqueza, diversidade e equitabilidade, apresentaram padrões semelhantes de flutuação, com valores elevados nos meses de primavera e verão. O índice de Jaccard revelou uma maior similaridade na composição da ictiofauna entre as áreas II e IV, enquanto a menor ocorreu entre I e IV, provavelmente devido às diferentes áreas destes locais.ABSTRACT: From July 2003 to June 2004, the physiographic characteristics of the ichthyofauna of the estuary of Saco da Fazenda were studied in four defined areas representative of the estuary. A total of 4502 individuals were captured, with 42 species, 35 genera, and 21 families. Engraulidae were the most abundant fish, and Cetengraulis edentulus dominated the captures. The species of occasional occurrence prevailed in the samplings and were represented mainly by juvenile individuals. The highest abundances occurred during the months of summer and autumn, in contrast with high biomasses in the spring and autumn; area IV contributed the largest captures. The richness indexes, diversity, and equitability presented similar flotation patterns, with high values in spring and summer. The Jaccard index revealed a greater similarity in the composition of the ichthyofauna in areas II and IV, while the lowest happened between I and IV, which is probably due to the different sizes of these areas. This paper clearly shows the relevance of this estuary, albeit strongly impacted, for recruitment of small fish mainly during summer and autumn months

Applied optics in the development of smart asphalt mixtures

The functionalization of asphalt mixtures is carried out in order to provide new capabilities to the road pavements, with major social, environmental and financial benefits. Optical characterization techniques as well as optical processes like photocatalysis play a major role in the development of new asphalt mixtures with smart functions. These advanced capabilities which are being developed in asphalt mixtures are: photocatalytic, superhydrophobic, self-cleaning, de-icing/anti-ice, self-healing, thermochromic, and latent heat thermal energy storage. The main objective of this research work is to stress the importance of optics and photonics technologies giving an overview of advanced functionalized smart asphalt mixtures.This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Funding UIDB/04650/2020. This work was partially financed by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia - under the projects of the Strategic Funding UIDB/04650/2020, MicroCoolPav project EXPL/EQU-EQU/1110/2021, and NanoAir project PTDC/FISMAC/6606/2020

Susceptibilidade de populações de Simulium (Chirostilbia) pertinax Kollar, 1832 (Culicomorpha, Simuliidae) ao temephos e a um formulado à base de Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis

The use of wooden troughs on stream beds, artificially colonized by blackfly larvae, is proposed for larvicide evaluations. Mortality was recorded 3 or 4 hours after treatment. Larval susceptibility was also evaluated utilizing the LT50 criterion. In there field assays Simulium (C.) pertinax populations from the litoral of S. Paulo and Rio de Janeiro States were shown to be resistant to temephos, even when subjected to high concentrations. Vectobac 12 AS, a Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis product, was shown to be more potent against late instar larvae and efficient in concentrations higher than 7,200 ITU/1 (10 min). The LT50 to 3,744 ITU/1 (10 min) was calculated as 70.9 min.O uso de pequenas calhas de madeira no leito de riachos, manualmente colonizadas com borrachudos, é proposto para avaliações da eficiência de larvicidas 3 ou 4 horas após as aplicações. A susceptibilidade larval também foi avaliada pelo critério de TL50. Em três ensaios no litoral do Estado de São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro, populações de Simulium (C.) pertinax Kollar, 1832 mostraram-se resistentes ao temephos, mesmo em altas concentrações. Vectobac 12 AS, à base de Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis mostrou-se mais potente contra larvas dos últimos estádios e eficiente para controle em concentrações a partir de 7.200 UIP/1 (10 min.). O TL50para 3.744 UIP/1 (10 min.) foi de 70,9 minutos