The effects of the use of organic solid wastes on the growth of citrus trees

Two types of organic solid wastes were selected to be applied in a citrus orchard: the sewage sludge (the most common on the settlements) and the manure (the most common on the agricultural fields). The sewage sludge is a residue originated from the wastewater treatment - the solid phase. Its application as an organic fertilizer may represent an alternative to the pollution effects in nature. In an orchard of orange-trees (Citrus sinensis [L.] Osbeck), the application of sludge was compared with the application of manure and with the control in order to observe the growth response of the trees. Biometric methods where used - number of leaves per tree, diameter of the trunk, leaf area, specific leaf areas and leaf chlorophyll content. In general, the citrus plants response to the application of sewage sludge and manure was positive for the plant growth, compared to the control. The application of the manure, and especially the sewage sludge (once this fertilizer / soil amendment is available in larger amounts) may be a profitable alternative application to the use of mineral fertilizers and to other soil amendments. Moreover, as the possible destinations of sewage sludge (sea, deposition in land fields, incineration) provoke environmental problems, its agricultural reuse is essential to avoid those problems, when correctly applied in relation to trace elements and to pathogenic parameters. The reuse of this solid waste may be a clean and a safe technique to preserve the environment contamination

Theoretical approach to two-dimensional traffic flow models

In this paper we present a theoretical analysis of a recently proposed two-dimensional Cellular Automata model for traffic flow in cities with the novel ingredient of turning capability. Numerical simulations of this model show that there is a transition between a freely moving phase with high velocity to a jammed state with low velocity. We study the dynamics of such a model starting with the microscopic evolution equation, which will serve as a basis for further analysis. It is shown that a kinetic approach, based on the Boltzmann assumption, is able to provide a reasonably good description of the jamming transition. We further introduce a space-time continuous phenomenological model leading to a couple of partial differential equations whose preliminary results agree rather well with the numerical simulations.Comment: 15 pages, REVTeX 3.0, 7 uuencoded figures upon request to [email protected]

Hemoglobinopatias no Distrito Federal, Brasil

Em uma amostra de 3137 pessoas, residentes no Distrito Federal, foram detectadas as seguintes hemoglobinas: em 3009(95,92%) HbAA; em 91 (2,90%) HbAS; em 20(0,64%) HbAC; em 8 (0,26%) talassemia beta minor; em 5(0,16%) HbAJ alfa; em 3 (0,09%) HbAM e em 1 (0,03%) talassemia major associada com HbAS. A HbAS têm as seguintes freqüências, quanto ao grupo racial: branco - 1,84%; mulato claro 2,55%; mulato médio-3,68%; mulato escuro - 6,80%; negro -10,43% e mestiço de índio -3,85%.The hemoglobins of 3137 persons from the Federal District, Brazil was studied. The identified types of hemoglobins were: HbAA (3009 - 95,92%); HbAS (91 - 2,90%); HbAC (20 - 0,64%) beta thalassemia minor (8 - 0,26%); HbAJ alpha (5 - 0,16%); HbAM (3 - 0,09%) and beta thalassemia major/HbS (1 - 0,03%). The frequencies of sickle cell trait (HbAS) of each racial class were: white (1,84%); light mulatto (2,55%); medium mulatto (3,68%); dark mulatto(6,80%), negro (10,43%)and indian mestizo (3,85%)

Results from the portuguese register

Objective Our aims were to evaluate the correlation between Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score 27-joint reduced count (JADAS27) with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and JADAS27 with C-reactive protein (CRP) scores and to test the agreement of both scores on classifying each disease activity state. We also aimed at verifying the correlation of the 2 scores across juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) categories and to check the correlation between JADAS27-ESR and clinical JADAS27 (JADAS27 without ESR). Methods A nationwide cohort of patients with JIA registered in the Portuguese Register, Reuma.pt, was studied. JADAS27-CRP was adapted by replacing ESR with CRP level as the inflammatory marker. JADAS27-CRP was calculated similarly to JADAS27-ESR as the simple linear sum of its 4 components. Pearson's correlations and K statistics were used in the analyses. Results A total of 358 children had full data to calculate JADAS27; 65.4% were female and the mean ± SD disease duration was 11.8 ± 9.1 years. The correlation coefficient between JADAS27-ESR and JADAS27-CRP was 0.967 (P < 0.0001), although the correlation coefficient between ESR and CRP level was 0.335 (P < 0.0001). The strong correlation between JADAS27-ESR and JADAS27-CRP was maintained when compared within each JIA category. The agreement between JADAS27-ESR and JADAS27-CRP across the 4 activity states was very good, showing 91.1% of the observations in agreement; K = 0.867 (95% confidence interval 0.824-0.91). The correlation between JADAS27 with ESR and JADAS27 without ESR was high (r = 0.97, P < 0.0001). Conclusion JADAS27 based on CRP level correlated closely with JADAS27-ESR across all disease activity states and JIA categories, indicating that both measures can be used in clinical practice. Moreover, the correlation of JADAS27 with and without ESR was also high, suggesting that this tool might be useful even in the absence of laboratorial measures.publishersversionpublishe

Immobilization of coagulant Moringa oleifera lectin to remove humic acid from water

Humic acids are linked to carcinogenic by-products formation in water treatment. In this work coagulant Moringa oleifera lectin (cMoL) immobilized to matrices was used to remove humic acid from water. Seed proteins were extracted with 0.15 M NaCl (E) and precipitated with ammonium sulphate (0-60F). Fraction was guar gel column chromatographed and cMoL was eluted (1.0 M NaCl). E, 0-60F and cMoL affinity to bind humic acid was characterized using hemagglutinating activity (HA) with rabbit erythrocytes. Inhibition HA was evaluated with humic acid, humic acid and calcium or magnesium (5 and 10 mM), carbohydrates and halogenated compounds. cMoL immobilized in silica, clay, cellulose, agarose and sepharose was packed into columns. Humic acid (29 mg/L of carbon) was pumped through columns at 0.2 mL/min. Total organic carbon (TOC) was measured (600 nm) using the Method 10129 from Hach Lange GmbH (0.0 to 20.0 mg/L of carbon). HA was detected in E, 0-60F and cMoL. With humic acid SHA decreased 94 % for E and cMoL; diminished 50 % for 0-60F. K+ enhanced interaction of cMoL with humic acid in comparison to Ca2+, since a larger decrease of SHA was obtained, 97 % and 75 %, respectively. D(+)-Galactose and L(+)-arabinose inhibited cMoL SHA by 87.5 %. Trichloroacetic acid, dicholoroacetic acid and chloroform had no activity effect. The highest amount of cMoL was immobilized on cyanogen bromideactivated Sepharose 4B, 2.4 g/mg, followed by cyanogen bromide-activated Agarose, 0.2 g/mg. A considerable humic acid removal was obtained in the new purification protocol.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Preparação de lectinas de Moringa oleifera com atividade coagulante

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Low frequency of TERT promoter mutations in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

Somatic mutations in the promoter region of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene, mainly at positions c. − 124 and c. − 146 bp, are frequent in several human cancers; yet its presence in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) has not been reported to date. Herein, we searched for the presence and clinicopathological association of TERT promoter mutations in genomic DNA from 130 bona fide GISTs. We found TERT promoter mutations in 3.8% (5/130) of GISTs. The c. − 124C4T mutation was the most common event, present in 2.3% (3/130), and the c. − 146C4T mutation in 1.5% (2/130) of GISTs. No significant association was observed between TERT promoter mutation and patient’s clinicopathological features. The present study establishes the low frequency (4%) of TERT promoter mutations in GISTs. Further studies are required to confirm our findings and to elucidate the hypothetical biological and clinical impact of TERT promoter mutation in GIST pathogenesis.This project was partially supported by Barretos Cancer Hospital internal research funds (PAIP) and CNPq Universal Grant (476192/2013-7) to RMR. NCC is a recipient of an FAPESP Doctoral Fellowship (2013/25787-3). Further funding from the project ‘Microenvironment, metabolism and cancer’ that was partially supported by Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2—O Novo Norte) under the Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional (QREN) and the Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER). IPATIMUP is an Associate Laboratory of the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education that is partially supported by the FCT

Depuranat project: sustainable management of wastewater in rural areas

The Urban Wastewater Directive is aiming to implement adequate treatments of collected wastewater before 31 December 2005 in small communities with a population until 2000 equivalentinhabitant. Within the framework of the DEPURANAT project, co-financed by the European Interregional Cooperation Programme (Interreg IIIB Atlantic Arc), several Natural Reclamation Systems (NRS) based upon no-conventional technologies of wastewater treatment, have been studied from different points of view in rural areas: their effectiveness for producing regenerated wastewater of acceptable quality for several reuse options and vegetal biomass for different purposes, their environmental integration or their potential of implementation. Most of these treatment plants achieved high mean removal efficiencies: TSS (73–96%); BOD5 (74–94%); COD (53–90%); E. coli (2–3 log units); Enterococci (1.5–4 log units). The environmental impact of the systems was determined using an adapted life cycle assessment methodology and the economic analysis of the systems was focused on analysing the financial indicators, empirical cost functions, and the potential market for these technologies. Furthermore, maps of potential implementation of these systems and a support tool for deciding upon the installation of conventional or NRS were designed with the aim of promoting them.Communitary Interreg III-B Atlantic Area of EuropeDEPURANAT consortiu

Conservation Biogeography of the Sahara‐Sahel: additional protected areas are needed to secure unique biodiversity

Aim Identification of priority conservation areas and evaluation of coverage of the current protected areas are urgently needed to halt the biodiversity loss. Identifying regions combining similar environmental traits (climate regions) and species assemblages (biogroups) is needed for conserving the biodiversity patterns and processes. We identify climate regions and biogroups and map species diversity across the Sahara-Sahel, a large geographical area that exhibits wide environmental heterogeneity and multiple species groups with distinct biogeographical affinities, and evaluate the coverage level of current network of protected areas for biodiversity conservation. Location Sahara-Sahel, Africa. Methods We use spatially explicit climate data with the principal component analysis and model-based clustering techniques to identify climate regions. We use distributions of 1147 terrestrial vertebrates (and of 125 Sahara-Sahel endemics) and apply distance clustering methods to identify biogroups for both species groups. We apply reserve selection algorithms targeting 17% of species distribution, climate regions and biogroups to identify priority areas and gap analysis to assess their representation within the current protected areas. Results Seven climate regions were identified, mostly arranged as latitudinal belts. Concentrations of high species richness were found in the Sahel, but the central Sahara gathers most endemic and threatened species. Ten biogroups (five for endemics) were identified. A wide range of biogroups tend to overlap in specific climate regions. Identified priority areas are inadequately represented in protected areas, and six new top conservation areas are needed to achieve conservation targets. Main conclusions Biodiversity distribution in Sahara-Sahel is spatially structured and apparently related to environmental variation. Although the majority of priority conservation areas are located outside the areas of intense human activities, many cross multiple political borders and require internationally coordinated efforts for implementation and management. Optimized biodiversity conservation solutions at regional scale are needed. Our work contradicts the general idea that deserts are uniform areas and provide options for the conservation of endangered species.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio