THE WATER-ENERGY-LAND NEXUS OF BIOENERGY PRODUCTION IN BRAZIL

Biofuels play a critical role in the Paris Agreement to help achieve climate change mitigation targets. However, a significant increase in production of biofuels might potentially be realized at the expense of overusing natural resources, particularly land and water. Understanding the tradeoffs between the development of biofuels and its impacts on land and water is a critical issue for sustainable development. This energy-water-land nexus might be particularly important for Brazil, given its position as top exporter and second top producer of bioenergy. Furthermore, Brazil itself has set up its own Intended Nationally Determined Contribution agenda with a significant growth of biofuel production by 2030. The aim of this research is to quantitatively characterize the nexus of biofuels production with the overall appropriation of land and water resources at the subnational level in Brazil by answering the following questions: (i) How will the implementation of international climate mitigation commitments adopted by Brazil impact water and land use and therefore water and land stress in Brazil?; (ii) what will be the geographical distribution of such impacts at subnational level? ; (iii) will increase competition among economic sectors aggravate such impacts?; and (iv) how will other socio-economic and physical drivers of change affect those impacts combined with INDC related policies implementation?. To answer these questions, I developed a set of socio-economic, policy and climate scenarios through an environmentally extended input-output approach that represents socio-economic activities in the 27 Brazilian states, allowing comparison of the resulting water and land demands among main competitive users under different scenarios. I also introduced the use of water scarcity and land stress as environmental impact indicators. My study confirms that to properly understand the impacts of biofuel production in Brazil on land and water and its “nexus”, the consideration of resource scarcity and its spatial variability are key to ensure sustainable planning of biofuel production. Moreover, I found that the mitigation policies committed by Brazil and its role as top global provider of biofuel will take a significant toll in both water and land consumption in the country, leading to increasing competition among food production, energy generation and human consumption, especially in the most vulnerable and already environmentally stressed states

Sustancias inhibitorias producidas por microorganismos presentes en el vino

58 p.La búsqueda de sustancias inhibidoras producidas por microorganismo, hoy en día es una herramienta bastante empleada en la industria alimenticia, debido a que estos productos biológicos tienen menos efectos adversos que los aditivos químicos para la preservación de los alimentos. El objetivo de este trabajo es describir las sustancias con capacidad inhibitoria producidas por microorganismos que probablemente afectan a bacterias y levaduras que provocan efectos indeseables en el vino. Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica actualizada sobre los principales aspectos de los compuestos con actividad inhibitoria que son capaces de producir las bacterias y levaduras que se encuentran formando parte de la microbiota normal del vino. Se describe como estas sustancias podrían ejercer un rol beneficioso para la industria vitinícola impidiendo la colonización de microorganismos indeseables, productores de distintos metabolitos que afectan la calidad organoléptica del vino

Uncovering the Green, Blue, and Grey Water Footprint and Virtual Water of Biofuel Production in Brazil: A Nexus Perspective

Brazil plays a major role in the global biofuel economy as the world's second largest producer and consumer and the largest exporter of ethanol. Its demand is expected to significantly increase in coming years, largely driven by national and international carbon mitigation targets. However, biofuel crops require significant amounts of water and land resources that could otherwise be used for the production of food, urban water supply, or energy generation. Given Brazil's uneven spatial distribution of water resources among regions, a potential expansion of ethanol production will need to take into account regional or local water availability, as an increased water demand for irrigation would put further pressure on already water-scarce regions and compete with other users. By applying an environmentally extended multiregional input-output (MRIO) approach, we uncover the scarce water footprint and the interregional virtual water flows associated with sugarcane-derived biofuel production driven by domestic final consumption and international exports in 27 states in Brazil. Our results show that bio-ethanol is responsible for about one third of the total sugarcane water footprint besides sugar and other processed food production. We found that richer states such as São Paulo benefit by accruing a higher share of economic value added from exporting ethanol as part of global value chains while increasing water stress in poorer states through interregional trade. We also found that, in comparison with other crops, sugarcane has a comparative advantage when rainfed while showing a comparative disadvantage as an irrigated crop; a tradeoff to be considered when planning irrigation infrastructure and bioethanol production expansion. © 2017 by the authors

Análisis de requerimientos y estudio del proceso de cocción en una fábrica de arepas

En el siguiente documento se describe el análisis realizado al proceso de cocción en una fabrica de arepas, además de la planificación y el diseño de una maquina que realizara dicho proceso. Inicialmente se establece un cronograma en el cual se determinan las actividades a llevar a cabo, las cuales se presentan a continuación: - Visita a la fabrica: Con el fin de llevar a cabo un análisis, sobre las variables que intervienen en el sistema se efectúa una visita a la fabrica, logrando establecer los principales parámetros para tener en cuenta a la hora del diseño. - Investigación: Se ejecuta una investigación sobre los principales trabajos a nivel nacional e internacional que brinden una solución automatizada al proceso de cocción de temperatura o en su defecto que establezcan una forma de realizar un control sobre las variables que intervienen en el sistema. También se indaga sobre los principales aspectos mecánicos a tener en cuenta a la hora de elaborar el diseño, tal como las características de los materiales, los costos entre otros. - Diseño: Una vez obtenido una gran cantidad de información sobre los aspectos electrónicos y mecánicos mas relevantes se procede a desarrollar un prototipo que ilustra el proceso de cocción de arepas, apoyados por el software de diseño mecánico INVENTOR 2011. - Pruebas: Se realizan una serie de pruebas con el fin de garantizar que las características del producto con el cual se esta trabajando no sean alteradas y se realizan las correcciones pertinente

Análisis de requerimientos y estudio del proceso de cocción en una fábrica de arepas

En el siguiente documento se describe el análisis realizado al proceso de cocción en una fabrica de arepas, además de la planificación y el diseño de una maquina que realizara dicho proceso. Inicialmente se establece un cronograma en el cual se determinan las actividades a llevar a cabo, las cuales se presentan a continuación: - Visita a la fabrica: Con el fin de llevar a cabo un análisis, sobre las variables que intervienen en el sistema se efectúa una visita a la fabrica, logrando establecer los principales parámetros para tener en cuenta a la hora del diseño. - Investigación: Se ejecuta una investigación sobre los principales trabajos a nivel nacional e internacional que brinden una solución automatizada al proceso de cocción de temperatura o en su defecto que establezcan una forma de realizar un control sobre las variables que intervienen en el sistema. También se indaga sobre los principales aspectos mecánicos a tener en cuenta a la hora de elaborar el diseño, tal como las características de los materiales, los costos entre otros. - Diseño: Una vez obtenido una gran cantidad de información sobre los aspectos electrónicos y mecánicos mas relevantes se procede a desarrollar un prototipo que ilustra el proceso de cocción de arepas, apoyados por el software de diseño mecánico INVENTOR 2011. - Pruebas: Se realizan una serie de pruebas con el fin de garantizar que las características del producto con el cual se esta trabajando no sean alteradas y se realizan las correcciones pertinente

Association of anticoagulation dose and survival in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A retrospective propensity score-weighted analysis

© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Background: Hypercoagulability may contribute to COVID-19 pathogenicity. The role of anticoagulation (AC) at therapeutic (tAC) or prophylactic doses (pAC) is unclear. Objectives: We evaluated the impact on survival of different AC doses in COVID-19 patients. Methods: Retrospective, multi-center cohort study of consecutive COVID-19 patients hospitalized between March 13 and May 5, 2020. Results: A total of 3480 patients were included (mean age, 64.5 years [17.0]; 51.5% female; 52.1% black and 40.6% white). 18.5% (n = 642) required intensive care unit (ICU) stay. 60.9% received pAC (n = 2121), 28.7% received ≥3 days of tAC (n = 998), and 10.4% (n = 361) received no AC. Propensity score (PS) weighted Kaplan-Meier plot demonstrated different 25-day survival probability in the tAC and pAC groups (57.5% vs 50.7%). In a PS–weighted multivariate proportional hazards model, AC was associated with reduced risk of death at prophylactic (hazard ratio [HR] 0.35 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.22-0.54]) and therapeutic doses (HR 0.14 [95% CI 0.05-0.23]) compared to no AC. Major bleeding occurred more frequently in tAC patients (81 [8.1%]) compared to no AC (20 [5.5%]) or pAC (46 [2.2%]) subjects. Conclusions: Higher doses of AC were associated with lower mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Prospective evaluation of efficacy and risk of AC in COVID-19 is warranted

Improvement of ventricular function in systolic heart failure patients with oral L-citrulline supplementation

Background: The utility of L-arginine and L-citrulline in treatment of arterial hypertension by increasing vascular oxide nitric availability has been demonstrated. Photoplethysmography, a simple and low-cost optical technique, makes it possible to assess vascular function and to detect changes in blood flow, pulse and swelling of the microvascular tissular space. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of L-citrulline supplementation on functional class, ejection fraction and peripheral blood flow in patients with systolic heart failure. Methods: Thirty-five stable outpatients attending the Heart Failure Clinic at the INCMNSZ underwent clinical evaluation, radioisotopic ventriculography and photoplethysmography before and at the end of 4 months. They were randomized into two groups: experimental group, with oral L-citrulline supplementation (3 g/day, n = 20) and control group, without supplementation (n = 15). Results: In the experimental group the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) increased 20.3% at rest and 12.7% with stress, as well as the right ventricular ejection fraction at rest of 15.10% and 14.88% with stress. In addition, functional class improved in 35%, and the maximum amplitude time/total time (MAT/TT) index decreased 23.1%. These changes were statistically significant compared with the control group. Conclusions: Citrulline supplementation significantly improved the LVEF, the endothelial function (MAT/TT index) and functional class. Citrulline can be an important co-adjuvant in the treatment of stable and stable systolic heart failure patients

Improving air quality in metropolitan Mexico City : an economic valuation

Mexico City has for years experienced high levels of ozone and particulate air pollution. In 1995-99 the entire population of the Mexico City metropolitan area was exposed to annual average concentrations of fine particulate pollution (particulates with a diameter of less than 10micrometers, or PM10) exceeding 50 micrograms per cubic meter, the annual average standard in both Mexico and the United States. Two million people were exposed to annual average PM10 levels of more than 75 micrograms per cubic meter. The daily maximum one-hour ozone standard was exceeded at least 300 days a year. The Mexico Air Quality Management Team documents population-weighted exposures to ozone and PM10 between 1995 and 1999, project exposures in 2010, and computes the value of four scenarios for 2010: A 10 percent reduction in PM10 and ozone. A 20 percent reduction in PM10 and ozone. Achievement of ambient air quality standards across the metropolitan area. A 68 percent reduction in ozone and a 47 percent reduction in PM10 across the metropolitan area. The authors calculate the health benefits of reducing ozone and PM10 for each scenario using dose-response functions from the peer-reviewed literature. They value cases of morbidity and premature mortality avoided using three approaches: Cost of illness and forgone earnings only (low estimate). Cost of illness, forgone earnings, and willingness to pay for avoided morbidity (central case estimate). Cost of illness, forgone earnings, willingness to pay for avoided morbidity, and willingness to pay for avoided mortality (high estimate). The results suggest that the benefits of a 10 percent reduction in ozone and PM10 in 2010 are about $760 million (in 1999 U.S. dollars) annually in the central case. The benefits of a 20 percent reduction in ozone and PM10 are about$1.49 billion annually. In each case the benefits of reducing ozone amount to about 15 percent of the total benefits. By estimating the magnitude of the benefits from air pollution control, the authors provide motivation for examining specific policies that could achieve the air pollution reductions that they value. They also provide unit values for the benefits from reductions in ambient air pollution (for example, per microgram of PM10) that could be used as inputs into a full cost-benefit analysisof air pollution control strategies.Montreal Protocol,Public Health Promotion,Global Environment Facility,Air Quality&Clean Air,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Montreal Protocol,Air Quality&Clean Air,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Global Environment Facility,Transport and Environment

Melatonin-doped polymeric nanoparticles induce high crystalline apatite formation in root dentin

This work was funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and European Regional Development Fund( MINECO/AEI/FEDER/UE) Project number PID2020-114694RBI00. Funding for open access charge: University of Granada / CBUA.Objective. To investigate the effect of novel polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) doped with melatonin (ML) on nano-hardness, crystallinity and ultrastructure of the formed hydroxyapatite after endodontic treatment. Methods. Undoped-NPs and ML-doped NPs (ML-NPs) were tested at radicular dentin, after 24 h and 6 m. A control group without NPs was included. Radicular cervical and apical dentin surfaces were studied by nano-hardness measurements, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Mean and standard deviation were analyzed by ANOVA and StudentNewman-Keuls multiple comparisons (p < 0.05). Results. Cervical dentin treated with undoped NPs maintained its nano-hardness values after 6 m of storage being [24 h: 0.29 (0.01); 6 m: 0.30 (0.02) GPa], but it decreased at apical dentin [24 h: 0.36 (0.01); 6 m: 0.28 (0.02) GPa]. When ML-NPs were used, nano-hardness was similar over time [24h: 0.31 (0.02); 6 m: 0.28 (0.03) GPa], at apical dentin. Root dentin treated with ML-NPs produced, in general, high crystallinity of new minerals and thicker crystals than those produced in the rest of the groups. After 6 m, crystals became organized in randomly oriented polyhedral, square polygonal block-like apatite or drop-like apatite polycrystalline lattices when ML-NPs were used. Undoped NPs generated poor crystallinity, with preferred orientation of small crystallite and increased microstrain. Significance. New polycrystalline formations encountered in dentin treated with ML-NPs may produce structural dentin stability and high mechanical performance at the root. The decrease of mechanical properties over time in dentin treated without NPs indicates scarce remineralization potential, dentin demineralization and further potential degradation. The amorphous stage may provide high hydroxyapatite solubility and remineralizing activity.Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and European Regional Development Fund( MINECO/AEI/FEDER/UE) PID2020-114694RB-I00University of Granada/CBU

Glucocerebrosidase Mrna Is Diminished In Brain Of Lewy Body Diseases And Changes With Disease Progression In Blood

Parkinson disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are Lewy body diseases characterized by abnormal alpha-synuclein deposits and overlapping pathological features in the brain. Several studies have shown that glucocerebrosidase (GBA) deficiency is involved in the development of LB diseases. Here, we aimed to find out if this deficiency starts at the transcriptional level, also involves alternative splicing, and if GBA expression changes in brain are also detectable in blood of patients with LB diseases. The expression of three GBA transcript variants (GBAtv1, GBAtv2 and GBAtv5) was analyzed in samples from 20 DLB, 25 PD and 17 control brains and in blood of 20 DLB, 26 PD patients and 17 unaffected individuals. Relative mRNA expression was determined by real-time PCR. Expression changes were evaluated by the Delta Delta Ct method. In brain, specific expression profiles were identified in the temporal cortex of DLB and in the caudate nucleus of PD. In blood, significant GBA mRNA diminution was found in both DLB and PD patients. Early PD and early-onset DLB patients showed lowest GBA levels which were normal in PD patients with advanced disease and DLB patients who developed disease after 70 years of age. In conclusion, disease group specific GBA expression profiles were found in mostly affected areas of LBD. In blood, GBA expression was diminished in LB diseases, especially in patients with early onset DLB and in patients with early PD. Age of disease onset exerts an opposite effect on GBA expression in DLB and PD