Application of Biotests for the Determination of Soil Ecotoxicity after Exposure to Biodegradable Plastics

Biodegradable plastics are mostly applied in packaging materials (e.g., shopping bags), waste collection bags, catering products, and agricultural applications. In this last case, degradation takes place directly in soil where biodegradable plastic products are intentionally left after use (e.g., mulch films for weeds control). Due to the growing volumes of biodegradable polymers and plastics, interest in their environmental safety is increasing and more research is carried out. Some attempt has been made to apply biotests, used in other sectors of environmental sciences, in the assessment of biodegradable plastics safety. In this work, the quality of soils after biodegradation of the bioplastics Mater-Bi has been assessed with a large array of biotests based on model organisms representative of the different trophic levels in the food chains of the edaphic and aquatic ecosystems. Mater-Bi was degraded under controlled conditions for 6 months at a 1% concentration. The selected organisms included bacteria and protozoa (Vibrio fischeri and Dictyostelium discoideum, respectively), the green alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, plants (the monocotyledon Sorghum saccharatum and the dicotyledon Lepidium sativum), and invertebrates animals (Daphnia magna, a freshwater crustacean, and the Oligochaeta earthworm Eisenia andrei), using both acute and chronic endpoints. The results of the applied ecotoxicological tests showed that the Mater-Bi materials tested at very high doses did not affect the soil quality. Soil exposed to Mater-Bi has no noxious effects on edaphic organisms; in particular, mono and dicotyledon plants results, indicate that Mater-Bi plastic products are innocuous for agricultural uses. The use of more sensitive chronic endpoints allows to exclude possible effects at population level. This is the first time that such a comprehensive approach is applied to the assessment of possible ecotoxicity effects induced by biodegradable plastics in soil and represents a possible starting point for improved standardized testing schemes

The Resolved Asteroid Program - Size, shape, and pole of (52) Europa

With the adaptive optics (AO) system on the 10 m Keck-II telescope, we acquired a high quality set of 84 images at 14 epochs of asteroid (52) Europa on 2005 January 20. The epochs covered its rotation period and, by following its changing shape and orientation on the plane of sky, we obtained its triaxial ellipsoid dimensions and spin pole location. An independent determination from images at three epochs obtained in 2007 is in good agreement with these results. By combining these two data sets, along with a single epoch data set obtained in 2003, we have derived a global fit for (52) Europa of diameters (379x330x249) +/- (16x8x10) km, yielding a volume-equivalent spherical-diameter of 315 +/- 7 km, and a rotational pole within 7 deg of [RA; Dec] = [257,+12] in an Equatorial J2000 reference frame (ECJ2000: 255,+35). Using the average of all mass determinations available forEuropa, we derive a density of 1.5 +/- 0.4, typical of C-type asteroids. Comparing our images with the shape model of Michalowski et al. (A&A 416, 2004), derived from optical lightcurves, illustrates excellent agreement, although several edge features visible in the images are not rendered by the model. We therefore derived a complete 3-D description of Europa's shape using the KOALA algorithm by combining our imaging epochs with 4 stellar occultations and 49 lightcurves. We use this 3-D shape model to assess these departures from ellipsoidal shape. Flat facets (possible giant craters) appear to be less distinct on (52) Europa than on other C-types that have been imaged in detail. We show that fewer giant craters, or smaller craters, is consistent with its expected impact history. Overall, asteroid (52) Europa is still well modeled as a smooth triaxial ellipsoid with dimensions constrained by observations obtained over several apparitions.Comment: Accepted for publication in Icaru

Informes da avaliação de genótipos de girassol 2011/2012 e 2012.

Características gerais da Rede de Ensaios de Avaliação de Genótipos de Girassol. Resultados dos Ensaios Finais de Primeiro e Segundo Ano ? safra 2011/2012: Encruzilhada do Sul (RS), Vacaria (RS), Hulha Negra (RS), Caxias do Sul (RS), Londrina (PR), Curitiba (RS). Locais não considerados na análise conjunta. Análise conjunta. Resultados dos Ensaios Finais de Primeiro e Segundo Ano ? safra 2011/2012: Passo Fundo (RS), Rio Pardo (RS), São Gabriel (RS), Veranópolis (RS), Londrina (PR), Campo Mourão (PR), Umuarama (PR). Locais não considerados na análise conjunta . Análise conjunta. Resultados do Ensaios Finais de Segundo Ano ? safrinha 2012: Projeto Jaíba (MG), Planaltina (DF), Rio Verde (GO), Vilhena (RO) Ensaio A, Vilhena (RO) Ensaio B, Teresina (PI), Uruçuí (PI), São João do Piauí (PI), Mata Roma (MA), Colinas (MA). Locais não considerados na análise conjunta. Análise conjunta. Resultados dos Ensaios Finais de Primeiro Ano ? safrinha 2012: Nova Porteirinha (MG), Uberlândia (MG), Planaltina (DF), Palmas (TO), Vilhena (RO) Ensaio A, Vilhena (RO) Ensaio B, Vilhena (RO) Ensaio C. Locais não considerados na análise conjunta. Análise conjunta. Lista dos genótipos de girassol avaliados e registrados no Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento ? MAPA.bitstream/item/97782/1/Ana-Doc-340-baixa.pd

Good prognosis for pericarditis with and without myocardial involvement: Results from a multicenter, prospective cohort study

Background The natural history of myopericarditis/perimyocarditis is poorly known, and recently published studies have presented contrasting data on their outcomes. The aim of the present article is to assess the prognosis of myopericarditis/perimyocarditis in a multicenter, prospective cohort study. Methods and Results A total of 486 patients (median age, 39 years; range, 18-83 years; 300 men) with acute pericarditis or a myopericardial inflammatory syndrome (myopericarditis/perimyocarditis; 85% idiopathic, 11% connective tissue disease or inflammatory bowel disease, 5% infective) were prospectively evaluated from January 2007 to December 2011. The diagnosis of acute pericarditis was based on the presence of 2 of 4 clinical criteria (chest pain, pericardial rubs, widespread ST-segment elevation or PR depression, and new or worsening pericardial effusion). Myopericardial inflammatory involvement was suspected with atypical ECG changes for pericarditis, arrhythmias, and cardiac troponin elevation or new or worsening ventricular dysfunction on echocardiography and confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance. After a median follow-up of 36 months, normalization of left ventricular function was achieved in >90% of patients with myopericarditis/perimyocarditis. No deaths were recorded, as well as evolution to heart failure or symptomatic left ventricular dysfunction. Recurrences (mainly as recurrent pericarditis) were the most common complication during follow-up and were recorded more frequently in patients with acute pericarditis (32%) than in those with myopericarditis (11%) or perimyocarditis (12%; P<0.001). Troponin elevation was not associated with an increase in complications. Conclusions The outcome of myopericardial inflammatory syndromes is good. Unlike acute coronary syndromes, troponin elevation is not a negative prognostic marker in this setting

A focus on selected perspectives of the NUMEN project

The use of double charge exchange reactions is discussed in view of their application to extract information that may be helpful to determinate the nuclear matrix elements entering in the expression of neutrinoless double beta decay half-life. The strategy adopted in the experimental campaigns performed at INFN - Laboratori Nazionali del Sud and in the analysis methods within the NUMEN project is briefly described, emphasizing the advantages of the multi-channel approach to nuclear reaction data analysis. An overview on the research and development activities on the MAGNEX magnetic spectrometer is also given, with a focus on the chosen technological solutions for the focal plane detector which will guarantee the performances at high-rate conditions

Componente microfungina lipolitica e termofila in compost

Composting is a valid valuable strategy to treat lipid-rich wastes, due to the rapid development of a thermophilic phase during which the lipids become more accessible to microorganisms and their lipases. In the present study the thermophilic microfungal component of compost of different origin was evaluated. Furthermore, the lipolytic activity of the strains was estimated using agar plates containing lipid substrates. 19 microfungal strains were detected, with thermotolerant species being dominant, followed by strictly thermophilic species. All the isolates, except Paecilomyces variotii, showed lipolytic activity, in a variable extent depending on the substrates and, for some of these, also according to the incubation temperature. In particular Malbranchea cinnamomea, Mortierella sp., Sepedonium sp. and two Thermomyces lanuginosus strains, degraded all the substrates considered. The introduction or the enrichment of these lipolytic microorganisms in the composting process of lipid-rich wastes could be of great utility considering also the flexibility of some of these in relation to temperature