Aglomerações urbanas e geração de resíduos: um olhar sobre a região metropolitana de Curitiba – RMC

O impacto do crescimento populacional da Região Metropolitana de Curitiba nas ultimas três décadas, trouxe como consequência o aumento da geração de resíduos sólidos e degradação ambiental. A abordagem deste artigo é o Aterro Sanitário da Caximba, localizado na região de divisa dos municípios de Fazenda Rio Grande, Curitiba e Araucária. O presente analisará o impacto do aumento da população nas últimas décadas e a consequente relação deste com a geração de resíduos sólidos. As informações para as análises foram buscadas nos bancos de dados da: COMEC, IPARDES e Censos do IBGE (1980-2010). A metodologia baseou-se em pesquisa quantitativa e qualitativa, além de estabelecer uma fundamentação teórica sobre o assunto abordado. O Aterro da Caximba, embora inativo, continua produzindo gases poluentes, contaminando os lençóis freáticos, impactando visualmente e com odores a comunidade do entorno, mas, apesar deste quadro de degradação socioambiental, observa-se que é possível tornar o Aterro um empreendimento socioambientalmente correto. Palavras-chave: Resíduos sólidos; Aterro sanitário; População urbana – Curitiba (PR)

Aglomerações urbanas e geração de resíduos: um olhar sobre a região metropolitana de Curitiba – RMC

O impacto do crescimento populacional da Região Metropolitana de Curitiba nas ultimas três décadas, trouxe como consequência o aumento da geração de resíduos sólidos e degradação ambiental. A abordagem deste artigo é o Aterro Sanitário da Caximba, localizado na região de divisa dos municípios de Fazenda Rio Grande, Curitiba e Araucária. O presente analisará o impacto do aumento da população nas últimas décadas e a consequente relação deste com a geração de resíduos sólidos. As informações para as análises foram buscadas nos bancos de dados da: COMEC, IPARDES e Censos do IBGE (1980-2010). A metodologia baseou-se em pesquisa quantitativa e qualitativa, além de estabelecer uma fundamentação teórica sobre o assunto abordado. O Aterro da Caximba, embora inativo, continua produzindo gases poluentes, contaminando os lençóis freáticos, impactando visualmente e com odores a comunidade do entorno, mas, apesar deste quadro de degradação socioambiental, observa-se que é possível tornar o Aterro um empreendimento socioambientalmente correto. Palavras-chave: Resíduos sólidos; Aterro sanitário; População urbana – Curitiba (PR)

Urban agglomerations and waste generation: a look at the metropolitan region of Curitiba - RMC

The impact of population growth in the metropolitan region of Curitiba in the last three decades, brought as a consequence the increase of solid waste generation and environmental degradation. The approach of this article is Caximba Landfill, located in the region of the border between the municipalities of Fazenda Rio Grande, Curitiba and Araucaria. This will analyze the impact of population growth in recent decades and the consequent relation with the generation of solid waste. The data for the analyzes were searched in databases: COMEC, IPARDES and IBGE censuses (1980-2010). The methodology was based on quantitative and qualitative research, and to establish a theoretical foundation on the subject addressed. The Landfill Caximba, although inactive, still producing gaseous pollutants, contaminating groundwater, visually and odors impacting the surrounding community, but despite this background of environmental degradation is observed that it is possible to make one socially and environmentally correct Landfill project.O impacto do crescimento populacional da Região Metropolitana de Curitiba nas ultimas três décadas, trouxe como consequência o aumento da geração de resíduos sólidos e degradação ambiental. A abordagem deste artigo é o Aterro Sanitário da Caximba, localizado na região de divisa dos municípios de Fazenda Rio Grande, Curitiba e Araucária. O presente analisará o impacto do aumento da população nas últimas décadas e a consequente relação deste com a geração de resíduos sólidos. As informações para as análises foram buscadas nos bancos de dados da: COMEC, IPARDES e Censos do IBGE (1980-2010). A metodologia baseou-se em pesquisa quantitativa e qualitativa, além de estabelecer uma fundamentação teórica sobre o assunto abordado. O Aterro da Caximba, embora inativo, continua produzindo gases poluentes, contaminando os lençóis freáticos, impactando visualmente e com odores a comunidade do entorno, mas, apesar deste quadro de degradação socioambiental, observa-se que é possível tornar o Aterro um empreendimento socioambientalmente correto

Aquaporins and cation transporters are differentially regulated by two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi strains in lettuce cultivars growing under salinity conditions

The aim was to identify the effects of AM symbiosis on the expression patterns of genes associated with K and Na compartmentalization and translocation and on K/Na homeostasis in some lettuce (Lactuca sativa) cultivars as well as the effects of the relative abundance of plant AQPs on plant water status. Two AM fungi species (Funneliformis mosseae and Claroideoglomus lamellosum) isolated from the hyper-arid Atacama Desert (northern Chile) were inoculated to two lettuce cultivars (Grand Rapids and Lollo Bionda), and watered with 0 and 60 mM NaCl. At 60 days of plant growth, the AM symbiotic development, biomass production, nutrient content (Pi, Na, K), physiological parameters, gene expressions of ion channels and transporters (NHX and HKT1), and aquaporins proteins abundance (phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated) were evaluated. Salinity increased the AM root colonization by both inocula. AM lettuce plants showed an improved growth, increased relative water content and improved of K/Na ratio in root. In Grand Rapids cultivar, the high efficiency of photosystem II was higher than Lollo Bionda cultivar; on the contrary, stomatal conductance was higher in Lollo Bionda. Nevertheless, both parameters were increased by AM colonization. In the same way, LsaHKT1;1, LsaHKT1;6, LsaNHX2, LsaNHX4, LsaNHX6 and LsaNHX8 genes and aquaporins PIP2 were up-regulated differentially by both AM fungi. The improved plant growth was closely related to a higher water status due to increased PIP2 abundance, as well as to the upregulation of LsaNHX gene expression, which concomitantly improved plant nutrition and K/Na homeostasis maintenance.This work was funded by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID, Chile) through the grants ANID/FONDAP/15130015 and ANID/FONDECYT/1170264

Progress in tear microdesiccate analysis by combining various transmitted-light microscope techniques

BACKGROUND: Tear desiccation on a glass surface followed by transmitted-light microscopy has served as diagnostic test for dry eye. Four distinctive morphological domains (zones I, II, III and transition band) have been recently recognized in tear microdesiccates. Physicochemical dissimilarities among those domains hamper comprehensive microscopic examination of tear microdesiccates. Optimal observation conditions of entire tear microdesiccates are now investigated. One-μ! aliquots of tear collected from individual healthy eyes were dried at ambient conditions on microscope slides. Tear microdesiccates were examined by combining low-magnification objective lenses with transmitted-light microscopy (brightfield, phase contrasts Ph1,2,3 and darkfield. RESULTS: Fern-like structures (zones II and III) were visible with all illumination methods excepting brightfield. Zone I was the microdesiccate domain displaying the most noticeable illumination-dependent variations, namely transparent band delimited by an outer rim (Ph1, Ph2), homogeneous compactly built structure (brightfield) or invisible domain (darkfield, Ph3). Intermediate positions of the condenser (BF/Ph1, Ph1/Ph2) showed a structured roughly cylindrical zone I. The transition band also varied from invisibility (brightfield) to a well-defined domain comprising interwoven filamentous elements (phase contrasts, darkfield. CONCLUSIONS: Imaging of entire tear microdesiccates by transmitted-light microscopy depends upon illumination. A more comprehensive description of tear microdesiccates can be achieved by combining illumination methods

Validation of the Ocular Surface Disease Index Questionnaire for Chilean patients

Background: Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) is the most commonly used questionnaire worldwide to detect dry eye disease. Although it is massively used in clinical practice in Chile, its use has not been validated yet in the country. Aim: To develop a cultural adaptation and to validate the OSDI questionnaire for the Chilean population. Material and Methods: For cultural adaptation, a translation, retro-translation and an expert panel review was carried out. The resulting questionnaire was applied to a pilot group of twelve participants and their comments were considered for the final questionnaire version. The final questionnaire was applied to a non-random sample of 200 patients aged 53 +/- 17 years (75% women). Internal consistency and construct validity were evaluated by Cronbach's alpha and exploratory factor analysis respectively. Results: According to the OSDI score, 81% of respondents had dry eye (55% severe). Reliability was 0.91 and factor analysis resulted in three factors explaining 75.4% of the total variance. Conclusions: The OSDI questionnaire version obtained in this study demonstrated excellent internal consistency values and adequate construct validity making it applicable to clinical practice and dry eye research

Jelly-falls historic and recent observations: a review to drive future research directions

The biological pump describes the transport of particulate matter from the sea surface to the ocean’s interior including the seabed. The contribution by gelatinous zooplankton bodies as particulate organic matter (POM) vectors (“jelly-falls”) has been neglected owing to technical and spatiotemporal sampling limitations. Here, we assess the existing evidence on jelly-falls from early ocean observations to present times. The seasonality of jelly-falls indicates that they mostly occur after periods of strong upwelling and/or spring blooms in temperate/subpolar zones and during late spring/early summer. A conceptual model helps to define a jelly-fall based on empirical and field observations of biogeochemical and ecological processes. We then compile and discuss existing strategic and observational oceanographic techniques that could be implemented to further jelly-falls research. Seabed video- and photography-based studies deliver the best results, and the correct use of fishing techniques, such as trawling, could provide comprehensive regional datasets. We conclude by considering the possibility of increased gelatinous biomasses in the future ocean induced by upper ocean processes favouring their populations, thus increasing jelly-POM downward transport. We suggest that this could provide a “natural compensation” for predicted losses in pelagic POM with respect to fuelling benthic ecosystems