Current progress on removal of recalcitrance coloured particles from anaerobically treated effluent using coagulation–flocculation

The palm oil industry is the most important agro industries in Malaysia and most of the mills adopt anaerobic digestion as their primary treatment for palm oil mill effluent (POME). Due to the public concern, decolourisation of anaerobically treated POME (AnPOME) is becoming a great concern. Presence of recalcitrant-coloured particles hinders biological processes and coagulation–flocculation may able to remove these coloured particles. Several types of inorganic and polymers-based coagulant/flocculant aids for coagulation–flocculation of AnPOME have been reviewed. Researchers are currently interested in using natural coagulant and flocculant aids. Modification of the properties of natural coagulant and flocculant aids enhanced coagulation–flocculation performance. Modelling and optimization of the coagulation–flocculation process have also been reviewed. Chemical sludge has the potential for plant growth that can be evaluated through pot trials and phytotoxicity test

Nutrition and lung cancer: a case control study in Iran

Background: Despite many prospective and retrospective studies about the association of dietary habit and lung cancer, the topic still remains controversial. So, this study aims to investigate the association of lung cancer with dietary factors. Method: In this study 242 lung cancer patients and their 484 matched controls on age, sex, and place of residence were enrolled between October 2002 to 2005. Trained physicians interviewed all participants with standardized questionnaires. The middle and upper third consumer groups were compared to the lower third according to the distribution in controls unless the linear trend was significant across exposure groups. Result: Conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate the association with lung cancer. In a multivariate analysis fruit (Ptrend < 0.0001), vegetable (P = 0.001) and sunflower oil (P = 0.006) remained as protective factors and rice (P = 0.008), bread (Ptrend = 0.04), liver (P = 0.004), butter (Ptrend = 0.04), white cheese (Ptrend < 0.0001), beef (Ptrend = 0.005), vegetable ghee (P < 0.0001) and, animal ghee (P = 0.015) remained as risk factors of lung cancer. Generally, we found positive trend between consumption of beef (P = 0.002), bread (P < 0.0001), and dairy products (P < 0.0001) with lung cancer. In contrast, only fruits were inversely related to lung cancer (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: It seems that vegetables, fruits, and sunflower oil could be protective factors and bread, rice, beef, liver, dairy products, vegetable ghee, and animal ghee found to be possible risk factors for the development of lung cancer in Iran

The positive impact of red palm oil in school meals on vitamin A status: study in Burkina Faso

BACKGROUND: Vitamin A (VA) deficiency is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and school-age children are a vulnerable group. In Burkina Faso, the production and consumption of red palm oil (RPO) is being promoted as a food supplement for VA. The objective of the study was to assess the impact on serum retinol of adding RPO to school lunch in two test zones of Burkina Faso. METHODS: Over one school year, 15 ml RPO was added to individual meals 3 times a week in selected primary schools in two sites. Serum retinol was measured with HPLC at baseline and exactly 12 months later to take account of seasonality. A simple pre-post test design was used in the Kaya area (north-central Burkina), where 239 pupils from 15 intervention schools were randomly selected for the evaluation. In Bogandé (eastern Burkina), 24 schools were randomised for the controlled intervention trial: 8 negative controls (G1) with only the regular school lunch; 8 positive controls (G2) where the pupils received a single VA capsule (60 mg) at the end of the school year; and 8 schools with RPO through the school year (G3). A random sample of 128 pupils in each school group took part in the evaluation. RESULTS: In Kaya, serum retinol went from 0.77 ± 0.37 μmol/L at baseline to 1.07 ± 0.40 μmol/L one year later (p < 0.001). The rate of low serum retinol (<0.7 μmol/L) declined from 47.2% to 13.1%. In Bogandé, serum retinol increased significantly (p < 0.001) only in the capsule and RPO groups, going from 0.77 ± 0.28 to 0.98 ± 0.33 μmol/L in the former, and from 0.82 ± 0.3 to 0.98 ± 0.33 μmol/L in the latter. The rate of low serum retinol went from 46.1 to 17.1% in the VA capsule group and from 40.4% to 14.9% in the RPO group. VA-deficient children benefited the most from the capsule or RPO. Female sex, age and height-for-age were positively associated with the response to VA capsules or RPO. CONCLUSION: RPO given regularly in small amounts appears highly effective in the reduction of VA deficiency. RPO deserves more attention as a food supplement for VA and as a potential source of rural income in Sahelian countries

Patologias atuais: a compulsão e a sociedade dos excessos: Current pathologies: compulsion and the society of excesses

O artigo em tela tem por objetivo analisar os aspectos biopsicossociais da conduta compulsiva de consumo. Propõe-se a apresentar os elementos psicológicos contidos nesse comportamento, além de verificar quais são os resultados decorrentes dessa compulsão. O consumo compulsivo, também chamado de oniomania, é um transtorno causado pela ansiedade despertada pela necessidade de comprar e saciada, somente, quando é materializada a aquisição daquilo que se deseja comprar. O estudo em questão pode ser classificado como sendo de cunho bibliográfico, a partir da análise de documentos publicados em forma de artigos científicos e livros em formato digital