Production and characterization of activated carbon from wood wastes

Cedarwood (Cedrela Angustifolia) and teak (Tectona Grandis) woods are typically used for furniture manufacture because they have high durability, are light and easy to work. During these manufacturing process, large amount of these wastes is generated causing disposal environmental problems. In this paper, the residual wastes (sawdust) of Cedar (C) and Teak (T) are transformed into an activated material. The chemical composition of both biomass (C and T) was determinate by TGA (Thermogravimetric Analysis). Activated materials were characterized in surface area following the BET (Brunauer, Emmett and Teller) method, morphology using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and to know their functional groups a FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) analysis was done. Their adsorption capacity was evaluated by removal of Methylene Blue (MB) and Congo Red (CR) from aqueous solutions. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Un estudio de artrópodos epigeos en entornos costeros con influencia urbana cerca de El Altet, sureste de España

A preliminary study to characterize epigeic arthropod assemblages was conducted in urban-influenced coastal environments near to El Altet town (Alicante, Spain), including grey dune, heath dune, yellow dune and ruderal vegetation. For such purpose, a series of diversity metrics and multivariate analysis were performed based on a survey conducted since November 2004 to March 2005. Ruderal vegetation habitat (RV) had greater abundance and low diversity of epigeic arthropods, as well as predominance of synanthropic taxa, mainly Dermaptera (Forficulidae) and Isopoda (Armadillidae, Porcellionidae). In contrast, yellow dune habitat (YD) had intermediate abundance and low diversity, with predominance of psammophilous Coleoptera, particularly Tenebrionidae. While, heath and grey dunes habitats (HD+GD) had low abundance and high diversity, with native Chrysomelidae and Tenebrionidae as the most representative taxa.Se realizó un estudio preliminar para caracterizar ensambles de artrópodos epígeos en entornos costeros con influencia urbana cerca de la ciudad de El Altet (Alicante, España), que incluyen duna fija, tomillar, duna móvil y vegetación ruderal. Para ello, se realizó una serie de métricas de diversidad y análisis multivariado con base en un relevamiento realizado desde noviembre de 2004 a marzo de 2005. El hábitat de vegetación ruderal (RV) tuvo mayor abundancia y baja diversidad de artrópodos epigeicos, así como predominio de taxones sinantrópicos, principalmente Dermaptera (Forficulidae) e Isopoda (Armadillidae, Porcellionidae). En contraste, el hábitat de dunas móviles (YD) tuvo abundancia intermedia y baja diversidad, con predominio de coleópteros psamófilos, particularmente Tenebrionidae. Mientras que los hábitats de tomillar y duna fija (HD + GD) tuvieron baja abundancia y alta diversidad, siendo Chrysomelidae y Tenebrionidae nativos sus taxones más representativos

Anomalous relaxation kinetics and charge density wave correlations in underdoped BaPb1-xBixO3

Superconductivity often emerges in proximity of other symmetry-breaking ground states, such as antiferromagnetism or charge-density-wave (CDW) order. However, the subtle inter-relation of these phases remains poorly understood, and in some cases even the existence of short-range correlations for superconducting compositions is uncertain. In such circumstances, ultrafast experiments can provide new insights, by tracking the relaxation kinetics following excitation at frequencies related to the broken symmetry state. Here, we investigate the transient terahertz conductivity of BaPb1-xBixO3 - a material for which superconductivity is adjacent to a competing CDW phase - after optical excitation tuned to the CDW absorption band. In insulating BaBiO3 we observed an increase in conductivity and a subsequent relaxation, which are consistent with quasiparticles injection across a rigid semiconducting gap. In the doped compound BaPb0.72Bi0.28O3 (superconducting below Tc=7K), a similar response was also found immediately above Tc. This observation evidences the presence of a robust gap up to T=40 K, which is presumably associated with short-range CDW correlations. A qualitatively different behaviour was observed in the same material fo T>40 K. Here, the photo-conductivity was dominated by an enhancement in carrier mobility at constant density, suggestive of melting of the CDW correlations rather than excitation across an optical gap. The relaxation displayed a temperature dependent, Arrhenius-like kinetics, suggestive of the crossing of a free-energy barrier between two phases. These results support the existence of short-range CDW correlations above Tc in underdoped BaPb1-xBixO3, and provide new information on the dynamical interplay between superconductivity and charge order.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure

Dyes removal from water using low cost absorbents

In this study, the removal capacity of low cost adsorbents during the adsorption of Methylene Blue (MB) and Congo Red (CR) at different concentrations (50 and 100mg•L-1) was evaluated. These adsorbents were produced from wood wastes (cedar and teak) by chemical activation (ZnCl2). Both studied materials, Activated Cedar (AC) and activated teak (AT) showed a good fit of their experimental data to the pseudo second order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherms. The maximum adsorption capacities for AC were 2000.0 and 444.4mg•g-1 for MB and CR, respectively, while for AT, maximum adsorption capacities of 1052.6 and 86.4mg•g-1 were found for MB and CR, respectively. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Prescripciones de diuréticos de asa potencialmente inapropiadas en ancianos

ResumenObjetivoIdentificar la prescripción potencialmente inadecuada de diuréticos de asa como monoterapia de primera línea en hipertensión arterial de pacientes mayores de 65 años en Colombia.MétodosEstudio cuasiexperimental, prospectivo, antes y después, sin grupo control, mediante una intervención educativa dirigida a prescriptores de pacientes mayores de 65 años con diagnóstico de hipertensión arterial en manejo con furosemida en monoterapia, afiliados al régimen pago del Sistema de Salud de Colombia entre el 1°. de enero y el 30 de agosto de 2014. Luego de la identificación de los pacientes de una base de datos poblacional de dispensación de medicamentos y de la intervención se midió el cambio en la formulación.ResultadosDe un total de 453.017 sujetos en tratamiento antihipertensivo se identificaron 160 pacientes con diagnóstico de hipertensión arterial tratados con furosemida en monoterapia, con una edad media de 82,7±9,1 años. Se realizaron 76 actividades educativas sobre los médicos y se consiguió modificar la terapia en 67 pacientes (41,8% de los intervenidos), donde el 6,8% suspendió el diurético, pero inició un nuevo antihipertensivo, 13,1% agregó un antihipertensivo y 21,8% lo suspendió definitivamente. Ser anciano entre 65 y 74 años se asoció con mayor probabilidad de éxito en la intervención (OR: 2,2; IC95%:1,010-4,860; p<0,001).ConclusionesUna pequeña proporción de pacientes mayores de 65 años son tratados con furosemida en monoterapia antihipertensiva, pero las estrategias educativas y de seguimiento de las prescripciones pueden reducir su uso inapropiado. Es importante desarrollar herramientas que incentiven al médico a evitar prescripciones menos eficaces y seguras.AbstractMotivationTo identify the potentially inappropriate prescription of loop diuretics as a first-line monotherapy in arterial hypertension of patients over 65 years old in Colombia.MethodsQuasiexperimental, prospective, before and after study, without a control group, by means of an educational intervention aimed at prescriptors of patients over 65 years old with the diagnosis of arterial hypertension managed with furosemide in monotherapy, affiliated to the Colombian Health System between January 1st and August 30th 2014. After identifying the patients in a population database of medication dispensation and after the intervention, changes in the formulation were measured.ResultsOut of a total of 453,017 individuals taking antihypertensives, 160 patients were identified with arterial hypertension being treated with furosemide in monotherapy, with an average age of 82.7±9.1 years. 76 educational activities were carried out with physicians and therapy could be modified in 67 patients (47.8% of intervention participants), where 6.8% discontinued the diuretic, but initiated a new antihypertensive, 13.1% added an antihypertensive and 21.8% definitely suspended the treatment. Being between 65 and 74 years old was associated to a higher probability of success of the intervention (OR: 2.2; CI 95%: 1.010-4.860; p<0.001).ConclusionsA small proportion of patients over 65 years of age were treated with furosemide as antihypertensive monotherapy, but educational strategies and monitorisation of prescriptions may reduce their inappropriate use. It is important to develop tools to motivate the physician to avoid less efficient and safe prescriptions

US uncertainty shocks, credit, production, and prices: The case of fourteen Latin American countries

The extant literature has examined the impact of United States’ uncertainty shocks on developed and large emerging market economies. However, this research has not accounted for global cycles in production, credit, and prices, which can influence the estimates of the effects of US uncertainty on the rest of the world. The effects of uncertainty in highly indebted emerging open economies, which depend heavily on US financial and real conditions, have not been studied. We analyze the effects of uncertainty shocks on 14 Latin American countries (LACs) of various sizes and various levels of dependence on US financial and real flows. Latin America is a highly indebted and heterogeneous region that is sensitive to US economic and financial conditions, particularly uncertainty, in its various dimensions: real, financial, and policy related (including monetary policy). Our results show that the effects of real and financial uncertainty are more significant and long lasting than the effects of economic and monetary policy uncertainty, as measured by the use of uncertainty-related key words. All forms of uncertainty have a larger and more persistent impact on the gross domestic product of countries than the impact on credit and prices. In general, uncertainty in the US depresses economic activity in Latin America, although there is significant heterogeneity in the effects, which warrants detailed analysis of individual countries when considering policy implementation and portfolio diversificatio

Estatus taxonómico de Parapraocis, un nuevo género de Praociini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Pimeliinae) de Perú

Se describe el nuevo géneroParapraocis (Pimeliinae: Praociini) para ubicar tres especies de la costa norte del Perú previamente incluidas en el géneroPraocis Eschscholtz: Parapraocis vagecostata (Fairmaire, 1902) n. comb. (especie tipo),Parapraocis rossi (Kulzer, 1958) n. comb. y Parapraocis fumaria (Kulzer, 1966) n. comb. Se presentan el diagnóstico, la descripción e ilustraciones de la morfología externa, genitalia masculina y femenina, y fotografías de habitus para dos de sus especies. También se incluye una discusión sobre la designación de este nuevo género, así como homologías en la morfología de los genitales femeninos de Praociini.The new genus Parapraocis (Pimeliinae: Praociini) is described to accommodate three species from the northern Peruvian coast previously placed in the genus Praocis Eschscholtz: Parapraocis vagecostata (Fairmaire, 1902) n. comb. (type species), Parapraocis rossi (Kulzer, 1958) n. comb., and Parapraocis fumaria (Kulzer, 1966) n. comb. Diagnosis, description and illustrations of external morphology, male and female genitalia, and habitus photographs for two of its species are presented. A discussion on the raising of this new genus as well as homological structures in the female genitalia of the Praociini are also included.Fil: Flores, Gustavo Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Giraldo, Alfredo E.. UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AGRARIA LA MOLINA (UNALM)

Optimizing the Rearrangement Process in a Dedicated Warehouse

Determining the optimal storage assignment for products in a dedicated warehouse has been addressed extensively in the Facility Logistics literature. However, the process of implementing a particular storage assignment given the current location of products has not received much attention in the existing literature. Typically, warehouses use downtime or overtime to remove products from their current location and move them to the suggested location. This work presents the Rearrange-While-Working (RWW) policy to optimize the process of rearranging a dedicated warehouse. The RWW policy seeks to relocate products in a warehouse from the initial arrangement to the optimal arrangement while serving a list of storages and retrievals. This study considers three scenarios: (1) when there is only one empty location in the warehouse and the material handling equipment (MHE) is idle (i.e. reshuffling policy); (2) when there is only one empty location in the warehouse under the RWW policy; (3) when there are multiple empty locations in the warehouse under the RWW policy. In the first case, the MHE can make any movement desired as it is idle. In the other cases, the movements correspond to a list of storages and retrievals that need to be served. In these cases it is assumed that products can only be moved when they are requested. After being used, they are returned to the warehouse. Several heuristics are presented for each scenario. The proposed heuristics are shown to perform satisfactorily in terms of solution quality and computational time