RESIDUAL BIOMASSES IN THE MICRO-REGION OF DOURADOS (MS): ASSESSMENT AND AVAILABILITY FOR ENERGY IN AGRICULTURE THERMAL CONVERSION

<div><p>ABSTRACT This research presents results of the assessment of solid biofuels (residual biomasses from agricultural crops) in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, in the period 2007-2012, for energy in agricultural uses. It is pointed out the available quantity, its geographic location at micro and meso regions and energy conversion potential. The methodology is based on a survey on municipal agricultural production of the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (quantity and local availability, per year) followed by determination of the amounts of agricultural assessed residues, and then applying equations from the literature to estimate the amount of energy (J) and power (kW) obtained from the thermal conversion of residual biomasses. Results are presented for three residual biomasses from agricultural crops (corn cobs, rice husk and sugarcane bagasse) with cartograms for all micro regions at the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, graphics for quantification in the cities where crops production occurs and a table for total energy obtained by conversion processes. For the whole state of MS, Dourados micro region was identified as the most promising for energy in agriculture with three main cities (Dourados, Rio Brilhante and Maracaju), by solid biofuel availability to provide about 11% of the total electrical energy consumption in 2014.</p></div

Re-treatment of previous non-responders and relapsers to interferon plus ribavirin with peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD), ribavirin ± amantadine in patients with chronic hepatitis C: randomized multicentre clinical trial

Introduction. A large number of patients with chronic hepatitis C have not been cured with interferon-based therapy. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy of amantadine combined with the standard of care (pegylated interferon plus ribavirin) in patients who had not responded to or had relapsed after ≥ 24 weeks of treatment with conventional interferon plus ribavirin.Material and methods. Patients stratified by previous response (i.e., non-response or relapse) were randomized to 48 weeks of open-label treatment with peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) 180 μg/week plus ribavirin 1,000/1,200 mg/day plus amantadine 200 mg/ day (triple therapy), or the standard of care (peginterferon alfa-2a [40KD] plus ribavirin).Results. The primary outcome was sustained virological response (SVR), defined as undetectable hepatitis C virus RNA in serum (< 50 lU/mL) at end of follow-up (week 72). Among patients with a previous non-response, 12/53 (22.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 12.3-36.2%) randomized to triple therapy achieved an SVR compared with 16/52 (30.8%; 95% CI 18.7-45.1%) randomized to the standard of care. Among patients with a previous relapse 22/39 (56.4%; 95% CI 39.6-72.2%) randomized to triple therapy achieved an SVR compared with 23/38 (60.5%; 95% CI 43.4-76.0%) randomized to the standard of care. Undetectable HCV RNA (< 50 IU/mL) at week 12 had a high positive predictive value for SVR. A substantial proportion of non-responders and relapsers to conventional interferon plus ribavirin achieve an SVR when re-treated with peginterferon alfa-2a (40KD) plus ribavirin.Conclusion. Amantadine does not enhance SVR rates in previously treated patients with chronic hepatitis C and cannot be recommended in this setting