Effect of ferromagnetic nanoparticle on dyes biodegradation

In this study the biodecolourisation of two dyes, a xanthene dye, Erythrosine B (Ery B) and an azo dye, Reactive Red 51 (RR120), was investigated colourdecolourisationunder batch anaerobic conditions by using non - acclimated anaerobic granular sludge. The effect of ferromagnetic nanoparticle (FN) (as adsorbent or mediator) on dyes removal was experienced

Characterization of the core microbiota of the drainage and surrounding soil of a brazilian copper mine

The core microbiota of a neutral mine drainage and the surrounding high heavy metal content soil at a Brazilian copper mine were characterized by 16S rDNA pyrosequencing. The core microbiota of the drainage was dominated by the generalist genus Meiothermus. The soil samples contained a more heterogeneous bacterial community, with the presence of both generalist and specialist bacteria. Both environments supported mainly heterotrophic bacteria, including organisms resistant to heavy metals, although many of the bacterial groups identified remain poorly characterized. The results contribute to the understanding of bacterial communities in soils impacted by neutral mine drainage, for which information is scarce, and demonstrate that heavy metals can play an important role in shaping the microbial communities in mine environments384484489CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP550240/2010-12012/05429-

The moderating role of self-care behaviors in personal care aides of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges and work changes for formal caregivers such as personal care aides with an impact on their quality of life (QoL). This cross-sectional study aims to analyze the relationships and contribution of sociodemographic and psychological variables towards QoL including the moderating role of self-care. This study included 127 formal caregivers from Portugal who were assessed on depression, anxiety and stress (DASS-21); professional self-care (SCAP); quality of life (SF-12); COVID-19 traumatic stress (COVID-19TSC) and preventive COVID-19 infection behaviors (PCOVID-19 IBS). Professional self-care was positively associated with QoL and also moderated the relationship between distress and QoL (p < 0.001). According to results, nursing homes should provide formal caregivers, such as personal care aides, with the professional support they need in order to promote their QoL and prevent burnout.This study was conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (PSI/01662), School of Psychology, University of Minho, supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the Portuguese State Budget (Ref.: UIDB/PSI/01662/2020

Moving from traditional government to new adaptive governance: the changing face of food security responses in South Africa

The food system faces increasing pressure from dynamic and interactive, environmental, political and socio-economic stressors. Tackling the complexity that arises from such interactions requires a new form of 'adaptive governance'. This paper provides a review of various conceptions of governance from a monocentric or politicotechnical understanding of governance through to adaptive governance that is based in complex adaptive systems theory. The review is grounded by a critique of the existing institutional structures responsible for food security in South Africa. The current Integrated Food Security Strategy and tasked governmental departments are not sufficiently flexible or coordinated to deal with an issue as multi-scalar and multidisciplinary as food security. However, actions taken in the non-governmental sector signal the emergence of a new type of governance. Apart from an increasing recognition of food security as an issue of concern in the country, there is also evidence of a changing governance structure including collaboration between diverse stakeholders. We review these governance trends with an understanding of the food system as a complex adaptive socio-ecological system where actors in the food system self-organize into more flexible networks that can better adapt to uncertain pressure

UV/TiO2 photocatalytic degradation of xanthene dyes

UV/titanium dioxide (TiO2) degradation of two xanthene dyes, erythrosine B (Ery) and eosin Y (Eos), was studied in a photocatalytic reactor. Photocatalysis was able to degrade 98% of Ery and 73% of Eos and led to 65% of chemical oxygen demand removal. Experiments in buffered solutions at different initial pH values reveal the pH dependence of the process, with better results obtained under acidic conditions due to the electrostatic attraction caused by the opposite charges of TiO2 (positive) and of anionic dyes (negative). Batch activity tests under methanogenic conditions showed the high toxicity exerted by the dyes even at low concentrations (~85% with initial concentration of 0.3 mmol L 1), but the end products of photocatalytic treatment were much less toxic toward methanogenic bacteria, as detoxification of 85 ± 5% for Eos and 64 ± 7% for Ery were obtained. In contrast, the dyes had no inhibitory effect on the biogeniccarbon biodegradation activity of aerobic biomass, obtained by respirometry. The results demonstrate that photocatalysis combining UV/TiO2 as a pretreatment followed by an anaerobic biological process may be promising for the treatment of wastewaters produced by many industries.This work was supported by a grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS UEFISCDI, project PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0559, contract 265/2011, and the PTDC/AMB/69335/2006 project grants. Luciana Pereira holds a Pos-Doc fellowship (SFRH/BPD/80941/2011), Raquel Pereira holds a fellowship (SFRH/BPD/39086/2007) and Catarina S. Oliveira holds a PhD fellowship (SFRH/BD/32289/2006) from Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia

Draft Genome Sequences of Three Virulent Streptococcus thermophilus Bacteriophages Isolated from the Dairy Environment in the Veneto Region of Italy

ABSTRACT Streptococcus thermophilus , a very important dairy species, is constantly threatened by phage infection. We report the genome sequences of three S. thermophilus bacteriophages isolated from a dairy environment in the Veneto region of Italy. These sequences will be used for the development of new strategies to detect and control phages in dairy environments. </jats:p

Recrutamento de fabáceas arbóreas nativas em áreas de pastagem: efeito da competição por recursos acima e abaixo do solo.

A competição com gramíneas consiste no principal fator limitante para o crescimento de plantas jovens de espécies arbóreas em pastagens tropicais. No entanto, poucos estudos avaliam qual recurso é limitante, luz versus algum nutriente de solo e/ou água, isto é, se a competição é mais intensa entre as partes aéreas ou entre as partes radicais das plantas envolvidas. Objetivou-se neste estudo avaliar a emergência, recrutamento e o crescimento de sete fabáceas arbóreas nativas de Cerrado em áreas de pastagem, a partir de semeadura direta, avaliando o efeito competição interespecífica com gramíneas, entre partes aéreas e radicais. Foi realizado um experimento em blocos, com três tratamentos de manejo de gramíneas: ?Livre de gramíneas? (Lg), ?Gramíneas Cortadas? (Gc) e ?Gramíneas intactas? (Gi). Utilizou-se 5.250 sementes das sete espécies (750 sementes de cada espécie), em cinco blocos. As avaliações foram realizadas quinzenalmente, por três meses. Avaliou-se a taxa de emergência, recrutamento e a altura média das plantas jovens. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância. Apenas sementes de Pterogyne nitens apresentaram diferenças na emergência entre tratamentos de manejo de gramíneas, apresentando maior taxa de emergência no tratamento Gc. As espécies responderam diferencialmente à competição por recursos acima e abaixo do solo com gramíneas exóticas. Nos três primeiros meses de experimento, plantas jovens de Dipteryx alata competiram tanto por recursos acima como abaixo do solo, apresentando maior recrutamento no tratamento Lg. Peltophorum dubium e P. nitens não apresentaram diferenças significativas no recrutamento entre os distintos tratamentos. No entanto, plantas jovens submetidas ao tratamento Lg apresentaram uma altura maior após três meses, evidenciando que as espécies também competiram por recursos acima e abaixo do solo. Mimosa caesalpiniifolia competiu principalmente por recursos acima do solo, apresentando maior recrutamento em Gc. Copaifera langsdorffii, Dimorphandra mollis e Hymenaea stigonocarpa não foram afetadas pela competição com gramíneas exóticas

MRI laxity assessment

Knee laxity, by definition, is a dynamic and multifactorial condition. MRI evaluation, due to its known capacity in achieving high soft tissue contrast (e.g., meniscus, synovia, ligaments, cartilage) and multiplanar joint assessment without ionizing radiation, has contributed to its popularity in the last decades. However, “traditional�? MRI studies provide static evaluation, thus requiring careful correlation to clinical findings, particularly when dealing with functional ligament stability. This work aims to describe the most important features of current MRI studies when dealing with anterior cruciate ligaments injuries, while also presenting the evolving possibilities of dynamic and objective MRI assessment of knee instability.(undefined