Occupational Exposure to Coal, Genotoxicity, and Cancer Risk

Coal is a heterogeneous mixture containing large quantities of organic and inorganic matter, including carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, and organometallic forms. The presence of mineral matter in coal may result in a number of environmental and human health problems related to its mining, preparation, and combustion. During coal mining activities, large quantities of coal dust, ashes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals are released into the environment, forming a complex mixture. This mixture becomes one of the most important occupational risks for the health and safety of workers due to its synergistic, additive, and enhancing effects. Once inside the organism, this cocktail-like mixture can interact with cellular mechanisms related to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and can cause damage in important macromolecules such as DNA, lipids, and proteins. In this review, human populations exposed to coal and coal burning were analyzed. Data from different studies were evaluated in relation to the effect of complex mixture exposure on DNA damage and mechanisms, and the background factors, such as gender, age, or smoking habit. The high temperatures that occur in combustion processes affect the characteristics of the resulting particles. The coal fly ash is released by combustion and its composition varies depending on the coal type and the method of collection used such as electrostatic precipitators. Compounds such as PAHs once activated by the organisms have been shown to have mutagenic and carcinogenic activity due to its ability to form adducts with purines. Moreover, metals that commonly are evaporated during the cooling process increase its toxicity. The particles when inhaled can pass from the alveoli into the bloodstream and affect extrapulmonary organs. Several studies have described the inflammatory cascade that triggers exposure to coal and coal fly ash particles; they have a complex composition capable of generating a persistent inflammatory process, resulting in diseases widely described as emphysema, bronchitis, pneumoconiosis, asthma, and cancer. Several human biomonitoring studies have been conducted evaluating the inflammatory process and the release of cytokines, polymorphisms involved in detoxification mechanisms, different biomarkers associated with occupational exposure, DNA damage, and the influence of oxidative stress in disease development. The relationship between chronic exposure to coal and coal ash particles and cancer is still widely debated. This review gave us a broad assessment about the associated mechanisms between cancer and exposure to coal and different findings around the world

TERRITORIAL FORMATION, ECONOMY AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION PROJECTS IN PAN-AMAZON

The objective involved in this article is centered on the analytical effort to contextualize the socio-spatial formation and the economy of the Pan-Amazon, as well as the regional integration processes, which we can say is closely related and associated with the development and implementation of megaprojects in the region. The Pan-Amazonian gigantism is something that brings advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the cult of the mythical, of the legendary, its charms and beauties arouse curiosity and desire to get to know it and feel it up close, and on the other hand, the ambitions to enjoy the resources present in the region. The article is divided into three parts, in addition to the introduction and final considerations. In the first, the analysis is centered on the process of historical formation of the region, which took place through the dispute of international interests in the resources present in Amazonian ecosystems. In the second part, the economy of the region is discussed, which is configured around extractive activities, which has only served to enrich the large central countries that exploit them. Finally, the third part discusses the initiatives around cooperation articulations for the best use of the region and its potentials

Uropatía obstructiva en canino: reporte de caso clínico

The present study shows the case of a 7-year-old male canine who was admitted to the veterinary clinic "Vet Center", Bucaramanga, Colombia, for an alleged poisoning picture. The patient showed signs of depression, dysuria, strangury, haematuria and vomiting. Haematological assessment and urinalysis revealed a picture of dehydration and urinary infection. Blood chemistry showed insufficiency and postrenal azotemia, and the ultrasound examination showed the presence of a urolith and urinary bladder repletion, confirming the diagnosis of obstructive uropathy. For the stabilization of the patient, a Nelaton urinary catheter was placed to empty the bladder and hydro propulsion was done. Besides, maintenance intravenous solutions with 0.9% NaCl, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory were prescribed. Finally, cystotomy was performed to remove the urolith, in addition to a urethrostomy due to the recurrence of the obstruction.El presente estudio muestra el caso de un canino macho de 7 años que ingresó de emergencia a la consulta de la clínica veterinaria “Vet Center”, Bucaramanga, Colombia, por un presunto cuadro de envenenamiento. El paciente mostraba signos de depresión, disuria, estranguria, hematuria y vómito. La valoración hematológica y urianálisis revelaron un cuadro de deshidratación e infección urinaria. La química sanguínea demostró insuficiencia y azotemia posrenal, y el examen ecográfico mostró la presencia de un urolito y repleción de la vejiga urinaria, confirmando el diagnóstico de uropatía obstructiva. Para la estabilización del paciente se colocó sonda urinaria Nelaton para vaciado de la vejiga e hidropropulsión; así como aplicación de soluciones endovenosas de mantenimiento con NaCl al 0.9%, antibióticos y antiinflamatorios. Finalmente, se realizó cistotomía para remoción del urolito, además de una uretrostomía debido a la recurrencia de la obstrucción

Classical field theory on Lie algebroids: Variational aspects

The variational formalism for classical field theories is extended to the setting of Lie algebroids. Given a Lagrangian function we study the problem of finding critical points of the action functional when we restrict the fields to be morphisms of Lie algebroids. In addition to the standard case, our formalism includes as particular examples the case of systems with symmetry (covariant Euler-Poincare and Lagrange Poincare cases), Sigma models or Chern-Simons theories.Comment: Talk deliverd at the 9th International Conference on Differential Geometry and its Applications, Prague, September 2004. References adde

Azitromicina no tratamento da leishmaniose mucosa

This report describes three elderly patients with mucosal form of American tegumentary leishmaniasis associated with chronic cardiopathy. Due to the known toxicity of classical drugs with activity against Leishmania sp., the patients received three oral courses of azithromycin therapy in single 500 mg daily dose during ten days, every other month. All lesions healed after the third series. One of the patients relapsed and a new series of azithromycin was prescribed. Azithromycin may be an alternative drug for the treatment of leishmaniasis in special situations due to its optimal mucosal and intraphagocyte concentration, single daily posology, high tolerance and oral administration. The mechanism of this drug on Leishmania sp. is unknown at present.O presente relato descreve três pacientes idosos com leishmaniose mucosa de longa evolução, os quais eram portadores de cardiopatia crônica. Pela alta freqüência de efeitos secundários e tóxicos dos medicamentos utilizados no tratamento clássico, esses pacientes receberam azitromicina. Este medicamento foi administrado pela via oral, em dose única diária de 500 mg, durante dez dias, em três séries com intervalo de um mês. Em todos, houve cicatrização das lesões depois da terceira série. Um dos pacientes apresentou recidiva após seis meses e uma nova série de azitromicina fez regredir novamente o quadro. Azitromicina pode ser uma alternativa para o tratamento das leishmanioses, principalmente pela concentração adequada em mucosas e nos fagócitos, posologia única diária, boa tolerância e administração oral

A new doubly discrete analogue of smoke ring flow and the real time simulation of fluid flow

Modelling incompressible ideal fluids as a finite collection of vortex filaments is important in physics (super-fluidity, models for the onset of turbulence) as well as for numerical algorithms used in computer graphics for the real time simulation of smoke. Here we introduce a time-discrete evolution equation for arbitrary closed polygons in 3-space that is a discretisation of the localised induction approximation of filament motion. This discretisation shares with its continuum limit the property that it is a completely integrable system. We apply this polygon evolution to a significant improvement of the numerical algorithms used in Computer Graphics.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figure

Physical and physiological quality of Jatropha curcas L. seeds at different maturity stages using image analysis

Aim of study: To assess the potential of automated X-ray image analysis to evaluate the physical characteristics of Jatropha curcas seeds, and to relate the parameters obtained with the physiological quality of the seeds harvested at different maturity stages.Area of study: Experimental area of Agronomy Department, Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), Brazil.Material and methods: The fruits were harvested from 20 plants, based on the external skin color (green, yellow, brownish-yellow and brown). The study was performed by automated and visual analysis of radiographic images of the seeds, in which measurements of tissue integrity, density and seed filling were performed. Seed dry matter, germination and seedling growth were also analysed.Main results: Variables obtained through automated analysis of radiographic images correlated significantly with all physiological variables (r > 0.9), as well as visual image evaluations (r > 0.75). The seeds extracted from green fruits presented lower tissue integrity and lower physiological quality. Radiographic analysis was efficient for monitoring J. curcas seed quality at different maturity stages. Morpho-anatomical parameters obtained from X-ray analysis were highly correlated with seed physiological attributes.Research highlights: It is important to develop and improve methodologies based on lower-cost techniques, such as X-ray analysis. In this context, we verified that X-ray images can be used for monitoring J. curcas seed filling and maturation. Radiographic images of seeds can be analyzed automatically with ImageJ software. Internal morphology and physical characteristics of seeds have relationship with their physiological quality

Prevalencia de Cystoisospora suis en lechones lactantes y cerdas en Venezuela

The prevalence of Cystoisospora suis in lactating piglets and their dams in pig farms in the central region of Venezuela was determined. The study was conducted in farms of three sizes with a history of neonatal diarrhea: small (<150 sows), medium (150-500 sows) and large (>500 sows) farms. A total of 572 litters and their mothers were examined. Samples were cultured in 2.5% potassium dichromate and latter processed by the flotation-centrifugation technique using a NaCl saturaded solution. C. suis was found in 55 farms (82.1%) and 210 litters (36.7%), with the highest prevalence values in the first two weeks of life (p<0.05), but without statistical differences between farm sizes. Moreover, 9.4% of the sows were infected and of these, 89% of the litters were positive to C. suis, giving a significant correlation between the positivity of piglets and their mothers (r=0.55; p<0.05). The results show that C. suis is widely distributed in the central region of Venezuela, regardless of farm size.Se determinó la prevalencia de Cystoisospora suis en lechones lactantes y cerdas madres en granjas porcinas de la región central de Venezuela. El estudio se condujo en granjas de tres tamaños y con antecedentes de diarrea neonatal: granjas pequeñas (<150 madres), medianas (150-500 madres) y grandes (>500 madres). Se examinaron 572 camadas y sus madres. Las muestras se cultivaron en dicromato de potasio al 2.5% y procesadas mediante la técnica de flotación-centrifugación, utilizando una solución saturada de NaCl enriquecida con solución azucarada. C. suis se encontró en 55 granjas (82.1%) y 210 camadas (36.7%), con los mayores valores de prevalencia en las dos primeras semanas de vida (p<0.05), pero sin diferencias estadísticas entre tamaños de granja. El 9.4% de las cerdas se encontraron infectadas y, de estas, el 89% de las camadas resultaron positivas a C. suis, dando una correlación significativa entre la positividad de lechones y sus madres (r=0.55; p<0.05). Los resultados demuestran que C. suis se encuentra ampliamente distribuida en la región central de Venezuela, indistintamente del tamaño de la granja

Renormalization Group Study of Chern-Simons Field Coupled to Scalar Matter in a Modified BPHZ Subtraction Scheme

We apply a soft version of the BPHZ subtraction scheme to the computation of two-loop corrections from an Abelian Chern-Simons field coupled to (massive) scalar matter with a $\lambda(\Phi^\dag\Phi)^2$ and $\nu(\Phi^\dag\Phi)^3$ self-interactions. The two-loop renormalization group functions are calculated. We compare our results with those in the literature.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, revtex. To appear in Phys. Rev.