The role of extracellular polymeric substances in micropollutant removal

In biological wastewater treatment (WWT), microorganisms live and grow held together by a slime matrix comprised of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), forming a three-dimensional microbial structure of aggregates (flocs or granules) and by chemical binding forces. Furthermore, microscopic observations showed that microbial cells within the flocs were cross linked with EPS, forming a network of polymers with pores and channels. The EPS are typically composed of organic substances such as polysaccharides (PS), proteins (PNs), humic acid substances (HAS), nucleic acids, and lipids. It has been established that EPS play an essential role in aggregate flocculation, settling, and dewatering. Moreover, in the presence of toxic substances, such as pharmaceutical compounds and pesticides, EPS form a protective layer for the aggregated biomass against environmental disturbances that might play an important role in the transport and transformation of micropollutants. Some researchers indicated that there is an increase in EPS concentration under toxic conditions, which can induce an increase in the size of microbial aggregates. In this contribution, we critically review the available information on the impact of micropollutants on microbial EPS production and the relationship between EPS and microbial aggregate structure. Also, a general definition, composition, and factors that affect EPS production are presented.The authors thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit. The authors also acknowledge the financial support to AM through the Grant Number 240–20170220 provided by Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco (IFPE). DM and CQ thank FCT for funding through program DL 57/2016— Norma transitória.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Promethean: Fall 2012

Fall 2012 edition of The Promethean. Contents: From the Director 2 Honors Study Abroad 4 Tips for Writing Your Senior Thesis 6 Collected Poetry 8 Freshman Experience Articles 9 Remembering Alex Kogut 10https://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/promethean/1007/thumbnail.jp

Modified Beer-Lambert law for blood flow

FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPWe develop and validate a Modified Beer-Lambert law for blood flow based on diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) measurements. The new formulation enables blood flow monitoring from temporal intensity autocorrelation function data taken at single or multiple delay-times. Consequentially, the speed of the optical blood flow measurement can be substantially increased. The scheme facilitates blood flow monitoring of highly scattering tissues in geometries wherein light propagation is diffusive or non-diffusive, and it is particularly well-suited for utilization with pressure measurement paradigms that employ differential flow signals to reduce contributions of superficial tissues.51140534075FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP2012/02500-82013/07559-3We gratefully acknowledge help from Marion Knaus and Victoria Pallett per preparing the pig, and we thank longtime collaborators Daniel Licht, John Detre, Emile Mohler, Thomas Floyd, Turgut Durduran, and Theresa Busch for valuable discussions. We acknowledge support from the National Institutes of Health (R01-NS060653, NHLBI-HL007915, 8P41-EB015893), the American Heart Association (ABP, 14POST20460161), the Thrasher Pediatric Research Foundation Early Career Award (DRB), and the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (RCM, 2012/02500-8, 2013/07559-3)

Modified Beer-Lambert law for blood flow

FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOThe modified Beer-Lambert law is among the most widely used approaches for analysis of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) reflectance signals for measurements of tissue blood volume and oxygenation. Briefly, the modified Beer-Lambert paradigm is a scheme to derive changes in tissue optical properties based on continuous-wave (CW) diffuse optical intensity measurements. In its simplest form, the scheme relates differential changes in light transmission (in any geometry) to differential changes in tissue absorption. Here we extend this paradigm to the measurement of tissue blood flow by diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS). In the new approach, differential changes of the intensity temporal auto-correlation function at a single delay-time are related to differential changes in blood flow. The key theoretical results for measurement of blood flow changes in any tissue geometry are derived, and we demonstrate the new method to monitor cerebral blood flow in a pig under conditions wherein the semi-infinite geometry approximation is fairly good. Specifically, the drug dinitrophenol was injected in the pig to induce a gradual 200% increase in cerebral blood flow, as measured with MRI velocity flow mapping and by DCS. The modified Beer-Lambert law for flow accurately recovered these flow changes using only a single delay-time in the intensity auto-correlation function curve. The scheme offers increased DCS measurement speed of blood flow. Further, the same techniques using the modified Beer-Lambert law to filter out superficial tissue effects in NIRS measurements of deep tissues can be applied to the DCS modified Beer-Lambert law for blood flow monitoring of deep tissues.The modified Beer-Lambert law is among the most widely used approaches for analysis of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) reflectance signals for measurements of tissue blood volume and oxygenation. Briefly, the modified Beer-Lambert paradigm is a scheme to derive changes in tissue optical properties based on continuous-wave (CW) diffuse optical intensity measurements. In its simplest form, the scheme relates differential changes in light transmission (in any geometry) to differential changes in tissue absorption. Here we extend this paradigm to the measurement of tissue blood flow by diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS). In the new approach, differential changes of the intensity temporal auto-correlation function at a single delay-time are related to differential changes in blood flow. The key theoretical results for measurement of blood flow changes in any tissue geometry are derived, and we demonstrate the new method to monitor cerebral blood flow in a pig under conditions wherein the semi-infinite geometry approximation is fairly good. Specifically, the drug dinitrophenol was injected in the pig to induce a gradual 200% increase in cerebral blood flow, as measured with MRI velocity flow mapping and by DCS. The modified Beer-Lambert law for flow accurately recovered these flow changes using only a single delay-time in the intensity auto-correlation function curve. The scheme offers increased DCS measurement speed of blood flow. Further, the same techniques using the modified Beer-Lambert law to filter out superficial tissue effects in NIRS measurements of deep tissues can be applied to the DCS modified Beer-Lambert law for blood flow monitoring of deep tissues.9319123FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULOFAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO2012/02500-8; 2013/07559-311. Conference on Optical Tomography and Spectroscopy of Tissue9 a 11 de Fevereiro de 2015San Francisco, CASPIE - International Society for Optical EngineeringAgências de fomento estrangeiras apoiaram essa pesquisa, mais informações acesse artig

Humiliated fury is not universal: the co-occurrence of anger and shame in the United States and Japan

It has been widely believed that individuals transform high-intensity shame into anger because shame is unbearably painful. This phenomenon was first coined “humiliated fury,” and it has since received empirical support. The current research tests the novel hypothesis that shame-related anger is not universal, yet hinges on the cultural meanings of anger and shame. Two studies compared the occurrence of shamerelated anger in North American cultural contexts (where shame is devalued and anger is valued) to its occurrence in Japanese contexts (where shame is valued and anger is devalued). In a daily-diary study, participants rated anger and shame feelings during shame situations that occurred over one week. In a vignette study, participants rated anger and shame in response to standardised shame vignettes that were generated in previous research by either U.S. or Japanese respondents. Across the two studies, and in line with previous research on humiliated fury, shame predicted anger for U.S. participants. Yet, neither in the daily diary study nor for the Japanese-origin vignettes, did we find shame-related anger in Japanese participants. Only when presented with U.S.-origin vignettes, did Japanese respondents in the vignette study report shame-related anger. The findings suggest that shame-related anger is a culture-specific phenomenon

Biomass production of Piatã grass (Brachiaria Brizantha cv. Piatã) on different degree days in Brazilian Northeast.

Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatã was released from a Brazilian breeding program of Brachiaria genus to be a new option of forage plant for use in grasslands. This cultivar has been presented interesting strategy to persist on higher temperatures and water stress and can be useful for systems when water is not available in high quantity. For this reason this trial aimed quantifies biomass production on different degree days in Brazilian Northeast. This research was carried out in cultivate irrigated Brachiaria pasture at Embrapa Goats and Sheep (3º 41'S e 40º 20'W). Four experimental treatments were evaluated: 250ºC, 500ºC, 750ºC and 1,000ºC of degree days. Experimental design used was block complete randomized, with subplots and four repetition by plot. Degree days were obtained from temperature data collected in automatic station, daily. When amount of degree days was get in each treatment, grasses were cut and taken weight to estimate total biomass (kg/ha). Part of forage was dried in oven (55ºC) to get dry matter perceptual and another part was separate in stems, leaves and death material. Parameters evaluated were total biomass production (TBP) in kg/ha, leaves biomass (LB) in kg/ha, stem biomass (SB) in kg/ha and death material (DM) kg/ha. Data was collect for four cycles during dry season in 2012. Data was submitted to variance analysis (F test, p<0.05) and regression. There were significant effects (p<0.05) from treatment to biomass total, leaves biomass and death material. All parameter presented a linear pattern (YTBP= 1.26x + 23.95; R²= 0.99; YLB=0.94 x + 82.91; R2 =0.98; YDM= 0.04x ? 3.51; R²= 0.84). There were significant effect of interaction cycle and treatment to steam production during cycles two (C2) (YC2SB= -54.49 + 0.18x e R²= 0.73) and three (C3) (YC3SB = -206.28 + 0.76x e R²= 0.85). Most biomass produced was 1,284 kg/ha in 1,000ºC. This result occurred about 30 days. During a complete dry season in Northeast Region estimated a total biomass production from Piatã grass about 10.3t/ha while in native vegetation is less than 2t. Small cultivate areas with Brachiaria Piatã can produce forage sufficient to reduce grazing pasture in large native areas especially during dry season. 80% of forage total produced was basically leaves. Leaves are most nutritive part of plant. Piatã grass presented a high capacity to produce leaves in dry and high temperature environments. Most stem production during cycle two was 125.51 kg/ha while cycle three was 553.72kg/ha. During cycle three was observed increase cloudiness, probably affected stem production. Finally, There was produced just 36,5kg/ha death material in 1,000ºC. There is a linear effect of degree day on biomass production until 1,000ºC in Brazilian Northeast

Avaliação da atividade inseticida de óleos essenciais de plantas da flora nordestina contra a mosca-branca (Bemisia argentifolii).

E conhecido que muitas plantas encerram micromoleculas oriundas do metabolismo secundario, tais como alcaloides, flavonoides, triterpenos, limnnoides, dentre outras, as quais apresentam funcao de protecao contra fitopatogenos e insetos fitofagos. Dos varios exemplos, podemos citar os glicoalcaloides em Solanaceace, os limonoides em Rutaceae, Meliaceae e Simarubaceae. Algumas dessas substancias sao conhecidas por suas propriedade inseticidas, dentre as quais podemos citar: rotenoides obtidos das especies de Lonchocarpus; nicotina de Nicotiana tabacum; precocenos de Ageratrum conyzoides e piretrinas de Crysanthemum cineraefolium (Craveiro e Machado, 1986).bitstream/CNPAT-2010/5858/1/Pa-080.pd

Environmentally-friendly technology for rapid identification and quantification of emerging pollutants from wastewater using infrared spectroscopy

Supplementary material related to this article can be found, in theonline version, at doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etap.2020.103458.The monitoring of emerging pollutants in wastewaters is nowadays an issue of special concern, with the classical quantification methods being time and reagent consuming. In this sense, a FTIR transmission spectroscopy based chemometric methodology was developed for the determination of eight of these pollutants. A total of 456 samples were, therefore, obtained, from an activated sludge wastewater treatment process spiked with the studied pollutants, and analysed in the range of 200cm1 to 14,000cm1. Then, a k-nearest neighbour (kNN) analysis aiming at identifying each sample pollutant was employed. Next, partial least squares (PLS) and ordinary least squares (OLS) modelling approaches were employed in order to obtain suitable prediction models. This procedure resulted in good prediction abilities regarding the estimation of atrazine, desloratadine, paracetamol, -estradiol, ibuprofen, carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole and ethynylestradiol concentrations in wastewaters. These promising results suggest this technology as a fast, eco-friendly and reagent free alternative methodology for the quantification of emerging pollutants in wastewaters.The authors thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science andTechnology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/BIO/04469/2020 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fundunder the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional doNorte.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio