Characterization and origin of organic and inorganic pollution in urban soils in Pisa (Tuscany, Italy).

We assessed the quality of 31 urban soils in Pisa by analyzing total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn and the platinum group (PGEs). The risk was evaluated by the geological accumulation index (Igeo) and the enrichment factor (EF). Results were compared with those obtained from a non-urban site and with the quantitative limits fixed by Italian legislation. In nearly all the monitored sites, the legal limit for TPH of 60 mg/kg in residential areas was exceeded, indicating widespread and intense pollution throughout the entire city area. The Igeo indicated no Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni and Zn pollution and minimal Pb and Cr pollution, due to anthropogenic enrichment. Legal Hg and Zn limits of 1 and 150 mg/kg respectively were exceeded in about 20% of sites, Cd (2 mg/kg), Cr (150 mg/kg) and Cu (120 mg/kg) in only one site, the Ni legal limit of 120 mg/kg was never exceeded. Some urban soils showed a higher Hg level than the more restrictive legal limit of 5 mg/kg concerning areas for industrial use. Based on the soluble, exchangeable and carbonate-bound fractions, Mn and Zn showed the highest mobility, suggesting a more potential risk of soil contamination than the other metals. The TPH and both Cr and Hg amounts were not correlated with any of the other monitored metals. The total contents of Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu in soils were positively correlated with each other, suggesting a common origin from vehicular traffic. The PGE values (Pt and Pd) were below the detection limits in 75% - 90% of the monitored areas, suggesting that their accumulation is at an early stage

Changes in biological properties and antioxidant capacity of an agricultural soil amended with sewage sludge

The effects of applying sewage sludge (SS) to agricultural soil (at low rate of 22.5, LRS, and at high rate of 45 t ha−1 dry basis, HRS) were monitored over a 120-d experimental period. Total organic carbon (TOC), water- soluble organic carbon (WSOC), alkali-soluble phenols, basal respiration, 10 specific enzyme activity, dehydrogenase activity (DH-ase), metabolic potential (MP) and FDA-hydrolytic activity (FDA) were strongly increased by both rates of SS applications. In the SS amended soil, about 70% of the organic C added with the material remained at the end of the experiment. Basal respiration increased with increasing SS doses. The 15 specific enzyme activity and the MP indicate an increase in the enzyme activity in soil. AQ10 The addition of SS led to higher values than the control of all the tested parameters up to the end of the experimental period. The anti- oxidant capacity (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, TEAC) was influ- 20 enced by SS addition only when applied at HRS. After 120 days only HRS value of TEAC (5.13 mM g−1) was higher than control (4.09 mM g−1). The pattern of TEAC did not enable any link to be established between antioxidant capacity and both alkali-soluble phenols and basal respira- tion in soil

Cálculo das recomendações de ingestão protéica: aplicação a pré-escolar, escolar e adulto utilizando alimentos brasileiros

As recomendações de ingestão protéica variam conforme o teor de proteína, da quantidade de aminoácidos essenciais oferecidas e da digestibilidade da dieta. Em geral as recomendações protéicas tomam por base um alimento considerado padrão como o ovo ou o leite. No entanto, a nível populacional, ingere-se misturas de alimentos em quantidades e qualidades diferentes, que variam de região para região. A título de ilustração foram calculadas as recomendações de ingestão protéica para uma mistura de alimentos habitualmente usados pela população brasileira e consumida por três grupos etários diferentes: o pré escolar, o escolar e o adulto. São apresentadas 10 combinações de alimentos, todas tendo como principal fonte protéica o arroz e/ou o feijão. Observa-se que a recomendação de ingestão protéica do pré escolar, pode variar entre 1,15 a 1,77 g/kg por dia dependendo da mistura utilizada. Discute-se também a importância da quantidade de alimentos ingeridos e a presença de outros nutrientes. Sugere-se que ao se recomendar a ingestão protéica de uma determinada mistura de alimentos sejam considerados os seguintes fatores: teor total de nitrogênio, quantidade de aminoácidos essenciais, digestibilidade, peso total da mistura e a presença de outros nutrientes.The recommendations for protein consumption depend on the essential amino acid and total nitrogen content of a diet, and food digestibility. International recommendations are based on egg or milk proteins. However, populations eat different food mixtures. Brazilians use rice and beans as their main protein food source. This study presents different Brazilian diets, with variable amount of rice and beans. The results show that for each diet there is a different amount of protein recommended. Pre-school children, for example, must receive from 1.15 to 1.77 g/protein/day, depending on the mixture of their dietary protein intake. Besides the diet protein's quality and quantity, the total food intake and presence of other essential nutrients, such as iron, calcium and vitamin C has also to be considered. The correct protein recommendation with respect to a diet or a mixture of food, should take into consideration: digestibility, total nitrogen, essential amino acids, presence of others nutrients and weight os food consumed

Physiological parameters for Prognosis in Abdominal Sepsis (PIPAS) Study : a WSES observational study

BackgroundTiming and adequacy of peritoneal source control are the most important pillars in the management of patients with acute peritonitis. Therefore, early prognostic evaluation of acute peritonitis is paramount to assess the severity and establish a prompt and appropriate treatment. The objectives of this study were to identify clinical and laboratory predictors for in-hospital mortality in patients with acute peritonitis and to develop a warning score system, based on easily recognizable and assessable variables, globally accepted.MethodsThis worldwide multicentre observational study included 153 surgical departments across 56 countries over a 4-month study period between February 1, 2018, and May 31, 2018.ResultsA total of 3137 patients were included, with 1815 (57.9%) men and 1322 (42.1%) women, with a median age of 47years (interquartile range [IQR] 28-66). The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 8.9%, with a median length of stay of 6days (IQR 4-10). Using multivariable logistic regression, independent variables associated with in-hospital mortality were identified: age > 80years, malignancy, severe cardiovascular disease, severe chronic kidney disease, respiratory rate >= 22 breaths/min, systolic blood pressure 4mmol/l. These variables were used to create the PIPAS Severity Score, a bedside early warning score for patients with acute peritonitis. The overall mortality was 2.9% for patients who had scores of 0-1, 22.7% for those who had scores of 2-3, 46.8% for those who had scores of 4-5, and 86.7% for those who have scores of 7-8.ConclusionsThe simple PIPAS Severity Score can be used on a global level and can help clinicians to identify patients at high risk for treatment failure and mortality.Peer reviewe

Biological activity and functional diversity of agricultural soil amended with sewage sludge.

The biological effects of applying sewage sludge (SS) to agricultural soil (at a low rate of 22.5, LRS, and a high rate of 45 t ha-1 dry basis, HRS) were monitored over a 120-d experimental period. The biological activity was monitored by dehydrogenase, catalase, urease, protease, alkaline phosphatase, arylsulphatase and β-glucosydase activities. Selected characteristics also included soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and community level physiological profiling (CLPP), indicating the microbial functional diversity of soil (catabolic potential) and assessed using Richness (R) and Shannon–Weaver (H) indexes. All the enzyme activities were strongly affected by both rates of SS applications. After a rapid increase in the early phases of the experiment, enzyme activities decreased sharply and remained almost stable during the last stages of the trial period. Microbial biomass carbon was also influenced by SS addition, however during the incubation period of 120 days, it remained at high levels only at HRS. The H index increased significantly with the increasing SS applications. Differences in the functional diversity of soil microbial communities were found. For both doses, there was an increase in biodiversity over time, reaching about 9% compared to the control

Relationships between antioxidant capacity and microbial activity in a soil amended with biochar, green compost and vermicompost

The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationships between the antioxidant capacity and the microbial activity in a soil amended with different organic materials. In a 1-year laboratory incubation, biochar, green compost and vermicompost were added to soil at the dose of 2.5% w/w. Antioxidant capacity (TEAC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), water- and alkali-soluble phenols and microbial activity, as measured by the fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (FDA), were monitored during incubation. Greater TEAC was in green compost and vermicompost than in biochar treated soil and it was directly related on the TEAC values of the added materials. The application of organic materials caused a marked increase of DOC and water- and alkali-soluble phenols, with values reflecting the amount of these compounds present in the amendments. The relationships between values of TEAC and phenols in the treatments suggest that these substances may be involved in determining the antioxidant capacity of soil. Compared to control, FDA was not influenced by B at each sampling time, probably because the inhibiting activity of TEAC of the material. The two types of compost, particularly vermicompost, stimulated FDA throughout the whole experimental period. Any possible inhibition of the microbial activity induced by TEAC of vermicompost and green compost could have been masked by the considerable supply of organic soluble compounds of composts, that may have stimulated strongly the microorganisms. These results suggest that the soil microbial activity can be defined by the balance between the stimulating activity of DOC and antioxidant activity of the phenols

Short-term effects on soil of biogas digestate, biochar and their combinations

We assessed the suitability of digestate (D) from biogas production and green biochar (B) to improve soil biological activity and antioxidant capacity, and investigated whether there is an interaction between digestate and biochar applied to soil in combination. In a short-term (100-d) laboratory incubation, we monitored soil chemical and biological parameters. We compared soil amendments with 1% D (D1), 5% D (D5), 1% B (B), digestate-biochar combinations (D1+B and D5+B), and soil with no amendment. In D5, CO2 production, antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and dehydrogenase activity (DH-ase) and the contents of microbial biomass C, DOC and alkali-soluble phenols increased to the highest level. The biochar increased the total organic C (TOC) and TEAC of soil but decreased DOC, CO2 production, microbial biomass C and DH-ase. The addition of biochar to digestate reduced soluble compounds (DOC and phenols), thus limiting the amount and activity of the soil microbial biomass (CO2 production and DH-ase). After 100 days of incubation D5+B showed the highest TOC content (82.8% of the initial amount). Both applied alone and in combination with digestate, the biochar appears to enrich the soil carbon sink by reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere

Soil biochemical activities after the application of pyroligneous acid to soil

Pyroligneous acid (PA) is produced during the combustion of woody biomass and is a complex aqueous fraction resulting from the thermochemical rupture of the components of vegetable biomass.We evaluated the effect of PA on the soil microbial community and activity in order to assess the applicability of this acid in soil and to gather further information on the mechanisms of its toxicity or stimulation. Five concentrations of PA solution (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 5%) were selected to monitor the biochemical parameters of the soil. The respirometric test showed that the increase in the evolved carbon dioxide-carbon (C) was not due to a release of the native organic C from the soil, but only from the organic compounds of PA. The highest values of microbial biomass content were found in the soil treated with the lowest PA doses, but decreased with increased doses. At higher application doses (2 and 5%), there was a decrease in most enzymatic activities and a loss of soil quality. When PA was applied in doses of up to 1%, our results indicated no negative effects on soil biology and that there was even an improvement

Effect of Biochar, Green Compost, and Vermicompost on the Quality of a Calcareous Soil: A 1-Year Laboratory Experiment

Changes in the chemical and biological characteristics of a calcareous soil by the addition of green compost (GC), vermicompost (VC), biochar, biochar + GC, and biochar + VC were evaluated during a 360-day laboratory incubation. The GC and the VC treatments lowered the soil pH and increased the total and dissolved organic C, microbial biomass C, microbial quotient, alkaline phosphatase (AP-ase) and specific AP-ase, dehydrogenase (DH-ase) and specific DH-ase, and metabolic potential. The improvement in the biological activity of the soil was more notable and permanent with VC than GC. The biochar treatment temporarily increased the pH of the calcareous soil (pH 8.2) up to a maximum of 8.57, showed the greatest increase of total organic C, did not change dissolved organic C and microbial biomass C, and induced small effects on soil biological activities. When mixed with biochar (biochar + GC and biochar + VC), composts led to higher organic C mineralization; dissolved organic C, biomass C, and DH-ase activity; and did not change the metabolic quotient, specific AP-ase, and specific DH-ase activities. The AP-ase activity of biochar was enhanced only by the addition of VC, although in a nonadditive way. Metabolic potential was more than halved by the GC and was not changed by the VC. Overall, our study shows that the incorporation of both composts, particularly VC, into calcareous soils may improve soil quality, whereas biochar could have benefits for C sequestration. In addition, the mixing of GC, and especially VC with biochar, increased some soil quality parameters compared with the biochar-only treatment