Transição e diversificação da matriz elétrica do estado de Roraima através de resíduos sólidos urbanos / Transition and diversification of the electric matrix of the state of Roraima through municipal solid waste

As cidades estão no centro da vida econômica e cultural das sociedades modernas. Contudo, os problemas sociais e ambientais aumentam na mesma proporção do crescimento da população urbana. As atividades humanas no nível real de consumo trazem uma quantidade incrível de resíduos sólidos nas cidades. Este é um grande problema ambiental e social, especialmente nas áreas metropolitanas brasileiras. O Governo Federal tem realizado esforços no sentido de implantar uma estrutura regulatória para este fim, todavia ainda, muito aquém do desejável. A Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (PNRS) foi o principal marco regulatório estabelecido com diretrizes para o planejamento local, regional e nacional de tratamento de resíduos sólidos. A prioridade do PNRS é coordenar esforços entre agentes públicos e privados para reduzir a geração de resíduos; logística reversa e exploração de seus subprodutos para geração de energia. Neste artigo, analisa-se os impactos econômicos, sociais e ambientais na geração de energia baseada em resíduos sólidos urbanos no estado de Roraima. Esse estado brasileiro na Amazônia é isolado do sistema elétrico nacional, dependente do suprimento venezuelano ou dos geradores termoelétricos, por isso é fundamental encontrar as fontes mais apropriadas para a segurança energética estadual

Assessment of agricultural biomass residues to replace fossil fuel and hydroelectric power energy : a spatial approach

Despite the recent discoveries of considerable fossil fuel reserves, Brazil is one of the only great economic and industrial powers with very high amounts of renewable energy in its electricity matrix. Approximately 79.3% of the electric energy supply comes from renewable resources, of which hydroelectric power represents 70.6%. The two primary concerns regarding hydroelectricity are the damage caused to the environment by the construction of dams and the uncertainty of the supply in cases of long drought seasons. This article presents an analysis on the availability and energy exploitation of sugarcane straw and forest residues derived from eucalyptus for decentralized generation using a Geographic Information System-based model. The potential bioelectricity and bioethanol production from sugarcane and eucalyptus biomass in the Administrative Region of Campinas (ARC) is higher than the demand in this region. The results provide guidelines for designing alternatives to the intended Nationally Determined Contributions in Brazil within the scope of the ARC, and they can be used to provide energy empowerment, electric matrix diversification, and new policies that address the residue availability and demand7622872305CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal e Nível SuperiorFAPESP – Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa Do Estado De São Paulo2015/50612-8sem informaçã

PIR urbano na resiliência de cidades: nexo água e energia / Urban PIR in cities resilience: water and energy nexus

O desenvolvimento econômico, o crescimento populacional e a urbanização aumentarão a demanda mundial por água e energia. Como conseqüência, o conflito entre os recursos hídricos e a produção de energia será intensificado e o meio ambiente será afetado por essa competição. Além da influência direta das atividades humanas, mudanças climáticas e eventos climáticos extremos afetaram a disponibilidade de água e, como conseqüência, a produção de energia. Este artigo tem como objetivo discutir a resiliência urbana no contexto do nexo água e energia, bem como sugerir uma alternativa metodológica com abordagem sistêmica. Para tanto, apresentamos o planejamento integrado de recursos (IRP) e a técnica de cenários como ferramentas para ajudar a otimizar o uso dos recursos naturais nas cidades. Como resultado da aplicação dessa metodologia, temos informações para que o poder público proponha políticas que levem à equação das complexas relações e interdependências da sustentabilidade, que demandam respostas rápidas e transversais para os diferentes setores econômicos presentes nas cidades. A grande vantagem deste arcabouço metodológico (IRP e Cenários) é o tratamento simultâneo de vulnerabilidades e os riscos associados à oferta e demanda de recursos vis-à-vis a resiliência das cidades, bem como a conexão entre água e energia. O desejo de ter um futuro mais sustentável, com menores emissões de carbono para a atmosfera, uma reutilização e valorização mais adequadas dos recursos naturais e menor dependência do petróleo motivaram a sociedade a desenvolver metodologias onde a água e a energia são utilizadas como critérios de notoriedade. cidades urbanas e sustentabilidade.

Techno-economic evaluation of bioenergy production from anaerobic digestion of by-products from ethanol flex plants

Ethanol production implies in by-products generation, mainly vinasse and stillage, respectively generated from sugarcane and corn ethanol production in flex plants. Both by-products require efficient treatment routes to avoid environmental side-effects to support energy recovery. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate the techno-economic potential of bioenergy (electric and thermal energy) production from the anaerobic digestion (AD) of vinasse and stillage. Three scenarios were defined: (a) Scenario 1, AD of vinasse; (b) Scenario 2, AD of stillage; and (c) Scenario 3, AD of vinasse and stillage in an integrated process. From the results, the methane production was estimated at 3.8 x 106 m3 year-1 considering the AD of stillage and vinasse in Scenario 3. The electricity and thermal energy generation was estimated as 14.61 GWh year-1 and 1.37 x 105 GJ year-1, respectively. This energy would mitigate 1096.05 and 7659.27 ton CO2eq year-1 when replacing fossil fuel energy. The profitability analysis indicated a positive net present value in the scenarios evaluated, however, the highest value was achieved for Scenario 3 (7,890,407.44 USD). For the integrated process, an internal return rate of 86.87% and a payback of 0.68 year were observed. The sensitivity analysis showed that the project profitability is highly dependent on electricity and thermal energy selling prices. In conclusion, AD demonstrated to be a feasible alternative for vinasse and stillage management in an integrated process, being a sustainable technology to the circular economy transition and energy matrix decarbonization.T. Forster-Carneiro acknowledges the database support and samples of materials from NIPE/NIEPE-UNICAMP/UFMT, process numbers 91.752/01-P-17839-2019 and 91759/01-P-18069/2019. T. Forster-Carneiro acknowledges the financial support from the Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP (2018/05999-0; 2018/14938-4) , and CNPq for the productivity grant (302473/2019-0) . L.S. Buller ac-knowledges the financial support from FAPESP (2020/10323-5) . W.G. Sganzerla acknowledges the financial support from FAPESP (2019/26925-7) . M. Tena acknowledges the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness for her pre-doctoral contract (Call 2016)

An orally administered butyrate-releasing derivative reduces neutrophil recruitment and inflammation in dextran sulphate sodium-induced murine colitis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Butyrate has shown benefits in inflammatory bowel diseases. However, it is not often administered orally because of its rancid smell and unpleasant taste. The efficacy of a more palatable butyrate-releasing derivative, N-(1-carbamoyl-2-phenylethyl) butyramide (FBA), was evaluated in a mouse model of colitis induced by dextran sodium sulphate (DSS). EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Male 10 week-old BALB/c mice received DSS (2.5%) in drinking water (for 5 days) followed by DSS-free water for 7 days (DSS group). Oral FBA administration (42.5 mg·kg-1 ) was started 7 days before DSS as preventive (P-FBA), or 2 days after DSS as therapeutic (T-FBA); both treatments lasted 19 days. One DSS-untreated group received only tap water (CON). KEY RESULTS: FBA treatments reduced colitis symptoms and colon damage. P-FBA and T-FBA significantly decreased polymorphonuclear cell infiltration score compared with the DSS group. FBA reversed the imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (reducing inducible NOS protein expression, CCL2 and IL-6 transcripts in colon and increasing TGFβ and IL-10). Morever, P-FBA and T-FBA limited neutrophil recruitment (by expression and localization of the neutrophil granule protease Ly-6G), restored deficiency of the butyrate transporter and improved intestinal epithelial integrity, preventing tight-junction impairment (zonulin-1 and occludin). FBA, similar to its parental compound sodium butyrate, inhibited histone deacetylase-9 and restored H3 histone acetylation, exerting an anti-inflammatory effect through NF-κB inhibition and the up-regulation of PPARγ. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: FBA reduces inflammatory intestinal damage in mice indicating its potential as a postbiotic derivative without the problems associated with the oral administration of sodium butyrate

Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production: Combine Effluent Treatment with Energy Generation in UASB Reactor as Biorefinery Annex

The issue of residues and industrial effluents represents an unprecedented environmental challenge in terms of recovery, storage, and treatment. This work discusses the perspectives of treating effluents through anaerobic digestion as well as reporting the experience of using an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor as biorefinery annex in a pulp and paper industrial plant to be burned in the boilers. The performance of the reactors has shown to be stable under considerable variations in load and showed a significant potential in terms of biogas production. The reactors UASB treated 3600.00 m3 of effluent daily from a production of 150.00 tons. The biogas generation was 234.000 kg/year/mill, equivalent in combustible oil. The results of methane gas generated by the anaerobic system UASB (8846.00 kcal/m3) dislocate the equivalent of 650.0 kg of combustible oil (10000.00 kcal/kg) per day (or 234.000 kg/year). The production of 8846.00 Kcal/m3 of energy from biogas can make a run at industrial plant for 2 hours. This substitution can save US$128.700 annually (or US$ 550.0 of fuel oil/tons). The companies are invested in the use of the biogas in diesel stationary motors cycle that feed the boilers with water in case of storage electricity

Multisystem autoimmune disease caused by increased STAT3 phosphorylation, and dysregulated gene expression

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 is a member of the STAT family, and plays a major role in various immunological mechanisms.1 Mutations in STAT3 are associated with a broad spectrum of manifestations, including immunodeficiency, autoimmunity, and malignancy.2 In particular, heterozygous germline loss-of-function (LOF) mutations cause Hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES),3–5 while heterozygous germline gain-of-function (GOF) mutations have recently been associated to multi-organ autoimmune manifestations (i.e. type 1 diabetes, enteropathy, cytopenia, interstitial lung disease, hypothyroidism), lymphoproliferation, short stature, and recurrent infections (OMIM #615952).6–8 We report a 7-year-old boy who presented with early-onset severe enteropathy, and diffuse eczematous dermatitis since birth. During the first weeks of life, Hirschsprung disease was also suspected and surgically treated. Gastrointestinal and cutaneous manifestations were first ascribed to food allergy with quite a good response to amino acid-based formula. In the following months, the patient failed to thrive, and developed respiratory tract infections. At two years, the patient presented with progressive interstitial lung disease characterized by lymphocytic interstitial infiltration leading to pulmonary hypertension, tricuspid insufficiency, and right ventricular heart failure with hepatomegaly. Because of the increased risk of infections, he received intravenous (IV) immunoglobulin infusions (400 mg/kg), prophylaxis with cotrimoxazole and fluconazole. Methylprednisolone at 0.3 mg/kg/day was also given to treat autoimmune manifestations