Life Cycle Assessment of a Small Hydropower Plant in the Brazilian Amazon

Brazil as well as the rest of the world, faces a major challenge related to the electricity sector, to meet the growing demand with energy production from renewable sources. Many hydroelectric plants are being implemented, especially in the northern region of Brazil, but its environmental impacts are yet unknown. Energy produced by hydropower plants has been considered totally renewable and clean, but more recent studies describe analysis pointing to the existence of emissions by hydroelectric plants, especially if a lifecycle approach is considered. Thus, the objective of this study is the investigation of environmental impacts of the construction, operation and decommissioning of a hydroelectric power station based on life cycle assessment. The main focus is the Curuá-Una hydropower plant that is located in the Amazon forest in northern Brazil, in Santarém municipality (Pará state)

Produção de etanol a partir de subproduto cervejeiro

O processo de fabricação de cerveja inevitavelmente envolve a geração de diversos resíduos e subprodutos. O mais comum dos subprodutos é o dresh, o qual é gerado a partir da principal matéria-prima usada para a elaboração da cerveja, o malte de cevada. O dresh é gerado em grandes quantidades ao longo do ano, mas seu uso ainda é limitado, sendo basicamente vendido para fazendeiros locais para ser utilizado como alimento para o gado, ou simplesmente é descartado na natureza. Tendo em conta a quantidade considerável em que este subproduto é continuamente gerado, e considerando que se trata de um material rico em açúcares, o nosso grupo de pesquisa investigou a possibilidade de reutilizar o dresh como matéria-prima para a produção de etanol de segunda geração. A possibilidade de produzir etanol combustível a partir de dresh foi confirmada e esta aplicação pode ser considerada uma alternativa de interesse para a valorização deste subproduto industrial

Assessment of high speed internet for remote sensing data acquisition and exchange in Colombia and Latin America

New remote sensing platforms and data programs have dramatically increased the availability of satellite image data for analysis of climate, agriculture, environment and society. Particularly important new sensor systems include the USA’s MODIS system, Brazil and China’s CBER platform, and India’s IRS satellite. These and other systems have created considerable benefits to the international community of remote sensing analysts. Today, we have more data with greater options regarding spatial, radiometric and temporal resolution. While having these greater options is a positive development, substantial problems remain in acquiring and managing large data volumes. Data providers and consumers must support significant costs in copying remote sensing data to tapes and disks. Internet transfer of satellite imagery is only possible on broadband networks. Even then, download times can be considerable. Downloads may be interrupted if the Internet connections are unstable. How can we improve the acquisition of large volumes of remote sensing data for environmental analysis? What alternatives are available to remote sensing researchers to acquire near-real time satellite imagery for research use? This paper assesses the potential of high-speed Internet as a medium for transferring large satellite imagery data sets between the United States and Colombia, between Colombia and other Latin American countries and within Colombia. Academic and research networks have led developments in high-speed Internet. Many countries throughout the world are installing the infrastructure needed to develop these networks. In the United States this system is referred to as Internet 2. Latin American countries are developing a system called RedCLARA (Cooperación Latinoamerican

Septic Shock Following Hysteroscopy. A Case Report

Introduction: Minimally invasive gynecological surgery such as hysteroscopy has a small risk of complications. These include uterine perforation (with or without adjacent pelvic organ lesion), bleeding and infection, and are more common in the presence of risk factors such as smoking, history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and endometriosis. Case presentation: A patient submitted to a diagnostic hysteroscopy with no immediate complications was admitted five days later to the emergency department in septic shock. The diagnosis of ruptured tubal abscess was made, requiring emergency laparotomy with sub-total hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy. Despite multiple organ failure requiring admission to the intensive care unit, the patient made a full recovery. Conclusion: Ascending infection can be a life-threatening complication of hysteroscopy, even in the absence of previously known risk factors.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Influence of extraction solvents on the recovery of antioxidant phenolic compounds from brewer’s spent grains

This study evaluated the efficacy of different solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone, hexane, ethyl acetate, water, methanol:water mixtures, ethanol:water mixtures, and acetone:water mixtures) for extracting antioxidant phenolic compounds from brewer’s spent grains (BSGs). The extracts were characterized regarding the contents of total phenols, flavonoids, proteins and reducing sugars. Antioxidant activity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The solvents had different efficiencies for extraction of antioxidant phenolic compounds. All the produced extracts showed antioxidant activity, but the extract produced with 60% v/v acetone had the most elevated content of total phenols and antioxidant potential by the two methods. BSG was demonstrated to be a valuable source of antioxidant phenolic compounds, and solid-to-liquid extraction using 60% v/v acetone was a low cost and quite efficient method to recover these value-added compounds.This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and FCT

Comportamento térmico de construções em alvenaria de adobe: ensaios experimentais sobre três células de teste à escala 1:4

Em Portugal existe um vasto património construído em alvenaria de adobe que perdurou ao longo dos tempos, localizado sobretudo na zona litoral centro, particularmente na região de Aveiro. Devido ao acentuado estado de degradação que grande parte deste património apresenta, cresceu a necessidade da sua reabilitação. Este trabalho aborda o tema do comportamento térmico das construções em alvenaria de adobe, face à actual regulamentação térmica portuguesa que apresenta novos desafios no que respeita à utilização da terra crua em novas construções, bem como na determinação das suas propriedades nos processos de reabilitação térmica e energética de edifícios existentes. Foi realizada uma campanha experimental que consistiu na construção de três células de teste em alvenaria de adobe com diferentes composições à escala ¼ do real, todas com as mesmas dimensões. A base e a cobertura são fronteiras adiabáticas para garantir que as trocas de energia se realizariam pelas paredes de adobe. Após devidamente monitorizadas foram expostas às mesmas condições climatéricas. Dos resultados obtidos para as três células de teste foi avaliada e quantificada a inércia térmica e a condutibilidade térmica da terra das respectivas paredes de adobe, sendo posteriormente comparada com os requisitos regulamentares mínimos. Urge adaptar as nossas construções em terra a condições de habitabilidade e de conforto térmico aos níveis de exigência pretendidos nos dias correntes, melhorando a performance e a atractividade das construções em terra, para que este património secular perdure ao longo dos tempos