Open loop exhaust gas cleaning system and its effect over the Barcelona port water PH

Nowadays the air pollution prevention has become a priority objective in our society, but it is being expressly noteworthy into the maritime industry and shipping business. The last is because there is a strong regulatory framework which establishes requirements fuel oils used on board the ships must meet. Among these requirements we should note those regarding to the fuel oils with a sulphur content not exceeding that specified in regulation 14 of Annex VI Marpol Convention [1]. To deal with these requirements, some shipowners have chosen to use open-loop exhaust gas cleaning systems on board their ships. Main feature of these systems is regarding to the continuous discharges of wash water to the sea. One of the properties of this wash water is its low pH level, notably acid This paper is talking about the Barcelona port water pH evolution, specifically from the South Basin port water, after receiving weekly 2-3 ships which are using the open-loop exhaust gas cleaning system and discharging residual wash water from the exhaust gas cleaning process on the port water. The pH values of samples analyzed in the laboratory of the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC) are presented in this paper. We will check the evolution of Barcelona South Basin port water pH level, the trend of pH port water and finally we are going to value the observed impact that has the use of open-loop exhaust gas cleaning systems on this port water. Finally, we will analyse current situation and talk about the studies or research on this topic and the real need for improving the operation of open-loop exhaust gas cleaning systems, avoiding their contribution to the port water acidification.Peer Reviewe

Mixed Gauge and Anomaly Mediation From New Physics at 10 TeV

In the context of anomaly-mediated supersymmetry breaking, it is natural for vectorlike fields and singlets to have supersymmetry breaking masses of order 10 TeV, and therefore act as messengers of supersymmetry breaking. We show that this can give rise to phenomenologically viable spectra compatible with perturbative gauge coupling unification. The minimal model interpolates continuously between pure anomaly mediation and gauge mediation with a messenger scale of order 10 TeV. It is also possible to have non-minimal models with more degenerate specta, with some squarks lighter than sleptons. These models reduce to the MSSM at low energies and incorporate a natural solution of the mu problem. The minimal model has four continuous parameters and one discrete parameter (the number of messengers). The LEP Higgs mass bound can be satisfied in the minimal model by tuning parameters at the GUT scale to one part in 50.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure

Aplidin (plitidepsin) is a novel anti-myeloma agent with potent anti-resorptive activity mediated by direct effects on osteoclasts

Despite recent progress in its treatment, Multiple Myeloma (MM) remains incurable and its associated bone disease persists even after complete remission. Thus, identification of new therapeutic agents that simultaneously suppress MM growth and protect bone is an unmet need. Herein, we examined the effects of Aplidin, a novel anti-cancer marine-derived compound, on MM and bone cells. In vitro, Aplidin potently inhibited MM cell growth and induced apoptosis, effects that were enhanced by dexamethasone (Dex) and bortezomib (Btz). Aplidin modestly reduced osteocyte/osteoblast viability and decreased osteoblast mineralization, effects that were enhanced by Dex and partially prevented by Btz. Further, Aplidin markedly decreased osteoclast precursor numbers and differentiation, and reduced mature osteoclast number and resorption activity. Moreover, Aplidin reduced Dex-induced osteoclast differentiation and further decreased osteoclast number when combined with Btz. Lastly, Aplidin alone, or suboptimal doses of Aplidin combined with Dex or Btz, decreased tumor growth and bone resorption in ex vivo bone organ cultures that reproduce the 3D-organization and the cellular diversity of the MM/bone marrow niche. These results demonstrate that Aplidin has potent anti-myeloma and anti-resorptive properties, and enhances proteasome inhibitors blockade of MM growth and bone destruction

Open-loop exhaust-gas cleaning system: analysis of effects produced on Barcelona port water pH

The implementation of a 0.5% mass/mass sulphur cap in fuels used by ships has become a reality. Furthermore, regulation 14 of the MARPOL Convention–Annex VI (amended) establishes that the limit on fuel used by ships operating in a Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA) cannot exceed 0.1% of mass/mass. To deal with these requirements while considering nature of the shipping business, which is the continuous carriage of cargo around the world, shipowners or shipping companies have few options for following this regulation. Apart from the use of a low-sulphur- content fuel is the use of an exhaust-gas cleaning system, also known as “scrubbers”, as an alternative. The use of these systems, specifically the open-loop system, entails the discharge to the sea of residual water used during the cleaning process of exhaust gases from ship engines. The objective of this paper is to study the effect produced by discharging this residual water on the acidity level (pH) of Barcelona port water. This objective was achieved through the periodical sampling and analysis of Barcelona port water in collaboration with the IDAEA (CSIC) laboratory. We analysed the evolution of the pH results obtained so far and obtained an initial picture of the pH Barcelona port water situation in real time regarding the effect of wash-water discharges from open-loop scrubbers. Furthermore, this paper describes the implementation of a system which is going to improve the operation of open-loop exhaust-gas cleaning systemsPostprint (published version

AGRONEGÓCIO E AGRICULTURA FAMILIAR NO BRASIL: DESAFIOS PARA A TRANSFORMAÇÃO DEMOCRÁTICA DO MEIO RURAL

O objetivo deste artigo é fazer uma revisão da evolução das relações entre a agricultura e a economia no Brasil desde a década de 1980 com interesse de enfatizar o que consideramos obstáculos e oportunidades surgidos desde então para a transformação democrática do meio rural. O artigo mostra a política macroeconômica dos anos 1980 como condicionante do desenvolvimento agrícola e rural, impondo ajustamento externo à economia e à sociedade brasileiras, levando a agricultura a ser constrangida a produzir consideráveis superávits em sua balança comercial, visando garantir o ajustamento da balança de pagamentos do país. A hipótese é que no meio rural, o projeto neoliberal tem sido representado pelo chamado agronegócio, considerado como um bloco de poder, fortalecido desde aquele ajuste externo. Porém argumenta que os principais protagonistas do projeto democratizante no meio rural foram os sem-terra, assentados e agricultores familiares, nas lutas da década de 1990, com propostas alternativas de desenvolvimento rural baseadas na reforma agrária e no fortalecimento da agricultura familiar. A atuação desses atores sociais acabou conformando o reconhecimento público da presença de “duas agriculturas” que se autodefinem como tal: a do agronegócio e a da agricultura familiar

El enrollado de las hojas de la papa una enfermedad de origen vigoroso.

El cultivo de la papa es uno de los más extendidos e importantes en mundo entero, siento sus productos básicos en la alimentación de la humanidad. Cualquier trastorno que lo afecte tendrá lógicamente magnas repercusiones. “EL Enrollado de las Hojas de la Papa”, junto con el “Mosaico”, son enfermedades que más seriamente lo afectan, siento aún en muchas ocasiones más grave la primera, pues hace bajar el produjo de una manera considerable y es tan universal como el mismo cultivo

Effect of flocculation on lipid extraction from Chlorella vulgaris Utex 1803 using response surface methodology

Microalgae are an attractive source of metabolites, such as lipids, proteins, pigments and carbohydrates, of potential interest to the pharmaceutical, food and energy sectors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of flocculation on lipid extraction from Chlorella Vulgaris. A 3 3 experimental design was performed with STATISTICA 7.0 software in order to determine the effects of flocculant (AlCl 3 ) addition, pH and time. The best strategy of pH adjustment-flocculant addition was evaluated, followed by lipid extraction under optimal conditions. pH adjustment after the addition of flocculant provided higher flocculation efficiencies (87.2-98.9%) compared to adjustments made before adding the flocculant (67.8-85.9%). Experiments performed according to the experimental design led to a flocculation efficiency of 99.7% when 100 mg/L of AlCl 3 , pH 7 and a cultivation time of 18.3 days were used. The percentage of a lipid extract from the flocculated biomass was 2.7% and the flocculant did not affect the production of fatty acid methyl esters

Myocardial revascularization in renal transplant patients

OBJECTIVE: To assess the results of surgical myocardial revascularization in renal transplant patients. METHODS: From 1991 to 2000, 11 renal transplant patients, whose ages ranged from 36 to 59 (47.5±8) years, 8 males and 3 females, underwent myocardial revascularization. The time interval between renal transplantation and myocardial revascularization ranged from 25 to 120 (mean of 63.8±32.7) months. RESULTS: The in-hospital mortality rate was 9%. One patient died on the 4th postoperative day from septicemia and respiratory failure. The mean graft/patient ratio was 2.7±0.8. Only 1 patient required slow hemodialysis during 24 hours in the postoperative period, and no patient had a definitive renal lesion or lost the transplanted kidney. The actuarial survival curves after 1, 2, and 3 years were, respectively, 90.9%, 56.8%, and 56.8%. CONCLUSION: Renal transplant patients may undergo myocardial revascularization with no lesion in or loss of the transplanted kidney.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL