Avaliação da eficiência de remoção de matéria orgânica em efluente sanitário em função da idade do lodo de reator UASB: um estudo de caso

No Brasil, um dos processos de tratamento biológico de efluentes sanitários mais utilizados é o reator anaeróbio de fluxo ascendente e manta de lodo do tipo UASB (em inglês, Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket), devido as suas características operacionais compatíveis com o clima predominante e os custos relativamente baixos de manutenção. O presente trabalho avaliou o desempenho do reator UASB de uma Estação de Tratamento de Esgoto (ETE) localizada na região sul do estado do Tocantins quanto à remoção de matéria orgânica em função da idade do lodo. Caracterizou-se as amostras em relação aos parâmetros físico-químicos: pH, turbidez, sólidos totais e Demanda Bioquímica de Oxigênio (DBO). O monitoramento do reator ocorreu ao longo de 4 meses, e as amostras foram coletadas mensalmente nesse período, tanto no afluente como no afluente do reator. A eficiência de remoção da matéria orgânica pelo reator UASB variou entre 52,5 e 93,0%, e o maior valor foi observado apenas no quarto mês de coleta, o que indica que para idades de lodo inferiores o processo pode não ser eficiente. O pH do afluente e efluente apresentaram valores semelhantes, próximo da neutralidade e adequados para o processo anaeróbio. A remoção de sólidos totais manteve-se entre 50 e 60%, enquanto a remoção de turbidez variou entre 70 e 80%, o que demonstra que as condições físico-químicas do afluente foram adequadas ao processo de tratamento anaeróbio. A cinética de degradação da matéria orgânica pelo reator pôde ser representada por um modelo de primeira ordem, no entanto, foi melhor representado pela equação DBO = - 0,0013.t^3 + 0,2786.t^2- 18,801.t + 625,55. Key-words: Degradation kinetics, Anaerobic degradation, sludge detention time.No Brasil, um dos processos de tratamento biológico de efluentes sanitários mais utilizados é o reator anaeróbio de fluxo ascendente e manta de lodo do tipo UASB (em inglês, Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket), devido as suas características operacionais compatíveis com o clima predominante e os custos relativamente baixos de manutenção. O presente trabalho avaliou o desempenho do reator UASB de uma Estação de Tratamento de Esgoto (ETE) localizada na região sul do estado do Tocantins quanto à remoção de matéria orgânica em função da idade do lodo. Caracterizou-se as amostras em relação aos parâmetros físico-químicos: pH, turbidez, sólidos totais e Demanda Bioquímica de Oxigênio (DBO). O monitoramento do reator ocorreu ao longo de 4 meses, e as amostras foram coletadas mensalmente nesse período, tanto no afluente como no afluente do reator. A eficiência de remoção da matéria orgânica pelo reator UASB variou entre 52,5 e 93,0%, e o maior valor foi observado apenas no quarto mês de coleta, o que indica que para idades de lodo inferiores o processo pode não ser eficiente. O pH do afluente e efluente apresentaram valores semelhantes, próximo da neutralidade e adequados para o processo anaeróbio. A remoção de sólidos totais manteve-se entre 50 e 60%, enquanto a remoção de turbidez variou entre 70 e 80%, o que demonstra que as condições físico-químicas do afluente foram adequadas ao processo de tratamento anaeróbio. A cinética de degradação da matéria orgânica pelo reator pôde ser representada por um modelo de primeira ordem, no entanto, foi melhor representado pela equação DBO = - 0,0013.t^3 + 0,2786.t^2- 18,801.t + 625,55

Non-disulfide-Bridge peptide 5.5 from the Scorpion Hadrurus gertschi Inhibits the growth of mycobacterium abscessus subsp. massiliense

Multi-drug resistant microorganisms have been a growing concern during the last decades due to their contribution in mortality rates worldwide. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are broad spectrum antimicrobial agents that display potent microbicidal activity against a wide range of microorganisms. AMPs generally have a rapid mode of action that reduces the risk of resistance developing among pathogens. In this study, an AMP derived from scorpion venom, NDBP-5.5, was evaluated against Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. massiliense, a rapidly growing and emerging pathogen associated with healthcare infections. The minimal bactericidal concentration of NDBP-5.5, AMP quantity necessary to stop bacteria visible growth, against M. abscessus subsp. massiliense was 200 μM, a concentration that did not induce hemolysis of human red blood cells. The therapeutic index was 3.05 indicating a drug with low toxicity and therefore good clinical potential. Treatment of infected macrophages with NDBP-5.5 or clarithromycin presented similar results, reducing the bacterial load. M. abscessus subsp. massiliense-infected animals showed a decrease in the bacterial load of up to 70% when treated with NDBP-5.5. These results revealed the effective microbicidal activity of NDBP-5.5 against Mycobacterium, indicating its potential as an antimycobacterial agent

Cultivo orgânico das hortaliças: oportunidades e desafios para os olericultores do estado do Tocantins

Organic food is understood as the entire universe of production, commercialization and consumption of products free from pesticides synthetic chemical fertilizers and transgenics, and which, within the scope of their practices and meanings, aim to respect the environment and maintain the quality of the food. Although these foods are in accordance with a sustainable production system added to the agroecological perspective, the impact of both opportunities and challenges, this type of production echoes in the most different cultural, economic and technological levels of society, involving a series of factors that must be taken into account. Through a documentary analysis through articles, interviews, journalistic articles and other types of information, we list the main challenges and opportunities for vegetable producers in the state of  the Tocantins. As timely results, market retraction was glimpsed due to the low supply of these products and the need for environmental awareness linked to the search for a healthier lifestyle. In terms of challenges, the complex market scenario and the need to disseminate production techniques accompanied by specialized technical assistance stand out in particular. Finally, it is observed that in the state of Tocantins the relative production of organic products is still very small, but in the process of expansion. In the case of vegetable production, vegetable growers have a long path of opportunities and challenges to go through, for this it is necessary to support, encourage and integrate different spheres of society with governmental incentives, the performance of educational institutions and extension, commercial conjecture and change of society's attitude towards the preference for healthier products.Alimentos orgânicos são entendidos como todo o universo de produção, comercialização e consumo de produtos isentos de agrotóxicos, pesticidas, fertilizantes sintéticos e químicos, transgênicos, e que, no âmbito das suas práticas e significados, visam respeitar o meio ambiente e manter a qualidade do alimento. Apesar desses alimentos estarem de acordo a um sistema de produção sustentável somados à perspectiva agroecológica, o impacto tanto de oportunidades quanto desafios, deste tipo de produção ecoa nos mais diferentes níveis culturais, econômicos e tecnológicos da sociedade, envolvendo uma série de fatores que devem ser levados em consideração. Através de uma análise documental por meio de artigos, entrevistas, matérias jornalísticas e outros tipos de informações, elencamos os principais desafios e oportunidades dos produtores de olerícolas do estado do Tocantins. Como resultados oportunos foram vislumbrados retração no mercado devido à baixa oferta desses produtos e a necessidade da consciência ambiental atrelada à busca por um estilo de vida mais saudável. Nos desafios, destaca-se especialmente, o cenário mercadológico complexo e a necessidade de difusão de técnicas de produção acompanhada de assistência técnica especializada. Por fim, observa-se que no estado do Tocantins a produção relativa de produtos orgânicos ainda é bem pequena, porém em processo de expansão. No caso da produção de hortaliças, os olericultores têm um longo caminho de oportunidades e desafios a percorrer, para isso é necessário o apoio, incentivo e integração de diferentes esferas da sociedade com incentivos governamentais, atuação das instituições de ensino e extensão, conjectura comercial e mudança de atitude da sociedade quanto a preferência de produtos mais saudáveis

Peptides ToAP3 and ToAP4 decrease release of inflammatory cytokines through TLR-4 blocking

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small molecules with microbicidal and immunoregulatory activities. In this study we evaluated the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities of peptides ToAP3 and ToAP4, AMPs from the venom of the Brazilian scorpion Tityus obscurus. To test the peptides’ activity, murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) or dendritic cells (BMDCs) were stimulated with peptides plus LPS to analyze their ability to modulate cytokine release as well as phenotypic markers. For antimicrobial analysis, we evaluated the indirect activity against macrophage-internalized Cryptococcus neoformans and direct activity against Mycobacterium massiliense. Our data demonstrate that they were able to reduce TNF-α and IL-1β transcript levels and protein levels for BMDM and BMDC. Furthermore, the reduction of TNF-α secretion, before LPS- inflammatory stimuli, is associated with peptide interaction with TLR-4. ToAP4 increased MHC-II expression in BMDC, while ToAP3 decreased co-stimulatory molecules such as CD80 and CD86. Although these peptides were able to modulate the production of cytokines and molecules associated with antigen presentation, they did not increase the ability of clearance of C. neoformans by macrophages. In antimicrobial analysis, only ToAP3 showed potent action against bacteria. Altogether, these results demonstrate a promising target for the development of new immunomodulatory and anti-bacterial therapies

Questão agrária e políticas públicas em Minas Gerais : conflitos sociais e alternativas populares

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Global variation in postoperative mortality and complications after cancer surgery: a multicentre, prospective cohort study in 82 countries

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licenseBackground: 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications on postoperative mortality. Methods: This was a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for primary breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer requiring a skin incision done under general or neuraxial anaesthesia. The primary outcome was death or major complication within 30 days of surgery. Multilevel logistic regression determined relationships within three-level nested models of patients within hospitals and countries. Hospital-level infrastructure effects were explored with three-way mediation analyses. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03471494. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019, we enrolled 15 958 patients from 428 hospitals in 82 countries (high income 9106 patients, 31 countries; upper-middle income 2721 patients, 23 countries; or lower-middle income 4131 patients, 28 countries). Patients in LMICs presented with more advanced disease compared with patients in high-income countries. 30-day mortality was higher for gastric cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (adjusted odds ratio 3·72, 95% CI 1·70–8·16) and for colorectal cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (4·59, 2·39–8·80) and upper-middle-income countries (2·06, 1·11–3·83). No difference in 30-day mortality was seen in breast cancer. The proportion of patients who died after a major complication was greatest in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (6·15, 3·26–11·59) and upper-middle-income countries (3·89, 2·08–7·29). Postoperative death after complications was partly explained by patient factors (60%) and partly by hospital or country (40%). The absence of consistently available postoperative care facilities was associated with seven to 10 more deaths per 100 major complications in LMICs. Cancer stage alone explained little of the early variation in mortality or postoperative complications. Interpretation: Higher levels of mortality after cancer surgery in LMICs was not fully explained by later presentation of disease. The capacity to rescue patients from surgical complications is a tangible opportunity for meaningful intervention. Early death after cancer surgery might be reduced by policies focusing on strengthening perioperative care systems to detect and intervene in common complications. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licenseBackground: Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide. Methods: A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study—a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3·85 [95% CI 2·58–5·75]; p<0·0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63·0% vs 82·7%; OR 0·35 [0·23–0·53]; p<0·0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer. Interpretation: Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised. Funding: National Institute for Health and Care Research

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field