SEWAGE SLUDGE COMPOST ASSOCIATED TO FREQUENCY OF IRRIGATION FOR Peltophorum dubium (Sprengel) Taubert SEEDLINGS PRODUCTION

Inappropriate disposal of sewage sludge has become an environmental problem. In some Brazilian states, such as São Paulo, in natura sewage sludge use is practically prohibited due to restrictive requirements by CONAMA Resolution No. 375/2006. Therefore, a very promising alternative to reuse this residue is to compost it with other materials and use it as a substrate in the production of seedlings. The objective of this study was to evaluate the development of the seedlings of Peltophorum dubium in compost with sewage sludge, to determine which frequency of irrigation would be more adequate according to the physical characteristics of each substrate, and if this would influence the morphological and nutritional variables of the seedlings. Two composts were produced: sewage sludge composted with sugarcane bagasse and sewage sludge composted with eucalyptus bark, both in 1: 1 proportion. Commercial substrate was used for control. This study was completely randomized in a 3x3 factorial design, which three substrates and three frequencies of irrigation were tested: two, three and four times per day. The evaluated parameters were: plant height, stem diameter ratio, shoot / root ratio, leaf dry mass, root dry mass, total dry mass, green color index, Dickson quality index (IQD), water loss through leaching and substrate water retain capacity. The best results were observed in the seedlings produced in sewage sludge compound with eucalyptus bark submitted to the frequencies of two or three times a day

Homocisteinemia em mulheres com síndrome dos ovários policísticos Homocysteinemia in polycystic ovary syndrome women

OBJETIVOS: comparar os níveis sanguíneos de homocisteína em mulheres com e sem a síndrome dos ovários policísticos (SOP) e correlacioná-los com os parâmetros clínicos, hormonais e metabólicos. MÉTODOS: estudo tipo corte transversal com 110 mulheres: 56 com SOP e 54 controles normais. As pacientes foram submetidas à anamnese, exame físico e ultrassonografia pélvica, dosagens de homocisteína, da proteína C reativa (PCR), glicose, insulina, hormônio folículo-estimulante (FSH), hormônio luteinizante (LH), hormônio tireoide-estimulante (TSH), tiroxina livre (T4L), prolactina e testosterona.. Para análise estatística, foram usados os testes t de Student, χ2 e a correlação de Pearson. A realização da análise multivariada, pelo método "enter", foi utilizada para verificar a associação independente entre as variáveis. RESULTADOS: encontrou-se um aumento significativo na média dos níveis plasmáticos de homocisteína nas pacientes com SOP quando comparadas ao Grupo Controle (5,9±2,9 versus 5,1±1,3 µmol/L; p=0,01). Como era esperado, por fazerem parte do quadro clínico da SOP, o índice de massa corpórea, circunferência abdominal, colesterol total, colesterol HDL, triglicerídeos, insulina e HOMA também se mostraram com diferenças significativas entre os dois grupos. Houve correlação da SOP e do IMC com os níveis de homocisteína. A análise multivariada mostrou que a SOP por si só não se correlaciona com altos níveis de homocisteína. CONCLUSÕES: pacientes com SOP estão expostas a níveis significativamente altos de homocisteína, porém outros fatores intrínsecos à síndrome, e não identificados neste estudo, seriam os responsáveis por esta alteração.PURPOSE: to compare serum homocysteine levels in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-PCOS women and correlate them with clinical, hormonal and metabolic parameters. METHODS: transverse study with carried out on 110 women, including 56 with PCOS and 54 normal controls. Patients were submitted to anamnesis, physical examination and pelvic sonograms and to the determination of homocysteine, C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose insulin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxin (Free T4), prolactin, and testosterone. For the statistical analysis, we used the Student's t test, Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient and the χ2 test. The "enter" method was used to determine independent association between variables. RESULTS: there was a significant increase in the average serum homocysteine levels in the group of patients with PCOS compared to controls (5.97±2.95 versus 5,17±1.33 µmol/L; p=0,015). As expected, since they are affected by PCOS, values of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin and HOMA were significantly different between groups. Serum homocysteine levels, BMI and PCOS were correlated. Multivariate analysis showed that PCOS, by itself, does not correlate with high serum homocysteine levels. CONCLUSIONS: PCOS women have significantly higher serum levels of homocysteine that may increase their risk for cardiovascular disease. However, other intrinsic PCOS-related factors, not identified in this study, may be responsible for this alteration