Remoção dos compostos odoríferos geosmina e 2-metilisoborneol de águas de abastecimento através de processos de aeração em cascata, dessorção por ar e nanofiltração Removal of the odoriferous compounds geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol from drinking water by the processes of cascade aeration, air strippingand nanofiltration

Atividades humanas aceleram o processo natural de eutrofização das águas, favorecendo a floração de algas e cianobactérias. Estes organismos emitem os compostos 2-metilisoborneol (MIB) e geosmina, que conferem gosto e odor de mofo e terra à água. A presença destes compostos se estende à água potável uma vez que os processos convencionais de tratamento são insuficientes para removê-los. Esta pesquisa foi realizada com o objetivo de avaliar alternativas de processos de tratamento para a remoção de MIB e geosmina da água. Os processos estudados foram aeração em cascata, dessorção por ar e nanofiltração. Os resultados sugerem a possibilidade de remoção quase total de MIB e geosmina da água através do sistema de nanofiltração, enquanto que os processos baseados em aeração e dessorção foram relativamente ineficientes.<br>Human activities accelerate the natural process of eutrophication, favouring the occurrence of algae and cyanobacterial blooms. These organisms emit the compounds 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) and geosmin, which confer earthy and moldy taste and odor to water. The presence of MIB and geosmin is extended to drinking water inasmuch they are not completely removed by the processes used in conventional treatment. This research was conducted to evaluate the capability of alternative treatment processes to remove MIB and geosmin from water. The processes studied were cascade aeration, air stripping, and nanofiltration. The results suggested that MIB and geosmin can be almost completely removed by nanofiltration, while the processes based on aeration and stripping were relatively inefficient

Anemia and anti-tuberculosis treatment outcome in persons with pulmonary tuberculosis: A multi-center prospective cohort study

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major plague of humanity. People with TB (PWTB) are commonly anemic. Here, we assessed whether the severity of anemia in PWTB prior to anti-TB treatment (ATT) was a risk factor for an unfavorable outcome. Methods: Patients ≥ 18 years old with culture-confirmed drug-susceptible pulmonary TB enrolled between 2015 and 2019 in a multi-center Brazilian cohort were followed for up to 24 months and classified according to anemia severity (mild, moderate, and severe), based on hemoglobin levels. A multinomial logistic regression model was employed to assess whether anemia was associated with unfavorable outcome (death, failure, loss to follow-up, regimen modification or relapse), compared to treatment success (cure or treatment completion). Results: Among 786 participants who met inclusion criteria, 441 (56 %) were anemic at baseline. Patients with moderate/severe anemia were more HIV-seropositive, as well as more symptomatic and had higher frequencies of unfavorable outcomes compared to the other groups. Moderate/severe anemia (adjusted OR [aOR]: 7.80, 95 %CI:1.34–45.4, p = 0.022) was associated with death independent of sex, age, BMI, HIV and glycemic status. Conclusion: Moderate/severe anemia prior to ATT was a significant risk factor for death. Such patients should be closely monitored given the high risk of unfavorable ATT outcomes

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora