Performance of geosynthetics as reinforcement in unpaved roads

O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o comportamento de estradas não pavimentadas construídas sobre solos moles reforçadas com diferentes geossintéticos. Foram selecionadas três estradas não pavimentadas que apresentassem um trecho com baixa capacidade de suporte de carga. A flecha foi medida pelo método fotográfico para cada número de passadas, nas condições com e sem reforço, e submetido à análise de variância, pelo teste de F, a 5% de probabilidade, e quando houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos, suas médias foram comparadas pelo teste de Tukey. Posteriormente, realizou-se o cálculo da razão de benefício de tráfego fornecida pela inclusão do reforço. O geossintético não tecido, quando inserido no interior do solo, contribui de modo significativo para a redução das flechas, principalmente nos solos do trecho das estradas I e III. O geossintético tecido contribui para a redução das flechas, principalmente nos solos do trecho da estrada III. A geogrelha não contribui para a redução das flechas. A razão de benefício de tráfego para os reforços utilizados foram superiores a um, com valores médios de 1,28 para o trecho da estrada I, reforçado com geossintético não tecido, 1,54 para o trecho da estrada II, reforçado com geossintético tecido e de 2,7 para o trecho da estrada III, reforçado com geossintético tecido.The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of unpaved roads built on soft soils reinforced with different geosynthetic materials. We selected three sections of unpaved roads with low load-bearing capacity. Vertical displacement (rut depth) was visually measured (photographs) for each number of passes on soils with and without reinforcement. The data underwent variance analysis by the F-test at 5% probability; when significant, means were compared by the Tukey’s test. Subsequently, we calculated traffic benefit ratio (TBR) or improvement factor due to the use of each reinforcement material. Non-woven geosynthetic materials reduced significantly the rut depths, mainly within the road sections I and III; by contrast, geosynthetic woven materials contributed in road section III. Moreover, geogrid use had no contribution to rut depth reductions. The TBR by using the reinforcements studied here showed values higher than one, with averages of 1.28 for road section I reinforced with geosynthetic nonwoven material, 1.54 for road section II reinforced with geosynthetic woven material, and 2.7 for road section III reinforced with geosynthetic woven

2 nd Brazilian Consensus on Chagas Disease, 2015

Abstract Chagas disease is a neglected chronic condition with a high burden of morbidity and mortality. It has considerable psychological, social, and economic impacts. The disease represents a significant public health issue in Brazil, with different regional patterns. This document presents the evidence that resulted in the Brazilian Consensus on Chagas Disease. The objective was to review and standardize strategies for diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control of Chagas disease in the country, based on the available scientific evidence. The consensus is based on the articulation and strategic contribution of renowned Brazilian experts with knowledge and experience on various aspects of the disease. It is the result of a close collaboration between the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine and the Ministry of Health. It is hoped that this document will strengthen the development of integrated actions against Chagas disease in the country, focusing on epidemiology, management, comprehensive care (including families and communities), communication, information, education, and research

Biological Control: A Major Component of the Pest Management Program for the Invasive Coconut Scale Insect, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, in the Philippines

The coconut scale insect, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, caused a major pest outbreak in coconut plantations and stands in the Southern Tagalog region of Luzon Island in the Philippines between 2010 and 2015. To determine if parasitism by Comperiella calauanica Barrion, Almarinez and Amalin, a native encyrtid, could have been a factor in the eventual management of the outbreak by 2015, we estimated and assessed its parasitization levels on A. rigidus colonies on field-collected samples from selected points in three provinces in the Southern Tagalog Region across three sampling periods. We observed that C. calauanica consistently occurred only in areas where A. rigidus populations occurred, with high parasitization levels in the Southern Tagalog sites from 2014 to 2015. Results of correlation and regression of total scale count against parasitized scale count suggest putative host density-dependent parasitism by C. calauanica in the field. A marked decrease in the abundance of A. rigidus was recorded concurrently with visually observable recovery of coconut trees from the third quarter of 2014 up to the second quarter of 2016. Similar results of significant reduction in A. rigidus populations concurrent with high percent parasitization by mass-reared and released C. calauanica were found in the Zamboanga Peninsula from 2018 to 2020. Our findings and observations altogether suggest that host-specific parasitization by C. calauanica effected biological control, which may have contributed to the eventual management of the A. rigidus outbreak in the Southern Tagalog Region, and also in the Zamboanga Peninsula where similar recovery of coconut trees were observed within a year after inoculative releases of C. calauanica

Biological control: A major component of the pest management program for the invasive coconut scale insect, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, in the Philippines

The coconut scale insect, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne, caused a major pest outbreak in coconut plantations and stands in the Southern Tagalog region of Luzon Island in the Philippines between 2010 and 2015. To determine if parasitism by Comperiella calauanica Barrion, Almarinez and Amalin, a native encyrtid, could have been a factor in the eventual management of the outbreak by 2015, we estimated and assessed its parasitization levels on A. rigidus colonies on field-collected samples from selected points in three provinces in the Southern Tagalog Region across three sampling periods. We observed that C. calauanica consistently occurred only in areas where A. rigidus populations occurred, with high parasitization levels in the Southern Tagalog sites from 2014 to 2015. Results of correlation and regression of total scale count against parasitized scale count suggest putative host density-dependent parasitism by C. calauanica in the field. A marked decrease in the abundance of A. rigidus was recorded concurrently with visually observable recovery of coconut trees from the third quarter of 2014 up to the second quarter of 2016. Similar results of significant reduction in A. rigidus populations concurrent with high percent parasitization by mass-reared and released C. calauanica were found in the Zamboanga Peninsula from 2018 to 2020. Our findings and observations altogether suggest that host-specific parasitization by C. calauanica effected biological control, which may have contributed to the eventual management of the A. rigidus outbreak in the Southern Tagalog Region, and also in the Zamboanga Peninsula where similar recovery of coconut trees were observed within a year after inoculative releases of C. calauanica

Bioaccumulation of cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) infected with liver flukes (Fasciola gigantica)

© 2017, Oriental Scientific Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Exposure of living organisms to heavy metals can lead to bioaccumulation and can have some detrimental health effects. This study identified the species of liver flukes present in the liver tissues of water buffaloes, determined the concentration and bioconcentration factor of cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc present in both the liver tissues and liver flukes using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Of the 1,329 liver flukes extracted from the 14 livers, Fasciola gigantica (F. gigantica) was the only species present in the collected liver tissues. The median heavy metal concentrations (µg/g) in the liver tissues were 0.93, 9.13, 4.75, and 48.95 for cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc, respectively. F. gigantica had median heavy metal concentrations (µg/g) of 3.32, 72.26, 20.82, and 159.37 for cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc, respectively. Both the liver tissues and F. gigantica were identified to contain varying concentrations of these heavy metals (p\u3c0.05). The presence of these heavy metals in both the liver tissues and F. gigantica suggests heavy metal contamination of the areas where the carabaos graze. The bioconcentration factors for cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc were greater than 1.0 indicating that liver flukes are good bioaccumulators and bioindicators of environmental pollution