The Adsorption of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) onto Ferrihydrite Is Governed by Surface Charge

An improved quantitative and qualitative understanding of the interaction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and short-range ordered Fe (hydr)oxides is crucial for environmental risk assessment in environments low in natural organic matter. Here, we present data on the pH-dependent sorption behavior of 12 PFASs onto ferrihydrite. The nature of the binding mechanisms was investigated by sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and by phosphate competition experiments. Sulfur K-edge XANES spectroscopy showed that the sulfur atom of the head group of the sulfonated PFASs retained an oxidation state of +V after adsorption. Furthermore, the XANES spectra did not indicate any involvement of inner-sphere surface complexes in the sorption process. Adsorption was inversely related to pH (p < 0.05) for all PFASs (i.e., C-3-C-5 and C-7-C-9 perfluorocarboxylates, C-4, C-6, and C-8 perfluorosulfonates, perfluorooctane sulfonamide, and 6:2 and 8:2 fluorotelomer sulfonates). This was attributed to the pH-dependent charge of the ferrihydrite surface, as reflected in the decrease of surface zeta-potential with increasing pH. The importance of surface charge for PFAS adsorption was further corroborated by the observation that the adsorption of PFASs decreased upon phosphate adsorption in a way that was consistent with the decrease in ferrihydrite zeta-potential. The results show that ferrihydrite can be an important sorbent for PFASs with six or more perfluorinated carbons in acid environments (pH <= 5), particularly when phosphate and other competitors are present in relatively low concentrations

LOWER EXTREMITY POSITION INFLUENCE ON THE POSTURAL STABILITY INDEX REGISTERED BY THE BIODEX STABILITY SYSTEM

The Biodex Balance System is a multiaxial device that objectively measures and records an individual’s ability to stabilize the determined joint under dynamic stress. Some authors describe the importance of knee position strategy for stabilizing balance in this situation; however, the reliability of each knee position is underestimated. With this the objective of this study is to compare intrarater reliability of two knee position situations in the Biodex Balance System test

Effect of pH, surface charge and soil properties on the solid-solution partitioning of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in a wide range of temperate soils

The pH-dependent soil-water partitioning of six perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) of environmental concern (PFOA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFHxS, PFOS and FOSA), was investigated for 11 temperate mineral soils and related to soil properties such as organic carbon content (0.2-3%), concentrations of Fe and Al (hydr)oxides, and texture. PFAS sorption was positively related to the perfluorocarbon chain length of the molecule, and inversely related to solution pH for all substances. The negative slope between log Kd and pH became steeper with increasing perfluorocarbon chain length of the PFAS (r2 = 0.75, p <= 0.05). Organic carbon (OC) alone was a poor predictor of the partitioning for all PFASs, except for FOSA (r2 = 0.71), and the OC-normalized PFAS partitioning, as derived from organic soil materials, underestimated PFAS sorption to the soils. Multiple linear regression suggested sorption contributions (p <= 0.05) from OC for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and FOSA, and Fe/Al (hydr) oxides for PFOS, FOSA, and perfluorodecanoate (PFDA). FOSA was the only substance under study for which there was a statistically significant correlation between its binding and soil texture (silt + clay). To predict PFAS sorption, the surface net charge of the soil organic matter fraction of all soils was calculated using the Stockholm Humic Model. When calibrated against charge-dependent PFAS sorption to a peat (Oe) material, the derived model significantly underestimated the measured Kd values for 10 out of 11 soils. To conclude, additiona

Análise da cobertura vegetal e do uso do solo da bacia do Rio Peixe-Boi por meio de imagens do satélite Landsat 5

As florestas vêm cada vez mais sendo degradada pela ação predatória do homem. Assim, surge à necessidade de avaliar o modelo de ocupação e uso do solo a fim de identificar suas relações com diferentes níveis de degradação dos recursos locais e assim estruturar métodos de recuperação destas áreas. O trabalho teve por finalidade a integração de técnica de sensoriamento remoto e processamento de imagens TM/landsat 5 para classificação da cobertura vegetal e uso do solo na bacia de Peixe-Boi, Pará, Brasil em 2008. A analise da cobertura vegetal e do uso do solo da bacia mostrou que existe uma grande exploração dos recursos naturais. A classe pastagem foi a cobertura vegetal mais significativa na região, característica da região amazônica pela implantação desta sobre grandes áreas de florestas e capoeiras.Los bosques están sufriendo cada vez más por acciones de depredación por el hombre. En este contexto, surge la necesidad de evaluar el modelo de ocupación y uso del suelo a fin de determinar sus relaciones con los diferentes niveles de degradación de los recursos locales y asì estructurar métodos de recuperación de estas áreas. El trabajo tiene como objetivo la integración de la técnica sensoriamento remoto y procesamiento de imágenes TM/landsat'5 para la clasificación de la cubierta vegetal y uso del suelo en la cuenca del Rio Peixe-Boi, Pará, Brasil, en 2008. Mediante el análisis de campo y de laboratorio se observó un mosaico de usos del suelo, por lo que es evidente a través del mapa desarrollado, por lo tanto, se verifica que existe una gran explotación de los recursos naturales. Entre las clases, se destaca el predominio de pastos y matorrales en la región. Como reflejo general de la ocupación de la Amazonia oriental, especialmente en el noreste de Pará.Forests have been increasingly degraded by man. Therefore, in this context, arises the need to assess the model of occupation and land use in order to identify its relations with different levels of local resource degradation and thus organize methods of recovery of these areas. This study aims at the integration of remote sensing technique and TM/Landsat 5 images processing for classification of the land cover and land use in the Peixe-Boi basin, Pará, Brazil in 2008. The land cover and land use analysis of the basin shows that exists a great exploitation of the natural resources. The pasture class was the more significant vegetation cover in the region, characteristic of the Amazonian area by the implantation of this on great areas of forests and scrub

Binding of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) by organic soil materials with different structural composition - Charge- and concentration-dependent sorption behavior

The charge-and concentration-dependent sorption behavior of a range of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) was studied for three organic soil samples with different organic matter quality, one Spodosol Oe horizon (Mor Oe) and two Sphagnum peats with different degrees of decomposition (Peat Oi and Peat Oe). Sorption to the two peat materials was, on average, four times stronger compared to that onto the Mor Oe material. In particular, longer-chained PFASs were more strongly bound by the two peats as compared to the Mor Oe sample. The combined results of batch sorption experiments and 13C NMR spectroscopy suggested sorption to be positively related to the content of carbohydrates (i.e., O-alkyl carbon). Sorption of all PFAS subclasses was inversely related to the pH value in all soils, with the largest pH effects being observed for perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) with C-10 and C-11 perfluorocarbon chain lengths. Experimentally determined sorption isotherms onto the poorly humified Peat Oi did not deviate significantly from linearity for most substances, while for the Mor Oe horizon, sorption nonlinearity was generally more pronounced. This work should prove useful in assessing PFAS sorption and leaching in organic soil horizons within environmental risk assessment

Circulating inflammatory mediators and organ dysfunction after cardiovascular surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass: a prospective observational study

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) has improved in past decades, but inflammatory activation in this setting is still unpredictable and is associated with several postoperative complications. Perioperative levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and other inflammatory mediators could be implicated in adverse outcomes in cardiac surgery. METHODS: Serum levels of MIF, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, soluble CD40 ligand, IL-6 and IL-10 from 93 patients subjected to CPB were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared with specific and global postoperative organ dysfunctions through multiple organ dysfunction score (MODS) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA). RESULTS: Most of the cytokines measured had a peak of production between 3 and 6 hours after CPB, but maximum levels of MIF occurred earlier, at the cessation of CPB. Among specific organ dysfunctions, the most frequent was hematological, occurring in 82% of the patients. Circulatory impairment was observed in 73.1% of the patients, and 51% of these needed inotropics or vasopressors within the first 24 hours after surgery. The third most frequent dysfunction was pulmonary, occurring in 48.4% of the patients. Preoperative levels of MIF showed a relevant direct correlation with the intensity of global organ dysfunction measured by SOFA (ρ = 0.46, p < 0.001) and MODS (ρ = 0.50, p < 0.001) on the third day after surgery. MCP-1 production was associated with postoperative thrombocytopenia, and MIF was related to the use of a high dose of vasopressors in patients with cardiovascular impairment and also to lower values of the ratio of partial arterial oxygen tension (PaO(2)) to fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO(2)) registered in the first 24 hours after CPB. CONCLUSION: Despite the multifactorial nature of specific or multiple organ dysfunctions, MIF should be explored as a predicting factor of organ dysfunction, or even as a potential therapeutic target in decreasing postoperative complications

Equine Sarcoids - Treatment with a Combination of Acyclovir and Surgical Excision

Background: Sarcoids are the most frequent skin tumors among horses, causing serious lesions due to their different shapes, sizes, degree of invasiveness and distribution on the body. The pathogenesis of sarcoids is multifactorial, with genetic, viral and environmental involvement, making their treatment complex. The aggressiveness and high rate of recurrence of sarcoids makes it difficult to use an effective treatment, which is why there are several therapeutic routes described in the literature. Aiming to describe and expand sarcoid treatments, this paper reports on the use of acyclovir in the treatment of this type of tumor. Cases: Four horses sent to the Large Animal Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Lavras - UFLA were diagnosed and treated for sarcoids. Case 1. Lesions on the right ear, region of the masseter muscle of the right side of the face, neck, vulva and medial aspect of the left pelvic limb. Case 2. Lesion in the left groin region. Case 3. Lesions on the face, masseter muscle region on the left side, mandibular region and right ear pinna. Case 4. Lesion in the lateral region of the left pelvic limb, close to the tarsometatarsal joint. All horses had a diagnosis of sarcoid, which was confirmed by histopathological examination of material collected after surgical excision. Macroscopically, the neoplastic lesions were classified as fibroblastic, verrucous and nodular. The tumors exhibited irregular surfaces, keratinization, and a firm consistency. Their surfaces were alopecic, slightly rough, some of them were ulcerated, and their color ranged from greyish to rosy and reddish. All the tumor masses were surgically excised from the 4 horses, and one sarcoid was treated by thermal cauterization with liquid nitrogen due to the lesion’s depth and size.  In most cases, the sarcoid removal sites were closed with sutures. Only 2 lesions were not sutured due to the impossibility of bringing the edges of tissue close together, or due to proximity to the tarsometatarsal joint. The surgical wounds were cleaned twice a day with sterile saline solution followed by the topical application of Acyclovir. One of the animals received complementary therapy with Cimetidine. Discussion: The equines recovered completely from their sarcoid treatment, and no recurrences were reported a year later. Thus, the combination of treatments employed for the extirpation of sarcoids proved to have greater chances of success. First, all the tumors were surgically removed with the largest possible margins of safety in order to ensure the elimination of neoplastic cells. In the postoperative period, all the animals received topical treatment of the lesions with acyclovir after surgical resection of the tumors. The drug aided the complete healing of post-surgical wounds, and healing time varied according to the size and depth of the lesion. One tumor was treated with liquid nitrogen after surgical excision of the sarcoid. Another horse was treated with cimetidine over a 3-month period after surgical excision of the neoplasm in order to reduce the sarcoid and prevent its evolution. Surgical excision of the sarcoid associated with topical application of acyclovir ointment showed satisfactory results. Moreover, the combination of surgical excision and administration of liquid nitrogen on the lesion and topical application of acyclovir ointment in the postoperative period also provided good results. Given the complexity of sarcoid treatment and the high recurrence rate of these tumors, the use of combined treatments should be taken into account. Keywords: horses, skin tumor, cutaneous neoplasm, therapy. Título: Sarcoide em equinos - tratamento com associação de Aciclovir e excição cirúrgica Descritores: equinos, tumor de pele, neoplasia cutânea, terapia

Three-month vs. one-year detraining effects after multicomponent exercise program in hypertensive older women

Background: Chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in older women. Physical exercise training programs promote beneficial effects for health and quality of life. However, exercise interruption periods may be detrimental for the hemodynamic and lipidic profiles of hypertensive older women with dyslipidemia. Methods: Nineteen hypertensive older women with dyslipidemia (exercise group: 67.5 ± 5.4 years, 1.53 ± 3.42 m, 71.84 ± 7.45 kg) performed a supervised multicomponent exercise training program (METP) during nine months, followed by a one-year detraining period (DT), while fourteen hypertensive older women (control group: 66.4 ± 5.2 years, 1.56 ± 3.10 m, 69.38 ± 5.24 kg) with dyslipidemia kept their continued daily routine without exercise. For both groups, hemodynamic and lipidic profiles and functional capacities (FCs) were assessed four times: before and after the METP and after 3 and 12 months of DT (no exercise was carried out). Results: The METP improved hemodynamic and lipidic profiles (p < 0.05), while three months of DT decreased all (p < 0.05) parameters, with the exception of diastolic blood pressure (DBP). One year of DT significantly (p < 0.01) decreased systolic blood pressure (7.85%), DBP (2.29%), resting heart rate (7.95%), blood glucose (19.14%), total cholesterol (10.27%), triglycerides (6.92%) and FC—agility (4.24%), lower- (−12.75%) and upper-body strength (−12.17%), cardiorespiratory capacity (−4.81%) and lower- (−16.16%) and upper-body flexibility (−11.11%). Conclusion: Nine months of the exercise program significantly improved the hemodynamic and lipid profiles as well as the functional capacities of hypertensive older women with dyslipidemia. Although a detraining period is detrimental to these benefits, it seems that the first three months are more prominent in these alterations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

LIMITAÇÕES DO AMBIENTE INSTITUCIONAL-NORMATIVO DE ACESSO AOS RECURSOS PÚBLICOS DO SANEAMENTO BÁSICO: análise de pleitos do PAC / Funasa para esgotamento sanitário na Bahia

A área de saneamento básico no Brasil é caracterizada pela atuação de diversas entidades das diferentes esferas de governo. Dada a extensa variedade de entes envolvidos, considera-se que o ambiente institucional da área oferece diversos obstáculos para acesso aos recursos públicos disponíveis e para a concretização dos projetos, dificultando a universalização do acesso aos serviços. Este artigo visa identificar alguns desses obstáculos, que representam limitações no acesso aos recursos públicos, buscando oportunidades de melhorias institucionais. A metodologia utilizada consistiu na análise documental e na realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas com técnicos e gestores de entidades envolvidas em um processo de repasse de recursos federais para sistemas de esgotamento sanitário. A pesquisa identificou como algumas destas limitações a restrita cooperação interinstitucional, a pouca institucionalização dos procedimentos, a predominância de conflitos interinstitucionais, entre outras. Entende-se que tais limitações podem ser explicadas por fatores diretamente relacionados ao modo de reprodução e regulação capitalista do Estado brasileiro, com traços marcadamente periféricos