RESUMO
Alum sludge (AS) is a by-product generated from drinking water treatment and produced in large amounts around the world. Its chemical composition makes this waste an emerging alternative source of silicon and aluminum for aluminosilicates or zeolite material production, which can add value to residues and contribute to the circular economy process on a global scale. In this sense, and considering the scarcity of information about AS, this review shows data collection about AS in different countries, including generation, chemical composition, and disposal information. The reuse of AS is discussed based on circular economy and the environmental gains derived from such approaches are highlighted, including the possibility of utilization with other residues (e.g., ash, bioproducts, etc). Moreover, this review shows and discusses the benefits and challenges of AS reuse in the synthesis process and how it can be a sustainable raw material for aluminosilicates and zeolite synthesis. The most common conditions (conventional or non-conventional) in zeolite synthesis from AS are mentioned and advantages, limitations and trends are discussed. The discussions and data presented can improve the AS management and reuse legislations, which certainly will collaborate with sustainable AS use and circular economy processes.
Assuntos
Compostos de Alúmen , Silicatos de Alumínio , Reciclagem , Esgotos , Purificação da Água , Zeolitas , Zeolitas/química , Silicatos de Alumínio/química , Compostos de Alúmen/química , Purificação da Água/métodos , Reciclagem/métodos , Eliminação de Resíduos Líquidos/métodosRESUMO
Here, we evaluated the influence of outdoor environmental conditions (synoptic weather conditions) on human thermal discomfort in the five macro-regions of Pelotas city, located in the southernmost region of Brazil. To do this, meteorological sensors (HOBO MX2301A) were installed outside the residences to measure the air temperature, dew point temperature, and relative humidity between 18 January and 20 August 2019. Two well-established simplified biometeorological indices were examined seasonally: (i) humidex for the summer months and (ii) effective temperature as a function of wind for the autumn and winter months. Our findings showed seasonal differences related to human thermal discomfort and outdoor environmental conditions. The thermal discomfort was highest in the afternoons during the summer months and at night during the winter months. The seasonal variation in human thermal discomfort was highly associated with the meteorological conditions. In summer, the presence of the South Atlantic Subtropical Anticyclone (SASA) contributed to heat stress. The SASA combined with the continent's low humidity contributed to the perceived sensation of thermal discomfort. In the winter, thermal discomfort was associated with the decrease in air humidity caused by high atmospheric pressure systems, which led to a decrease in both air temperature and air moisture content. Our findings suggest that a better understanding of the complex interplay between outdoor environmental factors and human thermal comfort is needed in order to mitigate the negative effects of thermal discomfort.
Assuntos
Sensação Térmica , Tempo (Meteorologia) , Humanos , Brasil/epidemiologia , Umidade , Temperatura , Estações do AnoRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Assess the impact of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) on xerostomia, salivary flow rate (SFR) and composition in patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). STUDY DESIGN: Thirty patients undergoing RT (65 Gy) for HNC were enrolled. Saliva and xerostomia evaluations collected pre- and post-PBMT-RT. PBMT involved irradiation of extra and intraoral points, 15-20 sessions, 2-3 times/week. SFR, trace elements, total protein, alkaline phosphatase, xerostomia, and pH were analyzed. RESULTS: The average age was 60.7 years. After treatment, there was not a significant reduction in SFR and there was no difference on xerostomia. Significant reductions in Al, Cd, Fe, Ni, P, and Sb concentrations were observed, along with a significant increase in Mg concentration. Sample data were organized into 3 groups based on a self-organizing map. Low concentrations of Al, As, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, S, Sr, and Zn were the primary discriminatory factors for group A, while group B consisted of post-PBMT-RT samples with high concentrations of Ca, K, Mg, Na, and S. CONCLUSIONS: PBMT prevented a significant reduction in SFR and xerostomia induced by radiation therapy. These findings suggest that PBMT prevents salivary gland damage minimizing the decline in salivary flow.
Assuntos
Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Terapia com Luz de Baixa Intensidade , Xerostomia , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Glândula Parótida/efeitos da radiação , Glândulas Salivares , Xerostomia/etiologia , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/radioterapiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Fear of cancer recurrence or progression (FCR) is considered one of the most common unmet needs among patients with cancer. This study sought to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Fear of Cancer Recurrence scale (FCR4/7) and Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Short Form (FCRI-SF). METHODS: This study involved three phases: (1) translation and cultural adaptation of the FCR4/7 and FCRI-SF measures, (2) validity and reliability testing of the Portuguese version of these measures, and (3) examining patient's perceptions of these measures. Eligible patients were diagnosed with localized breast cancer, and patients with metastatic cancer. Descriptive analyses were collated, and psychometric analysis were conducted (confirmatory factor analysis). RESULTS: A total of 200 patients were recruited (100 patients with localized and 100 patients with metastatic cancer). A significant proportion of patients reported moderate to severe FCR (FCR7: 32.0% and FCRI-SF: 43.0%). Female gender, younger age and metastatic cancer were associated with higher levels of FCR. Psychometric analyses suggested that the Portuguese versions of the FCR4/7 and FCRI-SF were valid, unidimensional in nature, with acceptable reliability coefficients across all scales. In a sub-sample qualitative analysis (n = 75), most patients were satisfied with the relevance of both measures. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest the Portuguese versions of the FCR4/7 and FCRI-SF are valid tools to assess FCR among patients with localized and metastatic cancer. Future research can now extend our understanding of FCR and assess this construct among Portuguese speaking patients, to guide the development of effective and targeted interventions for patients globally.
Assuntos
Medo , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia , Humanos , Feminino , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Brasil , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
Background: Biribá (Annona mucosa Jacq.) is a fruit tree domesticated in Amazonia and has polyploid populations. The species presents ample phenotypic variation in fruit characteristics, including weight (100-4,000 g) and differences in carpel protrusions. Two cytotypes are recorded in the literature (2n = 28, 42) and genome size records are divergent (2C = 4.77, 5.42 and 6.00 pg). To decipher the role of polyploidy in the domestication of A. mucosa, we examined the relationships among phenotypic variation, chromosome number and genome size, and which came first, polyploidization or domestication. Methodology: We performed chromosome counts of A. mucosa from central and western Brazilian Amazonia, and estimated genome size by flow cytometry. We performed phylogenetic reconstruction with publicly available data using a Bayesian framework, time divergence analysis and reconstructed the ancestral chromosome number for the genus Annona and for A. mucosa. Results: We observed that variation in fruit phenotypes is not associated with variation in chromosome number and genome size. The most recent common ancestor of A. mucosa is inferred to be polyploid and diverged before domestication. Conclusions: We conclude that, when domesticated, A. mucosa was already polyploid and we suggest that human selection is the main evolutionary force behind fruit size and fruit morphological variation in Annona mucosa.
Assuntos
Annona , Humanos , Filogenia , Annona/genética , Frutas/genética , Brasil , Domesticação , Teorema de Bayes , Genoma de Planta , Poliploidia , FenótipoRESUMO
The behaviors of internal standards, according to different flow rates of the cell collision gas (He), were studied for the determination of Cd, Pb, Pd, Pt, Rh, and Sn in samples of fish and mollusks by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The elements Bi, Ge, In, Sc, and Y were selected as internal standards, considering their masses and first ionization energies. Addition and recovery experiments were carried out at three concentration levels to evaluate the accuracy of the method applied for the analysis of two samples with different matrices. The results were evaluated using a self-organizing map (SOM). The best analyte/IS pairs were as follows: 114Cd+/74Ge+, 195Pt+/74Ge+, and 208Pb+/74Ge+. For 103Rh+, 106Pd+, and 120Sn+, greater accuracy was achieved without use of an internal standard. Helium gas (2.8 mL min-1) was used in the collision cell for the analytes, except for Sn, and recoveries ranged from 98 to 101% under optimal conditions. The use of SOM as an exploratory analysis tool was an effective approach for selection of the most appropriate internal standards.
Assuntos
Cádmio , Chumbo , Animais , Espectrometria de Massas , Platina , Análise EspectralRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia (SCZ) presents complex challenges related to diagnosis and clinical monitoring. The study of conditions associated with SCZ can be facilitated by using potential markers and patterns that provide information to support the diagnosis and oral health. METHODS: The salivary composition of patients diagnosed with SCZ (nâ¯=â¯50) was evaluated and compared to the control (nâ¯=â¯50). Saliva samples from male patients were collected and clinical parameters were evaluated. The concentration of total proteins and amylase were determined and salivary macro- and microelements were quantified by ICP OES and ICP-MS. Exploratory data analysis based on artificial intelligence tools was used in the investigation. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the salivary concentrations of Al, Fe, Li, Mg, Na, and V, higher prevalence of caries (pâ¯<â¯0.001), periodontal disease (pâ¯<â¯0.001), and reduced salivary flow rate (pâ¯=â¯0.019) in SCZ patients. Also, samples were grouped into six clusters. As, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, and Sr were correlated with each other, while Fe, K, Li, Ti, and V showed the highest concentrations in the samples distributed in the clusters with the highest association between SZC patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained indicate changes in salivary flow, organic composition, and levels of macro- and microelements in SCZ patients. Salivary concentrations of Fe, Mg, and Na may be related to oral conditions, higher prevalence of caries, and periodontal disease. The exploratory analysis showed different patterns in the salivary composition of SCZ patients impacted by associations between oral health conditions and the use of medications. Future studies are encouraged to confirm the results investigated in this study.
Assuntos
Metais/química , Saliva/química , Esquizofrenia/metabolismo , Oligoelementos/análise , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Inteligência Artificial , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Humanos , Masculino , Espectrometria de Massas , Metais/metabolismo , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Saúde Bucal , Saliva/metabolismoRESUMO
Polyploidy is a phenomenon that alters the genetic diversity of populations and has been reported as one of the most important evolutionary forces for plant diversification. The Psidium cattleyanum complex comprises a group of wild populations with several ploidy levels reported in the literature. The multiple cytotypes, associated with its wide distribution area, make this species a potential key model for understanding evolutionary processes related to polyploidization. In this study, we isolated and characterized nuclear microsatellite markers of P. cattleyanum and tested their transferability to other nine species of the genus. We performed a preliminary analysis of genetic diversity and population structure in three populations of P. cattleyanum. The three populations analyzed had different chromosome numbers, being polyploid cytotypes (2n = 6x = 66, 2n = 7x = 77 and 2n = 8x = 88). We designed 46 primer pairs and successfully amplified 37 markers, from which the 10 best were selected for analysis. Considering both the PIC and DP values, most of markers were highly informative. The new SSR markers were used to assess the levels of genetic diversity of the populations and detected one population with predominance of sexual reproduction. DAPC analysis pointed the formation of three groups, which corresponded to the populations analyzed. The markers were successfully amplified in related species, with some species presenting 80% transferability. By producing this panel of polymorphic microsatellites, we contribute to the understanding evolution in groups of natural polyploids for future studies.
Assuntos
Genes de Plantas , Variação Genética , Genética Populacional , Repetições de Microssatélites , Ploidias , Psidium/genética , DNA de Plantas/genética , Biblioteca Gênica , Marcadores Genéticos , Espécies Introduzidas , Polimorfismo Genético , Poliploidia , Especificidade da EspécieRESUMO
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) comprise a diversity of RNA species, which do not have the potential to encode proteins. Non-coding RNAs include two classes of RNAs, namely: short regulatory ncRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). The short regulatory RNAs, containing up to 200 nucleotides, include small RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNA), short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), and small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs). The lncRNAs include long antisense RNAs and long intergenic RNAs (lincRNAs). Non-coding RNAs have been implicated as master regulators of several biological processes, their expression being strictly regulated under physiological conditions. In recent years, particularly in the last decade, substantial effort has been made to investigate the function of ncRNAs in several human diseases, including cancer. Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive type of brain cancer in adults, with deregulated expression of small and long ncRNAs having been implicated in onset, progression, invasiveness, and recurrence of this tumor. The aim of this review is to guide the reader through important aspects of miRNA and lncRNA biology, focusing on the molecular mechanism associated with the progression of this highly malignant cancer type.
Assuntos
Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Glioblastoma/genética , RNA não Traduzido/genética , Animais , Progressão da Doença , Estudos de Associação Genética/métodos , Glioblastoma/diagnóstico , Glioblastoma/terapia , Humanos , MicroRNAs/genética , Interferência de RNA , Estabilidade de RNA , RNA Longo não Codificante/genéticaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Motor and cognitive deficits and consequently mobility problems are common in geriatric patients. The currently available methods for diagnosis and for the evaluation of treatment in this vulnerable cohort are limited. The aims of the ComOn (COgnitive and Motor interactions in the Older populatioN) study are (i) to define quantitative markers with clinical relevance for motor and cognitive deficits, (ii) to investigate the interaction between both motor and cognitive deficits and (iii) to assess health status as well as treatment outcome of 1000 geriatric inpatients in hospitals of Kiel (Germany), Brescia (Italy), Porto (Portugal), Curitiba (Brazil) and Bochum (Germany). METHODS: This is a prospective, explorative observational multi-center study. In addition to the comprehensive geriatric assessment, quantitative measures of reduced mobility and motor and cognitive deficits are performed before and after a two week's inpatient stay. Components of the assessment are mobile technology-based assessments of gait, balance and transfer performance, neuropsychological tests, frailty, sarcopenia, autonomic dysfunction and sensation, and questionnaires to assess behavioral deficits, activities of daily living, quality of life, fear of falling and dysphagia. Structural MRI and an unsupervised 24/7 home assessment of mobility are performed in a subgroup of participants. The study will also investigate the minimal clinically relevant change of the investigated parameters. DISCUSSION: This study will help form a better understanding of symptoms and their complex interactions and treatment effects in a large geriatric cohort.