In this work, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) obtained from photographic waste were synthesized and electrodeposited via cyclic voltammetry using epoxy-graphite composite as an electrochemical substrate. Both electrodes, unmodified (Epoxy/C) and modified (Epoxy/C/AgNPs), were characterized electrochemically by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), charge transfer constant (K0), and electroactive area. The modified electrode provided lower charge transfer resistance (275 Ω), more kinetically favored electron transfer (K0 = 1.15 × 10-3 cm s-1), and a 1.7-fold increase in the active area compared to the unmodified electrode. Additional characterizations by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of AgNPs structures on the carbonaceous surface. As a proof of concept, Pb2+ was used as a model analyte, and a square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) method was developed to evaluate the analytical performance of both electrodes. A wider linear range (4.0 to 40.0 µg L-1), the appropriate limit of detection (1.2 µg L-1), and a 6-fold increase in sensitivity were found using the modified electrode, suggesting that the AgNPs significantly contributed to the performance of the electrode. The proposed method was applied to three real water samples, where the Pb2+ levels varied from 11.3 to 19.5 µg L-1. The proposed protocol (reuse of silver waste) has proven to be a powerful tool for improving the detection of Pb2+, which can be helpful for other electrochemical sensing applications in locations with minimal infrastructure.

Abstract: The aim of this study was investigate the effects of a low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet introduced to rats soon after weaning. The animals were distributed in the following groups: LPHC45: fed an LPHC diet (6%-protein, 74%-carbohydrate) for 45 days; C45: fed a control (C) diet (17%-protein, 63%-carbohydrate) for 45 days; R (Reverse): fed with LPHC for 15 days followed by C diet for 30 days. The LPHC45 group showed alterations in the energetic balance with an increase in brown adipose tissue, and in glucose tolerance, and lower final body weight, muscle mass and total protein in blood when compared with C45 group. The HOMA-IR index was similar between LPHC45 and C45 groups, but this parameter was lower in LPHC45 compared with R groups. Serum adiponectin was higher in LPHC45 group than C45 and R groups. The R group presented higher fed insulin than C45 and LPHC45 and higher T4 compared with C45 group. Total cholesterol in R group was higher when compared with LPHC45 group. Thus, the data show that the change of the diet LPHC for a balanced diet led to different metabolic evolution and suggest that the different response can be due to different levels of adiponectin.

RESUMO Descrevemos o caso de um paciente do sexo masculino com síndrome de Alagille (SA), o qual manifestou aumento do nível da enzima quitotriosidase (ChT). Avaliamos os fatores que pudessem justificar a relação entre AS e ChT. O paciente apresentou icterícia colestática, tinha dismorfias faciais, cardiopatia congênita e manifestou um breve quadro de septicemia. Foi submetido à biópsia de fígado e análises para erros inatos do metabolismo que mostraram, respectivamente, ductopenia e aumento dos níveis de ChT. Esse aumento poderia ser potencialmente explicado por processos infecciosos e inflamatórios, ou mesmo pela própria SA.

ABSTRACT We describe a case of a patient with Alagille syndrome (AS) presenting an increased level of the enzyme chitotriosidase (ChT), evaluating factors that could justify the relationship between AS and ChT. He was a male patient with cholestatic jaundice, facial dysmorphia and congenital heart disease who presented a brief septicemia. He underwent liver biopsy and analyses for inborn errors of metabolism that respectively showed ductopenia and increased levels of ChT. This increase could be potentially explained by inflammatory and infectious processes, or even by AS itself.

<p>Os principais contribuintes antropogênicos para a contaminação do ar são as emissões veiculares e industriais. Santa Catarina é um estado com setor industrial desenvolvido. Destaca-se não apenas pelo número, como também pela diversificação de atividades fabris. Dentre essas atividades, há a de produção de peças cerâmicas vermelhas (tijolos e telhas - as olarias). Há uma concentração representativa dessas empresas no sul desse estado. Suspeita-se que as emissões atmosféricas das olarias comprometam a qualidade do ar, de forma danosa a saúde da população. Entretanto, quase não foram realizados estudos aprofundados, nem da qualidade do ar, muito menos das emissões do setor. Esse trabalho visa verificar como é tratada a questão das emissões atmosféricas por parte das olarias. Tal levantamento foi realizado por duas maneiras: aplicação de questionários e levantamento de informações de licenciamento ambiental. Nos questionários, notou-se que apenas 13% das olarias afirmaram manter os seus equipamentos de tratamento de efluentes atmosféricos ativos durante todo o período da queima dos fornos. Na análise de documentos vinculados ao licenciamento ambiental, averiguou-se que uma grande parcela das olarias não realiza laudos de emissões, como também não verifica o adequado funcionamento dos seus equipamentos de controle de poluição atmosférica. Apesar dos laudos de emissão indicarem compatibilidade com os limites legais de emissão, a concentração dessas empresas em um espaço geográfico restrito indica que provavelmente haja impacto significativo na qualidade do ar.</p>

<p>The main anthropogenic contributions to air quality deterioration are through vehicular and industrial emissions. Santa Catarina is a Brazilian state with a developed industrial sector. The amount of industries, as well as their diversified activities stand out. Among these activities, there is the production of red clay ceramics (brick and tile kilns). There is a representative concentration of this kind of industries in southern Santa Catarina, Brazil, and the impact caused by these factories on air quality is a concern. There is a suspicion that this impact affect local population health. However, proper studies have not been done either on air quality or on these industries emissions. The aim of this work is to verify how the atmospheric emissions issue is considered by bricks and tile kilns. The survey was conducted applying two methods: questionnaire and evaluation of environmental assessment documents. In the questionnaires, it was noticed that only 13% of the kilns let their air pollution control devices on throughout the kiln operation. By the documents analysis it was verified that a significant amount of industries does not make stack sampling, as well as they do not verify if their air pollution control devices are properly working. Despite the fact that the emissions reports denote compatibility with local emission regulations, the density of factories in a small geographic space indicates that a significant impact on air quality occurs.</p>

Foi realizado o inventário das espécies de musgos (Bryophyta) da Estação Científica Ferreira Penna, município de Melgaço, estado do Pará. Esta estação possui 85% de sua área ocupada por mata de terra firme, bem conservada. Sua vegetação de fanerógamas já está relativamente estudada. Porém o estudo dos musgos está avançando agora com este trabalho. Além de inventariar as espécies de musgos ocorrentes na área, outros objetivos são ampliar a distribuição geográfica das espécies ainda não referidas para a região, registrar o tipo de substrato e ecossistema onde elas ocorrem. Foram identificadas 84 espécies, 37 gêneros e 19 famílias. Esse trabalho é parte dos estudos realizados com os musgos da ECFPn, tratando apenas das 47 espécies pertencentes às famílias Bartramiaceae, Brachytheciaceae, Bryaceae, Calymperaceae, Fissidentaceae, Hypnaceae e Leucobryaceae. Para cada táxon foram citados, herbário, referências de descrições, comentários com as características diagnósticas, habitats, distribuição geográfica brasileira e material examinado. São novas referências para Amazônia Brasileira, Fissidens pauperculus M. Howe e Octoblepharum costatum H. A.Crum e para o estado do Pará, Syrrhopodon incompletus Schwägr. var. berteroanus (Brid.) W. D. Reese e Leucobryum crispum Müll. Hal.

The inventory of the species of mosses (Bryophyta) was conducted in the Scientific Station Ferreira Penna, municipality of Melgaço, state of Pará. This station possesses 85% of its area of well conserved, terra-firme vegetation. Although the phanerogams are relatively well studied, the mosses are only now moving forward with this work. Besides inventorying the species of mosses inhabiting the area, other objectives are to expand knowledge regarding the geographical distribution of the species reported for the area, and to register the substratum type and ecosystem where they occur. There were identified 84 species, 37 genera and 19 families. This work is part of a series of studies accomplished with the mosses of ECFPn, just treating the 47 species belonging to the families Bartramiaceae, Brachytheciaceae, Bryaceae, Calymperaceae, Fissidentaceae, Hypnaceae and Leucobryaceae. For each táxon they were mentioned place-type, herbarium, references of descriptions, comments regarding morphological characteristics, Brazilian geographical distribution and examined material. Herein we include new references for Amazonian Brazilian, Fissidens pauperculus M. Howe and Octoblepharum costatum H. A. Crum and for the state of Pará, Syrrhopodon incompletus Schwägr. var. berteroanus (Brid.) W. D. Reese and Leucobryum crispum Müll. Hal.

The purpose of this work was to study the performance of a rotary dryer in relation to number of flights. In this work an equationing was proposed to calculate the area used by the solids in two-segment flights of with any angle between the segments. From this area, the flight holdup and the length of fall of the particles were calculated for different angle positions and the results obtained were compared to experimental values. The results show an increase in dryer efficiency with the increase in number of flights up to a limit value, for ideal operational conditions. The experimental data on average residence time were compared to results obtained by calculations using equations proposed in the literature. The equation proposed for predicting flight holdup and length of fall of particles generated very accurate estimations.

In previous work, it was observed that the covering of soybean seeds with bacteria and micronutrients enhances vigorous growth of the plant thereby avoiding use of ammoniacal fertilizers. In the spouted bed covering can be done by pulverization of the coater slurry on the soybean seeds using a pneumatic atomizer. The optimum thickness of the cover allows the fundamental gaseous interchanges for germination and provides the ideal conditions for bacterium activity. The objective of this work was to study the influence of the process variables on thickness of the cover. A simulation of the mass distribution of seeds was obtained using a population balance model. Through the results obtained the operational conditions under which the coating layer distribution were determined has the greatest uniformity.

The carbon dioxide reforming of methane was carried out over nickel catalysts supported on the gamma-Al2O3/CeO2 system prepared by wet impregnation. With the increase of the CeO2 weight in the catalyst, a higher stability was observed in the catalytic activity, together with an excellent resistance to carbon deposition and a better Ni dispersion. The catalysts were characterized by means of surface area measurements, TPR, H2 chemisorption, XRD, SEM, EDX, XPS and TEM. An interaction between Ni and CeO2 was observed to the Ni/CeO2 sample after activation in a H2 atmosphere above 300 ºC. Such behavior has a significantly influence on the catalytic activity.

A síntese de filmes finos de TiO2 por meio do método MOCVD é descrita. Foi estudada a influência de parâmetros de deposição usados durante o crescimento nas características estruturais obtidas. Foram combinados diferentes temperaturas do banho organometálico, tempo de deposição, temperatura e tipo do substrato. A forte influência destes parâmetros na microestrutura final dos filmes foi estudada por meio de diferentes técnicas: microscopia eletrônica de varredura associada com espectroscopia eletrônica de dispersão de raios X, microscopia de força atômica e difração de raios X.

In this work we report the synthesis of TiO2 thin films by the Organometallic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) method. The influence of deposition parameters used during the growth in the obtained structural characteristics was studied. Different temperatures of the organometallic bath, deposition time, temperature and type of the substrate were combined. Using Scanning Electron Microscopy associated to Electron Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy and X-ray Diffraction, the strong influence of these parameters in the thin films final microstructure was verified.

A síntese de filmes finos de TiO2 foi feita pelo método de deposição química do vapor de organometálicos (MOCVD). Foi estudada a influência de parâmetros de deposição usados durante o crescimento, nas características estruturais finais. Foi feita uma combinação de vários parâmetros experimentais: temperatura do banho do organometálico, tempo de deposição, e temperatura e tipo do substrato. A forte influência destes parâmetros na microestrutura final do filme foi analisada por microscopia eletrônica de varredura com espectroscopia de raios X dispersiva de elétrons, microscopia de força atômica e difração de raios X.

The synthesis of TiO2 thin films was carried out by the Organometallic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) method. The influence of deposition parameters used during growth on the final structural characteristics was studied. A combination of the following experimental parameters was studied: temperature of the organometallic bath, deposition time, and temperature and substrate type. The high influence of those parameters on the final thin film microstructure was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy with electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction.