Nanostructured faujasite zeolite as metal ion adsorbent: kinetics, equilibrium adsorption and metal recovery studies.

The hydrothermal synthesis of nano-faujasite has been successfully performed and the effects of some crystallization parameters were investigated, along with the use of this material as a heavy-metal ion adsorbent. X-ray diffraction patterns have shown that the structure of the nano-faujasite is strongly dependent on both the crystallization time and the alkalinity of the synthesis medium. According to N2 physisorption, X-ray fluorescence, SEM/EDS, and solid state 29Si and 27Al NMR data, the produced nano-faujasite consists of a solid with low molar Si/Al ratio (1.7), with high availability of ion exchange sites and high surface area/small particle size, allowing easy diffusion of metal ions to adsorbent active sites. As a consequence, an excellent performance on removal of Cd2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+ ions was found for this solid. The adsorption capacity followed the order Cd2+ (133 mg·g-1) > Zn2+ (115 mg·g-1) > Cu2+ (99 mg·g-1), which agrees with the order of increasing absolute values of the hydration energy of the metal ions. Kinetic studies and adsorption isotherms showed that the metal ion removal takes place by ion exchange on the monolayer surface of the nano-faujasite. The electrochemical recovery of copper in metallic form exhibited an efficiency of 80.2% after 120 min, which suggests that this process can be adequately implemented for full-scale metal removal.

Long-term performance and acute toxicity assessment of scaled-up air-cathode microbial fuel cell fed by dairy wastewater.

Long-term performance of a scaled-up air-cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC) and toxicity removal were studied with dairy wastewater (DW) used as the substrate. The MFC in a semi-continuous flow was strategically inoculated with consortium of Shewanella oneidensis and Clostridium butyricum. The scaled-up approach delivered a maximum power density of 0.48 W/m3 (internal resistance of 73 Ω) removing 93% of total chemical oxygen demand and 95% of total biochemical oxygen demand at organic loading rate (OLR) of 0.9 kg COD/m3/d and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 21 days. It also achieved high removal efficiency of nitrate (100%), organic nitrogen (57%), sulfate (90%) and organic phosphorus (90%). The power generation and DW degradation performance decreased with OLR of 1.8 kg COD/m3/d and HRT of 10.5 days. Furthermore, testing of acute toxicity with the microcrustacean, Daphnia similis, revealed high toxic effect of the raw DW, but no toxic effects of the MFC effluent during 95 days of operation. These outcomes demonstrated that scaled-up MFC fed with high-strength DW should be an effective system for pollutants removal and simultaneously energy recovery.

Chelate-induced phytoextraction of metal polluted soils with Brachiaria decumbens.

Chelate-induced phytoextraction with high biomass plant species has been proposed for the clean-up of heavy metal polluted soils. In the current work, the effect of the application of two different chelating agents, i.e. EDTA and EDDS, on the metal phytoextraction capacity of Brachiaria decumbens was studied. Although EDTA was, in general, more effective in soil metal solubilization, EDDS, a chelate less harmful to the environment, was more efficient inducing metal accumulation in B. decumbens shoots than EDTA. Indeed, in a moderately heavy metal polluted soil, EDDS caused a 2.54, 2.74 and 4.30-fold increase in Cd, Zn, and Pb shoot metal concentration, respectively, as compared to control plants. In this same soil, EDTA caused a 1.77, 1.11 and 1.87-fold increase in Cd, Zn, and Pb shoot metal concentration, respectively, as compared to control plants. EDDS was also more effective than EDTA in stimulating the translocation of metals from roots to shoots. B. decumbens plants were able to grow in the metal polluted soils showing no visible symptoms of phytotoxicity, which suggests their metal tolerance. Finally, B. decumbens, a fast-growing, high biomass, aluminum tolerant plant species, that has a well-established agronomic system, fulfills most of the requirements for chemically-induced phytoextraction.

Prognostic significance of tissue and serum HER2 and MUC1 in canine mammary cancer.

The aim of our study was to compare serum levels and protein tissue of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 proto-oncogene (HER2) and mucin 1 (MUC1) using an antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in canine mammary carcinomas and investigate how the 2 markers correlate with dogs with metastasis and without metastasis to a regional lymph node. Forty-eight female dogs were selected, including 14 with non-metastatic cancer, 14 with lymph node metastasis, and 20 healthy animals. Serum samples were collected from all the animals and tissues from 28 dogs with malignant mammary tumor with or without metastasis for evaluated HER2 and MUC1 expression. Tissue sample were evaluated for MUC1 and HER2 immunoexpression by IHC. The results showed measurable serum levels of MUC1 and HER2 in all groups. While serum MUC1 levels were significantly higher in animals with metastasis than the other 2 groups, no increase was observed in HER2 serum levels. The MUC1 IHC results showed that only membrane immunostaining was significantly different between the groups. Statistically, there was an association between immunostaining and the serum HER2 levels. Our results indicate that serum concentrations of HER2 and the IHC staining pattern for HER2 in primary tumor do not correlate with the presence of regional metastasis. However, increased concentrations of MUC1 in the serum of dogs with mammary cancer are associated with the presence of metastasis to regional lymph nodes. A membrane pattern of IHC staining for MUC1 in the primary tumor suggests that metastases to regional lymph node are present.

Perfil da equipe de enfermagem que atua em saúde ocupacional em São José do Rio Preto / Profile of the nursing team working in occupational health service in São José do Rio Preto

A Saúde Ocupacional abrange ações voltadas à saúde do trabalhador, realizadas por equipe multiprofissional,no âmbito das Vigilâncias Sanitária e Epidemiológica. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar a equipe de enfermagem que atua na saúde ocupacional em indústrias e hospitais de São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo.Encontrou-se 178 empresas cadastradas nesta cidade, das quais 112 possuíam serviço médico de saúde ocupacional; e seis hospitais, onde cinco possuíam serviço médico de saúde ocupacional. Nestes serviços foram entrevistados 10 profissionais de enfermagem do trabalho, 80% do sexo feminino; 40% com idade entre 31 a 40 anos; 50% solteiros; 40% formados entre cinco e oito anos; 60% com experiência anterior na área; 50% com jornada de trabalho diária de 8 horas. Verificaram-se infrações ético-legais dos profissionais estudados, dimensionamento de pessoal inadequado e, que a maioria dos serviços eram terceirizados, evidenciando a necessidade de outras pesquisas no contexto da inserção da enfermagem do trabalho na equipe de saúde ocupacional.

Occupational Health comprises actions concerned with the worker´s health; they are performed bymultiprofessional teams, in settings like Sanitary and Epidemiological Vigilance services. This study aimed atidentifying the nursing team that works with occupational health in the industries and hospitals of São Josédo Rio Preto, São Paulo. A total of 178 registered industries were found in this city; out of these 112 havebeen providing medical services related to occupational health, and six hospitals, five with this service. Tenoccupational health nursing professionals were interviewed in these services: 80% were females; 40% agedbetween 31 and 40 years; 50% were unmarried; 40% have been graduated for 5 to 8 years ago; 60% hadprevious experience in this area; 50% had 8-working hours daily . We found ethical and legal breach amongthese studied professionals, inadequate staff dimensioning, and the majority of the service was outsourcing. The need for further investigations is required on the participation of these nurses in the occupationalhealth team.

Características biossociais, hábitos de vida e controle da pressão arterial dos pacientes em um programa de hipertensão / Biosocial characteristics and habits of the patients from an Arterial

Considerando a alta prevalência de hipertensão arterial(HA), a falta de adesão dos pacientes hipertensos ao tratamento, bem como a relevância do controle da pressão arterial por meio dos Programas de Hipertensão Arterial e, tendo em vista suas graves complicações, realizou-se o presente estudo com os objetivos de caracterizar o perfil biossocial, identificar os hábitos de vida e analisar os índices pressóricos de todos os pacientes cadastrados no Programa de Hipertensão Arterial de um Centro de Saúde Escola. Trata-se de um estudo retrospectivo, que utilizou como instrumento de coleta de dados um formulário a partir do qual foram colhidos dados em fichas e prontuários quanto à identificação, à biologia e aos hábitos de vida de 164 pacientes. Os resultados mostraram que 33,54% dos pesquisados possuíam de 60 a 69 anos, 78,83% eram do sexo feminino, 57,93% eram casados, 46,95% tinham ensino fundamental incompleto, 85,98% encontravam-se na fase de acompanhamento, 15,85 % apresentavam hipertensão moderada, 16,46% tinham hipertensão leve, 6,81 % tinham hipertensão grave e 23,78% tinham hipertensão sistólica isolada, 33,54% possuíam índice de massa corpórea normal, 84,15% eram assíduos nos grupos de hipertensão, 47,56% praticavam algum tipo de atividade física, 67,68% realizavam uma dieta especial (hipossódica e/ou hipogordurosa), 3,65 % consumiam bebida alcóolica e 8,54 % eram tabagista. Conclui-se que apesar de a maioria da população freqüentar regularmente os grupos de hipertensão e relatar manter hábitos necessários ao controle da PA, foram altos os percentuais de pessoas com aumento de pressão arterial e peso ao longo do tempo. Este estudo proporcionará subsídios para a implementação de uma assistência pela equipe multidisciplinar direcionada às necessidades destes pacientes.