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The Brazilian Amazon is heavily impacted by mining activities, especially by gold and cassiterite mining. Pb is a contaminant released during cassiterite extraction, and it stands out for its high toxicity. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of flood pulse on Pb dynamics in four fish species with different feeding habits (Cichlapleiozona: carnivorous, Mylossomaduriventre: herbivorous, Prochilodus nigricans: detritivorous, and Serrasalmus rhombeus: piscivorous) over four hydrological periods in Puruzinho Lake (Brazilian Amazon), which receives water from the Madeira River. The risk assessment for daily Pb intake through the consumption of these fish by the local riverside population was also carried out. Fish species were sampled during four Amazonian hydrological periods: rising water, high water, falling water, and low water. Pb and stable isotopes (δ

The isotopic signatures of carbon in primary consumer fish species in the Madeira River basin (Western Amazon) follow a pattern, with basal species feeding mainly on C

The increasing demands of humankind contribute to the scarcity of natural resources and foster climate changes. For this reason, sustainable development has become a fundamental agenda in the twenty-first century. The intense urbanization induces significant changes in the natural water cycle, and this feature, coupled with neglecting the natural water dynamics in the urban planning process, increases the population’s vulnerability to urban floods. In this context, sustainable urban drainage techniques have been proposed to match the urban and natural demands, while preserving or recovering the environmental functions, as much as possible. However, such techniques are often not adopted, even in developed cities, and this fact seems to be related to the improper awareness of the whole set of benefits involved in their use. This article aims to evaluate the economic viability of sustainable urban drainage systems, in a simple and easily acceptable way, considering the ecosystem services provided by green roofs and rainwater harvesting barrels, and including their action in delivering urban revitalization and valorization. The proposed method can be easily used and understood by decision-makers, facilitating its diffusion and use in urban policy-making process. The results showed a best-performing scenario for the rainwater harvesting system with a payback of approximately three years, a benefit-cost ratio of four, and an internal return rate of 45%. The ecosystem service benefits represent 36.3% to 50.8% of total benefits.

This study evaluated the dispersion of arsenic (As) in the environment due to the use of contaminated groundwater for the irrigation of vegetables and chicken watering in two small farms located in a rural and urban zone in southeastern Brazil. ICP-AES was used to perform As determinations in groundwater, soil and vegetables samples while ICP-OES was used for chicken meat and offal. The As concentrations in the groundwater of the urban and rural farms were above the limit allowed (0.01 mg L−1) by Brazilian regulations (0.040 ± 0.019 and 0.017 ± 0.007 mg L−1, respectively), while the concentrations found in the soil for the same locations were below the limit allowed (15 mg kg−1) (1.071 ± 0.538 and 1.366 ± 0.141 mg kg−1, respectively). Vegetable samples were within the legal limits (0.3, 0.2 and 0.1 mg kg−1 for roots, leaves and fruits, respectively), with the exception of beet fruit (0.114 ± 0.031 mg kg−1) in the urban farm and cassava leaf (0.339 ± 0.374 mg kg−1) in the rural farm. As a general trend, roots accumulated more As compared to fruits and leaves, in that order. With the exception of chicken meat, liver and lung, all other offal analyzed (roe, gizzard, heart and skin) had As concentrations above 1.0 mg kg−1, the maximum allowed limit. The As concentration’ ratio between the evaluated environmental compartments indicated that (1) irrigation acts as a point source of As for the farms; (2) the soil acts as an As accumulator compartment and (3) the plant roots act as a barrier to prevent As translocation to its aerial part. Since the highest As concentrations were found in the least consumed chicken offal, we can conclude that this does not pose a risk to the community in the surrounding study area, but they were warned about our data and its implications to their health.

Recent reports of illegal small-scale alluvial gold mining activities (locally called garimpo) by miners working on rafts in the Paraíba do Sul River (PSR) and in one of its tributaries (Muriaé River (MR)) have raised concerns about Hg contamination. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of garimpo activities on Hg contamination in three environmental compartments. Water, sediment, and aquatic macrophytes (Pistia stratiotes) were sampled during the rainy season in PSR, forming a 106-km transect from the point where garimpo rafts were seen and/or seized by the Federal Police. They were also sampled in the MR. Total and dissolved mercury (Hg) concentrations in water and total Hg in the suspended particulate matter (SPM) sampled in the PSR increased by 1.7, 1.5, and 2.1 times at the points where the rafts were seen compared to the point immediately upstream. In the MR, Hg concentrations were higher than those in the PSR, but most values in the environmental compartments were below the safe limits (174-486 ng∙g

Rheumatoid vasculitis (RV) is one of the most severe extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis, with significant morbidity and mortality, requiring aggressive treatment with corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressants. Recently, biological drugs were included in its therapeutic armamentarium. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review on the use of biological drugs in the treatment of RV. A systematic literature review was performed based on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) recommendations and searching articles in MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane, SciELO, Scopus, and Virtual Health Library electronic databases. Secondary references were also evaluated. The methodological quality of the selected studies was evaluated by the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) criteria. Altogether, five articles, assessing the use of biological drugs, were included. Globally, 35 patients participated in the studies, of which 21 were treated with rituximab (RTX) in cycles of 1000 mg every 2 weeks; 9 used infliximab 5 mg/kg; 3 used infliximab 3 mg/kg; and 2 used etanercept 25 mg twice/week. In general, an improvement in clinical picture, reduction of the mean daily dose of corticosteroids, and improvement in the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score was achieved by the end of the treatment. Complete remission occurred in almost 70% of the cases. The adverse effect rate was 34%, mainly due to infections. There were two deaths, one due to sepsis and the other due to uncontrolled vasculitis, after the biological drug withdrawal, following the development of sepsis. Based on the results of the present review, we believe that the use of biological therapy such as RTX and anti-tumor necrosis factor α can be beneficial in treating this complication.

This study focused on investigating the technological context of cellulose and its derivatives and their applications to the biomedical area. Therefore, patentometric analysis of patent documents was conducted. A scenario containing information related to the most prominent players in the biomedical area and the places with high relevance for biomedical cellulose technologies and its markets of interest was built. This study used several tools of patentometry to forecast when the use of commercial cellulose or cellulose derivatives might be replaced by the newly created ones. The analysis of technological maturity showed that, in a few years, the market will be saturated with biomedical products that use cellulose as one of its raw materials, and the known molecules will be replaced by recently invented materials based on chemically modified cellulose. This study of patentometry related to technological specialization identified cellulose technologies applied to the treatment of eye or ocular diseases. The newest and most cited patents indicated the preference of companies to use commercial cellulose derivatives to formulate their biomedical products instead of creating new cellulose derivatives to be applied to their compositions. This methodology can help researchers and decision-makers choose the best way to undertake a project involving the technological applications of cellulose to medicine. Patent big data analysis helping researches doing business using cellulose technologies

The aim of the present study was to assess the possible protective effect of γ-oryzanol (ORY) supplementation in a model of acute liver failure (ALF) induced by acetaminophen (APAP) in mice. Male Swiss strain mice were supplemented with ORY (10 and 50 mg/kg, per oral route) daily for 7 days. One hour after the last supplementation, animals received APAP (300 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). Twenty-four hours after APAP administration, mice were euthanized, and biochemical and histopathological determinations were performed. Histopathological analysis revealed that APAP caused vascular congestion, loss of cellular structure, and cellular infiltration in hepatocytes. Moreover, it caused oxidative damage (enzymatic and non-enzymatic analysis of oxidative stress), with loss of hepatic function leading to cell apoptosis (apoptotic parameters). ORY supplementation (ORY-10 and ORY-50) protected against all changes in ALF model. Thus, the protective effect of ORY supplementation was due to modulation of antioxidant defenses avoiding the apoptotic process.

The replacement of fossil-based fuels by renewable fuels (biofuels) was proposed in the IPCC report, as an alternative to reduce greenhouse gas emission and reach out to a low-carbon economy. On this perspective, the Brazilian government had implemented a renewable energy program based on the use of ethanol in the transport sector. This work evaluates the scenario of pollutant gas emissions and particulate material that comes from the biomass burning process involved in ethanol production cycle, in the city of Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil. The gases and particulate material emitted by sugarcane and bagasse burning processes—the last one in energy co-generation mills—were analyzed. A laboratory-controlled burning of both samples was realized in an oven with temperature ramp from 250 to 400 °C, at a regular rate of 50 °C. The gas samples were collected directly from the oven’s exhaust pipe. The particulates obtained were the residual material taken out of the burned samples: a powder with the aspect of soot. A photoacoustic spectroscopy system coupled with quantum cascade laser and electrochemical analyzers was used to measure the emission of polluting gases such as N2O, CO2, CO, NOx (NO, NO2), and SO2 in ppmv range. Fluorescent X-ray spectrometry was applied to evaluate the chemical composition of particulate material, enabling the identification of elements such as Si, Al, Ca, K, Fe, S, P, Ti, Mn, Cu, Zn, Sc, V, Cu, and Sr.

The goals of this study were to analyze if there is a difference in the stable isotopic ratio (δ13C and δ15N) of macrobenthic species sampled at two sandy beaches (one close to a river mouth and the other far from any freshwater input) and to identify differences in the stable isotopic ratio (δ13C and δ15N) in different body parts of three representative species of two Brazilian sandy beach macrofaunas: the polychaete Hemipodia californiensis, the mollusk bivalve Donax hanleyanus, and the crustacean decapod Emerita brasiliensis. No significant differences were detected in the δ13C stable isotopic ratio between the two sites analyzed; however, in the δ15N stable isotopic ratio, a significant difference was observed. Regarding the intraspecific response of stable isotopic ratio, D. hanleyanus showed a significant difference in carbon among different body part structures, while a trend for significance was observed for nitrogen isotopes. The differences were significant for both isotopes in E. brasiliensis, and no differences were observed among the body part structures in H. californiensis. There were significant differences in E. brasiliensis carapaces with regard to the δ15N stable isotopic ratio between the muscle and the whole body. Although the δ13C and δ15N stable isotopic ratio differs significantly in the digestive tract, muscles, and whole body of D. hanleyanus, such differences were not enough to determine changes in their trophic levels and food sources. Similar stable isotopic ratios were observed in the whole body, proboscis, and teeth of H. californiensis, highlighting this species as the top predator. In conclusion, stable isotopic analysis of benthic trophic structure can be employed as a tool in coastal management plans or environmental impact studies.

The aim of this work was to evaluate simultaneously the effect of produced ethanolic biodiesel from several feedstocks (soybean, crambe, macaw, sunflower, and waste cooking oil) and engine operational conditions (low and high engine speed) during combustion of biodiesel/diesel blends on the N2O, NOx, NO, CO2, and CO emission levels in the atmosphere. The biodiesel samples were prepared in one and/or two reaction steps, according to the acid index of each raw material, by esterification using H2SO4 and/or chemical transesterification using sodium ethoxide, both, through ethanolic route. The quality of the produced biodiesels was confirmed by ASTM/EN specifications. Then, biodiesel/diesel blends were prepared according to the following proportions: 10% (B10), 15% (B15), 25% (B25), and 50% (B50). In general way, all raw materials under combustion at low and high engine speed contributed to the formation of NOx and this effect was more drastically increased as the biodiesel concentration in the blends increases. N2O presented a similar behavior except for blends containing crambe and macaw biodiesel whose emissions were slightly reduced as a function of biodiesel content in these blends. Then, Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to discriminate the effect of engine operating conditions, biodiesel kind, and biodiesel content in the blends during their combustion on the exhaust emissions. The attained results point to crambe and macaw as more environmentally sustainable feedstocks for biodiesel production because they generate less greenhouse gas emissions. These results are particularly attractive considering that, both, crambe and macaw are non-edible feedstocks with great potential for biodiesel production.

The objective of this study was to develop a dissolution test in order to establish an in vitro–in vivo correlation (IVIVC) model for desvenlafaxine succinate monohydrate (DVSM) extended release (ER) tablets. The in vitro release characteristics of the drug were determined using USP apparatus 1 at 75 rpm, with volume of HCl pH 1.2, acetate buffer solution (ABS) pH 4.5, or phosphate buffer solution (PBS) pH 6.8. In vivo plasma concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameters in healthy volunteers were obtained from a bioequivalence study. The similarity factors f1 and f2 were used to compare the dissolution data. The IVIVC model was developed using fraction dissolved and fraction absorbed of the reference product. For predictability, the results showed that the percentage prediction error (%PE) value of Cmax was 7.63%. The observed low prediction error for Cmax demonstrated that the IVIVC model was valid for this parameter.

This study assessed the presence of As in wells located near the lower Paraiba do Sul river, southeastern Brazil. Water samples were collected from 19 home wells and wells managed by the utility company in the region in June 2016 and February, May, and August 2017. The metalloid was detected in seven wells (37%). The most abundant ions in the wells were Cl−, Na+, SO42− and Ca2+ and the ions with the lowest concentrations were F− and Br−. The pH values were approximately 7.0 and redox potential and dissolved O2 values were typical of reducing environments. Levels of As varied between 0.13 μg L−1 and 38.8 μg L−1, which are above the maximum allowable concentration for human consumption according to Brazilian and international regulations (10 μg L−1). The presence of As in wells correlated positively with levels of sulfate and dissolved organic carbon, and correlated negatively with well depth. The results support that the oxidation of sulfide minerals is the process that favors mobilization of As to the groundwater, due to inputs from erosion and rainwater seepage through the soil. No significant seasonal changes were observed in As levels, with the lowest and highest value observed in August (2.61 µg L−1) and June (10.24 µg L−1), respectively. Principal component analysis revealed positive correlation between As levels and nitrite, and the negative correlation between As levels and redox potential and dissolved oxygen. This suggests that arsenite, which is the most soluble and toxic reduced form As, is the predominant chemical species in wells.

Beef and poultry as well as cattle and chicken livers are staple food items for Brazilian population, and previous studies had detected arsenic levels in these foods. This study aims to evaluate the risk of exposure to total and inorganic arsenic by meat intake in three age groups from Brazil (11–16, 16–21, and > 21 years). Our hypotheses are (i) that there is differences in the risk of exposure between age groups and (ii) the older individuals (> 21 years) are under higher risk. To test these hypotheses, we calculated the probabilistic estimated daily intake of total As (TAsEDI) from poultry, beef, cattle liver, and chicken liver, and the probabilistic estimated incremental lifetime skin, bladder, and lung cancer risk (ILCR) associated with inorganic As ingestion from poultry only. TAsEDI and ILCR from poultry differed among groups which confirm the first hypothesis. However, TAsEDI and ILCR results cannot support the second hypothesis. Even though the age groups are under a low risk of exposure to As by meat intake, the results indicate that bladder/lung cancer risk (from poultry intake) slightly exceeds the safe limits in the older population.

Fisheries and aquaculture are important sources of food for hundreds of millions of people around the world. World fish production is projected to increase by 15% in the next 10 years, reaching around 200 million tonnes per year. The main driver of this increase will be based on fish farming management in developing countries. In Brazil, fish farming is increasing due to the climate conditions and large supply of water resources, with the production system based on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) farming in reservoirs. Inland waters like reservoirs are a natural source of methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. However, knowledge of the impact from intensive fish production in net cages on CH4 fluxes is not well known. This paper presents in situ measurements of CH4 fluxes and dissolved CH4 (DM) in the Furnas Hydroelectric Reservoir in order to evaluate the impact of fish farming on methane emissions. Measurements were taken in a control area without fish production and three areas with fish farming. The overall mean of diffusive methane flux (DMF) (5.9 ± 4.5 mg CH4 m−2 day−1) was significantly lower when compared to the overall mean of bubble methane flux (BMF) (552.9 ± 1003.9 mg CH4 m−2 day−1). The DMF and DM were significantly higher in the two areas with fish farming, whereas the BMF was not significantly different. The DMF and DM were correlated to depth and chlorophyll-a. However, the low production of BMF did not allow the comparison with the limnological parameters measured. This case study shows that CH4 emissions are influenced more by reservoir characteristics than fish production. Further investigation is necessary to assess the impact of fish farming on the greenhouse gas emissions.

Phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers represent a source of cadmium (Cd) which may be leached into aquatic systems. Macrophytes accumulate contaminants, and Egeria densa has been shown to grow in aquatic environments polluted with trace elements. In this study, Cd accumulation by E. densa exposed to two Cd treatments (3 and 5 mg L−1) was evaluated under increasing nutrient levels (NP as N–NO3 −, N–NH4 +, and P–PO4 3−, in concentrations 5-, 10- and 100-fold higher (NP5, NP10 and NP100) than in the sampling site) to simulate different levels of eutrophication. Bioaccumulation factors and Cd recovery were calculated and effects on plants were evaluated based on chloroplastidic pigment concentrations (chlorophylls a and b, and carotenoids). We conclude that Cd accumulation by Egeria densa is positively influenced by increasing availability of N and P at the level of around NP10 and probably at a broader concentration range not defined in this study. A further increase in N and P, however, does not generate a significant increase in Cd accumulation. Chloroplastidic pigment concentrations were not linearly correlated with Cd accumulation and the NP10 experiment produced less damage to macrophyte when compared to NP5 and NP100 experiments. Under controlled conditions, it was possible to satisfactorily model Cd bioaccumulation over time, in order to provide essential data for E. densa use in phytoremediation processes. The Cd residence in the macrophyte tissue is increased in eutrophic environments, which puts at risk the whole food chain of the aquatic ecosystem, mainly the primary consumers.

This study evaluated the levels of total Hg and CH3Hg+ from a comprehensive perspective, considering the retention, leaching, and deposition of these contaminants in the main compartments (soil, plant litter, and sediment) of three landscapes (Atlantic Forest, pasture, and agricultural area) in a watershed in northern Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Variables analyzed were total Hg, CH3Hg+, organic carbon, total nitrogen, grain size, and surface area. In soil samples, total Hg levels were the highest in agricultural soil followed by forest soil and pasture (97.3, 87.6, and 77.1 ng g−1, respectively), and CH3Hg+ was lower than 1.7%. Total Hg levels in leaf litter varied between 22.6 and 34.2 ng g−1, and CH3Hg+ was 4.37%. In sediment, Hg (60–180 ng g−1) and CH3Hg+ (

There is a lack of information about the molecular events underlying the depressive-like effect of an intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin (ICV-STZ) in mice. Elevated activity of the tryptophan-degrading enzyme indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) has been proposed to mediate depression in inflammatory disorders. In this study, we report that ICV-STZ activates IDO in the hippocampus of mice and culminates in depressive-like behaviors, measured by an increased duration in immobility time in the forced swimming test and decreased total time of grooming in the splash test. Indirect blockade of IDO activation with the cytokine inhibitor minocycline prevents the development of depressive-like behaviors and attenuates STZ-induced upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus. Minocycline abrogates the increase in tryptophan and kynurenine levels as well as prevents serotonin dysfunction in the hippocampus of STZ-injected mice. These results suggest that hippocampal IDO activation in STZ-associated depressive-like behavior is mediated by proinflammatory cytokine-dependent mechanisms. Our study not only extends the evidence that IDO has a critical role in mediating inflammation-induced depression but also supports the notion that neuroinflammation and the kynurenine pathway are important targets of novel therapeutic drugs for depression. In addition, our study provides new insights into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying ICV-STZ and indicates that this model could be employed in the preclinical research of depression.

Damming rivers to construct hydroelectric reservoirs results in a series of impacts on the biogeochemical Hg cycle. For example, modifying the hydrodynamics of a natural watercourse can result in the suspension and transport of Hg deposits in the water column, which represents an exposure risk for biota. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influences of seasonality on the dispersion of total Hg in the Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP)-Samuel Reservoir (Porto Velho/Brazil). Sampling campaigns were performed during the three following hydrological periods characteristic of the region: low (Oct/2011), ebbing (May/2012), and high (Feb/2013) water. Sediment profiles, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and aquatic macrophytes (Eicchornia crassipes and Oryza spp.) were collected, and their Hg concentrations and isotopic and elemental C and N signatures were determined. The drainage basin significantly influenced the SPM compositions during all the periods, with a small autochthonous influence from the reservoir during the low water. The highest SPM Hg concentrations inside the reservoir were observed during the high water period, suggesting that the hydrodynamics of this environment favor the suspension of fine SPM, which has a higher Hg adsorption capacity. The Hg concentrations in the sediment profiles were ten times lower than those in the SPM, indicating that large particles with low Hg concentrations were deposited to form the bottom sediment. Hg concentrations were higher in aquatic macrophyte roots than in their leaves and appeared to contribute to the formation of SPM during the low water period. In this environment, Hg transport mainly occurs in SPM from the Jamari River drainage basin, which is the primary source of Hg in this environment.