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Durante el proceso de coagulación dentro de una planta de tratamiento de agua potable (PTAP), para disminuir la turbiedad se usan polímeros sintéticos y orgánicos. La Moringa oleifera (MO), como coagulante natural, requiere usar una concentración y dosis óptima, a fin de reducir la mayor cantidad de turbiedad y evitar materia orgánica residual que requiera un tratamiento adicional. Es por ello que la investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar la eficiencia del uso de la MO, para la clarificación del agua de la quebrada Taczanapampa de la ciudad de Huancavelica, Perú. Se utilizaron las partículas molidas de las semillas de la mencionada planta, evaluando diferentes dosis y concentraciones para encontrar la óptima en la remoción de la turbidez en el agua, procedimiento que se realizó con la prueba de jarras del laboratorio. Los modelos de regresión validaron el comportamiento de la MO en ecuaciones. El primer modelo determinó la dosis óptima y el segundo modelo la concentración óptima en las condiciones de la investigación. Los resultados de la dosis óptima se obtuvieron en dos rangos: con turbiedades menores a 50 unidad nefelométrica de turbidez (UNT) de 10 a 50 mg/l, también entre 50 y 150 UNT de 30 a 100 mg/l; y la concentración óptima para turbiedades menores a 150 UNT se encuentran en un rango de 2 a 3 %. Los resultados se consideran favorables para su uso y amigables con el ambiente.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a disease rarely described in older adults. It is characterized by subacute onset of a set of clinical and radiological signs and a variety of neurological symptoms, such as headaches, seizures, and cognitive disorders. In the vast majority of patients, clinical presentation includes high blood pressure and hypertensive emergency. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard for diagnosing this condition using imaging findings. When the underlying cause is promptly recognized and treated, symptoms and imaging abnormalities may be completely reversible. The authors report the clinical case of an 87-year-old woman first admitted for treatment of community-acquired pneumonia. She returned to the emergency department 24 hours after discharge presenting with complex visual and neurological symptoms. An MRI scan showed lesions of bilateral occipital hypodensities, suggestive of vasogenic edema and compatible with PRES. Complete regression of brain lesions was observed after tight control of hypertension.

This paper aims to present improvement actions to reduce the failure risk of a new vehicle cabin air transporter developed in an automotive plant in the Sul Fluminense region by applying the Failure Modes and Effect Analysis (FMEA) tool. This analysis method enables the equipment to reduce some existing problems. Thus, it was possible to increase the demand for vehicles, expected by the end of the year 2018. For this purpose, a team was formed with employees from the main areas involved who raised the main failure modes of the equipment through the brainstorming technique. The FMEA worksheet was filled using the severity, occurrence, and detection classification tables to calculate the Risk Priority Number (RPR). Then, it was suggested to apply the technique with the necessary improvement actions for the failure modes, broken down in a 5W1H worksheet. In a conclusion, the importance of applying the FMEA before acquiring new equipment was demonstrated, avoiding waste, and guaranteeing the company's efficiency.

This study explores the utilization of bio-polyol, derived from castor oil modified with waste tire rubber (WTR), in the synthesis of rigid polyurethane-polyisocyanurate foams. Two WTR concentrations (10% and 20%) were incorporated, investigating their impact on foaming, cellular structure, and various foam properties. Response surface methodology assessed the influence of polyol/isocyanate ratios and WTR content on thermal, physical, and mechanical responses. Results indicated significant effects of polyol/isocyanate ratios on thermal and density properties, while WTR content exhibited an opposite trend. Mechanical behavior showed a distinct pattern compared to thermal and physical aspects, suggesting no conclusive correlation between compressive stress variability and polyol/ isocyanate ratio or WTR content. Consequently, the application of these foams depends on specific property requirements, highlighting the potential of sustainable bio-polyols and recycled WTR in replacing conventional petroleum-based counterparts in polyurethane foam production. Highlights * Development of rigid polyurethane-polyisocyanurate foams based on castor oil. * Polyurethane-polyisocyanurate foams modified with waste tire rubber. * Increased isocyanate index impacts thermal stability and density. * Response surface methodology showed variability in compressive stress behavior and the polyol/isocyanate ratio. * For application of polyurethane-polyisocyanurate foams will depend on the desired properties. KEYWORDS castor oil, response surface methodology, rigid polyurethane-polyisocyanurate foams, tire rubber waste, 1 | INTRODUCTION Improper disposal of solid waste is one of the main environmental problems currently faced. (1) With the increase in population and consumption, the amount of waste generated [...]

A construction model for an ETC type solar collector with the purpose of helping in the rational use of electric energy aimed at the needs of the small rural producer. A prototype solar collector was proposed and its energy efficiency was analyzed compared to that of a commercial collector. Following this, an analysis of the economic viability of using solar collectors on small properties in the Sul Fluminense region of Brazil was performed. This work can be classified as an applied research with a quantitative experimental approach. The study shows that the use of the solar collector even when shared with the electricity to compensate for its losses, still provides an economic benefit to the final users, and the use of thermosyphon can contribute significantly to improving this result. This study proposed a more effective solar collector model, but this collector was limited to the materials and financial resources available to the project.

Despite the huge potential of aquaculture in the Amazon, several producers have abandoned the activity due to a lack of assistance, technology, and innovation. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify factors that have contributed to the withdrawal of aquaculturists from the municipality of ‘Vigia de Nazaré’, state of Pará (Northern Region of Brazil). This case study took place in 2022 through a quanti-qualitative survey, applying structured questionnaires to former aquaculturists. A total of 30 fish farms were investigated, with 11 of them being abandoned. They are distributed across 10 rural communities that have developed fish farming, with ‘Vila de Itapuá’ (18.2%) being the most representative. When active, fish farming was practiced by men (100%) aged between 51 to 60 years (54.5%) with an incomplete primary education (100%), who carried out the activity for an average of 5 years (81.8%), quitting fish farming between the years 2019 and 2020 (72.7%). All former aquaculturists owned small properties, with excavated ponds in an extensive system and used family labor. The absence of technical assistance and the high cost of feed were pointed out as the main problems in the production chain. It is worth noting that the monoculture of Tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) accounted for 63.6% of the species produced in rural communities. In conclusion, former aquaculturists express the desire to return to fish farming due to its socio-economic importance. For this, government actions supporting technical assistance and advanced studies in fish nutrition by educational, research, and extension institutions are necessary.

Enterococcus spp. are isolated from infections of domestic animals and can present resistance to different antimicrobials. This study aimed to identify the main species of Enterococcus and determine the phenotypic resistance to antimicrobials of isolates of this bacterial genus obtained from dogs and cats admitted to a veterinary hospital in southern Brazil. A total of 57 Enterococcus spp. were isolated from different clinical samples (urine, feces, ears and skin) in domestic animals admitted to the hospital over a period of three years (2016 to 2019). MALDI-TOF results demonstrated the occurrence of Enterococcus faecium (39; 68.4%), Enterococcus faecalis (17; 29.8%) and Enterococcus avium (1; 1.8%). In an overall analysis, resistance was observed to the antimicrobials rifampicin (46; 80.7%), tetracycline and streptomycin (42; 73.7%), ampicillin and imipenem (41; 71.9%), erythromycin (39; 68.4%), gentamicin (38; 66.7%), ciprofloxacin (36; 63.2%), norfloxacin (32; 56.1%), nitrofurantoin (10; 17.5%) and chloramphenicol (9; 15.7%). None of the Enterococcus spp. showed resistance to vancomycin and linezolid. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was detected in 45 (78.9%) isolates. In conclusion, E. faecium and E. faecalis with MDR are frequent in infections of hospitalized dogs and cats from southern Brazil.

The LAPARA System, a Philippine-made robotic surgical system, tested its control system in this paper. Three types of tests are then done to the system: PID Optimization Test, Position Checking, and Data Transfer Rate and Memory Bandwidth Testing. Results from the PID resulted in the values 2.32 for the P, 0.4 for the I, and 1.5 for the D to be chosen to ensure the system runs smoothly. The system was also able to run properly during Position Checking, though movement in the Pitch and Yaw required refinement due to the constraints. Also, the data transfer rate for the PC to Arduino Due connection yielded a 128kb/s speed, slower than the 480 Mbps rating, while the memory bandwidth testing yielded results that allowed for storage of 23,040 32_bit values. In conclusion, although minor adjustments were needed to refine the system, the LAPARA system was able to perform as intended.

Brazil has one of the cleanest energy matrices in the world, mainly a matrix based on hydropower. The research aims to identify and define variables that most strongly influence the economic viability of operating equipment and wind farms in Northeast Brazil, identifying the key performance factors for the economic analysis performed, such as technologies, equipment size and productive efficiency. The cash flow analysis allowed the calculation of the break-even for the different variables analyzed, equipment load factor, wind turbine investment and effective hours available for wind generation, among others. Although for the situation analyzed, wind generation projects in the Northeast of Brazil are economically viable, the profitability of these projects for the assumptions of the calculation assumed is still low, considering they generate a 15 year pay-back and a return rate of 9.22% p.a. as opposed to an assumed financing cost of 7.35% p.a.

BackgroundAlthough long-acting, injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has proven efficacious for HIV prevention in clinical trials, research is needed to guide effective implementation in real-world settings. Formative work with community members and health care providers (HCPs) is important to provide insight into the needs and contexts of specific populations and reveal potential barriers and facilitators for implementation projects. ObjectiveWe aimed to describe the results from formative work to develop an implementation package for CAB-LA PrEP within the ImPrEP CAB Brasil study. MethodsImPrEP CAB Brasil is an implementation study of same-day delivery of CAB-LA PrEP for young sexual and gender minority (SGM) groups (aged 18-30 years) in 6 existing oral PrEP public health clinics. We conducted formative research to prepare for the implementation of ImPrEP CAB Brasil through community mobilization, process mapping with HCPs with experience in CAB-LA, and focus group discussions (FGDs) with young SGM groups (n=92) and HCPs (n=20) to identify initial perceptions of facilitators and barriers for CAB-LA PrEP implementation, refine the mobile health (mHealth) educational tool, and evaluate the acceptability of using a text message appointment reminder intervention through WhatsApp. FGDs were recorded, transcribed, systematically coded, and analyzed with thematic categorization by trained researchers using a qualitative data analysis program ATLAS.ti (version 7). ResultsA community mobilization team comprising 34 SGM community leaders collaborated in creating a prototype for an mHealth educational tool and contributed to the planning of peer education activities. We created 3 process maps for each site to describe the initial visit, follow-up visits, and laboratory flow. The main challenge identified for same-day CAB-LA PrEP delivery was the extended duration of clinic visits due to the numerous laboratory tests and HIV counseling steps required. Proposed solutions included having point-of-care HIV rapid tests instead of laboratory tests and additional counseling staff. Barriers for CAB-LA PrEP implementation identified through FGDs were the training of HCPs, support for adherence to injection appointments, and stigma or discrimination against SGM groups and persons using PrEP. The mHealth educational tool and WhatsApp reminders were highly acceptable by SGM groups and HCPs, indicating their potential to support PrEP choice and adherence. Content analysis on the cultural appropriateness of the language and overall clarity of the material contributed to the refinement of the mHealth tool. ConclusionsStructured formative work with SGM persons and HCPs generated important refinements to context-specific materials and plans to launch ImPrEP CAB Brasil in public health clinics. Ongoing implementation monitoring will use the process maps to identify additional barriers and potential solutions to same-day delivery of CAB-LA PrEP. Summative evaluations are needed to measure the effectiveness of the mHealth educational tool to support PrEP choice and the use of WhatsApp appointment reminders.

El 9 de febrero de 2024 se cumplieron tres años desde que la vacuna de la empresa Sinopharm fue aplicada por primera vez en el Perú; los profesionales de la salud fueron el primer grupo poblacional en recibirla (1). Este hito ocurrió mientras los peruanos vivían en un contexto de imparable confusión y creciente temor ante el virus SARS-CoV-2, pero con la esperanza de que la ciencia, haciendo gala de sus herramientas, pudiera mostrar a la población la tan ansiada luz al final del túnel pandémico. En el Centro de Investigación de Virología de la Universidad de San Martín de Porres (CIV-USMP) se ha revisado información relevante, tanto a nivel nacional como internacional, y se ha reflexionado sobre los tres años transcurridos desde aquella primera dosis de la vacuna BBIBP-CorV de Sinopharm en nuestro país.

La viruela del simio es una enfermedad poco frecuente causada por el virus de la viruela del simio (MPXV). Este es un virus que puede ingresar al huésped a través de diferentes vías, como la orofaringe, la nasofaringe, rutas intradérmicas, entre otras. En el año 2022 se supo de un brote en el que el virus parecía tener mutaciones que le harían propagarse de manera más eficiente. Presentamos tres casos de viruela del simio en el seno de una familia de ocho miembros. El paciente 1, un hombre de 32 años, presentó una pápula debajo del ojo izquierdo, la cual fue eclosionada manualmente por su esposa; luego presentó endoftalmitis asociada a fiebre y cefalea, añadiéndose lesiones pruriginosas tipo vesiculares no dolorosas en extremidades y genitales. Finalmente, se le diagnosticó, clínicamente, infección por viruela del simio. La paciente 2, una mujer de 27 años (pareja del paciente 1), presentó lesiones vesiculares y pustulares en el tórax, las extremidades y la región anal seis días después de exposición por contacto estrecho con el paciente 1. Luego, se le adicionaron mialgias, fiebre y odinofagia, con resultado positivo a prueba molecular para MPXV. El paciente 3, un niño de ocho años, a los siete días del inicio de síntomas de la madre (paciente 2), presentó odinofagia, tinnitus, fiebre, adenopatía cervical y pápulas umbilicadas en el abdomen, el brazo izquierdo y el glúteo derecho, con resultado positivo a prueba molecular para MPXV. Los otros miembros de la familia no presentaron manifestaciones clínicas a pesar del contacto intrafamiliar prolongado de aproximadamente dos semanas con los pacientes, en el que compartieron áreas comunes y utensilios sin restricciones.