Pre-germination treatments of melon seeds for the production of seedlings irrigated with biosaline water

Abstract Melon production in the Brazilian semi-arid region is subject to the use of marginal waters with high salinity. However, the use of regulators and bioactivators in seed treatment can mitigate the harmful effects of salts in irrigation water. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the effect of pre-germination treatments with plant regulators and bioactivator in melon seeds for the production of seedlings irrigated with biosaline water from fish farming effluent. For this, two trials with the Goldex and Grand Prix hybrids were carried out separately. A completely randomized design was used in a 4 × 3 factorial scheme (pre-germination treatments × water dilutions). In addition to the control, the seeds were treated with salicylic and gibberellic acids and thiamethoxam. The waters used for irrigation were local-supply water, fish farming effluent (biosaline water) and these diluted to 50%. Physiological and biochemical analyses were performed for fourteen days. Biosaline water (5.0 dS m-1) did not affect the emergence of Goldex melon seedlings, but compromised the establishment of the Grand Prix cultivar. Seed pre-treatments with salicylic and gibberellic acids attenuate the effects of water salinity and promote growth modulations, resulting in more vigorous melon seedlings.

Resumo A produção de meloeiro no semiárido brasileiro está sujeita a utilização de águas marginais com salinidade elevada. Entretanto, a utilização de reguladores e bioativadores no tratamento de sementes podem mitigar os efeitos nocivos dos sais na água de irrigação. Nesse sentido, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de tratamentos pré-germinativos com fitorreguladores e bioativador em sementes de melão para a produção de mudas irrigadas com água biossalina de efluente de piscicultura. Para isso, dois ensaios com os híbridos Goldex e Grand Prix foram realizados separadamente. Utilizou-se delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 4 × 3 (tratamentos pré-germinativos × diluições de água). Além do controle, as sementes foram tratadas com os ácidos salicílico e giberélico, e tiametoxam. As águas utilizadas para irrigação foram a de abastecimento local, efluente de piscicultura (água biossalina) e estas diluídas a 50%. Durante quatorze dias foram realizadas as análises fisiológicas e bioquímicas. A água biossalina (5,0 dS m-1) não afetou a emergência de plântulas de meloeiro Goldex, mas prejudicou o estabelecimento da cultivar Grand Prix. Os pré-tratamentos de sementes com os ácidos salicílico e giberélico atenuam os efeitos da salinidade da água e promovem modulações no crescimento, proporcionando mudas de meloeiro mais vigorosas.

Pre-germination treatments of melon seeds for the production of seedlings irrigated with biosaline water / Tratamentos pré-germinativos de sementes de melão para a produção de mudas irrigadas com água biossalina

Abstract Melon production in the Brazilian semi-arid region is subject to the use of marginal waters with high salinity. However, the use of regulators and bioactivators in seed treatment can mitigate the harmful effects of salts in irrigation water. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the effect of pre-germination treatments with plant regulators and bioactivator in melon seeds for the production of seedlings irrigated with biosaline water from fish farming effluent. For this, two trials with the Goldex and Grand Prix hybrids were carried out separately. A completely randomized design was used in a 4 × 3 factorial scheme (pre-germination treatments × water dilutions). In addition to the control, the seeds were treated with salicylic and gibberellic acids and thiamethoxam. The waters used for irrigation were local-supply water, fish farming effluent (biosaline water) and these diluted to 50%. Physiological and biochemical analyses were performed for fourteen days. Biosaline water (5.0 dS m-1) did not affect the emergence of Goldex melon seedlings, but compromised the establishment of the Grand Prix cultivar. Seed pre-treatments with salicylic and gibberellic acids attenuate the effects of water salinity and promote growth modulations, resulting in more vigorous melon seedlings.

Resumo A produção de meloeiro no semiárido brasileiro está sujeita a utilização de águas marginais com salinidade elevada. Entretanto, a utilização de reguladores e bioativadores no tratamento de sementes podem mitigar os efeitos nocivos dos sais na água de irrigação. Nesse sentido, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de tratamentos pré-germinativos com fitorreguladores e bioativador em sementes de melão para a produção de mudas irrigadas com água biossalina de efluente de piscicultura. Para isso, dois ensaios com os híbridos Goldex e Grand Prix foram realizados separadamente. Utilizou-se delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 4 × 3 (tratamentos pré-germinativos × diluições de água). Além do controle, as sementes foram tratadas com os ácidos salicílico e giberélico, e tiametoxam. As águas utilizadas para irrigação foram a de abastecimento local, efluente de piscicultura (água biossalina) e estas diluídas a 50%. Durante quatorze dias foram realizadas as análises fisiológicas e bioquímicas. A água biossalina (5,0 dS m-1) não afetou a emergência de plântulas de meloeiro Goldex, mas prejudicou o estabelecimento da cultivar Grand Prix. Os pré-tratamentos de sementes com os ácidos salicílico e giberélico atenuam os efeitos da salinidade da água e promovem modulações no crescimento, proporcionando mudas de meloeiro mais vigorosas.

Pre-germination treatments of melon seeds for the production of seedlings irrigated with biosaline water.

Melon production in the Brazilian semi-arid region is subject to the use of marginal waters with high salinity. However, the use of regulators and bioactivators in seed treatment can mitigate the harmful effects of salts in irrigation water. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the effect of pre-germination treatments with plant regulators and bioactivator in melon seeds for the production of seedlings irrigated with biosaline water from fish farming effluent. For this, two trials with the Goldex and Grand Prix hybrids were carried out separately. A completely randomized design was used in a 4 × 3 factorial scheme (pre-germination treatments × water dilutions). In addition to the control, the seeds were treated with salicylic and gibberellic acids and thiamethoxam. The waters used for irrigation were local-supply water, fish farming effluent (biosaline water) and these diluted to 50%. Physiological and biochemical analyses were performed for fourteen days. Biosaline water (5.0 dS m-1) did not affect the emergence of Goldex melon seedlings, but compromised the establishment of the Grand Prix cultivar. Seed pre-treatments with salicylic and gibberellic acids attenuate the effects of water salinity and promote growth modulations, resulting in more vigorous melon seedlings.

Omega-3 effects on electrocorticographic patterns of adult Wistar rats exposed to ionizing radiation.

This study aimed to assess the effect of supplementation with omega-3 in Wistar rats exposed to ionizing radiation in a dose of 18 Gy on the cortical electrical activity, using mathematical methods such as the power spectrum (PS) and the detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) in the evaluation of the electrocorticogram (ECoG) record. The PS analysis showed that in non-irradiated animals but supplemented with omega-3 there was a decrease in the power of the beta rhythm, while the DFA applied to different frequency ranges of the ECoG showed a significant increase in the long-range correlation only for the theta wave when compared with non-supplemented animals. In the evaluation of the radiation effect through the PS, an increase in the power of the theta rhythm was observed in both groups (non-supplemented and supplemented animals) only when they were evaluated one week after irradiation. The DFA method also showed difference in this wave. The PS and DFA methods applied to the ECoG record allowed a quantitative analysis of the cortical electrical activity in rats in response to the omega-3 effects, ionizing radiation, or both.

Histological and Immunological Description of the Leishmanin Skin Test in Ibizan Hounds.

The leishmanin skin test (LST), a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction to Leishmania infantum, can specifically identify dogs that have made a cell-mediated immune response to L. infantum infection. The Ibizan hound appears to be more resistant to L. infantum infection than other breeds of dog. The aim of this study was to describe the histological and immunohistochemical changes induced by the LST in Ibizan hounds living in an area highly endemic for leishmaniosis. The majority of dogs were apparently healthy, lacked serum antibody to L. infantum and blood parasitaemia, but had marked specific interferon gamma production after in-vitro blood stimulation with L. infantum. Leishmanin (3 × 108 killed promastigotes of L. infantum/ml) was injected intradermally and biopsy samples were obtained from a positive reaction at 72 h from nine Ibizan hounds. A moderate to intense, perivascular to interstitial dermatitis and panniculitis characterized the inflammatory response at the injection site. In addition, three samples had diffuse inflammation in the deep dermis and panniculus. Oedema and necrosis were present in the deep dermis and panniculus. Congestion and haemorrhage were observed in five biopsies. T lymphocytes (CD3+) and large mononuclear cells (lysozyme-) were the most prevalent cells. CD3+ cells were significantly more numerous than CD20+ B cells and lysozyme+ cells. B cells were sparsely distributed, especially in the deep dermis and panniculus. Rare neutrophils and macrophages (lysozyme+) were observed with few eosinophils. Toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 protein was expressed in large mononuclear cells mainly located in the superficial dermis. Leishmania immunohistochemistry was negative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction was positive in all cases. The intradermal injection of killed L. infantum promastigotes in Ibizan hounds causes similar histological and immunohistochemical findings to those described for human subjects and are indicative of a DTH response. Moreover, TLR2 protein is expressed in inflammatory cells similar to findings in clinically affected skin biopsy samples.

First Report of Raoiella indica (Hirst) (Acari: Tenuipalpide) in Southern Brazil.

The red palm mite (RPM), Raoiella indica (Hirst) (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), was found for the first time in the Paraná State, in southern Brazil. The first observations occurred in September 2015, on strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) leaves, which is not considered a typical host plant of RPM. It is probable that its occurrence on this plant was serendipitous. Visual surveys for RPM were carried out on four typical host plants (banana, coconut, foxtail palm, and real palm), in five cities of the Paraná State (Bela Vista do Paraíso, Londrina, Maringá, Marialva, and Sarandi). RPM was found on each of the four typical host plants, in each of the five cities. Our survey extends RPM occurrence to the southern region of Brazil and indicates that the pest could be widespread in the country.

Blood-brain barrier disruption during spontaneous canine visceral leishmaniasis.

Visceral leishmaniasis is a complex disease caused by Leishmania infantum, and in dogs, besides the classical symptoms, there are descriptions of inflammatory alterations in the brain. Brain inflammation is a strictly controlled process, and as the brain counts on the efficiency of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), we aimed to assess BBB integrity in dogs with spontaneous visceral leishmaniasis. Therefore, we evaluated markers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in brain tissue related to BBB disruption and brain inflammation. Elevated albumin quota revealed BBB breakdown, corroborated by increased concentrations of anti-Leishmania antibodies in the CSF. In the brain, albumin and IgG staining formed halos around blood vessels, a classical indicator of BBB leakage. Soluble IgG was also detected in the choroid plexus and ependyma, and in these structures, IgG stained random resident cells. IgG(+) cells and Fcγ-RI(+) cells were identified in the choroid plexus, ependyma and perivascular in the brain parenchyma. The data support the occurrence of BBB disruption in dogs with spontaneous visceral leishmaniasis, and IgG as a key molecule that is capable of initiating and/or maintaining the inflammatory stimuli in the nervous milieu and the CSF as an important disseminator of inflammatory stimuli within the CNS.

Stick-slip water penetration into capillaries coated with swelling hydrogel.

We have observed intriguing stick-slip behavior during capillary pressure driven filling of borosilicate microtubes coated with hydrogel on their inner wall. Swelling of hydrogel upon exposure to a translating waterfront is accompanied by "stick-and-slip" motion. This results in the macroscopic filling velocity for water penetration into glass capillaries coated with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) being constant throughout the filling process, and reduced by three orders of magnitude when compared to filling of uncoated capillaries. A simple scaling analysis is used to introduce a possible explanation by considering the mechanisms responsible for pinning and unpinning of the contact line. The explanation assumes that the time scale for water diffusion into a hydrogel film and the resulting swelling/change of the local meniscus contact angle define the duration of each "stick" event. The "slip" length scale is in turn established by the elastocapillary deformation of dry hydrogel at the pinning point of the contact line. The sequential dynamics of these processes then determine the rate of water filling into a swelling capillary. Collectively, these experimental and theoretical results provide a new conceptual framework for liquid motion confined by soft, dynamically evolving polymer interfaces, in which the system creates an energy barrier to further motion through elasto-capillary deformation, and then lowers the barrier through diffusive softening. This insight has implications for optimal design of microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip devices based on stimuli-responsive smart polymers.

Compartmentalized gene expression of toll-like receptors 2, 4 and 9 in the brain and peripheral lymphoid organs during canine visceral leishmaniasis.

Visceral leishmaniasis is an important parasitic disease that affects humans and animals. The response against the protozoan involves the interaction of both innate and adaptive branches of the immune system, and an important immune sensor is represented by the toll-like receptor (TLR) family. Here, we investigated the pattern of TLR-2, TLR-4 and TLR-9 gene expression in different compartments (brain, choroid plexus, spleen and lymph node) of dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum. Gene expression of the TLRs varied according to the compartment evaluated. In the brain, there was only an upregulation of TLR-2, whereas in the choroid plexus, TLR-2 and TLR-9 were both upregulated. Further, the peripheral lymphoid organs (spleen and lymph nodes) showed increased TLR-2 and TLR-4 expression. This study provides the first insight about TLR expression in the central nervous system of infected dogs, and gives additional evidence of the compartmentalization of the immune response during visceral leishmaniasis.

Crescimento vascular em membrana do saco vitelínico e desenvolvimento embrionário de codornas japonesas (Coturnix japonica) expostas a campo magnético de baixa frequência / Vascular growth in yolk sac membrane and embryonic development of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) exposed to low frequency magnetic field

O objetivo deste trabalho foi observar a influência do campo magnético (CM) de baixa frequência na membrana do saco vitelínico (MSV) e no desenvolvimento do embrião de codornas japonesas (Coturnix japonica) em 72 horas de incubação. Ovos fertilizados foram expostos a nove horas consecutivas de CM, sendo um grupo a partir das 48 horas e o outro a partir das 63 horas de incubação. A quantificação da vascularização da MSV foi determinada pela obtenção da dimensão fractal por meio dos métodos de box-counting e de dimensão de informação, enquanto o peso corporal e o percentual de comprimento cefálico dos embriões foram utilizados como parâmetros de desenvolvimento embrionário. O CM não causou diferenças significativas na densidade vascular da MSV nem no desenvolvimento embrionário, quando comparados ao grupo controle...

The aim of this study was to observe the influence of the low frequency magnetic field (MF) on the yolk sac membrane (YSM) and embryonic development of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) in 72 hours of incubation. Fertilized eggs were exposed to 9 consecutive hours of MF, with a group from 48 hours and the second group from 63 hours of incubation. The evaluation of YSM vascularization was determined by the fractal dimensions obtained through box-counting method and information dimension, while body weight of the embryo and percentage of cephalic length were used as parameters for embryo development. The MF caused no significant differences in vessel density in the YSM, nor in the embryonic development considering the body weight and percentage cephalic length, when were compared to the control group...

Efeito dos ácidos graxos essenciais sobre lipidemia e vascularização da membrana vitelina de codornas japonesas / Effect of essential fatty acids on lipidemia and vitelline membrane vascularization in Japanese quails

Verificou-se o efeito de diferentes fontes de ácidos graxos essenciais ômega-3 e ômega-6 sobre o perfil lipídico de codornas japonesas e sobre o crescimento vascular na membrana vitelina dos embriões de aves suplementadas com óleo de peixe, 2% e 4%, e óleo de soja, 2% e 4%, em relação à dieta-controle, sem suplementação lipídica. Foi usado o método enzimático com reação colorimétrica para estimar o perfil lipídico sérico de colesterol total, triglicerídeos e HDL das aves. A vascularização na membrana vitelina foi quantificada por meio da dimensão fractal, utilizando-se o método de box-counting. A concentração de colesterol dos grupos controle e tratados não diferiu entre si. Para o HDL, o grupo que recebeu maior proporção de óleo de peixe, 4%, diferiu dos outros grupos. Os níveis de triglicerídeos das codornas suplementadas com óleo de peixe foram superiores aos dos demais grupos. A dimensão fractal da vascularização da membrana vitelina dos embriões de codornas dos grupos que receberam 4% de óleo de peixe e 4% de óleo de soja foi significativamente menor que a dos demais grupos, indicando efeitos antiangiogênicos no processo de formação vascular.

The effect of different sources of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids on serum lipid profile in Japanese quails and on vascular growth in the embryos vitelline membrane was verified. The birds were supplemented with fish oil, 2% and 4%, and soybean oil, 2% and 4%, and one control diet, without lipid supply. The enzymatic method with colorimetric reaction was used to estimate the profile of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL of the birds. Vitelline membrane vascularization was measured using the box-counting fractal dimension. The cholesterol concentration of the treated and control groups showed no difference. For HDL, the group treated with a higher proportion of fish oil, 4%, differed from other groups. The triglycerides levels of quails supplemented with fish oil were higher than the other groups. The fractal dimension of quail embryos vitelline membrane from the groups treated with 4% fish oil and 4% soybean oil was lower than the other groups, indicating antiangiogenic effects on the vascular formation process.

Metabolic and neuroendocrine responses to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. I: energy balance, metabolic changes, and fat loss.

CONTEXT: Obesity is a major health problem. Effective treatment requires understanding the homeostatic responses to caloric restriction. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patients longitudinally for 6 months after surgery to identify major factors modulating fat loss. METHODS: We studied 13 patients (11 females and two males) aged 41.2 ± 2 yr. Mean body mass index was 44.6 ± 1.2 kg/m(2), with 50 ± 1% body fat (58.3 kg). Selection excluded patients with confounding comorbidities or treatments. RESULTS: Caloric intake was reduced 742 ± 82 kcal/d by 1 month and 450 kcal/d between 2 and 4 months postoperatively. By 6 months, relative to baseline, body mass index decreased 24.8 ± 1.1%; percentage body fat, 37.3 ± 3.2% (21.7 kg); fat free mass (FFM), 9.7 ± 1.2%; and resting metabolic rate (RMR), 18.1 ± 4.3%. RMR correlated with FFM at all times (r = 0.71; P < 0.0001), but FFM explained no more than 50% of RMR variance. Exercise capacity (treadmill walking, 53 m/min with increasing grade) improved with time. Mean nonexercise physical activity level was low (1.2, or 20% of RMR), with considerable variance among individuals. Fat loss did not correlate with the aggregate energy deficit or its individual components. Resting or postexercise respiratory exchange ratio (RER) was lowest, whereas plasma ß-OH-butyrate and glycerol were highest, between 1 and 2 months after surgery. RER increased linearly with mild exercise, and fat loss correlated positively with physical activity level and RER. CONCLUSIONS: Although the ultimate cause for weight loss is the energy deficit, the variance in fat loss correlated with glucose oxidation, suggesting that glucose partition between oxidation (muscle) and storage (adipose tissue) is an important factor affecting fat loss in individuals submitted to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Type-2 iodothyronine 5'deiodinase in skeletal muscle of C57BL/6 mice. I. Identity, subcellular localization, and characterization.

RT-PCR shows that mouse skeletal muscle contains type-2 iodothyronine deiodinase (D2) mRNA. However, the D2 activity has been hard to measure. Except for newborn mice, muscle homogenates have no detectable activity. However, we have reported D2 activity in mouse muscle microsomes. As the mRNA, activity is higher in slow- than in fast-twitch muscle. We addressed here the major problems in measuring D2 activity in muscle by: homogenizing muscle in high salt to improve yield of membranous structures; separating postmitochondrial supernatant between 38 and 50% sucrose, to eliminate lighter membranes lacking D2; washing these with 0.1 M Na(2)CO(3) to eliminate additional contaminating proteins; pretreating all buffers with Chelex, to eliminate catalytic metals; and eliminating the EDTA from the assay, as this can bind iron that enhances dithiothreitol oxidation and promotes peroxidation reactions. Maximum velocity of T(3) generation by postgradient microsomes from red muscles was approximately 1100 fmol/(h · mg) protein with a Michaelis-Menten constant for T(4) of 1.5 nM. D2-specific activity of Na(2)CO(3)-washed microsomes was 6-10 times higher. The enrichment in D2 activity increased in parallel with the capacity of microsomes to load (sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase) and bind Ca(2+) (calsequestrin), indicating that D2 resides in the inner sarcoplasmic reticulum, close to the nuclei. The presence of D3 in the sarcolemma suggests that the most of D2-generated T(3) acts locally. Estimates from maximum velocity, Michaelis-Menten constant, and muscle T(4) content suggest that mouse red, type-1, aerobic mouse muscle fibers can generate physiologically relevant amounts of T(3) and, further, that muscle D2 plays an important role in thyroid hormone-dependent muscle thermogenesis.

Type-2 iodothyronine 5'deiodinase (D2) in skeletal muscle of C57Bl/6 mice. II. Evidence for a role of D2 in the hypermetabolism of thyroid hormone receptor alpha-deficient mice.

Mice with ablation of the Thra gene have cold intolerance due to an as yet undefined defect in the activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) uncoupling protein (UCP). They develop an alternate form of facultative thermogenesis, activated at temperatures below thermoneutrality and associated with hypermetabolism and reduced sensitivity to diet-induced obesity. A consistent finding in Thra-0/0 mice is increased type-2 iodothyronine deiodinase (D2) mRNA in skeletal muscle and other tissues. With an improved assay to measure D2 activity, we show here that this enzyme activity is increased in proportion to the mRNA and as a function of the ambient cold. The activation is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system in Thra-0/0, as it is in wild-type genotype mice, but the sympathetic nervous system effect is greater in Thra-0/0 mice. Using D2-ablated mice (Dio2-/-), we reported elsewhere and show here that, in spite of sharing a severe deficiency in BAT thermogenesis with Thra-0/0 and UCP1-knockout mice, they do not have an increase in oxygen consumption, and they gain more weight than wild-type controls when fed a high-fat diet. UCP3 mRNA is highly responsive to thyroid hormone, and it is increased in Thra-0/0 mice, particularly when fed high-fat diets. We show here that muscle UCP3 mRNA in hypothyroid Thra-0/0 mice is responsive to small dose-short regimens of T(4), indicating a role for locally, D2-generated T(3). Lastly, we show that bile acids stimulate not only BAT but also muscle D2 activity, and this is associated with stimulation of muscle UCP3 mRNA expression provided T(4) is present. These observations strongly support the concept that enhanced D2 activity in Thra-0/0 plays a critical role in their alternate form of facultative thermogenesis, stimulating increased fat oxidation by increasing local T(3) generation in skeletal muscle.

Insecticide resistance in populations of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), from the state of Pernambuco, Brazil.

The diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (L.) has a great economic importance in Brassicaceae crops in many parts of the world. Recurrent infestations of this pest in growing areas of Pernambuco state, Brazil, have led farmers to frequently spray their crops with insecticides. However, control failures by several insecticides have been alleged by farmers. The objective of this study was to check whether resistance to insecticides could explain these control failures in P. xylostella. Populations of P. xylostella from Pernambuco were collected between January and April 2009. The resistance ratios of P. xylostella populations were compared among five different active ingredients: abamectin, methomyl, lufenuron, indoxacarb, and diafenthiuron by leaf dipping bioassays using foliar discs of kale leaves. Mortality data were submitted to probit analysis. The P. xylostella populations showed variable response and significant resistance to one or more insecticides. The population from Bezerros County exhibited the highest resistance ratios to indoxacarb (25.3 times), abamectin (61.7 times), and lufenuron (705.2 times), when compared to the reference population. The populations from Bonito and Jupi Counties were 33.0 and 12.0 times more resistant to lufenuron and abamectin, respectively, when compared with the reference population. Resistance to methomyl was the least common, but not less important, in at least four populations. These results indicated that control failures were associated with resistance by some of the evaluated insecticides, reinforcing the need for resistance management in areas of the state of Pernambuco.

Tempo de tratamento para atingir níveis de normalidade na anemia ferropriva / Time for the recovery of the normal levels in the iron deficiency anemia

Para avaliar a efetividade e tempo para recuperação dos níveis normais de hemoglobina (Hb), hematócrito (Ht), índices hematimétricos (HCM e VCMN) foi realizado estudo retrospectivo de 576 hemogramas de 85 crianças de 1 a 6 anos, em tratamento para anemia ferropriva no Serviço de Hematologia/Oncologia d HUSM e entrevistas familiares. Os hemogramas foram realizados em aparelho STKS Coulter e os dados analisados no Programa Eplinfo. Das crianças, 21 apresentavam anemia discreta (AD), 40 anmia moderada (AM) e 24 anemia acentuada (AA). A eficácia foi avaliada considerando o incremento de Hb (IHb). Tiveram eficácia ruim 44,2% das crianças com IHb de0-1g/dL, eficácia bo 30,8% com IHb de 1-2g/dL, e muito boa 25% com IHb superior a 2g/dL de Hb. Houve relação significativa entre a Hb inicial e eficácia. No grupo AD o tempo de tratamento para atingir os níveis normais de Ht, Hb, VCM e HCM foram respectivamente 2,2 meses (+- 0,29); 2,8 meses (+- 0,46); 7,8 meses (+- 2,32); 7,5 meses (+- 19). No grupo AM: 6 meses (+- 1,1); 8,4 meses (+- 1,37); 12,5 meses (+- 198; 12,7 meses (2,14). No grupo AA:8,8 meses (+- 1,93); 10 meses (+- 1,8); 19,4 meses (+- 2,55); 19 meses (+- 2,8). Os tempos para atingir a normalidade variaram de acordo com o parâmetro utilizado e a severidade da anemia (p<0,005).

Leaching behaviour of a galvanic sludge in sulphuric acid and ammoniacal media.

Leaching studies of a sludge produced by the physico-chemical treatment of wastewaters generated by a Ni/Cr plating plant were carried out in both sulphuric acid and ammoniacal media aiming to decide which of them would be the best treatment for this kind of waste material. The dissolution behaviour of some metals (Cu, Ni, Cr and Zn) was studied in order to assure the best metal recovery conditions in subsequent processes by the use of some separation methods such as solvent extraction and precipitation techniques. Therefore, the study here presented deals with the first chemical stage of an integrated treatment process. For the sulphuric acid leaching, maximal conversions obtained were 88.6% Cu, 98.0% Ni and 99.2% Zn for the following experimental conditions: a 100 g L(-1) acid concentration, a 5:1 liquid-to-solid ratio (L/S), a particle size less than 1 mm, a digestion time of 1h, a stirring speed of 700 rpm (all at room temperature and under atmospheric pressure). As expected, no selectivity was achieved for the sulphuric acid leaching, despite this option yielding much higher metal ion dissolution when compared with that reached by ammoniacal leaching. The use of this latter medium allowed the extraction of Cu and Ni without Cr species, but rates of conversion were only about 70% for Cu and 50% for Ni, much lower than those obtained for sulphuric acid leaching.

Solvent extraction applied to the recovery of heavy metals from galvanic sludge.

In this study, a hydrometallurgical treatment involving the solvent extraction and recovery of some heavy metals from a sulphuric acid leach solution of galvanic sludge, using di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and bis-(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)-phosphinic acid (Cyanex 272), both diluted in kerosene, has been investigated. The preliminary tests revealed the necessity to remove other metal species than zinc and nickel, contained in the leach solution, and therefore, processes to cement copper and precipitate chromium were then applied to finally obtain a Zn and Ni pregnant solution prior to solvent extraction. For the experimental conditions studied, Cyanex 272 showed a good recovery of Zn after the stripping stage using H2SO4, but D2EHPA effectively promoted a higher Zn extraction than Cyanex 272 did. The dependence of the solvent extraction method on variables such as pH, contact time and concentration of extractant, as well as the effect of different concentrations of sulphuric acid on stripping, are discussed. The discussion also includes the previous conditions developed to separate the main interfering metallic species from the leach solution in order to improve the extraction and recovery of zinc by solvent extraction. The final objective has been to achieve a solution as pure as possible to recover nickel sulphate.