Determination of Urinary Biomarkers for Assessment of  Short-Term Human Exposure to Aflatoxins in São Paulo, Brazil

DETERMINAÇÃO DO ÍNDICE DE COMBUSTÃO E DA TAXA DE QUEIMA DE BRIQUETES DE RESÍDUOS LIGNOCELULÓSICOS POR MEIO DE UM APLICATIVO DE COMPUTADOR COM COLETA DE DADOS AUTOMATIZADA EMANUEL RANGEL SPADIM1, HUMBERTO DE JESUS EUFRADE-JUNIOR1, NATALIA LAÍS FELISARDO VIEIRA ARRUDA2, SAULO PHILIPE SEBASTIÃO GUERRA1, ELAINE CRISTINA LEONELLO1 1 Departamento de Engenharia Rural e Socioeconomia, Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista –Unesp, Av. Universitária, 3780, Altos do Paraíso, Cep: 18610‑034, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 2 Faculdade de Tecnologia de Botucatu – Fatec Av. José Ítalo Bacchi, s/n - Jardim Aeroporto, Cep:18606‑851, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] RESUMO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o comportamento da queima e aprimorar a determinação do índice de combustão de briquetes de biomassa – ICOM, proposto por Quirino e Brito (1991), por meio de um aplicativo de computador com a coleta automatizada dos dados. Foram usados briquetes de toco de eucalipto, casca de algodão, madeira de pinus e bagaço de cana-de-açúcar, que foram especialmente confeccionados para a determinação do novo índice de combustão denominado ICOMa. O ICOMa foi estatisticamente mais sensível que o ICOM na observação da relação entre consumo de massa e geração de calor de materiais com diferentes curvas de temperatura, diferentemente do ICOM. O maior ICOMa foi de 0,97 K h g-1 e o menor de 0,75 K h g-1, enquanto os ICOM (adimensionais) foram de 0,55 e 0,43, respectivamente. A correlação de Pearson entre ICOMa e o tempo para atingir a temperatura máxima foi a maior entre as variáveis avaliadas. Palavras-chave: Aquisição de dados. Biomassa. Poder calorífico. Taxa de queima. DETERMINATION OF THE COMBUSTION INDEX AND BURNING RATE OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC WASTE BRIQUETTES THROUGH A COMPUTER APPLICATION WITH AUTOMATED DATA COLLECTION ABSTRACT: This work evaluated the behavior of the briquettes during burning and to improve the determination of the combustion index of biomass briquettes - ICOM, proposed by Quirino and Brito (1991), through a computer application with automated collection of data. The briquettes used in the tests were cotton bark, eucalyptus stump, sugarcane bagasse and pine wood and were produced specifically for the determination of the new combustion index called ICOMa. ICOMa was more sensitive than ICOM in observing the relationship between mass consumption and heat generation, and allowed to observe statistically significant differences between materials with different temperature curves, different from ICOM. The highest ICOMa was 0.97 K h g-1 and the lowest 0.75 K h g-1, while the ICOM (dimensionless) were 0.55 and 0.43, respectively. The highest Pearson correlation observed for ICOMa occurred with time to reach the maximum temperature. Keywords: data acquisition, biomass, higher heating value, burning rate.

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It's a matter of time: assessing the impact of aggressive police stops on (dis)trust in legal authority

10.31235/osf.io/v58je ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Thiago Rodrigues Oliveira

Keyword(s):

Causal Effect ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

Term Effect ◽

Robust Estimator ◽

Legal Authority ◽

São Paulo ◽

Short Term ◽

The Impact ◽

Over Time

Does the experience of being stopped by the police (including being stopped by the police at gunpoint) have a negative effect on trust in legal authority over time? Previous research suggests a link between negatively-experienced police stops and distrust of legal institutions. Yet, we lack clear evidence on the existence and dynamics of any putative causal effect. To address this gap, I draw on a three-wave longitudinal survey of adults who reside in São Paulo, Brazil, and examine the impact of police stops and police stops at gunpoint on three aspects of trust in legal authority (attitudinal change in perceptions of police fairness, perceptions of overpolicing, and cynicism about police protection). In the context of a multi-period difference-in-differences design, I rely on (i) a matching framework for panel data that assumes a dynamic treatment adoption to estimate short-term effects of a recent police stop (at gunpoint), and (ii) a doubly robust estimator that assumes a staggered treatment adoption to assess the long-term effects of a first experience of being stopped and questioned by police officers (at gunpoint). I conclude, overall, that it seems unlikely that general police stops damage trust in legal authority in São Paulo over time. However, a recent aggressive police stop with officers pointing a gun at the citizen does seem to have a negative short-term effect on perceived police fairness, while the first experience of a police stop at gunpoint among people with no previous contact seems to have a positive long-term effect on perceived overpolicing. This study contributes to a growing international literature that describes the social costs of aggressive policing strategies.

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Neutron Activation Analysis characterization procedures for fish consumed at São Paulo City

Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences ◽

10.15392/bjrs.v7i2a.710 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (2A) ◽

Author(s):

Bruno Tappiz ◽

Edson Gonçalves Moreira

Keyword(s):

Latin America ◽

Neutron Activation Analysis ◽

Activation Analysis ◽

Neutron Activation ◽

Comparative Method ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

São Paulo ◽

Energy Agency ◽

Fish Samples

The characterization of edible tissues of fishes consumed by humans is very important for determination of several toxic and potentially toxic elements, ensuring the food safety. The Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) comparative method allows the determination of several of these elements, as well as others, for example of nutritional character. This study is part of an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) technical cooperation project of Latin America and Caribbean countries to ensure the quality of food and biomonitoring of contaminants in shellfish and fishes. Ten specimens of 4 of the most consumed fish in São Paulo city: whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias Furnieri), smooth weakfish (Cynoscion learchus), common snook (Centropomus undecimalis) and Brazilian sardine (Sardinella brasiliensis) were analyzed. Complete procedures for analysis, which includes purchase in the largest warehouse in Latin America, transport to the laboratory, storage, freeze-drying, milling, weighting and others preparations of the subsamples, and the short irradiation parameters for the determination of Br, Cl, K, Mg, Mn and Na are reported. Results obtained under the same irradiation conditions for reference materials (oyster and mussel tissues) for macro and microelements are presented and are in agreement with their certificates, which indicate that the performed analyses were appropriate. Regarding to the mass fraction values obtained for the fish samples, they were in agreement with the literature.

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Foraging behavior of Brazilian cormorant, Nannopterum brasilianus (Suliformes: Phalacrocoracidae)

Zoologia (Curitiba) ◽

10.3897/zoologia.35.e14664 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 1-4 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Carla Gheler-Costa ◽

Fabio Henrique Comin ◽

Letícia C. Gilli ◽

Luciano M. Verdade

Keyword(s):

Foraging Behavior ◽

Optimal Foraging ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

Southeastern Brazil ◽

Foraging Efficiency ◽

São Paulo ◽

Foraging Success ◽

Short Term ◽

Ad Libitum ◽

The University

Although the concept of optimal foraging has been extensively discussed, foraging efficiency is difficult to assess in vertebrates. In this study, we determined the foraging efficiency of the Brazilian cormorant,NannopterumbrasilianusGmelin, 1789, by the direct,ad libitumobservation of a group of four to thirteen individuals in an artificial pond at the University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Although this study was carried out in a highly anthropic environment, we can still conclude that the Brazilian cormorant is a relatively efficient browser and short-term diver. In anthropic environments, foraging success depends on the amount of time these birds spend diving, and stealing food is less common. Stealing occurs at relatively low rates but tends to be an efficient way to get food.

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