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Several studies have reported the adverse effects of recalcitrant compounds and emerging contaminants present in industrial effluents, which are not degradable by ordinary biological treatment. Many of these compounds are likely to accumulate in living organisms through the lipid layer. At concentrations above the limits of biological tolerance, these compounds can be harmful to the ecosystem and may even reach humans through food chain biomagnification. In this regard, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) represent an effective alternative for the removal of the pollutants. This study focused on the AOP involving the use of ultraviolet radiation in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems. Based on the literature review, comparisons between natural and artificial light were established, approaching photoreactors constructive and operational characteristics. We concluded that the high availability of solar power in Brazil would make the implementation of the AOP using natural solar radiation for the decontamination of effluents feasible, thereby contributing to clean production and biodiversity conservation. This will serve as an important tool for the enforcement of environmental responsibility among public and private institutions.

Aim The objective of this study was to investigate whether dental hypersensitivity and dental fear were linked to the presence and severity of MIH. Methods For this cross-sectional study, 1830 students between the ages of 6 and 12 years were recruited from four randomly selected schools. The Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale questionnaire was used to assess dental anxiety and fear. The children's self-reported dental hypersensitivity resulting from MIH was evaluated using the Wong-Baker Facial Scale and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Results MIH was correlated with tooth hypersensitivity, particularly in severe cases. Dental fear was present in 17.4% of the children with MIH, but it was not associated with dental hypersensitivity, gender, or age. Conclusion No association was found between dental fear and dental hypersensitivity in children with MIH.

Purpose To analyze the functions of the stomatognathic system in children with or without molar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH). Methods For this cross-sectional study, 72 children aged 6–12 years were recruited and divided in two groups: with MIH (G1) and without MIH (G2). T-SCAN was used to verify the distribution of occlusal contacts, gnathodynamometer to measure maximum molar bite force, and Iowa Oral Pressure Instrument (IOPI) to assess the strength of facial expression muscles. The t test and paired t test ( p  ≤ 0.05) were used for statistical comparisons. Results The molars affected by MIH exhibited lower distribution of occlusal forces ( p  < 0.001) and lower maximum molar bite force ( p  < 0.05) compared to the molars in the control group. However, there was no difference between the MIH-affected sides compared to the unaffected side, nor between the molars affected by MIH and their antagonists ( p  > 0.05). There were no differences in the forces of the facial expression muscles between the groups. Conclusions These findings suggest that MIH significantly impacts occlusal force distribution and bite force, but not facial expression musculature.

The objective of the current research was to evaluate the fermentative characteristics of silage made with the upper third section of cassava (Manihot esculenta) plants with added condensed tannin levels of 0, 25, 50 and 75 g/kg dry matter (DM). The experimental design was a complete randomized design, with treatments arranged in a 4 × 7 factorial (tannin addition levels × days of ensiling). The loss of gas and the presence of moulds observed in the opening days had increased linearly. Fermentative characteristics were decreased by the addition of tannin. Acetic acid content showed a linear increase. Tannin levels had a quadratic effect on gas production at 28 days of ensiling. After 56 days, however, tannin levels had no significant effect on silage gas production. After 28 days of ensiling, the degradability of potentially degradable fraction ‘b’ demonstrated quadratic effect. The same occurred with the fractions ‘a’, ‘b’ which were undegradable after 56 days of ensiling. The addition of condensed tannin lengthened the fermentative stage and caused the silage to stabilize after 56 days of ensiling.

Corn often constitutes the main portion of high-concentrate diets fed to feedlot lambs. However, soybean hulls (SH) may be used to replace corn, and may reduce feed costs and the risk of acidosis. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of SH inclusion rate in high-concentrate diets on DMI, apparent digestibility of nutrients, N balance, and some rumen constituents. Sixteen ruminally fistulated Santa Inês ram lambs (44.3 ± 5 kg of BW and 6 mo old) were housed in suspended metabolism crates. A randomized complete block design experiment with 4 diets and 4 blocks was used. Blocks were defined by BW, and diets were allotted randomly within block. The control diet contained 70% corn and 0% SH. In the remaining diets, SH replaced corn at the rate of 15, 30, or 45% of the original corn concentration, which resulted in 0, 10.5, 21.0, and 31.4% of SH in the dietary DM. The DMI (kg/d) increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing dietary SH inclusion. A trend was observed for linear decreases (P = 0.10) in apparent DM, OM, and nonfiber carbohydrate digestibility, and a trend was observed for an increase (P = 0.08) in NDF digestibility with increasing dietary SH addition. Apparent digestibilities of CP and ether extract and ADF digestibility were not affected by SH inclusion rate. Total ruminal concentration of short-chain fatty acids was affected quadratically (P = 0.03) by diet; acetate concentration increased linearly (P < 0.01), whereas quadratic effects were observed on propionate concentration (P = 0.03) and acetate-to-propionate ratio (P < 0.01) with increasing dietary SH. Ruminal pH increased linearly (P < 0.01) as corn was replaced by SH. Nitrogen retention was not affected by the addition of SH, in spite of a linear increase in urinary N (P < 0.01). The replacement of corn grain with up to 45% SH (31.4% of SH in the dietary DM) resulted in a trend to decrease apparent digestibility of DM and to increase NDF digestibility, presenting a fermentation pattern that would reduce the risk of acidosis.

A conventional hydrocyclones is a versatile equipment with a high processing capacity and low maintenance cost. Currently, several studies aim to alter the typical structure of the conventional hydrocyclone in order to modify its performance and purpose. For this, filtering hydrocyclones have emerged, where a porous membrane replaces the conic or cylindrical wall. During the operation of this equipment, in addition to the traditionally observed streams (feed, underflow, and overflow), there is a liquid stream resulting from the filtration process, commonly referred to as filtrate. This work proposes to numerically investigate the solid particle/liquid water separation process in a filtering hydrocyclone using the commercial software Ansys CFX® 15.0. The proposed mathematical model for the study considers three-dimensional, steady state and turbulent flow, using the Eulerian–Eulerian approach and the Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence model. This study presents and analyzes the volume fraction, velocity, and pressure fields, along with flowlines and velocity profiles. The results indicate that the proposed model effectively captures the fluid dynamic behavior within the filtering hydrocyclone, highlighting higher pressures near the porous membrane and a higher concentration of solid particles in the conical region, with water being more concentrated in the cylindrical part of the hydrocyclone. Additionally, the findings show that the volumetric flow rate of the filtrate significantly influences the internal flow dynamics, with conventional hydrocyclones demonstrating higher pressure gradients compared to the proposed filtering hydrocyclone.

The objective was to evaluate the fermentation profile, in vitro gas production and nutritional quality of pornunça (Manihot spp.) silages containing levels of condensed tannin (CT; 0, 4, 8 and 12% on dry matter (DM) basis), at five opening times (0, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 56 days). A completely randomized design in a 4 × 5 factorial arrangement was adopted, with four replications, totalling 80 experimental silos. The pH and NH3-N analyses were performed at all opening times of the silos. The other analyses were performed only with silages opened at 56 days of storage. There was an interaction effect between CT levels and silo opening times for pH and NH3-N. Tannin levels in pornunça silages after 56 days ensiling increased the pH and DM and reduced crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). There was a quadratic effect for NH3-N, acetic acid, butyric acid, gas losses, dry matter recovery (DMR), hemicellulose and acid detergent fibre. Inclusion of 4 and 8% CT in pornunça silage promotes a rapid decline in pH, being within the acceptable limit for adequate fermentation at 3 days of ensiling. Silages with 4% CT establish the pH at 28 days of opening the silos, with reduced NH3-N. Silages with 4% CT present higher concentrations of acetic and butyric acids and greater DMR. Inclusion of CT in pornunça silage after 56 days ensiling increases DM and reduces CP and NDF, directly affecting the in vitro degradability and reducing gas production.

Abstract We tested the hypothesis of a negative relationship between vegetation characteristics and ant species richness in a Brazilian open vegetation habitat, called candeial. We set up arboreal pitfalls to sample arboreal ants and measured the following environmental variables, which were used as surrogate of environmental heterogeneity: tree richness, tree density, tree height, circumference at the base of the plants, and canopy cover. Only canopy cover had a negative effect on the arboreal ant species richness. Vegetation characteristics and plant species composition are probably homogeneous in candeial, which explains the lack of relationship between other environmental variables and ant richness. Open vegetation habitats harbor a large number of opportunistic and generalist species, besides specialist ants from habitats with high temperatures. An increase in canopy cover decreases sunlight incidence and may cause local microclimatic differences, which negatively affect the species richness of specialist ants from open areas. Canopy cover regulates the richness of arboreal ants in open areas, since only few ant species are able to colonize sites with dense vegetation; most species are present in sites with high temperature and luminosity. Within open vegetation habitats the relationship between vegetation characteristics and species richness seems to be the opposite from closed vegetation areas, like forests. Resumo Nós testamos a hipótese de que há uma relação negativa entre as características da vegetação e a riqueza de espécies de formigas em habitats abertos como o candeial. Para isto, nós instalamos pitfalls arborícolas para a captura de formigas e mensuramos as seguintes variáveis ambientais: riqueza de árvores, densidade de árvores, altura de árvores, circunferência basal das plantas e cobertura de dossel. Somente a cobertura de dossel apresentou efeito negativo na riqueza de formigas arborícolas. Provavelmente, as características da vegetação e a composição de espécies de plantas são mais homogêneas no candeial, o que explica a ausência de relação entre a riqueza de formigas e as outras variáveis ambientais. Formações abertas abrigam um grande número de espécies oportunistas e generalistas, além de formigas especialistas de climas quentes. O aumento na cobertura de dossel diminui a incidência solar o que pode causar diferenças microclimáticas que afetam negativamente as espécies de formigas especialistas de hábitats abertos. A cobertura de dossel regula a riqueza de espécies de formigas arborícolas em áreas abertas e poucas espécies nestes locais estão aptas a colonizar locais com a vegetação densa. Assim, a maioria das espécies estão presentes em locais com alta temperatura e luminosidade. Em outras palavras, em hábitats de vegetação aberta a relação entre características da vegetação e a riqueza de espécies pode ser oposta em comparação ao que é encontrado em áreas que apresentam a vegetação mais fechada, como florestas.

The present study aimed to determine the ideal ratios of digestible essential amino acids (EAAs) for pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) juveniles by the amino acid (AA) deletion method. A completely randomized design which consisted of 11 treatments and three replicates each was used. The treatments included a control diet (CD) containing 55% of nonpurified natural ingredients and 45% of purified synthetic amino acids and ingredients, and other ten isonitrogenous and isoenergetic EAA limiting diets (LDs), each being deficient in 44.4 ± 0.02% of the respective EAA. Pacu juveniles with initial average body weight of 6.22 ± 0.09 g were distributed among 33 fiber glass tanks. Fish were fed with semipurified and extruded diets for 113 days two times a day until apparent satiation. The ideal ratio of each dietary EAA was calculated on the basis of the relationship between body N retention and amount of EAA deleted from the respective EAA LD. Based on the AA deletion method, the ideal ratios of digestible EAAs for pacu juveniles, relative to lysine requirement of 100% were estimated as: methionine 14.6%, threonine 35.0%, tryptophan 6.6%, arginine 62.8%, histidine 13.6%, isoleucine 26.3%, leucine 43.7%, phenylalanine 27.2%, and valine 35.8%.

Background Frontonasal dysplasia is a complex rare malformation, characterised by abnormalities involving the central portion of the face, especially the eyes, nose and forehead. It can manifest independently or associated with other abnormalities as part of some syndromes. Case report The purpose of this case report was to describe a 5-year-old patient, diagnosed with frontonasal dysplasia. Among the abnormalities characterised with this disorder were ocular hypertelorism, broad nose tip with median notch, median facial cleft, bifid anterior skull, low set hairline, Poland’s syndactyly and ankyloglossia. Treatment Consisted of behavioural management, oral hygiene instruction, prophylaxis, topical fluoride application, extraction of primary teeth, composite resin restorations and sealants in pits and fissures. Preformed metal crowns were also applied to the right and left primary maxillary second molars. Follow-up Currently, the patient is 11 years-old in the permanent dentition and therefore was referred for corrective orthodontic and periodontal treatments due to the persistence of gingival retraction of the permanent mandibular right central incisor. Conclusion The treatment in this case was directed to the promotion of oral health and orthodontic corrections, which are of fundamental importance due to medical, physical and social limitations of children affected by this syndrome, hindering healing and rehabilitative treatment. Paediatric dentists should be included in multidisciplinary teams providing care to patients with special needs, improving their quality of life.