Pollution control and biodiesel production with microalgae: new perspectives on the use of flat panel photobioreactors regarding variation in volume application rate.

In the present study, the microalga Arthrospira platensis DHR 20 was cultivated in vertical flat-plate photobioreactors (FPBRs) to bioremediate anaerobically digested cattle wastewater (ACWW) and used as a growth substrate. The final objective was to evaluate the properties of the oil extracted from this biomass to determine its potential for biodiesel production. The process was divided into five phases, varying the volume of the applied substrate: 1 L (Phase I), 5 L (Phase II), 10 L (Phase III), 15 L (Phase IV), and 20 L (Phase V).

Water requirement and growth indicators of forest tree species seedlings produced with automated irrigation management.

The lack of information regarding the water requirement of tree species results in water waste in the seedlings production in nurseries. Water requirement, the growth plant factors and water efficiencies for height and diameter were determined for Schizolobium parahyba (Vell.) Blake, Cytharexylum myrianthum Cham.

Molecular CYP21A2 diagnosis in 480 Brazilian patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia before newborn screening introduction.

Background: Most congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) patients carry CYP21A2 mutations derived from conversion events involving the pseudogene, and the remaining carry new mutations.

Objective: To review causal mutations and genotype-phenotype correlation in 480 Brazilian patients.

Methods: DNA was extracted from 158 salt-wasters (SWs), 116 simple virilizing (SV), and 206 nonclassical (NC) patients.

[Therapeutical approach of obesity in Prader-Willi Syndrome].

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a multisystemic genetic disease characterized by hypotonia, mental retardation, characteristic facial appearance, hyperphagia, and compulsive eating due to hypothalamic dysfunction. PWS is caused by loss of function of genes located in chromosome 15q11-q13, an area subject to genomic imprinting. Obesity is a major cause of increased morbidity and mortality among patients with PWS.

Urinary symptoms in Parkinson's disease: prevalence and associated factors.

The authors present a cross-sectional study involving 61 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) who were consecutively examined and compared to a control group with 74 subjects. Only patients who fulfilled the standard diagnostic criteria for PD and whose brain magnetic resonance imaging was normal were included. The objective of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of inferior urinary tract symptoms in PD and to study the possible association between clinical factors to urinary dysfunction.