Organic/biodynamic agriculture has been reported worldwide as a suitable system to conserve or even regenerate natural resources. Due to the lack of long-term studies regarding the profitability of tropical organic vs conventional farming, the economic performance of biodynamic vs conventional soybean was studied using data from a consecutive 7-yr case study in a farm with 48.4 ha of biodynamic soybeans in Paraná State, Brazil. Analyses of production costs and financial indicators were adjusted at updated values according to inflation in the period. Effective operational costs were 4.4% higher in biodynamic than in conventional farming. The biodynamic yields were lower (3.6%) than those of conventional. Prices were 57% higher in biodynamic than in conventional, making biodynamic farming more profitable than conventional farming, as shown by financial indicators (gross revenue, gross margin, net margin, net income and capital income were 50.7, 99.9, 122.9, 150.4 and 166.9%, respectively, higher in biodynamic than in conventional). The price equilibrium point (PEP) was 3.4% higher for biodynamic farming; the leveling point was 36.9% higher for conventional farming. Manual weeding and plowing increased organic costs. Higher biodynamic trading prices than those of conventional triggered a PEP suitable for covering higher costs and thus boosting profitability. Further investigations and policies are suggested to further improve biodynamic farming efficiency and sustainability.

The fraction of organic matter present affects the fragmentation behavior of sialoliths; thus, pretherapeutic information on the degree of mineralization is relevant for a correct selection of lithotripsy procedures. This work proposes a methodology for in vivo characterization of salivary calculi in the pretherapeutic context. Sialoliths were characterized in detail by X-ray computed microtomography (μCT) in combination with atomic emission spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Correlative analysis of the same specimens was performed by in vivo and ex vivo helical computed tomography (HCT) and ex vivo μCT. The mineral matter in the sialoliths consisted essentially of apatite (89 vol%) and whitlockite (11 vol%) with average density of 1.8 g/cm3. In hydrated conditions, the mineral mass prevailed with 53 ± 13 wt%, whereas the organic matter, with a density of 1.2 g/cm3, occupied 65 ± 10% of the sialoliths’ volume. A quantitative relation between sialoliths mineral density and X-ray attenuation is proposed for both HCT and μCT.

Coinfection with human visceral leishmaniasis (HVL) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has become an emerging public health problem in several parts of the world, with high morbidity and mortality rates. A systematic review was carried out in the literature available in PubMed, Scielo and Lilacs related to HVL associated with HIV coinfection, seeking to analyze epidemiological, clinical and laboratory aspects. Of the 265 articles found, 15 articles were included in the qualitative analysis, which referred to the results of HVL treatment in patients coinfected with HIV. In the published articles between 2007 and 2015, 1171 cases of HVL/HIV coinfection were identified, 86% males, average age 34 years, liposomal amphotericin B was the most commonly used drug, cure rates 68 and 20% relapses and 19% deaths, five different countries, bone marrow was used in 10/15 manuscripts. HVL/HIV coinfection is a major challenge for public health, mainly due to the difficulty in establishing an accurate diagnosis, low response to treatment with high relapse rates and evolution to death. In addition, these two pathogens act concomitantly for the depletion of the immune system, contributing to worsening the clinical picture of these diseases, which requires effective surveillance and epidemiological control measures.

Litterfall is one of the most important pathways through which nutrients are recycled in the terrestrial biosphere. In tropical soils, which are generally low in essential nutrients such as phosphorus and cations, the flux of nutrients through litterfall is particularly important to sustaining CO2-uptake capacity; however, questions remain over the role of altitude in altering litter nutrient cycling rates among tropical forest ecosystems. Here we examine litterfall, carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fluxes through litterfall over an altitudinal gradient in the coastal Atlantic Forest located on the northern coast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Litterfall was collected twice a month for 1 y (April 2007–March 2008) using 30 litter traps placed in four different forest types arrayed by altitude – coastal forest (sea level), lowland forest (50–200 m asl), submontane forest (300–500 m asl) and montane forest (1000 m asl). Litterfall mass-fluxes decreased with increasing altitude, from ~9 Mg ha−1 in lowland forests to 7 Mg ha−1 in higher-altitude ecosystems. Contribution of reproductive organs to litterfall was significantly greater in lower than in higher altitudes. Litterfall N and P fluxes were higher in the lowland forest vs. other forest types, pointing to strong altitudinal controls over nutrient cycling. Furthermore, nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) was lower and litter δ15N was higher in the lowland site providing additional evidence for lack of N constraints to productivity in lowland of the south-eastern Atlantic Forest.

Lithotripsy methods show relatively low efficiency in the fragmentation of sialoliths compared with the success rates achieved in the destruction of renal calculi. However, the information available on the mechanical behavior of sialoliths is limited and their apparently tougher response is not fully understood. This work evaluates the hardness and Young’s modulus of sialoliths at different scales and analyzes specific damage patterns induced in these calcified structures by ultrasonic vibrations, pneumoballistic impacts, shock waves, and laser ablation. A clear correlation between local mechanical properties and ultrastructure/chemistry has been established: sialoliths are composite materials consisting of hard and soft components of mineralized and organic nature, respectively. Ultrasonic and pneumoballistic reverberations damage preferentially highly mineralized regions, leaving relatively unaffected the surrounding organic matter. In contrast, shock waves leach the organic component and lead to erosion of the overall structure. Laser ablation destroys homogeneously the irradiated zones regardless of the mineralized/organic nature of the underlying ultrastructure; however, damage is less extensive than with mechanical methods. Overall, the present results show that composition and internal structure are key features behind sialoliths’ comminution behavior and that the organic matter contributes to reduce the therapeutic efficiency of lithotripsy methods.

We demonstrate a compact tunable photonic modulator driven by surface acoustic waves (SAWs) in the low GHz frequency range. The device follows a well-known Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) structure with three output channels, built upon multi-mode interference (MMI) couplers. The light continuously switches paths between the central and the side channels, avoiding losses and granting a 180◦-dephasing synchronization between them. The modulator was monolithically fabricated on (Al,Ga)As, and can be used as a building block for more complex photonic functionalities. It can also be implemented in other material platforms such as Silicon or (In,Ga)P. Light modulated at multiples of the fundamental acoustic frequency can be accomplished by adjusting the applied acoustic power. An excellent agreement between theory and experiment is achieved.

Theories have been put forward on the etiology of sialoliths; however, a comprehensive understanding of their growth mechanisms is lacking. In an attempt to fill this gap, the current study has evaluated the internal architecture and growth patterns of a set of 30 independent specimens of sialoliths characterized at different scales by computed microtomography and electron microscopy. Tomography reconstructions showed cores in most of the sialoliths. The cores were surrounded by concentric or irregular patterns with variable degrees of mineralization. Regardless of the patterns, at finer scales the sialoliths consisted of banded and globular structures. The distribution of precipitates in the banded structures is compatible with a Liesegang–Ostwald phenomenon. On the other hand, the globular structures appear to arise from surface tension effects and to develop self-similar features as a result of a viscous fingering process. Electron diffraction patterns demonstrated that Ca- and P-based electrolytes crystallize in a structure close to that of hydroxyapatite. The organic matter contained sulfur with apparent origin from sulfated components of secretory material. These results cast new light on the mechanisms involved in the formation of sialoliths.

Salt weathering is a major erosive process affecting porous materials in buildings. There have been attempts to relate erosive mass loss to physical characteristics of materials, but in the case of natural stone it is necessary to consider the effect of petrographic features that are a source of heterogeneity. In this paper, we use scanning electron microscopy before and after salt weathering tests in cubic specimens of three limestone types (two grainstones and a travertine) in an attempt to built conceptual models that relate petrographic features and salt weathering susceptibility (represented by mass loss). In the grainstones, the most relevant feature in controlling salt weathering processes is the interface between micrite aggregates and sparry cement that constitute weakness surfaces and barriers to fluid migration. Given the small size of the heterogeneities in relation to the test sample dimension and their spatial distribution, the macroscopic erosive patterns are globally homogeneously distributed, affecting edges and corners. In the travertine specimens, there are macroheterogeneities related to the presence of detritic-rich portions that cause heterogeneous erosive patterns in the specimens. Petrological modeling helps to understand results of salt weathering tests, supporting field studies for natural stone selection.

This article presents a detailed study of the microstructure of Iberian expanded clay lightweight aggregates (LWA). Other than more commonly used mercury porosimetry (MP) and water absorption methods, the experimental study involves optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and microtomography (μ-CT). Pore connectivity and how it is deployed are shown to some degree, and the pore size spectrum is estimated. LWA are in general characterized by a dense outer shell up to 200 μm thick, encasing an inner cellular structure of 10–100 times bigger pore size. Aggregate pore sizes may span from some hundreds of nanometers up to over 1 mm, though the range of 1–25 μm is more typical. A noteworthy fraction of these pores is closed, and they are mainly up to 1 μm. It is also shown that macropore spatial arrangement is affected by the manufacturing process. A step forward is given to understanding how the outer shell and the inner pore network influence the mechanical and physical LWA properties, particularly the density and water absorption. The joint consideration of μ-CT and SEM seems to be the most appropriate methodology to study LWA microstructure. MP analysis is likely to distort LWA pore spectrum assessment.

X-ray powder diffraction data for the orthorhombic natural amino acid djenkolic acid, C7H14N2O4S2, is described in this paper. The orthorhombic cell parameters are: a=8.12 Å, b=12.16 Å, and c=5.38 Å