Compared to incidence in Hispanic and European populations, PACG was more common among South Brazilians, whereas the POAG rates were similar. The rate of undiagnosed glaucoma was almost 90%. The higher POAG prevalence in the population self-reported as nonwhite may affect the estimation of glaucoma in Brazil, as more than 40% of the population self-report their race as nonwhite.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify target microorganisms as indicators of environmental contamination. The study evaluates the main environmental aspects and epidemiological chain related to such agents. Microorganisms were selected through key information about microbiological characterization of health care facilities' solid waste and evaluation of risk of infection from discarded sharps. The form of evaluation proposed for criteria adopted in the selection of contamination indicators included prior submission of a structured questionnaire to a network of specialists from the Federal District of Brazil. The specialists' multidisciplinary background, including professionals from the health field and an environmental microbiologist, helped define environmental contamination indicators by consensus. Pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and hepatitis A and B viruses were specifically identified as capable of environmental survival or resistance.

This investigation aims to monitor a strategy for biological nutrient removal (nitrogen and phosphorus) in a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) treating domestic wastewater. For this, the performance of an SBR with nitrification, denitrification, carbon oxidation and phosphorus removal is evaluated. During this study the influent used was pre-settled domestic wastewater from Bennekom-Municipal Treatment Plant (The Netherlands). The average influent COD, TKN and phosphate were 443 mg COD/1, 71 mg N/1 and 7 mg P/1, respectively. Acetic acid was added to this influent from a feed solution, to increase the COD by an extra 100 mg COD/1. In this study, a pilot plant SBR was operated during 5 months in order to have: i) a mixed culture able to perform carbon oxidation, nitrification, denitrification and biological phosphorus removal and ii) long term assessment of the biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal processes. Pilot plant SBR consists of two cylindric polystyrene vessels, the first with total volume of 0.35 m3 (Reactor 1) and the second with total volume of 1.3 m3 (Reactor 2). The effluent had, in average, phosphate concentration lower than 1 mg P/1 and nitrogen concentration lower than 12 mg N/1.

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