Anaerobic digestion (AD) is becoming a widely adopted technology for conversion of organic waste and nutrient-rich fertiliser production due to its cost-effectiveness and sustainability. In this study, a batch experiment was conducted using five different types of food waste and cow dung (CD). No significant difference was observed among the four substrates that produced the highest methane (P<0.05). Based on the batch experiment results, two substrates were selected for semi-continuous digestion and the highest methane yield (67%) was obtained from co-digestion (CO). PCR-DGGE results revealed higher bacterial and archaeal diversity indices in CO as compared to mono-digestion of CD and mixed food waste. The high-throughput sequence analyses revealed that the Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) belonging to the phyla Bacteroidetes, followed by Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, were dominant in all treatments. The enhanced methane production in CO could be attributed to the neutral pH and partial shift of archaea from Methanosaeta to Methanosarcina. The digestate and fresh CD were screened for plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB), nutrient and heavy metal content. The dung contained higher concentrations of heavy metals (P<0.05) and potential pathogens in comparison to the digestate. The use of digestate may, therefore, enhance soil fertility with minimal negative environmental effects. / School of Agriculture and Life Sciences / M. Sc. (Life Sciences)

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv citri (Xac), uma bactéria gram negativa, é a causadora da doença Cancro Cítrico que ocasiona enormes prejuizo na citricultura brasileira. Com o seqüenciamento do genoma deste patógeno foram encontradas inúmeras sequências codificadores com funções desconhecidas. Assim com a finalidade de estudos funcionais do genoma de Xac, foram gerados mutantes randômicos usando o transposon EZ::TN, que induziu disrupção aleatoria de seus genes com o intuito de avaliar que genes inativados afetam a patogenicidade da bactéria. Para o mapeamento do local de inserção do transposon foi desenvolvida uma metodologia baseada na técnica de PCR touchdown utizando oligonucleotídeos semidegenerados. A confiabilidade deste novo método foi comprovada através do mapeamento por Southem blot de alguns mutantes. Conseguiu-se mapear 90 mutantes randômicos com este método. Os testes de patogenicidade em citros mostraram mutantes com sua patogenicidade afetada observando-se variações nos sintomas da doença. Mutantes interessantes contendo uma ORF hipotética inativada ou tendo uma inserção num espaço intergênico foram achadas, sendo também detectados alguns mutantes com nocaute de genes nos seus plasmídeos pXac33 e pXac66. / Xanthomonas axonopodis pv citri (Xac), a gram-negative bacteria, is the causer of the Citrus Canker disease that produces enormous losses to the brazilian citrus sector. Many coding sequences with unknown functions were found in the genome sequence of this pathogen. Therefore, with the goal of functional studies of Xac\'s genome, random mutants using the EZ::TN transposon, have been generated, which carry aleatory disruptions of their genes, with the aim of evaluating inactived genes that potentially affect bacterial pathogenicity. A method based in the PCR touchdown technique using semidegenerate primers was developed for the mapping of the transposon insertion site. The reliability of this new method was tested by means of mapping some mutants using Southern blot. Ninety random mutants were mapped with this method. The pathogenicity tests in citrus showed mutants with their pathogenicity affected and variations in the disease symptoms were observed. Interesting mutants containing an inactive hypothetical ORF or with an insertion in intergenic regions have been found, and also some mutants with inactivated genes in their plasmids pXac33 and pXac66 were detected.

Orientador: Bruno Coraucci Filho / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-04T21:31:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tonetti_AdrianoLuiz_M.pdf: 4911696 bytes, checksum: 17f72ad475f9781c9cc0c2be169415a9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004 / Resumo: O objetivo deste projeto foi estudar os filtros de areia como um método de baixo custo para o pós-tratamento de filtros anaeróbios alimentados com esgoto sanitário. Nesta pesquisa buscou-se contribuir com o desenvolvimento deste sistema avaliando-se a eficiência de tratamento de quatro filtros de areia com diferentes profundidades de leitos (0,25; 0,50, 0,75 e 1,00 m). A alimentação era proveniente de reatores anaeróbios e foram empregadas cinco cargas diferentes de aplicação (20, 40, 60, 80 e 100 Lm-2). Cada uma delas dispostas diariamente pelo período de um mês. O esgoto bruto, afluente e efluente dos filtros de areia foram analisados semanalmente, permitindo constatar que no emprego de baixas cargas de efluente anaeróbio o sistema propiciava uma remoção superior a 96% da DBO, adequação na emissão de coliformes totais e completa nitrificação. Aumentando-se as cargas, ocorria uma pequena redução da eficiência, no entanto os resultados ainda eram satisfatórios / Abstract: The aim of this project was to study sand filters as a low cost method in the post treatment of upflow anaerobic filter effluent, fed by municipal wastewater. This research intends to contribute with the development of this system estimating the efficiency of the treatment of four sand filters with different depths of the sand layer (0,25; 0,50, 0,75 e 1,00 m). The feed (I think it's influent) was from the four upflow anaerobic filters. Five hydraulic loads (20, 40, 60, 80 e 100 Lm-2) were used to apply the effluent on the sand filters. Each one was applied for one month and later the frequency was increased for two and tree times per day. The municipal wastewater, influent and the effluent of the sand filter were weekly analyzed allowing to conclude that the treatment system had good removal of BOD, COD, TOC, nutrients and microorganisms like total and fecal coli forms. The effluent was good to be disposed or to reused. / Mestrado / Saneamento e Ambiente / Mestre em Engenharia Civil

Orientador: Bruno Coraucci Filho / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-09T15:44:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Kanegae_AlexandrePatto_M.pdf: 1125389 bytes, checksum: dc519b3abb15e2a72d094f64448f7383 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: Este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o intuito de se verificar a utilização de filtros de areia, como um sistema de pós-tratamento de efluentes de filtros anaeróbios na remoção de organismos patogênicos presentes nos esgotos, tais como protozoários e helmintos. Para tanto, foi feita a verificação das melhores taxas de aplicação de efluente de filtro anaeróbio em 4 filtros de areia, com profundidades de 0,25; 0,50; 0,75 e 1,00 m. As taxas de aplicação foram de 20, 40, 60, 80 e 100 Lm-2dia -1. O tempo do experimento foi de Maio de 2003 a Agosto de 2004. Para verificação dos organismos presentes no efluente utilizou-se a metodologia adotada pela Cetesb, descrita pela norma L5.550 (1989) - Hoffman modificado e os resultados foram expressos em número de organismos/L. Os resultados demonstraram que o processo de tratamento biológico ocorrido nos filtros de areia com leito mais profundo (1,00 m) foi o que apresentou melhor performance. Não houve correlação entre o número de organismos encontrados e as taxas aplicadas, mas o valor estipulado pela NBR 7229 (1993) de 100 Lm-2dia-1 de efluente aplicado, apresentou resultados satisfatórios / Abstract: This project was developed with the aim of verifying the use of sand filters as a post treatment system of effluents from anaerobic filters. Most of the pathogens found in the wastewater can be classified as protozoans and helminths. For that, the best application rates of anaerobic effluent were studied in four sand filters. They were 0,25; 0,50; 0,75 and 1,00 m deep. The application rates were 20, 40,60,80 e 100 Lm-2day-1. The experiment was run from May 2003 to August 2004. To verify the presence of the organisms in the wastewater, the methodology adopted by Cetesb was used (described as Standard L5.550, 1989) - Hoffman modified and the results were expressed in number or organisms/L. The results show that the biological process of treatment occurred in the deepest sand filter (1,00 m) was the one which presented the best performance. There was no correlation between the number of microorganisms found and the applied rates but, the value established by NBR 7229 (1993) of 100 Lm-2day-1 of effluent presented satisfactory results / Mestrado / Saneamento e Ambiente / Mestre em Engenharia Civil

Ce travail de thèse est consacré à la synthèse et l’évaluation biologique de nouveaux nitromidazoles à potentialités anti-infectieuses. Dans les trois premiers chapitres, nous avons abordé les propriétés biologiques des 5-nitroimidazoles, et la synthèse de nouveaux composés fonctionnalisés en positions 2 et 4 dans le but d'améliorer l'activité sur les souches résistantes au métronidazole, le 5-nitroimidazole de référence, tout en contrôlant au mieux la mutagénicité. Nous avons développé une méthode de couplage régiosélectif de Suzuki-Miyaura en position 4 du 2,4-dibromo-1-méthyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazole, suivi d’un deuxième couplage de Suzuki-Miyaura ou de Sonogashira par méthodologie « one-pot » séquentielle en position 2. Cette méthodologie nous a permis d’obtenir 30 nouveaux composés qui ont été testés pour leur propriétés antibactériennes et antiparasitaires. Une dizaine de composés ont été synthétisés par méthodologie TDAE sur le 4-[4-(chlorométhyl)phényl]-1,2-diméthyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazole. Dans le dernier chapitre, nous avons initié un travail de pharmacomodulation en série imidazooxazole, motif bien connu pour ses propriétés antituberculeuses et antileishmaniennes. Nous avons présenté la synthèse et l’évaluation biologique de dérivés 5-nitroimidazooxazoles et 7-nitro-2,3-dihydroimidazo[5,1-b]oxazoles. La synthèse de dérivés 6-nitroimidazooxazoles fonctionnalisés en position 5 est en cours de développement et nous avons présenté quelques essais de CH-arylation sur le 2-méthyl-6-nitro-2,3-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]oxazole. / We have developed in this work the synthesis and the biological evaluation of novel nitromidazoles with anti-infectious potentialities. In the first three parts, we discussed the biological properties of 5-nitroimidazole scaffold, and the synthesis of new compounds functionalized at 2- and 4-position in order to improve the activity on metronidazole-resistant strains, while controlling mutagenicity. We developed a regioselective Suzuki-Miyaura cross- coupling reaction at 4-position of 2,4-dibromo-1-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazole, followed by a second Suzuki-Miyaura or Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction at 2-position by a "one-pot" sequential process. This methodology has enabled us to obtain 30 new products which were tested for their antibacterial and antiparasitic properties. Twelve compounds were synthesized by TDAE methodology on {4- [4- (chloromethyl) phenyl]} -1,2-dimethyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazole. In the last part, we initiated a work of pharmacomodulation in imidazooxazole series, scaffold well-known for its antituberculous and antileishmanial properties. We have described the synthesis and the biological evaluation of 6-functionalized 5-nitroimidazooxazole and 7-nitro-2,3-dihydroimidazo [5,1-b]oxazole derivatives. We have presented some CH-arylation assays on 2-methyl-6-nitro-2,3-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]oxazole to obtain 5-functionalized 6-nitroimidazooxazole derivatives.

Bordetella pertussis e Bordetella parapertussis são os principais agentes causadores da coqueluche no homem. O óxido nítrico é fundamental para o controle de diversos processos fisiopatológicos. Neste trabalho analisamos sinais moleculares envolvidos na produção de NO em macrófagos derivados de medula óssea murina (BMDMO) infectadas por Bpertussis e Bparapertussis. Nossos resultados mostraram que BMDMO de C57BL/6 estimulados com Bpertussis não sintetizaram níveis significativos de nitrito, ao contrário da infecção com Bparapertussis. BMDMO de C57BL/6 infectados por Bpertussis e Bparapertussis produziram níveis elevados de arginase e de TGFb e esta produção foi dependente de TLR4, porém a produção de NO pelos BMDMO de C3H/HeJ infectados com Bparapertussis foi independente deste receptor. A adição exógena de PT em BMDMO infectados com Bparapertussis reduziu a quantidade de NO sintetizada. Concluímos que TGFb e arginase contribuem para o controle da produção de NO durante a infecção in vitro de BMDMO com Bpertussis e este mecanismo depende de LPS envolvendo TLR4 e PT. / Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis are the main etiologic causes of human whooping cough. Nitric oxide (NO) is crucial for several physiopathologic events. Herein we analyzed the molecular signals required for NO production by murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) infected with Bpertussis or Bparapertussis. Our data show that BMDM obtained from C57Bl/6 mice was not able to produce measurable levels of nitrite when stimulated with Bpertussis while infection of these cells with Bparapertussis induced high levels of nitrite. Arginase and TLR4-dependent TGF-b were produced in response to infection with either Bpertussis or Bparapertussis. NO production by BMDM obtained from C3H/HeJ mice occurred after Bparapertussis infection in the absence of TLR4. Addition of pertussis toxin to the C57Bl/6 BMDM cultures infected with Bparapertussis decreased NO levels. In conclusion, TGF-b and arginase play a role controlling NO production by BMDM during in vitro infection by Bpertussis. This effect depends on the presence of LPS-TLR4 and PT signaling pathways.

The crab processing industry of the Chesapeake Bay region has, until recently, been able to dispose of their processing wastewaters by discharging them, largely untreated, directly to the receiving waters along which their plants are located. With the upcoming implementation of new NPDES discharge limits, this practice will no longer be possible. This study investigated the potential of two different technologies for treating the processing wastewaters. Bench-scale anaerobic contact type reactors were studied for effectiveness in the removal of organics from the processor’s wastewaters, and a pilot-scale countercurrent air stripping tower was studied for ammonia removal. Two anaerobic reactors which were fed retort process wastewater at F/M ratios of 0.35 and 0.25 lb COD/1b MLVSS/day, were found to achieve organics removals (on a BOD₅ basis) of 88% and 94% respectively. Similarly, a second pair of anaerobic reactors were fed a mixed wastewater, representative of a mechanized processing plant’s total wastewater flow, at F/M ratios of 0.10 and 0.07 lb COD/1b MLVSS/day. These reactors were found to achieve organics removals (on a BOD₅ basis) of 79% and 83% respectively. All four of the reactors were eventually shut down after exhibiting signs of failure. These failures were attributed to possible sodium and ammonia toxicity problems. The effectiveness of the air stripping tower in the removal of ammonia from retort process wastewater was tested in relation to liquid flow rate, influent temperature, and influent pH. A maximum ammonia removal of 71% was observed when treating a waste, with an influent temperature of 580C and pH level of 12.2, at an air-to-water ratio of approximately 825 ft³/gal. Similarly, an ammonia removal rate of 67% was observed while treating a waste, with an influent temperature of 650°C and pH level of 11.0, at an air-to-water ratio of approximately 412 ft³/gal. / Master of Science