SISTEMA INFORMÁTICO DE SEGURIDAD Y SALUD EN EL TRABAJO PARA LA UNIÓN ELÉCTRICA

El presente artículo abarca las etapas de desarrollo de la aplicación informática elaborada para asistir el flujo informativo derivado de la actividad de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (SST) en las empresas de la Unión Eléctrica (UNE). El sistema informático desarrollado se integra al Sistema de Gestión de Recursos Humanos utilizado en la organización y que gestiona los datos de trabajadores y estructuras administrativas en cada entidad. El objetivo del presente artículo es desarrollar un sistema informático para la gestión de la información relativa a la seguridad y salud en el trabajo en empresas de la Unión Eléctrica.Para guiar el proceso de desarrollo se ha utilizado Scrum y XP como metodologías y como herramienta de modelado el Visual Paradigm. La aplicación fue implementada en lenguaje C# con el framework 4.0 de .Net. Las funcionalidades que posee el sistema desarrollado se ajustan a los procedimientos de SST establecidos en la UNE y han permitido organizar la información y agilizar el trabajo de los especialistas del área

In Vitro Surfactant Structure-Toxicity Relationships: Implications for Surfactant Use in Sexually Transmitted Infection Prophylaxis and Contraception

Background The need for woman-controlled, cheap, safe, effective, easy-to-use and easy-to-store topical applications for prophylaxis against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) makes surfactant-containing formulations an interesting option that requires a more fundamental knowledge concerning surfactant toxicology and structure-activity relationships. Methodology/Principal Findings We report in vitro effects of surfactant concentration, exposure time and structure on the viability of mammalian cell types typically encountered in the vagina, namely, fully polarized and confluent epithelial cells, confluent but non-polarized epithelial-like cells, dendritic cells, and human sperm. Representatives of the different families of commercially available surfactants – nonionic (Triton X-100 and monolaurin), zwitterionic (DDPS), anionic (SDS), and cationic (CnTAB (n = 10 to 16), C12PB, and C12BZK) – were examined. Triton X-100, monolaurin, DDPS and SDS were toxic to all cell types at concentrations around their critical micelle concentration (CMC) suggesting a non-selective mode of action involving cell membrane destabilization and/or destruction. All cationic surfactants were toxic at concentrations far below their CMC and showed significant differences in their toxicity toward polarized as compared with non-polarized cells. Their toxicity was also dependent on the chemical nature of the polar head group. Our results suggest an intracellular locus of action for cationic surfactants and show that their structure-activity relationships could be profitably exploited for STI prophylaxis in vaginal gel formulations. The therapeutic indices comparing polarized epithelial cell toxicity to sperm toxicity for all surfactants examined, except C12PB and C12BZK, does not justify their use as contraceptive agents. C12PB and C12BZK are shown to have a narrow therapeutic index recommending caution in their use in contraceptive formulations. Conclusions/Significance Our results contribute to understanding the mechanisms involved in surfactant toxicity, have a predictive value with regard to their safety, and may be used to design more effective and less harmful surfactants for use in topical applications for STI prophylaxis.Foundation for Science and Technology of the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Higher Educatio

SISTEMA INFORMÁTICO DE SEGURIDAD Y SALUD EN EL TRABAJO PARA LA UNIÓN ELÉCTRICA

El presente artículo abarca las etapas de desarrollo de la aplicación informática elaborada para asistir el flujo informativo derivado de la actividad de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (SST) en las empresas de la Unión Eléctrica (UNE). El sistema informático desarrollado se integra al Sistema de Gestión de Recursos Humanos utilizado en la organización y que gestiona los datos de trabajadores y estructuras administrativas en cada entidad. El objetivo del presente artículo es desarrollar un sistema informático para la gestión de la información relativa a la seguridad y salud en el trabajo en empresas de la Unión Eléctrica.Para guiar el proceso de desarrollo se ha utilizado Scrum y XP como metodologías y como herramienta de modelado el Visual Paradigm. La aplicación fue implementada en lenguaje C# con el framework 4.0 de .Net. Las funcionalidades que posee el sistema desarrollado se ajustan a los procedimientos de SST establecidos en la UNE y han permitido organizar la información y agilizar el trabajo de los especialistas del área

40th Anniversary Celebration of the Brazilian Society of Knee Surgery—Collaboration With VJSM!

Graphical Abstract This is a visual representation of the abstract

Preoperative Anemia and Postoperative Outcomes in Immediate Breast Reconstructive Surgery: A Critical Analysis of 10,958 Patients from the ACS-NSQIP Database

Background: Preoperative anemia is independently associated with adverse outcomes after general and cardiac surgery. Outcomes after breast reconstruction are not established. We assessed the effect of preoperative anemia on 30-day postoperative morbidity and length of hospital stay (LOS) in patients undergoing immediate breast reconstruction. Methods: We identified patients undergoing immediate breast reconstruction from 2008 to 2010 from the American College of Surgeons’ National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (a prospective outcomes-based registry from hospitals worldwide). De-identified data were obtained for demographics, preoperative risk factors, 30-day morbidity, and LOS. Morbidity variables included flap/graft/prosthesis, cardiac, respiratory, neurological, urinary, wound, and venous thromboembolism outcomes. Logistic regression assessed the crude and adjusted effect of anemia (hematocrit <36%) on postoperative 30-day morbidity. Measures of central tendency of LOS were compared across increasing severities of anemia in patients developing adverse events versus controls. Results: The study population included 10,958 patients; 1556 (16.74%) had preoperative anemia. Crude odds ratio for 30-day morbidity was significantly higher in anemic patients, unadjusted odds ratio = 1.33 (P < 0.008). This prevailed after extensive adjustment for confounding, yielding an adjusted odds ratio = 1.38 (P < 0.03). Patients who experienced adverse effects had protracted LOS, and the presence of anemia significantly amplified this effect. Conclusions: These data provide new insight into the effect of anemia in immediate breast reconstruction, demonstrating an independent association between preoperative anemia and 30-day morbidity. These findings suggest treating anemia when possible; however, prospective studies should explore the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of such treatments

Use of quantitative molecular diagnostic methods to investigate the effect of enteropathogen infections on linear growth in children in low-resource settings: longitudinal analysis of results from the MAL-ED cohort study

Summary: Background: Enteropathogen infections in early childhood not only cause diarrhoea but contribute to poor growth. We used molecular diagnostics to assess whether particular enteropathogens were associated with linear growth across seven low-resource settings. Methods: We used quantitative PCR to detect 29 enteropathogens in diarrhoeal and non-diarrhoeal stools collected from children in the first 2 years of life obtained during the Etiology, Risk Factors, and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development (MAL-ED) multisite cohort study. Length was measured monthly. We estimated associations between aetiology-specific diarrhoea and subclinical enteropathogen infection and quantity and attained length in 3 month intervals, at age 2 and 5 years, and used a longitudinal model to account for temporality and time-dependent confounding. Findings: Among 1469 children who completed 2 year follow-up, 35 622 stool samples were tested and yielded valid results. Diarrhoeal episodes attributed to bacteria and parasites, but not viruses, were associated with small decreases in length after 3 months and at age 2 years. Substantial decrements in length at 2 years were associated with subclinical, non-diarrhoeal, infection with Shigella (length-for-age Z score [LAZ] reduction −0·14, 95% CI −0·27 to −0·01), enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (−0·21, −0·37 to −0·05), Campylobacter (−0·17, −0·32 to −0·01), and Giardia (−0·17, −0·30 to −0·05). Norovirus, Cryptosporidium, typical enteropathogenic E coli, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi were also associated with small decrements in LAZ. Shigella and E bieneusi were associated with the largest decreases in LAZ per log increase in quantity per g of stool (−0·13 LAZ, 95% CI −0·22 to −0·03 for Shigella; −0·14, −0·26 to −0·02 for E bieneusi). Based on these models, interventions that successfully decrease exposure to Shigella, enteroaggregative E coli, Campylobacter, and Giardia could increase mean length of children by 0·12–0·37 LAZ (0·4–1·2 cm) at the MAL-ED sites. Interpretation: Subclinical infection and quantity of pathogens, particularly Shigella, enteroaggregative E coli, Campylobacter, and Giardia, had a substantial negative association with linear growth, which was sustained during the first 2 years of life, and in some cases, to 5 years. Successfully reducing exposure to certain pathogens might reduce global stunting. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation