Continuing Education On Qualitative Risk Assessment: Improving The Understanding Of Risk

Despite a common agreement that environmental and occupational health & safety professionals must learn about risk early in formal education, such matters still remain underrepresented in most education programs. This paper describes the development and use of an instructional material aimed at exploring and improving health & safety professionals’ understanding on what risk really means, and on what is needed to its technical assessment. After reading a text depicting the technical and contextual aspects of unintended technological accidents, participants were asked to rank such events regarding its risk. Next, they had to explain what criteria they adopted, and also to compare their results with reference values, discussing the differences. Participants’ statements were collected and compiled. The ensuing discussion involved the resignification of the ideas raised by them, introducing the scientific meaning into a technical context. The proposed practice presented consistent results becoming an alternative resource to teach risk in a way participants share opinions based on their previous knowledge and begin to deal with the idea of evaluating risks in a scientifically reasoned basis

Pure cerium dioxide preparation for use as spectrochemical standard and analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF ICP-MS)

Ao longo dos anos, o Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP) tem realizado diversas pesquisas na produção de Terras Raras (RE) de alta pureza. A metodologia apresentada neste trabalho refere-se à produção econômica e de baixo custo de óxido de cério. O cério produzido pode ser utilizado como um padrão espectroquímico. A obtenção desse padrão está associada à precipitação fracionada pelo sistema RECl3/NH4OH/Ar/H2O2, para enriquecer o óxido de cério de 90% a 99,99% em CeO2. O controle de qualidade do padrão produzido é feito através da técnica da espectrometria de massas com fonte de plasma (ICP-MS) e confirmado pela técnica da ativação de nêutrons. Os valores das impurezas de Terras Raras no óxido, em ppm são: La(36), Pr(19), Nd(161), Sm(11), Eu(5,3), Gd(113), Tb(89), Dy(2), Ho(0,05), Er(1), Tm(<0,05), Yb(11), Lu(19) e Y(2,1), respectivamente. Os valores encontrados das impurezas são comparados aos padrões internacionais e confirmam o alto nível de pureza do óxido de cério produzido no IPEN.For several years, IPEN/CNEN-SP has been working in the separation of the Rare Earth (RE) elements. A simple and economic procedure for the purification of technical grade cerium concentrate is described. The highly pure cerium dioxide is designed to be used as spectrochemical standard. It is obtained by association of the fractional precipitation technique, in the system RECl3/NH4OH/ Air/H2O2, to enrich the cerium up to 90% and then it is upgraded by ion exchange technique to 99.99% CeO2. The quality control warranty was accomplished by inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and neutron activation analysis. The collected values for the accompanying Rare Earth elements in a CeO2 sample are the following (ppm): La(36), Pr(19), Nd(161), Sm(11), Eu(5.3), Gd(113), Tb(89), Dy(2), Ho(0.05), Er(1), Tm(<0.05), Yb(11), Lu(19) and Y(2.1), respectively. The purity of this cerium oxide is comparable to the international spectrographic standards

Community Strains of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus as Potential Cause of Healthcare-associated Infections, Uruguay, 2002–2004

Community-associated MRSA appears to be replacing healthcare-associated MRSA strain types in at least 1 facility and is a cause of healthcare-onset infections

Occupational safety and health practices among flower greenhouses workers from Alto Tiete region (Brazil)

In this preliminary study the occupational safety and health practices among flower greenhouses workers were evaluated. The study was carried out in the alto Tiete region, located at the Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Inadequate welfare facilities; poor pesticide storage, use and disposal conditions; use of highly toxic pesticides; lack of adequate data regarding pesticide use; and incorrect use and maintenance of PPE were observed in most of the visited greenhouses. These results suggest that, in greenhouses, workers may be at higher risk of pesticide exposure, due to many factors that can intensify the exposure such as the lack of control on reentry intervals after pesticide application. Specific regulations are needed to ensure better OSH practices on pesticide use and to improve working conditions in greenhouses, in order to deal with the peculiarities of greenhouse working environment. Some of the special requirements for greenhouses workers' protection are the establishment of ventilation criteria for restricted entry interval; clear reentry restrictions; and EPI for workers other than applicators that need to enter the greenhouse before expiring REI interval. Another important way to improve OSH practices among workers includes the distribution of simple guidelines on the dos and don'ts regarding OSH practices in greenhouses and extensively training interventions to change the perception of hazards and the behavior towards risk. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.FAPESPFapesp [proc. 08/09137-0]Fundacentro [proc. 42.01.112]Fundacentr

Grito silencioso : a questão da mulher enquanto objeto

Este projeto pretende estudar a questão da mulher enquanto objeto, desde a génese do conceito até à forma como este evoluiu posteriormente, dentro do âmbito artístico. Recorrendo à animação 3D, este projeto propõe apresentar um vídeo composto por uma animação subordinada à temática da objetificação da mulher, procurando sensibilizar o público para essa questão. Efetuou-se uma investigação teórica que permitiu definir o conceito da mulher enquanto objeto, bem como uma recolha de exemplos/referências artísticas relevantes para o projeto. Foi também explorada a questão da animação, mais especificamente o ramo da animação 3D, bem como a forma de animar do corpo humano, de modo a que fosse possível desenvolver este projeto com uma base sólida de conhecimento que acompanhasse o produto final que dele resultaria. Relativamente à componente prática do projeto, após a organização das cenas que compõem a história, segundo o storyboard previamente elaborado, procedeu-se à construção dos cenários, dos seus elementos e à sua animação num software 3D. Todo este processo resultou numa animação subordinada à questão da mulher objeto, posteriormente editada num software de pós-produção de vídeo. O vídeo está disponível online, procurando sensibilizar os visitantes para a questão da mulher objetificada e dos aspectos negativos associados a esse fenómeno.This project aims to study the subject of Women as an object, from the genesis of the concept to the way it evolved after that, in an artistic view. Through 3D animation, this project proposes to present an animation video under the subject of Women’s objectification, seeking the public’s attention to the subject itself. A profound theorical investigation was made in order to allowed to define de concept of Women as an object, such as a collection of exemples and artistic references relevant for the project. The animation subject, more especifically the 3D animation and the way the human body is animated on it, was also explored in order to build a solid base of knowledge that could attend the final product of this project. About the pratical component of the project, after the organization of the story’s scenes, accoarding to the storyboard made previously, the scenarios and its elements were built and animated in a 3D software. From the whole process resulted an animation under the subject of woman as object, later edited in a video pos-production software. The video will be broadcasted online, in an attempt to sensitize the viewers for the subject of the woman as an object and the negative aspects that this phenomenon envolves

Absceso recidivante por Nocardia asteroides en una paciente portadora de poliglobulia primaria Recurrent brain abscess caused by Nocardia asteroides in a patient with primary polycythaemia

La nocardiosis del sistema nervioso central (SNC) es una enfermedad poco común, cuya frecuencia ha aumentado con el crecimiento de los tratamientos inmunosupresores. El hombre se infecta por inhalación, inoculación traumática cutánea directa y tras una infección periodontal ingiriendo alimentos contaminados. La localización pulmonar es la más frecuente, siendo la fuente inicial de diseminación hemática, con predominio en piel, tejido celular subcutáneo y SNC. Es conocida la predilección de Nocardia por el SNC. Estos abscesos, asociados a altos índices de mortalidad, especialmente en pacientes inmunocomprometidos, siguen constituyendo un desafío diagnóstico y terapéutico, permaneciendo no aclarado su manejo terapéutico óptimo. A pesar de la controversia en cuanto al manejo quirúrgico de estas lesiones, el diagnóstico precoz, por aspiración esterotáxica, y la iniciación de una terapia antimicrobiana son esenciales para la buena evolución del paciente. Se presenta una paciente portadora de una poliglobulia primaria, con absceso cerebral recidivante por Nocardia asteroides de posible origen dentario.<br>Nocardiosis of the central nervous system (CNS) is an uncommon disease, but its frequency has increased due to the high number of immunosuppressive treatments. People become infected by inhalation, direct traumatic cutaneous inoculation and eating contaminated food after a periodontal abscess. Lung localization is the most frequent one, being the origin of haematic dissemination, with a high incidence in skin, subcutaneous tissue and the CNS. The preference of Nocardia for the CNS is well-known. These abscesses are a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, since they are associated to high mortality rates, specially in immunocompromised patients; the best therapeutic management remains unclear. In spite of the existing controversy with regard to the surgical management of these lesions, an early diagnosis through stereotactic aspiration and the beginning of an antimicrobial therapy are essential to the patient’s good evolution. This paper presents a patient with a primary polycythaemia and a recurrent brain abscess by Nocardia asteroides, probably of dental origin