Realtime gas emission monitoring at hazardous sites using a distributed point-source sensing infrastructure

This paper describes a distributed point-source monitoring platform for gas level and leakage detection in hazardous environments. The platform, based on a wireless sensor network (WSN) architecture, is organised into sub-networks to be positioned in the plant’s critical areas; each sub-net includes a gateway unit wirelessly connected to the WSN nodes, hence providing an easily deployable, stand-alone infrastructure featuring a high degree of scalability and reconfigurability. Furthermore, the system provides automated calibration routines which can be accomplished by non-specialized maintenance operators without system reliability reduction issues. Internet connectivity is provided via TCP/IP over GPRS (Internet standard protocols over mobile networks) gateways at a one-minute sampling rate. Environmental and process data are forwarded to a remote server and made available to authenticated users through a user interface that provides data rendering in various formats and multi-sensor data fusion. The platform is able to provide real-time plant management with an effective; accurate tool for immediate warning in case of critical events

Para Além do Papo Sério: análise dos impactos das oficinas de gênero e sexualidade para estudantes e egressas da equipe

Durante os anos de 2002 a 2016, houve um momento político ímpar no que diz respeito à formulação e à execução de políticas públicas de gênero e diversidade no campo da Educação. Essas políticas voltadas à diversidade e orientadas pelo debate sobre direitos humanos tinham como objetivo estruturante o combate às desigualdades e propiciaram a implementação do Projeto de Extensão Papo Sério. O projeto foi desenvolvido pelo Núcleo de Identidades de Gênero e Subjetividades, da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, entre os anos de 2007 e 2015, e tinha como finalidade promover debates sobre gênero e diversidade nas escolas da Grande Florianópolis/SC. Uma das principais atividades realizadas eram as oficinas nas escolas, as quais seguem sendo desenvolvidas pelo mesmo núcleo. Por conseguinte, o presente trabalho busca comparar a receptividade das estudantes nessas experiências formativas em relação ao tema, bem como os impactos da realização dessas oficinas na trajetória profissional e pessoal das egressas da equipe que ministraram tais encontros. A metodologia utilizada foi a etnografia em documentos, através da análise documental dos materiais elaborados ao longo dos anos; a observação participante das oficinas realizadas no ano de 2019, bem como a análise das entrevistas com as egressas da equipe sobre sua participação no projeto.  Portanto o presente trabalho evidencia o impacto de discussões sobre gênero na subjetividade e na experiência de vida das extensionistas e das estudantes da educação básica

Vivax malaria in Mauritania includes infection of a Duffy-negative individual

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Duffy blood group polymorphisms are important in areas where <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>is present because this surface antigen is thought to act as a key receptor for this parasite. In the present study, Duffy blood group genotyping was performed in febrile uninfected and <it>P. vivax</it>-infected patients living in the city of Nouakchott, Mauritania.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p><it>Plasmodium vivax </it>was identified by real-time PCR. The Duffy blood group genotypes were determined by standard PCR followed by sequencing of the promoter region and exon 2 of the Duffy gene in 277 febrile individuals. Fisher's exact test was performed in order to assess the significance of variables.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the Moorish population, a high frequency of the <it>FYB^ES/FYB^ES</it>genotype was observed in uninfected individuals (27.8%), whereas no <it>P. vivax</it>-infected patient had this genotype. This was followed by a high level of <it>FYA/FYB</it>, <it>FYB/FYB</it>, <it>FYB/FYB^ES</it>and <it>FYA/FYB^ES</it>genotype frequencies, both in the <it>P. vivax</it>-infected and uninfected patients. In other ethnic groups (Poular, Soninke, Wolof), only the <it>FYB^ES/FYB^ES</it>genotype was found in uninfected patients, whereas the <it>FYA/FYB^ES</it>genotype was observed in two <it>P. vivax</it>-infected patients. In addition, one patient belonging to the Wolof ethnic group presented the <it>FYB^ES/FYB^ES</it>genotype and was infected by <it>P. vivax</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study presents the Duffy blood group polymorphisms in Nouakchott City and demonstrates that in Mauritania, <it>P. vivax </it>is able to infect Duffy-negative patients. Further studies are necessary to identify the process that enables this Duffy-independent <it>P. vivax </it>invasion of human red blood cells.</p

A Wireless Sensor Network for Precise Volatile Organic Compound Monitoring

A variety of methods have been developed to monitor VOC concentration in hazardous sites. The methods range from calculation to measurement, point measuring to remote sensing. Some are suited for leak detection, others for estimation of the annual emission or both. None of the following available methods comes close to the ideal method. A distributed instrument providing precise monitoring of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) concentration in a petrochemical plant is described; it consists of a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) platform whose nodes are equipped with meteorological/climatic sensors and VOC detectors. Internet connectivity is provided in real time at a one-minute sampling rate, thus providing environmental authorities and plant management with an unprecedented tool for immediate warning in case of critical events. The paper describes the WSN platform, detailing various units (gateways, nodes, detectors) and shows the features of scalability and reconfigurability, with minimal intrusiveness or obtrusiveness. Environmental and process data are forwarded to a remote server and made available to the authenticated users through a rich user interface that provides data rendering in various formats and worldwide access to data. A survey of the VOC detector technologies involved is also provided