Avaliação das técnicas de precipitação química e encapsulamento no tratamento e destinação conjunta de resíduos líquidos contendo cromo e vidrarias de laboratório

In this paper, we present procedures for the treatment and final disposal of residual solutions containing chromium, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of chemical precipitation of the metal and the potential of the glass encapsulation technique, using broken laboratory glassware. The results demonstrated that pH-values convenient for chemical precipitation are between 10 - 11. With regard to Cr(OH)3 encapsulation, the leaching and solubilization tests allowed to classify the waste as non-dangerous and non-inert. Finally, it is pointed out that the adoption of waste management practices in universities should be encouraged, helping to train professionals skilled in good laboratory practices.

Implantação e implementação das normas das Boas Práticas Laboratoriais (BPL) no laboratório de análises de resíduos da Universidade Estadual de Campinas

In the context of quality and good laboratory practices, the article recovers some historical data. From a specific Institutional situation (CPQBA/UNICAMP), is presented an experience of establishing and implementing a standard (NIT-DICLA-035) for good laboratory practice according to definitions of the Brazilian authority (INMETRO) responsible for regulating, monitoring, supervising and recognition in this area. The issue aims to focus on studies of pesticide residues in GLP parameters.

Profile of establishments in the supermarket sector with respect to good practices in the city of Santa Maria (RS), Brazil

The objective of this study was to verify the compliance of the supermarket sector with respect to the Good Practice Program standards of the city of Santa Maria (RS), Brazil. Sixty nine establishments were verified using a checklist of good practices for the supermarket sector in Santa Maria, RS (Brazil), from April to July 2011. The data were collected by a food safety and quality professional using this checklist. The results showed that the overall adequacy of the establishments surveyed was 29.07%. The highest percentage of compliance was found for storage at ambient temperature (64.13%). The lowest compliance percentage was also found in different sections and areas in the supermarkets such as bakery and confectionery (14.93%), water supply (18.30%), food handling (21.01%), sausage and cold meat (or deli meat) (36.38%), and documentation-related items (4.97%). None of the supermarkets evaluated had the necessary documentation for the implementation of good practices. The results of this study show the importance of effectively implementing a good practice program and quality systems by raising awareness among technicians and professionals of the importance of quality programs used in food companies and the need for more thorough inspection delivered by competent authorities to ensure food safety for consumers.

Validação de método para determinação de resíduos de amoxicilina aplicado à validação de limpeza em indústria farmacêutica de penicilânicos

The aim of this work was the single-laboratory validation of a quantitative method for the determination of amoxicillin residues in support of cleaning control and validation. Linearity was demonstrated between 2.5 and 17.5 μg/mL, without matrix effects. Mean recoveries ranged from 84.00 to 103.74% and the relative standard deviation under repetitivity and within-reproducibility conditions were from 0.58 to 4.20% and from 0.79 to 4.39%, respectively. The theoretical limits of detection and quantification were 0.133 and 0.442 μg/mL, respectively. The studied method was suitable for cleaning control purpose within good manufacturing practices.

Hygienic-sanitary working practices and implementation of a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan in lobster processing industries

This study aimed to verify the hygienic-sanitary working practices and to create and implement a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) in two lobster processing industries in Pernambuco State, Brazil. The industries studied process frozen whole lobsters, frozen whole cooked lobsters, and frozen lobster tails for exportation. The application of the hygienic-sanitary checklist in the industries analyzed achieved conformity rates over 96% to the aspects evaluated. The use of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan resulted in the detection of two critical control points (CCPs) including the receiving and classification steps in the processing of frozen lobster and frozen lobster tails, and an additional critical control point (CCP) was detected during the cooking step of processing of the whole frozen cooked lobster. The proper implementation of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan in the lobster processing industries studied proved to be the safest and most cost-effective method to monitor each critical control point (CCP) hazards.

Nitrogen fertilizer (15N) leaching in a central pivot fertigated coffee crop

Nitrogen has a complex dynamics in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. N fertilizers are subject to chemical and microbial transformations in soils that can result in significant losses. Considering the cost of fertilizers, the adoption of good management practices like fertigation could improve the N use efficiency by crops. Water balances (WB) were applied to evaluate fertilizer N leaching using 15N labeled urea in west Bahia, Brazil. Three scenarios (2008/2009) were established: i) rainfall + irrigation the full year, ii) rainfall only; and iii) rainfall + irrigation only in the dry season. The water excess was considered equal to the deep drainage for the very flat area (runoff = 0) with a water table located several meters below soil surface (capillary rise = 0). The control volume for water balance calculations was the 0 - 1 m soil layer, considering that it involves the active root system. The water drained below 1 m was used to estimate fertilizer N leaching losses. WB calculations used the mathematic model of Penman-Monteith for evapotranspiration, considering the crop coefficient equal to unity. The high N application rate associated to the high rainfall plus irrigation was found to be the main cause for leaching, which values were 14.7 and 104.5 kg ha-1 for the rates 400 and 800 kg ha-1 of N, corresponding to 3.7 and 13.1 % of the applied fertilizer, respectively.

Understanding local governance: an international perspective

Enormous change and innovation in governmental practices are occurring throughout the world. Local governance, in particular, has become a concern in many countries. Processes such as redemocratization and decentralization and imperatives of international lending agencies have focused attention on developing good governance practices. Improvement in local government remains a high priority in most countries, but unless the relationship between citizens and government is more fully developed the actions of local government will not necessarily lead to improvement in the conditions of people's lives. This paper will explore the concept of governance and propose an analytical framework for the study of local governance in an international context. The article concludes with recommendations on strategies to improve governance systems and government performance.

Model for the evaluation of drug-dispensing services in primary health care

OBJECTIVE To develop a model for evaluating the efficacy of drug-dispensing service in primary health care. METHODS An efficacy criterion was adopted to determine the level of achievement of the service objectives. The evaluation model was developed on the basis of a literature search and discussions with experts. The applicability test of the model was conducted in 15 primary health care units in the city of Florianópolis, state of Santa Catarina, in 2010, and data were recorded in structured and pretested questionnaires. RESULTS The model developed was evaluated using five dimensions of analysis for analysis. The model was suitable for evaluating service efficacy and helped to identify the critical points of each service dimension. CONCLUSIONS Adaptations to the data collection technique may be required to adjust for the reality and needs of each situation. The evaluation of the drug-dispensing service should promote adequate access to medications supplied through the public health system.

ANTIMICROBIAL DRUG RESISTANCE IN STRAINS OF Escherichia coli ISOLATED FROM FOOD SOURCES

A variety of foods and environmental sources harbor bacteria that are resistant to one or more antimicrobial drugs used in medicine and agriculture. Antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli is of particular concern because it is the most common Gram-negative pathogen in humans. Hence this study was conducted to determine the antibiotic sensitivity pattern of E. coli isolated from different types of food items collected randomly from twelve localities of Hyderabad, India. A total of 150 samples comprising; vegetable salad, raw egg-surface, raw chicken, unpasteurized milk, and raw meat were processed microbiologically to isolate E. coli and to study their antibiotic susceptibility pattern by the Kirby-Bauer method. The highest percentages of drug resistance in isolates of E. coli were detected from raw chicken (23.3%) followed by vegetable salad (20%), raw meat (13.3%), raw egg-surface (10%) and unpasteurized milk (6.7%). The overall incidence of drug resistant E. coli was 14.7%. A total of six (4%) Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL) producers were detected, two each from vegetable salads and raw chicken, and one each from raw egg-surface and raw meat. Multidrug resistant strains of E. coli are a matter of concern as resistance genes are easily transferable to other strains. Pathogen cycling through food is very common and might pose a potential health risk to the consumer. Therefore, in order to avoid this, good hygienic practices are necessary in the abattoirs to prevent contamination of cattle and poultry products with intestinal content as well as forbidding the use of untreated sewage in irrigating vegetables.

Clinical research monitoring: scenarios and challenges

Clinical research is essential for the development of new drugs, diagnostic tests and new devices. Clinical monitoring is implemented to improve the quality of research and attain high ethical and scientific standards. This review discusses the role of clinical monitors, taking into account the variety of scenarios in which medical research is developed, and highlights the challenges faced by research teams to ensure that patients rights are respected and that the social role of scientific research is preserved. Specific emphasis is given to the ethical dilemmas related to the multiple roles which clinical monitors play in the research framework, mainly those involving the delicate equilibrium between the loyalty to the sponsor and to the research subjects. The essential role of clinical monitoring for research developed in poor healthcare scenarios is highlighted as an approach to get the local infrastructure strengthening needed to achieve an adequate level of good clinical practices.

Extraction of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA from food: a contribution to the elucidation of acute Chagas disease outbreaks

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Before 2004, the occurrence of acute Chagas disease (ACD) by oral transmission associated with food was scarcely known or investigated. Originally sporadic and circumstantial, ACD occurrences have now become frequent in the Amazon region, with recently related outbreaks spreading to several Brazilian states. These cases are associated with the consumption of açai juice by waste reservoir animals or insect vectors infected with Trypanosoma cruzi in endemic areas. Although guidelines for processing the fruit to minimize contamination through microorganisms and parasites exist, açai-based products must be assessed for quality, for which the demand for appropriate methodologies must be met. METHODS: Dilutions ranging from 5 to 1,000 T. cruzi CL Brener cells were mixed with 2mL of acai juice. Four Extraction of T. cruzi DNA methods were used on the fruit, and the cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) method was selected according to JRC, 2005. RESULTS: DNA extraction by the CTAB method yielded satisfactory results with regard to purity and concentration for use in PCR. Overall, the methods employed proved that not only extraction efficiency but also high sensitivity in amplification was important. CONCLUSIONS: The method for T. cruzi detection in food is a powerful tool in the epidemiological investigation of outbreaks as it turns epidemiological evidence into supporting data that serve to confirm T. cruzi infection in the foods. It also facilitates food quality control and assessment of good manufacturing practices involving acai-based products.

Filmes delgados luminescentes obtidos a partir de hidroxicarbonatos de ítrio ativados por európio ou térbio

These films were obtained by dip coating. Parameters like dislocation velocity; number of deposits, suspension concentration, and number of deposits followed or not by heat treatment between each deposit and calcination temperature were evaluated for establishing the best homogeneity. The obtained films were characterized in terms of their morphology, optical quality and photoluminescence by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis absorption spectrophotometry and luminescence spectroscopy, respectively. The morphologic and luminescent characteristics showed dip coating as good laboratory technique for development of thin films for optical applications.

Avaliação da composição química de fermentados alcoólicos de jabuticaba (myrciaria jabuticaba)

This work aimed to characterize the chemical composition of samples of alcoholic beverages fermented from jabuticaba produced in five successive crops. Up to 2005 most of the results didn't meet the current legal standards for wines and there was a negative correlation between parameters such as pH and volatile acidity, pH and total acidity, volatile acidity and alcohol content (p<0.01). The implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices and must sulfitation during the 2006 harvest lowered volatile acidity and more than 60% of the samples were in accordance with legislation. Also, a significant improvement in alcohol content was found (p<0.05)

Energetic sustainability of three arabica coffee growing systems used by family farming units in Espírito Santo state

Three growing systems of Arabica coffee were evaluated under the energy perspective, in the state of Espírito Santo in Brazil. The systems are conventional cultivation (CC), cultivation with good agricultural practices (CGP) and organic farming (OF). It was made a comparison of the energy flows within these three systems to show sustainable levels of each one based on production average data of several family-farming units. Therefore, we analyzed crop yield, total energy efficiency reverse (TEER), energy efficiency of ripe coffee (EERC) and non-renewable energy efficiency (NREE). OF system had values for TEER, EERC and NREE of 3.3 4.7 and 7.9 respectively. Yet CC showed values of 1.8, 1.9 and 1.6 for TEER, EERC and NREE respectively. Furthermore, CGP presented values for TEER, EERC and NREE of 0.7, 1.3 and 1.4 respectively. The highest yield was observed in CGP, reaching an amount of 1794 kg ha-1(17,455 MJ); however, this system expends more energy than it converts. Thus, over those points, OF is the most sustainable system.

Microbial flora in organic honey samples of africanized honeybees from Parana river islands

The purpose of this study was to verify and compare the main contamination sources and the hygienic/sanitary conditions of organic honey samples of Apis mellifera from Parana River islands. Thirty-three (33) samples were analyzed between January 2005 and August 2006. Eleven (11) samples were collected by beekeepers and twenty-two (22) samples were collected and processed in accordance with ideal personal hygiene norms and good manufacturing practices. The samples underwent microbiological analysis in search of coliforms at 35 ºC and 45 ºC, as well as fungi enumeration analysis. As for fungi counting, the samples harvested by beekeepers showed values above the maximum established by Resolution nº 15/94 of Common Market Group - Mercosul. The results showed that secondary contamination sources are responsible for the reduction of organic honey quality.