Worker morphology of the ant Gnamptogenys striatula Mayr (Formicidae, Ectatomminae) in different landscapes from the Atlantic Forest domain

Morphological traits, such as size and shape, may reflect a combination of ecological and evolutionary responses by organisms. Ants have been used to evaluate the relationship between the environment and species coexistence and morphology. In the present study, we analyzed the morphology of workers of Gnamptogenys striatula Mayr in different landscapes from the Atlantic Domain in southeastern Brazil, focusing on the variation in the morphological attributes of these populations compared to those from a dense ombrophilous forest. Eighteen morphological traits of functional importance for interactions between workers and the environment were measured to characterize the size and shape of the workers. In general, the results show that ants of urban areas possess some morphological attributes of smaller size, with highly overlapped morphological space between the populations in forested ecosystems. Further, some of the traits related to predation were relatively smaller in modified land areas than in the populations from preserved areas of dense ombrophilous forest. These results help broaden the knowledge regarding morphological diversity in G. striatula, suggesting that the characterization of the morphology may be important to quantify the effects of land use on morphological diversity, and presumably, to facilitate the use of ants as biological indicators.

Worker honeybee hemolymph lipid composition and synodic lunar cycle periodicities

The aim of the present investigation was to extend a previous study, showing a correlation of the variations of hemolymph carbohydrates with synodic lunar-like cycle and its circaseptan harmonics to worker honeybee hemolymph lipids. Hemolymph lipid concentrations of emerging worker imagos were analyzed in terms of one ideal synodic lunar cycle and processed by the cosinor method testing the null hypothesis versus the presence of 29.5-, 14.8- or 7.4-day periods in the data. A rhythmicity statistically compatible with a 29.5-day rhythm was observed for triacylglycerols and steroids as well as for body weight. A circadiseptan rhythm was determined for 1,3 diacylglycerols, while fatty acids and phospholipids exhibited a circaseptan rhythm. An agreement of peaks for triacylglycerols, steroids and body weight at the new moon, but not at the full moon, was noted with respect to trehalose and glucose circadiseptan rhythms. The latter moon-phase timing of peaks and nadirs, compared with that previously determined for trehalose and glucose, appeared to be identical to the circadiseptan rhythm and reciprocal for the circaseptan rhythms of 1,3 diacylglycerols. Reciprocal tendencies in circaseptans of trehalose and glucose on the one hand, and fatty acids and phospholipids on the other are indicated. The underlying causal nexus of these relationships is unknown

CAUSE-FIT, POSITIVE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS WITHIN HYBRID COLOMBIAN ORGANIZATIONS

ABSTRACTSocially oriented ventures have provided livelihoods and social recognition to disadvantaged communities in different corners of the world. In some cases, these ventures are the result of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. In Latin America, this type of undertaking has responded positively to unmet social needs. The social cause drives these organizations and their human resources and they give high value to organizational cause-fit. This paper presents empirical evidence of the effects of perceived cause-fit on several worker attitudes and behaviors. Psychological contract theory was adopted as theoretical background. Employees working in a hybrid (for-profit/socially oriented) Colombian organization created by a CSR program participated in the survey. Data provided by 218 employees were analyzed using PLS structural equation modeling. The results suggest the ideological components of the employee-employer relationship predict positive attitudes and cooperative organizational behaviors towards hybrid organizations.

Razões de mortalidade frente ao efeito desigualdade em estudos de mortalidade associada a categorias ocupacionais e níveis sociais

As razões de mortalidade: "Standardized Risk Ratio" (SRR), "Standardized Mortality Ratio" (SMR) e "Standardized Proportional Mortality Ratio" (SPMR) são apresentadas visando divulgar uma metodologia para o estudo da mortalidade associada a categorias ocupacionais e níveis sociais. Discute-se a influência do "Healthy Worker Effect" e do Efeito Desigualdade na escolha da população de referência e apresenta-se uma forma operacional de testar a significância estatística dessas razões.

The impact of night work on subjective reports of well-being: an exploratory study of health care workers from five nations

OBJECTIVE: To carry out a survey data collection from health care workers in Brazil, Croatia, Poland, Ukraine and the USA with two primary goals: (1) to provide information about which aspects of well-being are most likely to need attention when shiftwork management solutions are being developed, and (2) to explore whether nations are likely to differ with respect to the impacts of night work on the well-being of workers involved in health care work. METHODS: The respondents from each nation were sorted into night worker and non-night worker groups. Worker perceptions of being physically tired, mentally tired, and tense at the end of the workday were examined. Subjective reports of perceived felt age were also studied. For each of these four dependent variables, an ANCOVA analysis was carried out. Hours worked per week, stability of weekly work schedule, and chronological age were the covariates for these analyses. RESULTS: The results clearly support the general proposal that nations differ significantly in worker perceptions of well-being. In addition, perceptions of physical and mental tiredness at the end of the workday were higher for night workers. For the perception of being physically tired at the end of a workday, the manner and degree to which the night shift impacts the workers varies by nation. CONCLUSIONS: Additional research is needed to determine if the nation and work schedule differences observed are related to differences in job tasks, work schedule structure, off-the-job variables, and/or other worker demographic variables.

Risk perception about zoonoses in immigrants and Italian workers in Northwestern Italy

OBJETIVO: To assess factors associated with a low risk perception of zoonoses and to identify the gaps in knowledge about transmission and prevention of zoonoses in immigrant and Italian workers. MÉTODOS: A cross-sectional study with 175 workers in the agro-livestock and agro-food industry in Piemonte, Italy, was carried out. Data were collected with a semi-structured questionnaire based on knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) survey. We calculated proportions and used chi-square tests and odds ratios to assess associations. Eight individual interviews with key informants on immigration and public health in Piemonte were carried out. RESULTADOS: Participants were 82 (47%) Italians and 93 (53%) immigrants. Immigrants were from Romania, Morocco, Albania, India, China, Argentina, Peru, Macedonia, Ivory Coast, Ukraine and Colombia. The study revealed significant differences in risk perception at work (p = 0.001). We found associations between "not having correct knowledge about zoonoses" and the following variables: i. "being immigrant" OR = 4.1 (95%CI 1.7;9.8 p ≤ 0.01); ii. "working in the livestock industry" OR = 2.9 (95%CI 1.2;15.4 p = 0.01); and iii. "being an unqualified worker" OR = 4.4 (95%CI 2.9;15.4 p ≤ 0.01). Another strong association was found between being immigrant and having a low job qualification OR = 6.7 (IC95% 2.9 - 15.4 p ≤ 0.01). Asian immigrants were the group with the highest frequency of risky behaviours and the lowest level of knowledge about zoonoses. CONCLUSÕES: Our results indicate that there were differences in risk perception of zoonoses between the groups participating in our study. These results suggest that immigrant status can be considered a risk factor for having lower risk perception and lower level of knowledge of zoonoses at work. There is a relationship between this specific knowledge of zoonoses and lack of training and instruction among migrant populations. Our results stress the need for developing education programs on zoonoses prevention among the immigrant population in Piemonte, Italy.

Professional and community satisfaction with the Brazilian family health strategy

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the strengths and limitations of the Family Health Strategy from the perspective of health care professionals and the community. METHODS: Between June-August 2009, in the city of Vespasiano, Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil, a questionnaire was used to evaluate the Family Health Strategy (ESF) with 77 healthcare professionals and 293 caregivers of children under five. Health care professional training, community access to health care, communication with patients and delivery of health education and pediatric care were the main points of interest in the evaluation. Logistic regression analysis was used to obtain odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals as well as to assess the statistical significance of the variables studied. RESULTS: The majority of health care professionals reported their program training was insufficient in quantity, content and method of delivery. Caregivers and professionals identified similar weaknesses (services not accessible to the community, lack of healthcare professionals, poor training for professionals) and strengths (community health worker-patient communications, provision of educational information, and pediatric care). Recommendations for improvement included: more doctors and specialists, more and better training, and scheduling improvements. Caregiver satisfaction with the ESF was found to be related to perceived benefits such as community health agent household visits (OR 5.8, 95%CI 2.8;12.1), good professional-patient relationships (OR 4.8, 95%CI 2.5;9.3), and family-focused health (OR 4.1, 95%CI 1.6;10.2); and perceived problems such as lack of personnel (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.2;0.6), difficulty with access (OR 0.2, 95%CI 0.1;0.4), and poor quality of care (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.1;0.6). Overall, 62% of caregivers reported being generally satisfied with the ESF services. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying the limitations and strengths of the Family Health Strategy from the healthcare professional and caregiver perspective may serve to advance primary community healthcare in Brazil.

Lifestyle factors, direct and indirect costs for a Brazilian airline company

OBJECTIVE To analyze lifestyle risk factors related to direct healthcare costs and the indirect costs due to sick leave among workers of an airline company in Brazil. METHODS In this longitudinal 12-month study of 2,201 employees of a Brazilian airline company, the costs of sick leave and healthcare were the primary outcomes of interest. Information on the independent variables, such as gender, age, educational level, type of work, stress, and lifestyle-related factors (body mass index, physical activity, and smoking), was collected using a questionnaire on enrolment in the study. Data on sick leave days were available from the company register, and data on healthcare costs were obtained from insurance records. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to investigate the association between direct and indirect healthcare costs with sociodemographic, work, and lifestyle-related factors. RESULTS Over the 12-month study period, the average direct healthcare expenditure per worker was US$505.00 and the average indirect cost because of sick leave was US$249.00 per worker. Direct costs were more than twice the indirect costs and both were higher in women. Body mass index was a determinant of direct costs and smoking was a determinant of indirect costs. CONCLUSIONS Obesity and smoking among workers in a Brazilian airline company were associated with increased health costs. Therefore, promoting a healthy diet, physical activity, and anti-tobacco campaigns are important targets for health promotion in this study population.

Chromobacterium violaceum infection in Brazil. A case report

We report the second case of infection with Chromobacterium violaceum that occurred in Brazil. A farm worker living in the State of São Paulo presented fever and severe abdominal pain for four days. At hospitalization the patient was in a toxemic state and had a distended and painful abdomen. Chest X-ray and abdominal ultrasound revealed bilateral pneumonia and hypoechoic areas in the liver. The patient developed failure of multiple organs and died a few hours later. Blood culture led to isolation of C. violaceum resistant to ampicillin and cephalosporins and sensitive to chloramphenicol, tetracyclin, aminoglicosydes, and ciprofloxacin. Autopsy revealed pulmonary microabscesses and multiple abscesses in the liver. The major features of this case are generally observed in infections by C. violaceum: rapid clinical course, multiple visceral abscesses, and high mortality. Because of the antimicrobial resistance profile of this Gram-negative bacillus, for appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy it is important to consider chromobacteriosis in the differential diagnosis of severe community infections in Brazil.

Advantages of the rapid HIV-1 test in occupational accidents with potentially contaminated material among health workers

In occupational accidents involving health professionals handling potentially contaminated material, the decision to start or to continue prophylactic medication against infection by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been based on the ELISA test applied to a blood sample from the source patient. In order to rationalize the prophylactic use of antiretroviral agents, a rapid serologic diagnostic test of HIV infection was tested by the enzymatic immunoabsorption method (SUDS HIV 1+2, MUREX®) and compared to conventional ELISA (Abbott HIV-1/ HIV-2 3rd Generation plus EIA®). A total of 592 cases of occupational accidents were recorded at the University Hospital of Ribeirão Preto from July 1998 to April 1999. Of these, 109 were simultaneously evaluated by the rapid test and by ELISA HIV. The rapid test was positive in three cases and was confirmed by ELISA and in one the result was inconclusive and later found to be negative by ELISA. In the 106 accidents in which the rapid test was negative no prophylactic medication was instituted, with an estimated reduction in costs of US$ 2,889.35. In addition to this advantage, the good correlation of the rapid test with ELISA, the shorter duration of stress and the absence of exposure of the health worker to the adverse effects of antiretroviral agents suggest the adoption of this test in Programs of Attention to Accidents with Potentially Contaminated Material.

The epidemiologic profile and prevalence of cardiopathy in Trypanosoma cruzi infected blood donor candidates, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil

To describe the epidemiologic profile and prevalence of cardiopathy in 163 Trypanosoma cruzi serum positive blood donor candidates, a descriptive study was carried out between August, 1996 and November, 1997 at the Londrina State University Chagas Disease Outpatient Clinic. The profile found was: young, average age 42.95 ± 8.62 years; male (65%); Caucasian (84%); low level of schooling; low family income; agricultural worker (26%); born in the state of Paraná (67%); from rural areas (85%); migrated to the city (85%); and the vector as the main mechanism of transmission. During the clinical characterization a chronic cardiac form was found in 38% of the patients and classified as cardiac suggestive form in 21% and little suggestive of Chagas disease in 17%. No significant difference was found among age group distribution, sex and the presence of cardiac symptoms in patients with or without cardiopathy. This study emphasizes the importance of expanding medical services to areas with a greater prevalence of infected individuals, in a hierarchical manner and aiming at decentralization.

Serosurvey of hantavirus infection in humans in the border region between Brazil and Argentina

INTRODUCTION: According to reports by the Ministry of Health, in the far western region of the State of Santa Catarina, there have been no reports of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a zoonotic disease transmitted by feces of infected rodents. A seroepidemiological study of residents of this region, was conducted, with the aim of determining the presence of hantavirus infections. A total of 340 volunteers of both genus, from the towns of Belmonte and Paraíso, were studied. METHODS: The serum of these patients was collected and used to detect IgG antibodies against recombinant N protein of Araraquara hantavirus, by ELISA assay. The positive samples were then titrated and confirmed by immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: This study demonstrated the presence of IgG antibodies against hantavirus N protein in 3.5% of the population. The most frequent occupation was farm worker, 81% had direct and indirect contact with rodents, 91.7% of positive cases were farm workers, indicating that the probable cause of infection occurred during barn cleaning. These antibodies are noteworthy, given that the levels of antibodies were verified in individuals whose contact with hantavirus may have occurred many years ago. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the circulation of hantavirus in the region, a fact that until now, had not reported. All the serum reagents had contact with the pathogen, but did not develop pulmonary and cardiovascular syndrome. It is important to remain alert, because hantavirus is a serious and emerging disease of some relevance.

Formação das castas no gênero Melípona (Illiger, 1806)

The present work is destinated to prove that the castes : workers and queens, in Melipona bees are due to genetic factors and not to differences in food. 2) Material used: Hives of Melipona quadri-fasciata anthidioides (Lep. 1836), M. schenki schenki (Gribodo, 1893), M. fasciata rufiventris (Lep. 1836), M. quadri-fasciata vicina (Lep. 1836), M. marginata marginata (Lep. 1836), Apis mellifera (L. 1758). 3) It should be pointed out that in Melipona bees there are no royal cells for the queens, but all the cells are of the same size independently of being destinated for workers, queens or drones. The numerous queens which are born are killed soon after emerging from their cells. 4) Changes of feeding in quality and in quantity caused no variation of castes. The only variable factor is the size, which becomes bigger when the bee is well nourished. 5) The offsprings of 5 hives were examined : 3 of M. quadri-fasciata anthidioides (n.o 1, n.o 2 and n.o 3), 1 of M. quadri-fasciata vicina (n.o 4) and 1 of M. marginata marginata (n.o 5). Combs of about 40 cells were taken into laboratory and the type of bee registered immediately after emerging. The results of the counts were: BOX COMB WORKER QUEEN PERCENTAGE Σ X2 to 12,5% Nº 1 1th 69 8 10,4% 0, 3139 " 1 2nd 144 18 11,1% 0, 2856 " 2 1th 52 8 13,3% 0, 0384 " 3 1th 45 10 18,2% 1, 6736 " 4 1th 56 4 6,7% 1, 8686 " 4 2nd 29 4 12,1% 0,00432 Σ X2 to 25% " 5 1th 34 14 29,2% 0,44444 "5 2nd 83 27 24,5% 0, 0121 In the 4 first boxes there is a percentage of 11,63% queens and in the last there is a percentage of 25,95%. 6) These percentages are very near two genetical ratios: 12,5% or 7:1, and 25% or 3:1, which correspond to a trifactorial and a bifactorial back-cross. Carrying out a X² test no significant deviations were found ( X² to 12,5% and to 25% and table 1 to 4). 7) We suppose that the formula for the queen in the first case (11,65%) is: AaBbCc. Since the Melipona bees are arrhenotokous hymenopteres, the drones are haploid and may have any one of the following eight formulas, corresponding to the gonic segregation of the queem : ABC, ABc, Abc, Abc, AbC, aBC, aBc, abC, abc. Anyone combination of these males with the queen will give a segregation of 7 workers to 1 queen, since there is always only one triple heterozygote among the eight possible segregates (table 5). 8) In order to explain the second case, it is suffient to assume that in this species there are only two pairs of factors, the queen being the double heterozygote : AaBb, while the drones may have any one of the following constitutions: AB, Ab, aB and ab. Workers are again all diploids which are homozygous for one or both factors, for instance: AABB, AABb, AaBB, aaBb, AAbb, etc. (table 6). 9) It is suggested that the genus Melipona is an intermediary type between the solitary bees, where all females are fertile independently of their feeding, and the genera Apis and Trigona, where without special feeding all females are born sterile, while only specially fed females develop into fertile queens. 10) No speculations are put forward with regards to the evolutionary mechanism which may have been responsible for the development of the genetical determination of castes in Melipona, since it seems advisable point to extend the studies to other insects with complicated caste systems.