Analysis of the combined exposure to noise and ototoxic substances—pilot study

Abstract: Ototoxic substances have been associated to damage of the auditory system, and its effects are potentiated by noise exposure. The present study aims at analyzing auditory changes from combined exposure to noise and organic solvents, through a pilot study in the furniture industry sector. Audiological tests were performed on 44 workers, their levels of exposure to toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene were determined and the levels of noise exposure were evaluated. The results showed that workers are generally exposed to high noise levels and cabin priming filler and varnish sector workers have high levels of exposure to toluene. However, no hearing loss was registered among the workers. Workers exposed simultaneously to noise and ototoxic substances do not have a higher degree of hearing loss than those workers exposed only to noise. Thus, the results of this study did not show that the combined exposure to noise and the organic solvent is associated with hearing disorders.

SiC pinpin photonic for linking the visible spectrum to the telecom gap

Expanding far beyond traditional applications at telecommunications wavelengths, the SiC photonic devices has recently proven its merits for working with visible range optical signals. Reconfigurable wavelength selectors are essential sub-systems for implementing reconfigurable WDM networks and optical signal processing. Visible range to telecom band spectral translation in SiC/Si can be accomplished using wavelength selector under appropriated optical bias, acting as reconfigurable active filters. In this paper we present a monolithically integrated wavelength selector based on a multilayer SiC/Si integrated optical filters that requires optical switches to select wavelengths. The selector filter is realized by using double pin/pin a-SiC:H photodetector with front and back biased optical gating elements. Red, green, blue and violet communication channels are transmitted together, each one with a specific bit sequence. The combined optical signal is analyzed by reading out the generated photocurrent, under different background wavelengths applied either from the front or the back side. The backgrounds acts as channel selectors that selects one or more channels by splitting portions of the input multi-channel optical signals across the front and back photodiodes. The transfer characteristics effects due to changes in steady state light, irradiation side and frequency are presented. The relationship between the optical inputs and the digital output levels is established. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of the support offered to breastfeeding by maternity hospitals

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether the support offered by maternity hospitals is associated with higher prevalences of exclusive and predominant breastfeeding. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study including a representative sample of 916 infants less than six months who were born in maternity hospitals, in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, 2011. The maternity hospitals were evaluated in relation to their fulfillment of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Data were collected regarding breastfeeding patterns, the birth hospital and other characteristics. The individualized effect of the study factor on exclusive and predominant breastfeeding was analyzed using Poisson multiple regression with robust variance. RESULTS Predominant breastfeeding tended to be more prevalent when the number of fulfilled steps was higher (p of linear trend = 0.057). The step related to not offering artificial teats or pacifiers to breastfed infants and that related to encouraging the establishment of breastfeeding support groups were associated, respectively, to a higher prevalence of exclusive (PR = 1.26; 95%CI 1.04;1.54) and predominant breastfeeding (PR = 1.55; 95%CI 1.01;2.39), after an adjustment was performed for confounding variables. CONCLUSIONS We observed a positive association between support offered by maternity hospitals and prevalences of exclusive and predominant breastfeeding. These results can be useful to other locations with similar characteristics (cities with hospitals that fulfill the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding) to provide incentive to breastfeeding, by means of promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding in maternity hospitals.

Adaption of the Creative Commons approach and the roaming concept to spatial data infrastructures (SDI)

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies

Primary bioreceptivity of limestones from the mediterranean basin to phototrophic microorganisms

Dissertação apresentada para a obtenção do grau de Doutor em Conservação e Restauro pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Assessment of nutritional and metabolic profiles of pea shoots: The new ready-to-eat baby-leaf vegetable

Pea-shoots are a new option as ready-to-eat baby-leaf vegetable. However, data about the nutritional composition and the shelf-life stability of these leaves, especially their phytonutrient composition is scarce. In this work, the macronutrient, micronutrient and phytonutrients profile of minimally processed pea shoots were evaluated at the beginning and at the end of a 10-day storage period. Several physicochemical characteristics (color, pH, total soluble solids, and total titratable acidity) were also monitored. Standard AOAC methods were applied in the nutritional value evaluation, while chromatographic methods with UV–vis and mass detection were used to analyze free forms of vitamins (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS), carotenoids (HPLC-DAD-APCI-MSn) and flavonoid compounds (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn). Atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-AAS) was employed to characterize the mineral content of the leaves. As expected, pea leaves had a high water (91.5%) and low fat (0.3%) and carbohydrate (1.9%) contents, being a good source of dietary fiber (2.1%). Pea shoots showed a high content of vitamins C, E and A, potassium and phosphorous compared to other ready-to-eat green leafy vegetables. The carotenoid profile revealed a high content of β-carotene and lutein, typical from green leafy vegetables. The leaves had a mean flavonoid content of 329 mg/100 g of fresh product, mainly composed by glycosylated quercetin and kaempferol derivatives. Pea shoots kept their fresh appearance during the storage being color maintained throughout the shelf-life. The nutritional composition was in general stable during storage, showing some significant (p < 0.05) variation in certain water-soluble vitamins.

A director’s approach to art and religion : o quadro, um musical da Paixão segundo o sr. João (The masterpiece, a musical of The passion according to John): trabalho de projecto

Trabalho de Projecto submetido à Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Teatro - especialização em Encenação.

Nonlinear dynamics of the patient’s response to drug effect during general anesthesia

In today’s healthcare paradigm, optimal sedation during anesthesia plays an important role both in patient welfare and in the socio-economic context. For the closed-loop control of general anesthesia, two drugs have proven to have stable, rapid onset times: propofol and remifentanil. These drugs are related to their effect in the bispectral index, a measure of EEG signal. In this paper wavelet time–frequency analysis is used to extract useful information from the clinical signals, since they are time-varying and mark important changes in patient’s response to drug dose. Model based predictive control algorithms are employed to regulate the depth of sedation by manipulating these two drugs. The results of identification from real data and the simulation of the closed loop control performance suggest that the proposed approach can bring an improvement of 9% in overall robustness and may be suitable for clinical practice.

Susceptibility of Biomphalaria tenagophila and Biomphalaria glabrata from the same region to two Brazilian strains of Schistosoma mansoni

B. tenagophila snails from Ouro Branco, MG, showed positivity for S. mansoni, with infection rates of 5%, 10%, (SJ strain), and 1% (LE strain) using a pool of miracidia. The mollusks were found to be susceptive from the 3rd generation reared in laboratory onwards. The B. tenagophila (OB, MG) when individually exposed to 10 miracidia, showed infection rate of 2% for LE strain. B. glabrata snails from Gagé, MG, showed a positivity rate of 58% for S. mansoni (LE strain), under experimental conditions. The B. tenagophila from Cabo Frio, RJ and B. glabrata from Belo Horizonte, MG used as a control for SJ strain showed infection rates of 47% - 85% and 36% respectivily. For the LE strain, B. glabrata (BH, MG) used as control showed infection rate of 40% - 75%.

Kerionlike lesion of the scalp due to Acremonium kiliense in a noncompromised boy

We report a case of kerionlike lesion of the scalp due to Acremonium kiliense in a boy without underlying disease. Diagnosis was established by direct examination and cultures from pus and scrapings.

Application of the EcoBlock method to eco-design - electric hand dryers versus paper towels

Sustainable Construction, Materials and Practice, p. 426-432

From the Lisbon strategy to EU2020: illusion or progress for european economies?

To be published at Krings, Bettina-J. ed. (2011), Brain Drain or Brain Gain? Changes of Work in Knowledge-based Societies, Berlin, Ed. Sigma. The author wants to thanks the comments and suggestions from Bettina Krings and Sylke Wintzer. They are not, however, responsible for the final result.

A selecção de indicadores no estudo prospectivo “Forecasting the carbon footprint to road freight transport in 2020"

Baseado no relatório realizado para a unidade lectiva “Métodos de Análise Prospectiva” do Programa Doutoral em Avaliação de Tecnologia, 2011

Nonlinear dynamics of the patient’s response to drug effect during general anesthesia

In today’s healthcare paradigm, optimal sedation during anesthesia plays an important role both in patient welfare and in the socio-economic context. For the closed-loop control of general anesthesia, two drugs have proven to have stable, rapid onset times: propofol and remifentanil. These drugs are related to their effect in the bispectral index, a measure of EEG signal. In this paper wavelet time–frequency analysis is used to extract useful information from the clinical signals, since they are time-varying and mark important changes in patient’s response to drug dose. Model based predictive control algorithms are employed to regulate the depth of sedation by manipulating these two drugs. The results of identification from real data and the simulation of the closed loop control performance suggest that the proposed approach can bring an improvement of 9% in overall robustness and may be suitable for clinical practice.

Aircraft Engines Maintenance Costs and Reliability: An Appraisal of the Decision Process to Remove an Engine for a Shop Visit Aiming at Minimum Maintenance Unit Cost

Dissertação apresentada como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Estatística e Gestão de Informação.