Africanized honeybees: Biological characteristics, urban nesting behavior and accidents caused in Brazilian cities (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

In 1956 African honeybee queens (Apis mellifera scutellata) were imported from South Africa and Tanzania to Brazil, as part of a government project to increase Brazilian honey production. The European honeybees existing in that country had not adapted well to the tropical conditions and consequently, had a low productivity. The newly introduced bee was known to produce substantially more honey than the other subspecies, but was also famous for its great aggressiveness and quicker attack of intruders with less disturbance. Hoping to create a new hybrid bee that would be both docile and productive, the scientist Warwick Estevam Kerr tried to cross the African and the European subspecies under controlled conditions. However, an accident resulted in the escape of 26 swarms into the Brazilian countryside, where their queens mated with drones of the European resident honeybees. The poly-hybrid bees resulting from these crossings expressed scutellata-like reproductive, foraging, and defensive behaviors and, for this reason, were called Africanized honeybees. They spread rapidly from the introduction area of the African honeybees (near Rio Claro, São Paulo state) to as far south as mid-Argentina and to the north of Texas, also settling in Arizona, New Mexico, California and Nevada, due to their high adaptability to variable ecological conditions. In spite of a few undesirable behaviors, these bees have been invoking larger economic interest because they produce much more honey, have good resistance to diseases and are excellent pollinators. In Brazil, because people frequently disturb the environment, the occupation of urban refuges by Africanized honeybees has been increasing in the last years. The concern with accidents is generally associated with the high swarming frequency recorded during the year and the variety of shelters available in urban areas. This paper deals with the biological characteristics of the Africanized honeybees, their nesting behavior in urban environments, and accidents caused by these bees in Brazilian cities.

Ampolas de Vidro: Riscos e Benefícios

Background and objectives: Glass ampoules have been widely used in packaging injection drugs. Glass has important characteristics that allow it to be widely used in fabrication of recipients for drugs and other sterile substances. However, contamination of solutions with glass microparticles on breaking open glass ampoules, the presence of metals, percutaneous injury, and biological contamination justify the need of educational materials to orient the manipulation of ampoules. Contents: Glass microparticles generated in the snap-opening of ampoules, as well as metals that contaminate their contents can be aspirated and injected through several routes. Exogenous contaminations by glass and metals can reach several sites in the organism. They trigger organic reactions that may give rise to injuries. Opening ampoules can expose professionals to the risk of percutaneous injuries. These lesions increase the biological risk as they are the gateway for viruses and bacteria. Ampoules opening systems (VIBRAC and OPC) have been developed to reduce the incidence of such accidents. Alternative materials to glass may represent an interesting strategy to increase safety. The use of prefilled syringes may represent an evolution regarding safety. Conclusions: Team training and information provided by the pharmaceutical industry on the use of ampoules are fundamental in the prophylaxis of accidents and contaminations. The search for safer materials to replace glass is also important. © 2011 Elsevier Editora Ltda.

Operational safety: Development of electronic system for dynamic balance evaluation of farm tractors

The present study aimed at the development and evaluation of a low cost electronic device in order to provide safety for farm tractor users. The major accident occurrence in agricultural surroundings is from farm tractor side bending. Therefore, this sensor was designed to detect and alert about it. The results were satisfying. © 2013 Taylor & Francis Group.

Occupational ergonomics: Work posture among Brazilian dental students

This study involved observational assessment of work posture in relation to recommended ergonomic posture the requirements necessary for ergonomic posture among students in the final year of a degree program at the School of Dentistry of Araraquara-UNESP/Brazil (n =73) and investigation of the association of work posture with sex, the type of procedure, four-handed dentistry, and the region of the mouth being treated. The work posture of the students during 250 clinical procedures was observed by means of pictures. Each procedure received a posture classification: Adequate, partially adequate, or inadequate. A descriptive statistical analysis was conducted. The prevalence of final posture classification was calculated using 95% confidence intervals and point estimate. Associations of interest were studied using the chi-square test, with a 5% significance level. It was concluded that the prevalence of procedures performed with partially adequate posture was high, and that the final work posture classification was not associated with the variables of interest. © 2013 Taylor & Francis Group.

Desenvolvimento de uma metodologia para elaboração de modelos de predição dos níveis de ruído do campo acústico de usinas hidrelétricas

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEIS

Mexico 1970: occupational stratification, income and region: an analysis of census data

Includes bibliography

The need to establish coordinated measures for the reduction of road accidents in Latin America and the Caribbean

This edition of the FAL Bulletin approaches road safety and the need for urgent, coordinated measures to be established between the public and private sectors and civil society in order to prevent the rapid increase in deaths and casualties in road accidents in Latin America and the Caribbean, an issue which is threatening the sustainability of regional development.

An analysis of traffic accidents and children: the case of Uruguay

This issue of the FAL Bulletin deals with road safe ty and its impact on children by examining data collected on road safe ty in the Eastern Republic of Uruguay by the Gonzalo Rodríguez Foundation wi thin the framework of its EDU-CAR Road Safety Plan for Children.

Occupational mobility and income differentials: The experience of Brazil between 2002 and 2010

Since the start of the twenty-first century, the Brazilian economy has experienced a growth cycle with characteristics unlike those of its previous historical experience, combining growth, macroeconomic stability and distributive progress. In this context, the study aims to analyse the factors and distributive effects of occupational mobility in Brazil, based on data obtained from the Monthly Employment Survey. The results suggest that: (i) mobility has been used in Brazil as a way to raise wages, even when it involves a drop in socio-occupational status; (ii) nonetheless, the wage increase obtained by changing job or occupational segment is smaller for poorer workers than for wealthier ones; and (iii) consequently, mobility helps to increase income, but it also tends to widen wage gaps.

Análise de acidentes fatais investigados pelo MTE de acordo com o porte da empresa: Estado de Sâo Paulo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Acidentes de trabalho e doenças ocupacionais em servidores da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Bauru

Pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva - FMB

As condições de vida no trabalho e a saúde de professores de educação física do município de Belém

Esta investigação teve como objetivo analisar as condições de trabalho e saúde dos professores de Educação Física do Município de Belém-PA. Para tanto, foi necessário entender como a saúde destes professores era afetada a partir dos processos de precariedade do trabalho no capitalismo contemporâneo. Foi organizado um quadro teórico a fim de dar suporte para o debate em questão. Refere-se inicialmente a crise do capitalismo na década de 70, o qual se caracterizou como a crise do petróleo. Em um segundo momento destacou-se as políticas de ajustes econômicos e políticos que refletiam na estrutura básica do funcionamento da educação. O reordenamento do capital exige modificações no entendimento do papel da educação de um país, logo foi mostrado como as políticas mais gerais afetam a educação brasileira e a vida dos professores. Foi neste bojo que se analisou a partir dos dados encontrados na pesquisa de campo, as condições de trabalho destes professores tendo como variáveis a jornada de trabalho, salário, quantidade de turmas, locais de trabalho etc. Por último, analisou-se a questão de saúde dos docentes, identificando os principais problemas como as patologias encontradas, os acidentes de trabalho, a relação que se tem com o plano de saúde oferecido pela prefeitura, a periodicidade de ida ao médico etc. Neste estudo foram aplicados 22 questionários, sendo 11 com professores do sexo feminino e 11 do sexo masculino, sendo que das 11 professoras colaboradoras, 02 participaram da entrevista. Como resultado desta investigação foi possível inferir que: a) O processo de precariedade do trabalho dos professores de Educação Física tem se mostrado extremamente evidente e com consequências para vida e saúde destes trabalhadores; b) O fenômeno da violência nas escolas é parte fundamental do processo de precariedade do trabalho dos professores; c) Problemas fonoaudiológicos foram os mais evidentes nos pesquisados, além de problemas mentais; d) Através da leitura de outras pesquisas sobre a condição de precariedade do trabalho e saúde, é possível conjecturar uma tendência crescente em níveis de maior proporção sobre este tema; e) Os maiores índices de doenças ocupacionais referem-se aos professores do sexo feminino, ratificando que no precário mundo do trabalho essa tendência de adoecimento é prevalente. Conclui-se que é necessário a criação de espaços nas escolas públicas para se pensar a questão do trabalho e da saúde dos professores e estes juntamente com outros profissionais da educação formem autonomamente suas propostas de viabilização destes ambientes. Para tanto, é preciso antes, pensar na possibilidade de formação e construção do professor militante, o qual possa ser sujeito destas transformações. Cabe então ao professor colaborar como sujeito histórico para o processo de ruptura necessária do capital em crise.