Farm-raised shrimp: good aquacultural practices for product quality and safety

(PDF has 75 pages)

Organic Contaminant Analytical Methods of the National Status and Trends Program: 2000-2006

This document describes the analytical methods used to quantify core organic chemicals in tissue and sediment collected as part of NOAA’s National Status and Trends Program (NS&T) for the years 2000-2006. Organic contaminat analytical methods used during the early years of the program are described in NOAA Technical Memoranda NOS ORCA 71 and 130 (Lauenstein and Cantillo, 1993; Lauenstein and Cantillo, 1998) for the years 1984-1992 and 1993-1996, respectively. These reports are available from our website (http://www.ccma.nos.gov) The methods detailed in this document were utilized by the Mussel Watch Project and Bioeffects Project, which are both part of the NS&T program. The Mussel Watch Project has been monitoring contaminants in bivalves and sediments since 1986 and is the longest active national contaminant monitoring program operating in U.S. costal waters. Approximately 280 Mussel Watch sites are sampled on a biennial and decadal timescale for bivalve tissue and sediment respectively. Similarly, the Bioeffects Assessment Project began in 1986 to characterize estuaries and near coastal environs. Using the sediment quality triad approach that measures; (1) levels of contaminants in sediments, (2) incidence and severity of toxicity, and (3) benthic macrofaunal conmmunities, the Bioeffects Project describes the spatial extent of sediment toxicity. Contaminant assessment is a core function of both projects. These methods, while discussed here in the context of sediment and bivalve tissue, were also used with other matricies including: fish fillet, fish liver, nepheloid layer, and suspended particulate matter. The methods described herein are for the core organic contaminants monitored in the NS&T Program and include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), butyltins, and organochlorines that have been analyzed consistently over the past 15-20 years. Organic contaminants such as dioxins, perfluoro compounds and polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were analyzed periodically in special studies of the NS&T Program and will be described in another document. All of the analytical techniques described in this document were used by B&B Laboratories, Inc, an affiliate of TDI-Brook International, Inc. in College Station, Texas under contract to NOAA. The NS&T Program uses a performance-based system approach to obtain the best possible data quality and comparability, and requires laboratories to demonstrate precision, accuracy, and sensitivity to ensure results-based performance goals and measures. (PDF contains 75 pages)

Oldham College: Using online courses and e-Assessment

Oldham College have used on-line learning to offer certificated courses in Internet Safety, Environmental Sustainability, Health and Safety and Personal Finance whilst at the same time freeing up teaching staff and obtaining funding.

Case study: Digital life: e-safety and safeguarding

Case study on how Shrewsbury College has redeveloped their induction training for staff and students to enhance safeguarding and e-safety.

Coastal & Marine Issues Survey

Florida Sea Grant management and extension specialists developed a questionnaire to solicit information regarding the recipient’s county of residence, occupation, and primary coastal activities. Survey recipients were also asked to select from a list the top five marine-related topics that defined prior strategic plan themes (i.e., marine bio-technology, fisheries, aquaculture, seafood safety, coastal communities, ecosystem health, coastal hazards, and marine education). In addition, questionnaire recipients were asked to evaluate (on a scale of one to five) the importance of a series of listed outcomes that characterize priority planning themes. Last, survey recipients identified up to three priority themes and outcomes that they felt were particularly important and in need of resolution. (PDF contains 36 pages.)

O enfermeiro e a utilização do cateter central de inserção periférica em recém-nascidos: contribuições à luz da segurança e bioética

Esta pesquisa teve como objeto de estudo a segurança do recém-nascido no processo de utilização do Cateter Central de Inserção Periférica (PICC) e, como objetivos: conhecer o significado de segurança para o enfermeiro no processo de utilização do PICC em recém-nascidos; descrever os cuidados prestados pelo enfermeiro no uso do PICC em recém-nascidos e analisar os nexos entre segurança e os princípios bioéticos no uso do PICC em recém-nascidos na prática assistencial dos enfermeiros. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo de abordagem qualitativa. O cenário foi a unidade de terapia intensiva neonatal de um Hospital Universitário localizado no município do Rio de Janeiro e os sujeitos, 11 enfermeiros plantonistas capacitados e que realizam a implantação do PICC em recém-nascidos. Para a coleta de dados realizou-se a entrevista semiestruturada, gravada em fita cassete, entre os meses de março e junho de 2012. Posteriormente estas foram transcritas e analisadas por meio da análise de conteúdo de Bardin, na modalidade temática e interpretada à luz dos princípios bioéticos e da segurança do paciente. Como resultados emergiram 04 categorias: Técnicas e Procedimentos, Cuidados com o recém-nascido, Aspectos relacionados à equipe e Aspectos relacionados à família. Para os enfermeiros, segurança no processo de utilização do PICC no recém-nascido, significa saber indicar o uso deste dispositivo de acordo com as peculiaridades de cada criança. Exercer cuidados antes, durante e após o uso do cateter, valorizar os cuidados técnicos relacionados ao procedimento, possuir conhecimento teórico-prático e ter disponibilidade de recursos materiais e humanos para desenvolver um cuidado seguro. Além de atentar para os registros e protocolos da unidade acerca desta prática assistencial. Para preservar a segurança do neonato, compreendem ser necessária a tomada de decisão em conjunto com o médico acerca do momento ideal para se implantar este dispositivo, bem como a escolha do tipo ideal de sedação para o mesmo, dentre outros aspectos. No processo de utilização do PICC, os enfermeiros entendem a manutenção da temperatura corporal, a realização de medidas de conforto perante a dor, a prevenção de infecções e o posicionamento adequado do recém-nascido durante o procedimento, como atitudes essenciais para a promoção de sua segurança. Buscam, também, esclarecer os pais quanto ao procedimento que será realizado com seu filho. Conclui-se que o enfermeiro, no que diz respeito à prática do PICC, atua de acordo com os princípios bioéticos de beneficência e não-maleficência, já que realiza sua assistência visando o bem-estar do neonato, procurando minimizar os desconfortos associados a esse procedimento. Apesar de esclarecerem os pais quanto ao procedimento que será realizado com seu filho, alguns enfermeiros, não os consultam previamente acerca da autorização para implantação deste dispositivo infringindo, assim, o princípio bioético da autonomia.

The technical potential for reducing metal requirements through lightweight product design

Metal production consumes around 10% of all global energy, so is a significant driver of climate change and other concerns about sustainability. Demand for metal is rising and forecast to double by 2050 through a combination of growing total demand from developing countries, and ongoing replacement demand in developed economies. Metal production is already extremely efficient, so the major opportunities for emissions abatement in the sector are likely to arise from material efficiency - using less new metal to meet demand for services. Therefore this paper examines the opportunity to reduce requirements for steel and aluminium by lightweight design. A set of general principles for lightweight design are proposed by way of a simple analytical example, and are then applied to five case study products which cumulatively account for 30% of global steel product output. It is shown that exploiting lightweight design opportunities for these five products alone could reduce global steel requirements by 5%, and similar savings in aluminium products could reduce global aluminium requirements by 7%. If similar savings to those in the design case studies were possible in all steel and aluminium products, total material requirements could be reduced by 25-30%. However, many of these light-weighting measures are, at present, economically unattractive, and may take many years to implement. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Redundancy quantification in the safety assessment of existing concrete beam-and-slab bridges

In current practice the strength evaluation of a bridge system is typically based on firstly using elastic analysis to determine the distribution of load effects in the elements and then checking the ultimate section capacity of those elements. Ductility of the components in most bridge structures permits local yield and subsequent redistribution of the applied loads from the most heavily loaded elements. As a result a bridge can continue to carry additional loading even after one member has yielded, which has conventionally been adopted as the "failure criterion" in bridge strength evaluation. This means that a bridge with inherent redundancy has additional reserves of strength such that the failure of one element does not result in the failure of the complete system. For these bridges warning signs will show up and measures can be undertaken before the ultimate collapse is happening. This paper proposes a rational methodology for calculating the ultimate system strength and including in bridge evaluation the warning level due to redundancy. © 2004 Taylor & Francis Group, London.

Automated Detection of Exposed Reinforcement in Post-Earthquake Safety and Structural Evaluations

The world is at the threshold of emerging technologies, where new systems in construction, materials, and civil and architectural design are poised to make the world better from a structural and construction perspective. Exciting developments, that are too many to name individually, take place yearly, affecting design considerations and construction practices. This edited book brings together modern methods and advances in structural engineering and construction, fulfilling the mission of ISEC Conferences, which is to enhance communication and understanding between structural and construction engineers for successful design and construction of engineering projects. The articles in this book are those accepted for publication and presentation at the 6th International Structural Engineering and Construction Conference in Zurich. The 6th ISEC Conference in Zurich, Switzerland, follows the overwhelming reception and success of previous ISEC conference in Las Vegas, USA in 2009; Melbourne, Australia in 2007; Shunan, Japan in 2005; Rome, Italy in 2003; and Honolulu, USA in 2001. Many topics are covered in this book, ranging from legal affairs and contracting, to innovations and risk analysis in infrastructure projects, analysis and design of structural systems, materials, architecture, and construction. The articles here are a lasting testimony to the excellent research being undertaken around the world. These articles provide a platform for the exchange of ideas, research efforts and networking in the structural engineering and construction communities. We congratulate and thank the authors for these articles that were selected after intensive peer-review, and our gratitude extends to all reviewers and members of the International Technical Committee. It is their combined contributions that have made this book a reality.

Rapid entropy-based detection and properties measurement of concrete spalling with machine vision for post-earthquake safety assessments

The current procedures in post-earthquake safety and structural assessment are performed manually by a skilled triage team of structural engineers/certified inspectors. These procedures, and particularly the physical measurement of the damage properties, are time-consuming and qualitative in nature. This paper proposes a novel method that automatically detects spalled regions on the surface of reinforced concrete columns and measures their properties in image data. Spalling has been accepted as an important indicator of significant damage to structural elements during an earthquake. According to this method, the region of spalling is first isolated by way of a local entropy-based thresholding algorithm. Following this, the exposure of longitudinal reinforcement (depth of spalling into the column) and length of spalling along the column are measured using a novel global adaptive thresholding algorithm in conjunction with image processing methods in template matching and morphological operations. The method was tested on a database of damaged RC column images collected after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and comparison of the results with manual measurements indicate the validity of the method.