Health impacts of domestic coal use in China

Domestic coal combustion has had profound adverse effects on the health of millions of people worldwide. In China alone several hundred million people commonly burn raw coal in unvented stoves that permeate their homes with high levels of toxic metals and organic compounds. At least 3,000 people in Guizhou Province in southwest China are suffering from severe arsenic poisoning. The primary source of the arsenic appears to be consumption of chili peppers dried over fires fueled with high-arsenic coal. Coal samples in the region were found to contain up to 35,000 ppm arsenic. Chili peppers dried over high-arsenic coal fires adsorb 500 ppm arsenic on average. More than 10 million people in Guizhou Province and surrounding areas suffer from dental and skeletal fluorosis. The excess fluorine is caused by eating corn dried over burning briquettes made from high-fluorine coals and high-fluorine clay binders. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons formed during coal combustion are believed to cause or contribute to the high incidence of esophageal and lung cancers in parts of China. Domestic coal combustion also has caused selenium poisoning and possibly mercury poisoning. Better knowledge of coal quality parameters may help to reduce some of these health problems. For example, information on concentrations and distributions of potentially toxic elements in coal may help delineate areas of a coal deposit to be avoided. Information on the modes of occurrence of these elements and the textural relations of the minerals and macerals in coal may help predict the behavior of the potentially toxic components during coal combustion.

Cocaine: mechanism of inhibition of a muscle acetylcholine receptor studied by a laser-pulse photolysis technique.

Effects of cocaine on the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor were investigated by using a chemical kinetic technique with a microsecond time resolution. This membrane-bound receptor regulates signal transmission between nerve and muscle cells, initiates muscle contraction, and is inhibited by cocaine, an abused drug. The inhibition mechanism is not well understood because of the lack of chemical kinetic techniques with the appropriate (microsecond) time resolution. Such a technique, utilizing laser-pulse photolysis, was recently developed; by using it the following results were obtained. (i) The apparent cocaine dissociation constant of the closed-channel receptor form is approximately 50 microM. High carbamoylcholine concentration and, therefore, increased concentrations of the open-channel receptor form, decrease receptor affinity for cocaine approximately 6-fold. (ii) The rate of the receptor reaction with cocaine is at least approximately 30-fold slower than the channel-opening rate, resulting in a cocaine-induced decrease in the concentration of open receptor channels without a concomitant decrease in the channel-opening or -closing rates. (iii) The channel-closing rate increases approximately 1.5-fold as the cocaine concentration is increased from 20 to 60 microM but then remains constant as the concentration is increased further. The results are consistent with a mechanism in which cocaine first binds rapidly to a regulatory site of the receptor, which can still form transmembrane channels. Subsequently, a slow step (t1/2 approximately 70 ms) leads to a receptor form that cannot form transmembrane channels, and acetylcholine receptor-mediated signal transmission is, therefore, blocked. Implications for the search for therapeutic agents that alleviate cocaine poisoning are mentioned.

Protecting Children: The United States Did Not Get the Lead Out

The lack of education and awareness of the potential of lead based paint hazards in residents across the United States is still a problem today. Simple educational tools and regulation changes can protect children who are at risk from being harmed by this hazard. Currently, there is inadequate outreach to educate the general public about lead based paint. A questionnaire was provided to families that have children under the age of seven and that live in residences built prior to 1978. The research and questionnaires confirm that more education, as well as regulation changes, is needed to keep children safe from lead paint hazards.

Intoxicación por munición de plomo en aves silvestres en España y medidas para reducir el riesgo

La intoxicación por ingestión de munición de plomo en aves silvestres es conocida en España desde finales del siglo pasado. Elevadas densidades de perdigones de plomo en diversos humedales de importancia internacional producen tasas de ingestión de perdigones cercanas al 70% en especies como el ánade rabudo (Anas acuta) y el plumbismo llega a ser una de las principales causas de mortalidad de la amenazada malvasía cabeciblanca (Oxyura leucocephala). El plumbismo también ha sido descrito en diversas especies de aves rapaces y se ha comprobado que la exposición al plomo es elevada en las especies más carroñeras y oportunistas. La contaminación de la carne de caza también ha sido objeto de estudio, debido a que en España se da la particularidad de cocinarla en escabeche, lo que incrementa la transferencia de plomo de la munición a la carne. Por el momento, la única acción llevada a cabo para reducir el riesgo de exposición al plomo de la munición en aves y humanos ha sido la prohibición desde 2001 del uso de perdigones de plomo en humedales protegidos. En esta revisión se hace un repaso a los estudios llevados a cabo en España sobre la contaminación por el plomo de la munición y el efecto que están teniendo las medidas hasta el momento adoptadas para reducir este riesgo.

Spectroscopic, calorimetric, and catalytic evidences of hydrophobicity on Ti-MCM-41 silylated materials for olefin epoxidations

Hydrophobic Ti-MCM-41 samples prepared by post-synthesis silylation treatment demonstrate to be highly active and selective catalysts in olefins epoxidation by using organic hydroperoxides as oxidizing agents in liquid phase reaction systems. Epoxide yields show important enhancements with increased silylation degrees of the Ti-mesoporous samples. Catalytic studies are combined and correlated with spectroscopic techniques (e.g. XRD, XANES, UV-Visible, 29Si MAS-NMR) and calorimetric measurements to better understand the changes in the surface chemistry of Ti-MCM-41 samples due to the post-synthesis silylation treatment and to ascertain the role of these trimethylsilyl groups incorporated in olefin epoxidation. In such manner, the effect of the organic moieties on solids, and both water and glycol molecules contents on the catalytic activity and selectivity are analyzed in detail. Results show that the hydrophobicity level of the samples is responsible for the decrease in water adsorption and, consequently, the negligible formation of the non-desired glycol during the catalytic process. Thus, catalyst deactivation by glycol poisoning of Ti active sites is greatly diminished, this increasing catalyst stability and leading to practically quantitative production of the corresponding epoxide. The extended use of these hydrophobic Ti-MCM-41 catalysts together with organic hydroperoxides for the highly efficient and selective epoxidation of natural terpenes is also exemplified.

Encefalopatia tardia da entoxicação por monóxido de carbono : case report e revisão de literatura

Trabalho Final do Curso de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 2014

Perfil sociodemográfico dos sujeitos que tentaram o suicídio no município de Arapiraca, Alagoas

Introdução: as tentativas de suicídio são uma das causas mais frequentes de atendimento nos serviços de urgência no Brasil. Poucos estudos abordam as características epidemiológicas das tentativas de suicídio, principalmente na região nordeste. Diante da importância de se conhecer as características das tentativas de suicídio e propor estratégias de minimização é que o presente estudo caracterizou o perfil sociodemográfico das pessoas que tentaram suicídio em Arapiraca – AL, no período de 2009 a 2013. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo de série histórica, com dados obtidos através da ficha de notificação/ investigação individual de Intoxicação Exógena do SINAN, de pacientes que foram atendidos no serviço de urgência e emergência da Unidade de Emergência Doutor Daniel Houly em Arapiraca. Foram analisadas as seguintes variáveis das tentativas de suicídios: faixa etária, sexo, raça, idade gestacional, zona de residência, vínculo empregatício, agente tóxico, hospitalização e evolução. Resultados: Do ano de 2009 a 2013 o total de atendidos por tentativas de suicídios na referida unidade foi de 1.184 indivíduos, sendo 71,54% do sexo feminino e 28,46% do sexo masculino. A faixa etária de maior frequência foi à de 20-29 anos, correspondendo a 33 % e a raça parda foi a que apresentou maior número de casos, 21% (n= 239). Em relação à residência 77% (n = 922) dos casos residiam em zona urbana, e o principal agente tóxico utilizado nas tentativas de suicídio, foi a ingestão medicamentosa (n = 822, 72%). Cerca de 73% (n=865) tiveram que ser hospitalizados e 95% tiveram tratamento adequado, evoluindo para cura. Conclusão: A partir dos dados foi possível traçar o perfil sociodemográfico das tentativas de suicídio, alcançando os objetivos propostos. A discussão do tema bem como a implementação da educação em saúde se constituem em elementos primordiais para a identificação dos sujeitos com ideação suicida e a busca da evitabilidade de novos casos. Ações de vigilância são necessárias para minimizar as taxas de suicídio, bem como a formação e articulação de rede de assistência no agreste alagoano. Ainda ressalta-se a necessidade de mais estudos com a população que apresenta comportamento suicida no município. Palavras-chave: Tentativa de Suicídio. Saúde Pública. Saúde Mental.

Ante la opinión nacional y extranjera. Como y quienes adminstran justicia en Bolivia. Defender el derecho es establecer la justicia. Otro caso más de injusticias, Cochabamba, 1919.

Mode of access: Internet.

Workshop on unregulated diesel emissions and their potential health effects - edited transcript of proceedings.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Technology Assessment Division, Washington, D.C.

Coḿo reducir los peligros del plomo al remodelar su casa.

Mode of access: Internet.

Review of diesel odor and toxic vapor emissions. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C.

Foodborne illnesses and deaths [microform] : hearing before the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, United States Senate, One Hundredth Congress, first session, June 4, 1987.

CIS Microfiche Accession Numbers: CIS 88 S161-13

Driver's visibility requirements for roadway delineation. Vol. II: color identification of yellow highway paint as a function of yellow/white pigment mixture ratio. Final report.

Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C.

A study of rigid polyurethane foam. Volume I - summary report. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

A study of rigid polyurethane foam. Volume II - final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.