Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of Eucalyptus radiata essential oil against Escherichia coli strains isolated from meat products.

The present study sought to evaluate the antimicrobial and anti-adherent potential of Eucalyptus radiata essential oil against food-borne strains of Escherichia coli. The study was performed using the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). In addition, the disk diffusion technique was used to evaluate the association of Eucalyptus radiata essential oil with synthetic antimicrobials. The Minimum Inhibitory Adherence Concentration (MIC) was also performed. The results revealed that E. radiata showed antimicrobial activity against the E. coli strains tested, with MIC values ranging from 500 µg/mL to 1000 µg/mL and MBC values ranging from 500 µg/mL to 1,024 µg/mL. As for the associations, it was observed that E. radiata oil exhibited a synergistic effect for some antibiotics, especially Ceftriaxone, with greater interference from the essential oil. Furthermore, it was effective in inhibiting the adherence of bacterial strains of E. coli, showing a more significant antibiofilm effect than the antibacterial agent 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate. In summary, the essential oil of E. radiata showed antimicrobial potential against strains of E. coli of food origin, and can therefore, through in-depth studies, be used alone or in association with synthetic antimicrobials to combat infections caused by this pathogen.

Mexico City during and after the September 19, 2017 earthquake: Assessment of seismic resilience and ongoing recovery process.

Mexico City was severely affected by the September 19, 2017 Puebla-Morelos earthquake (M w = 7.1). City authorities confirmed that more than 12,000 structures for all uses were damaged as a consequence of this earthquake. In this paper, the focus of attention is devoted to trying to quantify in a simple manner how resilient the built environment in Mexico City was during the September 19, 2017 earthquake. Global statistics compiled for the severity of damage observed during this seismic event from detailed information gathered from well-documented and detailed damage surveys were used for this purpose. Also, an update is provided on how the seismic reconstruction and recovery processes of the built environment in Mexico City have been after this earthquake. This adaptive resilience has been assessed from reliable information and statistics of the ongoing reconstruction process of the affected built environment in Mexico City. The implementation of structural health monitoring programs for typical, representative buildings within the city would be germane to detect and correct potential structural deficiencies on time before the next strong earthquake may strike, then helping to improve the seismic resilience of the built environment.

Connectivity of diagnostic technologies: improving surveillance and accelerating tuberculosis elimination.

In regard to tuberculosis (TB) and other major global epidemics, the use of new diagnostic tests is increasing dramatically, including in resource-limited countries. Although there has never been as much digital information generated, this data source has not been exploited to its full potential. In this opinion paper, we discuss lessons learned from the global scale-up of these laboratory devices and the pathway to tapping the potential of laboratory-generated information in the field of TB by using connectivity. Responding to the demand for connectivity, innovative third-party players have proposed solutions that have been widely adopted by field users of the Xpert(®) MTB/RIF assay. The experience associated with the utilisation of these systems, which facilitate the monitoring of wide laboratory networks, stressed the need for a more global and comprehensive approach to diagnostic connectivity. In addition to facilitating the reporting of test results, the mobility of digital information allows the sharing of information generated in programme settings. When they become easily accessible, these data can be used to improve patient care, disease surveillance and drug discovery. They should therefore be considered as a public health good. We list several examples of concrete initiatives that should allow data sources to be combined to improve the understanding of the epidemic, support the operational response and, finally, accelerate TB elimination. With the many opportunities that the pooling of data associated with the TB epidemic can provide, pooling of this information at an international level has become an absolute priority.

Working conditions, visual fatigue, and mental health among systems analysts in São Paulo, Brazil.

AIMS: To evaluate the association between working conditions and visual fatigue and mental health among systems analysts living in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried out by a multidisciplinary team. It included: ergonomic analysis of work, individual and group interviews, and 553 self applied questionnaires in two enterprises. The comparison population numbered 136 workers in different occupations. RESULTS: The study population mainly comprised young males. Among systems analysts, visual fatigue was associated with mental workload, inadequate equipment and workstation, low level of worker participation, being a woman, and subject's attitude of fascination by the computer. Nervousness and intellectual performance were associated with mental workload, inadequate equipment, work environment, and tools. Continuing education and leisure were protective factors. Work interfering in family life was associated with mental workload, difficulties with clients, strict deadlines, subject's attitude of fascination by the computer, and finding solutions of work problems outside work. Family support, satisfaction in life and work, and adequate work environment and tools were protective factors. Work interfering in personal life was associated with subject's attitude of fascination by the computer, strict deadlines, inadequate equipment, and high level of work participation. Satisfaction in life and work and continuing education were protective factors. The comparison population did not share common working factors with the systems analysts in the regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The main health effects of systems analysts' work were expressed by machine anthropomorphism, being very demanding, mental acceleration, mental absorption, and difficulty in dealing with emotions.

[Mental health and work: a discussion on the connection between work and diagnosis, based on daily practice]. / Saúde mental e trabalho: uma reflexão sobre o nexo com o trabalho e o diagnóstico, com base na prática.

Seven cases of workers selected among 150 who had undergone psychiatric treatment at the Workers' Health Reference Centers in Santo Amaro and André Gabois from 1994 to 1997 were presented for a detailed analysis characterizing work situations and discussing definition of the diagnosis and causal connections with work. The qualitative case study provides a thematic analysis of the patient history and files. Work situations are characterized by: unhealthy working conditions, problems related to work organization, inadequate human resources management, and urban violence. Symptoms included: fear, anxiety, depression, nervousness, tension, fatigue, malaise, loss of appetite, sleep disorders, and psychosomatic disorders (gastritis, hypertension); in addition, workers were unable to forget about work while off the job. Diagnosis varied. Three cases involved post-traumatic syndrome. Two cases involved organic psychosis linked to accidents or exposure to neurotoxic chemical products. Cases also included neurotic syndromes of fatigue, depression, and paranoia, as well as adaptation and reaction to acute stress. In all of the cases it was possible to relate the clinical picture to the work situation.

[Work, health and gender: a comparative study on systems analysts]. / Trabalho, saúde e gênero: estudo comparativo sobre analistas de sistemas.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the health impact of working conditions among male and female systems analysts. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 533 systems analysts of two data analysis companies located in the metropolitan area of São Paulo were studied. Data was collected using work ergonomic assessments, individual and group semi-structured interviews and a self-applied questionnaire. Data analysis was based on contingency tables, Chi-square values at 5% level, prevalence rates and ratios, and their 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Of the participants, 40.7% were women who on average were younger that the studied men (59.6% of women and 39% of men were in the age range 25 to 34). Though fatherhood was more frequently seen among men (57.6% x 34.2% for women), women spent more time with household tasks, including children care. There were more men in leading management positions. Work-related discomfort factors were seen in both sexes at similar frequencies. Men most commonly complained of work overload due to tight deadlines, high degree of responsibility, mental strain, and work complexity. Women more frequently complained of postural discomfort, higher exposure to video display terminal, and obsolete equipment. Women reported more visual, musculoskeletal and stress related symptoms, and higher work dissatisfaction and mental fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that the health impact on female systems analysts is associated with the work demands and the women's social role. There is a need of further studies associating health, work and gender and an assessment of the intersection between the domestic and productive roles.

Bases de datos para la estimación de riesgo sísmico en la ciudad de México

Después del temblor del 19 de septiembre de 1985, que produjo severos daños a las edificaciones de la zona de lago de la ciudad de México, se han hecho esfuerzos para entender mejor la naturaleza de los movimientos del terreno y el comportamiento de los edificios. Los resultados de estos esfuerzos permiten que actualmente se esté en posibilidad de combinar diversas fuentes de información para estimar las intensidades y daños esperados como resultado de la ocurrencia de temblores postulados. En el presente trabajo se describe un modelo para estimar movimientos del terreno y daños a edificaciones, el cual está basado en relaciones intensidad-daño derivadas para 14 clases de edificios representativas de la construcción en la ciudad de México. Esta información, aunada a la distribución geográfica de la densidad de construcción, permite el cálculo de pérdidas esperadas durante un evento dado y su distribución geográfica a lo largo de la ciudad. La información se almacena en una base de datos y los resultados se presentan por medio de un sistema de información geográfica.(AU)

Bases de datos para estimación de riesgo sísmico en la Ciudad de México. Cuadernos de Investigación / Data base for estimation of seismic risk in Mexico City. Research Notebooks

Se da a conocer información almacenada en una base de datos perteneciente al Centro Nacional de Prevención de Desastres de la Secretaría de Gobernación, que describe la problemática de los riesgos geológicos, como sismos y volcanes; los riesgos hidrometereológicos, como inundaciones, huracanes, sequías y erosión y de los riesgos químicos, tales como incendios, explosiones y contaminación por desechos industriales. En el presente documento se describe un modelo para estimar movimientos del terreno y daño a edificaciones, basado en relaciones intensidad-daño derivadas de 14 clases de edificios representativos de la construcción en la ciudad de México.

The seismic response of shallow alluvial valleys using a simplified model

A simplified model is used to approximately simulate the seismic response of three-dimensional shallow alluvial valleys. It is constructed from the exact solution for a simple configuration. Namely, the antiplane response of a rectangular deposit with a moving rigid base. In such solution, which is used as a framework for our approximations, the spectral signature of locally generater surface waves is explicit. Thus an approximate expression is constructed to separately account for 1D response and lateral effects. Results are presented for two- and three - dimensional cases. Comparisons are provided with rigorous solutions. Our formulas allow for fast computations (AU)

Resonance characteristics in the seismic response of shallow alluvial valleys

The resonance characteristics of shallow alluvial valleys during seismic excitation are studied by using several models in order to analyze the influence of interface shape, impedance contrast and anelastic attenuation. The models are studied under incidence of P, S and Rayleigh waves. We use an indirect boundary element method (BEM). Results for shallow triangular and parabolic valleys are studied in terms of frecuency-space (f-x) and frecuency-wavenumber (f-k) representations. f-x diagrams show that the valley's interface shape strongly controls the resonance patterns which appear in the response under the incident wavefield. For simple, smooth shapes such patterns are well defined. They define zones that effectively behave as barriers for certain frequencies or zones with enhanced surface wave propagation, for other frecuencies. These patterns can give large amplitudes when no damping is used (quality factor Q = ). However, for realistic values of quality factors for P and S waves, the resonance patterns show less complexity and important amplitude decrements. On the other hand, f-k diagrams allow to define dispersion curves of the surface waves present in the response. They allow to estimate the relative amount of energy that travels in each direction and provide alternative means to analize results. Preliminary analysis of spatially interpolated transfer functions for a well recorded event in Mexico City is consistent with our interpretation (AU)

Data base for seismic risk assessment in Mexico City

After the September 19, 1985 earthquake, which produced severe damage to buildings in Mexico City's lake, bed zone, many efforts have been made to better understand the nature of ground motions and the seismic behavior of structures. Results from these efforts give now the possibility to combine several sources of information to produce estimates of seismic hazard and risk that would be expected due to the occurrence of postulated earthquakes. In this paper, we describe a model to estimate: a) expected ground motions; and b) expected damage, based on intensity damage relations derived for 14 classes of buildings representative of Mexico City constructions. This information, along with the geographic distribution of construction density, allows computation of expected losses during a given event, and their spatial distribution throughout the city. Results are presented by means of a Geographic Information System (AU)

Analysis of ground motion in Mexico City during the April 25, 1989 Guerrero earthquake

In this work we analyze instrumental observations of ground motion in Mexico City durign the April 25, 1989 Guerrero earthquake. Our aim is to understand various aspects of the seismic response of the valley that are not completely resolved. Such understanding of the basic mechanisms that control the seismic behavior of the valley sediments will be crucial in any modeling attempt. The study of vertical motion for this event, which practically was not affected by site conditions, leads to identify a prominent long period (AU)

Alguns aspectos sociais relacionados a ocorrencia de acidentes do trabalho em municipio industrial: o caso de Cubatao. / Some social aspects related to occurrence of occupational accidents in industrial municipality: the case of Cubatao

Na analise das relacoes entre saude e trabalho industrial, devem ser consideradas as relacoes sociais, as caracteristicas tecnicas e organizacionais do processo imediato de producao e as condicoes gerais de vida, uma vez que elas definem o processo de fadiga. As estatisticas nao tem expressado a realidade quanto a ocorrencia dos agravos a saude do trabalhador.A sonegacao do registro de acidentes de trabalho deve-se as empresas, ao Estado e ao proprio trabalhador. O aprofundamento dos estudos e a analise critica, a partir da divisao social e tecnica do trabalho dos aspectos relacionados a ocorrencia e ao registro destes agravos a saude, sao fundamentais ao conhecimento e ao controle das condicoes socio-sanitarias