The genotoxicity of an organic solvent mixture: A human biomonitoring study and translation of a real-scenario exposure to in vitro.

This study aimed to evaluate occupational exposure to a styrene and xylene mixture through environmental exposure assessment and identify the potential genotoxic effects through biological monitoring. Secondly, we also exposed human peripheral blood cells in vitro to both xylene and styrene either alone or in mixture at concentrations found in occupational settings in order to understand their mechanism of action. The results obtained by air monitoring were below the occupational exposure limits for both substances. All biomarkers of effect, except for nucleoplasmic bridges, had higher mean values in workers (N = 17) compared to the corresponding controls (N = 17). There were statistically significant associations between exposed individuals and the presence of nuclear buds and oxidative damage. As for in vitro results, there was no significant influence on primary DNA damage in blood cells as evaluated by the comet assay. On the contrary, we did observe a significant increase of micronuclei and nuclear buds, but not nucleoplasmic bridges upon in vitro exposure. Taken together, both styrene and xylene have the potential to induce genomic instability either alone or in combination, showing higher effects when combined. The obtained data suggested that thresholds for individual chemicals might be insufficient for ensuring the protection of human health.

Target specific post-harvest treatment by gamma radiation for the microbial safety of dried Melissa officinalis and Aloysia citrodora.

This study aimed to assess a specific gamma radiation dose to be applied as a post-harvest process to guarantee the microbial safety of two medicinal plants, Melissa officinalis and Aloysia citrodora. Dried plants treated with gamma radiation indicated that a dose of 5 kGy could be applied as a post-harvest treatment process of M. officinalis and A. citrodora, assuring the microbial safety of dried medicinal plants and lowering the potentiality of deleterious effects on plants' quality attributes. This will enhance the safety and quality of the dried plants to be used as raw materials in industrial applications.

Analysis of surfaces for characterization of fungal burden - Does it matter?

OBJECTIVES: Mycological contamination of occupational environments can be a result of fungal spores' dispersion in the air and on surfaces. Therefore, it is very important to assess it in both types of the samples. In the present study we assessed fungal contamination in the air and in the surface samples to show relevance of surfaces sampling in complementing the results obtained in the air samples. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In total, 42 settings were assessed by the analysis of air and surfaces samples. The settings were divided into settings with a high fungal load (7 poultry farms and 7 pig farms, 3 cork industries, 3 waste management plants, 2 wastewater treatment plants and 1 horse stable) and a low fungal load (10 hospital canteens, 8 college canteens and 1 maternity hospital). In addition to culture-based methods, molecular tools were also applied to detect fungal burden in the settings with a higher fungal load. RESULTS: From the 218 sampling sites, 140 (64.2%) presented different species in the examined surfaces when compared with the species identified in the air. A positive association in the high fungal load settings was found between the presence of different species in the air and surfaces. Wastewater treatment plants constituted the setting with the highest number of different species between the air and surface. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that surfaces sampling and application of molecular tools showed the same efficacy of species detection in high fungal load settings, corroborating the fact that surface sampling is crucial for a correct and complete analysis of occupational scenarios.

Microbiological assessment of indoor air quality at different hospital sites.

Poor hospital indoor air quality (IAQ) may lead to hospital-acquired infections, sick hospital syndrome and various occupational hazards. Air-control measures are crucial for reducing dissemination of airborne biological particles in hospitals. The objective of this study was to perform a survey of bioaerosol quality in different sites in a Portuguese Hospital, namely the operating theater (OT), the emergency service (ES) and the surgical ward (SW). Aerobic mesophilic bacterial counts (BCs) and fungal load (FL) were assessed by impaction directly onto tryptic soy agar and malt extract agar supplemented with antibiotic chloramphenicol (0.05%) plates, respectively using a MAS-100 air sampler. The ES revealed the highest airborne microbial concentrations (BC range 240-736 CFU/m(3) CFU/m(3); FL range 27-933 CFU/m(3)), exceeding, at several sampling sites, conformity criteria defined in national legislation [6]. Bacterial concentrations in the SW (BC range 99-495 CFU/m(3)) and the OT (BC range 12-170 CFU/m(3)) were under recommended criteria. While fungal levels were below 1 CFU/m(3) in the OT, in the SW (range 1-32 CFU/m(3)), there existed a site with fungal indoor concentrations higher than those detected outdoors. Airborne Gram-positive cocci were the most frequent phenotype (88%) detected from the measured bacterial population in all indoor environments. Staphylococcus (51%) and Micrococcus (37%) were dominant among the bacterial genera identified in the present study. Concerning indoor fungal characterization, the prevalent genera were Penicillium (41%) and Aspergillus (24%). Regular monitoring is essential for assessing air control efficiency and for detecting irregular introduction of airborne particles via clothing of visitors and medical staff or carriage by personal and medical materials. Furthermore, microbiological survey data should be used to clearly define specific air quality guidelines for controlled environments in hospital settings.

Abordagem clínica de enfermagem na prevenção do pé diabético / Nursing clinical approach in the prevention of diabetic foot / Abordaje clínico de enfermería en la prevención del pie diabético

Identificar as condutas utilizadas durante a consulta de enfermagem à pessoa comdiabetes mellitus, na prevenção do pé diabético. Métodos: Estudo descritivo, observacional e quantitativo, realizado em uma instituição de atendimento secundário em diabetes e hipertensão do estado do Ceará entre agosto e setembro de 2011. Os dados foram coletados por ocasião da consulta de enfermagem, através de um formulário, sendo organizados em quadros com análise descritiva. Resultados: A abordagem clínica do pé diabético é realizada com pouca ênfase, excluindo-se perguntas relevantes sobre os hábitos do paciente, tais como: andar descalço, corte das unhas, cuidados com os calos e hidratação dos pés. Além disso, são negligenciadas orientações, como a informação sobre o melhor horário de comprar o sapato, o tipo de meia a ser usado e não poder andar descalço. Conclusão: Constatou-se que a conduta utilizada nas consultas realizadas pelas enfermeiras da presente pesquisa não foi a ideal, pois a anamnese e o exame físico dos pés ocorreram de modo incompleto, deixando de cumprir etapas importantes na prevenção ao desenvolvimento do pé diabético ou das potenciais complicações a ele associadas...

To identify the procedures adopted during nursing consultation to the person with diabetes mellitus, in the prevention of diabetic foot. Methods: Descriptive, observational and quantitative study, carried out in an institution of secondary care on diabetes and hypertension of the Ceará State, between August and September 2011. Data was collected through a form during the nursing consultation, being organized in pictures with descriptive analysis. Results: The clinical management of diabetic foot is performed by nurses with little emphasis, omitting relevant questions about the patient?s habits, such as walking barefoot, nails cutting, attention to calluses and feet moisturizing. Furthermore, some guidance is neglected, as to inform about the best time to buy the shoe, type of socks to be used and the fact they cannot walk barefoot. Conclusion: The procedures adopted during consultation by the nurses in this study were not the ideal ones, as the anamnesis and clinical examination of feet occurred incompletely, missing important steps for the prevention of diabetic foot or the potential complications associated to it...

Identificar las conductas utilizadas durante la consulta de enfermería a la persona con diabetes mellitus en la prevención del pie diabético. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, observacional y cuantitativo realizado en una institución de atención secundaria en diabetes y hipertensión del estado de Ceará entre agosto y septiembre de 2011. Los datos fueron recogidos por ocasión de la consulta de enfermería a través de un formulario y organizados en cuadros con análisis descriptivo. Resultados: El abordaje clínico del pie diabético ES realizado con poca énfasis excluyéndose preguntas relevantes sobre los hábitos del paciente tales como andar descalzo, corte de las uñas, cuidados con los callos y hidratación de lospies. Además, orientaciones como la información sobre el mejor horario para la compra del zapato, el tipo de calcetín a ser usado y el hecho de no poder andar descalzo son negligenciadas. Conclusión: Se constató que la conducta utilizada en las consultas realizadas por las enfermeras de la presente investigación no fue la ideal pues el anamnesis y el examen físico de los pies ocurrieron de modo incompleto, sin cumplir etapas importantes em la prevención al desarrollo del pie diabético o de las potenciales complicaciones a él asociadas...