Effect of COD/N ratio on N2O production during nitrogen removal by aerobic granular sludge.

N2O-production was investigated during nitrogen removal using aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology. A pilot sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with AGS achieved an effluent in accordance with national discharge limits, although presented a nitrite accumulation rate of 95.79% with no simultaneous nitrification-denitrification. N2O production was 2.06 mg L-1 during the anoxic phase, with N2O emission during air pulses and the aeration phase of 1.6% of the nitrogen loading rate. Batch tests with AGS from the pilot reactor verified that at the greatest COD/N ratio (1.55), the N2O production (1.08 mgN2O-N L-1) and consumption (up to 0.05 mgN2O-N L-1), resulted in the lowest remaining dissolved N2O (0.03 mgN2O-N L-1), stripping the minimum N2O gas (0.018 mgN2O-N L-1). Conversely, the carbon supply shortage, under low C/N ratios, increased N2O emission (0.040 mgN2O-N L-1), due to incomplete denitrification. High abundance of ammonia-oxidizing and low abundance of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria were found, corroborating the fact of partial nitrification. A denitrifying heterotrophic community, represented mainly by Pseudoxanthomonas, was predominant in the AGS. Overall, the AGS showed stable partial nitrification ability representing capital and operating cost savings. The SBR operation flexibility could be advantageous for controlling N2O emissions, and extending the anoxic phase would benefit complete denitrification in cases of low C/N influents.

Aerobic granular sludge technology and nitrogen removal for domestic wastewater treatment.

This study evaluated aerobic granulation and nitrogen removal via assimilation, nitrification, and denitrification of a system fed with real domestic wastewater. The granulation process was complete after 160 days of operation. The mature granules had an almost spherical structure, an average size of 473.0 µm, and a good settling ability (SVI30 of 75.6 mL g⁻¹). Ammonium assimilation for cell growth varied between 3.5 and 64.6% during reactor start-up. After granule formation, assimilation accounted for less than 5% and nitrogen was mainly removed by partial nitrification up to nitrite, followed by denitrification via nitrite. Average efficiencies of 86.6% for nitrification, 59.5% for denitrification, and 60.5% for total nitrogen were obtained in this period. The assimilation ability of the mature granules grown on domestic wastewater was lower than the commonly reported results obtained for synthetic granules.

Worker evaluation of a macroergonomic intervention in a Brazilian footwear company.

This article presents a macroergonomic intervention in a Brazilian footwear company and its evaluation by the workers. Using participatory ergonomics, the traditional Taylor/Ford production system was transformed into a socio-technical one and tested by 100 volunteers working during 3.5 years in a pilot production line. Multiskilling and teamwork were the major changes promoted to enlarge and enrich work and make it more flexible. The workers' evaluation pre- and post-intervention showed an increase in overall satisfaction with the work and more commitment to the results and company targets. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This study showed that problems and solutions can be identified through participatory ergonomics, that it is easier to involve workers than the managerial staff, and that a macroergonomic intervention, mainly focusing on work organization, led to positive personnel, health and production outcomes, despite management's resistance to changes.

Acute oesophageal necrosis concurrent with Leishmania chagasi infection in a dog.

A case of acute oesophageal necrosis concurrent with Leishmania chagasi infection is reported in a 6-year-old female mixed-breed dog. The report describes clinical signs, gross and microscopical lesions and immunohistochemical findings.

Cost-benefit analysis of a socio-technical intervention in a Brazilian footwear company.

This article presents a costs-benefits analysis of a macroergonomic intervention in a Brazilian footwear company. Comparing results of a pilot line (composed by 100 multiskilled workers organized in teams) with eight traditional lines (still working in a one human being/one task model) the intervention showed to be worth pursuing since achieved gains were higher than intervention costs: there was a reduction in human resource costs (80% reduction in industrial accidents, 100% reduction in work-related musculoskeletal disorders or WMSD, medical consultations and turnover, and a 45.65% reduction in absenteeism) and production improvement (productivity increased in 3% and production waste decrease to less than 1%). The net intervention value of the intervention was around U$ 430,000 with a benefit-to-cost ratio of 7.2. Moreover, employees who worked in the pilot line understood that their quality of work life improved, compensating the anxiety brought up by the radical changes implemented.

Inclusion of people with disabilities in the production system of a footwear industry.

This article presents a study on the inclusion of people with disabilities (mainly mental impairment) in the workforce of a shoe company. The items that could impact on the success of inclusion were identified, and this included employees and other individuals taking part in the process. The inclusion process identified the interests, likes and dislikes of each employee with disabilities and correlated these with the activities available in the company. The case study evaluated the quality of the inclusion through interviews, questionnaires and an assessment of production efficiency. The results showed that inclusion did not adversely affect production, and highlighted that staff with disabilities do their work correctly. According to all employees interviewed, the inclusion of staff with disabilities improved the relationship of the boss with all of the staff and also led to the work environment being enhanced. The final evaluation is that the company's policy of inclusion succeeded.

Analysis of the work of air traffic controllers of the approach control area (APP) of Porto Alegre, Brazil.

This article presents a study on the activities of the air traffic controllers of the Approach Control Area (APP) of Porto Alegre, Brazil, in different real scenarios. Based on interviews, questionnaires and the analysis of film of real scenes, the following were identified and analyzed: i) the perceptions of risk and complexity of the different air traffic scenes observed; ii) the cognitive factors (knowledge, strategy and attention dynamics) involved in the task and iii) the perception of the controller's workload. The results showed that the task complexity depends on the weather conditions, the number and type of aircraft in observation and that the controllers perceive the scenes in a similar way irrespective of their time in the profession and the type of control (radar or coordination). Attention is the cognitive factor with the greatest impact on the work and mental demand has the greatest impact on workload followed by time demand. The literature on the controllers work in Brazil is scarce and, therefore, this study aimed to contribute to the understanding of the work in one APP in order to promote future changes in the very problematic Brazilian air traffic system.

A conceptual model for barrier free facilities planning.

This paper presents the proposal of a model for planning a barrier free industrial facilities, considering the demands that inclusion requires, ranging from outside the factory (social environment), to the needs of the production system and the workstation. Along with literature review, the demands were identified in a shoe manufacturer that employs people with disabilities, and organized taxonomically in agreement with the structure for planning facilities. The results show that the problems are not primarily related to eliminating architectural barriers and factors aimed at preventing risks to people's health and safety but, rather, are related to the company's cultural environment, because the main hazards are managerial. In special cases, it is suggested there is a need to adjust those parts of tasks that the worker cannot do, or even to re-schedule work so as to make it possible for employees with disabilities to perform their tasks.

Analysis of the workload imposed on the workers of the imprint and cutting/welding sectors of a flexible packaging manufacturer.

This article presents a study on the evaluation of the workload imposed to workers of two sectors of a flexible packaging manufacturer that operates in three shifts. The workers are allocated in one of the shifts (morning, evening and night shifts) without evaluation of their chronotype and/or social needs. The Imprint sector has a more dynamic work, which is done only by man due to the effort demanded by handling loads. The work in the Cutting/Welding sector is static, done mainly by women. The results showed that the overall workload was the same in the Imprint and Cutting/Welding sectors, because physical effort for load handling is higher in the former but the latter involves high static load. The levels of urinary catecholamines and salivary cortisol were consistent with the workers biological clock showing that none of the workers changed his/her biological cycle to accommodate to the time of the shift schedule.

Evaluation of the impact of shiftwork and chronotype on the workers of the imprint and cutting/welding sectors of a flexible packaging manufacturer.

This article presents a study on the impact of shiftwork and chronotype on the perception of the work conditions, workload and adjustment to shiftwork by the workers of two sectors of a flexible packaging manufacturer, which operates in three fixed shifts. The workers are allocated in one of the shifts (morning, evening and night shifts) without evaluation of their chronotype and/or social needs. The workers' evaluation of the shift system and their work show that they prefer a fixed shift and to work in a shift compatible with their chronotype. The workers with chonotype uncompatible with the shift time tend to be less satisfied with the work conditions and content and feel more discomfort/pain.

A socio-technical approach for improving a Brazilian shoe manufacturing system.

UNLABELLED: This article presents a macroergonomic intervention in a footwear company in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, to improve both the quality of life of the employees and productivity by optimizing the traditional Taylor/Ford work organization. Multi-functionality and team working were implemented as means of making tasks more flexible and richer and the working hours were changed. The results showed a reduction in human and material resource costs and a consequent improvement in health and workers quality of life. Although middle managerial staff displayed strong resistance to the project and to breaking traditional production paradigms, the socio-technical system has been implemented throughout the plant and is expected to end up becoming the benchmark for other companies in the sector. KEYWORDS: Macro-ergonomics, footwear industry, organization work.

Sustainability and cities: a proposal for implementation of a sustainable town.

This article presents a literature review on the concept of sustainability applied to cities and a proposal for transforming a town in the south of Brazil into a sustainable town. Improvements in energy, sanitation, waste and water conditions, as well as food, clothing, education and jobs generation were considered to enhance the citizen's quality of life and environmental protection.

A learning curve-based method to implement multifunctional work teams in the Brazilian footwear sector.

This paper presents a method for implementing multifunctional work teams in a footwear company that followed the Taylor/Ford system for decades. The suggested framework first applies a Learning Curve (LC) modeling to assess whether rotation between tasks of different complexities affects workers' learning rate and performance. Next, the Macroergonomic Work Analysis (MA) method (Guimarães, 1999, 2009) introduces multifunctional principles in work teams towards workers' training and resources improvement. When applied to a pilot line consisting of 100 workers, the intervention-reduced work related accidents in 80%, absenteeism in 45.65%, and eliminated work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD), medical consultations, and turnover. Further, the output rate of the multifunctional team increased average 3% compared to the production rate of the regular lines following the Taylor/Ford system (with the same shoe model being manufactured), while the rework and spoilage rates were reduced 85% and 69%, respectively.