Since its introduction in 2002, West Nile virus (WNV) persists in Mississippi with dozens of cases and a few deaths each year. Little is known about the epidemiology and ecology of WNV in our state. This is the first study of the dynamics of West Nile virus in Mississippi utilizing both mosquito and human case surveillance. Herein I showed that the primary vector for WNV in MS, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, is associated with anthropogenic urban environments as opposed to rural wooded areas. I also found that other potential WNV vectors in MS are likely involved in enzootic transmission among natural bird reservoirs and not related to human transmission. Secondly, I showed that a simple commercial wicking assay (dip-stick test) can be beneficial to vector surveillance and mosquito control programs with limited resources when monitoring local mosquito populations in anticipation of human disease transmission. In my study, the lead time from finding infected mosquitoes to onset of human cases ranged from almost two weeks to two months, an important finding in regard to public health. Lastly, I performed a descriptive analysis on data from a survey I sent out to Mississippi WNV patients who were diagnosed between 2008 and 2013. The survey focused on self-reported personal protective behaviors and descriptions of their home and property at the time of infection. Results highlighted a few key epidemiological and behavioral aspects of WNV patients in Mississippi: 1) television and internet were the primary avenues for patient education; 2) amount of time spent outdoors appeared associated with WNV infection; and 3) use of personal protection measures did not usually change from before WNV infection to after. This study will help public health personnel achieve their goals to promote health and educate the public about personal protective behaviors for WNV and other mosquito-borne diseases, and thus, reduce risk of future infections. It will also lay groundwork for future studies such as widespread sero-surveys of populations to assess WNV infection rates and onsite environmental surveys to validate patient responses. Also, hypothesis-driven studies of specific risk factors associated with WNV infection are in order and currently planned.

O uso de filtros contra particulados é extremamente comum em ambiente de mineração. As normas nacionais e internacionais, utilizadas para a aprovação destes filtros, definem critérios de testes e aprovação que visam garantir que os filtros continuem eficientes ao longo do tempo. Os fatores como: tipo, tamanho, velocidade, carga da partícula e temperatura, são considerados nos testes de aprovação. O objetivo desta dissertação é verificar o comportamento de filtros para particulados tipo eletreto usados em respiradores, expostos a condições térmicas semelhantes às encontradas em ambiente de mineração, simulando, em laboratório, a temperatura e tempo de exposição a que os mesmos podem estar sujeitos, medindo e comparando os resultados obtidos no sentido de atenderem as recomendações normativas, tanto nacionais como internacionais. Filtros e peças faciais de diferentes fabricantes foram expostos a diferentes temperaturas, sendo mantidos nestas temperaturas por no mínimo 24 horas. Testes de penetração utilizando partículas de NaCl com ajuste da vazão em 85 l/min foram realizados antes e depois de cada período de exposição. O equipamento utilizado foi um gerador de partículas tipo impactador, que gera partículas da ordem de 0,3 a 0,6m, considerados os Tamanhos Mais Penetrantes de Partículas (MPPS). Como esperado, ocorreu um aumento da penetração de partículas de NaCl à medida que o tempo de permanência na temperatura e/ou a própria temperatura aumentaram. O fator temperatura foi predominante, em relação ao tempo de exposição, no decaimento da performance dos filtros. Este efeito variou de fabricante para fabricante, sendo, em alguns casos, inexpressivos. A variação encontrada nos testes de penetração após acondicionamento térmico foi entre 2,53% e 18%. Não se observou um aumento ou diminuição significativa da resistência ao fluxo de ar. Testes repetitivos em amostras sem acondicionamento térmico demonstraram uma diminuição da penetração do aerossol e um aumento da resistência ao fluxo de ar. Acredita-se que o aumento da resistência ao fluxo ocorra devido ao efeito de entupimento por deposição das partículas de NaCl ao longo do tempo em função da repetição dos testes no mesmo filtro. / The use of particle filters is extremely usual in mining environment. The national and international standards used for the approval of these filters define tests and approval criteria which look forward guaranteeing the efficiency of the filters along the time. Facts such as: type, size, speed, particle charge and temperature are considered on approval tests. The objective of this dissertation is to check the behavior of the eletrect filters for particulated used in respirators, when exposed to similar thermal conditions found in mining environment, by simulation, in lab, of the temperature and time of exposition beyond the respirators could be exposed, measuring and comparing the obtained results in order to attend the standards recommendations such National as International ones. Facial filters and pieces of different manufactures were exposed to different temperatures and maintained under these conditions for at least 24-hours. Penetration tests using NaCl particles and adjusted to a flow of 85 l/min were done before and after each period of exposition. The equipment used was a particle generator, impactor type which generates particles of the order of 0.3 to 0.6m, considered the Most Penetrant Particles Size (MPPS). As expected, an increase of NaCl particle penetration occurred as long as time and temperature increased too. The temperature factor was predominating in relation to time of exposition in the decrease of performance of the filters. This effect varied from one manufacture to another and in some cases it was expressionless. The variation found after conditioning at high temperature was from 2.53% to 18%. It wasnt observed a significant increase or decrease in the air flow resistance. Repetitive tests in samples without thermal packing showed a decrease of aerosol penetration and an increase of air flow resistance. Apparently, the increase of flow resistance happens because of the glog for NaCl particles deposition throughout the time, due to the test repetition over the same filter.

<p>As a part of improving the production, the Bolivian door manufacturer San Pedro S.A. needs to develop their level of industrial safety. Today their safety level is considered to be almost non-existing. Together with CADEFOR, San Pedro wishes for a handbook that show them how to work with industrial safety, how to implement it and were to begin.</p><p>Much needs to be done at San Pedro and the task has been to show both them and CADEFOR which parts San Pedro need to focus on to increase the overall safety.</p><p>It is considered important that they chose to start with the most crucial areas but the aim is that they will, during a period of time, attend to all problem areas mentioned.</p><p>The first thing San Pedro needs to do is to form an aim for the safety work. This means setting up a policy and routines for the ongoing work.</p><p>Secondly they should start working with improving the fire security, informing the personal about the risks they are exposed to. Further they should educate attendants in first aid, use the protection on the machines available and create a better luminosity environment.</p>

As a part of improving the production, the Bolivian door manufacturer San Pedro S.A. needs to develop their level of industrial safety. Today their safety level is considered to be almost non-existing. Together with CADEFOR, San Pedro wishes for a handbook that show them how to work with industrial safety, how to implement it and were to begin. Much needs to be done at San Pedro and the task has been to show both them and CADEFOR which parts San Pedro need to focus on to increase the overall safety. It is considered important that they chose to start with the most crucial areas but the aim is that they will, during a period of time, attend to all problem areas mentioned. The first thing San Pedro needs to do is to form an aim for the safety work. This means setting up a policy and routines for the ongoing work. Secondly they should start working with improving the fire security, informing the personal about the risks they are exposed to. Further they should educate attendants in first aid, use the protection on the machines available and create a better luminosity environment.

O uso de filtros contra particulados é extremamente comum em ambiente de mineração. As normas nacionais e internacionais, utilizadas para a aprovação destes filtros, definem critérios de testes e aprovação que visam garantir que os filtros continuem eficientes ao longo do tempo. Os fatores como: tipo, tamanho, velocidade, carga da partícula e temperatura, são considerados nos testes de aprovação. O objetivo desta dissertação é verificar o comportamento de filtros para particulados tipo eletreto usados em respiradores, expostos a condições térmicas semelhantes às encontradas em ambiente de mineração, simulando, em laboratório, a temperatura e tempo de exposição a que os mesmos podem estar sujeitos, medindo e comparando os resultados obtidos no sentido de atenderem as recomendações normativas, tanto nacionais como internacionais. Filtros e peças faciais de diferentes fabricantes foram expostos a diferentes temperaturas, sendo mantidos nestas temperaturas por no mínimo 24 horas. Testes de penetração utilizando partículas de NaCl com ajuste da vazão em 85 l/min foram realizados antes e depois de cada período de exposição. O equipamento utilizado foi um gerador de partículas tipo impactador, que gera partículas da ordem de 0,3 a 0,6m, considerados os Tamanhos Mais Penetrantes de Partículas (MPPS). Como esperado, ocorreu um aumento da penetração de partículas de NaCl à medida que o tempo de permanência na temperatura e/ou a própria temperatura aumentaram. O fator temperatura foi predominante, em relação ao tempo de exposição, no decaimento da performance dos filtros. Este efeito variou de fabricante para fabricante, sendo, em alguns casos, inexpressivos. A variação encontrada nos testes de penetração após acondicionamento térmico foi entre 2,53% e 18%. Não se observou um aumento ou diminuição significativa da resistência ao fluxo de ar. Testes repetitivos em amostras sem acondicionamento térmico demonstraram uma diminuição da penetração do aerossol e um aumento da resistência ao fluxo de ar. Acredita-se que o aumento da resistência ao fluxo ocorra devido ao efeito de entupimento por deposição das partículas de NaCl ao longo do tempo em função da repetição dos testes no mesmo filtro. / The use of particle filters is extremely usual in mining environment. The national and international standards used for the approval of these filters define tests and approval criteria which look forward guaranteeing the efficiency of the filters along the time. Facts such as: type, size, speed, particle charge and temperature are considered on approval tests. The objective of this dissertation is to check the behavior of the eletrect filters for particulated used in respirators, when exposed to similar thermal conditions found in mining environment, by simulation, in lab, of the temperature and time of exposition beyond the respirators could be exposed, measuring and comparing the obtained results in order to attend the standards recommendations such National as International ones. Facial filters and pieces of different manufactures were exposed to different temperatures and maintained under these conditions for at least 24-hours. Penetration tests using NaCl particles and adjusted to a flow of 85 l/min were done before and after each period of exposition. The equipment used was a particle generator, impactor type which generates particles of the order of 0.3 to 0.6m, considered the Most Penetrant Particles Size (MPPS). As expected, an increase of NaCl particle penetration occurred as long as time and temperature increased too. The temperature factor was predominating in relation to time of exposition in the decrease of performance of the filters. This effect varied from one manufacture to another and in some cases it was expressionless. The variation found after conditioning at high temperature was from 2.53% to 18%. It wasnt observed a significant increase or decrease in the air flow resistance. Repetitive tests in samples without thermal packing showed a decrease of aerosol penetration and an increase of air flow resistance. Apparently, the increase of flow resistance happens because of the glog for NaCl particles deposition throughout the time, due to the test repetition over the same filter.

Orientador : Abílio Garcia dos Santos Filho / Banca: João Candido Fernandes / Banca: César Antunes de Freitas / Resumo: O desenvolvimento de produtos de uso pessoal que seguem o design antropomórfico nem sempre podem ser planejados em detalhes mínimos para adaptação em sujeitos que representam as extremidades estatísticas da antropometria. Atento a esse obstáculo, o projeto do produto necessita de recursos que permitam contornar essa limitação. O uso de materiais que possuem capacidade de deformação elástica / moldabilidade se torna viável no sentido de adaptar o produto ao usuário, de forma a otimizar seu desempenho, obtendo maiores índices de segurança, conforto e preferência subjetiva sem modificar sua estrutura básica em função de detalhes antropométricos. A aplicação de forma planejada em locais estratégicos onde exista maior contato com o corpo, sob pressão via peso ou força aplicada faz com que o material se molde aos contornos locais do corpo, proporcionando conforto, firmeza e segurança. São elementos primordiais para a ideal funcionalidade de um produto e que agregam valores preferenciais no poder de decisão do usuário. Dessa forma, é compilado o conceito dos Materiais Miméticos, cujo foco do presente estudo é a análise de preferência subjetiva de sujeitos por equipamentos de proteção individuais que possuem esses materiais moldáveis ao corpo como parte fundamental de sua estrutura; a constatação que a preferência está ligada às sensações produzidas através do material; os fatores decisivos para a escolha definitiva do usuário; análise de interface; e elementos secundários de design para contribuição referencial... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Development of products for personal use that follows the anthropomorphic design can not ordinarily be planned with meticulous details for the adjustment to subjects who represent the statistical extremes of anthropometry. Considering this obstacle, the productþs project demands resources that make it possible to hurdle this limitation. The use of material with flexible deforming capacity / capacity of shaping becomes something viable in a sense of adjusting product to user in order to enhance their performance, obtaining higher rates of safety, comfort and personal preference without modifying the basic structure in assignation of anthropometric details. The previously planned application in strategic areas where there is a greater contact with the body, under pressure by weight or employed strength, makes the material adapt to local contours of the body providing comfort, firmness and security. These are primal elements for the ideal functioning of a product and they aggregate preferential values to the userþs power of choice. This way, it is formulated the concept of Mimetic Materials, related to the aim of this study which are the analysis of subjectsþ personal preference for personal protection equipments that have this kind of material adaptable to the body as a fundamental part of their structure; the verification that preference is related to sensations produced by the material; decisive factors for userþs final choice; analysis of the interface; and secondary elements of design for referential contribuition... (Complete abstract, click electronic address below) / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:25:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-03-31Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:32:44Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 yagi_bs_me_bauru.pdf: 1496214 bytes, checksum: d65f07fb55e9825ce229034d12011865 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O desenvolvimento de produtos de uso pessoal que seguem o design antropomórfico nem sempre podem ser planejados em detalhes mínimos para adaptação em sujeitos que representam as extremidades estatísticas da antropometria. Atento a esse obstáculo, o projeto do produto necessita de recursos que permitam contornar essa limitação. O uso de materiais que possuem capacidade de deformação elástica / moldabilidade se torna viável no sentido de adaptar o produto ao usuário, de forma a otimizar seu desempenho, obtendo maiores índices de segurança, conforto e preferência subjetiva sem modificar sua estrutura básica em função de detalhes antropométricos. A aplicação de forma planejada em locais estratégicos onde exista maior contato com o corpo, sob pressão via peso ou força aplicada faz com que o material se molde aos contornos locais do corpo, proporcionando conforto, firmeza e segurança. São elementos primordiais para a ideal funcionalidade de um produto e que agregam valores preferenciais no poder de decisão do usuário. Dessa forma, é compilado o conceito dos Materiais Miméticos, cujo foco do presente estudo é a análise de preferência subjetiva de sujeitos por equipamentos de proteção individuais que possuem esses materiais moldáveis ao corpo como parte fundamental de sua estrutura; a constatação que a preferência está ligada às sensações produzidas através do material; os fatores decisivos para a escolha definitiva do usuário; análise de interface; e elementos secundários de design para contribuição referencial... / Development of products for personal use that follows the anthropomorphic design can not ordinarily be planned with meticulous details for the adjustment to subjects who represent the statistical extremes of anthropometry. Considering this obstacle, the productþs project demands resources that make it possible to hurdle this limitation. The use of material with flexible deforming capacity / capacity of shaping becomes something viable in a sense of adjusting product to user in order to enhance their performance, obtaining higher rates of safety, comfort and personal preference without modifying the basic structure in assignation of anthropometric details. The previously planned application in strategic areas where there is a greater contact with the body, under pressure by weight or employed strength, makes the material adapt to local contours of the body providing comfort, firmness and security. These are primal elements for the ideal functioning of a product and they aggregate preferential values to the userþs power of choice. This way, it is formulated the concept of Mimetic Materials, related to the aim of this study which are the analysis of subjectsþ personal preference for personal protection equipments that have this kind of material adaptable to the body as a fundamental part of their structure; the verification that preference is related to sensations produced by the material; decisive factors for userþs final choice; analysis of the interface; and secondary elements of design for referential contribuition... (Complete abstract, click electronic address below)

The purpose of the work reported within this thesis was to design and implement a series of tests which better replicate the impact conditions experienced during a game, and allow for quantitative measurements of performance of various items of personal protection equipment (PPE). The sports of cricket and taekwondo were used as case studies. The aim was to improve on existing testing protocols making them more representative of real life, an approach that has not been previously attempted in the literature and so required design of multiple items of novel equipment. A representative cricket impact test was developed utilizing a ball canon firing a cricket ball mass at an equivalent bowling velocity of 31 m/s (70 mph) and a novel, freely suspended force acquisition system with embedded accelerometers from which the transmitted force values could be derived. Throughout the testing secondary variables of coefficient of restitution (COR), deformation and contact time were measured from high speed video footage to give further insight into the impact mechanics of the three tested leg guards. Contact times were in the range of 3 ms - 4 ms, COR between 0.38 - 0.50 and deformation between 45 mm - 52 mm. These results were compared against other benchmark tests to establish how close the representative test was to an actual human related ball-pad impact and to estimate human tolerance levels to impact. A rig to mimic a human on human kicking impact in taekwondo was designed to measure performance of the piece of body protection equipment used in training and competition, commonly referred to as a hogu. Primarily a mechanical simulator was designed to replicate the speed and mass of a human leg impacting during a roundhouse kick. A force acquisition system was manufactured, capable of integrating with the kicking robot functioning, with a human torso sized and shaped anvil, using a similar accelerometer based system of force measurement as that introduced in the cricket testing. This test was then used to measure performance levels of nine off-the-shelf hogus and protective training pads. Using transmitted peak force and time to peak force (TTPF) as indicators of protection, these values were found to range from between 0.5 kN 7.5 kN and 9 ms - 23 ms across the pads indicating a major difference in the protection provided.

Theoretical background Employment in the health service brings about a number of risks that are specific of respective health facilities and their departments. Nurses should be informed about all possible risks resulting from their nursing practice, as well as about ways to eliminate these risks because this is the only way they can protect themselves and by suitable means and procedures. Performing their work, nurses are exposed to four main areas of risk factors. These concern especially the effects of mental and physical strain, chemicals and biological factors. Objective of my thesis The objective was to test nurses' knowledge of risks and to test how well they can eliminate these risks. Apart from that, the thesis endeavours to find out whether the risks in nurses' work change in relation to the field of care provided. Hypotheses H1 Nurses know the risks resulting from their nursing practice. H2 Risks in nurses' work vary in relation to the field of care. H3 The most common risk occurring in nurses' occupation is the puncture wound caused by a needle. H 4 Nurses are acquainted with manners to eliminate risks resulting from the performance of their occupation. Methodology To test nurses' knowledge, I compiled a questionnaire focused on surveying the knowledge in the field of risks and elimination of these risks. The questionnaire was arranged in two basic groups. The first group was focused on the knowledge of risks and occurring injury in the performance of the occupation (the puncture wound by a needle). The other group was focused on the area of eliminating the risks. The research was carried out in medical facilities in the Region of South Bohemia. Altogether, 417 nurses were addressed. The following sections were chosen in a haphazard fashion: pulmonary, surgical, internal and a neurological departments, department of subsequent care and the intensive care unit. All the results obtained were statistically processed in the Excel programme from the Microsoft Office software packet. I used a graphic depiction to interpret the outcomes. Outcomes It was found out in the first area of the outcomes that nurses are acquainted with the risks of their occupation (knowledge of risk behaviour, when handling loads, when working with chemicals, when handling oxygen cylinders, treating an aggressive client). The second area of the outcomes was essential for establishing the ways to eliminate risks (the nurses proved knowledge of risks and duties, the duty to participate in creating a safe environment , compulsory preventive medical examinations, knowledge of risk behaviour, using personal protective equipment, observing the work principles and procedures, knowledge of treating contaminated laundry, oxygen cylinders and immobile clients, disinfection of hands, treating an aggressive client). The third area yielded an answer to the question whether puncture wounds caused by needles ranked among the most frequent risks in the occupation of the nurse. The last area was essential to establish the variability of risks depending on the field of care provided. It was found out, that risks varied in relation to the field of care provided, while the nurses viewed the mental and physical strain as the most significant risk in the performance of their work. H1 - Nurses know the risks resulting from their nursing practice - was confirmed, H2 - Risks in nurses' work vary in relation to the field of care provided - was confirmed, H3 - The most common risk occurring in nurses' occupation is the puncture wound by a needle - was confirmed, H4 - Nurses know ways to eliminate risks resulting from the performance of their occupation - was confirmed. Conclusion The outcomes of the research realized will be given to the managements of the above medical facilities, with the aim of increasing the nurses' knowledge of possible risks occurring in the performance of their work, as well as possible ways of eliminating these risks.

This thesis deals with the evaluation of health risks of chosen factors in the work environment and medical services in the recycling and secondary raw materials and waste processing field. The goal of the thesis is to chart companies which handle recycling and secondary raw materials and waste processing in the South Bohemian Region, to find out the risk factors that go in hand with this work and to determine in which work category these workers belong. I have determined three hypotheses within the research. Hypothesis 1: The nature of the work activities does not correspond with suggested risks. Hypothesis 2: The workers are not equipped with tools in accordance with detected risks. Hypothesis 3: The workers of companies dealing with recycling and secondary raw materials and waste processing do not attend the necessary medical check-ups. The thesis consists of a theoretical and a practical part. In the theoretical part I have introduced the risk factors connected to recycling and secondary raw materials and waste processing. I have covered the problematics of medical services for the employees, occupational disease and the protection of health from unfavorable effects of the work environment. To reach my goal, I have utilized quantitative research methods. For data collecting I have used anonymous surveys in the area of the South Bohemian Region. In the survey, I have adressed scrapyards, composting plants, collection yards and waste dumps. The collected data were processed by the Microsoft Excel program. The obtained data may be used as an information source for students as well as for employers and employees in companies handling secondary raw materials and waste processing.