Positive psychology in education for sustainable development at a primary-education institution

The present global environmental crisis is demanding serious rather than superficial changes within the cultural assumptions of human-to-human and human-to-nature relationships. In this sense, education is one of the strongest tools to model our future and a key factor of cultural change. One of the principal aims of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is to develop cognitive and affective skills that affect people's values, such as empathy and critical thinking. Together with compromise and responsibility towards a group, it is possible to build new values and ways to interact with both people and the environment. In the present study we used positive psychology principles in creating teaching interventions to empower empathy and critical thinking through an ESD programme at a Chilean primary school. The results show that an intervention of this kind helps to harmoniously build reflective thinking and empathy within students. This enables them to achieve important changes in their disposition to make sound personal and environmental decisions, and prepares them to positively meet imposing present and future challenges.     

Comparative study of the methodologies based on Standard UNE 60079/10/1 and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to determine zonal reach of gas-generated Atex explosive atmospheres

This study presents two methodologies which can be used to determine the classification and extended area of hazardous zones caused by gas, vapours and mists. The first is based on UNE 60079/10/1: Electrical apparatus for explosive gas atmospheres – Part 10: Classification of hazardous areas, whilst the second is developed on the basis of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) using the FLUENT software application. Both methodologies were applied in the same case study of differing leakage components from a dairy farm steam boiler room fuelled by liquid natural gas (LNG).The results obtained show that CFD methodology is a powerful tool with a significant capacity for determining the size of an explosive atmosphere for a broad range of exhaust sources. This methodology offers more conservative results than those obtained from the analytical methodology recommended in Standard UNE 60079/10/1. Results obtained using CFD are more useful in enabling the study of turbulence phenomena, boundaries, and diverse initial and contour conditions.In contrast, the Standard UNE 60079/10/1 methodology is less conservative and aims at determining the hypothetical volume V_z of the explosive atmosphere. This volume is a measurement of the ventilation efficiency which is in turn proportional to a massive gas release through an exhaust source divided by the number of air changes in the enclosed area.From the results obtained, it can be confirmed that Standard UNE 60079/10/1 should be revised.     

Effects of realistic concentrations of TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and ZnO nanoparticles in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prochilodus lineatus</Emphasis> juvenile fish

The impact of nanoparticles on fish health is still a matter of debate, since nanotechnology is quite recent. In this study, freshwater benthonic juvenile fish Prochilodus lineatus were exposed through water to three concentrations of TiO₂ (0.1, 1, and 10 μg l^?1) and ZnO (7, 70, and 700 μg l^?1) nanoparticles, as well as to a mixture of both (TiO₂ 1 μg l^?1?+?ZnO 70 μg l^?1) for 5 and 30 days. Nanoparticle characterization revealed an increase of aggregate size in the function of concentration, but suspensions were generally stable. Fish mortality was high at subchronic exposure to 70 and 700 μg l^?1 of ZnO. Nanoparticle exposure led to decreased acetylcholinesterase activity either in the muscle or in the brain, depending on particle composition (muscle—TiO₂ 10 μg l^?1; brain—ZnO 7 and 700 μg l^?1), and protein oxidative damage increased in the brain (ZnO 70 μg l^?1) and gills (ZnO 70 μg l^?1 and mixture) but not in the liver. Exposed fish had more frequent alterations in the liver (necrosis, vascular congestion, leukocyte infiltration, and basophilic foci) and gills (hyperplasia and epithelial damages, e.g., epithelial disorganization and epithelial loss) than the control fish. Thus, predicted concentrations of TiO₂ and ZnO nanoparticles caused detectable effects on P. lineatus that may have important consequences to fish health. But, these effects are much more subtle than those usually reported in the scientific literature for high concentrations or doses of metal nanoparticles.     

Pyrolysis of polypropylene waste using sulfonated carbon catalyst synthesized from sugarcane bagasse

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - In this study, thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of polypropylene waste (PP) was investigated using a batch reactor in the temperature range...     

Systems-based accident analysis methods: A comparison of Accimap, HFACS, and STAMP

Three accident causation models, each with their own associated approach to accident analysis, currently dominate the human factors literature. Although the models are in general agreement that accidents represent a complex, systems phenomenon, the subsequent analysis methods prescribed are very different. This paper presents a case study-based comparison of the three methods: Accimap, HFACS and STAMP. Each was used independently by separate analysts to analyse the recent Mangatepopo gorge tragedy in which six students and their teacher drowned while participating in a led gorge walking activity. The outputs were then compared and contrasted, revealing significant differences across the three methods. These differences are discussed in detail, and the implications for accident analysis are articulated. In conclusion, a modified version of the Accimap method, incorporating domain specific taxonomies of failure modes, is recommended for future accident analysis efforts.     

Use of ozone and/or UV in the treatment of effluents from board paper industry

The aim of this work has been to study the viability of ozone and/or UV in the treatment of cardboard industry effluents. Several model compounds have been chosen for the experiments: guaicol, eugenol, glucose, acetate and butyrate. Significant differences in the ozonisation rates are observed between phenolic products coming from lignin (eugenol and guaiacol) and aliphatic compounds. Reactions fit in all cases a pseudo-first order kinetics and are influenced by the pH of the solution. Real effluents have also been tested, and the COD decrease has been found to depend on the fatty acids/phenols ratio. Finally, respirometric studies have shown an increase in the BODst in effluents subjected to a mild oxidation, while under stronger conditions a BODst decrease is observed.     

Sonographically determined anomalies and outcome in 170 chromosomally abnormal fetuses

Structural pathology and outcome were studied in 170 chromosomally abnormal fetuses. Numerical chromosomal abnormalities were established in 158 (93 per cent) cases, of which 110 (71 per cent) represented trisomies, 30 (18 per cent) Turner syndrome, and 18 (11 per cent) triploidy. Structural chromosomal abnormalities were diagnosed in 12 (7 per cent) cases. Gestational age at referral was significantly shorter for pregnancies with Turner syndrome than for the other chromosomal abnormalities. Referral before 20 weeks of gestation was mainly based on fetal structural pathology alone (92 per cent); after 20 weeks, patients were referred because of structural pathology combined with small for gestational age, oligohydramnios, or polyhydramnios. Referral as a result of suspected multiple organ pathology occurred in 73.5 per cent of pregnancies. An abnormal amniotic fluid volume was present in 59/170 (34.5 per cent) chromosomally affected pregnancies, i.e., oligohydramnios in 31 and polyhydramnios in 28 cases. Birth weight was below the tenth percentile in over half of the chromosomally abnormal fetuses, except for Turnersyndrome. Fetal outcome was poor, with a survival rate at 1 month of 30 per cent for trisomies which was mainly determined by trisomy 21 (14/18=77.5 per cent).     

Analysis of welding fumes: A short note on the comparison between two sampling techniques

It is well established that welding fumes contain toxic substances, and that its composition is dependent on multiple factors, such as nature of the welding process and chemical compositions of the welding consumables and base materials. In order to prevent accidents and, thus to contribute to the safety of protection of welders, the establishment of a database on welding fume components is considered as essential. This has led to the development and upgradation of sampling techniques of welding fumes. Up to now, few standard techniques exist in this area. This study describes the results of the analysis of welding fumes, in terms of heavy metals, for a set of welding electrodes commonly used in carbon steel manufacture. Sampling was done by two different techniques: using the one currently known as “fume box” and common techniques in workplace atmospheres.     

Absolute principal component analysis of atmospheric aerosols in Mexico city

A receptor model is presented based on absolute principal component analysis (APCA) of elemental concentrations in atmospheric aerosols from Mexico City during the Summer of 1995. Elemental contents on samples collected with a Stacking Filter Unit of the Davis design was carried out using Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). The sampling device allowed the separation of particles with mean aerodynamic diameters ranging from 2.5 μm to 15 μm (coarse fraction) and smaller than 2.5 μm (fine fraction). Sampling was divided into morning, afternoon and night periods, with higher concentrations being found during the morning. Seasonal variation is observed when comparisons with other studies are carried out. The application of APCA allowed identification of four sources for each fraction, with a soil-derived dust predominance in the coarse one. The influence of meteorological parameters is studied using cluster analysis, showing that during the morning there is a transport of pollutants from the west towards the sampling site, while the night transport corresponds to soil-derived dust from the north.     

In vitro biological effects of airborne PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ from a semi-desert city on the Mexico-US border

Compelling evidence indicates that exposure to urban airborne particulate matter (PM) affects health. However, how PM components interact with PM-size to cause adverse health effects needs elucidation, especially when considering soil and anthropogenic sources. We studied PM from Mexicali, Mexico, where soil particles contribute importantly to air pollution, expecting to differentiate in vitro effects related to PM-size and composition. PM samples with mean aerodynamic diameters ≤2.5μm (PM(2.5)) and ≤10μm (PM(10)) were collected in Mexicali (October 2005-March 2006) from a semi-urban (expected larger participation of soil sources) and an urban (predominately combustion sources) site. Samples were pooled by site and size, analyzed for elemental composition (particle-induced X-ray emission) and tested in vitro for: induction of human erythrocytes membrane disruption (hemolysis) (colorimetrically); inhibition of cell proliferation (ICP) (crystal violet) and TNFα/IL-6 secretion (ELISA) using J774.A1 murine monocytic cells; and DNA degradation using Balb/c3T3 cell naked DNA (electrophoretically). Results of PM elemental composition principal component analysis were used in associating cellular effects. Sixteen elements identified in PM grouped in two principal components: Component(1) (C(1)): Mg, Al, Si, P, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, and Component(2) (C(2)): Cu, Zn. Hemolysis was predominately induced by semi-urban-PM(10) (p<0.05) and was associated with urban-PM(10)C(1) (r=0.62, p=0.003). Major ICP resulted with semi-urban PM(2.5) (p<0.05). TNFα was mainly induced by urban samples regardless of size (p<0.05) and associated with urban-PM(2.5)C(2) (r=0.48, p=0.02). Both PM(10) samples induced highest DNA degradation (p<0.05), regardless of location. We conclude that PM-size and PM-related soil or anthropogenic elements trigger specific biological-response patterns.