Facilitators and barriers to occupational health and safety in small and medium-sized enterprises: a descriptive exploratory study in Ontario,Canada

Purpose. The purpose of this particular study was to test a newly created instrument in describing the facilitators and barriers to occupational health and safety in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ontario, Canada. Methods. A cross-sectional design was used to identify the occupational health and safety culture of SMEs in public and private sectors in Ontario. Results. A total of 153 questionnaires were completed. The majority of respondents were female (84%) with a mean age of 49.8 years (SD 10.6). Seventy-four percent were supervisors. Seventy percent of respondents were from the private sector while 30% derived from the public sector including healthcare, community services, and non-profit organizations. Further, conducting regular external safety inspections of the workplace was found to be statistically associated with a safe work environment 2.88 95% CI [1.57, 5.27]. Conclusions. Strategies and training opportunities that focus on how to adapt occupational health and safety legislation to the nature and diversity of SMEs are recommended. Furthermore, employers may use such information to improve safety in their SMEs, while researchers can hopefully use such evidence to develop interventions that are applicable to meeting the occupational health and safety needs of SMEs.     

Evaluation of vulnerability of Suillus variegatus and Suillus granulatus mushrooms to sequester mercury in fruiting bodies

This work determined the mercury (Hg) contents and bioconcentration potential of two Suillus mushrooms, and the probable dietary intake of this element from a mushroom meal. The determination of total Hg content of fungal and soil samples was performed using cold-vapour atomic absorption spectroscopy by a direct sample thermal decomposition coupled with gold wool trap of Hg and its further desorption and quantitative measurement at a wavelength of 253.7 nm. The median values of Hg contents (mg kg^?1 dry biomass) in 213 specimens of S. variegatus from 12 background areas varied widely from 0.087 to 0.51 for caps and from 0.041 to 0.24 for stipes. In 52 specimens of S. granulatus, the Hg contents ranged from 0.30 to 0.41 for caps and from 0.058 to 0.14 for stipes. Both species could be classified as moderate accumulators of Hg and the median bioconcentration factor values ranged from 7.0 to 14 (caps) and 2.1 to 13 (stipes) for S. variegatus and 9.5 (caps) and 1.3 (stipes) for S. granulatus. The estimated intake rates of Hg with the consumption of 300-g caps were from 0.0026 to 0.015 per capita or from 0.000037 to 0.00022 mg kg^?1 body mass and this do not indicate any cause for concern associated with eating a meal once or more in a week during the mushrooming season.     

Alkyl polyglucosides as cell surface modification factors: influence of the alkyl chain length

The use of surfactants in a bioremediation process is aimed at increasing the efficiency of the removal of hydrophobic contaminants from the environment. The subjects of the study were three alkyl polyglucosides (APGs) of different alkyl chain length: Glucopon 215 CS UP, Glucopon 600 CS UP, and Glucopon 650 EC. The impact of these surfactants on the surface properties of the test strain Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 14700, as well as on the biodegradation of diesel was tested. It was observed, that the length of alkyl chain has an influence on the cell surface properties. The modification of the cell surface hydrophobicity and the electrokinetic potential on the bacteria cells is dependent on the structure of Glucopon molecules. The elongation of alkyl chains in surfactant molecule caused an increase of the hydrophobic properties and a reduction of the electrokinetic potential on the bacteria cells. Moreover, the use of APGs below critical micelle concentration caused an increase of diesel oil biodegradation, especially in the case of Glucopons with longer alkyl chain (Glucopon 600 CS UP and 650 EC). The better diesel oil removal by tested strain after surfactant addition was correlated with the hydrophobic properties of bacteria strain.     

Satellite tracking reveals a dichotomy in migration strategies among juvenile loggerhead turtles in the Northwest Atlantic

Few data are available on the movements and behavior of immature Atlantic loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from their seasonal neritic foraging grounds within the western north Atlantic. These waters provide developmental habitat for loggerheads originating from several western Atlantic nesting stocks. We examined the long-term movements of 23 immature loggerheads (16 wild-caught and seven headstart turtles) characterizing their seasonal distribution, habitat use, site fidelity, and the oceanographic conditions encountered during their migrations. We identified two movement strategies: (1) a seasonal shelf-constrained north–south migratory pattern; and (2) a year-round oceanic dispersal strategy where turtles travel in the Gulf Stream to the North Atlantic and their northern dispersal is limited by the 10–15°C isotherm. When sea surface temperatures dropped below 20°C, neritic turtles began a migration south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (USA) where they established fidelity to the waters between North Carolina’s Outer Banks and the western edge of the Gulf Stream along outer continental shelf. Two turtles traveled as far south as Florida. Several turtles returned to their seasonal foraging grounds during subsequent summers. Northern movements were associated with both increased sea surface temperature (>21°C) and increased primary productivity. Our results indicate strong seasonal and interannual philopatry to the waters of Virginia (summer foraging habitat) and North Carolina (winter habitat). We suggest that the waters of Virginia and North Carolina provide important seasonal habitat and serve as a seasonal migratory pathway for immature loggerhead sea turtles. North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras acts as a seasonal “migratory bottleneck” for this species; special management consideration should be given to this region. Six turtles spent time farther from the continental shelf. Three entered the Gulf Stream near Cape Hatteras, traveling in the current to the northwest Atlantic. Two of these turtles remained within an oceanic habitat from 1 to 3 years and were associated with mesoscale features and frontal systems. The ability of large benthic subadults to resume an oceanic lifestyle for extended periods indicates plasticity in habitat use and migratory strategies. Therefore, traditional life history models for loggerhead sea turtles should be reevaluated.     

Inward foreign direct investment,outward foreign direct investment,and carbon dioxide emission intensity-threshold regression analysis based on interprovincial panel data

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Based on the panel data of 30 provinces (except for Tibet, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) in China from 2005 to 2016, a nonlinear threshold regression...     

Spatio-temporal assessment of land use dynamics and urbanization: linking with environmental aspects and DPSIR framework approach

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Urbanization is the main force of the global environmental as well as land use land cover changes (LULC). Urbanization is caused by prompt increase in...     

(<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis>)-9-tricosene identified in rectal gland extracts of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bactrocera oleae</Emphasis> males: first evidence of a male-produced female attractant in olive fruit fly

It is well-known that Bactrocera oleae (olive fruit fly) females attract conspecific males by using 1,7-dioxaspiro[5,5]undecane (1) as the main component of their sex pheromone, and that 1 is produced in the female rectal gland. Although some authors have claimed that B. oleae males also attract females, to date no male-produced female attractants have been found in this species. In this paper, we report the first identification of a substance unique to males and able to attract females. The findings of the study include the following: (1) females responded in a bioassay to hexane extracts obtained from rectal glands of 15-day-old B. oleae males, (2) the presence of (Z)-9-tricosene (2) was consistently and unambiguously identified in these extracts using gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry methods, (3) in preliminary bioactivity tests, low doses (equivalent to a few males) of chemically and stereoisomerically pure synthetic (Z)-9-tricosene (2) attracted olive fruit fly females. Interestingly, compound 2, commonly called muscalure, is also a well-known component of the house fly (Musca domestica) sex pheromone.     

Effects of source zone heterogeneity on surfactant-enhanced NAPL dissolution and resulting remediation end-points

The effectiveness of removal of nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) from the entrapment source zone of the subsurface has been limited by soil heterogeneity and the inability to locate all entrapped sources. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the uncertainty of degree of source removal associated with aquifer heterogeneity. In this demonstration, source zone NAPL removal using surfactant-enhanced dissolution was considered. Model components that simulate the processes of natural dissolution in aqueous phase and surfactant-enhanced dissolution were incorporated into an existing code of contaminant transport. The dissolution modules of the simulator used previously developed Gilland-Sherwood type phenomenological models of NAPL dissolution to estimate mass transfer coefficients that are upscaleable to multidimensional flow conditions found at field sites. The model was used to simulate the mass removal from 10 NAPL entrapment zone configurations based on previously conducted two-dimensional tank experiments. These entrapment zones represent the NAPL distribution in spatially correlated random fields of aquifer hydraulic conductivity. The numerical simulations representing two-dimensional conditions show that effectiveness of mass removal depends on the aquifer heterogeneity that controls the NAPL entrapment and delivery of the surfactant to the locations of entrapped NAPLs. Flow bypassing resulting from heterogeneity and the reduction of relative permeability due to NAPL entrapment reduces the delivery efficiency of the surfactant, thus prolonging the remediation time to achieve desired end-point NAPL saturations and downstream dissolved concentrations. In some extreme cases, the injected surfactant completely bypassed the NAPL source zones. It was also found that mass depletion rates for different NAPL source configurations vary significantly. The study shows that heterogeneity result in uncertainties in the mass removal and achievable end-points that are directly related to dissolved contaminant plume development downstream of the NAPL entrapment zone.     

Anti-implantation and anti-fertility potentials of Anethum graveolens L. extracts in rats

Ovarian hormones affected some enzymes in reproductive tissues. Previous studies revealed Anethum graveolens (dill) seed extract elevated ovarian hormones. In this study, we compared the effects of dill seed and leaf extracts on some enzymes activities and infertility potential. Female Wistar rats were divided into three groups of control, dill seed and dill leaf aqueous extracts treated groups. Experimental groups received 1 mL of 0.5 g kg^?1 of each extract orally for 25 days (five estrous cycles). Estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone concentrations were determined. Uterus and ovaries were removed and their glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase activities were measured. Female rats of three groups were mated with untreated males. Fetuses were extracted in the 20th gestational day and their weights and crown rump lengths were measured. Anti-fertility and anti-implantation activities and fertility indices were calculated. Glucose-6-phosphate activity of dill seed treated group increased 1.6 times in the endometrium and 1.7 times in the myometrium. Progesterone concentration and lactate dehydrogenase activity of serum increased in the dill seed treated group compared to the control and dill leaf treated group. A significant decrease was observed in weights and crown rump lengths of fetuses, weights of placenta, and fertility index of the dill seed treated group compared to the control and dill leaf treated group, but its anti-implantation and anti-fertility indices increased. We suggested that high level of glucose-6-phosphate could entail increased oxidative stress in uterus and ovary. High lactate dehydrogenase activity in serum may affect cell membranes. Higher secretion of progesterone caused hormonal imbalance and produced estrous cycle irregularity. It was concluded that dill seed but not dill leaf extract could induce infertility in an animal model.