Behavior and Impact of Zirconium in the Soil–Plant System: Plant Uptake and Phytotoxicity

Because of the large number of sites they pollute, toxic metals that contaminate terrestrial ecosystems are increasingly of environmental and sanitary concern (Uzu et al. 2010, 2011; Shahid et al. 2011a, b, 2012a). Among such metals is zirconium (Zr), which has the atomic number 40 and is a transition metal that resembles titanium in physical and chemical properties (Zaccone et al. 2008). Zr is widely used in many chemical industry processes and in nuclear reactors (Sandoval et al. 2011; Kamal et al. 2011), owing to its useful properties like hardness, corrosion-resistance and permeable to neutrons (Mushtaq 2012). Hence, the recent increased use of Zr by industry, and the occurrence of the Chernobyl and Fukashima catastrophe have enhanced environmental levels in soil and waters (Yirchenko and Agapkina 1993; Mosulishvili et al. 1994 ; Kruglov et al. 1996)

Cultural adaptation and internal consistency analysis of the MISSCARE Survey for use in Brazil

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this methodological research were to culturally adapt the MISSCARE Survey instrument to Brazil and analyze the internal consistency of the adapted version. METHOD: The instrument consists of 41 items, presented in two parts. Part A contains 24 items listing elements of missed nursing care. Part B is comprised of 17 items, related to the reasons for not delivering care. The research received ethics committee approval and was undertaken in two phases. The first was the cultural adaptation process, in which a committee of five experts verified the face and content validity, in compliance with the steps recommended in the literature. The second was aimed at analyzing the internal consistency of the instrument, involving 60 nursing team professionals at a public teaching hospital. RESULTS: According to the experts, the instrument demonstrated face and content validity. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for parts A and B surpassed 0.70 and were considered appropriate. CONCLUSION: The adapted version of the MISSCARE Survey demonstrated satisfactory face validity and internal consistency for the study sample

Sociodemographic and health factors associated with chronic pain in institutionalized elderly

OBJECTIVES: to characterize chronic pain in institutionalized elderly and verify the associated factors.METHOD: observational, cross-sectional and non-experimental study with a quantitative approach. The study participants were 124 elderly living in Long-Term Care Institutions for the Elderly (LTCIs) in a city in Minas Gerais (Brazil). Approval for the project was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee. The elderly's clinical and sociodemographic variables and pain-related aspects were assessed. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis (chi-squared).RESULTS: the prevalence of chronic pain corresponded to 58.1%; for more than 10 years (26.4%); in lower limbs (31.9%); characterized as "twinges" (33.3%); 33.3% adopted medication treatment; the pain did not improve (41.7 %); or worsen (34.7 %). It was evidenced that elderly aged 60├ 70 old had 70% less chances of chronic pain than those aged 80 years and older (p=0.018).CONCLUSION: institutionalized elderly have a high prevalence of chronic pain, mainly in the lower limbs. No factors of pain improvement or worsening were identified and medication was evidenced as the preferred treatment. Age showed to be associated with the presence of pain. It is considered important to accomplish multiprofessional actions at the LTCIs to guide prevention and rehabilitation actions of the pain episodes in these elderly

Moving from reclusion to partial freedom: the experience of family caregivers for disabled elderly persons assisted in a day care center

This study aimed at understanding the interactional experience between family caregivers and disabled elderly persons supported in a Day Care Center according to the caregiver's perspective. It also aimed at developing a representative theoretical model for the events experienced by such caregiver. The Grounded Theory was used as methodological framework whereas Interactional Symbolism served as the theoretical framework. Observation and interviews were used for data collection. The following phenomenon arose from the results: feeling of support by the Day Care Center, by the strength of the bond with the elderly and by spirituality in order to continue playing the challenging role of a family caregiver for a disabled elderly person. The study made possible to understand that, among these three supporting cornerstones for coping with the burden generated by the family caregiver role, the care model promoted by the Day Care Center was the intervenient variable in the process of improving the quality of life of the family caregiver-disabled elderly person binomial. This allowed the identification of the main category - moving from reclusion to partial freedom: the experience of family caregivers for disabled elderly persons assisted in a Day Care Center.O estudo teve como objetivos: compreender a experiência interacional cuidador familiar-idoso dependente apoiada por um Centro-Dia (CD), segundo a perspectiva do cuidador familiar, e desenvolver um modelo teórico representativo da experiência vivida por ele. Utilizou-se como referencial metodológico a Grounded Theory e como referencial teórico o Interacionismo Simbólico. As estratégias para a obtenção dos dados foram a observação e a entrevista. Dos resultados emergiu o fenômeno: sentindo-se apoiado pelo CD, pela força do vínculo com o idoso e pela espiritualidade para continuar desempenhando o papel desafiante de cuidador familiar de idoso dependente. O trabalho permitiu-nos compreender que dentre esses três pilares de apoio para enfrentamento da sobrecarga gerada pelo papel de familiar cuidador dependente, o modelo assistencial promovida pelo CD é o que se configurou como variável interveniente no processo de melhora da qualidade de vida do binômio cuidador familiar-idoso dependente. Isto nos possibilitou identificar a categoria central - movendo-se da reclusão à liberdade parcial: a experiência do cuidador familiar de idoso dependente assistido num CD