Free NAPOLCOM Exam Practice Questions and Tips

Over the past 10 to 15 years, beekeepers have been reporting unusual weakening of bee numbers and colony losses, particularly in Western European countries including France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain. In North America, colony losses observed since 2005 have left the region with fewer kept bees than at any time in the past 50 years. American scientists have coined the term Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) to describe this phenomenon. CCD is often characterized by the rapid loss from a colony of its adult worker bee population.

In May 2012, as part of its strategy for tackling declining bee numbers, the European Commission allocated €3.3 million to support 17 Member States carrying out surveillance studies aimed at gathering further information on losses of honey bee colonies. Following these studies, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) scientists have identified a number of risks posed to bees by neonicotinoid chemicals used in pesticides. The EFSA has found that these pesticides have acute and chronic effects on bee colony survival and development.

Although the European Commission is adamantly pushing towards restricting the use of neonicotinoid chemicals for crops not attractive to bees and other pollinators, many farmers and crop experts argue that there is insufficient data to make such drastic restrictions. They argue that the report published by the EFSA specifically stated that in some cases it was ‘unable to finalize the assessments due to shortcomings in the available data’.

A solution to this dispute may be found when examining the general principles of risk management. Apparently, in cases of action being taken under the precautionary principle, the producer/manufacturer may be required to prove the absence of danger rather than waiting until hard evidence of the contrary has come to light.

*Adapted from BBC News

A study, published in the journal of Psychological Science, examined data from a national survey that followed more than 5,000 UK households and 10,000 adults between 1991 and 2008 as they moved house around the country. They asked participants to report on their own psychological health during that time to estimate the ‘green space effect’.

Results of the study suggest that mental distress and life satisfaction are correlated with living in greener areas. This was true even after the researchers accounted for changes over time in participants' income, employment, marital status, physical health and housing type.

Dr. White, one of the study's researchers, compared the scale of the effects of living in a greener area to ‘big-hitting’ life events such as marriage: ”We've found that living in an urban area with relatively high levels of green space can have a significantly positive impact on wellbeing, roughly equal to a third of the impact of being married'. The effect was also found to be equivalent to a tenth of the impact of being employed, as opposed to unemployed. Even when stacked up against other factors that contribute to life satisfaction, living in a greener area had a significant effect.”

This research could be important for psychologists, public health officials and urban planners who are interested in learning about the effects that urbanisation and city planning can have on population health and wellbeing."

Beth Murphy, information manager at the mental health charity Mind, said: ”For people living busy lifestyles in densely populated areas, being able to get outdoors and access green space is a great way to escape the stresses of day-to-day life'. We believe this is food for thought for any policymaker involved in urban planning, or local authority developing its public health strategy.”

*Adapted from BBC News

Burns are classified as first-, second-, or third-degree, depending on how severe they are and how deeply they penetrate the skin's surface.

First-Degree Burns (Superficial)
Superficial first-degree burns affect only the epidermis, or outer layer of skin. In most cases, superficial first-degree burns are caused by mild sunburns or flash burns. The burn site is red, painful, and dry, but it will have no blisters. Long-term tissue damage is rare and usually consists of an increase or decrease in the skin color. Pain usually lasts 48 to 72 hours and then subsides.
Healing occurs in 3-5 days, with the injured epithelium peeling away from the healthy skin.
Treatment to manage the pain may include cold compresses, lotion, and antibiotic ointments (acetaminophen or ibuprofen). However, for most first-degree burns medical attention is rarely necessary.


Second-degree burns can be classified as partial or full thickness:

Second-Degree Burns (Partial Thickness Burns)
Partial thickness burns involve the epidermis and the upper part of the dermis layer of skin. The burn site appears red, blistered, and may be swollen. It can also appear wet and is usually painful. This type of burn should heal in several weeks (10-21 days) without grafting, and scarring is usually minimal.

Second-Degree Burns (Full Thickness Burns)
Full thickness burns involve the destruction of the entire epidermis and most of the dermis (second layer of skin). The burn site can be red or white in appearance, and it will appear dry and be very painful. This type of burn should heal in several weeks (21-35 days) without grafting, and scarring is usually minimal.

Treatment depends on the severity of the burn and may include antibiotic ointments, daily cleaning of the wound, and dressing changes one or two times a day. Pain treatment is the same as for first-degree burns.

Third-Degree Burns
Third-degree burns destroy the epidermis and dermis and may even go into the subcutaneous tissue (muscle, bones, etc.). The burn site may appear dry, white, or charred. Third-degree burns are not painful due to the serious damage done to the nerves. Third-degree burns are incredibly dangerous as they can lead to shock and ultimately death.
Third-degree burns require immediate emergency medical attention. Burn recovery will require sterile environments and intravenous antibiotics or antibiotic creams as the possibility of infection is high. Tetanus is one such infection and that is why aa tetanus shot is given. Even small areas may take months to heal. Scarring is a certainty, and in almost all cases of third degree burns it is necessary for the victim to receive skin grafts.

A second-degree burn that does not cover more than 10 percent of the skin's surface can usually be treated in an outpatient setting. The same does not apply to third-degree burns.