Inequalities in Child Mortality in India: A District-Level Analysis

This paper measures the degree of inequality in child mortality rates across districts in India, using data from the 1981, 1991 and 2001 Indian population censuses. The results show that child mortality is more concentrated in less developed districts in all three census years. Further, between 1981 and 2001, the inequality in child mortality seems to have increased to the advantage of the more developed districts (i.e., there was an increasing concentration of child mortality in less developed districts). However, the inequality in female child mortality rates seems to have declined between 1991 and 2001, even as it increased – albeit at a slower rate than before – for male child mortality rates. In the decomposition analysis, it is found that while a more equitable distribution of medical facilities and safe drinking water across districts did contribute towards reducing inequality in child mortality between 1981 and 1991, different levels of structural change among districts were responsible for a very large part of the inequality in child mortality to the advantage of the more developed districts in all three census years. Other variables which played important roles in increasing inequality included a measure of infrastructure development, female literacy, and a social group status variable. The paper concludes with some brief comments on the policy implications of the findings.

Planta pilot d'una potabilitzadora

Treball de recerca realitzat per alumnes d'ensenyament secundari i guardonat amb un Premi CIRIT per fomentar l'esperit científic del Jovent l'any 2009. El treball ha consistit en dissenyar i construir una planta pilot d'una potabilitzadora que simulés el funcionament de les plantes potabilitzadores, basada en els mateixos principis . La Planta pilot de la potabilitzadora consta de les següents operacions: desbast, floculació, decantació, filtració de sorra, aireació, filtració de carbó actiu i desinfecció. La mostra utilitzada per la potabilització s’ha obtingut de l’embassament del Pasteral, lloc on la planta potabilitzadora de Girona capta l’aigua. Una vegada potabilitzada s’han realitzat una sèrie d’anàlisis tant a l’entrada com a la sortida, per determinar la variació obtinguda en diferents paràmetres del procés. Els tipus d’anàlisis realitzats són: fisicoquímics, microbiològics i organolèptics. Finalment, s’ha realitzat una comparació amb la potabilitzadora de Girona i s’ha verificat mitjançant els paràmetres de la normativa de l’aigua l'estat de la mostra.

Palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate of the Middle Miocene lake in the Steinheim basin, SW Germany: A reconstruction from C, O, and Sr isotopes of fossil remains

A differentiated reconstruction of palaeolimnologic, -environmental, and -climatic conditions is presented for the Middle Miocene long-term freshwater lake (14.3 to 13.5 Ma) of the Steinheim basin, on the basis of a combined C, 0, and Sr isotope study of sympatric skeletal fossils of aquatic and terrestrial organisms from the lake sediments. The oxygen isotope composition for lake water of the Steinheim basin (delta O-18(H2O) = +2.0 +/- 0.4 parts per thousand VSMOW, n = 6) was reconstructed from measurements of delta O-18(PO4) of aquatic turtle bones. The drinking water calculated from the enamel of large mammals (proboscideans, rhinocerotids, equids, cervids, suids) has delta O-18(H2O) values (delta(OH2O)-O-18 = -5.9 +/- 1.7 parts per thousand VSMOW, n = 31) typical for Middle Miocene meteoric water of the area. This delta O-18(H2O) value corresponds to a mean annual air temperature (MAT) of 18.8 +/- 3.8 degrees C, calculated using a modem-day delta(OH2O)-O-18-MAT relation. Hence, large mammals did not use the lake water as principal drinking water. In contrast, small mammals, especially the then abundant pika Prolagus oeningensis drank from O-18-enriched water sources (delta O-18(H2O) = +2.7 +/- 2.3 parts per thousand VSMOW, n = 7), such as the lake water. Differences in Sr and 0 isotopic compositions between large and small mammal teeth indicate different home ranges and drinking behaviour and support migration of some large mammals between the Swabian Alb plateau and the nearby Molasse basin, while small mammals ingested their food and water locally. Changes in the lake level, water chemistry, and temperature were inferred using isotopic compositions of ostracod and gastropod shells from a composite lake sediment profile. Calcitic ostracod valves (Ilyocypris binocularis; delta O-18 = +1.7 +/- 1.2 parts per thousand VPDB, delta C-18 = -0.5 +/- 0.9 parts per thousand, VPDB, n = 68) and aragonitic, gastropod shells (Gyraulus spp.; delta O-18 = +2.0 +/- 13 parts per thousand VPDB, delta C-13 = -1.1 +/- 1.3 parts per thousand VPDB, n = 89) have delta O-18 and delta C-13 values similar to or even higher than those of marine, carbonates. delta C-13 values:of the biogenic carbonates parallel lake level fluctuations while delta O-18 values scatter around +2 +/- 2 parts per thousand and reflect the short term variability of meteoric water inflow vs. longer term evaporation. Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios of aragonitic Gyraulus spp. gastropod shells parallel the lake level fluctuations, reflecting variable inputs of groundwater and surface waters. Using a water delta O-18(H2O) value of +2.0 parts per thousand VSMOW, water temperatures calculated from skeletal tissue delta O-18 values of ostracods are 16.7 +/- 5.0 degrees C, gastropods 20.6 +/- 5.6 degrees C, otoliths 21.8 +/- 1.4 degrees C, and fish teeth 17.0 +/- 2.7 degrees C. The calculated MAT (similar to 19 degrees C), lake water temperatures (similar to 17 to 22 degrees C) and the O-18-enriched water compositions are indicative of warm-temperate climatic conditions, possibly with a high humidity during this period. Vegetation in the area surrounding the basin was largely of the C-3-type, as indicated by carbon isotopic compositions of tooth enamel from large mammals (delta C-13 = -11.1 +/- 1.1 parts per thousand VPDB, n = 40). (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Introducció als Sistemes d'Informació Geogràfica

Aquest treball té dues parts, una de teòrica i una de pràctica: la primera part és una introducció als sistemes d'informació geogràfica, amb una descripció però també amb una explicació de la implementació interna; la segona part és un plantejament general d'un projecte SIG, consistent en la representació de la xarxa d'aigua potable d'una població qualsevol.

Introducció als Sistemes d´Informació Geogràfica i creació d´una base de dades dels elements d´una xarxa de distribució d´aigua potable.

Aquest treball és una introducció als sistemes d'informació geogràfica, que consisteix en una breu descripció dels aspectes fonamentals dels sistemes d'informació geogràfica i en la creació d'una base de dades dels elements d'una xarxa de distribució d'aigua potable.

Programa de vigilancia sanitaria y calidad del agua de consumo de Andalucía

En port.: Dirección General de Salud Pública y Participación. Publicado en la página web de la Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social: www.juntadeandalucia.es/salud (Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social / Ciudadanía / Nuestra Salud / Medio ambiente y Salud / Aguas de Consumo Público / Programa de Vigilancia Sanitaria y Calidad del Agua de Consumo de Andalucía)

Municipal distribution of bladder cancer mortality in Spain: Possible role of mining and industry

BACKGROUND Spain shows the highest bladder cancer incidence rates in men among European countries. The most important risk factors are tobacco smoking and occupational exposure to a range of different chemical substances, such as aromatic amines. METHODS This paper describes the municipal distribution of bladder cancer mortality and attempts to "adjust" this spatial pattern for the prevalence of smokers, using the autoregressive spatial model proposed by Besag, York and Molliè, with relative risk of lung cancer mortality as a surrogate. RESULTS It has been possible to compile and ascertain the posterior distribution of relative risk for bladder cancer adjusted for lung cancer mortality, on the basis of a single Bayesian spatial model covering all of Spain's 8077 towns. Maps were plotted depicting smoothed relative risk (RR) estimates, and the distribution of the posterior probability of RR>1 by sex. Towns that registered the highest relative risks for both sexes were mostly located in the Provinces of Cadiz, Seville, Huelva, Barcelona and Almería. The highest-risk area in Barcelona Province corresponded to very specific municipal areas in the Bages district, e.g., Suría, Sallent, Balsareny, Manresa and Cardona. CONCLUSION Mining/industrial pollution and the risk entailed in certain occupational exposures could in part be dictating the pattern of municipal bladder cancer mortality in Spain. Population exposure to arsenic is a matter that calls for attention. It would be of great interest if the relationship between the chemical quality of drinking water and the frequency of bladder cancer could be studied.

Anàlisi i redisseny de la xarxa de distribució d’ aigua potable a alta pressió de Santa Cristina d’ Aro.

En el present treball es realitza un estudi hidràulic i de qualitat de les aigües de la xarxa municipal per tal d’analitzar en primer lloc el seu estat actual i proposar posteriorment una sèrie d’actuacions de millora. Això s’ha desenvolupat amb l’ajuda d’un programa de simulació de xarxes hidràuliques i de qualitat, en ser l’estudi d’una elevada envergadura, que feia inviable l’estudi empíric de la instal•lació. El simulador utilitzat ha estat l’EPANET, el qual va estar elaborat per la NATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT RESEARCH LABORATORY de Cincinatty, als Estats Units i traduït a l’espanyol pel grup REDHISP Inst. Ingenieria del agua y M.A. de la Universitat Politècnica de València

Perspectivas de salud ambiental en la investigación de brotes epidémicos asociados con una zona de abastecimiento de aguas de consumo humano.

Introduction. The purpose of this work was studied the magnitude, possible causes and contributing environmental factors in the waterbourne outbreaks appearance, in the performance area of the locality of Benaoján (Town of Málaga. Spain). Material/Methods. Analysis of the potability of the water and disinfection controls. Evaluation of the fulfillment of the quality of the drinking water and sanitary technical requirements of water supplies, pursuant to the Spanish regulation on public consumption waters. Results. We have been accomplished 110 potability analysis, proving that 13,4% of the samples do not comply with the potability criteria of the water. It were practiced 647 controls of disinfection, of those which 53% resulted not accordant. The design of the supply net is of the branching type and at least presents 30 blind branches, points where the water remains stagnant. The municipal waters service doesn´t make analytics controls of the quality of the water neither has implanted Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the facilities of the supply. Discussion. Environmental research suggests that the public water supply net is a source of infection, problem related to the epidemic outbreaks appearance. Because of this the water consumption not treaty must be avoided.

Aprobado el nuevo decreto que regula la vigilancia y control sanitario de las aguas de consumo humano

Boletín semanal para profesionales sanitarios de la Secretaría General de Salud Pública y Participación Social de la Consejería de Salud

Instalaciones domiciliarias de agua de consumo. Recomendaciones para el mantenimiento de las condiciones higiénico sanitarias.

Publicado en la página web de la Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social: www.juntadeandalucia.es/salud (Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social / Ciudadanía / Nuestra Salud / Medio ambiente y Salud / Aguas de Consumo Público / Instalaciones domiciliarias de aguas de consumo)

Instalaciones domiciliarias de agua de consumo. Recomendaciones para el mantenimiento de las condiciones higiénico sanitarias.

Publicado en la página web de la Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social: www.juntadeandalucia.es/salud (Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social / Ciudadanía / Nuestra Salud / Medio ambiente y Salud / Aguas de Consumo Público / Instalaciones domiciliarias de aguas de consumo)

Antibiotic resistant bacteria/genes dissemination in lacustrine sediments highly increased following cultural eutrophication of Lake Geneva (Switzerland).

This study investigates faecal indicator bacteria (FIB), multiple antibiotic resistant (MAR), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), of sediment profiles from different parts of Lake Geneva (Switzerland) over the last decades. MARs consist to expose culturable Escherichia coli (EC) and Enterococcus (ENT) to mixed five antibiotics including Ampicillin, Tetracycline, Amoxicillin, Chloramphenicol and Erythromycin. Culture-independent is performed to assess the distribution of ARGs responsible for, β-lactams (blaTEM; Amoxicillin/Ampicillin), Streptomycin/Spectinomycin (aadA), Tetracycline (tet) Chloramphenicol (cmlA) and Vancomycin (van). Bacterial cultures reveal that in the sediments deposited following eutrophication of Lake Geneva in the 1970s, the percentage of MARs to five antibiotics varied from 0.12% to 4.6% and 0.016% to 11.6% of total culturable EC and ENT, respectively. In these organic-rich bacteria-contaminated sediments, the blaTEM resistant of FIB varied from 22% to 48% and 16% to 37% for EC and ENT respectively, whereas the positive PCR assays responsible for tested ARGs were observed for EC, ENT, and total DNA from all samples. The aadA resistance gene was amplified for all the sediment samples, including those not influenced by WWTP effluent water. Our results demonstrate that bacteria MARs and ARGs highly increased in the sediments contaminated with WWTP effluent following the cultural eutrophication of Lake Geneva. Hence, the human-induced changing limnological conditions highly enhanced the sediment microbial activity, and therein the spreading of antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes in this aquatic environment used to supply drinking water in a highly populated area. Furthermore, the presence of the antibiotic resistance gene aadA in all the studied samples points out a regional dissemination of this emerging contaminant in freshwater sediments since at least the late nineteenth century.

Chronic nitric oxide synthase inhibition and carotid artery distensibility in renal hypertensive rats.

The goal of the present study was to examine the viscoelastic properties of the carotid artery in genetically identical rats exposed to similar levels of blood pressure sustained by different mechanisms. Eight-week old male Wistar rats were examined 2 weeks after renal artery clipping (two-kidney, one clip [2K1C] Goldblatt rats, n = 53) or sham operation (n = 49). One half of the 2K1C and sham rats received the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 1.48 mmol/L) in their drinking water for 2 weeks after the surgical procedure. Mean blood pressure increased significantly in the 2K1C-water (182 mm Hg), 2K1C-L-NAME (197 mm Hg), and sham-L-NAME (170 mm Hg) rats compared with the sham-water rats (127 mm Hg). Plasma renin activity was not altered by L-NAME but significantly enhanced after renal artery clipping. A significant and similar increase in the cross-sectional area of the carotid artery was observed in L-NAME and vehicle-treated 2K1C rats. L-NAME per se did not modify cross-sectional area in the sham rats. There was a significant upward shift of the distensibility-pressure curve in the L-NAME- and vehicle-treated 2K1C rats compared with the sham-L-NAME rats. L-NAME treatment did not alter the distensibility-pressure curve in the 2K1C rats. These results demonstrate that the mechanisms responsible for artery wall hypertrophy in renovascular hypertension are accompanied by an increase in arterial distensibility that is not dependent on the synthesis of nitric oxide.