ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: This study evaluated: (1) the vulnerability of broiler houses with different cooling systems, and (2) the spatial distribution of environmental variables during hot days. Four potentially vulnerable commercial broiler houses in southern Brazil were selected according to the following parameters: absence or presence of different cooling systems, broilers older than 28 days, and outside air dry-bulb temperature over 30°C. Broiler house vulnerability was classified according to the cooling and mechanical ventilation system: cellulose pad cooling (CPC), sprinkling (SPK), fogging (FOG), and mechanical ventilation without evaporative cooling system (VTL). The air dry-bulb temperature (Tdb, °C) and relative humidity (RH, %) were recorded every 10 min. For each broiler house, we evaluated: (1) relative cooling efficiency (RCE) and (2) inside spatial distribution of microclimate variables using a geostatistical technique. The CPC and SPK did not differ (P<0.05) in RCE (81.6% and 80.7%, respectively), but both differed from FOG (23.8%) and VLT (1.87%) systems. The highest variations in indoor Tdb were recorded in the FOG (7 °C), followed by the SPK (4 °C) and CPC (3 °C). In the CPC, there was an increase in RH from the middle to the end of the broiler house near the exhaust fans. In conclusion, the relative cooling efficiency and the inside spatial distributions of environmental variables in the broiler houses were influenced by the existing cooling system.
RESUMO: Os objetivos deste estudo foram (1) comparar a vulnerabilidade de aviários com diferentes sistemas de resfriamento, e (2) avaliar a distribuição espacial interna das variáveis ambientais durante dias quentes. Quatro aviários comerciais potencialmente vulneráveis no sul do Brasil foram selecionados de acordo com os seguintes parâmetros de elegibilidade: ausência ou presença de diferentes sistemas de resfriamento; frangos de corte com mais de 28 dias de idade; e temperatura de bulbo seco do ar externa acima de 30 °C. A vulnerabilidade do aviário foi classificada de acordo com o sistema de resfriamento e ventilação mecânica, sendo: resfriamento por pad cooling (CPC), aspersão (SPK), nebulização (FOG) e ventilação mecânica sem sistema de resfriamento evaporativo (VTL). A temperatura de bulbo seco do ar (Tbs, °C) e a umidade relativa do ar (UR, %) foram coletadas por registradores de dados autônomos a cada 10 min. Para cada aviário foram avaliados: (1) eficiência relativa de resfriamento (RCE) e (2) distribuição espacial interna das variáveis ambientais por técnica de geoestatística. O CPC e SPK não diferiram (P>0,05) na RCE (81,6% e 80,7% respectivamente), mas ambos diferiram do FOG (23,8%) e VLT (1,87%). As maiores variações na Tbs do ar interno foram registradas no FOG (7 °C), seguido pelo SPK (4 °C) e CPC (3 °C). No CPC, houve um aumento da umidade relativa do meio para o final do aviário, próximo aos exaustores. Em conclusão, a eficiência relativa de resfriamento, assim como a distribuição espacial das variáveis ambientais internas foram influenciadas pelo sistema de resfriamento de cada aviário.
ABSTRACT
En Cuba se ha producido un ascenso en los servicios médicos y el país muestra indicadores de salud comparables a los de los países más desarrollados. Se trabaja en un nuevo procedimiento, útil para seguir mejorando la salud de la población cubana. Se trata del método de pronósticos biometeorológicos, dirigido a ofrecer, con antelación suficiente a las instituciones de salud y servicios de emergencia médica, la información oportuna para la prevención y profilaxis de algunas enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles de alta incidencia en el país. Este método avisa hasta con 180 horas de anticipación, la ocurrencia de condiciones favorables para el desencadenamiento de crisis de salud, utiliza como indicador principal la variación en 24 horas de la densidad parcial del oxígeno en el aire, el tipo de situación sinóptica predominante y la ocurrencia de efectos locales de contaminación atmosférica. Para validar los resultados de estos pronósticos se viene desarrollando desde el 1 de diciembre de 2006, en las instituciones de salud del municipio de Sagua la Grande, provincia de Villa Clara, un estudio piloto donde se monitorea la ocurrencia diaria de varias enfermedades y su asociación con los cambios bruscos del estado del tiempo. Las enfermedades bajo estudio fueron: el asma bronquial, las enfermedades cardiovasculares, los accidentes cerebro-vasculares, las crisis hipertensivas, las cefaleas y algunos tipos de infecciones respiratorias agudas. Se muestra los resultados preliminares de la aplicación operativa del servicio de pronósticos biometeorológicos, inexistente en otras partes del mundo, en instituciones de salud del municipio Sagua La Grande, durante el período poco lluvioso (invierno) de 2006 a 2007.
There has been a rise of medical service provision in Cuba and the country shows health indicators comparable to those of the most developed nations. A new procedure that will be useful for continuos improvement of the Cuban population´s health is being worked out. It refers to the biometeorological forecast method aimed at providing health institutions and emergency services with early and timely information about the prevention and treatment of some non-communicable chronic diseases with high incidence in the country. Such a method can alert to favorable conditions for unleashing health crisis up to 180 hours in advance on the basis of the changes of partial air oxygen density within 24 hours, the type of prevailing synoptic situation and the local effects of the environmental pollution. In order to validate the results of these forecsts, a pilot study is being conducted from December 1st, 2006 in health centers located in Sagua La Grande municipality, which monitors daily occurence of several diseases and their association to sudden weather changes. The diseases under study were bronchial asthma, cardiovascular diseases, strokes, hypertension, headaches and some types of acute respiratory diseases. The preliminary satisfactory results of the operation of this biometeorological forecast service in health centers located in Sagua la Grande municipality during the little rain period (winter) from 2006 to 2007 were shown.
ABSTRACT
We investigated the effect of season or meteorological phenomena, on chief complaints and disorders of outpatients, by way of clarification of relationship between weather and health. This study covered the new outpatients of our division, and carried out on February '03 and June '03 (February: 72 males, 106 females, aged 49.9±18.5, June: 98 males, 109 females, aged 47.6±19.5). We categorized their clinical data into chief complaints (pain, headache, discomforts, fever, cough, vertigo/stagger, palsy) and disorders (gastrointestinal, mental, inflammatory, orthopedic, infection, respiratory, circulatory, tumorous, urinary, autoimmune/allergic, dental/oral, gynecological), then, compared the clinical data of February with June, in terms of seasonal disease. Additionally, we investigated the relationship between weather data and clinical data of February and June, from a perspective of meteoropathy. The average of meteorological phenomena (air pressure, air temperature, relative humidity, velocity of wind, day length, rainfall level) of a week before first visit, were used as weather data. The main results of analysis about seasonal disease, showed that the complaint of discomfort were more frequent in June than February (p=0.005). The orthopedic disorder was more frequent in June than February (p=0.012). Infection was more frequent in February than June (p=0.011). The analyses in terms of meteoropathy, showed that the complaint of cough were more frequent after cold temperature in February (p=0.014). The gastrointestinal disorders were more frequent after humid (p=0.018) and pluvious days (p=0.016) in February. The complaint of headache was liable to be frequent after pluvious weather in June.<br>The relationship between weather and health is known in the prior an, and our study anew demonstrated the effect of season or meteorological phenomena, on chief complaints and disorders of outpatients, as statistical evidence.