Monitoreo de la vigilancia, prevención y control de las enfermedades transmitidas por el Aedes aegypti / Surveillance monitoring, prevention and control of diseases transmitted by Aedes Aegypti

La actual propuesta metodológica se enmarca en los dos primeros objetivos del Plan Nacional de la Lucha contra el Dengue, que son promover, coordinar y facilitar la implementación de estrategias eficaces y oportunas para el control y tratamiento del dengue, con especial énfasis en las zonas geográficas del país que presentan alto riesgo potencial epidémico de dicha enfermedad, y gestionar la cooperación técnica destinada al control y manejo del dengue. En la fase inicial, se determinaron las actividades y variables sensibles a monitoreo, en base a los objetivos e indicadores identificados dentro del marco técnico y normativo vigente en el Perú y el marco sanitario establecido por la OMS, correspondientes a la vigilancia, prevención y control, pero, además, a la promoción de prácticas saludables. Luego, se definieron los requerimientos no funcionales de la plataforma de monitoreo para el desarrollo de un aplicativo accesible a través de un navegador en cualquier dispositivo con acceso a internet, a ser alojado en la plataforma de Cloud Computing. Posteriomente, se realizó el flujograma para el monitoreo de la clasificación de escenarios epidemiológicos y estratificación de riesgo entomológico de las enfermedades transmitidas por el Aedes aegypti. Finalmente, tanto la estratificación de riesgo como los indicadores obtenidos en cada localidad son escalados a la unidad notificante, encarcada de la ratificación, análisis y toma de desiciones jurisdiccionales. Se realizó una prueba piloto en 50 distritos de la jurisdicción de Lima Metropolitana. Se encontró que once distritos fueron estratificados en escenario II, y cuatro distritos en escenario III(AU)

The current methodological proposal is part of the first two objectives of the National Plan to Fight Dengue, which are to promote, coordinate and facilitate the implementation of effective and timely strategies for the control and treatment of dengue, with special emphasis on geographical areas. of the country that present a high potential epidemic risk of this disease and manage technical cooperation for the control and management of dengue. In the initial phase, the activities and variables sensitive to monitoring were determined, based on the objectives and indicators identified within the technical and regulatory framework in force in Peru and the health framework established by the WHO, corresponding to surveillance, prevention, and control; but also, to the promotion of healthy practices. Then, the non-functional requirements of the monitoring platform were defined for the development of an application accessible through a browser on any device with Internet access, to be hosted on the Cloud Computing platform. Subsequently, the flowchart was made to monitor the classification of epidemiological scenarios and entomological risk stratification of diseases transmitted by Aedes aegypti. Finally, both the risk stratification and the indicators obtained in each locality are escalated to the notifying unit, in charge of the ratification, analysis and making of jurisdictional decisions. A pilot test was carried out in 50 districts of the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Lima. It was found that eleven districts were stratified in stage II, and four districts in stage III(AU)

A avaliação ambiental estratégica como ferramenta para avaliar políticas ambientais municipais / Strategic environmental assessment as a tool to evaluate local environmental policies

Esta pesquisa insere-se na linha de pesquisa, política, planejamento e gestão ambiental do Departamento de Saúde Ambiental da Faculdade de Saúde Pública da Universidade de São Paulo. Tem por objetivo propor um arcabouço teóricoconceitual para aplicação da avaliação ambiental estratégica para avaliar políticas ambientais municipais em fase de implementação. Partindo da constatação de que a avaliação de políticas ambientais apresenta um relativo atraso em relação a outros campos, são adotados os pressupostos de que ferramentas desenvolvidas para avaliação de políticas sociais podem ser adaptadas para avaliar políticas ambientais, mas ferramentas da área ambiental também podem contribuir para o avanço do campo de estudo. Dessa forma foi proposto um arcabouço teórico conceitual com base nos princípios norteadores da avaliação ambiental estratégica, com o uso de ferramentas de apoio originárias da AAE e do estudo de políticas públicas. Como forma de aproximar o arcabouço teórico da realidade, foi analisado o contexto da política de Gestão e Saneamento Ambiental de Santo Andre a partir do arcabouço proposto. O presente trabalho conclui que a AAE pode ser usada para avaliação de políticas ambientais municipais em fase de implementaçao ao usar as estruturas de decisão existentes.

Government conservation policies on Mexican coastal areas: is "top-down" management working?

Marine and terrestrial ecosystems are declining globally due to environmental degradation and poorly planned resource use. Traditionally, local government agencies have been responsible of the management of natural reserves to preserve biodiversity. Nonetheless, much of these approaches have failed, suggesting the development of more integrative strategies. In order to discuss the importance of a holistic approach in conservation initiatives, coastal and underwater landscape value and biological/environmental indicators of coral reef degradation were assessed using the study case of Zihuatanejo, Guerrero coastal area. This area shelters representative coral reef structures of the Eastern Pacific coast and its terrestrial biodiversity and archaeology enhance the high value of its coastal area. This study explored the landscape value of both terrestrial and marine ecosystems using the geomorphosite approach in two sites on the Zihuatanejo coastal area: Caleta de Chon and Manzanillo Beach. Sedimentation rate, water transparency, chlorophyll and total suspended solids were recorded underwater in each site for environmental characterization. 50 photo-quadrants on five transects were surveyed between 3-4m depth to record coverage (%) of living corals, dead corals, algae, sand and rocks. The conservation status of coral reefs was assessed by the coral mortality index (MI). Landscape values showed that both terrestrial and marine ecosystems had important scientific and aesthetic values, being Manzanillo Beach the site with the highest potential for conservation initiatives (TtV=14.2). However, coral reefs face elevated sedimentation rates (up to 1.16kg/m2d) and low water transparency (less of 5m) generated by coastal land use changes that have increased soil erosion in the adjacent coastal area. High coverage of dead corals (23.6%) and algae (up to 29%) confirm the low values in conservation status of coral reefs (MI=0.5), reflecting a poorly-planned management. Current conditions are the result of "top-down" conservation strategies in Zihuatanejo, as Federal and Municipal authorities do not coordinate, disregard local community in coral reef management, and ignore the intimate relationship between the coastal and marine realms. This work confirms the importance of conservation strategies with a holistic approach, considering both terrestrial and marine ecosystems in coastal areas; and that these initiatives should include local coastal communities in management and decision-taking processes done by government authorities. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (4): 1487-1501. Epub 2011 December 01.

Las estrategias integrales son clave para lograr efectividad en la conservación de las áreas costeras. Para discutir la importancia de las estrategias holísticas en iniciativas de conservación, usamos como caso de estudio los arrecifes coralinos de Zihuatanejo Guerrero. En primer lugar, analizamos el valor paisajístico terrestre y marino de la zona costera y posteriormente usamos indicadores biológicos y ambientales de degradación en arrecifes coralinos. El valor paisajístico mostró que Manzanillo Beach tiene el mayor potencial para desarrollar iniciativas de conservación (TtV=14.2). No obstante, ambos arrecifes se enfrentan a elevados niveles de sedimentación (hasta 1.16kg/m2d) y baja transparencia del agua (<5m) causados por el aumento de la erosión de la costa, como consecuencia del cambio de uso del suelo. La alta cobertura de corales muertos (23.6%) y algas (hasta un 29%) en los arrecifes reflejan su manejo inadecuado. Estas condiciones son resultado de las estrategias de conservación usadas principalmente por las autoridades gubernamentales, que en muchos casos no se encuentran coordinadas y no consideran a la población local en el manejo de los recursos. Estos resultados confirman la importancia de las estrategias de conservación con una visión holística del ecosistema terrestre-marino en las áreas costeras. Estas iniciativas deben incluir a la población local en el manejo y la toma de decisiones.

Áreas contaminadas e águas subterrâneas na unidade de gerenciamento de recursos hídricos do Alto Tietê / Contaminated areas and groundwater in the Unidade de Gerenciamento de Recursos Hídricos do Alto Tietê

A Unidade de Gerenciamento de Recursos Hídricos do Alto Tietê - UGRHI 6, no Estado de São Paulo, é composta por 34 municípios e abrange a parte superior do Rio Tietê, desde a sua cabeceira até a barragem do Reservatório de Pirapora, numa extensão de 133 km. Abriga quase metade da população do Estado e compreende, em seu território, grande parte da Região Metropolitana da Grande São Paulo. As águas subterrâneas na UGRHI do Alto Tietê têm problemas de rebaixamento dos níveis de água por adensamento de poços em conjunto com fontes potenciais de poluição o que pode causar contaminação dos aquíferos. Por meio de pesquisa na modalidade documental na Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo, para levantamento de dados sobre as áreas contaminadas de 2002 a 2010 e no Departamento de Águas e Energia sobre os poços outorgados cadastrados no ano de 2011, procedeu-se o mapeamento das áreas contaminadas e dos poços outorgados na UGRHI do Alto Tietê. Conclui-se que na UGRHI do Alto Tietê existe a possibilidade de riscos para a saúde pública na utilização das águas subterrâneas, principalmente no Município de São Paulo que possui o maior número de áreas contaminadas que podem influir na qualidade das águas subterrâneas obtidas por meio de perfuração de poços de abastecimentos.

Management System of Occupational Diseases in Korea: Statistics, Report and Monitoring System

The management system of occupational diseases in Korea can be assessed from the perspective of a surveillance system. Workers' compensation insurance reports are used to produce official statistics on occupational diseases in Korea. National working conditions surveys are used to monitor the magnitude of work-related symptoms and signs in the labor force. A health examination program was introduced to detect occupational diseases through both selective and mass screening programs. The Working Environment Measurement Institution assesses workers' exposure to hazards in the workplace. Government regulates that the employer should do health examinations and working conditions measurement through contracted private agencies and following the Occupational Safety and Health Act. It is hoped that these institutions may be able to effectively detect and monitor occupational diseases and hazards in the workplace. In view of this, the occupational management system in Korea is well designed, except for the national survey system. In the future, national surveys for detection of hazards and ill-health outcomes in workers should be developed. The existing surveillance system for occupational disease can be improved by providing more refined information through statistical analysis of surveillance data.

Riparian forest potential to retain sediment and carbon evaluated by the 137Cs fallout and carbon isotopic ratio techniques

Riparian forests can provide an important service for aquatic ecosystems by sequestering hillslopederived sediments. However, the width of a riparian buffer zone required to filter sediments is not yet wellunderstood. Here are used two complementary tracers to measure sediment retention. The 137Cs technique and the soil carbon isotopic ratios (δ13C) are utilized to investigate sediment deposition and erosion rates on a slope transect cultivated with sugarcane followed by a secondary riparian forest zone in Iracemápolis, State of São Paulo, Brazil. The 137Cs technique and the δ13C analysis showed that the width of a riparian vegetation in accordance to a Brazilian Environmental Law (Nº4.771/65) was not sufficient in trapping sediments coming from agricultural lands, but indicated the importance of these forests as a conservation measure at the watershed scale. The complementary δ13C analysis together with soil morphology aspects allowed a better interpretation of the sediment redistribution along the sugarcane and riparian forest transects.

As matas ciliares podem fornecer serviços importantes para os ecossistemas aquáticos sequestrando sedimentos oriundos das áreas de encostas. No entanto, a largura da zona ripária necessária para a retenção de sedimentos ainda não está bem determinada. Aqui são usadas duas técnicas complementares para medir a retenção de sedimentos. As metodologias do137Cs e da composição isotópica do carbono (δ13C) são utilizadas para avaliar a deposição de sedimentos e taxas de erosão em uma encosta cultivada com cana-de-açúcar seguida poruma mata ciliar situada em Iracemápolis, no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. As análises pelas técnicas do 137Cs e δ13C mostraram que a largura da mata ciliar definida pela Lei Ambiental Brasileira (Nº4.771/65) não foi suficiente na retenção de sedimentos oriundos de áreas cultivadas, mas indicou a importância destas florestas como medida de conservação de bacias hidrográficas. A análise complementar de δ13C junto com informações morfológicas do solo permitiu melhor interpretação da redistribuição de sedimentos ao longo das áreas de cana-de-açúcar e mata ciliar.

[Global air monitoring study: a multi country comparison of levels of indoor air pollution in different workplaces results from Tunisia]

In 1986, a report of the U.S. Surgeon General concluded that second hand smoke is a cause of disease in healthy non smokers. Subsequent many nations includmg Tunisia implement smoke-free worksite regulations. The aim of our study is to test air quality in indoor ambient air venues in Tunisia. A TSI SidePak AM5 10 Personal Aerosol Monitor was used to sample, record the levels of respirable suspended particles [RSP] in the air and to assess the real-time concentration of particles less than 2.5urn in micrograms per cubic meter, or PMas2.5. Thirty three venues were sampled in Tunis. The venues were selected to get a broad range of size, location and type of venue. Venues included restaurants and caf‚s, bars, bus stations, hospitals, offices, and universities. The mean level of indoor air pollution was 296 pg/rn3 ranged from 11 micro g/m[5] to 1,499 micro g/m[3], The level of indoor air pollution was 85%lower in venues that were smoke-free compared to venues where smoking was observed [p<0.001]. Averaged across each type of venue, the lowest levels of indoor air pollution were found in hospitals, offices and universities [52 micro g/m [3]]] and the highest level was found in a bar [1,499 micro g/m [3]]. Hospitality venues allowing indoor air smoking in Tunisia are significantly more polluted than both indoor smoke-free sites and outdoor air in Tunisia. This study demonstrates that workers and patrons are exposed to harmful levels of a known carcinogen and toxin. Policies that prohibit smoking in public worksites dramatically reduce second hand smoke exposure and improve worker and patron health