[Overview of dengue in the MERCOSUR Member States, 1991-2015Panorama da dengue nos Estados Membros do Mercosul (1991-2015)]. / Panorama sobre el dengue en los Estados miembros del Mercosur (1991-2015).

OBJECTIVE: Dengue virus is an endemic now ravaging the MERCOSUR region. The objective of this research is to assess the epidemiological situation caused by dengue in the MERCOSUR Member States and Associate States. METHODS: Statistical data were used (estimated dengue morbidity rates for the period 1980-2015, with particular focus on 1991-2015), together with a corpus of health legislation, commercial law, arbitration awards, executive reports, and subject-specific literature. RESULTS: It was found that, with the exception of Chile and Uruguay, MERCOSUR members and associate countries (in particular, Brazil, which has the highest incidence of dengue cases in the world) need to identify the factors that favor the increasing spread of this endemic disease. CONCLUSIONS: This brief overview of the MERCOSUR Member States in the period 1991-2015 is based on a consideration of macrostructural data that represent the sum of the four elements established by WHO and PAHO for dengue control: the political will of governments, intersectoral coordination, community participation, and the strengthening of national health legislation.

OBJETIVO: O vírus da dengue é atualmente um fenômeno endêmico que assola a região do Mercosul. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi fazer um diagnóstico da situação epidemiológica da dengue nos Estados Membros e Estados Associados do Mercosul. MÉTODOS: O estudo se baseou em dados estatísticos (taxas de morbidade pela dengue estimadas para o período 1980­2015 e, em particular, para o período 1991­2015) e em um corpus de legislação de saúde, legislação comercial, laudos, relatórios executivos e bibliografia específica. RESULTADOS: À exceção do Chile e Uruguai, os países associados ou membros do Mercosul, sobretudo o Brasil que tem a maior incidência mundial de dengue, precisam identificar os fatores que favorecem o aumento da propagação da endemia. CONCLUSÕES: Este breve panorama da dengue nos Estados Membros do Mercosul no período 1991­2015 está fundamentado em dados macroestruturais que ponderam e, ao mesmo tempo, representam o somatório dos quatro componentes estabelecidos pela OMS e OPAS para o controle da dengue: vontade política por parte dos governos, coordenação intersetorial, participação da comunidade e fortalecimento da legislação nacional de saúde.

Panorama sobre el dengue en los Estados miembros del Mercosur (1991-2015) / Overview of dengue in the MERCOSUR Member States, 1991-2015 / Panorama da dengue nos Estados Membros do Mercosul (1991-2015)

RESUMEN Objetivo En la actualidad, el virus del dengue constituye un fenómeno endémico que azota la región del Mercosur. El objetivo de esta investigación es elaborar un diagnóstico sobre la situación epidemiológica causada por el dengue en los Estados miembros y asociados del Mercosur. Métodos Se utilizaron datos estadísticos —tasas de morbilidad por dengue estimadas para el período 1980-2015, y especialmente del período 1991-2015—, junto con un corpus de leyes sanitarias, comerciales, laudos, informes ejecutivos y bibliografía específica. Resultados Se observó que, a excepción de Chile y Uruguay, los países asociados o miembros del Mercosur —principalmente Brasil, que exhibe la mayor incidencia mundial de casos de dengue— necesitan identificar los factores que favorecen el aumento de la propagación de la endemia. Conclusiones Este breve panorama sobre los Estados miembros del Mercosur en el período 1991-2015 se fundamenta en datos macroestructurales que ponderan y, al mismo tiempo, representan el sumatorio de los cuatro elementos establecidos por la OMS y la OPS para el control del dengue: la voluntad política de los Gobiernos, la coordinación intersectorial, la participación de la comunidad y el fortalecimiento de las leyes sanitarias nacionales.

ABSTRACT Objective Dengue virus is an endemic now ravaging the MERCOSUR region. The objective of this research is to assess the epidemiological situation caused by dengue in the MERCOSUR Member States and Associate States. Methods Statistical data were used (estimated dengue morbidity rates for the period 1980-2015, with particular focus on 1991-2015), together with a corpus of health legislation, commercial law, arbitration awards, executive reports, and subject-specific literature. Results It was found that, with the exception of Chile and Uruguay, MERCOSUR members and associate countries (in particular, Brazil, which has the highest incidence of dengue cases in the world) need to identify the factors that favor the increasing spread of this endemic disease. Conclusions This brief overview of the MERCOSUR Member States in the period 1991-2015 is based on a consideration of macrostructural data that represent the sum of the four elements established by WHO and PAHO for dengue control: the political will of governments, intersectoral coordination, community participation, and the strengthening of national health legislation.

RESUMO Objetivo O vírus da dengue é atualmente um fenômeno endêmico que assola a região do Mercosul. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi fazer um diagnóstico da situação epidemiológica da dengue nos Estados Membros e Estados Associados do Mercosul. Métodos O estudo se baseou em dados estatísticos (taxas de morbidade pela dengue estimadas para o período 1980-2015 e, em particular, para o período 1991-2015) e em um corpus de legislação de saúde, legislação comercial, laudos, relatórios executivos e bibliografia específica. Resultados À exceção do Chile e Uruguai, os países associados ou membros do Mercosul, sobretudo o Brasil que tem a maior incidência mundial de dengue, precisam identificar os fatores que favorecem o aumento da propagação da endemia. Conclusões Este breve panorama da dengue nos Estados Membros do Mercosul no período 1991-2015 está fundamentado em dados macroestruturais que ponderam e, ao mesmo tempo, representam o somatório dos quatro componentes estabelecidos pela OMS e OPAS para o controle da dengue: vontade política por parte dos governos, coordenação intersetorial, participação da comunidade e fortalecimento da legislação nacional de saúde.

METODOLOGÍA BASADA EN SIG Y MODELAMIENTO PARA LA RECOLECCIÓN DE LLANTAS USADAS EN BOGOTÁ / METHODOLOGY BASED ON GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM -GIS- AND MODELING FOR THE COLLECTION OF USED TIRES IN BOGOTÁ

En este artículo se presenta una metodología para el estudio del incremento de llantas usadas y su recolección. Se comienza desde el modelamiento con dinámica de sistemas para visualizar el crecimiento del parque automotor y estimar la generación de llantas usadas en la ciudad de Bogotá. Posteriormente se diseña un Sistema de Información Geográfica ­SIG­ con los puntos críticos de generación de llantas usadas, en donde se georreferencia también la malla vial de la ciudad y una ruta de recolección de estos residuos especiales. El SIG muestra los puntos críticos, los puntos de recolección y los potenciales puntos para ampliar la cobertura de rutas en diferentes localidades de la ciudad. Finalmente se determinan las rutas de recolección en las zonas donde se presenta la mayor cantidad de puntos críticos sin atender, siendo estos: Engativá, Bosa y Barrios Unidos. De esta forma se pretende aportar al diseño de rutas para la recolección y manejo de llantas usadas en Bogotá y otras ciudades con similar problemática.

This paper presents a methodology for the study of the increase of used tires generation and their collection. It starts from the modeling with systems dynamics to visualize the growth of the vehicle fleet and estimate the generation of used tires in the city of Bogotá. Subsequently, a Geographic Information System -GIS- was designed with the critical points of generation of used tires, where the city vehicle fleet and a collection route for this special waste were georeferenced. The GIS shows the critical points, the collection points and the potential points to expand the collection routes in different locations in the city of Bogota. Finally, the collection routes are determined in the areas where the greatest number of critical points without attention are present which are Engativá, Bosa and Barrios Unidos. In this way the intention is to contribute to the design of routes for the collection and management of used tires in Bogotá and other cities with similar problems.

Technical assessment of discarded tires gasification as alternative technology for electricity generation.

Concern about contamination associated with the disposal of tires has led to the search for technologies to reuse discarded tires, which include the use of Tire Derived Fuel (TDF) as fuel in advanced thermal-conversion processes, this allows the energy use of these wastes at affordable costs and reduces the environmental impact on scrap tires disposal. A theoretical assessment of the technical viability of TDF gasification for electric and thermal power generation, from the producer gas combustion in an internal combustion engine and in a gas turbine, was performed. The combustion of producer gas derived from the gasification of TDF in an internal combustion engine driving a generator (ICE-G) appears as the more efficient route for electricity generation when compared with the efficiency obtained with the use of gas turbine (GT-G). A higher global efficiency, considering the electric and thermal generation efficiency can be expected with the use of TDF producer gas in GT-G, where is expected an overall efficiency of 77.49%. The assessment shows that is possible produces up to 7.67MJ and 10.62MJ of electric and thermal energy per kilogram of TDF gasified using an ICE-G and up to 6.06MJ and 13.03MJ of electric and thermal energy respectively per kilogram of gasified TDF using a GT-G.

Acoustic Behavior of Hollow Blocks and Bricks Made of Concrete Doped with Waste-Tire Rubber.

In this paper, we investigate the acoustic behaviour of building elements made of concrete doped with waste-tire rubber. Three different mixtures were created, with 0%, 10%, and 20% rubber in their composition. Bricks, lattice joists, and hollow blocks were manufactured with each mixture, and three different cells were built and tested against aerial and impact noise. The values of the global acoustic isolation and the reduction of the sound pressure level of impacts were measured. Results proved that highly doped elements are an excellent option to isolate low frequency sounds, whereas intermediate and standard elements constitute a most interesting option to block middle and high frequency sounds. In both cases, the considerable amount of waste-tire rubber recycled could justify the employment of the doped materials for the sake of the environment.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) mitigation in the pyrolysis process of waste tires using CO2 as a reaction medium.

Our work reported the CO2-assisted mitigation of PAHs and VOCs in the thermo-chemical process (i.e., pyrolysis). To investigate the pyrolysis of used tires to recover energy and chemical products, the experiments were conducted using a laboratory-scale batch-type reactor. In particular, to examine the influence of the CO2 in pyrolysis of a tire, the pyrolytic products including C1-5-hydrocarbons (HCs), volatile organic carbons (VOCs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were evaluated qualitatively by gas chromatography (GC) with mass spectroscopy (MS) as well as with a thermal conductivity detector (TCD). The mass balance of the pyrolytic products under various pyrolytic conditions was established on the basis of their weight fractions of the pyrolytic products. Our experimental work experimentally validated that the amount of gaseous pyrolytic products increased when using CO2 as a pyrolysis medium, while substantially altering the production of pyrolytic oil in absolute content (7.3-17.2%) and in relative composition (including PAHs and VOCs). Thus, the co-feeding of CO2 in the pyrolysis process can be considered an environmentally benign and energy efficient process.

Tire-breeding mosquitoes of public health importance along an urbanisation gradient in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Used vehicle tires are a source of mosquito vectors and a means of their introduction and expansion. With the aim of assessing the effects of urbanisation on the main mosquito vectors in temperate Argentina, the infestation levels of Aedes aegypti (L.) and Culex pipiens L. were studied in used tires from highly urbanised cities to low-urbanised small towns in Buenos Aires. Immatures of both species accounted for 96 percent of the 9,722 individuals collected; the total individuals collected represented seven species. The percentage of water-filled tires containing mosquitoes [container index (CI)] was 33 percent and the percentage of infested sites [site index (SI)] was 65.2 percent. These indexes decreased significantly from low to high urbanisation levels for both mosquito species. The relative abundance (RA) of Ae. aegypti immatures was slightly higher toward large cities, but showed no difference for Cx. pipiens. The CI of shaded tires was significantly higher than the CI of exposed tires for both mosquito species. There was no difference in RA values between shaded and sunlit tires. The CI and the SI were highest during the summer across the urbanisation levels, except for Cx. pipiens, which continued to increase during the autumn in small towns. Results related to urbanisation gradient, sunlit exposure and seasonality are discussed.