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Taste is relevant because it has allowed us to discriminate between what is food and what is not, and even what can be toxic or dangerous when ingested. The search for new flavors is present in history of mankind. Since ancient times, the spices provided new taste experiences to make meals more palatable or as a means of preserving food; the search for spices was a motivation to make voyages that led to the discovery of new lands and continents. More recently, a viral pandemic that damages the olfaction and taste senses made us to remember the relevance of the senses. Small structures, called taste buds, located in the papillae of the tongue are responsible of the sense of taste. There are four types of taste buds that identify five tastes and one whose existence has not yet been fully proven. Taste alterations have different etiologies which will be commented on this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista El Directivo al Día is the property of Centro de Informacion y Gestion Tecnologica (CIGET) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Supreme Court Judgment of November 2, 2023 resolves the appeals filed by the Government of Catalonia, the Barcelona City Council, and the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona against a previous judgment that upheld the contentious-administrative appeal filed by several transport associations against an ordinance of the Barcelona City Council that restricted the circulation of certain vehicles in the city. The Supreme Court considers that there is no basis for the appeal and confirms the previous judgment. Additionally, the possibility of prioritizing the rights to mobility and economic freedom over the rights to health and the environment in the judicial control of regulatory power in environmental matters is discussed. The legal norms that will be subject to interpretation in this case are also mentioned. [Extracted from the article]

The Supreme Court Judgment of November 2, 2023 resolves the appeals filed by the Government of Catalonia, the Barcelona City Council, and the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona against a previous judgment that upheld the contentious-administrative appeal filed by several transport associations against an ordinance of the Barcelona City Council. The Supreme Court confirms the previous judgment and declares that the appeals filed by the recurring administrations are not admissible. The text presents arguments related to the repeal of an ordinance and its impact on the sanctioning regime. It mentions a judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union that condemns Spain for non-compliance with Directive 2008/50/EC on air quality. The importance of environmental protection is highlighted, and principles related to sustainable development are mentioned. A debate is raised about the weighing of fundamental rights, and the need for reliable information to take appropriate measures is mentioned. The High Court of Justice of Catalonia has issued several judgments questioning the Barcelona Atmospheric Environmental Protection Ordinance. The court considers that the territorial delimitation of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is too broad and that the restrictive measures adopted are not proportionate. In addition, it criticizes the lack of updating of the pollution data used and the lack of motivation and evaluation of alternatives in the drafting of the regulation. The Supreme Court has confirmed the judgments of the High Court of Justice of Catalonia declaring the invalidity of the Barcelona Ordinance that restricted the circulation of polluting vehicles in the Low Emission Zone (LEZ). The Supreme Court argues that the Ordinance has not been adequately justified, nor have the effects of the measures adopted been evaluated in terms of proportionality. Furthermore, it points out that conclusive reports have not been taken into account, nor has the economic and social impact of the imposed restrictions been considered. As a result, the Barcelona City Council has approved a new Ordinance with a more limited territorial scope and includes social improvements. The article highlights the importance of adequately justifying restrictive measures and complying with the corresponding legal requirements. The Supreme Court Judgment STS 4853/2023, issued on November 2, 2023, is mentioned as a reference. No additional information is provided about the content of the judgment. [Extracted from the article]

Ozone (O3) is technically known as, a Greenhouse Gas, has its own importance or harmful depending on where it is found in the earth's atmosphere. The present work mainly focuses on the study of concentration variation levels in O3 over a 5-year period (2015-2020), using the Multiple Imputation by Chained Equations (MICE) and Time Series analysis on multivariate data. Machine learning models based on SARIMA is built to for analysis of Ozone pollution especially in Delhi. Data were obtained from National Pollution Board of India which was decomposed into seasonal, reside and trend components. Through the time-series analysis of O3 in Delhi, the results showed values above average during the cold seasons. The study analysis the effects of O3 on the health during the 5-years and prediction of future Ozone pollution level. The performance evaluation of the prediction model is done by calculating mean square error (MSE), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error, may help control the degraded ozone quality. The SARIMA model for O3 gave 20.41 RMSE values for Delhi for the year 2021 and tested through one-way ANOVA hypothesis and got a positive result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with modeling sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations emitted by two industries in Santiago de Cali. These industries use different fuel types in their boilers: Boiler 1 uses Fuel Oil, and Boiler 2 uses Diesel. To evaluate and compare the behavior of SO2 concentrations, the substitution of these fuels by natural gas is proposed. Using Aermod View, this pollutant's dispersion was modeled and obtained that the maximum SO2 concentration from the boilers with Fuel Oil and Diesel was 1440.32 µg/m3 for an exposure time of one hour. For a 24-hour exposure time, the SO2 concentration reached 178.56 µg/m3. These levels exceed the limits established in resolution 2254 of 2017, where the maximum permissible value for one hour is 100 µg/m3, and for 24 hours is 50 µg/m3. In contrast, when using Natural Gas as fuel, it is observed that the concentrations are considerably lower. The maximum concentration is 0.74 µg/m3 for a one-hour exposure time, and for a 24-hour exposure time, 0.04 µg/m3. These results comply with current regulations. It can be concluded that natural gas is a more favorable alternative, generating significantly lower SO2 concentrations. This change in the fuel type will favor compliance with environmental regulations and effectively contribute to reducing SO2 concentration in the air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective of the study: to carry out an integrated environmental analysis of air quality, through the monitoring of atmospheric pollutants, meteorological variables and avifauna composition, in the municipality of Gramado, RS. Methodology/approach: The study was carried out in an urban area in the city of Gramado/RS. The sampling period occurred between November/2021 and October/2022. For the collection of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) a dichotomous sampler was used, with 24 collections being carried out. Meteorological data were provided by the INMET station. To survey the avifauna, 12 field trips were carried out, using the walking method. Originality/Relevance: The knowledge produced by this study can contribute as a subsidy for strategies and actions aimed at better quality of life, health and environmental education. Results: The results showed that two samples of PM2.5 and six samples of PM2.5-10 did not comply with the air quality guidelines established by the WHO. Using the linear regression model, it was found that 83.9% of the PM10 variation is explained by the increase in maximum temperature. Over the sampling period, the occurrence of 45 bird species was recorded. The highest species richness occurred in September/2022 (35) and October/2022 (32), where 37.4% of the variation in the number of birds can be explained by precipitation. For the other data there was no relationship. Management contributions: The results can be used to carry out measures to promote environmental health, prevention and control of risk factors related to air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contextualization: This research focuses on public health and air quality in the northern residential zone of the city of Ocaña, affected by a national road with slow traffic that causes high emissions of particulate matter (PM10). Knowledge gap: The research addresses the following concerns: How do PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations relate in the zone? Where does the dispersion of PM10 emitted by mobile sources occur? What are the impacts of PM dispersal in the northern neighborhoods? What age groups have been significantly impacted by Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) due to climatic conditions and particulate matter? Purpose: To analyze the correlation of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) with weather conditions and the degree of correspondence of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in the north zone of Ocaña, Colombia. Methodology: Official information from 2018, 2019, and 2021 was used, including PM2.5 measurements using automated equipment. Variables related to ARIs were grouped by sex, age, and neighborhood and they were related to particulate matter and meteorological conditions using multiple factor analysis (MFA) and linear regression models. Results and conclusions: Results: The PM2.5/PM10 ratio is significant (Pearson r=0.812) and its concentrations are higher than allowed. PM10 had a significant correlation with wind, precipitation, and humidity (-0.51, -0.53, and -0.56). Women had more recorded cases of ARI than men, with a significant correlation (p<0.05) with PM10 and relative humidity, especially for ages one to four and over 60 years. Likewise, neighborhoods downwind and near the national road, showed higher cases of ARI and a greater significant correlation with PM10. In conclusion, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations are significantly correlated with each other and influenced by climatic conditions in Ocaña. Their impacts on respiratory health are significant in children under five years of age, especially those residing in the direction of main PM10 dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumen: El impacto negativo de la contaminación atmosférica en la oferta de trabajo está bien documentado, pero apenas se ha estudiado si la transparencia informativa sobre la calidad del aire influye o no en ese resultado. Los autores investigan el programa chino de información ambiental como perturbación exógena. El método de diferencias en diferencias, aplicado a datos de encuestas sobre trabajadores migrantes, muestra que las horas de trabajo en espacios exteriores disminuyeron tras la implantación del programa, que la información pública puede provocar cambios conductuales en los trabajadores, y que medir el costo de la contaminación sin abordar el problema de la asimetría informativa puede introducir sesgos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to present carbon monoxide (CO) emissions trends from January 2019 to June 2021 in Southeast Asian waters and the South China Sea (SEA-SCS). Using securitization theory, the data obtained from geospatial analysis was the basis for constructing CO as a threat. The results showed high CO density in the region due to economic activities that caused pressure on the marine air environment. Unfortunately, this has not been explicitly discussed in regional maritime cooperation, even though the states and territories bordering these waters are increasingly vulnerable to climate change. This article argues that securitizing CO as a threat represents substantial progress in the environmental- political cooperation in the SCS and surrounding waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La pandemia mundial causada por el coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 originó un impacto significativo en varios sectores de la sociedad, como por ejemplo: la salud, la ciencia y la economía, y sobre todo un cambio notable en los aspectos ambientales. El presente estudio se centró en un análisis sobre la propagación del COVID-19 en Sudamérica, destacando los impactos de las políticas de bloqueo en la calidad del aire de las principales ciudades de 13 países durante la pandemia; además, por medio de modelos estadísticos de regresión simple se caracterizó el comportamiento de los casos acumulados diarios de Covid-19 en los 13 países analizados. La estrategia de cierre fue una de las primeras medidas adoptadas por la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) para controlar la propagación del coronavirus, reduciendo significativamente el tráfico y las actividades industriales. Esta medida demostró mejorar sorprendentemente la calidad del aire en cuatro de las 13 ciudades sudamericanas estudiadas, a saber: Guarulhos (Brasil), Santiago de Chile (Chile), Bogotá (Colombia) y Lima (Perú); con reducciones de PM2,5, PM10 y ozono (O3). El comportamiento de la propagación del COVID-19 en Sudamérica y los análisis de impacto ambiental proporcionados en este trabajo demuestran el intenso efecto de las actividades comerciales e industriales, y pueden ser utilizados para subvencionar futuras reducciones de la contaminación y de las enfermedades.

Predecir el comportamiento de los contaminantes atmosféricos se ha convertido en un importante insumo para el diseño de estrategias gubernamentales de contingencia que buscan mitigar los niveles de contaminación, por tal motivo esta investigación presenta una metodología para predecir el incumplimiento de los índices máximos permitidos para el material particulado contaminante PM 2.5, a partir de modelos estadísticos multivariados que pueden ser utilizados para entender cómo diversas variables meteorológicas influyen en el comportamiento del contaminante, al igual que como forma de seleccionar las variables que serán usadas durante el entrenamiento de un clasificador bayesiano de redes neuronales. Además del modelo multivariado, se aplicó un análisis de varianza multifactorial para evaluar el efecto del día, hora y mes en la media del PM 2.5. Como resultados principales, se encontró que las variables: dirección del viento, temperatura, humedad, presión atmosférica, precipitación, radiación solar, hora deldía, día de la semana y mes, fueron estadísticamente significativas y permitieron entrenar una red neuronal con una capacidad de pronóstico del 78,2 % de manera global y del 81 % en los casos de incumplimiento, demostrando así que con variables factibles de manejar (variables meteorológicas, hora, día y mes) se puede diseñar una herramienta de pronóstico muy útil como insumo para la gestión sobre la calidad del aire.

Contextualización: esta investigación se enfoca en la salud pública y la calidad del aire de la zona norte residencial de la ciudad de Ocaña, impactada por una vía nacional con tráfico lento que provoca altas emisiones de material particulado (PM10). Vacío de conocimiento: la investigación responde a las siguientes inquietudes: ¿cómo se relacionan las concentraciones de PM10 y PM2.5 en la zona?; ¿hacia dónde se dispersa el PM10 emitido por las fuentes móviles?; ¿cuáles son las repercusiones de la dispersión en los barrios de la zona norte?; ¿cuáles han sido los grupos etarios significativamente afectados por infecciones respiratorias agudas (IRA) debidas a las condiciones climáticas y el material particulado? Propósito: analizar la correlación del material particulado (PM10 y PM2.5) con las condiciones meteorológicas y con el grado de correspondencia con las infecciones respiratorias agudas (IRA) de la zona norte de Ocaña, Colombia. Metodología: se utilizó información oficial de los años 2018, 2019 y 2021, incluyendo mediciones propias de PM2.5 mediante un equipo automatizado. Las variables relacionadas con las IRA se agruparon por sexo, edad, barrio; y se relacionaron con el material particulado y condiciones meteorológicas, mediante análisis factorial múltiple (AFM) y modelos de regresión lineal. Resultados y conclusiones: Resultados: la relación PM2.5/PM10 es significativa (Pearson r =0.812), y sus concentraciones son superiores a las permitidas. El PM10 tuvo correlación significativa con el viento, la precipitación y la humedad (-0.51, -0.53 y -0.56). Las mujeres presentaron más casos registrados de IRA que los hombres, con una mayor correlación significativa (p

La movilidad, los procesos y acciones de desplazamiento de las personas, tienen grandes consecuencias en el ámbito social, económico, ambiental o urbanístico. Los medios de transporte motorizado que se utilizan para la movilidad de las personas generan riesgos para la salud poblacional, a través de emisiones contaminantes, ruido, gases de efecto invernadero o accidentes. Además, influyen en el grado de actividad física y del sedentarismo. En conjunto, afectan la salud mental y física, y causan el desarrollo de enfermedades. Es por todo ello que las personas y la ciudadanía debe poder elegir formas sostenibles y saludables de movilidad, para sí y para el conjunto de la población. Con este fin desarrollamos esta “pirámide de la movilidad saludable y sostenible” cuyo fin es aportar pautas sobre cómo mejorar este comportamiento en los desplazamientos diarios, para una mejora de la salud ambiental. Para ello ordena y gradúa gráficamente las formas de movilidad en dos grandes objetivos, mejorar la sostenibilidad y la salud. Además, se señalan específicamente factores trascendentes para la mejora en ambos ejes.

La contaminación del aire es el principal riesgo ambiental para la salud pública en América Latina y el Caribe en la actualidad. Este aspecto destaca la importancia de vigilar la calidad del aire en la región. En la presente investigación se evaluó la influencia de la contaminación atmosférica sobre las crisis agudas de asma bronquial y las infecciones respiratorias agudas en La Habana. Se analizó el comportamiento de concentraciones de contaminantes criterio en zonas de monitoreo. Se estudió el comportamiento de la morbilidad por crisis aguda de asma bronquial e infecciones respiratorias agudas en edades pediátricas durante eventos de Polvo del Sahara. En este aspecto destacó un incremento leve en las atenciones por crisis aguda de asma bronquial de niños entre 1 y 14 años en presencia de polvo del Sahara y condiciones meteorológicas favorables. Se empleó el Software AirQ+ para evaluar la carga que representa la exposición prolongada a contaminantes atmosféricos para la mortalidad por asma bronquial.

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La contaminación por ozono (O3) troposférico en concentra- ciones elevadas afecta la salud de los árboles. En este estudio se analizaron las concentraciones de O3 y su efecto en la vitalidad de árboles en la zona metropolitana de la ciudad de Guadalajara. Se utilizaron datos de la red de monitoreo de la calidad del aire de Jalisco y registros de la fluorescencia de clorofila de Fraxinus uhdei, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, y Casuarina equiseti- folia. Se ajustó el modelo de valores extremos generalizado para estimar la distribución del O3 e identificar las zonas de mayor concentración.Se realizó un análisis de varianza para determinar diferencias en la condición de vitalidad causadas por la concentración de O3. Las regiones con mayor concentración de O3 se localizaron en Zapopan, Tlaquepaque, y en el noreste de Guadalajara. No se observó efecto significativo de las zonas con mayores concentraciones de O3 sobre la vitalidad del arbolado.

The present research work was developed in the urban center of the Bolívar canton (Calceta parish), which had the objective of determining the levels of Carbon Monoxide in said study area. For the purpose of this study, it began with the identification of the areas that generate higher levels of Carbon Monoxide (CO) within the urban area of the canton in question; For this, the field method was used, applying an observation sheet; and, for the monitoring of CO levels, a calibrated Crowcon tetra 3 portable gas meter was used. Likewise, the polluting factors that affect the emission of CO in the study area were identified, through a survey applied to a sample of 200 people. Finally, the results obtained were compared with the permissible limits of Carbon Monoxide (CO) proposed by the current environmental regulations of Ecuador. As results, it was obtained that the highest levels of CO were 3810 µg/m3 corresponding to the Civic Square and 3708 µg/m3 in the Terrestrial Terminal; while, in the Central Market area, values of 2708 µg/m3 were recorded and in the Municipal GAD of 2436 µg/m3; with lower levels, the University bus stop was determined with 2217 µg/m3. Consequently, the recorded data derives from the high vehicular flow in these areas, which occurs especially from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM, on Fridays and Saturdays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana de Estudios de Desarrollo is the property of Revista Iberoamericana de Estudios de Desarrollo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Novedades en Población is the property of Universidad de La Habana, Centro de Estudios Demograficos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Se analizaron las concentraciones diarias de material particulado en el aire (PM) en la azotea de la Rectoría de la Universidad de Panamá, con una aspiradora ubicada a 90 metros sobre el nivel del mar. Se recolectaron y analizaron muestras diarias desde enero de 2006 hasta diciembre de 2022, sumando un total de 6 209 datos. La curva de la concentración del material particulado (PM) versus el día del año es indicativa de una alta contaminación atmosférica diaria por partículas en suspensión. La concentración diaria de PM, influenciada por factores meteorológicos, sugiere una clasificación en cuatro etapas anuales con comportamiento estacional, aunque con variabilidad significativa. Estas etapas son, la estación seca con comportamiento alotrópico, la de transición con decrecimiento diario lineal, dos etapas lluviosas una moderada y la otra intensa, las cuales, juntas poseen una variación senoidal. Se encontró una alta correlación inversa de PM con la Humedad Relativa y con la precipitación y una correlación directa alta con la temperatura y la rapidez del viento y ningún tipo de correlación con la presión y la dirección del viento. Esas altas correlaciones entre PM y la meteorología son indicadoras que las PM contribuyen al cambio climático.

Objective: to compare air pollution’s behavior during quarantine in the city of Bogota, in regard to other cities in the world in aspects such as population, area, among others, through a statistical analysis of the concentration data of pollutants PM10, PM2.5 and NO2, for the period from January to July 2020. Materials and methods: 20 cities were selected according to the matrix for the study. Using the BOOTSTRAPPING technique, a correlation matrix and histograms were made for each of the pollutants per phase. For the application of the PCA, the analysis was carried out using MATLAB software, with respect to the averages per phases and change magnitudes. SPSS software was used to normalize the data for the treatment of the variables of interest. Making use of ARIMA and ETS modeling, the data were analyzed longitudinally, the forecast of concentrations with and without quarantine, including the comparison between cities. Results: In the reactivation phase, Bogota presented a significant increase in its pollution levels, especially in PM10. In the differences between the phases before and reactivation, Bogota obtained a lower magnitude in the case of PM2.5, while for NO2 it was more remarkable. Conclusions: In the quarantine, Bogota experienced a significant decrease in the concentration of PM10 and NO2. This was not the case for PM2.5 concentration due to different temporary events (fires and particulate matter transportation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective in this research is to determine the behavior of the dispersion of the criteria air pollutants in the city of Valledupar; In addition, establish the areas of greatest impact due to emissions from mobile sources from three of its main roads. To carry out this investigation, an analysis of the meteorology of the city of Valledupar was carried out for the days of the modeling, in which the variables of wind direction, wind speed, ambient temperature and relative humidity were taken into account, this Meteorological information was obtained from the Corpocesar and IDEAM meteorological stations, the WRF model was also simulated for October 14, 15 and 16, 2021 and January 13, 14 and 15, 2022 with a resolution of 3 kilometers. The emissions data from mobile sources are the product of the IVE model, finally, the modeling of the dispersion of the criteria pollutants was carried out with the HYSPLIT model, for which the daily meteorological data, product of the WRF model simulations, were used as input data; In addition, the emission rate for each pollutant resulting from the IVE model was established. It was observed that the behavior of the dispersion concentration of pollutants is more frequent towards the east of the city on the study days of October and on the study days of January the dispersion plumes were directed mainly towards the west area from the city, it was presented that the pollutant that obtained the maximum concentration in 10 hours of emission for each day was CO with a concentration of 980 ug/m³ in the month of October, likewise, in the month of January it was CO with a concentration of 790 ug/m³. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air quality management plans are instruments used by governments to address the problem of air pollution. In the Valle de Aburrá, Colombia, there is no exception. Some factors have led to the declaration of atmospheric episodes. Unfortunately, despite all efforts, these events continue to occur. This reality demanded comparisons of the air quality plans of this region with those of other regions of the world. Three hundred seventy-four actions in the management plans of 15 cities were reviewed and compared with 58 policy measures of the corresponding plan of this valley. During the analysis, fourteen types of action groups were statistically validated and found consistent with some included in the reviewed plans. Moreover, a discriminant analysis yielded similar and non-matching sets of measures. In general terms, the study found a significant level of similarity among action plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global pandemic due to the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus has caused significant impact on various sectors of society, e.g., health, science, and economy, with a remarkable change in environmental aspects. The present study focused on an analysis of the spread of COVID-19 in South America, highlighting the impacts of lockdown policies on the air quality in the main cities of ten countries during the pandemics, furthermore, through simple regression statistical models, the behavior of accumulated daily cases of COVID-19 in 13 countries was characterized. The lockdown strategy was one of the first measures adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) to control the spread of the coronavirus, significantly reducing traffic and industrial activities. This measure has surprisingly improved the air quality in four of the 13 South American cities studied, e.g., Guarulhos (Brazil), Santiago de Chile (Chile), Bogota (Colombia), and Lima (Peru), with reductions in PM2.5, PM10, and ozone (O3). The propagation behavior of COVID-19 in South America and the environmental impact analyses provided in this paper demonstrate the intense effect of commercial and industrial activities and can be used to subsidize future reductions in pollution and disease contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Una de las principales fuentes de contaminación ambiental en zonas urbanas son las obras de construcción y rehabilitación, en especial, en las fases de demolición. Durante estas actuaciones se observa un importante incremento de material particulado, en especial PM10, así como un aumento de los gases procedentes de la combustión de motores diésel del transporte de materiales y equipamiento. Para evitar esta contaminación es importante la adopción de medidas de minimización de emisión de contaminantes, para lo que se propone la adopción por parte del promotor de la obra, de un Plan de Autocontrol de la Calidad del Aire que considere la valoración de zonas de mayor afectación y sensibilidad poblacional para estimar los vientos que les son más desfavorables, así como la monitorización de condiciones ambientales y los máximos niveles de emisión/inmisión de contaminantes. Se presenta el Plan de Autocontrol de la Calidad del Aire implantado en las obras de demolición del Estadio Vicente Calderón, antigua sede del club de fútbol Atlético de Madrid, como modelo de estrategia para evitar los efectos de estas intervenciones sobre la calidad del aire ambiente y en consecuencia, la disminución de su incidencia sobre la salud de la población expuesta, así como en términos de transparencia de actuaciones de las administraciones públicas.

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Se tiene como objetivo cuantificar las formas de energía que alimentan al Valle de Aburrá, así como caracterizar la generación de contaminantes. Se emplearon los poderes caloríficos de los combustibles para estimar el suministro de energía que estos aportan y factores de emisión de contaminantes a la atmósfera. En el caso del Valle de Aburrá se comprueba que el suministro actual en energía se apoya en un 81.4% en recursos no renovables. Los sectores transporte e industrial son los mayores consumidores de energía con una participación del 45.4% y 34.9 % del total de la energía consumida en el valle. El sector transporte es el principal responsable de la emisión de contaminantes a la atmosfera.

El objetivo de la presente investigación fue realizar un análisis comparativo de los niveles de concentraciones de Material Particulado Volátil y Sedimentable (PMV y PMS), en los tres campus de la Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo. El PMV se midió con el equipo DustTrak™ II por 24 días y el PMS se determinó por medio de un sistema de monitoreo pasivo. La caracterización de metales asociados al PM fue mediante espectroscopia de fotones rayos X dispersados (EDX). De acuerdo a la legislación ecuatoriana y la OMS, las concentraciones de PM2.5 en las estaciones de monitoreo no exceden los limites máximo permisibles. El PM10presento un valor medio de 10 μg/m3, máximo de 15 μg/m3y un mínimo de 6 μg/m3. Los metales asociados al PM son 11 elementos de origen antropogénico y natural, donde la principal fuente responsable es el tráfico, industria, construcción, partículas de polvo y ceniza. La distribución espacial del PM, determinó que los focos de emisión son de escala local; con un radio crítico de arrastre y deposición de 50 m. Con ello se demuestra que la modelación de PM, a través de herramientas SIG, brinda resultados favorables para estudiar el comportamiento de las partículas.

Introducción: El efecto deletéreo de material particulado fino exterior sobre la salud respiratoria de la población de niños y de adultos mayores, es de interés en salud pública. Objetivo: Establecer el efecto de la contaminación por Material Particulado de menos de 2,5 μm de diámetro (PM2,5), sobre la Enfermedad Respiratoria Aguda (ERA) en los menores de 5 y personas de mínimo 65 años, ajustado por variables meteorológicas y climáticas, en los municipios del Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá (Colombia), 2008 a 2015. Materiales y métodos: Estudio ecológico con información de la red de vigilancia de calidad del aire y de registros de prestación de servicios de salud. Se construyeron Modelos Aditivos Generalizados con función de enlace Poisson y suavización spline. Para cada rezago distribuido se calculó la medida de la asociación e intervalo de confianza. Resultados: Los casos de ERA aumentaron significativamente en los menores de 5 años en Envigado y Caldas (43,3% vs 29,6%) y en los de 65 y más años, en Medellín (13,2%) por cada incremento de 10 µg/m3 en PM2.5 al día quince a partir de la exposición. Conclusiones: Los eventos diarios respiratorios tuvieron especial frecuencia en Medellín y en municipios de la zona sur.

Objetivos: Identificación de biomarcadores que relacionan la osteoporosis con enfermedades pulmonares ocupacionales y ambientales. Material y métodos: Mediante bases de datos de terminología médica unificada se obtuvieron enfermedades relacionadas con enfermedades pulmonares que, junto con la osteoporosis, fueron analizadas en DisGeNET para obtener los genes asociados a cada enfermedad y formar una red de interacción proteína-proteína (PPI) mediante el uso de STRING dentro de Cytoscape. A través de la aplicación de diferentes algoritmos de centralidad utilizando CythoHubba en Cytoscape, se seleccionaron las 5 proteínas de la red con el mayor grado de centralidad. Resultados: 9 enfermedades fueron incluidas en el grupo de enfermedades pulmonares. Se obtuvieron 2.698 genes asociados a enfermedades pulmonares y a osteoporosis. Los genes vinculados con osteoporosis y con al menos dos de las enfermedades pulmonares incluidas dieron lugar a una red PPI con 152 nodos y 1.378 ejes. Las proteínas con mayor grado de centralidad de la red fueron AKT1, ALB, IL6, TP53 y VEGFA. Conclusiones: Existe una elevada relación entre la osteoporosis y las enfermedades pulmonares ambientales estudiadas, a través de genes con una implicación dual. Nosotros proponemos cinco genes importantes que vinculan estas enfermedades y que podrían constituir una base coherente para investigaciones más profundas en este campo.

El catalizador de tres vías es una herramienta utilizada para reducir la emisión de gases contaminantes liberados por el motor de combustión interna de un automóvil. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo proporcionar una comprensión del funcionamiento e importancia de los catalizadores de tres vías. Se presenta una descripción general de la evolución histórica de su desarrollo, hasta llegar a la formulación y estructura de los catalizadores actuales. Además, se describe su funcionamiento a nivel molecular y las condiciones de operación que aseguran su eficiencia de conversión. Discutimos las ventajas al medio ambiente y a la salud humana que acompañan su uso adecuado. Por último, se remarca la importancia de su reemplazo oportuno.

The purpose of this article was to establish the association between exposure to particulate matter and respiratory symptoms evaluated in students who remain in schools at the municipality of Guachetá (Colombia). This is a cross-sectional study conducted on children between 4 and 17 years old, in two schools in the municipality of Guachetá. During a period of 11 consecutive working days, using a personal sampling pump and a low-cost real-time sensor, concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 were measured. A survey was applied to a sample of 276 students, obtaining respiratory symptoms and general data. A prevalence ratio (PR) was estimated to show the possible association between exposure to particulate matter and respiratory symptoms. The school with the highest concentrations of particulate matter presented a possible association with all the respiratory symptoms evaluated in the school facilities, with a PR of 3.05 (95%CI:1.62-5.76) for cough, 1.85 (95%CI:1.06-3.24) for phlegm, 5.12 (95%CI:2.17-12.07) for shortness of breath, 3.83 (95%CI:2.07-7.10) for sneezing and 2.25 (95%CI:1.12-4.54) for dry nasal passages. In conclusion, children who are located in the school closest to a coke furnace and disrepair roads where heavy traffic circulates, are possibly associated with the presence of respiratory symptoms during their stay in the school facilities. For living in the urban area, cooking with firewood or charcoal, and living with smokers at home, a possible association with the evaluated respiratory symptoms was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air quality in the Alto San Jorge region is being affected by mining, with environmental impacts associated to human health problems. The objective of the study was to analyze the environmental fragility of the ecosystems to identify and relate the effects on environmental health as a consequence of the emission of atmospheric pollutants. The methodology began with the physical and geospatial characterization of the area and the attribution of weighted weights through the hierarchical analytical process. The weighted summation of the information layers was performed in gis, defining ecosystem fragility classes based on Ross (1994). In this way, the threats and risks due to atmospheric contamination for SO2, NO2, PM2,5 and PM10 were determined. The results showed the existence of medium to high and high risk for SO2 in the areas surrounding the urban centers. For NO2, the risk was homogeneous at an intermediate level for the entire area, and for particulate matter (2.5μm and 10μm), from medium to high and high due to the influence of ferronickel and coal mining. This study indicates the need to apply timely prevention, mitigation and/or control measures for this risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gestión y Ambiente is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

El diseño de preguntas investigables es una destreza clave en la enseñanza y aprendizaje de las ciencias que debe fomentarse desde edades tempranas. Sin embargo, su desarrollo en las aulas de primaria no es común, y se plantea generalmente en el contexto de investigaciones totalmente abiertas y para alumnado de edades avanzadas. En este artículo se analiza la evolución del desempeño de esta destreza en alumnado de 10-12 años en tres momentos clave de una secuencia de enseñanza y aprendizaje de indagación basada en la modelización. El análisis de las preguntas del alumnado evidencia que es capaz de diseñar preguntas investigables e irlas sofisticando cuando cuenta con las ayudas necesarias. Además, los resultados nos han permitido trazar una progresión de aprendizaje empírica para alumnado de primaria donde se identifican hitos clave en el camino de desarrollo de esta destreza.

La calidad del aire en la región del Alto San Jorge está siendo afectada por la minería, cuyos impactos ambientales se asocian a afectaciones en la salud humana. El objetivo del estudio fue analizar la fragilidad ambiental de los ecosistemas para identificar y relacionar las afectaciones a la salud ambiental como consecuencia de la emisión de contaminantes atmosféricos. La metodología inició con la caracterización física y geoespacial del área y la atribución de pesos ponderados mediante el proceso analítico jerárquico. La suma ponderada de las capas de datos se realizó a través de Sistemas de Información Geográfica definiendo clases de fragilidad del ecosistema basados en Ross (1994). De esta manera, se determinó la amenaza y el riesgo por contaminación atmosférica para SO2, NO2, PM2,5 y PM10. Los resultados mostraron la existencia de riesgo de medio a alto y alto por SO2 en las zonas aledañas a los cascos urbanos. Para NO2, el riesgo fue homogéneo en un nivel intermedio para toda la zona. Para el material particulado (2,5 µm y 10 µm), de medio a alto y alto debido a la influencia de minería de ferroníquel y carbón. Este estudio denota la necesidad de aplicar oportunamente medidas de prevención, mitigación o control de este riesgo.

The High Court of Justice of Asturias has confirmed a fine of €38,000 imposed on a company for a serious infringement related to air quality and atmospheric protection. The company claimed a violation of rules in the sanctioning procedure and requested the annulment of the resolution, arguing that the infringement should be considered minor. However, the Court supported the fine, based on the documentation in the file and the presence of verifiable pollutant emissions. Furthermore, it was established that the inspection reports carried out by officials have a presumption of truthfulness regarding the facts ascertained. [Extracted from the article]

The Superior Court of Justice of Galicia has dismissed the appeal filed by a distillery of alcoholic beverages against a resolution from the Technical General Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment, Territory, and Housing. The court considered that the conditions imposed for the authorization of emissions into the atmosphere are legally supported and that the distillery must comply with all the requirements to obtain the authorization. Additionally, it was determined that the distillery must carry out a feasibility study for emissions reduction and an adaptation study of the sleeve filter of the cleaning machine. [Extracted from the article]

The ruling of the Superior Court of Justice of Navarra on December 23, 2021 resolves an administrative appeal filed by an environmental organization against the administrative dismissal by silence of their request for the urgent adoption of an Air Quality Improvement Plan for ozone in the Ribera Navarra area. The Court concludes that the maximum pollution values have been exceeded and orders the regional administration to prepare and approve the plan. The Government of Navarra has accumulated a delay of over two years in the preparation, approval, and implementation of Air Quality Improvement Plans for the Ribera Navarra area. Ozone levels in the ambient air have exceeded the legally established objective values since 2011-2013, which puts the health of the inhabitants and the conservation of vegetation, crops, and ecosystems at risk. The ruling establishes that the Government of Navarra is obliged to prepare and approve the air quality plans for the Ribera Navarra area as soon as possible. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: To update the recommendations of the Spanish Society of Neurology regarding lifestyle interventions for stroke prevention. Development: We reviewed the most recent studies related to lifestyle and stroke risk, including randomised clinical trials, population studies, and meta-analyses. The risk of stroke associated with such lifestyle habits as smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, diet, obesity, and sedentary lifestyles was analysed, and the potential benefits for stroke prevention of modifying these habits were reviewed. We also reviewed stroke risk associated with exposure to air pollution. Based on the results obtained, we drafted recommendations addressing each of the lifestyle habits analysed. Conclusions: Lifestyle modification constitutes a cornerstone in the primary and secondary prevention of stroke. Abstinence or cessation of smoking, cessation of excessive alcohol consumption, avoidance of exposure to chronic stress, avoidance of overweight or obesity, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil and nuts, and regular exercise are essential measures in reducing the risk of stroke. We also recommend implementing policies to reduce air pollution. Resumen: Objetivo: Actualizar las recomendaciones de la Sociedad Española de Neurología relativas a la actuación sobre los hábitos de vida para la prevención del ictus. Desarrollo: Se ha realizado una revisión de los estudios más recientes relacionados con los hábitos de vida y el riesgo de ictus, incluyendo ensayos clínicos aleatorizados, estudios poblacionales y meta-análisis. Se ha analizado el riesgo de ictus asociado con determinados hábitos de vida como el tabaquismo, el consumo de alcohol, el estrés, la dieta, la obesidad y el sedentarismo, y se ha revisado el potencial beneficio que la modificación de esos hábitos de vida puede aportar en la prevención del ictus. Asimismo, se ha revisado el riesgo de ictus asociado a la exposición a la contaminación atmosférica. A partir de los resultados obtenidos se han redactado unas recomendaciones sobre cada uno de los hábitos de vida analizados. Conclusiones: La actuación sobre los hábitos de vida constituye una piedra angular en la prevención primaria y secundaria del ictus. La abstinencia o cese del hábito tabáquico, el cese del consumo excesivo de alcohol, evitar la exposición a estrés crónico, evitar el sobrepeso o la obesidad, seguir una dieta mediterránea suplementada con aceite de oliva y frutos secos, y la práctica regular de actividad física son medidas fundamentales para reducir el riesgo de sufrir un ictus. Además, se aconseja desarrollar políticas encaminadas a disminuir la contaminación atmosférica.

Royal Decree 34/2023, published on January 24th, modifies Royal Decree 102/2011 on air quality improvement, the Industrial Emissions Regulation, and Royal Decree 208/2022 on financial guarantees for waste management. These modifications aim to adapt the regulations to the new pollution thresholds established in the Short-Term Action Plan in case of high pollution episodes. It also seeks to increase transparency in integrated environmental authorizations resolutions and reduce the timeframe for the review of these authorizations. Additionally, adjustments are made to the wording of Royal Decree 208/2022 to clarify its application. The decree came into effect on January 26th, 2023. [Extracted from the article]

Algunos contaminantes como las PM10, el NO2 o el O3 tienen influencia en la salud de las personas, tal y como apuntan numerosos estudios al relacionarse con la mortalidad tanto a corto como a largo plazo. Se estudió una muestra de 9 de las 52 provincias españolas. Se realizaron modelos lineales generalizados (GLM) con link Poisson en los periodos de la primera y segunda ola entre los valores medios diarios de las variables independientes (PM10, NO2 y O3 como contaminantes atmosféricos y variables meteorológicas (temperatura máxima diaria y humedad absoluta)) y la variable dependiente (tasa de mortalidad por COVID-19, TMC) durante la primera y segunda ola. Entre las variables independientes y la dependiente se establecieron los retardos estadísticamente significativos (lag). A partir de los estimadores obtenidos en los GLM se calcularon los riesgos relativos asociados, por aumentos de 10 μg/m3 para los contaminantes atmosféricos, 1 ºC para la temperatura máxima y 1 g/m3 para la humedad absoluta. Los resultados muestran que existe una mayor asociación del NO2 con la TMC que para el resto de los contaminantes atmosféricos. Las variables meteorológicas examinadas no han presentado una asociación robusta entre ambas olas, lo que indica un rol menor en relación a la TMC. En conclusión, la contaminación atmosférica por NO2 y PM10 presentan una asociación estadísticamente significativa con la TMC, aunque limitada y subordinada a otros factores como las medidas de salud pública adoptadas, la presencia de comorbilidades y la edad del paciente.

The Government of Navarra has approved the Air Quality Improvement Plan for Ozone in the region. The plan aims to comply with air quality standards established by regulations and minimize the negative impacts of air pollution. In the Ribera area, historically the highest ozone levels have been recorded due to atmospheric dynamics and the topography of the community. However, since 2016, the health protection objective value and the vegetation protection objective value have not been exceeded. The plan identifies existing and additional measures to reduce ozone precursor emissions. [Extracted from the article]