UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

ObjectiveThe study aimed to examine the effect of household and community characteristics on financial catastrophe and impoverishment due to health payment in Western and Central...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

Solid fuels such as coal, wood, and crop straw supply some fraction of household cooking and heating fuel for more than one billion people in China. As these fuels do not generally combust cleanly in household stoves, their use levies large health and environmental burdens, particularly in rural regions. Production of clean-burning fuels from agricultural residue offers one prospect for mitigating health and social burdens imposed by household use of solid fuels. This dissertation explores the question: how might production of clean-burning household fuels from agricultural residues affect human health and social conditions in rural China? I approach this question from three perspectives. First, a technically plausible but currently unproven village-scale energy technology is explored in a scenario bounded by natural resources and substantiated by engineering specifications, estimates of indoor exposures to air pollution, ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Baobab fruit are harvested and used throughout Africa as an important source of food and are sold to generate income. Commercial use is increasing rapidly as derivatives of the fruit such as baobab seed oil and fruit pulp are being exported to Europe and North America. The cash derived from the sale of fruit support thousands of rural people. This study examines baobab fruit yields in an area being harvested for commercial use. It represents baobab populations and harvesting scenarios typically found in Southern Africa and is the first study in Africa to combine demographic and production data in determining baobab fruit yields. Fruit production was examined across five land-use types (nature reserves, rocky outcrops, plains, fields and villages) and over three consecutive years. Factors a...

Science.gov (United States)

Two separate studies address the major issues of deforestation in developing countries, namely, Does deforestation seriously impair the soil-plant system. and How can a steady supply of wood fuels be guaranteed with diminishing natural forest. In Chapter 1, twenty-six cross-sectional and time series studies of soil properties in the US and ten countries between the tropics were examined to determine the changes associated with deforestation in soil organic C, total N, exchangeable Ca, Mg, and K, cation exchange capacity, available P, bulk density, and pH. Deforestation was associated with significant changes in these soil properties. Only bulk density and avaiable P showed any tendency to return to pre-clearing levels. Differences in soil response to deforestation according to climate and age of parent material were related to temperature, rainfall, vegetation, soil acidity, and organic matter production and decomposition on each site. In Chapter 2, a multiobjective linear program ...

Science.gov (United States)

Describes general trends in the quality of rural education: equivalent rural and urban performance on national standardized tests and high school graduation rates but continuing rural deficits in college attendance and teacher qualifications. Discusses the below-average performance of southern rural schools, factors affecting rural students' college attendance, and the influence of changing labor markets. (SV)

Science.gov (United States)

... 60637 BIO-ORGAN U of Chicago/IL U of Michigan Ash, Marcus Alan 19C Escondido Village , Stanford CA ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To foster rural economic development and growth, Congress passed the Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program as Section 9006 of the 2002 Farm Bill. This program provides financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses to purchase renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. The Rural Business and Cooperative Services of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers this program. This conference poster provides an overview of Section 9006.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The study concludes that while the diversification into nonutility activities by the Rural Electric Cooperatives and the Rural Telephone Cooperatives has been expanding, the regulatory activities by the Rural Electrification Administration and the state public utility commissions have been inadequate to guard against cross-subsidization. In fact, there generally exist no data to identify and investigate illegal cross-subsidization activities of cooperatives. Increasing the regulatory functions of state public utility commissions and the REA was recommended.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Between 1970 and 1975, the incidence of new Schistosoma mansoni infections was reduced in 5 villages after each household was provided with its individual water supply and community...Full Text Available

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Purpose - After almost 60 years of water supply development in Nigeria, it is unfortunate that as many as 43 per cent of the population still lack access to safe water. The situation is worse in the rural areas. There is, therefore, the need to better understand the constraints and challenges of water supply, especially in the rural areas of the country. With this regard this study seeks to assess the extent to which stakeholders are willing and able to adopt and implement sustainable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly management options for water resources in selected rural areas of Oyo State, Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach - The study areas include three rural/semi-urban Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Oyo state. The three LGAs are Ibarapa, Afijio, and Lagelu. The choice...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A population based survey of trachoma and blindness was conducted in a rural Nile Delta hamlet. Trachoma remains hyperendemic in this region. Active trachoma was common among preschool children; over...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Objectives: To determine the community based prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in the rural population of the district of Rahim Yaar Khan in Pakistan.Subjects...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

While most cancer survivors are at risk for being lost in the transition from treatment to survivorship, rural breast cancer survivors face special challenges that might place them at particular...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThe complications of hypertension cause severe health problems in rural areas in China. We (i) screened the major factors inducing hypertensive complications and provided...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundIn 1988, the SPILI project was established in order to evaluate the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profile of the inhabitants of Spili, in rural Crete, Greece. The first...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper shows and describes the actions and methodologies adopted in commercialization of rural electrification projects in Parana State, Brazil. The actions evaluated aims to feasible the techniques to farm owners provides them properties with electric power. 7 figs., 2 tabs., 1 ref.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This work shows the influence of the consumer density (density/km) in rural electric networks implementation costs. The analysis of the costs aims the criteria definition for the calculation of the financial involving rates of the rural consumer density. 3 figs., 10 tabs.

Science.gov (United States)

New interest by Australians in the state of rural education requires new understanding of factors affecting rural education and its related issues. Educational programs have not been flexible enough to cope with rural diversity, a key element in the milieu. Standards such as "equality of opportunity" and "uniformity" have been misapplied to rural Australian education, which is made distinctive by the inter-relatedness of many factors. Three dimensions of isolation are discussed: (1) types of isolation (geographic, cultural, social, and professional isolation); (2) ways of coping with isolation (understanding isolation, developing a sense of community, developing awareness of options, training the isolated, application, and technology); and (3) conditions affecting educational changes in isolated communities (social and political climate, pedagogy, finance, and incentives for change). All these concerns ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundSince 1954, there have been in excess of 800 cases of rabies as a result of European Bat Lyssaviruses types 1 and 2 (EBLV-1, EBLV-2) infection, mainly...Full Text Available

CERN Document Server

Containing an epidemic at its origin is the most desirable mitigation. Epidemics have often originated in rural areas, with rural communities among the first affected. Disease dynamics in rural regions have received limited attention, and results of general studies cannot be directly applied since population densities and human mobility factors are very different in rural regions from those in cities. We create a network model of a rural community in Kansas, USA, by collecting data on the contact patterns and computing rates of contact among a sampled population. We model the impact of different mitigation strategies detecting closely connected groups of people and frequently visited locations. Within those groups and locations, we compare the effectiveness of random and targeted vaccinations using a Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered compartmental model on the contact network. ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Snakebites are common among the rural population of developing countries. The severity of venomous snakebites depends on several factors, including the location of the bite, the amount of venom injected,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundBrucellosis is a zoonosis of veterinary, public health and economic significance in most developing countries. Human brucellosis is a severely debilitating disease that...Full Text Available

Wastenet

... Tauris, 2005. 'Inclusions/exclusions in rural space', in Cloke, P., Marsdan, T and Mooney, P, eds, Handbook of Rural Studies, Sage, 2006, 401-410 people/dsibley/publications.html CURRICULUM VITAE people/dsibley/cv.html PRESENTATIONS people/dsibley/presentations.html TEACHING people/dsibley/teaching.html Homepage | Contacts | Site Map | Privacy Statement | Webmaster | Faculty of Environment | University of Leeds | Campusweb School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT,...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Purpose ? The Islamic social capital is characterised by a desire for moral values in production and networking which promotes opportunities for innovative interactions between sets of agents thus forwarding the Islamic ethics. The aim of this paper is to explore the factors that drive alliance formation between labour and capital in both financial and technological forms. Design/methodology/approach ? An in-depth study was made of developmental interventions within the Muslim community life of a village in the Birbhum district of West Bengal province in India. Findings ? Evidence shows that the strengthening of informal co-operative networks through the inputs of technology, financial, and human capital from across different sectors constitutes an essential element in forwarding sustainab...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This article analyses the prevalent situation of the formal Financial Institutions (FIs) in rural India using data from National Sample Survey 54th Round (January-June, 1998). We use sample selectivity model to examine the sanction of the loan by the FIs as a two-stage process. We model the choice of the household's credit requirement using an unordered choice model, namely, a multinomial logit model. Our results reveal that the rural households are considerably credit constrained. The households who do not have an account in a FI have a lower chance of obtaining the loan and households who are credit constrained have relatively lower land holding and they do not possess livestock. Households who borrow for nonfarm purpose exhibit a lower chance of obtaining credit compared to those househ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundCharacterizing infectious disease burden in Africa is important for prioritizing and targeting limited resources for curative and preventive services and monitoring the...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rapid growth in economic development, coupled with the absence of an electric grid in large areas of the rural countryside, have created a need for new energy sources both in urban centers and rural areas in China. Environmental pollution from the increased use of coal-fired steam turbines to meet this capacity expansion is a concern. There is a growing interest in China to develop renewable-energy resources and technologies to meet energy demands and help mitigate pollution problems. In February 1995, Secretary Hazel O`Leary of the U.S. Department of Energy signed an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Protocol Agreement with the Chinese State Science and Technology Commission in Beijing, China. Under this agreement, projects using photovoltaics for rural electrification are being conducted in Gansu Province in western China and Inner Mongolia in northern China, providing the basis for much wider deployment and use of ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BACKGROUND:Canadian chronic pain prevalence estimates range from 11% to 66%, are affected by sampling and measurement bias, and largely represent urban settings.OBJECTIVES:To...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundAgricultural practices such as the use of irrigation during rice cultivation, the use of ponds for fish farming and the storage of water in tanks for livestock provide...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In a community based study, height and weight increments of 441 Nepali children aged 0-6 years were measured before harvest and six months later and compared with centile standards derived from American...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundThe diagnosis of typhoid fever is confirmed by culture of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (S. typhi). However, a more rapid, simpler,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

This article presents a study identifying benefits and challenges of a novel hospital-to-hospital information technology (IT) outsourcing partnership (HHP). The partnership is an innovative response...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

A program was conducted to develop a pop-up artificial-foliage system compatible with the rural Maryland (summertime) background environment. The result of this Phase I effort was a self-expanding leaf module, a number of which are stored flat in a simple...

Science.gov (United States)

Context: The Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 allowed some rural hospitals meeting certain requirements to convert to Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and changed their Medicare reimbursement from prospective to cost-based. Some subsequent CAH-related laws reduced restrictions and increased payments, and the number of CAHs grew rapidly. Purpose: To examine factors related to hospitals' decisions to convert and time to CAH conversion. Methods: Eighty-nine rural hospitals in Iowa were characterized and observed from 1998 to 2005. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify the determinants of time to CAH conversion. Findings: T-test and one-covariate Cox regression indicated that, in 1998, Iowa rural hospitals with more staffed beds, discharges, and acute inpatient days, higher operating margin, lower skilled swing bed days relative to acute days, and located in relatively high density counties were more likely to ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Summary Objective Community-based information on the delivery and use of health interventions is important to monitor the effectiveness of the Roll Back Malaria programme. However, community surveys to determine coverage for insecticide-treated bed nets are time-consuming and costly. We wanted to assess whether schoolchildren's reports of household ownership of a bed net and coverage among high-risk groups monitored by schoolteachers through a questionnaire could be used as a proxy of household ownership of bed net and coverage at community level, for routine monitoring of malaria control programmes. Method 3602 schoolchildren in 39 randomly selected schools and 2798 heads of households in 39 villages were interviewed about their use of either insecticide-treated or untreated bed nets. Res...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This study reported on the performance of a passive solar radiant floor heating system designed for standard energy-saving farmhouses in northeast China. Weather data in the region was analyzed in terms of solar radiation, temperature, humidity and light levels. The heating characteristics of the building materials such as windows, doors, walls and roofs were also analyzed along with the indoor thermal environment of the farmhouse. The heating load was then calculated along with the size of the thermal storage element and the area of the collector element. The passive solar radiant floor heating system was designed for heating during the winter and cooling in summer. According to the results, the heating characteristics of the system have the potential to improve farming villages environment and the use of renewable energy.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The failure of the standard Growth Approach to economic development to solve the problems of underdevelopment in LDCs has caused an alternative approach, Basic Needs Approach (BNA), to attain prominence in development thought. BNA emphasizes poverty-minimizing growth. Its strategy of direct attack on poverty has better potential for LDCs' development and fulfillment of their populations' basic needs than the trickle-down mechanism of the Growth Approach. BNA requires, among other things, (a) suitable rural financial markets (RFMs) as parts of the overall financial system, and (b) indigenous technological capabilities. The financial system, if it functions as a central element in an institutionalized technology policy, can link technology-related institutions that generate, evaluate, and promote appropriate technologies (ATs) with RFMs that can support adoption and diffusion of ATs in the agro-rural sector. The above argument ...

Science.gov (United States)

Lack of access to basic education leads to diminished individual and national capabilities, therewith furthering cycles of poverty. An equitable education system meeting basic learning needs represents not only a human right, but also a means for reducing poverty, promoting productivity, and sustaining development. The Government of China--the most populous developing nation, the majority of whose citizens live in rural areas--has been committed to universalizing nine-year compulsory education among school-aged children and eliminating illiteracy among youths and adults aged 15-45. This study examines lessons learned from China's efforts in these areas. It also reports on current challenges and trends in a new national initiative for achieving high-quality universal basic education by the year 2007.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The information gathered as operating manager when implementing the first photovoltaic rural electrification and technology transfer program carried out to date in the world in French Polynesia from 1978 to 1990 are detailed. The technical developments of equipment and the work in progress at the GENEC Cadarache within French, European or IEA programs in order to improve some components or appliances and make up for certain deficiencies are presented. This involves accelerated aging tests, Standardization work, development of high efficiency equipment. Non technical barriers are often emphasized. Technical barriers also exists. Considerable work in many domains of small PV systems remains to be done so as to combine all the conditions required to implement successful large programs in developed as well as in developing countries.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The objective of this project is the development of a standard methodology for integrating non-food crops in rural areas with niche energy markets. This has involved a number of steps including (i) identification of 3 niche markets for energy crops which are of common interest to the partners, (ii) application of the standard costing methodology to investigate these three niche markets and (iii) comparison of the results from this work in three workshops (one for each market). Three tightly defined niche markets were identified; these were chosen following an examination of the national energy marekts in each of the partners countries (Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Greece and Portugal). This paper gives an overview of the national energy markets which were examined. The three niche markets are introduced and the reasons for their selection given. The application of the methodology to each of the niche markets is presented along with the conclusions of the ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

We investigated gathering and cultivating practices and how they complement each other in a rural population of Northwestern Patagonia. We analyzed plant diversity, species similarity, biogeographic origin, and plant use by means of semi-structured interviews and field visits. Pichi Leufu inhabitants used 173 species: 138 cultivated plants, mainly for edible purposes, and 45 wild species principally for medicinal use. Most cultivated species were exotic (91.3%), whereas gathered plants were both native and exotic. While locals maintained vegetable gardens, the adoption of greenhouses improved conditions for certain crops. The integration of novel practices with ancestral knowledge suggests resilient processes in this community, probably reflected in the dynamics of current horticultural an...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This investigation of a brain cancer cluster in Missouri used two approaches to investigate associations with potential risk factors. In a case-control study in a rural town, we interviewed surrogates of cases and controls about potential risk factors. We found a statistically significant positive association of brain cancer with reported exposure to dental x-rays. Occupation was not associated with the cluster in the rural town. In a standardized proportional mortality study for the state of Missouri, we calculated the observed and expected proportion of brain cancers by occupation and industry in Missouri decedents. We found that motor vehicle manufacturers, beauty shop workers, managers and administrators, elementary school teachers, and hairdressers and cosmetologists had significantly elevated proportions of brain cancer. Brain tumors are inconsistently associated with occupation in the literature. Further study of brain cancer etiology ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In the early period after the Chernobyl accident, analysis of patterns of "1"3"1I exposure of the human thyroid showed that contaminated milk was the basic source of "1"3"1I intake among the inhabitants of Russia. The equipment and techniques used for measurement of the "1"3"1I content in the thyroids of these individuals are described in this work. A model of the "1"3"1I intake, taking into account protective actions, and a method of thyroid dose calculation are discussed. The mean thyroid dose and frequency distributions of the thyroid doses to inhabitants of towns and villages of the Bryansk, Tula and Orel regions of Russia are presented. The mean dose to the thyroids of children living in the villages was 2 to 5 times higher than the dose to adult thyroids; for children living in the towns, the mean dose was 1.5 to 12 times higher. The mean thyroid mass in adult inhabitants of the Bryansk region was 27 g, which exceeded the value for a ...

Science.gov (United States)

Presents a summary of research on key aspects of the indirect effects of expanding education from grade six through grade nine, followed by a comprehensive analysis of social rates of return to investment in all levels of education in Indonesia and underemployment in urban and rural areas. (three figures, nine tables, 33 references) (MLF)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper shows some considerations about the cost of wood, steel and cement support pillars in rural power distribution systems. The life span, mechanical properties, cost estimation and general durability of each type of pillar was evaluated, aiming a better selection of the desired one. 6 figs., 8 tabs., 4 refs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A project to demonstrate residential heating and cooling with a well-water source heat pump is documented. The system is schematically illustrated and described, and project experience is discussed. The system is capable of using source water as cool as 40/sup 0/F. Project expenses are accounted for. (LEW)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Three existing organizational types that meet the decentralization criteria of local consumer ownership and control - cooperatives, Rural Electric Cooperatives, and municipal utilities - are examined. These three organizational precedents are analyzed in terms of their histories, structures, legal powers, sources of capital, and social and political aspects. Examples of related experiments with renewable energy technologies are given, and inferences are drawn regarding the organizations' suitability as vehicles for future implementation of decentralized renewable energy systems.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

A self-selected sample of 417 urban and 379 rural preschool children attending the under-5s clinics was weighed in Sierra Leone. The individual weights were related to the weight-for-age Harvard 3rd...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The generation of thermal energy is the great importance for the agribusiness of dairy industry to conservation the quality of milk, taking into account that the electricity is the main source currently used for the thermal energy input. The small agribusiness dairy industry currently practiced in Brazil faces several problems related to the cost of electricity and the distance of rural properties of networks of power. In the current scenario of Brazilian dairy production, there is need for the generation of cold for the milk cooling, and also the heat for the production of hot water around 50 deg C to 60 deg C and also for cleaning of equipment used for milk production and processing. The main objective of this study is the modeling and simulation of integrated recovery process of solid waste, effluents and bioconversion. The specific project objectives are: comparison study of options and technological routes of low cost material for power generation using ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inhalation of radon and its daughter products makes the major contribution to the total exposure of the population to natural radiations. In implementing a complex ecological survey, concentrations of radon and its daughter products were measured in different regions of Russia, namely, in the St. Petersburg Region, the Central Territories and the Altay Territory. Two suitable low price versions of the dosemeters for measuring environmental radon concentrations based on track-etch and activated-charcoal detectors were used. The radon daughter product activity and the effective dose equivalents were calculated with an equilibrium factor of 0.5 and a recommended effective dose equivalent factor of 0.061 mSv (Bq m{sup -3}){sup -1}. Indoor measurements were taken in more than 1000 dwellings and public and industrial buildings of 21 towns and villages. The track chambers were exposed for about 2-3 months and the charcoal detectors for 6-10 days, mainly during the summer. ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Sierra Madre Occidental of western Mexico is composed dominantly of Mid-Tertiary felsic and subordinate mafic volcanic rocks with only sparse outcrops of non-volcanic rocks. There are widely scattered but small exposure of plutonic rocks but regionally metamorphosed rocks are not known to occur in the Sierra. To this date the only known area where plutonic and metamorphic xenoliths have been found is near the village of Basaseachic in western Chihuahua where thick outcrops of the Cascada Tuff occur. The xenoliths are the only known occurrence of regionally metamorphosed rocks for a distance of about 400 km between exposures of Precambrian rocks to the west in Sonora and the east in central Chihuahua. Non-volcanic xenoliths from a few cm to about one meter in diameter occur most abundantly in the upper portions of the Cascada Tuff. They can be divided into four main groups in decreasing order of abundance as follows: (1) coarse-grained phaneritic felsic igneous ...

Science.gov (United States)

This is the first of a series of monthly reports summarizing the status of the work of the National Accelerator Laboratory. This first report will cover developments since the publication of the Design Report in January. Authorization hearings were held before the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy on February 21, 1968. Dr. Wilson described the plans and designs of the Laboratory. The present plan of the Laboratory is that the Village of Weston will be utilized for office, laboratory, and shop space during construction. The Laboratory business office is already occupying several houses. The linac section is occupying three houses for offices and construction of an 8,000 sq ft laboratory building for linac work is almost complete. Another house is being used and a 4,500 sq ft inflatable building is being constructed for model-magnet and vacuum testing. Other temporary buildings will be constructed for use by other sections. We plan to move into the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Many rural industries generate amounts of biomass waste, such as rice husks, sawdust, wood chips, nutshells and plant stalks that represent a substantial energy resource. However, most often these biomass wastes are not utilized and are dumped or burned in the open. This paper will show the whole project cycle of an installation and commissioning of a thermal configuration of a BG-Systems in Indonesia. These projects highlight the economic, operational and environmental benefits of the BG-Systems. BG-Systems are small fixed-bed downdraft gasifier systems being marketed by BG Technologies that convert biomass into a producer gas that is essentially free of tars and can be used reliably in a diesel engine or thermal combustor. (author)

Science.gov (United States)

Computer simulations of agricultural finance and management may be helpful to students preparing for agricultural careers. Simulations would provide problem definition and problem solving in realistic interactions with complex and ambiguous situations similar to those encountered in farming. The paper describes a major financial problem for farmers, explores the implications of that problem for students, and outlines a computer-based simulation model which would give students experience in dealing with the problem. Data sources for simulations, potentials of interactive exercises among students, and advantages of using real data with existing ambiguities are described. The board game "AGRICULTURE" is discussed as a prototype for simulation. (LFL)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Radiation protection in medicine has unique aspects and is an essential element of medical practice. Medical uses of radiation occur throughout the world, from large cities to rural clinics. It has been estimated that the number of medical procedures using radiation grew from about 1.7 billion in 1980 to almost 4 billion in 2007. In spite of these large numbers, there are many parts of the world without adequate equipment, where the ability to perform additional medical procedures would likely result in a net benefit. Medicine accounts for more than 99.9% of the per caput effective dose from man-made sources. The goal in medical exposure is not to give the lowest dose, but to provide the correct dose to enable the practitioner to make the diagnosis or cure a tumour. Too little or too much ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Diesel power technology has been utilized worldwide, especially in remote regions, because of its low initial capital cost. But it has negative effects on the surrounding environment and causes global warming. On the other hand, depleting oil and fuel resources has made it inevitable to seek alternative/renewable energy resources. In Iran, the cost of fuel is highly subsidized. If Iran removes the fuel subsidy, the cost of diesel fuel would increase and the photovoltaic (PV) or hybrid PV/diesel systems would become more attractive. Hybrid photovoltaic/diesel/battery (PV/diesel/bat) systems which use PV energy, combined with diesel generation power and battery bank storage are an excellent solution to decrease diesel generator costs, pollution, and electrification of remote rural areas. In ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Interest in soy foods has increased with consumer awareness of its health benefits, especially with soy-related ingredients being utilized as one of the major sources of high-protein fortification. The aim of the present study was to assess South African (SA) consumers' opinion of soy and soy products through different statements on consumption, taste, protein value and healthiness. The respondents (n = 3001) for this randomized cross-sectional study were randomly selected from metropolitan and rural areas in South Africa. Trained fieldworkers administered questionnaires by conducting face-to-face interviews. Fourteen statements from four sections of the questionnaire (consisting of 17 food-related topics in total), probing information on consumers' opinion on soy and soy products...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Bungarus caeruleus (Indian common krait) bite during monsoons is common in Northwest India. This study was undertaken to find the effectiveness of neostigmine and polyvalent antivenom in improving neuromuscular paralysis following bite. All the consecutive patients admitted between June 2007 and December 2008 with common krait bite, identified either from brought snake or circumstantial evidence were studied. Ten vials of polyvalent antivenom and three doses of 2.5mg neostigmine at 30min intervals after administration of 0.6mg of atropine were administered I.V. and patients were assessed for any improvement in neuroparalysis. Seventy-two patients were admitted during the study period. All the patients except two came from rural areas and were brought between June and September. Sixty-two p...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The chronology of installing solar power in a rural area of Ontario is described. The installation took all of seven years, and was characterized by a lot of joy, but also a lot of heartache and hardship, all of which are chronicled in this article. The project started with four solar modules generating 300 watts, nickel cadmium batteries of 225 Ah, an inverter of 600 watt, and a three-cylinder 6.5 Kw water-cooled propane generator. Today, nearly seven years later, the installation consists of 18 solar modules supplying 1350 watts of power, lead-acid batteries of 2770 Ah, a 2500 watt inverter, a one cylinder, 5.5 kw propane-gasoline generator, a heated, underground generator house, complete with an amp-hour meter and MPPT charge controller.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The confluence of technology development and market readiness is opening up major business opportunities for photovoltaic (PV) systems throughout the developing world. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Sandia National Laboratories in Abuquerque (Sandia), working on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy, have launched pilot projects in several countries throughout the world over the past 3 years. The focus of these pilot projects has been the development of in-country institutional capabilities necessary to deliver the promise of PV electricity to the rural populations. In addition to country-specific activities, NREL is conducting several technology, information, and partnership projects focused on further accelerating the education, training, business, and technology developments necessary to bridge the gap between promise and reality. This paper summarizes these efforts.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This report presents the results of an investigation into currently used methods for installation of underground high voltage power transmission cable, and offers recommendations for potentially improving these methods. Suggested enhancements cover the emplacement of both high pressure oil filled (HPOPT) pipe type and self contained oil filled (SCOF) cable systems. Cost comparisons of conventionally installed cable systems versus systems using proposed techniques and equipment are developed for a specific site selected for study. The report also documents the test results of laboratory experiments conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of using interference fit pipe couplings in place of welded pipe joints. 10 refs., 31 figs., 15 tabs.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Wood usage for cooking and heating is still very relevant in most developing countries especially those of sub-Saharan Africa and many parts of Asia. Therefore, sustainable means of generating it for this and other purposes are necessary bearing in mind the influence of indigenous knowledge/users perspective on any production method regarding success and sustenance. In conformity with this view, questionnaires were administered on 240 respondents in 8 rural communities of Akinyele and Ido Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Oyo State, Nigeria, to elicit information on species that can be used as fuelwood, preferred by the respondents for incorporation into and/or retention in agroforestry plots, out of which 179 (i.e. 75% of the total number of questionnaires administered) were successfully r...

Environmental Research Database

ObjectivesThe vision The Centre's vision is a rural transformation in the developing world where smallholder households massively increase their use of trees in agricultural landscapes to improve their food security, nutrition, income, health, shelter, energy resources and environmental sustainability. This vision is founded upon three basic tenets: 1. The growing importance of trees and treebased systems in sustaining livelihoods and agroecosystems; 2. The Centre's experience and comparative adv [continued...]DescriptionBackground: The International Council for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) was created in response to a visionary study in the mid-1970s led by forester John Bene of Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The study coined the term 'agroforestry' and called for global recognition of the key role trees play on farms. This led to the establishment of ICRAF in 1978 to promote agroforestry research in developing countries. Intended ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The paper describes, for the Hausa farmers of Gidan Jatau in northern Nigeria, the distinct ways in which they see and understand (a) their close and distant environment and (b) their bodies' anatomy and physiology. These ways result in 'another geography' - of both space and being - which, however, may no longer now have the resonance it had in the early 1970s when the author lived in Gidan Jatau for two years as a guest. At that time, the spiritual dimensions of daily life were deemed important to the health and prosperity of each person and to the farmstead as a whole. The argument is made that the urban-centred literature on the bori possession-cult neglects the ordinary, anonymous spirits of house and field. Any serious archaeology of the landscape will need insights into this 'altern...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

On 21 October 1994, three brothers entered a waste repository at Tammiku, Estonia, without authorization and removed a metal container enclosing a caesium-137 source. During the removal the source was dislodged and fell to the ground. One of the men picked up the source, placed it in his pocket and took it to his home in the nearby village of Kiisa. Very soon after entry into the repository he began to feel ill, and few hours later he began to vomit. The man was subsequently admitted to hospital with severe injuries to his leg and hip and died on 2 November 1994. The injury and subsequent death were not attributed to radiation exposure, and the source remained in the man's house with his wife and stepson and the boy's great-grandmother. The boy was hospitalized on 17 November with severe burns on his hands, and these were identified by a doctor as radiation induced. The authorities were alerted, and the Estonian Rescue Board recovered the source from the house. The ...

Scientific Electronic Library Online (English)

Abstract in english The principal vector of malaria in eastern Venezuela, Anopheles aquasalis, is exophagic and exophilic. Control using indoor insecticide house sprays has failed to lower the number of malaria cases. Therefore, studies were initiated in two villages of the eastern coastal state of Sucre to better understand this vector's biology and develop a more integrated control program. An. aquasalis was found to have a crepuscular biting behavior with a major peak at dusk and a minor (more) peak at dawn. Mosquitos were collected more outdoors than indoors. Forty-seven percent of the biting took place before people went to bed (22:30 hr) and 69% of the mosquitos biting during this time period bite outdoors. Outdoor biting could be the reason why indoor spraying alone did not lower malaria cases. Seasonal abundance was greater in the rainy season compared to the dry season. Seasonal parous rates were high (78.3%-100%) and similar indoors and outdoors and ...

Science.gov (United States)

Quality of education is a determining factor in a nation's competitiveness. Although Mexico has made tremendous progress toward achieving universal basic education, school quality has not kept pace with enrollment increases, especially in rural areas. Innovations at the federal and state levels to raise the quality of basic education in Mexico include decentralizing the education system, thereby giving the states more control over education, and creating the Carrera Magisterial, a program of incentives and professional development for teachers. The first part of this paper shows that early in their professional lives, teachers in basic public schools are better paid than other comparable groups. The second part of the paper analyzes determinants of student achievement. Findings show that short-term teacher posts had a negative impact on learning achievement. Pedagogical efforts and teacher answers to student questions were highly correlated with greater learning ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In France, groundwater usage represents 40 per cent of volumetric use, outside of thermal power plants. Groundwater represents 60 per cent of domestic and public use, 40 per cent in the industrial sector, and is increasing in the agricultural sector where it accounts for 20 per cent. Groundwater withdrawal in France has slightly increased over the last twenty years and benefited the agricultural sector. Availability throughout the territory, the consistency of resupply and natural quality has rendered groundwater a prevailing source for drinking water. Water protection and management is important and led to the adoption of legislative and regulatory measures. The Mining Code (Code minier) allows for exploitation of underground resources starting at 10 metres. The Rural Code (Code rural) mandates the declaration of public utility for water collection for the public. Protection areas are to be provided under the Public Health Code (Code de sante ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the present work, the introduction of alternative energy of biogas in agricultural communities for the sustainable development was studied through exploitation of residual biomass and also getting as by-product the biological fertilizer. A fast composting of the domestic residue with the organic was made possible where part of this residue after processing was taken together with effluent to the biodigestor. The bibliographical research on the processes of generation of biogas, about composting and the equipment for processing had been carried through. The projects Engineering with the use of computational tools had been developed with the Software Super Pro 4,9 Design and ORC GPEC 2004 by our research group. Five case studies had been elaborated, where different scenes related with our innovation, that uses of the residue for the composting together with domestic effluent for digestion. Several economic parameters were obtained and our work proved the viability about the use of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Site studies for CANDU type NPP began in a careful manner since 1982 as a first part of the Nuclear Power Plant Romanian Program adopted by political and governmental authorities at the time. A team was charged to develop all packages of the necessary main studies. The first Romanian NPP CANDU 6 type reactor gone to erection on Cernavoda site, planned to have 5 units and, like Wolsong NPP, applied the same design for the nuclear island. For the BOP parts the ANSALDO-GE project was applied with a thorough concern about requirements raised by connection to NSP. The first mission of design and research multi-branch team was to adapt the NPP Cernavoda project having an open water cooling circuit 'once-through' to the new parameters of a close recirculation water cooling circuit. Also, the structural design was re-evaluated for the case of soft foundation strata instead of hard rock ones. The close recirculation water cooling circuit system was applied for PWR NPP type like in French or ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The Utility PhotoVoltaic Group (UPVG), supported by member dues and a grant from the US Department of Energy, has as its mission the acceleration of the use of cost-effective small-scale and emerging large-scale applications of photovoltaics for the benefit of electric utilities and their customers. Formed in October, 1992, with the support of the American Public Power Association, Edison Electric Institute, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the UPVG currently has 90 members from all sectors of the electric utility industry. The UPVG's efforts as conceived were divided into four phases: Phase 0--program plan; Phase 1--organization and strategy development; Phase 2--creating market assurance; and Phase 3--higher volume purchases. The Phase 0 effort developed the program plan and was completed early in 1993. The Phase 1 goal was to develop the necessary background information and analysis to lead to a decision as to which strategies could be ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility for propane as an automotive fuel in Manitoba, by comparing the overall performance and operating costs of a test fleet operating on propane with that of a control fleet operating on unleaded gasoline. The performance of gasoline and propane was compared by using two specific tests: general driveability and relative fleet fuel consumption were determined by driver surveys and gross fuel use data from normal urban and rural vehicle operation. Specific fuel consumption was determined by controlled chassis dynamometer tests on a series of selected vehicles utilizing representative driving cycles. Fleet drivers operating propane fueled vehicles were satisfied with vehicle operation and reported similar vehicle performance with either gasoline or propane. Although there was no significant difference in specific fuel consumption, the specific energy consumption of similar vehicles was lower when operated on ...

Environmental Research Database

SummaryIntended Outputs: Documentation demonstrating an improved biophysical understanding of the role of forests on low flows in the arid zone regions of India through the development and outputs from hydrological models such as Hyluc and SWAT.A documented analysis of the impacts on the poor of historical and current water management policies, including the investigation through PRA techniques of people's perceptions and beliefs of land-use/hydrological interactions, and the implications o [continued...]ObjectivesTo establish a better understanding of forest impacts on low flows and the social impact of water resources management in arid zone regions of India, and to develop tools which allow this improved understanding to be disseminated directly to stakeholders.DescriptionProject Background: Reducing river flows and groundwater tables, especially during the dry season, constitutes a major problem causing great hardship to large numbers of rural and urban poor ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the first part of the symposium, experts reviewed the state of the art of decentralized waste water treatment in Europe. In the second part, exemplary solutions in Poland and the Czech Republic were presented. The final part was dedicated to future concepts and strategies. [German] Im Herbst letzten Jahres hat die Kommunale Umwelt-AktioN U.A.N. in einer Abfolge von drei Abwasserfachsymposien Expertenrunden zum Austausch ueber den aktuellen Stand des Wissens zum Thema dezentrale Abwasserbehandlung veranstaltet. Mit dem Internationalen Symposium 'Konzepte zur Abwasserbehandlung im laendlichen Raum Europas' in Celle hat das Projekt der U.A.N. seinen Abschluss gefunden. Der Konzeption des Projektes entsprechend haben im 1. Teil des Symposiums Experten ueber den Stand der Entwicklung auf dem Sektor der dezentralen Abwasserbehandlung in Deutschland berichtet. Im 2. Teil unserer Fachtagung wurden europaeische Beispiele fuer dezentrale Loesungen aus Polen und Tschechien ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sufficient passing sight distance is an important control for two-lane rural highway design to minimize the possibility of a head-on collision between passing and opposing vehicles. Traditionally, passing zones are marked by checking passing sight distance that is potentially restricted by static sight obstructions. Such obstructions include crest curves, overpasses, and lateral objects along highways. This paper proposes a new concept of dynamic sight-distance assessment, which involves restricted passing sight distances due to the impeding vehicles that are traveling in the same direction. Using a finite-element model, the dynamic passing sight-distance problem was evaluated, and the writers analyzed the relationships between the available passing sight distance and other factors such as the horizontal curve radius, impeding vehicle dimensions, and a driver s following distance. It was found that the impeding vehicles may cause substantially insufficient passing ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radio interference and TV interference are being a problem in urban and rural areas. This interference is generated by high voltage transmission lines as well as distribution lines. The radio noise can be produced by polluted or damaged insulators, and by metal parts of the distribution lines. The corona effect on the surface of the dielectric material produces high frequency electromagnetic fields during the ionization and during the recombination period. Fields of different intensity are produced by positive voltage and negative voltage. The insulator flashover (leaking current) also produces electromagnetic fields. A new technique to measure these fields was developed. This technique measures the radiated fields on time domain and on frequency domain. This permits us to characterize the radiated field and thus identify the type of the source. Several measurements were done varying the type of the RF generator, i.e., new insulator and broken insulator. A ...

Science.gov (United States)

All African Nations belong to the category of third world underdeveloped countries of the world. UNDP Human Development Index uses factors like per capita income, health of the people, and educational attainment to classify countries. Adult literacy and gross enrolment ratios are indicators of education status. This paper uses Nigeria, a typical African country, to illustrate the problems posed by adult illiteracy to national development. Statistical data are used to show the low levels of adult literacy with disparities between males and females; urban and rural areas, and between different zones of Nigeria and the continent. Enrolments and completion rate in adult literacy programmes are presented. Nigeria's policy on adult and non formal education as reflected in the Nigerian constitution (1999), National Policy on Education (2004 edition), Decree 17 on the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non formal education (1990), and the Universal Basic ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the quality of a rural area near Faenza (Italy) by using an active biomonitoring approach, i.e., by placing homogeneous individuals of the perennial shrub Rosa rugosa in different sites throughout the area. Further sites, within the city or its environs, were used for comparison. Soil and leaves of R. rugosa were analyzed for their heavy metal content. The total heavy metal pattern of leaves closely paralleled the pattern registered in soil, with the highest content (both in total and assimilable forms) at the site in the urban area, which is exposed to heavy traffic. Pollen quality (abortiveness and viability) was also tested as a potential indicator of pollution. Pollen abortiveness was strictly related to Pb levels in leaves, while viability was inversely related to leaf Cr content. Our results suggest that R. rugosa has the potential to be a good biomonitoring system. - Rosa rugosa leaves and pollen are - to different ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The aim of this case study is to analyse the socio-economic effects of forest fuel supply and use chains. Two of the four cases are rural district heating plants. In Perho, the co-operative organisation of forest owners maintains the fuel supply and operates the plant. In Ruukki, the local forestry association supplies forest chips to the plant. These medium-scale plants use small-sized trees from young thinning stands as their main fuel. The trees are felled manually. The other two cases are large power plants. Alholmens Kraft's new power plant in Pietarsaari aim to use 250 000 solid-m3 of forest chips annually. The logging residues are hauled to the plant as bales using traditional timber harvesting equipment or as bulk material. At young thinning stands the trees are harvested using an accumulating feller buncher. The Toppila I and II power plants in the city of Oulu used about 36 000 solid-m3 of forest chips. Over 300 000 solid-m3 can potentially be ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The relationships between severity of iron deficiency anemia, response to iron treatment, respiratory and gastrointestinal illness and weight changes were assessed before (T1) and after (T2) iron therapy. Seventy-five pre-school children from rural Guatemala received daily oral iron (ferrous sulfate 5 mg/kg/day) for eleven weeks, and were classified into one of three groups: (1) severe iron deficient (Hgb < 9.25 g/dl at T1 and > 1g/dl Hgb response (T2-T1) to Fe Rx; (2) moderately iron deficient (Hgb 9.25 g/dl to 11.5 g/dl and T2-T1 > 1g/dl); (3) normal controls (Hgb > 11.5 g/dl and T2-T1 < 1g/dl). When both severely and moderately anemic children were pooled together, there was a statistical significant difference between the number of days ill with gastrointestinal symptoms of these children and those in the control group. Children with T1 Hgb > 11.5 had more days ill than those classified as severely or moderately anemic. There was no other ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In the present work, the introduction of alternative energy of biogas in agricultural communities for the sustainable development was studied through exploitation of residual biomass and also getting as by-product the biological fertilizer. A fast composting of the domestic residue with the organic was made possible where part of this residue after processing was taken together with effluent to the biodigester. The bibliographical research on the processes of generation of biogas, about composting and the equipment for processing had been carried through. The projects engineering with the use of computational tools had been developed with the software Super Pro 4,9 Design and ORC GPEC 2004 by our research group. Five case studies had been elaborated, where different scenes related with our innovation, that uses of the residue for the composting together with domestic effluent for digestion. Several economic parameters were obtained and our work proved the viability about the use of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samples of Parmelia sulcata and Xanthoria parietina from different biotopes have been analysed for elements of the series of uranium 238 and thorium 232. These species have been used as bio-monitors in different cases : urban areas, coal fired power plant, tip for uranium-mining residues. The concentration of most of these elements in lichens is decreasing as follows: radium waste-disposal site > area with uranium-rich soil > urban area > rural area. Road traffic was not found to increase notably the presence of radioactive lead in the environment. The two foliose lichens seem to have a comparable concentration ability, but Parmelia sulcata appeared to be more reliable. Some of the elements under investigation could be particularly problematic from a sanitary point of view: the intake limits in case of inhalation are very low and the atmospheric deposition is not negligible; this is particularly so for lead 210 and thorium 228. These elements should not ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vermicomposts as a biofertilizer can be a great option for pond manuring as they never cause any long term harm to the soil like chemical fertilizer. In this study vegetable and horticulture waste was used as an important media for vermiculture. Three separate cemented tanks (6 m{sup 3} each) were used in the system as control tank, vermicompost fertilized tank and inorganic fertilizer manured tank. Monoculture of fish was carried out with cat fish, Clarias batrachus. The produced earthworms were used as fish feed. Regular monitoring of water parameter was conducted in three different ponds. Specifically, the algal biomass variation was quite helpful in analysing the behavior of the ponds. NPK value of soil samples was analyzed intermittently to know the eutrophication level. Despite the hot summer temperature in northern part of India, which is not ideal for fish growth, we have recorded an encouraging growth performance in organic manured pond along with inorganic fertilizer treated ...

Science.gov (United States)

Devolution, as other types of decentralization (e.g. deconcentration, delegation, privatization), profoundly changes governance relations in the health system. Devolution is meant to affect performance of the health system by transferring responsibilities and authority to locally elected governments. The key question of this article is: what does devolution mean for human resources for health in Mali?This article assesses the key advantages and dilemmas associated with devolution such as responsiveness to local needs, downward accountability and health worker retention. Challenges of politics and capacities are also addressed in relation to human resources for health at the local level. Examples are derived from experiences in Mali with a capacity development programme and from case studies of other countries. It is not research findings that are presented, but highlights of key issues at stake aimed at inspiring the debate in Mali and elsewhere.A first lesson from the discussion ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The work of this association is cut according to 6 axes. Three publications: radiological quality of marine and continental waters of the Normandy coast (synthesis 1997 and 1998); preliminary study of the iodine 129 distribution in the environment of the reprocessing plant of La Hague with terrestrial moss (Homalotecium sericeum); radiological surveillance of the aquatic environment of the nuclear facilities on the area of La Hague (1997 and 1998). The second axis concerns the radiation protection with a campaign of radon measures in a school of the Vire rural district (june 1999). The third part is devoted to the radioecology with the surveillance of radioactivity in the aquatic continental environment of nuclear facilities and the radioecological surveillance (1999) of the building site of Cogema la Hague in the area of tidal range of the Moulinets cove. The fourth part concerns the radioactive waste and environment, with the study of the distribution of the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Population residing in the northern part of the Chelyabinsk oblast and the south eastern part of the Sverdlovsk oblast of Russia affected to accidental exposure since 1957. The territory (East Ural Radioactive Trace - EURT) was contaminated after explosion of container with highly radioactive wastes at the Mayak Production Association. Studies of health effects of exposure in the southern, head part of EURT are conducted in the Ural Research and Practical Center of Radiation Medicine (U.R.P.R.M.). In the 1990's U.R.P.C.R.M. formed a cohort of EURT within Chelyabinsk oblast (14,500 cases and 19,400 external controls). The cohort was followed in 1957-1987 and the results of the study are discussed by Crestinina et al. First results of study on exposure late health effects among rural population in the northern part of the EURT are presented in this paper. Firstly, or the period 1958-2000 a statistically significant increase in cancer mortality associated ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper presents results from one of the projects developed within the general framework of the international Programme 'CORE' (Cooperation for Rehabilitation in Belarus). The overall objective of the programme is to make sustainable improvements to the living conditions of the inhabitants of the territories affected by the Chernobyl disaster. The CORE Programme is currently developed in four contaminated districts of Belarus (Bragin, Cherchersk, Slavgorod and Stolyn) in the following four areas: economic and social development; health care and surveillance; education and culture; and radiological quality. The project that is presented here refers specifically to the field of 'radiological quality' and will last until the end of 2008. The project named 'implementation of an inclusive radiation monitoring system' was launched in April 2004 in the Bragin district, which is one of the most contaminated areas in Belarus. It is ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The aims of this study were (a) to assess blood cadmium (B-Cd) concentrations and to establish a tentative reference interval; (b) to identify significant determinants of B-Cd, in a population from Umbria, Central Italy, which was not occupationally exposed to cadmium (Cd). Four hundred and thirty-four healthy blood-donors volunteered to answer a questionnaire and provide a blood sample for B-Cd analysis, which was performed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Blood Cd concentrations ranged from non-detectable values, i.e. below 0.1 {mu}g/l up to 3.4 {mu}g/l and were not normally distributed. The median values and the 95th percentiles were 0.7 and 2.0 {mu}g/l, respectively. Concentrations of B-Cd were more than double in smokers than in non-smokers, median values being 1.1 {mu}g/l and 0.5 {mu}g/l, respectively. In current smokers, B-Cd values correlated with the number of cigarettes smoked daily (r{sub s}=0.40, P=0.0001) and with the cumulative exposure to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Major advances in 'Energy and Materials Cycles' have been achieved in the removal of heavy metals from the solid residues of municipal waste incineration. It has been conclusively shown that the oxidation/reduction conditions established during the thermal treatment of filter ash have a decisive influence on the evaporation of groups of heavy metals. With respect to biomass gasification, studies have been carried out with respect to the best way of extracting pure hydrogen from the low calorific value gas that is typically obtained from a biomass gasifier. The overarching goal of the laboratory 'High Temperature Solar Technology' is the use of solar energy for the production of solar fuels, or for the reduction of CO{sub 2} emissions in large scale industrial processes that are conventionally carried out with the use of fossil fuels. In a short-term project targeted at the solar production of lime, highly encouraging results (98% degree of ...