Canopy Cover, Impermeability, and Green Space in Pennsylvania Redlined Neighborhoods

Previous studies have explored the relationship between redlining and canopy cover by using percent canopy cover. This data type can miss low-density trees that are common in urban areas, differences between parks and street trees, and differences in the size of the green space. With a distinction between parks and street trees, we are able to determine what types of green space redlined communities have access to, since different types of green space have different kinds of impacts on the community. This study aims to analyze the relationship between previously redlined Pennsylvania neighborhoods and their current canopy impermeability, using high resolution tree canopy cover data. As was hypothesized, both York and Philadelphia grade D neighborhoods had less green space, smaller areas of contiguous green space, and were farther from green space. This perpetuates the cycle of systemic racism in urban communities and reinforces environmental injustices

Numerical Optimal Transport from 1D to 2D using a Non-local Monge-Amp\`ere Equation

We consider the numerical solution of the optimal transport problem between densities that are supported on sets of unequal dimension. Recent work by McCann and Pass reformulates this problem into a non-local Monge-Amp\`ere type equation. We provide a new level set framework for interpreting this non-linear PDE. We also propose a novel discretisation that combines carefully constructed monotone finite difference schemes with a variable-support discrete version of the Dirac delta function. The resulting method is consistent and monotone. These new techniques are described and implemented in the setting of 1D to 2D transport, but can easily be generalised to higher dimensions. Several challenging computational tests validate the new numerical method

Estimating the return on investment of selected infection prevention and control interventions in healthcare settings for preparing against novel respiratory viruses: modelling the experience from SARS-CoV-2 among health workers.

Insufficient infection prevention and control (IPC) practices in healthcare settings increase the SARS-CoV-2 infection risk among health workers. This study aimed to examine the level of preparedness for future outbreaks. We modelled the experience from the COVID-19 pandemic and assessed the return on investment on a global scale of three IPC interventions to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections among health workers: enhancing hand hygiene; increasing access to personal protective equipment (PPE); and combining PPE, with a scale-up of IPC training and education (PPE+). Our analysis covered seven geographic regions, representing a combination of World Health Organization (WHO) regions and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Across all regions, we focused on the first 180 days of the pandemic in 2020 between January 1st and June 30th. We used an extended version of a susceptible-infectious-recovered compartmental model to measure the level of IPC preparedness. Data were sourced from the WHO COVID-19 Detailed Surveillance Database. In all regions, the PPE + intervention would have averted the highest number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections compared to the other two interventions, ranging from 6562 (95% CI 4873-8779) to 38,170 (95% CI 33,853-41,901) new infections per 100,000 health workers in OECD countries and in the South-East Asia region, respectively. Countries in the South-East Asia region and non-OECD countries in the Western Pacific region were poised to achieve the highest level of savings by scaling up the PPE + intervention. Our results not only support efforts to make an economic case for continuing investments in IPC interventions to halt the COVID-19 pandemic and protect health workers, but could also contribute to efforts to improve preparedness for future outbreaks. This work was funded by WHO, with support by the German Federal Ministry of Health for the WHOResearch and Development Blueprint for COVID-19

Dietary fluoride intake by children: When to use a fluoride toothpaste?

Fluoride is recommended for its cariostatic effect, but excessive fluoride intake may have health risks. Increased prevalence of dental fluorosis in areas with low fluoride content in drinking water has been attributed to the inappropriate excessive intake of fluoride supplements (tablets and drops) and toothpaste ingestion. The aim of the present study was to estimate the fluoride intake and the risk of fluorosis in children (6 months–6 years) in the Castelli Romani area (province of Rome, Italy), which is volcanic, therefore with a higher concentration of fluorine. Measurements of the fluoride content in drinking water, mineral waters, vegetables and commercial toothpaste for children were performed. The fluoride concentrations of all samples were determined using a Fluoride Ion Selective Electrode (GLP 22, Crison, Esp). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Differences between samples were determined by Student’s t-test. The fluoride content in tap water samples collected from public sources averaged from 0.35 to 1.11 ppm. The Pavona area showed the highest content of fluoride with respect to the others (p ≤ 0.05). The fluoride content in mineral water samples averaged from 0.07 to 1.50 ppm. The fluoride content of some vegetables showed increased mean values when compared to control vegetables (p ≤ 0.05). Within the limitations of the present study, considerations should be made when prescribing fluoride toothpaste for infants (6 months–4 years) in the areas with high fluoride content, because involuntary ingestion is consistent

ASSOCIATIVISMO Territorial na Educação: Novas Configurações da Colaboração e Cooperação Federativa

Trata-se da pesquisa de doutorado que tem como tema de investigação os arranjos territoriais na política educacional. O objetivo da pesquisa foi analisar a incidência do fenômeno do associativismo intergovernamental na educação, interpretando suas implicações para a atual conjuntura federativa educacional. Recentes experiências de associativismo intergovernamental na política educacional, em específico os Arranjos de Desenvolvimento da Educação ou Territórios de Cooperação Educacional, são interpretados por órgãos do governo como mecanismos inerentes ao regime de colaboração. Compreender as implicações desse fenômeno para a política educacional nos levou a definir caminhos empíricos e epistemológicos que nos permitiram gerar resultados comparáveis. Adotando o aporte teórico da sociologia compreensiva, a pesquisa buscou compreender o fenômeno por meio da análise interpretativa das ações dos agentes envolvidos. Assim, adotamos contornos metodológicos considerando dois aspectos: A investigação empírica com o objetivo de gerar resultados comparáveis e; O percurso epistemológica considerando a empiria, permitindo-nos incorporar resultados teóricos na área da Política Educacional. Para a definição da empiria, consideramos e classificamos as diferentes relações (pessoas jurídicas e agentes) presentes na realidade pesquisada, como forma de compreender e situar teoricamente os novos padrões que vêm delineando a relação federativa educacional. Constituíram o campo de pesquisa o Território de Cooperação Educacional do Médio Piracicaba (TCE-Médio Piracicaba), localizado no estado de Minas Gerais; o Território de Cooperação do Xingu, e o Território de Cooperação Educacional do Tapajós (TCE-Tapajós), localizados no estado do Pará. Para a coleta de dados foi utilizada a entrevista, a observação direta e a análise documental. Dentre os principais resultados apontamos a tese de que o fenômeno apresenta reflexos dos novos paradigmas da Administração Pública, que redesenham a estrutura do federalismo cooperativo brasileiro. Por isso, as Considerações Finais tiveram como base argumentativa três questões: a) de que o problema é uma questão federativa, e integra o aspecto jurídico e político do Estado (federalismo compartimentalizado); b) que os arranjos associativos vem se conformando como instrumento à fragmentação administrativa do Estado; c) que novos consensos em torno da colaboração e cooperação tem se delineado pelas mudanças ocasionadas a partir dos novos paradigmas da administração pública

Impact of food and water-borne diseases on European population health

Composite health measures are increasingly applied in studies aiming at describing the burden of diseases, and food and water-borne diseases (FWDs) are no exception. The Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE) is a project led and funded by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) with the purpose of encouraging and empowering public health experts in the estimation of the impact of communicable diseases expressed in Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). Calculation of DALYs and a critical assessment of burden of disease outputs require a thorough consideration of a number of methodological and epidemiological decisions ranging from modelling (e.g. incidence versus prevalence), disease model parameters (e.g. risks of developing complications or death) and the data feeding the number of cases.Burden of disease studies produce useful results for public health decision-making, in particular when they aim at informing preventive strategies. For this purpose, we attributed FWDs results from the BCoDE 2015 study to different exposure routes. We discuss these in the more general perspective of generating burden of disease evidence for planning and prioritisation, including the potentials and limitations of its methodology

Three-dimensional image surface acquisition in vertebrate paleontology: A review of principal techniques

Three-dimensional (3D) surface scanning includes techniques of image acquisition and image processing. Among the former, hardware devices (e.g., portable and non-portable scanners, camera) capture images from the target, whereas image processing is conducted via specialized software, in which acquired images are processed to merge them into a single 3D surface model. Image surface scanning comprises a wide variety of devices which incorporate different image acquisition techniques, all of them with potential high standards results. We describe four different scanning devices and techniques commonly used in vertebrate paleontology in order to compare them in terms of pros and cons, considering different variables, such as scanning time, post-processing time, costs and image resolution. The decision on which device to choose will depend on the budget available, the portability as well as the nature of the fossil material being analyzed (e.g., size, weight, accessibility). In the light of this, photogrammetry constitutes the image surface technique which fulfills these requirements, having the best cost-benefit relationship

Isolamento e caracterização de bactérias endofíticas não patogênicas em milho.

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Prevalence of zoonotic helminths in italian house dogs

Introduction: Dogs may act as potential sources of zoonotic parasites, e.g. intestinal helminths like Toxocara spp., Ancylostoma spp., Echinococcus spp. In particular circumstances, the environment contaminated by parasitic elements represents a source of infection for people and animals. The present study has evaluated the presence of zoonotic helminths in house dogs from central and north-eastern Italy. Methodology: Stool samples from 493 dogs were examined by a qualitative copromicroscopic technique and differences in prevalence of zoonotic parasites were statistically examined in relation to canine individual data. Results: 48/493 (9.7%) were positive for at least one parasite. Helminths recovered were Trichuris vulpis (5.5%), Toxocara canis (4.3%), Ancylostoma spp. (0.6%) and Eucoleus aerophilus (0.4%), while no cestodes were detected. Age and living with other dogs resulted risk factors for T. canis infection. Conclusions: The health risk associated with the occurrence of parasitic nematodes in privately owned dogs, along with the current anthelmintic treatment plans, are discussed