The effect of various urban discharges on the microbiological water quality in catchment systems : an environmental health-related impact study

ThesisThe aim of this study was to assess the impacts that urban run-off, as well as effluent from two wastewater treatment works, from Bloemfontein city, had on the health-related microbiological quality of water in the Renoster Spruit sub-catchment, which forms part of the Modder River catchment (Free State province, South Africa). "Impact" on the microbiological quality of receiving waters was, for the purposes of this study, defined as the ability of faecally polluted urban discharges to overcome the natural assimilation capacity of receiving waters to the extent that the water quality became unfit for health-related domestic, recreation or agricultural use and water-related infections could therefore, be expected. The health-related microbiological quality of the various waters was investigated by using E. coli, C. perjringens spores and somatic coliphages as microbiological indicators. The natural background geometric mean levels for E. coli, C. perjringens spores and somatic coliphages in the Renoster Spruit were 85; 10; 3 per 100 mL, respectively. This indicated that the water was not suitable for untreated drinking or full contact recreation purposes, but suitable to treat for domestic use, and for irrigation of health-sensitive crops. The numbers of organisms of the selected indicator groups, increased significantly in the Renoster Spruit directly downstream from the newly constructed Sterkwater wastewater treatment works since treated effluent discharge commenced. The geometric mean levels for E. coli, C. perfringens spores and somatic coliphages increased to 13 686; 4 003 and 8 923 per 100 mL respectively, which indicated a noticeable impact on the microbiological quality of water in the Renoster Spruit. This was also an indication that Sterkwater could not maintain statutory microbiological levels in effluent for this study period. The numbers of indicator organisms in the Bloem Spruit system indicated heavy faecal pollution from diffuse urban run-off as well as effluent from the Bloem Spruit wastewater treatment works. Geometric mean levels for E. coli, C. perjringens spores and somatic coliphages were as high as 59 027; 402; 9 098 per 100 mL respectively, indicating a severe impact. The Bloem Spruit impacted the quality of water in the Renoster Spruit after confluence. The geometric mean levels for E. coli, C. pe,:fringens spores and somatic coliphages were as high as 2 240; 154 and 4 883 per 100 mL respectively. The water in this part of the Renoster Spruit was unfit for domestic, recreation and agricultural uses. Further downstream, the water quality improved to a quality suitable for fitness for agricultural uses, but still constituted a risk for other uses. The geometric mean levels for E. coli, C. perfringens spores and somatic coliphages decreased to 481 ; 51 and 922 per 100 rnL respectively. Water in the Modder River downstream from the Renoster Spruit confluence could be used for domestic (after limited treatment), recreation and irrigation of health-sensitive crops. The geometric mean levels for E. coli, C. perfrillgens and somatic coliphages were 39; 37 and 36 per 100 rnL respectively. The water of the Renoster Spruit, in the direct vicinity of Bloemfontein, was unfit for domestic, recreational and agricultural purposes. However, the microbiological quality of water in the Modder River, after confluence with the Renoster Spruit, did not reflect any impacts since the lower reaches of the Renoster Spruit appeared to have successfully assimilated the microbiological pollutant load from the urban discharges. From the study results, it appeared that the health-related microbiological quality of water in the Renoster Spruit deteriorated when compared to results from previous studies on the same waters. This implies that urban pollution of the Renoster Spruit is increasing. A catchment management plan, with a focus on environmental health, should be designed and implemented for the Renoster Spruit sub-catchment, in order to protect and promote the health of potential water consumers and other categories of water users

Optimizing Tuberculosis Diagnosis in HIV-Infected Inpatients Meeting the Criteria of Seriously Ill in the WHO Algorithm

Background The WHO algorithm for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in seriously ill HIV-infected patients lacks a firm evidence base. We aimed to develop a clinical prediction rule for the diagnosis of tuberculosis and to determine the diagnostic utility of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay in seriously ill HIV-infected patients. Methods We conducted a prospective study among HIV-infected inpatients with any cough duration and WHO-defined danger signs. Culture-positive tuberculosis from any site was the reference standard. A priori selected variables were assessed for univariate associations with tuberculosis. The most predictive variables were assessed in a multivariate logistic regression model and used to establish a clinical prediction rule for diagnosing tuberculosis. Results We enrolled 484 participants: median age 36 years, 65·5% female, median CD4 count 89 cells/μL, and 35·3% on antiretroviral therapy. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 52·7% of participants. The c-statistic of our clinical prediction rule (variables: cough ≥14 days, unable to walk unaided, temperature >39oC, chest radiograph assessment, haemoglobin, and white cell count) was 0·811 (95%CI 0·802, 0·819). The classic tuberculosis symptoms (fever, night sweats, weight loss) added no discriminatory value in diagnosing tuberculosis. Xpert MTB/RIF assay sensitivity was 86·3% and specificity was 96·1%. Conclusion Our clinical prediction rule had good diagnostic utility for tuberculosis among seriously ill HIV-infected inpatients. Xpert MTB/RIF assay, incorporated into the updated 2016 WHO algorithm, had high sensitivity and specificity in this population. Our findings could facilitate improved diagnosis of tuberculosis among seriously ill HIV-infected inpatients in resource-constrained settings

Surtitling: Surtitles an other hybrid on a hybrid stage

La sobretitulación es una forma de transferencia interlingüística que tiene lugar en escena cuando una producción teatral se desplaza. Consiste, además, en una modalidad híbrida de traducción entre la traducción propiamente dicha y la interpretación. Por ello constituye un campo de investigación novedoso y de gran interés en el ámbito de los Estudios de Traducción. En la actualidad el público ya está acostumbrado a la recepción de imágenes fragmentadas en escena. Esta forma híbrida de traducción se inserta en un teatro intermedial. Este trabajo trata sobre la sobretitulación en el mencionado contexto híbrido. La hibricidad es una característica específica de la sobretitulación que se puede presentar de muchas formas y con la que se tiene que trabajar en escena. El artículo muestra que la transferencia interlingüística lejos de ser simple, presenta complejidad, encuentra muchos escollos como es el caso de las dicotomías. Pero si el escollo se acepta como un reto, este formará parte de la puesta en escena y además puede suponer una forma de enriquecerla.

A generalized Pólya algorithm

AbstractIt is shown that the convergence of several standard algorithms for the construction of a best approximation to a continuous function on an interval can be established by applying a single theorem which extends the result of Pólya from convergence of sequences of best Lp approximations to that of best approximations with respect to any pointwise convergent sequence of norms. In particular, the convergence of both the first and second Rémès algorithms is obtained as an application of the theorem

The poetic response to the paradox of mutability and permanence: A study of poets of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries

I have been living through a year, not merely existing in an abstraction called time. The year has meant to me participation in a cycle, the awareness of an ebb and flow, of being part of a vital and complex process…. At this moment I am standing on the threshold of a new year waiting to begin a new cycle of months forever familiar and forever new. “Seasons return”… though sooner or late each of us must add, “but not for me.” Thus, Joseph Wood Krutch, twentieth-century American naturalist, ends his book The Twelve Seasons

Intelligence/Electronic Warfare (IEW) direction-finding and fix estimation analysis report. Volume 2: Trailblazer

An analysis of the direction finding (DF) and fix estimation algorithms in TRAILBLAZER is presented. The TRAILBLAZER software analyzed is old and not currently used in the field. However, the algorithms analyzed are used in other current IEW systems. The underlying algorithm assumptions (including unmodeled errors) are examined along with their appropriateness for TRAILBLAZER. Coding and documentation problems are then discussed. A detailed error budget is presented

Undernutrition, brain growth and intellectual development

No Abstract. South African Medical Journal Vol. 96(9) (Part 2) 2006: 862-86

Incremental development and prototyping in current laboratory software development projects: Preliminary analysis

Several Laboratory software development projects that followed nonstandard development processes, which were hybrids of incremental development and prototyping, are being studied. Factors in the project environment leading to the decision to use a nonstandard development process and affecting its success are analyzed. A simple characterization of project environment based on this analysis is proposed, together with software development approaches which have been found effective for each category. These approaches include both documentation and review requirements