Time trends in the impact factor of Public Health journals

BACKGROUND: Journal impact factor (IF) is linked to the probability of a paper being cited and is progressively becoming incorporated into researchers' curricula vitae. Furthermore, the decision as to which journal a given study should be submitted, may well be based on the trend in the journal's overall quality. This study sought to assess time trends in journal IF in the field of public, environmental and occupational health. METHODS: We used the IFs of 80 public health journals that were registered by the Science Citation Index from 1992 through 2003 and had been listed for a minimum period of the previous 3 years. Impact factor time trends were assessed using a linear regression model, in which the dependent variable was IF and the independent variable, the year. The slope of the model and its statistical significance were taken as the indicator of annual change. RESULTS: The IF range for the journals covered went from 0.18 to 5.2 in 2003. Although there was no statistical association between annual change and mean IF, most of the fastest growing journals registered mean IFs in excess of 1.5, and some represented emerging areas of public health research. Graphs displaying IF trends are shown. CONCLUSION: In view of the delay between the publication of IFs and that of any given paper, knowing the trend in IF is essential in order to make a correct choice of journal

Análisis termodinámico de un ciclo Rankine orgánico utilizando fuentes de energía renovables

El elevado crecimiento del actual ambiente socio económico llevó a la necesidad de buscar formas de obtener energía que permitan disminuir la dependencia de las fuentes de combustible fósiles y así también disminuir la contaminación medioambiental. Las fuentes renovables de baja y media temperatura son recursos energéticos de elevado potencial para la generación distribuida de electricidad. Este proyecto muestra la viabilidad termodinámica de un ciclo Rankine Orgánico (ORC) para tres fuentes renovables diferentes: energía geotérmica, energía solar y biomasa. Para realizar el estudio se fijó algunos valores, como por ejemplo, las temperaturas de trabajo de cada fuente renovable. Una vez definidas, se hizo una simulación del ciclo ORC en el programa Aspen HYSYS® v3.2. Los fluidos de trabajo del ciclo ORC son los fluidos orgánicos. Se realizó simulaciones para diferentes fluidos orgánicos y se obtuvo así los parámetros necesarios para el análisis termodinámico en función del fluido que más potencia podía generar o mayor rendimiento de ciclo presentó.Ingeniería Industria

Bayesian joint spatio-temporal analysis of multiple diseases

In this paper we propose a Bayesian hierarchical spatio-temporal model for the joint analysis of multiple diseases which includes specific and shared spatial and temporal effects. Dependence on shared terms is controlled by disease-specific weights so that their posterior distribution can be used to identify diseases with similar spatial and temporal patterns. The model proposed here has been used to study three different causes of death (oral cavity, esophagus and stomach cancer) in Spain at the province level. Shared and specific spatial and temporal effects have been estimated and mapped in order to study similarities and differences among these causes. Furthermore, estimates using Markov chain Monte Carlo and the integrated nested Laplace approximation are compared.Peer Reviewe

Fungsi Promosi Dalam Meningkatkan Daya Beli Gadget Samsung Di Kota Manado

Promosi adalah upaya untuk memberitahukan penawaran produk atau jasa dengan tujuan menarik calon konsumen untuk membeli atau mengkonsumsinya. Dengan adanya promosi produsen atau distributor mengharapkan kenaikan angka penjualannya.Penelitian ini menggunakan teori konsep promosi dengan metode pendekatan secara kualitatif. Hasil penelitian di lapangan menemukan bahwa fungsi promosi dalam meningkatkan daya beli gadget sangat mempengaruhi peningkatan penjualan gadget, dalam persaingan antar gadget yang semakin banyak.Dengan hasil tersebut maka sebagai saran ialah: perlu meningkatkan intensitas promosi produk kepada masyarakat dengan mengoptimalkan semua pendekatan komunikasi, baik personal, kelompok dan media massa modern

Description of industrial pollution in Spain

BACKGROUND: Toxic substances released into the environment (to both air and water) by many types of industries might be related with the occurrence of some malignant tumours and other diseases. The publication of the EPER (European Pollutant Emission Register) Spanish data allows to investigate the presence of geographical mortality patterns related to industrial pollution. The aim of this paper is to describe industrial air and water pollution in Spain in 2001, broken down by activity group and specific pollutant, and to plot maps depicting emissions of carcinogenic substances. METHODS: All information on industrial pollution discharge in 2001 was drawn from EPER-Spain public records provided by the European Commission server. We described the distribution of the number of industries and amounts discharged for each pollutant, as well as emission by pollutant group and the industrial activities associated with each pollutant. Maps of Spain were drawn up, with UTM coordinates being used to plot pollutant foci, and circles with an area proportional to the emission to depict pollution emission values. RESULTS: The EPER-Spain contained information on 1,437 industrial installations. The industrial plants that discharge pollutant substances into air and water above the pollutant-specific EPER threshold were mainly situated in the Autonomous Regions of Aragon, Andalusia and Catalonia and in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Andalusia respectively. Pollution released in 2001 into air approached 158 million Mt. Emissions into water were over 8 million Mt. CONCLUSION: A few single industrial plants are responsible for the highest percentage of emissions, thus rendering monitoring of their possible health impact on the surrounding population that much simpler. Among European countries Spain is the leading polluter in almost one third of all EPER-registered pollutant substances released into the air and ranks among the top three leading polluters in two-thirds of all such substances. Information obtained through publication of EPER data means that the possible consequences of reported pollutant foci on the health of neighbouring populations can now be studied

Arsenic and chromium topsoil levels and cancer mortality in Spain

Spatio-temporal cancer mortality studies in Spain have revealed patterns for some tumours which display a distribution that is similar across the sexes and persists over time. Such characteristics would be common to tumours that shared risk factors, including the chemical soil composition. The objective of the present study is to assess the association between levels of chromium and arsenic in soil and the cancer mortality. This is an ecological cancer mortality study at municipal level, covering 861,440 cancer deaths in 7917 Spanish mainland towns from 1999 to 2008. Chromium and arsenic topsoil levels (partial extraction) were determined by ICP-MS at 13,317 sampling points. To estimate the effect of these concentrations on mortality, we fitted Besag, York and Mollié models, which included, as explanatory variables, each town’s chromium and arsenic soil levels, estimated by kriging. In addition, we also fitted geostatistical-spatial models including sample locations and town centroids (non-aligned data), using the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA) and stochastic partial differential equations (SPDE). All results were adjusted for socio-demographic variables and proximity to industrial emissions. The results showed a statistical association in men and women alike, between arsenic soil levels and mortality due to cancers of the stomach, pancreas, lung and brain and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (NHL). Among men, an association was observed with cancers of the prostate, buccal cavity and pharynx, oesophagus, colorectal and kidney. Chromium topsoil levels were associated with mortality among women alone, in cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract, breast and NHL. Our results suggest that chronic exposure arising from low levels of arsenic and chromium in topsoil could be a potential risk factor for developing cancer. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-016-6806-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Lung cancer risk and pollution in an industrial region of Northern Spain: a hospital-based case-control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Asturias, an Autonomous Region in Northern Spain with a large industrial area, registers high lung cancer incidence and mortality. While this excess risk of lung cancer might be partially attributable to smoking habit and occupational exposure, the role of industrial and urban pollution also needs to be assessed. The objective was to ascertain the possible effect of air pollution, both urban and industrial, on lung cancer risk in Asturias.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a hospital-based case-control study covering 626 lung cancer patients and 626 controls recruited in Asturias and matched by ethnicity, hospital, age, and sex. Distances from the respective participants' residential locations to industrial facilities and city centers were computed. Using logistic regression, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for categories of distance to urban and industrial pollution sources were calculated, with adjustment for sex, age, hospital area, tobacco consumption, family history of cancer, and occupation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Whereas individuals living near industries displayed an excess risk of lung cancer (OR = 1.49; 95%CI = 0.93-2.39), which attained statistical significance for small cell carcinomas (OR = 2.23; 95%CI = 1.01-4.92), residents in urban areas showed a statistically significant increased risk for adenocarcinoma (OR = 1.92; 95%CI = 1.09-3.38). In the Gijon health area, residents in the urban area registered a statistically significant increased risk of lung cancer (OR = 2.17; 95%CI = 1.25-3.76), whereas in the Aviles health area, no differences in risk were found by area of exposure.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study provides further evidence that air pollution is a moderate risk factor for lung cancer.</p

Human placenta and markers of heavy metals exposure: Esteban-Vasallo et al. Respond

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Bayesian joint spatio-temporal analysis of multiple diseases

In this paper we propose a Bayesian hierarchical spatio-temporal model for the joint analysis of multiple diseases which includes specific and shared spatial and temporal effects. Dependence on shared terms is controlled by disease-specific weights so that their posterior distribution can be used to identify diseases with similar spatial and temporal patterns. The model proposed here has been used to study three different causes of death (oral cavity, esophagus and stomach cancer) in Spain at the province level. Shared and specific spatial and temporal effects have been estimated and mapped in order to study similarities and differences among these causes. Furthermore, estimates using Markov chain Monte Carlo and the integrated nested Laplace approximation are compared

Tendències de la mortalitat a Catalunya, 1978-2002: models edat/període/cohort

Mortalitat; Catalunya; Mortality; Catalonia; Mortalidad; CataluñaEn aquest treball s’analitza l’evolució de la mortalitat per un grup de causes, seleccionades d’acord amb la seva magnitud i gravetat, entre els anys 1978 i 2002. L’objectiu és valorar la influència en aquesta evolució de l’edat de defunció, l’any de la mort (període) i l’any de naixement (cohort)