Derecho humano al agua en el Ecuador

En el Ecuador existe un proceso histórico de concentración y acaparamiento del agua. La política de ajuste estructural llevó a que empresas de servicios de agua potable sean privatizadas. La constitución del 2008 modificó el marco normativo para el agua en el país, se reconoce el derecho humano al agua, los derechos de la naturaleza, el manejo exclusivo público y comunitario y su no privatización. El proceso de reorganización institucional y de construcción de la nueva propuesta de ley de aguas impulsada en el año 2009, se realizó sin la participación real de organizaciones del agua y los usuarios. La movilización social definirá como el alcance de las normas pueden generar cambios reales para la vida de los pueblos

Cumulative Impact of Environmental Pollution and Population Vulnerability on Pediatric Asthma Hospitalizations: A Multilevel Analysis of CalEnviroScreen.

The CalEnviroScreen created by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Sacramento, USA, is a place-based dataset developed to measure environmental and social indicators that are theorized to have cumulative health impacts on populations. The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which the composite scores of the CalEnviroScreen tool are associated with pediatric asthma hospitalization. This was a retrospective analysis of California hospital discharge data from 2010 to 2012. Children who were hospitalized for asthma-related conditions, were aged 0-14 years, and resided in California were included in analysis. Rates of hospitalization for asthma-related conditions among children residing in California were calculated. Poisson multilevel modeling was used to account for individual- and neighborhood-level risk factors. Every unit increase in the CalEnviroScreen Score was associated with an increase of 1.6% above the mean rate of pediatric asthma hospitalizations (rate ratio (RR) = 1.016, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.014-1.018). Every unit increase in racial/ethnic segregation and diesel particulate matter was associated with an increase of 1.1% and 0.2% above the mean rate of pediatric asthma, respectively (RR = 1.011, 95% CI = 1.010-1.013; RR = 1.002, 95% CI = 1.001-1.004). The CalEnviroScreen is a unique tool that combines socioecological factors and environmental indicators to identify vulnerable communities with major health disparities, including pediatric asthma hospital use. Future research should identify mediating factors that contribute to community-level health disparities

Derecho al agua en Ecuador: avances, límites y retos

La aprobación de la Ley de Recursos Hídricos, Usos y Aprovechamiento del Agua, que se debió hacerlo en octubre de 2009, es un tema pendiente aún en 2010. Esta ley deberá dar mayores atribuciones a la autoridad única del agua para que se consolide como entidad rectora; la misma que, según las propuestas de organizaciones sociales, deberá estar compuesta por un consejo plurinacional e intercultural que tenga poder de decisión sobre las políticas nacionales. De esta manera, la participación efectiva de personas, comunidades, nacionalidades y pueblos estaría garantizada, y con ello se aseguraría el derecho al agua, a la limentación y el ejercicio del derecho a la salud

La revolución ciudadana y los trabajadores

Presenta la política laboral del gobierno en el sector público, evidenciando una tendencia regresiva en el ejercicio de la libertad sindical, la negociación colectiva y el derecho de huelga en el sector público. Denuncia los despidos masivos, hostigamiento, persecución y criminalización y las reformas jurídicas regresivas en materia de derechos sindicales y laborales. Establece los elementos de una política laboral progresista que respete íntegramente la libertad y estabilidad sindical a fin de respetar la negociación colectiva y al derecho de huelga como derechos humanos fundamentales

A comparative analysis of temporary and permanent beta attenuation monitors: The importance of understanding data and equipment limitations when creating PM2.5 air quality health advisories

AbstractMobile particulate monitors are being widely used for smoke monitoring throughout the western United States. While this provides valuable additional data for public health decisions, quantifying the field performance of this equipment is necessary to understand measurement limitations when being compared with federal compliance instruments. Met One Instruments, Inc. Environmental Beta Attenuation Monitors (EBAMs) were co-located at permanently established Beta Attenuation Monitor (BAM) sites to determine agreement under normal field operating conditions. Monitors were assessed for agreement between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) measurements. The instruments correlated for hourly (R2 0.70) and daily (R2 0.90) means. Mean difference for EBAM to BAM comparison showed the EBAM over-predicting the BAM by 24% (3 μg m−3). Hourly concentrations fluctuated more in the EBAM. Daily mean concentrations were the most equitably comparable measurement for these monitors. Increases in relative humidity (RH) were associated with increased disagreement between monitors. When EBAM internal RH was below 40%, R2 increased (0.76 hourly, 0.93 daily). The EBAM produced higher hourly AQI estimates. As a result of this study, it is advised to invalidate hourly data when the internal RH is greater than 40% and to only use daily AQI estimates to limit the EBAM AQI over-prediction

Auditoria Administrativa : Auditoria de Mercadeo

El desarrollo de la presente investigación documental consiste en describir el proceso de la auditoría administrativa aplicada al mercadeo y tiene como propósito presentar y explicar la importancia de la realización de una auditoría de marketing en las empresas, este es un tema de mucha importancia ya que hoy en día, las empresas y los mercados se han vuelto bastante competitivos y es necesario que las organizaciones conozcan la situación en la que se encuentran actualmente o lo que pueden pasar en un futuro para que puedan tomar decisiones que le ayuden a prevenir, evitar o mitigar algunos riesgos. La auditoría administrativa aplicada al mercadeo se realiza con el fin de tener un buen control de la mercadotecnia, esta área de la empresa es muy importante porque está relacionada directamente con el cliente y es necesario analizar muy de cerca la información relacionada con este tema; la información presentada permitirá que los lectores comprendan cómo se realiza una auditoría de marketing en una empresa y en qué nos pueden beneficiar los resultados que se obtengan de la misma, es por ello que primeramente se explica la auditoría en términos generales y luego se muestra cómo aplicarla en distintas áreas de la empresa. La información de este documento fue recolectada de diversos libros y autores con experiencia en esta rama de la administración. El escrito contiene las áreas de la empresa que son de interés para el auditor y como debe realizarse una auditoría en dicha área y qué beneficios tendremos de esa información. Atendiendo a las orientaciones facultativas en cuanto a la normativa de seminario de graduación de la UNAN, Managua se ha presentado el informe con la estructura siguiente: introducción, justificación, objetivos, desarrollo de la investigación y conclusiones

Latino and Non-Latino Perceptions of the Air Quality in California's San Joaquin Valley.

The San Joaquin Valley (SJV) of California has poor air quality, high rates of asthma, and high rates of obesity. Informational campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of the health impacts of poor air quality and promoting behavior change need to be tailored to the specific target audiences. The study examined perceptions of air quality, perceived health impacts, and methods of accessing information about air quality between Latinos and other groups in the SJV. Residents of the SJV (n = 744) where surveyed via one of three methods: community organizations (256), public locations (251), and an internet panel (237). The results suggest that people perceive the air quality in their region to be generally unhealthy, particularly for sensitive groups. The air quality is more likely to be reported as being unhealthy by people with health problems and less unhealthy by Latinos and people who report regularly exercising. Latinos are more likely to report working outdoors regularly, but also more likely to report being able to reduce their exposure if the air quality is unhealthy. The results report differences in informational sources about air quality, suggesting that informational campaigns should target high risk groups using a variety of media

On-line estimation of VFA concentration in anaerobic digestion via methane outflow rate measurements

"This paper deals with the design of a robust nonlinear observer as a software sensor to achieve the on-line estimation of the concentration of Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) in a class of continuous anaerobic digesters (AD). Taking into account the limited availability of on-line sensors for AD process, in this contribution is assumed that only the methane outflow rate is available for on-line measurement. The estimation method is based on a modified version for a two-dimensional mathematical model of AD process. From the differential algebraic observability approach it is shown that the VFA concentration is detectable from the methane outflow rate measurements. The observer convergence is analyzed by using Lyapunov stability techniques. Numerical simulations illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed estimation method for a four-dimensional AD model with uncertainties associated with unmodeled dynamics and disturbances in the inflow composition.

Understanding Public Views about Air Quality and Air Pollution Sources in the San Joaquin Valley, California.

The San Joaquin Valley of California has poor air quality and high rates of asthma. Surveys were collected from 744 residents of the San Joaquin Valley from November 2014 to January 2015 to examine the public's views about air quality. The results of this study suggest that participants exposed to high PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in size) concentrations perceived air pollution to be of the worst quality. Air quality in the San Joaquin Valley was primarily perceived as either moderate or unhealthy for sensitive groups. Females perceived air pollution to be of worse quality compared to males. Participants perceived unemployment, crime, and obesity to be the top three most serious community problems in the San Joaquin Valley. Participants viewed cars and trucks, windblown dust, and factories as the principle contributors to air pollution in the area. There is a need to continue studying public perceptions of air quality in the San Joaquin Valley with a more robust survey with more participants over several years and seasons

Robust sliding mode‐based extremum‐seeking controller for reaction systems via uncertainty estimation approach

"This paper deals with the design of a robust sliding mode‐based extremum‐seeking controller aimed at the online optimization of a class of uncertain reaction systems. The design methodology is based on an input–output linearizing method with variable‐structure feedback, such that the closed‐loop system converges to a neighborhood of the optimal set point with sliding mode motion. In contrast with previous extremum‐seeking control algorithms, the control scheme includes a dynamic modelling‐error estimator to compensate for unknown terms related with model uncertainties and unmeasured disturbances. The proposed online optimization scheme does not make use of a dither signal or a gradient‐based optimization algorithm. Practical stabilizability for the closed‐loop system around to the unknown optimal set point is analyzed. Numerical experiments for two nonlinear processes illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed robust control scheme.