Adaptation to climate change and policy interactions in Brazil's semiarid region [Panel T14-P10 Session 2]

This paper analyzes the emergence of Brazil's climate adaptation agenda and discusses its divergences regarding the climate mitigation program and the missed goal of the National Adaptation Plan to promote the integration of sectoral agendas. Additionally, drawing on on-the-ground surveys and analyses of institutional documents, this paper examines the combinations of policy instruments that have helped rural populations in the semiarid region of Pernambuco adapt to climate events. It draws on a sociopolitical approach to policy integration, especially the analysis of policy processes affecting decisions and patterns of coordination

Bactriological quality of rainwater samples in cisterns in rural areas of Gomishan

Background and purpose: Due to inadequate quantity and low quality of water resources in rural regions of Gomishan (Golestan province), local residents use cisterns for household water. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the hygienic situation of these cisterns. Materials and methods: In this study, water samples were obtained from 31 villages using random sampling (two times; total number of samples=406). Bacteriological tests were carried out by standard methods. The relationship between hygienic situation of cisterns and bacteriological quality of water were statistically analyzed. Results: A total of 406 water samples was examined by measuring total coliform and fecal coliform, in which. 94 samples (23.14) showed total coliform and 28 sample (6.89) showed fecal coliform. A significant relationship was observed between hygienic status of cisterns and bacteriological pollution (P<0.05). Conclusion: Microbial contamination in the studied cisterns calls for sanitizing the cistern in the region and changing the drinking water resources. © 2016, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

The Byzantine Cisterns of Constantinople

The most unusual aspect of Byzantine Constantinople's water system was the large number of cisterns throughout the city. This research integrates the two most recent in-depth studies of the cisterns to determine that there have been at least 211 cisterns attributed to the Byzantine city. The distribution of the cisterns indicates that the size and number of cisterns constructed reduced over time, with more and larger cisterns developed prior to the seventh century. Cisterns are concentrated in the older area of the City and sparser on the periphery, but with later ones more common in the peripheral areas, suggesting that water provision was extended over time, and although the majority of cisterns are small, most storage volume is concentrated in the three largest open-air cisterns. The extended, detailed list produced will allow more in-depth investigations to proceed. Analysis of the distribution of cisterns across the City creates a framework for understanding the development and functioning of Byzantine Constantinople's complex water supply system

Archaeology via underwater robots : mapping and localization within Maltese cistern systems

This paper documents the application of several underwater robot mapping and localization techniques used during an archaeological expedition. The goal of this project was to explore and map ancient cisterns located on the islands of Malta and Gozo. The cisterns of interest acted as water storage systems for fortresses, private homes, and churches. They often consisted of several connected chambers, still containing water. A sonar-equipped Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) was deployed into these cisterns to obtain both video footage and sonar range measurements. Four different mapping and localization techniques were employed including 1) Sonar image mosaics using stationary sonar scans, and 2) Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) while the vehicle was in motion, 3) SLAM using stationary sonar scans, and 4) Localization using previously created maps. Two dimensional maps of 6 different cisterns were successfully constructed. It is estimated that the cisterns were built as far back as 300 B.C.peer-reviewe

Potentialities and constraints in the relation between social innovation and public policies: some lessons from South America

Social innovation (SI) can offer alternative forms of organization and novel solutions to complex problems faced by contemporary societies. As governments face increasing pressures from mounting societal challenges, it is assumed that SI can provide bottom-up solutions in ways that can create transformative change. However, the dialectic relation between bottom-up initiatives and government can be difficult and sometimes contradictory. Even more, assumptions about the diminishing powers of government can be misleading and overstress the role of SI. Based on the study of the recent South American experience, we have departed from this assumption, seeking to understand what the role of public policies as initiators or supporters of SI could be. We analyzed two top-down initiatives promoted by public policies that ultimately fostered SI in Argentina, the subsistence agriculture “Pro-Huerta” program and the policies of the National Technology and Social Innovation Program, and one complementary case study of a bottom-up SI experience in Brazil, the One Million Cisterns Program, which was later inserted into public policies. Together, these cases have allowed us to understand the potentialities and limitations of SI and the kind of dialectic relations they established with public policies. In particular, we have considered how public policies can foster and support SI.Fil: Gordon, Ariel. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Economía y Administracion; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Becerra, Lucas Dardo. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Centro de Estudios e Investigación. Instituto de Estudios Sobre la Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Fressoli, Juan Mariano. Centro de Investigaciones para la Transformación; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Converting rain into drinking water: Quality issues and technological advances

With growing pressures on water supplies worldwide, rainwater harvesting is increasingly seen as a viable option to provide drinking water to an ever expanding population, particularly in developing countries. However, rooftop runoff is not without quality issues. Microbiological and chemical contamination have been detected in several studies, well above local and international guidelines, posing a health risk for consumers. Our research explores the use of silver ions, combined with conventional filtration and settling mechanisms, as a safe and affordable model for purification that can be applied on a small scale. The complete systems were installed and tested in rural communities in a Mexican semi-arid region. Efficiencies up to 99.9% were achieved in the removal of indicator microorganisms, with a marked exception where cross-contamination from external seepage occurs. Sites without overhanging branches or with relatively clean surfaces show an absence of total coliforms in the untreated runoff, compared with others where values as high as 1,650 CFU/100 ml were recorded. Thus, given adequate maintenance, the system can successfully deliver high quality drinking water, even when storage is required for long periods of time. © IWA Publishing 2011

Localization of axonally transported 125I-wheat germ agglutinin beneath the plasma membrane of chick retinal ganglion cells.

The distribution of 125I-wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) transported by axons of chick retinal ganglion cells to layer d of the optic tectum was studied by electron microscopic autoradiography. We found that 52% of the radioactivity was located in axons and axon terminals in the contralateral optic tectum 22 h after intravitreal injection of affinity-purified 125I-WGA. Axons comprised 43% of the volume of layer d. Dendrites, glial cells, and neuron cell bodies contained 20%, 17%, and 3% of the label, whereas these structures comprised 24%, 21%, and 2% of the tissue volume, respectively. We also measured the distances between the autoradiographic silver grains and the plasma membranes of these profiles, and compared observed distributions of grains to theoretical distributions computed for band-shaped sources at various distances from the plasma membranes. This analysis revealed that the radioactive source within axons was distributed in a band of cytoplasm extending in from the plasma membrane a distance of 63 nm. Because WGA is known to bind to specific membrane glycoconjugates, we infer that at least some glycoconjugates may be concentrated within an annular region of cytoplasm just beneath the axonal plasma membrane after axoplasmic transport from the neuron cell body