Formulation and Validation of an Empirical Moisture Damage Index

An empirical moisture damage index was developed in order to reduce the subjectivity of the estimation of moisture damage in domestic residences, in relation to occupant health. The database was generated using information gathered from a sample of 164 houses that were examined by civil engineers, and questionnaire data collected from the occupants. The index was formulated to associate with the occupant reported respiratory symptoms by calculating weighted estimates of selected moisture damage attributes using 80% of the sample. The remaining 20% of the sample was used to verify the final index. The index associated strongly with the health symptoms of interest. This index is a tool that may be used as an indicator of moisture damage induced exposure in domestic residences.     

Modeling exposure to particulate matter

Exposure assessment, a component of risk assessment, links sources of pollution with health effects. Exposure models are scientific tools used to gain insights into the processes affecting exposure assessment. The purpose of this paper is to review the process and methodology of estimating inhalation exposure to particulate matter (PM) using various types of models. Three types of models are discussed in the paper. Indirect type of models are physical models that employ inventories of outdoor and indoor sources and their emission rates to identify major sources contributing to exposure to PM, and use fate and transport and indoor air quality models to estimate PM concentrations at receptor sites. PM concentrations and time spent by a subject at each receptor site are input variables to the conventional exposure model that estimates the desired exposure levels. Direct type models use measured exposure or exposure concentrations in conjunction with information obtained from questionnaires to formulate exposure regression models. Stochastic models use exposure measurements, estimates can also be used, to formulate exposure population distributions and investigate associated uncertainty and variability. Since models developed using databases from western countries are not necessarily applicable in developing countries, the difference in requirements among western and developing countries is highlighted in the paper. Employment of exposure modeling methods in developing countries requires development of local information. Such information includes local outdoor and indoor source inventories, local or regional meteorological conditions, adjustment of indoor models to reflect local building construction conditions, and use of questionnaires to obtain local time budget and activity patterns of the subject population.     

Chapter three: methodology of exposure modeling

In this chapter, the concept of exposure assessment and its evolution is introduced, and evaluated by critically appraising the pertinent literature as it applies to exposures to Particulate Matter (PM). Exposure measurement or estimation methodologies and models are reviewed. Three exposure/measurement methodologies are assessed. Estimation methods focus on source evaluation and attribution, sources include those outdoors and indoors as well as in occupational and in-transit environments. Fate and transport models and their inputs are addressed to estimate concentrations outdoors and indoors; source attribution techniques help focus on the contributing sources. Activity pattern techniques are also reviewed and their use in exposure models to estimate inhalation exposure to PM is presented. Deterministic, regression and other stochastic models of exposure to PM are reviewed and evaluated. Strengths, limitations, assumptions and affirmations of the use of exposure assessment as an integral component of risk assessment and risk management are discussed in the conclusions and discussions section of this work.     

Functional relationships of landfill and landraise capacity with design and operation parameters.

Solid waste management presses for effective landfill design and operation. While planning and operating a landfill (LF) or a landraise (LR), choices need to be made regarding: (1) LF-LR morphology (base shape, side slopes, final cover thickness, LR/LF height/depth); (2) cell geometry (height, length, slopes); and (3) operation parameters (waste density, working face length, cover thicknesses). These parameters affect LF/LR capacity, operation lifespan and construction/ operation costs. In this paper, relationships are generated between capacity (C, space available for waste) and the above parameters. Incorporating real data into simulation kgamma A1.38, runs, two types of functions are developed: first, C = where A is the LF/LR base area size and kgamma a base shape-dependent coefficient; and second, C = alpha(p,gamma,A) + delta(p,gamma,A)Xp for every parameter p, where Xp is the value of p and alpha(p,gamma,A) and delta(p,gamma,A) are parameter- and base (shape/size)-specific coefficients. Moreover, the relationship between LF depth and LR height that balances excavation volume with cover material, is identified. Another result is that, for a symmetrical combination of LF/LR, with base surface area shape between square and 1:2 orthogonal, and final density between 500 and 800 kg m(-3), waste quantity placed ranges from 1.76A1.38 to 2.55A1.38 tons. The significance of such functions is obvious, as they allow the analyst to investigate alternative LF/LR schemes and make trade-off analyses.     

First-trimester diagnosis of Meckel–Gruber syndrome by transabdominal sonography in a low-risk case

Meckel–Gruber syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder often resulting in neonatal death within a few hours of life. The condition is usually diagnosed ultrasonographically in the second trimester and earlier diagnosis has been mainly confined to high recurrence risk pregnancies. We describe the earliest non-invasive diagnosis of this condition at 12⁺² weeks' gestation in a patient with no previous history using transabdominal ultrasound. Pregnancy termination was declined. Subsequent development of anhydramnios in the mid-trimester resulted in poor fetal visualization. We propose that first-trimester diagnosis of this condition is not only possible but preferable, as normal liquor volume facilitates visualization of fetal anatomy.     

Odor emission rate estimation of indoor industrial sources using a modified inverse modeling method

Odor emission rates are commonly measured in the laboratory or occasionally estimated with inverse modeling techniques. A modified inverse modeling approach is used to estimate source emission rates inside of a postdigestion centrifuge building of a water reclamation plant. Conventionally, inverse modeling methods divide an indoor environment in zones on the basis of structural design and estimate source emission rates using models that assume homogeneous distribution of agent concentrations within a zone and experimentally determined link functions to simulate airflows among zones. The modified approach segregates zones as a function of agent distribution rather than building design and identifies near and far fields. Near-field agent concentrations do not satisfy the assumption of homogeneous odor concentrations; far-field concentrations satisfy this assumption and are the only ones used to estimate emission rates. The predictive ability of the modified inverse modeling approach was validated with measured emission rate values; the difference between corresponding estimated and measured odor emission rates is not statistically significant. Similarly, the difference between measured and estimated hydrogen sulfide emission rates is also not statistically significant. The modified inverse modeling approach is easy to perform because it uses odor and odorant field measurements instead of complex chamber emission rate measurements.