On the ontological status of the concept of risk

In this paper we review a set of frequently used risk definitions and analyze their ontological status, i.e. to what extent risk exists in itself independent of any specific assessor. According to some prevailing risk perspectives in the social sciences, risk exists as objective states of the world, but for other common risk perspectives the status of risk is not as clear, for example if risk is viewed as uncertainty about and severity of the consequences of an activity with respect to something that humans value. The principal aim of this paper is to contribute to a clarification of the issue in order to strengthen the foundations of the meaning of risk.     

Source apportionment of PM<Subscript>10</Subscript> and PM<Subscript>2.5</Subscript> at multiple sites in the strait of Gibraltar by PMF: impact of shipping emissions

Background  

The impact of shipping emissions on urban agglomerations close to major ports and vessel routes is probably one of the lesser understood aspects of anthropogenic air pollution. Little research has been done providing a satisfactory comprehension of the relationship between primary pollutant emissions, secondary aerosols formation and resulting air quality.     

Neanderthal medics? Evidence for food, cooking, and medicinal plants entrapped in dental calculus

Neanderthals disappeared sometime between 30,000 and 24,000?years ago. Until recently, Neanderthals were understood to have been predominantly meat-eaters; however, a growing body of evidence suggests their diet also included plants. We present the results of a study, in which sequential thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) were combined with morphological analysis of plant microfossils, to identify material entrapped in dental calculus from five Neanderthal individuals from the north Spanish site of El Sidrón. Our results provide the first molecular evidence for inhalation of wood-fire smoke and bitumen or oil shale and ingestion of a range of cooked plant foods. We also offer the first evidence for the use of medicinal plants by a Neanderthal individual. The varied use of plants that we have identified suggests that the Neanderthal occupants of El Sidrón had a sophisticated knowledge of their natural surroundings which included the ability to select and use certain plants.     

Prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of frontonasal dysplasia

We report a case of prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of frontonasal dysplasia. This represents a very rare disorder involving the face (hypertelorism, median cleft lip, absence of the nasal tip) and often the central nervous system (CNS) (cranium bifidum occultum, ethmoidal cephalocele, agenesis of the corpus callosum). Although several of the typical anomalies are diagnosable by ultrasound in utero (hypertelorism, median cleft lip, anterior cephalocele), very few cases have been reported prenatally, the present being only the third. In the present case, hemimegalencephaly is first reported among the anomalies possibly associated with frontonasal dysplasia. The diagnosis was made at 22 weeks' gestation and was confirmed by necropsy following termination of pregnancy. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Environmental performance evaluation of agro-industrial innovations – Part 2: methodological approach for performing vulnerability analysis of watersheds

Environmental vulnerability analysis has been sparsely used in environmental performance evaluation (EPE) of technological innovations. The present paper proposes a methodological approach to carry out vulnerability analysis of watersheds and to integrate this analysis into methods of environmental performance evaluation of agro-industrial innovations. This approach is applied to the Ambitec-Life Cycle method, described in Part 1 (this issue) of this study. The case study of green coconut substrate compared to ripe coconut substrate, also described in Part 1 (this issue), is now presented considering the vulnerability analysis of the watersheds where the life cycle stages of these products occur. The integration of vulnerability analysis in Ambitec-Life Cycle contributes to a better understanding of the environmental aspects of agro-industrial technological innovations with potential to cause significant impacts in watersheds where these innovations are implemented.     

Climate change and human health in Latin America: drivers, effects, and policies

Many people would be increasingly affected by living under critical conditions in Latin America if, as expected, global warming aggravates disease and pest transmission processes. Heat waves and air pollution would increase heat-related diseases and illness episodes in large cities. Fire smoke has been associated with irritation of the throat, lung and eyes, and respiratory problems. Climate extreme increases associated with climate change would cause physical damage, population displacement, and adverse effects on food production, freshwater availability and quality. It would also increase the risks of infectious and vector-borne diseases. Climate change impacts the geographical range, seasonality, and the incidence rate of vector-borne diseases, such as malaria. Climate-related ecological changes may expand cholera transmission, particularly among populations in low-laying tropical coastal areas. El Niño conditions may affect the incidence of infectious diseases, such as malaria. Ocean warming would increase temperature-sensitive toxins produced by phytoplankton, which could cause more frequent contamination of seafood. A clearer understanding on the current role of climate change in disease patterns will be able to improve forecasts of potential future impacts of projected climate change and support action to reduce such impacts.     

Precipitation, pH and metal load in AMD river basins: an application of fuzzy clustering algorithms to the process characterization

In the present work, Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) processes in the Chorrito Stream, which flows into the Cobica River (Iberian Pyrite Belt, Southwest Spain) are characterized by means of clustering techniques based on fuzzy logic. Also, pH behavior in contrast to precipitation is clearly explained, proving that the influence of rainfall inputs on the acidity and, as a result, on the metal load of a riverbed undergoing AMD processes highly depends on the moment when it occurs. In general, the riverbed dynamic behavior is the response to the sum of instant stimuli produced by isolated rainfall, the seasonal memory depending on the moment of the target hydrological year and, finally, the own inertia of the river basin, as a result of an accumulation process caused by age-long mining activity.     

Solid wastes integrated management in Rio de Janeiro: input-output analysis

This paper analyzes the socioeconomic aspects of solid waste management in Rio de Janeiro. An "input-output" methodology was used to examine how the secondary product resulting from recycling is re-introduced into the productive process. A comparative profile was developed from the state of recycling and the various other aspects of solid waste management, both from the perspective of its economic feasibility and from the social aspects involved. This was done analyzing the greenhouse gas emissions and the decreased energy consumption. The effects of re-introducing recycled raw materials into the matrix and the ensuing reduction of the demand for virgin raw materials was based on the input-output matrix for the State of Rio de Janeiro. This paper also analyzes the energy savings obtained from recycling and measures the avoided emissions of greenhouse gases.