Evaluating the application of a decision support system in identifying adequate wastewater treatment for small communities. A case study: the Fluvia River Basin.

The identification of adequate wastewater treatment for small communities is a complex problem since it demands a combination of data from different sources, such as aspects of the community and landscape, the receiving environment and the available wastewater treatment technologies. The Catalan Water Agency (Agència Catalana de l'Aigua) considered using an EDSS (Environmental Decision Support System) as a tool to help water managers select the most adequate treatment for the urban wastewater of nearly 3,500 small communities in Catalonia (Spain). From that moment, EDSS was applied to all the river basins in Catalonia. In this paper the authors present the results obtained for the 76 small communities located in one of these river basins: the Fluvia River Basin. The characteristics of the community used in the reasoning process of the EDSS, the list of selected wastewater treatment alternatives, the technical environmental justification for the selected treatments and the reasons for discarding, favouring or disadvantaging them are presented. Finally, some results for the Fluvia River Basin are compared with those obtained in other Catalan river basins with different characteristics in order to evaluate which are the significant features in identifying adequate wastewater treatments.

[Gronblad-Strandberg syndrome. Report of four cases in one family]. / Síndrome de Grönblad-Strandberg. A propósito de cuatro casos en una misma familia.

The Grönblad-Strandberg syndrome is a rare congenital hereditary dysplasic disorder of the connective tissue, characterized by a progressive abnormal mineralization and dystrophic calcification of elastic tissue and collagen. This process affects tissues rich in elastic fibers and multiple systems of the organism, the cutaneous, ocular and vascular being the most common. These findings progress through the life of the affected person. We present 4 cases in the same family, with heterogeneous clinic pattern and evolution.

[Gronblad-Strandberg syndrome]. / Síndrome de Grönblad-Strandberg.

The Grönblad-Strandberg syndrome, also known as pseudoxanthoma elasticum, is a rare congenital dysplasic disorder of the connective tissue, characterized by a progressive abnormal mineralization and dystrophic calcification of elastic tissues and collagen (1). The mode of inheritance is uncertain, but autosomal recessive inheritance can be assumed. This process affects tissues rich in elastic fibres and multiple systems of the organism, being the most common the cutaneous (pseudoxanthoma elasticum), ocular (angioid streaks), vascular (occlusive vascular disease) and gastrointestinal manifestations. These findings progress through the life of the affected person, with variable pattern clinic and evolution.