Different patterns by age-group and gender of socioeconomic inequalities in smoking in Colombia.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence on socioeconomic inequalities in smoking from low- and middle-income countries has shown some inconsistency between countries. We have studied the socioeconomic inequalities in current smoking, ever smoking, and smoking cessation in Colombia by age-group and gender. METHODS: Sixty thousand, three hundred and forty-nine Colombian men and women aged 12-69 years were selected at random from the results of a national survey. We used Pearson's chi-square and Robust Poisson regression analyses to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios between smoking behaviors and 2 indicators of socioeconomic position; individuals' educational level and household socioeconomic stratum. RESULTS: In men aged 45-69 years, higher socioeconomic stratum and higher education were associated with a lower rate of current smoking (PR = 0.49 [95% CI, 0.32-0.73] and PR = 0.64 [95% CI, 0.47-0.86], respectively), a history of smoking (PR = 0.67 [95% CI, 0.53-0.85] and PR = 0.75 [95% CI, 0.63-0.90], respectively), or a higher rate of smoking cessation (PR = 1.37 [95% CI, 1.09-1.72] and PR = 0.18 [95% CI, 0.99-1.72], respectively). In men aged 18-44 years, higher education was associated with lower odds of current and history of smoking (PR = 0.75 [95% CI, 0.61-0.92 and PR = 0.81 [95% CI, 0.67-0.98], respectively). Results in women and adolescents were mixed. CONCLUSIONS: In Colombia, the overall declining prevalence of smoking in men seems to be accompanied by a narrowing of smoking inequalities in successive birth cohorts, suggesting a favorable evolution of the tobacco epidemic. Further research will be required to identify factors that have contributed these optimal circumstances in tobacco control.

Niveles de alcohol en sangre y somnolencia en conductores estudiados en simuladores: un metaanálisis / Blood alcohol concentration and somnolence among drivers studied in simulators: a meta-analysis

Introducción: Los accidentes de tránsito ocasionados por conductores que se encuentran bajo el efecto del alcohol constituyen una de las principales causas de accidentalidad y mortalidad vial. Ante este problema, surge la necesidad de definir límites en cuanto al nivel de alcoholemia a partir del cual se pone en riesgo el estado de vigilia necesaria para la conducción. Objetivos: Determinar las concentraciones mínimas de alcohol en sangre con las que se altera el estado de vigilia o se genera algún grado de somnolencia que pone en riesgo la habilidad y la destreza al conducir. Métodos: Metanálisis de la literatura sobre los artículos publicados entre 1999 y 2009 que evaluaron la conducción en simuladores después de la ingesta de diferentes grados de alcohol y en los que se midió la somnolencia que estos grados producen en los conductores. Resultados: Se produce mayor somnolencia en los conductores que están bajo efecto de alcohol. Las diferencias medias estandarizadas (SMD) fueron de 0,81 (IC 95%: 0,54-1,09) para personas con niveles de concentraciones de alcohol en sangre (BAC) menores a 0,05 y de SMD = 1,16 (IC 95 %: 0,93-1,4) para las personas con niveles de BAC mayores a 0,05. En todas las escalas utilizadas para medir somnolencia se corroboró el efecto del alcohol. Conclusiones: En todos los desenlaces se evidenció que, independientemente de la cantidad de alcohol en la sangre (niveles mayores y menores de BAC = 0,05), la ingesta de alcohol está asociada con mayor somnolencia...

Introduction: Traffic accidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol are a major cause of road accidents and mortality. Faced with this problem, defining the limit of alcohol levels from which wakefulness for the purpose of driving is jeopardized is critical. Objectives: To determine the minimum concentration of alcohol in blood that alters wakefulness or generates some degree of drowsiness that compromises driving ability and skill. Method: Meta-analysis. Systematic review of eight databases, limited to publications between 1999 and 2009 in which the assessment was made through simulators and blood alcohol concentrations were measured. Results: In all the subgroups studied it was clear that people with some intake of alcohol tend to have some degree of drowsiness compared with those with a blood alcohol level of 0. Standardized mean differences in sleepiness were high. This means there was a great difference between those with blood alcohol concentrations and those without. Conclusions: In all outcomes it was evident that regardless of the amount of alcohol in blood, alcohol intake provoked in the drivers a tendency towards sleepiness. We observed that most simulator studies tend to favor zero alcohol intake while driving because of the high degree of drowsiness that occurs...

Leaching of potential hazardous elements of coal cleaning rejects.

The geochemical characteristics of coal cleaning rejects (CCR) in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, were investigated. Around 3.5 million ton/year of coal waste are dumped in Santa Catarina State. Coal beneficiation by froth flotation results in large amounts of CCR composed of coaly and mineral matter, the latter characterised by the occurrence of sulphide minerals and a broad array of leachable elements. The total and leachable contents of more than 60 elements were analysed. Atmospheric exposure promotes sulphide oxidation that releases substantial sulphate loads as well as Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, Cl- and Al3+. The metals with the most severe discharges were Zn, Cu, Mn, Co, Ni and Cd. Most trace pollutants in the CCR displayed a marked pH-dependent solubility, being immobile in near-neutral samples. The results highlight the complex interactions among mineral matter solubility, pH and the leaching of potentially hazardous elements.

Coal cleaning residues and Fe-minerals implications.

In the present investigation, a study was undertaken to understand the origin of Fe-minerals presents in Brazilian coal mining and to understand the environmental implication and the chemical heterogeneity in the study area. Coal cleaning residue samples rich in clays, quartz, sulphides, carbonates, sulphates, etc. were sampled from Lauro Muller, Urussanga, Treviso, Siderópolis, and Criciúma cities in the Santa Catarina State and a total of 19 samples were collected and Mössbauer, XRD, SEM/EDX, and TEM analyses were conducted on the samples. The major Fe-minerals identified are represented by the major minerals chlorite, hematite, illite, and pyrite, while the minor minerals include, ankerite, chalcopyrite, goethite, hematite, jarosite, maghemite, magnetie, marcasite, melanterite, natrojarosite, oligonite, pyrrhotite, rozenite, schwertmannite, siderite, and sideronatrile. Pyrite is relatively abundant in some cases, making up to around 10% of the mineral matter in several samples. The sulphates minerals such as jarosite and others, probably represent oxidation products of pyrite, developed during exposure or storage.

Smectite in mangrove soils of the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Smectitic clay minerals are frequently identified in mangrove soils, but there is little information about their types and origins. Besides their importance in the agronomical and geotechnical areas, smectites play an important environmental role by adsorbing nutrients, organic pollutants and heavy metals. Smectites found in mangrove soils can be of marine or continental detrital origin, or of neoformation origin. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify the types of smectites present in the State of São Paulo mangrove soils (Brazil), and to relate them to their possible origins. Soil samples were taken in five mangroves along the State of Sao Paulo State coast line. The mineral composition of the clay fraction was identified by X-ray Diffractometry (XRD) applying the Greene-Kelly test and by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Highlighting the peaks in the 3,560 cm-1 band and in the region near 798 and 820 cm-1, there was a predominance of nontronite in the soil at the Sítio Grande River, Pai Matos Island, Caranguejo Island and Itapanhaú River mangroves, and possibly a lower concentration of ferric montmorillonite in the Escuro River mangrove. Since the continental sediments in these environments are very poor in smectite, the origin of these minerals in the mangrove soils studied is related to sedimentation left by past marine transgressions, to neoformation processes, or yet to a combination of both origins.

Minerais de argila esmectíticos são freqüentemente identificados em solos de manguezais, mas são escassas as informações sobre os tipos encontrados e suas origens. A despeito da importância para a agronomia e geotecnia, as esmectitas desempenham também importante papel no âmbito ambiental, atuando na adsorção de nutrientes, poluentes orgânicos e metais pesados. Esmectitas em solos de manguezais podem ser de origem detrítica, marinha ou continental, e também de neoformação. Assim, este estudo objetivou identificar os tipos de esmectitas presentes em solos de manguezais do Estado de São Paulo e relacioná-los com suas possíveis origens. Para tanto, foram amostrados solos de cinco manguezais distribuídos ao longo do litoral paulista, cuja identificação dos constituintes mineralógicos da fração argila foi realizada por difratometria de raios X (DRX) com aplicação do teste de Greene-Kelly e por espectroscopia no infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FTIR). Destacando os picos na banda de 3.560 cm-1 e na região próxima a 798 e 820 cm-1, verificou-se o predomínio de nontronita nos solos dos manguezais do Rio Sítio Grande, Ilha de Pai Matos, Ilha do Caranguejo e Rio Itapanhaú e, possivelmente menor participação de montmorilonita férrica no manguezal do Rio Escuro. Como os sedimentos continentais destes ambientes são muito pobres em esmectitas, a origem destes minerais nos solos dos manguezais estudados está relacionada à sedimentação deixada pelas transgressões marinhas pretéritas ou aos processos de neoformação ou, ainda, com uma combinação de ambas origens.

Niveles de alcohol en la sangre y desviación de la línea en conductores estudiados en simuladores: un metaanálisis / Blood alcohol concentration and deviation from the line among drivers studied in simulators: a meta-analysis

Introducción: Conducir bajo los efectos del alcohol aumenta el riesgo de sufrir accidentes de tránsito y la tasa de accidentalidad vial tiende a incrementarse. Sin embargo, no es claro en qué grado la presencia de alcohol en la sangre logra desviar al conductor de su carril. Objetivos: Determinar las concentraciones mínimas de alcohol en la sangre que se deben alcanzar para alterar la habilidad de conducción en las personas y definir qué habilidades se ven afectadas con mayor rapidez en la desviación del carril. Método: Revisión sistemática de la literatura en ocho bases de datos. Se limitó a publicaciones de los últimos diez años (1999-2009) y a artículos en los que se hizo la evaluación a través de simuladores y donde se midieron las concentraciones de alcohol en la sangre. Resultados: De todos los subgrupos estudiados es evidente que las personas con algún consumo de alcohol tienden a desviarse más de la línea que las personas que no lo han consumido. Entre los conductores que presentaron alcohol en la sangre, sólo se encontró una pequeña diferencia entre las desviaciones de la línea de aquellos con cifras mayores o menores a 0,05 (0,65 vs. 0,78). Conclusiones: En todos los desenlaces se evidenció que, independientemente de la cantidad de alcohol en la sangre, el haber consumido hace que el conductor tienda a desviarse de su carril. En términos generales se puede decir que la desviación de la línea se convierte en una medida muy sensible al consumo de alcohol...

Introduction: Driving under the influence of alcohol increases the risk of traffic accidents and road accident. However, it is not clear to what extent the presence of alcohol in the blood can divert a driver of the lane. Objectives: To determine the minimum concentration of alcohol in the blood that must be reached to alter the driving ability in people and define what skills are affected more quickly in the deviation of the lane test. Method: Systematic review of the literature in eight databases, limited to publications of the last ten years (1999-2009) and articles in which the assessment was made through simulators and concentrations of alcohol in the blood were measured. Results: Of all the subgroups studied, it is clear that persons with any alcohol consumption tend to drift over the line more than people who have not consumed. Among the drivers who had alcohol in the blood, there was only a slight difference between the deviations from the line of those with levels greater or less than 0.05 (0.65 vs. 0.78). Conclusions: In all the endpoints was demonstrated that, regardless of the amount of alcohol in the blood, a driver with any alcohol use tend to deviate from the lane. Overall we can say that the deviation of the line becomes a very sensitive evidence of alcohol use...

Niveles de alcohol en sangre y riesgo de accidentalidad vial: revisión sistemática de la literatura / Concentrations of alcohol in the blood and risk of road accidents: a systematic review of the literature

Introducción: La accidentalidad vial debe una importante cuota al alcohol. El alcohol no sólo altera la capacidad para conducir y reaccionar al tráfico, sino que incrementa los riesgos de daños a otros pasajeros y a otros vehículos, los daños en propiedades, las pérdidas en horas laborables, la calidad de vida y las reparaciones. Método: Revisión sistemática de la literatura para evaluar los estudios descriptivos y experimentales que miden el impacto del consumo, la efectividad de las diferentes medidas de limitación al consumo y las alteraciones producidas por el alcohol en el conductor. Resultados: Los accidentes de tráfico asociados con el alcohol (ATRA) son la causa aislada más importante de muertes relacionadas con alcohol en muchos países. Cada aumento de 0,02% en las concentraciones de alcohol duplica el riesgo de un accidente fatal. La mayoría de accidentes en Colombia ocurren en áreas urbanas (75%) y el 53,3% de los muertos son peatones. Se ha mostrado que, adicionalmente, la educación tiene un impacto enorme en la prevención de accidentes. Conclusiones: Para reducir la accidentalidad relacionada con el alcohol es claro que las restricciones legales tienen impacto, así como los programas de educación e información. Debe generalizarse el concepto de alteración en la capacidad para conducir de manera segura y debe pedirse a las autoridades que busquen implementar los conceptos de limitación legal a la conducción bajo efectos del alcohol...

Introduction: Alcohol consumption plays an important role in road accidents. Alcohol not only alters the ability to drive and react to traffic, but it also increases the driver’s riskof injuries and death, the risk of injuries to other passengers and pedestrians, increases damages to other vehicles and properties, quality of life, losses of labor hours. Method: Systematic review of literature to descriptive and experimental studies were evaluated for impact of alcohol consumption, for effectiveness of different strategies to reduce driving under the influence, and for effects of alcohol on driving performance. Results: Road accidents associated with driving under the influence are the isolated most important cause of deaths related to alcohol in m ny countries. For each increase in 0.02% in Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) the risk of a fatal accident duplicates. Most of the accidents in Colombia occur in the cities (75%) and 53.3% of deaths occur in pedestrians. It has been shown that education offers additional benefits. Conclusions: It is clear now that legal restrictions in the use of alcohol while driving produce reduction in road accidents, even more if accompanied by information and education programs. The knowledge of driving abilities impairment associated with alcohol consumption should be generalized, and the authorities asked to implement legal limits to driving under the effects of alcohol...

Smectite in mangrove soils of the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Smectitic clay minerals are frequently identified in mangrove soils, but there is little information about their types and origins. Besides their importance in the agronomical and geotechnical areas, smectites play an important environmental role by adsorbing nutrients, organic pollutants and heavy metals. Smectites found in mangrove soils can be of marine or continental detrital origin, or of neoformation origin. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify the types of smectites present in the State of São Paulo mangrove soils (Brazil), and to relate them to their possible origins. Soil samples were taken in five mangroves along the State of Sao Paulo State coast line. The mineral composition of the clay fraction was identified by X-ray Diffractometry (XRD) applying the Greene-Kelly test and by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Highlighting the peaks in the 3,560 cm-1 band and in the region near 798 and 820 cm-1, there was a predominance of nontronite in the soil at the Sítio Grande River, Pai Matos Island, Caranguejo Island and Itapanhaú River mangroves, and possibly a lower concentration of ferric montmorillonite in the Escuro River mangrove. Since the continental sediments in these environments are very poor in smectite, the origin of these minerals in the mangrove soils studied is related to sedimentation left by past marine transgressions, to neoformation processes, or yet to a combination of both origins.

Minerais de argila esmectíticos são freqüentemente identificados em solos de manguezais, mas são escassas as informações sobre os tipos encontrados e suas origens. A despeito da importância para a agronomia e geotecnia, as esmectitas desempenham também importante papel no âmbito ambiental, atuando na adsorção de nutrientes, poluentes orgânicos e metais pesados. Esmectitas em solos de manguezais podem ser de origem detrítica, marinha ou continental, e também de neoformação. Assim, este estudo objetivou identificar os tipos de esmectitas presentes em solos de manguezais do Estado de São Paulo e relacioná-los com suas possíveis origens. Para tanto, foram amostrados solos de cinco manguezais distribuídos ao longo do litoral paulista, cuja identificação dos constituintes mineralógicos da fração argila foi realizada por difratometria de raios X (DRX) com aplicação do teste de Greene-Kelly e por espectroscopia no infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FTIR). Destacando os picos na banda de 3.560 cm-1 e na região próxima a 798 e 820 cm-1, verificou-se o predomínio de nontronita nos solos dos manguezais do Rio Sítio Grande, Ilha de Pai Matos, Ilha do Caranguejo e Rio Itapanhaú e, possivelmente menor participação de montmorilonita férrica no manguezal do Rio Escuro. Como os sedimentos continentais destes ambientes são muito pobres em esmectitas, a origem destes minerais nos solos dos manguezais estudados está relacionada à sedimentação deixada pelas transgressões marinhas pretéritas ou aos processos de neoformação ou, ainda, com uma combinação de ambas origens.