scholarly journals OCCUPATIONAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY AMONG COAL WORKERS AND MINING COMMUNITIES PROXIMATE TO COAL MINING AREAS- A CASE STUDY OF JAINTIA HILLS DISTRICT IN MEGHALAYA

2021 ◽  
pp. 49-60
Author(s):  
Wistful In Excelsis Nongrem
Keyword(s):  
Household Survey ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Mining Areas ◽  
Jaintia Hills ◽  
Mining Coal ◽  
Coal Workers

The coal sector of Meghalaya provides the rural people and migrants the means of livelihood. It is an artisanal and small-scale mining which obtain minerals illegally. The present study examines the working conditions and conditions of work of coal workers at the mines which endangers the lives of miners daily. The researcher conducted a household survey with a total sample size of 180 households. Data were collected at the household and individual level surveyed from different coal bearing villages. The problems of environmental degradation are a growing concern to the mined and unmined areas yet on the other side the more complex effects are that unscientific mining is also inextricably associated to different health hazards. The result shows that most mining households with 53% performed work at very deep underground pits of a depth higher than 121 feet below the ground level and 46% of the households reveals to have work in narrow rat holes which are dug horizontally and the distance of its ranging from 1000-1500 metres. Meanwhile the illegal activity pushes to continue extraction into the remote pristine forests which are far from government hospitals, schools, have no transportation service and complete absence of work safety conduct. KEYWORDS: Informal mining, coal workers, rat-hole mines, mortality, morbidity, health conditions, Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya.

Managing the impacts of mining on Ghana’s water resources from a legal perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasirudeen Abdul Fatawu
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mining Activities ◽  
Protection Agency ◽  
Environmental Laws ◽  
Mining Areas ◽  
Legal Perspective

Recent floods in Ghana are largely blamed on mining activities. Not only are lives lost through these floods, farms andproperties are destroyed as a result. Water resources are diverted, polluted and impounded upon by both large-scale minersand small-scale miners. Although these activities are largely blamed on behavioural attitudes that need to be changed, thereare legal dimensions that should be addressed as well. Coincidentally, a great proportion of the water resources of Ghana arewithin these mining areas thus the continual pollution of these surface water sources is a serious threat to the environmentand the development of the country as a whole. The environmental laws need to be oriented properly with adequate sanctionsto tackle the impacts mining has on water resources. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure needs to bestreamlined and undertaken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and not the company itself.

scholarly journals The outbreak of illegal gold mining in the Brazilian Amazon boosts deforestation

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Siqueira-Gay ◽  
Luis E. Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Gold Mining ◽  
Brazilian Amazon ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Political Pressure ◽  
Deforestation Rate ◽  
Mining Areas ◽  
Mineral Supply ◽  
Regional Policies ◽  
Illegal Mining ◽  
Conservation Of Biodiversity

AbstractIncreased prices and political pressure are boosting illegal gold mining in the Brazilian Amazon, threatening forests, indigenous people, and conservation of biodiversity in protected areas. The rate of illegal mining deforestation increased more than 90% from 2017 to 2020, reaching 101.7 km2 annually in 2020 compared to 52.9 km2 annually in 2017. In that period, illegal mining deforestation rate grew more than the rate of clearing within mining leases. While formal mining is required to comply with environmental regulations, most small-scale or artisanal mining and especially illegal mining areas are abandoned after reserves are exhausted, without proper rehabilitation. Deforestation due to illegal mining is likely to increase in the next years, calling for coordination between local and regional policies as well as for strengthening and expanding international mechanisms to increase traceability of mineral supply chains with certification schemes to help to curb illegal mining.

scholarly journals An Optimized Snowmelt Lysimeter System for Monitoring Melt Rates and Collecting Samples for Stable Water Isotope Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Rücker ◽  
Massimiliano Zappa ◽  
Stefan Boss ◽  
Jana von Freyberg
Keyword(s):  
Isotopic Composition ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Isotopic Signature ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Environmental Tracers ◽  
Hydrograph Separation ◽  
Stable Water Isotopes ◽  
Restricted Volume

Abstract The contribution of snow meltwater to catchment streamflow can be quantified through hydrograph separation analyses for which stable water isotopes (18O, 2H) are used as environmental tracers. For this, the spatial and temporal variability of the isotopic composition of meltwater needs to be captured by the sampling method. This study compares an optimized snowmelt lysimeter system and an unheated precipitation collector with focus on their ability to capture snowmelt rates and the isotopic composition of snowmelt. The snowmelt lysimeter system consists of three individual unenclosed lysimeters at ground level with a surface of 0.14 m2 each. The unheated precipitation collector consists of a 30 cm-long, extended funnel with its orifice at 2.3 m above ground. Daily snowmelt samples were collected with both systems during two snowfall-snowmelt periods in 2016. The snowmelt lysimeter system provided more accurate measurements of natural melt rates and allowed for capturing the small-scale variability of snowmelt process at the plot scale, such as lateral meltwater flow from the surrounding snowpack. Because of the restricted volume of the extended funnel, daily melt rates from the unheated precipitation collector were up to 43% smaller compared to the snowmelt lysimeter system. Overall, both snowmelt collection methods captured the general temporal evolution of the isotopic signature in snowmelt.

New Approaches for the Quantification and Targeting of Noradrenergic Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael David ◽  
Paresh A. Malhotra
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Locus Coeruleus ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Structural Mri ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Symptomatic Therapy ◽  
Pontine Nucleus ◽  
Individual Level

There is clear and early noradrenergic dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease. This is likely secondary to pathological tau deposition in the locus coeruleus, the pontine nucleus that produces and releases noradrenaline, which occurs prior to involvement of cortical brain regions. Disruption of noradrenergic pathways affects cognition, especially attention, which impacts on memory and broader functioning in daily life. Additionally, it leads to the autonomic and neuropsychiatric symptoms that are frequently observed with disease progression.Despite the strong evidence of noradrenergic involvement in Alzheimer’s, there are no clear trial data supporting the clinical use of any noradrenergic treatments. Several approaches have been tried, including both proof-of-principle studies and randomised controlled trials, although most of the latter have been relatively small scale. Treatments have included drug therapies as well as stimulation modalities thought to modulate noradrenergic transmission. The lack of clear positive findings is likely secondary to limited capacity for gauging locus coeruleus integrity and noradrenergic dysfunction at an individual level. However, the recent development of several novel biomarkers holds potential and should allow quantification of dysfunction. This in turn may inform inclusion criteria and stratification for future trials. Imaging approaches in particular have improved greatly following the development of neuromelanin-sensitive sequences, enabling the use of structural MRI scans to estimate locus coeruleus integrity. Additionally, functional MRI and PET scanning have the potential to quantify network dysfunction. As well as neuroimaging, EEG and pupillometry techniques may prove useful in assessing noradrenergic tone and dynamic response to stimulation.Here we review the development of these biomarkers and discuss how they might augment clinical studies, particularly randomised trials, through stratification and identification of patients most likely to benefit from treatment. We outline the biomarkers with most potential, and how they hold promise as a means of transforming symptomatic therapy for people living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Four planes of social being: more connections

2021 ◽  
pp. 127-144
Author(s):  
Priscilla Alderson
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Interpersonal Relations ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Critical Realist ◽  
Scale Data

Adverse mortality and morbidity effects of the huge oil spills in Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, illustrate the value of critical realism’s four planes of social being for organising complex findings and for combining large- and small-scale data sets. These planes cover every aspect of being human: bodies in relation to nature; interpersonal relations; larger social relations and structures; and inner human being in the mental-social-embodied personality. Chapter 5 also considers critical realist approaches to managing data-analysis: laminated systems analysis; interdisciplinary research and policy-making; critical realist theories about interdisciplinarity; overcoming barriers to interdisciplinarity, and interdisciplinary commitments. The detailed examples are about improving the physical health of people with a diagnosis of serious mental illness, and feminist-informed counselling after sexual assault.

scholarly journals Analysis of Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change by Farmers in Gulmi District, Nepal

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 31-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narhari P Ghimire ◽  
Maniratna Aryal
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Climatic Data ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Global Challenge ◽  
Secondary Data Sources ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Climate change is a global challenge, highly affecting the developing countries with low adapting capacity, of which Nepal is not an exception. Climate change highly affects agriculture and livelihoods of farmers in Nepal. Its objectives are farmer's perceptions, witnesses and experiences on effects of climate change on agriculture and adaptations by farmers. Primary informations collected through structured questionnaire of household survey by selecting samples randomly. Information on primary and secondary data sources verified scientifically by trend analysis of climatic data. Most farmers depending on subsistence agriculture have a perception of climate change and respond to the changes based on their own local knowledge and experiences on farming. They are practicing both agricultural and non-agricultural adaptations at individual level. Consequently, appropriate technologies and sustainable community based adaptation strategies built on farmers knowledge, experiences and situation to cope with increasing effects of climate change on agriculture are necessary in the coming years.

scholarly journals Smart Sanitation—Biosensors as a Public Health Tool in Sanitation Infrastructure

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (14) ◽  
pp. 5146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Rary ◽  
Sarah M. Anderson ◽  
Brandon D. Philbrick ◽  
Tanvi Suresh ◽  
Jasmine Burton
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Monitoring ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Emergent Technologies ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Sanitation Infrastructure

The health of individuals and communities is more interconnected than ever, and emergent technologies have the potential to improve public health monitoring at both the community and individual level. A systematic literature review of peer-reviewed and gray literature from 2000-present was conducted on the use of biosensors in sanitation infrastructure (such as toilets, sewage pipes and septic tanks) to assess individual and population health. 21 relevant papers were identified using PubMed, Embase, Global Health, CDC Stacks and NexisUni databases and a reflexive thematic analysis was conducted. Biosensors are being developed for a range of uses including monitoring illicit drug usage in communities, screening for viruses and diagnosing conditions such as diabetes. Most studies were nonrandomized, small-scale pilot or lab studies. Of the sanitation-related biosensors found in the literature, 11 gathered population-level data, seven provided real-time continuous data and 14 were noted to be more cost-effective than traditional surveillance methods. The most commonly discussed strength of these technologies was their ability to conduct rapid, on-site analysis. The findings demonstrate the potential of this emerging technology and the concept of Smart Sanitation to enhance health monitoring at the individual level (for diagnostics) as well as at the community level (for disease surveillance).

Combining labour market and unemployment policies with environmental sustainability? A cross-national study on ecosocial innovations

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingo Stamm ◽  
Aila-Leena Matthies ◽  
Tuuli Hirvilammi ◽  
Kati Närhi
Keyword(s):  
Labour Market ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Organizational Level ◽  
National Study ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Environmental Goals ◽  
Cross National Study ◽  
Cross National

AbstractLabour market and unemployment policies in particular are rarely connected to issues of environmental sustainability. In the present article, the link is examined by focusing on ecosocial innovations in four European countries – Finland, Germany, Belgium and Italy. These innovations are small-scale associations, cooperatives or organizations that create new integrative practices combining both social and environmental goals. By asking how their social practices are linked with labour market and unemployment policies, we explore the scope for new ecosocial policies. The results of this cross-national case study lead to three lessons to be learnt for a future ecosocial welfare state: at the sectoral level, organizational level and individual level. In summary, many valuable ideas, instruments and programmes towards sustainability already exist in the field, but they are not yet integrated in the current labour market and unemployment policies.

scholarly journals Does your neighborhood protect you from being depressed? A study on social trust and depression in Indonesia

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Fahmi ◽  
Nur Afni Panjaitan ◽  
Ibnu Habibie ◽  
Adiatma Y. M. Siregar ◽  
Gilang Amarullah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Trust ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Epidemiologic Studies ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Multilevel Regression ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
The Individual

Abstract Background Prevalence of depression in Indonesia is estimated at about 3.7% of the total population, although the actual may be higher. Studies worldwide have linked the environment where people live to their mental health status. However, little research is found in Indonesia regarding this link. We examined the association between individuals’ perception towards their neighborhood and their depression symptoms. Methods Social trust was measured at the individual (level 1) and community (level 2) levels based on the Indonesian Family Life Survey 5 (IFLS5) in 2014. Depression was measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale Revised (CESD-R-10) and the scores were transformed into logit form using the Rasch model. Multilevel regression was used to determine correlations. Results Of the total sample of 14,227 respondents in this study, about 19.4% had experienced severe depression symptoms in the past week. Social trust was found to be significantly associated with severe depression symptoms. The weaker the individuals’ social trust towards their neighbourhood, the higher the probability of experiencing severe depression symptoms would be. Conclusions This study shows that social trust is associated with the severity of depression symptoms: the higher the social trust, the lower the probability of having severe depression symptoms is. Depression symptoms may also be attributed to significant differences between communities.

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