Water quality for triathlon and open water swimming competitions in Brazilian freshwaters

In high-performance competitive activities, there can be intense and prolonged exposure to water during swimming components of the competition. Therefore, water quality assessments with reference to standards are desirable to ensure athletes’ health. We evaluated whether the official criteria established for primary contact recreation in Brazilian freshwaters (CONAMA Directive 274/2000), and an integrated index of bathing conditions in Brazil (ICB), are consistent with the water quality standards stipulated by the International Triathlon Union (ITU). The water quality of Lake of Ingleses, an important venue for triathlon and open water swimming near Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, was assessed between 2003 and 2019. Results for E. coli, cyanobacteria density, and pH were favorable for contact recreation and competitions at the lake. Of the variables considered, only turbidity, used as a proxy indicator of visual water clarity, was unsuitable during part of the monitoring period. The ICB agreed with the ITU standards for Very Good and Excellent quality classes and is recommended as a tool for screening sites considered for competitions in Brazilian freshwaters. However, the Brazilian national criteria for contact recreation only present standards for E. coli and pH, which is insufficient coverage of attributes affecting primary contact suitability of water in high-performance sports activities.

Microbial Source Tracking Approach to Investigate Fecal Waste at the Strawberry Creek Watershed and Clam Beach, California, USA

Clam Beach is located in Northern California, USA, and is listed as an impaired waterway by the federal government. The scope of this study was to investigate this beach and surrounding watershed to determine, if possible, the source of the impairment by conducting an 11-h beach study and 8-week watershed study. We used traditional fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) and microbial source tracking (MST) methods to help identify source(s) of the FIB. Our study was focused on four possible contributors: human, ruminant, canine, and bird. A total of 169 samples were collected, analyzed, and compared to the California Department of Health single sample maximum (SSM) objective. In the beach study, 29 (44%) samples exceeded at least one SSM objective, which would have resulted in a resample per state regulations for recreational primary contact use. MST methods showed that the most abundant marker detected was bird, in 65% of the samples, but varied by sample location, which is likely due to a natural population of nearshore birds regularly observed along Clam Beach. The watershed study highlighted the potential influence from ruminants throughout the region, while humans did not appear to be a significant contributor. Health risk to humans appears to be low.

Midwives’ Experiences with and Perspectives on Online (Nutritional) Counselling and mHealth Applications for Pregnant Women; an Explorative Qualitative Study

Prenatal nutrition is a key predictor of early-life development. However, despite mass campaigns to stimulate healthy nutrition during pregnancy, the diet of Dutch pregnant women is often suboptimal. Innovative technologies offer an opportunity to develop tailored tools, which resulted in the release of various apps on healthy nutrition during pregnancy. As midwives act as primary contact for Dutch pregnant women, the goal was to explore the experiences and perspectives of midwives on (1) nutritional counselling during pregnancy, and (2) nutritional mHealth apps to support midwifery care. Analyses of eleven in-depth interviews indicated that nutritional counselling involved the referral to websites, a brochure, and an app developed by the Dutch Nutrition Centre. Midwives were aware of the existence of other nutritional mHealth apps but felt uncertain about their trustworthiness. Nevertheless, midwives were open towards the implementation of new tools providing that these are trustworthy, accessible, user-friendly, personalised, scientifically sound, and contain easy-digestible information. Midwives stressed the need for guidelines for professionals on the implementation of new tools. Involving midwives early-on in the development of future nutritional mHealth apps may facilitate better alignment with the needs and preferences of end-users and professionals, and thus increase the likelihood of successful implementation in midwifery practice.

Consensus ‘Interferon therapy for patients with influenza, SARS and COVID19’

According to the who, the share of acute respiratory viral infections (амма? and influenza) accounts for about 90–95% of all infectious diseases; in russia, influenza and arvi take up to 40% of the total duration of official disability, which determines the significance of this pathology. At the same time, the primary contact of the overwhelming majority of patients with suspected arvi and influenza occurs with a therapist or general practitioner of polyclinics. The proposed consensus of experts is intended to systematize the known approaches to the diagnosis, treatment and secondary prevention of influenza, acute respiratory viral infections and community-acquired pneumonia for their use at outpatient clinics. The schemes of using interferon therapy for arvi and influenza are considered in detail.

Deniable Contact

Despite the importance of secret negotiations during the Northern Ireland conflict there is no full-length study of the use of back-channels in repeated efforts to end the ‘Troubles’. This book provides a textured account that extends our understanding of the distinctive dynamics of negotiations conducted in secret and the conditions conducive to the negotiated settlement of conflict. It disrupts and challenges some conventional notions about the conflict in Northern Ireland, offering a fresh analysis of the political dynamics and the intra-party struggles that sustained violent conflict and prevented settlement for so long. It draws on theories of negotiation and mediation to understand why efforts to end the conflict through back-channel negotiations repeatedly failed before finally succeeding in the 1990s. It challenges the view that the conflict persisted because of irreconcilable political ideologies and argues that the parties to conflict were much more open to compromise than the often-intransigent public rhetoric suggested. The analysis is founded on a rich store of historical evidence, including the private papers of key Irish republican leaders and British politicians, recently released papers from national archives in Dublin and London, and the papers of Brendan Duddy, the intermediary who acted as the primary contact between the IRA and the British government during key phases of engagement, including papers that have not yet been made publicly available. This documentary evidence, combined with original interviews with politicians, mediators, civil servants, and republicans, allows a vivid picture to emerge of the complex maneuvering at this intersection.

Non-Governmental Organizations in Tijuana, Mexico Serving Deported Migrants from the United States

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are frequently an immigrant’s primary contact for support and service provision following deportation. We used semi-structured interviews and survey data collected in 2016 from the directors of 15 migrant-serving ONG in Tijuana, Mexico, to study how these Organizations support deportees. Building on the interdisciplinary nonprofit literature, we apply theories related to public values to frame our analysis. Our results suggest that NGOs in Tijuana contribute to public value across six roles while supporting deportees. As a pilot project, this paper provides a foundation for future studies of NGOs and the dynamics of U.S.-Mexico border cities receiving deportees.

DIFFERENCES IN INTERPERSONAL INTERACTION OF REPRESENTATIVES OF DIFFERENT SOCIONOMIC PROFESSIONS

The article is devoted to the study of the problem of differences in interpersonal interaction of representatives of different socionomic professions. The indicators of interpersonal interaction are procedural such as: primary contact, communication, relationships and structural and personal characteristics: motivational, emotional, volitional and cognitive. The following representatives of socionomic professions were studied: psychologists, teachers, journalists, social educators and managers. It is empirically determined that groups of psychologists, teachers, managers and journalists do not differ significantly in the manifestation of indicators of interpersonal interaction. They demonstrate sufficiently developed qualities that provide interpersonal interaction at all stages. As for social educators, they have a much lower level of procedural features of interpersonal interaction compared to other specialists. Significant differences in the manifestation of structural and personal characteristics of interpersonal interaction between all groups of subjects were revealed. Social educators understand other people better than representatives of all other professions, are able to resolve interpersonal conflicts. Much worse, but this characteristic will also be sufficiently demonstrated by teachers, psychologists and managers. Journalists have difficulty resolving interpersonal conflicts. The specificity of interpersonal interaction of representatives of socionomic professions is emphasized.Key words: interpersonal interaction, primary contact, communication, relations, structural-personal features, socionomic professions.

BALNEÁRIO DA AMIZADE: LEVANTAMENTO DE ASPECTOS AMBIENTAIS E ANÁLISE DOS CRITÉRIOS DE BALNEABILIDADE

The Balneário da Amizadeis considered the source that belongs to the hydrographic basin of the upper course of the Limoeiro stream located between the cities of Presidente Prudente and Álvares Machado. The water resource is used in emergency cases to supply the water distribution network of the Basic Sanitation Company of the State of São Paulo, being used for sports, leisure and tourism. In view of the characteris-tics of the place, the objective was to survey the environmental aspects of the study area and analyze the water quality, aiming at comparing the results with the resolution of the National En-vironmental Council. The methodology was based on the Stand-ard Methods for the Examination of Water & Wastewater standard for the analysis of thermotolerant coliforms and Esch-erichia coli from the five collection points and on the characteri-zation of the study area. Taking into account the result of the survey of environmental aspects, it was found that these factors interfered with water quality. In order to assess bathing, the point allowed for access to bathers was considered. When com-paring the results of microbiological parameters, it was noted that the presence of 83.660 thermotolerant coliforms restricts the use for primary contact in point 2, being considered inap-propriate forbathers, as described in CONAMA Resolution No. 274/2000.