Evolution of the nutritional and food situation of the metropolitan area of San Jose, Costa Rica]

Evolution of food and nutrient intake patterns in urban San José, Costa Rica, during the last decade, was studied comparing data from the last two national surveys (1978, 1982) and 1987 data obtained from 5 families previously included in the 1982 survey. Total food and nutrient intake was found to be similar to the 1982 results, although the pattern was altered, with a substantial decreased contribution of milk products to both energy and protein intakes. A small but constant decrease in the intake of more than half of the foods registered was also observed. Nevertheless, the nutritional adequacy of energy (from 100 to 78%), retinol (from 83 to 69%), riboflavin (from 94 to 63%), iron (from 106 to 69%) and niacin (from 103 to 81%), were found to be significantly lower than in previous years. The findings herein reported suggest that the effects of the economic crisis initiated in 1980 on food availability, could well be showing a time lag.     

Diet as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in residents of the metropolitan area, San Jose, Costa Rica]

The purpose of this study was to define the dietary pattern of fatty acids, cholesterol, fiber and sucrose in a random sample of 51 families of San José, Costa Rica. Food intake was estimated by using the one-day food weighing method. For food composition values, a single table was created using data taken from others. The results indicated that the level of macronutrient diet composition was in accordance with the United States National Cholesterol Education Program Recommendations. Nevertheless, total dietary fiber (20.3 g/d) intake was below the level suggested by the guidelines, and the percentage of calories from sucrose (12.6%) was above those recommendations. In conclusion, the low P/S ratio, low dietary fiber and high percentage of calories from sucrose in the diet of this urban population group of San José, has several atherogenic features representing one of the important risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease.     

A case study on suspended particles in a natural gas urban transmission and distribution network

Suspended particles in the natural gas transmission and distribution network of the city of Kerman, Iran were investigated. Particle concentration and size distribution were measured in different locations of the natural gas pipeline network. Particle samplings were carried out in two seasons: summer, when there is the lowest consumption, and winter, when there is the highest consumption of natural gas. Additional particle characterization was carried out by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersion X-ray (SEM/EDX) and X-ray diffraction(XRD) analyses. Particle concentration was found to be significantly higher in winter as compared to summer. The range of particle concentrations in summer was from 0.12 mg/Nm³ at the end of the pipeline to 4.7 mg/Nm³ at the network entrance, and from 0.30 mg/Nm³ to 22.1 mg/Nm³ in winter. Particle size distribution showed a higher frequency of smaller particles in winter than in summer. Larger particles were more likely to exist at the network entrance as compared to the exit. The average particle size ranged from 181 μm at the network end to 253 μm at the entrance in summer, and from 74 μm to 209 μm in winter. Particle characterization confirmed the presence of corrosion products in the suspended particles.     

Experimental study of filtration system performance of natural gas in urban transmission and distribution network: A case study on the city of Kerman, Iran

Suspended particles are well known to cause serious problems in natural gas pipelines and related equipment. In this study, suspended particles in the natural gas transmission and distribution network of the city of Kerman, Iran were investigated. Particle concentration and size distribution were measured, under isokinetic condition, in different locations of the natural gas pipeline network. Additional particle characterization was carried out through SEM/EDX and XRD analysis. The filtration performance was found to be rather inefficient according to the particle concentration in the natural gas flow, although it decreased along the pipeline to the end of the network. Larger particles were more likely to exist at the network entrance with respect to the network pipeline exit. The results of particle characterization confirmed the presence of corrosion products in the suspended particles.     

A study of the quantitative relationship between strength and pore-size distribution of porous materials

A porous material is assumed to be made up of many porous bodies which contain various size pores and are parallelly connected. The quantitative relationship between strength and pore-size distribution of porous materials was derived based on the Griffith's theory and the theory of composite, and the block diagram of computer program used to treat this relationship was also put out. Various cement mortar samples and line-sand silicate concrete samples were tested by using the model of cylindrical pores crossed perpendicularly in three-dimensional space, same as the model in mercury porosimetry. The results show that there is much correspondence between the actual strength and the strength calculated based on the relationship derived in this paper.     

The role of zircon particle size distribution, surface area and contamination on the properties of silica-zircon ceramic materials

Zircon is used as an additive to silica ceramics for use in investment casting to improve their high temperature properties. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which this occurs. To investigate the effect of zircon addition to a silica ceramic a number of silica-zircon formulations were created utilising three different batches of zircon with different particle size distributions (PSDs), surface areas and contaminant inclusions. The contaminant inclusion of the zircon, present in the zircon from the ball-milling stage of manufacture, appeared to have a large effect on the room temperature flexural strength, high temperature flexural strength and high temperature creep properties. It is also suggested that any increase in post-fired cristobalite content and any change to crystal growth morphology was due to the inherent contaminant inclusions and not because of the zircon itself. Hence, use of silica-zircon materials in ceramics for investment casting should account for variation in the contaminant inclusion of the zircon in order to maintain the specific material properties required.     

Colour in urban places: A case study of Leicester City Football Club blue

By communicating an integrated story, the Leicester City Football Club blue inherits and persists the history and legacy of the football club, which further provides a stable and consistent meaning for the local sports culture. Colour as a medium and agency creates an intimacy and loyalty between the different ethnic and social groups across local, regional, and global contexts. The case study demonstrated that colour could give place identity through branding practice, identity mediation, and visual culture formation. The process reflected that economic and cultural force had a large impact on place‐making, and could be the decisive influence upon colour symbolism.     

A preliminary study of interfacial areas in vertical cocurrent,two-phase upflow

Pseudo-first order chemical absorption was used as the basis for determining the effective interfacial area available for mass transfer in gas-liquid, cocurrent, upward pipe flow. The study, which was performed in a 2.54 cm I.D. tube, encompassed the slug and froth flow regimes. The interfacial area displayed a strong dependence upon the coordinates of the flow regime map proposed by Oshinowo and Charles⁽¹⁶⁾. In addition, the systematic variation of surface area could be rationalized on the basis of flow regime geometry. Unfortunately the data could not be used to assess previous surface area models due to the unresolved diameter dependence of these models. Observations are also made concerning the apparently significant effect of chemical composition on interfacial surface area, and concerning the inadequacy of the popular methods used for estimating frictional pressure drop in vertical two-phase flows.     

Clayey materials as geologic barrier in urban landfills: Comprehensive study of the interaction of selected quarry materials with heavy metals

Interaction studies of clayey materials with heavy metals have been carried out at different experimental conditions to evaluate their suitability as geological barrier of landfills. For this purpose, five raw materials, usually quarried for brick making, having different mineralogical composition and geochemical and physical–chemical properties were selected. The interactions between zinc (II), lead (II), cadmium (II) and chromium (III) ions and the clayey materials were studied in solutions that simulate the characteristics (composition, majority components) and conditions of leachate from municipal solid waste landfills in the acetogenic stage (young leachate) and methanogenic stage (old leachate). Batch experiments were used to study the retention of metals on clayey materials as function of pH in non-competitive and competitive conditions. Moreover, adsorption isotherms for all the assayed metals and materials were calculated. All the clayey materials displayed lower metal sorption capacity in the young leachate conditions. The clayey materials displayed greater sorption capacity for zinc (II) and chromium (III) whereas lower sorption capacity was observed for cadmium (II). The abundance of clay minerals, carbonate content, specific surface area and the presence of smectites control the metal retention capacity of the clayey material. The obtained results showed that the selected clayey materials are suitable as components of the multibarriers in controlled urban landfills.     

Transport properties study of supplementary cementitious materials: case of tuff,limestone filler and granodiorite

The aim of this research is to determine the effects of replacing cement with tuffs on the transport properties and service life of cement-based materials. Specimens were prepared replacing 5% and 15% by weight of cement with both white and brown tuffs. Additional specimens were prepared replacing cement with 5% and 15% limestone filler and granodiorite to compare the effects of these types of materials. For these four types of specimen as well as a control mortar with no cement replacement transport properties (gas permeability and chloride ingress) were measured as well as porosity and pore diameter. The transport properties were compared the changes in these porosity and pore diameter. Based on the results, white tuff significantly improves the transport properties of the mortars due to its pozzolanic reaction and that white tuff may be an economically and functionally viable replacement for cement where concrete durability is important. Pore diameter and porosity did not correlate well with transport properties.     

Nutritional status and land tenure. A study in adults of the rural area of the northeastern Brazil

The present study was carried out in the rural areas of four municipalities in the North-East of Brazil as part of a broader survey which covered a sample of families living in the area. A subsample of adults (453 women and 126 men) was obtained from individuals who attended the survey's post for clinical and anthropometric evaluation. According to land tenure, they were stratified into four categories: those with-without land (W.L.); small land owner (S.O.); medium land owners (M.O.); and large land owners (L.O.). Means for anthropometric variables (height, weight, middle arm circumference and skinfold thickness) were calculated for each stratum. The differences between groups were statistically significant (p less than 0.05). Findings revealed that the larger the property, the greater the mean value for height; extreme values attained a difference of 7 and 6 cm in men and women, respectively. Mean weight increased as land ownership grew reaching a difference of 9 and 11 kg in men and women, respectively (p less than 0.01). Skinfold thickness and middle arm circumference showed significant differences between strata. To evaluate their present nutritional status, the adequacy of weight to height was obtained. In spite of the low proportion of individuals who exhibited less than 90%, adequate improvement was detected as land tenure increased. The study discusses the precariousness of criteria and patterns for the nutritional evaluation of adults, and suggests the existence of a relationship between nutritional status and land ownership.     

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Ecuadorian adolescent students in the urban area

This is the first study to establish the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Ecuadorian adolescent students. The population studied was made up of 2.829 students, 1.461 females and 1.368 males between 12 and <19 years of age. One thousand four hundred and thirty five students were registered in 60 schools, public and private, in the six main cities of the Coastal Region; the remaining 1.394 students were registered in 60 schools, public and private, in the six main cities in the Andean Region. Height and weight were measured in all participants and the body mass index (BMI) of each individual was calculated. Overweight was diagnosed in those adolescents whose BMI was between percentiles 85 and < 95, and obesity was diagnosed in the subjects whose BMI was > 95. Results indicate that 21.2% of adolescents had excess weight: 13.7% were overweight and 7.5% had obesity. Excess weight was higher in the Coast (24.7%) than in the Andean Region (17.7%; P < 0.0001). In the same way, excess weight was higher among students attending private schools (25,3%) than in those attending public schools (18.9%; P < 0.0001). Data also indicate that excess weight was more common in women than in men, 21.5% versus 20.8%, respectively (P < 0.02). The study also indicated that 16.8% of adolescents were underweight. Taken together, these data indicate that 38% of the studied population was malnourished. It is necessary to take measures to prevent and treat these important public health problems in Ecuador.     

Soil absorbing complex properties of Russian boreal soils and its dependence on the spatial scale of study area

Regional differences of CEC and exchange acidity of boreal soils with a textural differentiation were studied and relationships CEC vs silt and CEC vs organic matter were described on 4 spatial levels: continent (the area is about 5 millions km² ), a region (200 thousand km² – 1 million km²), a county (="oblast" in Russian, 40–370 thousand km²), a field (0.06–2 km²). Characteristic differences were observed for different spatial levels and geographical areas.     

A study of the properties of silicon carbide-bearing materials used in recuperators

Conclusions Silicon carbide-bearing materials containing 36–90 wt.% silicon carbide were studied.The changes occuring in the properties of these materials during thermal aging process in an oxidizing atmosphere were analyzed.It was established that the silicon carbide-bearing materials containing more than 70 wt. % silicon carbide and the silicon carbide materials produced using a nitride binder can be recommended for ceramic recuperators working in the 1350–1400°C range.Deceased.Translated from Ogneupory, No. 3, pp. 16–19, March, 1987.