Post-closure Period Research Articles

Life Cycle Mining Deformation Monitoring and Analysis Using Sentinel-1 and Radarsat-2 InSAR Time Series

The life cycle of mining results in various patterns of surface deformation as it progresses through development, production, and reclamation. Therefore, the spatial–temporal patterns of ground deformation provide a crucial indicator to understand the mining activities, related geohazards, and environmental restoration. This study investigates the decadal deformation (2012–2022) of three coal mines during different stages of mines’ life cycles in Henan, China, using radar interferometry with Radarsat-2 and Sentinel-1 data. The results reveal multiple deformation patterns across different areas: the Changcun mine area changed from ground subsidence to uplift following the termination of exploitation in 2016; the Xiadian mine area has been continuously developing over the past decade, resulting in a cumulative subsidence of 55.6 mm; and the Liyuan mine area exhibits surface rebound at a rate of 7.9 mm/year since its closure in 2007. We also probe the mining geometry of the production process by using a rectangular model. This study highlights the significance of long-term InSAR observations and deformation modeling in elucidating the mining operation dynamics of small mining zones in their production, transition, and post-closure periods, thereby facilitating the management of small-scale mining.

Three-Dimensional Modelling of a Large-Diameter Sealing Concept in a Deep Geological Radioactive Waste Disposal

The French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency is leading the design of a deep geological radioactive waste disposal to be located in the Callovo-Oxfordian formation. At the disposal main level, large-diameter galleries will ensure access to the storage cells and connection between zones. After a long operational period, the disposal will be closed by sealing structures located at some key positions to ensure post-closure safety over the long term. The seals are intended to prevent the flow of water and the migration of radionuclides from the disposal to the biosphere throughout the entire storage life. Thus, the long-term safety of the disposal relies to a large extent on the performance of these structures. The paper presents the work carried out to assess and simulate the phenomena underlying the response and performance of a large-diameter sealing concept under real disposal conditions. The complexity of the problem is addressed by considering in the simulations large-scale 3D geometries, advanced constitutive models, complex coupled phenomena, key geometric details at decimetre scale, and all the phases from the excavation to the post-closure period (~ a few thousand years).

Abstract C131: Disparities in breast cancer screening resumption among health plan enrollees in the US following the COVID-19 pandemic: Are all groups back on track?

Abstract Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted racial/ethnic minority and low-income individuals and resulted in significant disruptions in preventive care for all groups. While severe declines in routine cancer screening were observed during pandemic shutdown periods, it is unclear whether return-to-screening rates following healthcare reopening are consistent across all groups. In this study we examine rates of breast cancer screening pre- and post- pandemic shutdown periods across race/ethnicity, age, and income among health plan enrollees in the United States (US) to inform screening catch-up strategies after COVID-19 disruptions. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of breast cancer screening claims (including codes for mammography, breast MRI, digital breast tomography, and breast imaging) from Optum Clinformatics Data Mart among female enrollees from 2019-2021. Eligible enrollees included women, ages 40-75 with continuous enrollment 12 months prior to screening index month. Screening volume was calculated each calendar month during the three-year period, with January 2019-February 2020 as the pre-pandemic period, March 2020 through June 2020 as the pandemic closure period, and July 2020-December 2021 as the post-closure (reopening) pandemic period. We conducted an event study to calculate group-level monthly predicted probabilities of screening using a linear probability model with group interactions by month, controlling for demographic variables and comorbidities. Additionally, we used difference-in-difference (DD) regressions including group interacted with a post-closure pandemic dummy. The pandemic closure period months were excluded from our DD analysis. Results: Our study included 8,378,296 health plan enrolled women. Overall mammography screening decreased significantly during the pandemic closure phase (March-June 2020) but rebounded to higher levels in the post-closure period relative to baseline (3.76% to 3.96%). Screening rates were highest among non-Hispanic White women in the pre-pandemic period compared to other racial-ethnic groups. Our DD model suggests that White-Asian disparities increased in the post-pandemic period while other race/ethnic disparities remained constant. Additionally, disparities in screening by age changed during the pandemic. Although the oldest age group (65-75) had the highest screening rates in the pre-closure phase, they were slower to return to pre-pandemic levels of screening compared to younger age groups. Implications: Return to breast cancer screening among health plan enrollees in the US was robust. However, disparities in screening rates between groups in the pre-pandemic period were again observed in the reopening period, signaling lost opportunities to revamp structural inequities in care delivery following the pandemic. Further monitoring of return-to-screening disparities, particularly among more medically underserved groups, will be critical in informing interventions to address the long-term consequences resulting from the disruption of COVID-19 on cancer care. Citation Format: Jennifer Tsui, Sarah Axeen, John Thacker, Sonali Saluja, Laura Solano, Willow Pastard, Chun Nok Lam, Todd Schneberk, Cameron Kaplan. Disparities in breast cancer screening resumption among health plan enrollees in the US following the COVID-19 pandemic: Are all groups back on track? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C131.

How COVID-19 pandemic affected fisheries (catch volume and price): A case study in Europe

Portugal, with the highest per capita fish consumption and expenditure in the European Union, provides an excellent case study for examining the effects of COVID-19 containment measures on fishing activity. The present study focused exclusively on data obtained from mainland Portugal, covering the years 2015–2021. The analysis included different time periods: namely, pre-lockdown, during lockdown, and post-lockdown. The primary objective was to investigate and gain insights into the potential effects of lockdown measures on the quantity (catch volume) and price ($/Kg) of different fish species groups. During the lockdown, professional fishermen experienced lower quantities, compared to the average of previous years (2015–2019), in some months (March, April and May), of tuna (−44%: from 85 ton to 47 ton), small pelagic fish (−41.8%: from 4510 ton to 2627 ton), crustaceans (−31.9%: from 94 ton to 64 ton), and bivalves (−33.5%: from 412 ton to 274) being landed. Although prices fluctuated, only crustaceans showed a significant decrease in value (−34.8%: from 14.85$/Kg to 9.68 $/Kg). Groundfish, flatfish, cephalopods, and other marine fish groups did not experience any significant impacts on landing quantities. Although there was some recovery in catch volume and market prices in the post-closure period, indicating a certain level of resilience in the sector, the socio-economic context indirectly exacerbated the profitability challenges faced by the fishing industry due to COVID-19. Given the potential for future socio-economic crises, policymakers (e.g., country government) and stakeholders (e.g., Fishers’ associations, HORECA) should prepare comprehensive and easily implementable measures to strengthen the sector and minimize potential disruptions.

Preliminary safety assessment for planning near surface disposal of low-level radioactive waste in Greece

This paper presents the approach, assumptions, and computational analysis of the preliminary safety assessment, regarding the post-closure period for the disposal of radioactive waste in Greece. The assessment was implemented in the context of the National Program for the disposal of radioactive waste in the country, which is currently in the early stage for the investigation of facility siting. The basis scenario selected for this investigation was the leaching of radionuclides and the exposure in a residence offsite. Moreover, a scenario involving the intrusion in the facility and construction of a dwelling that disturbs the disposal zone is also considered. Due to the significant uncertainties in the current phase, the simulations related to leaching of the waste both in the offsite and intrusion scenarios are based on an uncertainty analysis with 25 site and scenario related parameters. The most important contribution is attributed to Ra-226 with an annual dose equal to about 2 and 3 μSv per MBq disposed, for the offsite and intrusion scenario, respectively. Th-232, Cl-36, C-14, Ag-108m and Pu-239 follow with a dose one order of magnitude less, compared to Ra-226. In the leaching scenarios examined, and for the most dose relevant radionuclides, the exposure related to drinking water from the well and the use of this water to irrigate fruits and vegetables are by far the dominant pathways due to the environmental transfer of the radionuclides and their associated dose coefficients. Th-232 dominates the direct exposure pathways (direct external radiation and plant contamination from the contaminated surface soil) in the intrusion scenario with an annual dose of about 1.4 mSv per Bq/g disposed. Ra-226, Cl-36 and Ag-108m cause exposure levels higher than 0.2 mSv/y per Bq/g disposed in the facility. A wide range was considered for the uncertainty parameters that led to a significant variation in the predicted doses that is expected to envelope the potential exposure for each radionuclide.

The Effects of Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation on a Male Patient With Colostomy: A Case Report

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pelvic floor muscle training, consisting of pelvic floor muscle exercises and extracorporeal magnetic innervation, on a male patient with colostomy during the preclosure period. A male patient with colostomy (age: 23 years, body mass index: 24.21 kg/m2) was evaluated. The demographic characteristics and medical history of the patient were recorded. Pelvic floor muscle strength and endurance were assessed with anal perineometric sensor. Subjective perception of improvement was assessed with a Likert-type scale and quality of life was assessed with Visual Analog Scale. All assessments were performed before treatment, during the fourth week of treatment, immediately after treatment at 10 weeks, and at 6 weeks postclosure of the colostomy. Pelvic floor muscle exercises and extracorporeal magnetic innervation were applied for 10 weeks. Subjective perception of improvement, pelvic floor muscle strength, and endurance were enhanced but there was no improvement in quality of life from preclosure to the postclosure period. Pelvic floor muscle exercises and extracorporeal magnetic innervation are effective treatments for increasing the pelvic floor muscle strength and endurance and the subjective perception of healing in a patient with colostomy during the preclosure and postclosure periods. There is a need for randomized controlled studies on this subject with larger samples.

Water production as an option for utilizing closed underground mines

Each mining project goes through the same life-cycle, from prospecting and exploration to closure and post-closure periods. This prompts the question whether the closure of a mine constitutes the end of its life-cycle or whether the decommissioned mine can be employed for some other purpose. Best-practice references indicate that there are many viable options. In our opinion, the production of service water is one such option. Laboratory research was carried out on the water from a flooded underground coal mine in Ostrava-Karvina coal district, Czech Republic, concerning the production of service water from pumped mine-water. The research proved the practical feasibility of service or process water production. Given the effect of global climate change with regard to water resources, good prospects for this additional resource can be assumed since the water has to be pumped in any case for safety reasons.

Constant-head step injection tests to quantify the stress dependence of fracture transmissivity in an excavation damaged zone: A case study from the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory

In an underground repository for high-level radioactive waste disposal , fracture transmissivity in an excavation damaged zone (EDZ) along tunnels or deposition holes can decrease during the post-closure period via processes such as self-sealing by clay-swelling at the EDZ's fracture surface or an increase in effective normal stress acting on the fractures owing to swelling of backfilling or buffer materials. Hydromechanical coupling models for the stress-dependence of fracture transmissivity are helpful to estimate the change in an EDZ's fracture transmissivity after closure. The applicability of the applied models should be confirmed by in situ tests at the given site; this appears to be facilitated by using constant-head step injection tests. However, injection testing is rarely applied to EDZ fractures . To investigate the applicability of injection tests, the present study performed them on single, tensile EDZ fractures in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory hosted by poorly swelling mudstone . Furthermore, the Barton–Bandis normal stress-dependent fracture-closure model quantified the stress-dependence of EDZ facture transmissivity. The fracture's hydraulic aperture increased gradually during injection, and its variation was well reproduced by fitting the model. Although the model requires the normal stress, this parameter was reasonably estimated by the fitting analyses. Constant-head step injection tests coupled with the Barton–Bandis model is believed to be a convenient method for preliminarily quantifying or verifying the stress dependence of EDZ fracture transmissivity, at least for poorly self-sealed, tensile EDZ-fractures. • Assessment combines step injection testing and Barton–Bandis fracture-closure model. • It quantifies fracture transmissivity stress dependence in excavation damaged zone. • The method can also potentially estimate total normal stress acting on a fracture.

Combined Effect of Changes in Transit Service and Changes in Occupancy on Per-Passenger Energy Consumption

Many transit providers changed their schedules and route configurations during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing more frequent bus service on major routes and curtailing other routes, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure. This research first assessed the changes in Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) service configurations by reviewing the pre-pandemic versus during-pandemic General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) files. Energy use per route for a typical week was calculated for pre-pandemic, during-closure, and post-closure periods by integrating GTFS data with MOVES-Matrix transit energy and emission rates (MOVES signifying MOtor Vehicle Emission Simulator). MARTA automated passenger counter data were appended to the routes, and energy use per passenger-mile was compared across routes for the three periods. The results showed that the coupled effect of transit frequency shift and ridership decrease from 2019 to 2020 increased route-level energy use for over 87% of the routes and per-passenger-mile energy use for over 98% of the routes. In 2021, although MARTA service had largely returned to pre-pandemic conditions, ridership remained in an early stage of recovery. Total energy use decreased to about pre-pandemic levels, but per-passenger energy use remained higher for more than 91% of routes. The results confirm that while total energy use is more closely associated with trip schedules and routes, per-passenger energy use depends on both trip service and ridership. The results also indicate a need for data-based transit planning, to help avoid inefficiency associated with over-provision of service or inadequate social distancing protection caused by under-provision of service.

Impact of a Homeless Encampment Closure on Crime Complaints in the Bronx, New York City, 2017: Implications for Municipal Policy

ABSTRACT Purpose As part of COVID-19 control policy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised local jurisdictions to permit the formation of homeless encampments to prevent community disease spread. This new federal public health guidance is in conflict with existing police policies in many jurisdictions to raze or evict homeless encampments upon discovery. However, no empirical research on homeless encampment policy actions exists. Methods This study utilized interrupted time series to estimate the impact of the 2017 closure of “the Hole”—a longstanding encampment of homeless people who use drugs in the Bronx, New York City—on crime complaints. Daily crime complaints originating from public spaces within 1 mile of the encampment were captured during the 30-day periods before and after closure. Results Closure was associated with no short-term changesin complaints [IRR=1.01; 95% CI (0.81-1.27)], with daily complaints remaining at baseline levels during the post-closure period [IRR 0.99; 95% CI (0.98-1.00)]. Discussion Findings preliminarily suggest that the presence of a homeless encampment may not have been associated with increased levels of crime in the neighborhood where it was located. Future research is necessary to understand the health and social impacts of homeless encampments and inform municipal policymakers.

Safety Function of Cementitious Materials and the Analytical Assessment of Long-Term Evolution of Cement-Bentonite Interface for Geological Disposal in Japan

Cementitious materials used in geological disposal repositories are expected to have various functions for construction, operation and closure of the high-level radioactive waste (HLW)/TRans-Uranic (TRU) waste repositories and they also have functions for safety. In the long term after closure of the repositories, cementitious materials are expected to reduce the release of radionuclides from the waste. However, the expected performance of cementitious materials may decrease in the long term because of their gradual dissolution/alteration. In addition, there is a concern that the high pH groundwater due to alkaline ions leached from cementitious materials may degrade the safety functions of other components (buffer, backfill, host rock) of the repositories. Therefore, in order to understand how the expected safety functions of the cementitious materials and other components can be achieved in the post-closure period, NUMO carried out the analytical evaluation of the evolution of each component. The results showed that most of the cementitious materials and other components will remain during a long-term post-closure period. At present, we are aiming to improve the reliability of the analytical model and to develop a more realistic nuclide migration model that reflects the effect of cementitious materials on reducing mass transfer.

Do rural school closures lead to local population decline?

In Denmark, many rural schools have been closed since 2000. These school closures have often resulted in heated debates between local politicians and the local population. Locals have feared that closing their school would have adverse effects and lead to local population decline. Meanwhile, previous research has found mixed evidence on the population effect of rural school closures. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the existing literature by looking at the case of Denmark. The paper analyses the local population effects of the simultaneous closure of eight village schools in 2011 in the same peripheral municipality in Denmark. The case study offers a quasi-experimental setting, and the population effects are estimated through an ordinary and a flexible difference-in-differences (DiD) analysis. Overall, the results show clear evidence of a negative population effect of rural school closures. The ordinary DiD analysis shows a population decline of 7.6 percentage points during the 10-year post-closure period. The flexible DiD analysis points to long-term effects, as the population decline first becomes statistically significant from the sixth year following the closures and onwards. To qualify the results of the econometric tests, we report findings from interviews with local people carried out in 2015 in four of the eight rural communities. Among other things, findings from interviews point to lock-in effects in terms of social capital and housing markets, which helps to understand the dominance of long-term population effects from school closures.

An echocardiographic evaluation to determine the immediate and short-term changes in biventricular systolic and diastolic functions after PDA device closure-an observational analytical prospective study (echo- PDA study)

Objectives–This prospective study with a sizable cohort was undertaken to assess changes in left and right ventricle systolic and diastolic functions after percutaneous patent ductus arteriosus device closure with appropriate follow up evaluation. Methods– It is an observational analytical prospective study. Ninety-eight patients were recruited out of which sixty-eight patients underwent percutaneous PDA device closure and were taken for final analysis. The primary objective was to study the left and right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions pre- and post-procedure at 48 h with follow up analysis at six months. Results– The mean age of the patients was 7.88 ± 5.05 years with the female to male ratio was 3.85:1. Thirty-three (48.52%) of the patients had immediate post PDA device closure LV systolic dysfunction. It was more common in those having pre-procedure mean low LVEF and those having a significant reduction in mitral A velocity. It became normal at six months follow up. The study reported immediate decrease in mea/n LVEF from 63.55 ± 8.11% to 48.19 ± 7.9%. The changes in LVEDD, LVEF, LVFS and LVEDV were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). In diastolic functions, there were significant reductions in peak early and late diastolic velocities. There was no statistically significant difference in right chamber functional assessment. ConclusionAsymptomatic LV systolic and diastolic dysfunction in immediate post PDA closure period is a common complication and reported in around 48.5% cases. It was more common in those having pre-procedure mean low LVEF and those having a significant reduction in mitral A velocity.

Modeling radionuclide migration from activated metallic waste disposal in a generic geological repository in Lithuania

There are two RBMK-1500 type reactors in Lithuania, which are under decommissioning now. Long-lived low and intermediate level radioactive metallic waste generated during operation and decommissioning of the nuclear power plant is foreseen for deep geological disposal (DGR). A preliminary assessment of the radionuclide release from metallic waste and migration through the engineered barriers of the generic DGR in crystalline rocks is presented in this study. The radionuclide flux to backfill and geosphere is investigated for three different container alternatives: (1) disposal of metallic waste in stainless steel containers, (2) disposal in carbon steel containers and (3) disposal in which the container is not a barrier for radionuclide migration. In addition, the impact of surface contamination of the activated waste on the radionuclide flux is investigated. Comparison of maximum fractional flux to backfill between Alternatives 1 and 2 revealed that the container material plays a noticeable role in the migration of long-lived low mobility radionuclides. The maximum fractional flux to the geosphere for all radionuclides increases from Alternative 1 to Alternative 3. Surface contamination is an important parameter when the maximum radionuclide flux to backfill is observed during the early post-closure period.

Modeling the stress-strain state of of a municipal solid waste landfill

Introduction. The process of municipal solid waste (further MSW) generation is inextricably linked with the life of humanity. Every day each person generates some, a small amount of garbage. As a result millions of tons of MSW are generated daily in the world which are unsuitable for further use and require disposal. There are various ways of handling MSW including their treatment, recycling and disposal. In Russian Federation the vast majority of MSW are currently located on the specially equipped facilities –– waste landfills. To date the most common waste management strategy remains their placement in a landfill. Waste landfills are arrays of stored waste and are special engineering structures designed for the safe isolation of their contents from the environment. Landfill includes gas exhaust and leachate drainage systems, liner and cover systems. The main component of this structure is waste itself. Mechanical stability of landfills should be provided at all stages of waste storage as well as after it complete filling to designed capacity and at post-closure stage. As the result of deformation of unstable waste, all landfill systems can be destroyed up to the collapse of garbage array leading to the significant environmental and other consequences. One of the most common problems leading to the various incidents at landfills is an incorrect assessment of their stability. MSW landfill is a complex multiphase system in which various interacting processes occur simultaneously. The main factor in the calculation and design of landfills is the forecast of their settlements. Studies by many authors have established that biological decomposition has a significant impact on the properties of MSW after which the waste is considered as the landfill soil with a particle size of up to 20 mm. Materials and methods. The paper presents the methodology and the results of numerical modeling of stress-strain state of the designed object “Waste Landfill”. The facility is an array of municipal solid waste of 38 meters high. Waste is stacked in the layers of 1.75 m thick. Each waste layer is covered by the loam cover of 0.25 m thick. Stress-strain state of municipal solid waste including biological creep was modelled using well-known “Soft-Soil-Creep model” (SSC-model). Results. The results of numerical simulation of stress-strain state of the waste pile at all stages of the filling and in the post-closure period are presented. An assessment of the increase in the capacity of the landfill due to the compaction and biological creep has been performed. Stability analysis of the landfill and potential failure mechanisms at different stages of filling and operation are presented. Conclusions. Numerical modeling of stress-strain state of the MSW array using the “Soft-Soil-Creep model” allows to analyze the stability of the waste pile at any stage of landfill filling and evaluate the increase in landfill capacity due to the waste settlement taking into account the mechanical creep and biocompression during layer-by-layer filling.

Estimation of the Epidemic Properties of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus: A Mathematical Modeling Study

Background: The 2019 novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and has been spreading rapidly in China. Decisions about its pandemic threat and the appropriate level of public health response depend heavily on estimates of its basic reproduction number and assessments of interventions conducted in the early stages of the epidemic. Methods: We conducted a mathematical modeling study using five independent methods to assess the basic reproduction number (R0) of COVID-19, using data on confirmed cases obtained from the China National Health Commission for the period 10th January – 8th February. We analyzed the data for the period before the closure of Wuhan city (10th January – 23rd January) and the post-closure period (23rd January – 8th February) and for the whole period, to assess both the epidemic risk of the virus and the effectiveness of the closure of Wuhan city on spread of COVID-19. Findings: Before the closure of Wuhan city the basic reproduction number of COVID-19 was 4.38 (95% CI: 3.63 – 5.13), dropping to 3.41 (95% CI: 3.16 – 3.65) after the closure of Wuhan city. Over the entire epidemic period COVID-19 had a basic reproduction number of 3.39 (95% CI: 3.09 – 3.70), indicating it has a very high transmissibility. Interpretation: COVID-19 is a highly transmissible virus with a very high risk of epidemic outbreak once it emerges in metropolitan areas. The closure of Wuhan city was effective in reducing the severity of the epidemic, but even after closure of the city and the subsequent expansion of that closure to other parts of Hubei the virus remained extremely infectious. Emergency planners in other cities should consider this high infectiousness when considering responses to this virus. Funding Statement: JL is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant ID 81803334) and China Medical Board (grant ID 18-301). JG is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant ID 71774178). CH is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant ID 71974212). YH is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant ID 81973150) and the National Science and Technology Major Project of China (grant ID 2018ZX10715004). Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflict of interests to declare.

295: Impact of rural hospitals closures on perinatal outcomes at a tertiary center

There is a knowledge gap regarding perinatal outcomes at tertiary centers when rural hospitals close. The purpose of this study was to determine if maternal and neonatal outcomes were significantly different at a tertiary center following closure of rural hospitals (areas with a population of < 50,000). Over 3 years (2012 to 2015), 11 hospitals closed, and their deliveries were transferred to a tertiary center. Perinatal outcomes from January 2010 to December 2011 (Pre-Closure Period) and January 2015 to December 2016 (Post-Closure Period) were compared. The primary exposure was rural hospital closures. Outcomes included: hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia), diabetes (including pre-existing diabetes and gestational diabetes), mode of delivery, transfusion and/or unplanned operation, length of stay, readmission postpartum, delivery < 37 weeks, 5 minute Apgar < 7, birthweight, NICU admission, and perinatal death (stillbirth or death within 27 days of birth). The number of deliveries at the tertiary center increased 37% following hospital closures (1,501 to 2,666 in 24 months Pre-and Post-Closure period). Maternal characteristics such as age, race, nulliparity, body mass index, substance abuse, and payer were similar in Pre- and Post-Closure cohorts. The rate of hypertensive disorders was also similar. The rate of cesarean delivery did not increase. Duration of maternal stay did differ significantly (p< 0.01) between the two periods (Table 1). The rate of preterm birth and newborns with low birthweights and macrosomia were similar. Though the rate of 5-minute Agar < 7 and NICU admission increased, neonatal mortality rate was similar (Table 2). Postpartum readmissions were similar (Table 1). Closure of rural hospital was associated with an increase in number of deliveries, maternal length of stay, and NICU admissions. There was no increase in maternal or neonatal morbidity.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)

Mathematical simulation to improve municipal solid waste leachate management: a closed landfill case.

This article presents an example of the application of simulation tools to estimate the post-closure evolution of leachate in a non-hazardous waste landfill. The objective of this work is to predict the behavior of leachate after the closure of the landfill for use as basic information with which to design the leachate management strategy in the following years. The MODUELO 4.0 mathematical landfill simulation software package was used for this purpose. The results of the simulation show that the concentrations in the leachate increase during the post-closure period, from values close to 2200mg/L of COD and 1500mg/L of NH4+ at the time of landfill closure to 3200mg/L of COD and 5300mg/L of NH4+ 20years later. This increase is mainly due to the reduction in the flows, from 105 to 17m3/day on average, since the surface lining was installed. Consequently, pollutant fluxes decrease to values below 100kg/day in both COD and NH4+ 3months after closure. This evolution indicates that the management of this leachate will be simpler in the future, especially if it is co-treated with urban wastewater, as its contribution decreases. On the other hand, external water connections to the leachate collectors may cause a relevant increase in the volume of the global landfill effluent. Controlling runoff management and underground infiltrations could lead to important savings in leachate treatment during the aftercare phase.

Assessment of modern contraceptives continuation, switching and discontinuation among clients in Pakistan: study protocol of 24-months post family planning voucher intervention follow up

BackgroundPakistan has the second highest fertility rate in South Asia and its increasing population growth presents a significant challenge for country’s path to progress and development. Modern contraceptive methods only account for a slow-rising 26% of use in Pakistan which is further lowest in the underserved areas (< 20%), with a high unmet need for family planning (20%). The David and Lucile Packard Foundation USA and Pakistan funded two operational research projects from 2012 to 2015, that employed a Demand-side Financing (DSF) approach testing the effectiveness of single and multi-purpose voucher schemes in increasing access and uptake of FP services and products among the women of two-lowest income quintiles in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The present paper presents a study protocol which intends to assess the longer term impact of these two voucher intervention programs among married women of reproductive age (MWRA) who received contraceptive services through vouchers.MethodsThis will be a mixed methods study using qualitative and quantitative approaches. A quantitative cross sectional survey will measure the contraceptive uptake among voucher users, included in the endline survey and to examine the attitudes and behaviour of women with respect to contraceptive continuation, switching and discontinuation 24 months post intervention in two districts of Chakwal and Faisalabad in Punjab province of Pakistan. Qualitative in-depth interviews will be conducted with FP service providers operating in intervention areas and with key policy makers in the public sector to examine and document the service provider perspective on sustainability on contraceptive practices and behaviour in the post project closure period within the intervention areas.DiscussionGlobally, there is almost negligible direct evidence on the assessment of longer-term impact of a demand-side financing programs using free or subsidized vouchers for family planning services especially during post-intervention period or when donor money runs out. The findings of this study will help fill the knowledge gap in the context of sustainability issues post-intervention and will provide information to policy makers to develop and plan contraceptive services in the target area to sustain the positive behaviour change in the population.

Biogas from municipal solid waste landfills: a simplified mathematical model.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills now represent one of the most important issues related to the waste management cycle. Knowledge of biogas production is a key aspect for the proper exploitation of this energy source, even in the post-closure period. In the present study, a simple mathematical model was proposed for the simulation of biogas production. The model is based on first-order biodegradation kinetics and also takes into account the temperature variation in time and depth as well as landfill settlement. The model was applied to an operating landfill located in Sicily, in Italy, and the first results obtained are promising. Indeed, the results showed a good fit between measured and simulated data. Based on these promising results, the model can also be considered a useful tool for landfill operators for a reliable estimate of the duration of the post-closure period.