(Press-News.org) This press release is available in Spanish and French.
Monterrey, 13 November 2012—Today, the Nuevo León state ministry of sustainable development, with support from the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), launched a revamped air quality information management system in Monterrey, Mexico, using AirNow-International.
This CEC initiative, developed in coordination with Canadian, Mexican and US government agencies, is laying the foundation for improved ways to inform citizens around the country about air quality in their communities with real-time data that is consistent with the national air quality monitoring programs in Canada and the United States.
"From now on, we'll have a better understanding of air pollution episodes and their spatial and temporal dynamics in the atmosphere. We'll have the tools to evaluate air pollution control strategies, as well as better communication tools like maps and graphics that track the movement of pollutants, and forecasts of air pollution events to inform the residents of the Monterrey Metropolitan Area," said Fernando Gutiérrez Moreno, Secretary of Sustainable Development for Nuevo León.
Air quality can worsen when the concentration of pollutants in the air increases. The elderly, children, individuals with respiratory illness and those who work outside are particularly vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality. The AirNow system provides information so that these groups can properly prepare by limiting their time spent outdoors, and assists local authorities in their air pollution management efforts. That information will allow the publication of real-time reports on the city's air quality, with information on a wider range of pollutants, including particulate pollution that currently poses a threat to health in many Mexican cities. Monterrey will also implement a sophisticated pollution alert system.
"With the launch of the AirNow system in Mexico, we'll now have a consistent set of tools to process and disseminate information on air quality conditions across North America," said Orlando Cabrera-Rivera, CEC's air quality program manager.
Earlier this year, the CEC arranged for Mexican environmental and public health agencies to meet with their counterparts in the US and Canada to discuss the development of a Mexican Air Quality Indexand the implementation of the AirNow-International system.
AirNow, developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is the main portal for accessing current air quality conditions and forecasts for the United States and Canada. AirNow-International is an offshoot of the AirNow system for use by international partners around the world. AirNow-International was adopted by Shanghai, China in 2010, and it is being considered for future implementation in Brazil and other parts of China. AirNow-International developer Sonoma Technology, Inc. has been working with CEC to implement the AirNow-International system in Mexico.
###
The CEC is working in partnership with Mexico's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) and the National Environmental Research and Training Center (Cenica) in the adoption of AirNow-International by Mexico's National Air Quality Monitoring Network (Sinaica).
About the CEC
The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is an intergovernmental organization that supports the cooperative environmental agenda of Canada, Mexico and the United States to green North America's economy, address climate change by promoting a low-carbon economy, and protect its environment and the health of its citizens. The CEC is composed of three bodies: a Council, representing the governments of the three member countries, a Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) that advises the Council and serves as a liaison with the public, and a Secretariat that supports the Council and JPAC and prepares independent reports. The CEC brings together governments, civil society, and businesses to develop innovative North American solutions to global environmental challenges. Find out more at: www.cec.org.
CEC initiatives are undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the federal Department of Environment, the Government of the United States of America through the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Government of the United States of Mexico, through the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales.
State of Nuevo León first to benefit from improved nationwide air quality information system
CEC-sponsored initiative with Nuevo León state environment ministry is the first step toward integrating Mexico into a uniform North American monitoring system
2012-11-14
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
NASA sees sun emit a mid-level flare
2012-11-14
On Nov. 13, 2012, the sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, peaking at 9:04 p.m. EST.
Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however -- when intense enough -- they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where Global Positioning System (GPS) and communications signals travel. This disrupts the radio signals for as long as the flare is ongoing, anywhere from minutes to hours.
This flare is classified as an M6 flare. M-class flares are the weakest flares ...
Hinode to support ground-based eclipse observations
2012-11-14
On Nov. 13, 2012, certain parts of Earth will experience a total solar eclipse, which, like all eclipses, will only be visible when you are aligned in a straight line with the moon and the sun. In this case the eclipse will only be seen from a narrow corridor in the southern hemisphere that is mostly over the ocean but also cuts across the northern tip of Australia. The JAXA/NASA Hinode mission will experience a partial eclipse of the sun near the same time as the observers in Australia. Hinode will coordinate its observations with those from the ground, before, during, ...
Roots of deadly 2010 India flood identified; Findings could improve warnings
2012-11-14
On the night of Aug. 5, 2010, as residents slept, water began rushing through Leh, an Indian town in a high desert valley in the Himalayas.
Average total rainfall in the area for August is about a half-inch. During this 24-hour period more than 8 inches fell, causing severe damage and leaving 193 dead, hundreds missing and thousands homeless.
"Flash flooding events don't happen often but when they do they are some of the scariest, most dangerous and quickest natural disasters that can happen," said Kristen Rasmussen, a University of Washington graduate student in ...
Increasing efficiency of wireless networks
2012-11-14
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) — Two professors at the University of California, Riverside Bourns College of Engineering have developed a new method that doubles the efficiency of wireless networks and could have a large impact on the mobile Internet and wireless industries.
Efficiency of wireless networks is key because there is a limited amount of spectrum to transmit voice, text and Internet services, such as streaming video and music. And when spectrum does become available it can fetch billions of dollars at auction.
The "spectrum crunch" is quickly being accelerated ...
Migraine-associated brain changes not related to impaired cognition
2012-11-14
Women with migraines did not appear to experience a decline in cognitive ability over time compared to those who didn't have them, according to a nine-year follow up study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
The study also showed that women with migraine had a higher likelihood of having brain changes that appeared as bright spots on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a type of imaging commonly used to evaluate tissues of the body.
"The fact that there is no evidence of cognitive loss among these women is good news," said Linda Porter, Ph.D., pain health science ...
First-of-its-kind program improves outcomes for seniors admitted for trauma
2012-11-14
TORONTO, Nov. 13, 2012—A first-of-its-kind program at St. Michael's Hospital lowers risk of delirium in elderly patients admitted for trauma and decreases the likelihood they will be discharged to a long-term care facility.
The Geriatric Trauma Consultation Service is a program where every patient over 60 admitted to the trauma service is seen by a member of the geriatric team within 72 hours.
This is a big change from previous practice, where only 4 per cent of elderly patients admitted to trauma were seen by a geriatric team member during their stay in hospital.
"Older ...
Scientists question the designation of some emerging diseases
2012-11-14
The Ebola, Marburg and Lassa viruses are commonly referred to as emerging diseases, but leading scientists say these life-threatening viruses have been around for centuries.
In a perspective in the Nov. 9 issue of the journal Science, researchers including a professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) say it would be more appropriate to refer to these viruses as emerging diagnoses.
"The infectious agents were identified around the middle of the 20th century but that does not mean that they were new," said Joseph McCormick, M.D., ...
Ancient foot massage technique may ease cancer symptoms
2012-11-14
EAST LANSING, Mich. — A study led by a Michigan State University researcher offers the strongest evidence yet that reflexology – a type of specialized foot massage practiced since the age of pharaohs – can help cancer patients manage their symptoms and perform daily tasks.
Funded by the National Cancer Institute and published in the latest issue of Oncology Nursing Forum, it is the first large-scale, randomized study of reflexology as a complement to standard cancer treatment, according to lead author Gwen Wyatt, a professor in the College of Nursing.
"It's always been ...
PCBs, other pollutants may play role in pregnancy delay
2012-11-14
Couples with high levels of PCBs and similar environmental pollutants take longer to achieve pregnancy in comparison to other couples with lower levels of the pollutants, according to a preliminary study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are chemicals that have been used as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment. They are part of a category of chemicals known as persistent organochlorine pollutants and include industrial chemicals and chemical byproducts as well as pesticides. In many ...
Timing of first menstrual cycle may be predictor of cardiovascular disease risk in women
2012-11-14
Chevy Chase, MD—Age at onset of menarche (first menstrual cycle) is associated with increased body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and overall obesity in adulthood, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women in the United States. When compared to men, women may manifest their clinical disease later in life, rendering standard risk prediction algorithms less reliable in women. The current study uses a life ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Post-LLM era: New horizons for AI with knowledge, collaboration, and co-evolution
“Sloshing” from celestial collisions solves mystery of how galactic clusters stay hot
Children poisoned by the synthetic opioid, fentanyl, has risen in the U.S. – eight years of national data shows
USC researchers observe mice may have a form of first aid
VUMC to develop AI technology for therapeutic antibody discovery
Unlocking the hidden proteome: The role of coding circular RNA in cancer
Advancing lung cancer treatment: Understanding the differences between LUAD and LUSC
Study reveals widening heart disease disparities in the US
The role of ubiquitination in cancer stem cell regulation
New insights into LSD1: a key regulator in disease pathogenesis
Vanderbilt lung transplant establishes new record
Revolutionizing cancer treatment: targeting EZH2 for a new era of precision medicine
Metasurface technology offers a compact way to generate multiphoton entanglement
Effort seeks to increase cancer-gene testing in primary care
Acoustofluidics-based method facilitates intracellular nanoparticle delivery
Sulfur bacteria team up to break down organic substances in the seabed
Stretching spider silk makes it stronger
Earth's orbital rhythms link timing of giant eruptions and climate change
Ammonia build-up kills liver cells but can be prevented using existing drug
New technical guidelines pave the way for widespread adoption of methane-reducing feed additives in dairy and livestock
Eradivir announces Phase 2 human challenge study of EV25 in healthy adults infected with influenza
New study finds that tooth size in Otaria byronia reflects historical shifts in population abundance
nTIDE March 2025 Jobs Report: Employment rate for people with disabilities holds steady at new plateau, despite February dip
Breakthrough cardiac regeneration research offers hope for the treatment of ischemic heart failure
Fluoride in drinking water is associated with impaired childhood cognition
New composite structure boosts polypropylene’s low-temperature toughness
While most Americans strongly support civics education in schools, partisan divide on DEI policies and free speech on college campuses remains
Revolutionizing surface science: Visualization of local dielectric properties of surfaces
LearningEMS: A new framework for electric vehicle energy management
Nearly half of popular tropical plant group related to birds-of-paradise and bananas are threatened with extinction
[Press-News.org] State of Nuevo León first to benefit from improved nationwide air quality information systemCEC-sponsored initiative with Nuevo León state environment ministry is the first step toward integrating Mexico into a uniform North American monitoring system