bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Opsonization of Early Apoptotic Cells by IgG from Lupus Nephritis Amplifies Activation of Early Complement Components and Promotes Inflammatory Phagocytosis
Authors: Wang Chenghua , Zhao Bing , Liu Xiang , Yang Xiaowei
Published: March 2020

Background

SSA/Ro 60 has been reported to be exposed on the surface of early apoptotic cells and recognized by autoantibodies from lupus. The aim of this study was to explore the subsequent effects of the binding of IgG from anti-SSA positive LN patients on the fate of early apoptotic cells.

Results

IgG which have been confirmed with extensive binding to early apoptotic cells were purified from three anti-SSA positive LN patients. Opsonization of early apoptotic cells by IgG from LN augmented C3c deposition without influence on the assembly of the terminal complement components or cell lysis. IgG from LN enhanced opsonization and phagocytosis of early apoptotic cells by macrophages directly or dependent on complement activation, with massive TNF-a and IL-1β secretions.

Conclusions

IgG from anti-SSA positive LN facilitates early apoptotic cell clearance by macrophages and triggers proinflammatory cytokines release, possibly exacerbating underlying pathogenic mechanisms in lupus nephritis.
Cryptocurrencies – problems of the high-risk instrument definition
Authors: Binda Jacek
Published: March 2020

Money is a widely accepted commodity, which enables us to determine the economic value of purchased goods and services and make payments. The dynamic development of technology and social expectations has expanded the spectrum of available types of payment instruments, including e-money and cryptocurrencies. Among dematerialized means of payment, cryptocurrencies began to play an important role due to their independence from central financial institutions and a highly effective form of saving money. The paper aims to present legal authorization, referring to cryptocurrencies, in countries of the European Union and prove that bitcoin is a high-riskу financial instrument. The methodology of the study was based on the review of available legal acts and literature (regarding the nature and function of money) and Value at Risk (VaR) model on the example of risk assessment of cryptocurrencies with respect to investing in the selected currencies. The outcomes showed several discrepancies in the definition of cryptocurrencies. They indicated that bitcoin, as one of the best-known cryptocurrencies, does not fulfill the functions of money formulated in economic theory (in relation to e-money). Besides, cryptocurrencies have been shown to be high-risky instruments.
PERCEPÇÃO DOS ALUNOS DE MEDICINA COM RELAÇÃO À METODOLOGIA SOTL
Authors: Mendes Andreia Almeida , Altino Filho Humberto Vinício , Ventura Rita de Cássia Martins de Oliveira , Souza Reginaldo Adriano de , Souza Marcos Vinícius de , Trindade Fernanda Cota , Araújo Glaucio Luciano , Mendes Renata De Freitas
Published: March 2020

Sabe-se da importância de se desenvolver atividades que levem o aluno a pesquisar e desenvolver o pensamento científico; quando essas habilidades se somam ao processo de ensino-aprendizagem, como uma ferramenta, este benefício se potencializa, o que contribui ainda mais para o desenvolvimento de habilidades e competências essenciais não só a vida acadêmica, como também à vida profissional. Com base nisso, objetivou-se analisar a percepção dos alunos do 2º de Medicina de uma faculdade da Zona da Mata Mineira com relação à metodologia SOT, aplicada na disciplina de “Português Instrumental”. Para a aplicação do méLtodo, optou-se pela escolha de artigos científicos ligados à temática da importância da comunicação para ampliar o potencial terapêutico de cuidado nas ações de saúde, uma vez que, durante o semestre, esta temática havia sido objeto de discussão e análise na disciplina. A aplicação do método SOTL seguiu as etapas propostas pelo método, tendo a duração de 2 horas. Ao final, foi aplicado um questionário de natureza quantitativa como forma de analisar a aceitação do método; a turma em questão possuía 45 alunos, sendo que, destes, 36 alunos responderam a este questionário. Registrou-se, então, que metade dos alunos consideraram o método como satisfatório e/ou excelente; 47,5% consideraram que o conteúdo da disciplina foi apreendido de forma mais significativa através do método e 41,7% afirmaram que a metodologia proporcionou a construção colaborativa do conhecimento e, por isso, deve ser recomendada a outros períodos e cursos. Dentre as habilidades desenvolvidas pelo método, a colaboração, a reflexão e a autonomia foram as mais recorrentes. Torna-se interessante destacar ainda que, apesar da DCN deste curso sinalizar a aplicação de metodologia ativa como obrigatória, observou-se a rejeição de parte dos alunos que ainda veem o método tradicional de ensino como o mais eficiente.
Formulation of a Multifunctional Plant Additive Based on the Interaction of its Components
Authors: Bobreneva Irina , Baioumy Ahmed Adel , Tokarev Alexey
Published: March 2020

Introduction. The research featured the physicochemical and functional properties of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), and their mixes. The research objective was to study the effects of their interfacial interaction and the qualitative characteristics of meat model systems, as well as general opportunities for their use in meat products.

Study objects and methods. The tiger nut is a traditional plant that grows in Egypt. It is often used in beverages and bakery. The quinoa is a cereal product that grows mainly in Peru and Colombia. A set of experiments was conducted to determine such colloidalchemical parameters as optical density, electrical conductivity, solubility, pH, and effective viscosity. The studied additives proved to be synergists. The research also included the organoleptic characteristics of meat model samples prepared with a mix of tiger nut and quinoa at different ratios as a partial replacement of raw meat. The mix substituted 5% of the meat system. Tiger nut and quinoa used as a substitute for raw meat positively affected such indicators of the finished product as taste, smell, color, and aroma. The obtained data were analyzed with the help of a specialized software package “Multimeat Expert”. The optimal ratio of tiger nut and quinoa in the mix was determined as 1:1.

Results and discussion. The mix of tiger nut and quinoa “TiQi” contained 11.38% of dietary fiber, 14.35% of lipids, and 9.37% of protein. In addition, the mix contained a large amount of minerals: potassium – 636.61 mg/100 g, calcium – 68.54 mg/100 g, and vitamins C, E, and B. Its antioxidant activity reached 20.41 mg/g.

Conclusion. The obtained mix of tiger nut and quinoa could be used as a functional ingredient in meat products to increase the content of dietary fibers, as well as vitamins and minerals. In addition, “TiQi” demonstrated good antioxidant activity and increased the shelf life of meat products.
Effect of High Voltage Electrical Pulses on the Oil Yield of Sunflower Meal
Authors: Shorstkii Ivan
Published: March 2020

Introduction. One of the most important tasks of the modern oil and cake industry is to develop advanced technologies that could increase the yield of high quality oil and related target components from oilseeds. Study objects and methods. The present research featured sunflower oilseeds. The main method of electrical treatment processing was high-voltage electrical pulses of microsecond duration: electric field strength = 13.3 kV/cm, frequency = 30 Hz. To assess the effects of electric pulses, we used disintegration index, i.e. a method of determining the number of destroyed cells according to the electrical conductivity of the material. To assess the effect of the treatment, the sunflower meal was pressed in a hydraulic press. The procedure was followed by extraction using hydrocarbon solvent. As an additional assessment, we analyzed the biomass impedance before and after treatment with high-voltage discharges with the determination of the disintegration index. To assess the quality of the resulting oil, we determined the acid and peroxide values. IR spectroscopy provided a more thorough assessment of the quality of the oil. Results and discussion. After the sunflower meal was treated with high-voltage pulses, the yield of pressed oil increased by 1.9%. The residual oil content in the meal fell down to 0.61% compared with 1.19% in the control samples. Oil quality indicators showed that treatment with high-voltage pulses did not significantly affect the acid value. The sudden change in the peroxide number was probably caused by the prolonged heating during the experiment. Conclusion. The obtained experimental data made it possible to forecast the prospects of using the high-voltage electric pulse for oilseed processing and assess the effectiveness of the technology together with its prospective industrial use. The alternative technology can replace the stage of crushing and pre-heating.
The ideas of N.I. Vavilov and current problems of crop genetics
Authors: Anisimova Irina , Radchenko Evgeny
Published: March 2020

Some results of the studies of plant genetic resources held in the VIR Department of Genetics are discussed in light of N. I. Vavilov’s theories of natural plant immunity, homologous series in hereditary variability, and interspecific hybridization. The long-term investigations resulted in identifying bread wheat, cultivated barley, oat, rye and sorghum accessions with new effective genes for resistance to diseases and pests. The large-scale immunological screening has revealed a narrow genetic diversity in wheat and barley for resistance to biotic and abiotic stressors. On the example of sunflowers, the significance of seed storage proteins for solving problems of domestication and introgressive hybridizations is demonstrated.
Results of studying wild relatives of the cultivated plants of Russia
Authors: Chukhina Irena , Shipilina Liliya , Bagmet Larisa , Talovina Galina , Smekalova Tamara
Published: March 2020

Issuing specific recommendations on the in situ conservation of wild relatives of cultivated plants (=crop wild relatives, CWR) in Russia is possible only on the basis of preliminary comprehensive studies of their composition, structure and features. N.I. Vavilov was the founder of comprehensive studies of cultivated plant relatives. O.N. Korovina was the first to substantiate the basic principles of conserving CWR diversity in their natural habitats, and to suggest choosing the most suitable conservation measures, taking into account the data on the distribution area of a taxon, the state of habitat condition, the state of the taxon in nature, and human influence. The current phase of studying CWR diversity and developing a domestic strategy for its conservation is associated with geopolitical changes in this country, and with the inclusion of research performed at VIR on CWR diversity in situ conservation into large-scale international projects. The fundamental conditions for attributing a wild species to relatives of cultivated plants are, first, taxonomic or evolutionary and genetic closeness to a cultivated species, and second, the use of species in breeding, or the potential introduction of a species into cultivation. The work on the compendium of wild relatives of cultivated plants of Russia is still far from completion. As a result of the inventory, a list of 1701 species of relatives of cultivated plants for food and agriculture was compiled. The largest number of species (965) grows in the European part of Russia. The Russian Caucasus ranks second in terms of CWR richness (956 species), and the third in CWR numbers is the Russian Far East (598 species). The 102 nature reserves included in the study contain 1363 CWR species. The CWR diversity is most effectively conserved in the nature reserve network of the Russian Far East and Eastern Siberia, and least of all in the nature reserves of the Russian Caucasus, despite the significant concentration of CWR species in this region.
Biological role and health benefits of antioxidant compounds in cereals
Authors: Polonskiy Vadim , Loskutov Igor , Sumina Alena
Published: March 2020

Substances inhibiting or preventing oxidative damage in the target molecule are called antioxidants. It has been shown that antioxidants are substances that contribute to the prevention of a number of serious human diseases, and antioxidant activity is one of the important parameters for the quality of food products and ingredients. Phenolic compounds are of greatest importance for this review. It is now established that whole grain cereals contain a large number of bound polyphenols. It is known that cereals have high nutritional value, contain unsaturated fatty acids, basic mineral elements, proteins and β-glucans, and are also characterized by the presence of various chemical substances with antioxidant properties. In recent years, work has begun in some Western countries to study the content of antioxidants in various grains. In Russia, only a small amount of work has been devoted to the study of these important chemical compounds in grain crops. It should be noted that, although these species are considered to be one of the main components of human nutrition, research in the field of determining their antioxidant activity has not been sufficiently carried out. In order to attract the attention of plant growers, plant breeders, plant physiologists, geneticists and biotechnologists, we offer a review of current literature.
Leczenie napromienianiem raka stercza na podstawie doniesień z Konferencji Amerykańskiego Towarzystwa Radioterapii Onkologicznej (ASTRO), San Francisco 2014 oraz Europejskiego Towarzystwa Radioterapii Onkologicznej (ESTRO ), Turyn 2015
Authors: Milecki Piotr
Published: March 2020

Rak stercza należy do najczęściej diagnozowanych nowotworów złośliwych u mężczyzn w krajach rozwinietych. Z tego też powodu optymalne leczenie chorych z tym nowotworem jest szczególnym wyzwaniem dla lekarzy onkologów radioterapeutów, urologów i onkologów klinicznych. W związku z tym podczas konferencji naukowych ASTRO i ESTRO dużo uwagi poświęcono właśnie temu nowotworowi. Ostatnio przeprowadzone badania kliniczne wskazują, że zastosowanie terapii hormonalnej w skojarzeniu z nowoczesnym napromienianiem, poza bardzo pożądanym efektem jakim jest poprawa przeżyć chorych w grupie chorych o pośrednim i wysokim ryzyku progresji, może przyczynić się do zmniejszenia powikłań popromiennych. W trakcie konferencji przedstawiono takže wyniki badań klinicznych, które potwierdzają zysk w wyniku zastosowania eskalacji dawki w radioterapii. Niemniej zysk w efekcie kontroli biochemicznej wymaga długiego czasu przeżycia chorych aby przełożył się na zysk w przeżyciach całkowitych lub swoistych dla raka stercza.
Sewage sludge co-management: developments in EU regulations and characterization procedures
Authors: Spinosa L. , Leschber R. , Wichmann K.
Published: March 2020

Sewage sludge is often separately handled from solid wastes with possible technical problems and diseconomies. Combined composting, incineration and landfilling would allow operating modalities to be optimised and costs reduced. To correctly perform management operations and fulfill legal requirements, standardized characterization methods and guidelines of good practice are required. So CEN established the Technical Committee 308 in support to the development of European regulations. Regarding composting, the development of a Biowaste Directive, which includes the evaluation of biological stability, has been undertaken in European Union, and within the context of co-incineration CEN/TC308 published Guidelines dealing with the combined incineration of sludges and household waste. Landfilling is a known disposal practice, but sludge landfilling involves several difficulties, mainly due to its poor physical and biological stability. In this paper main aspects of co-management of sewage sludge and solid wastes are briefly outlined, and developments in European regulations and characterization procedures summarised.
Sustainable sludge treatment: dilemmas in future research and development
Authors: Rulkens W.H.
Published: March 2020

Sewage sludge is a serious problem due to the high treatment costs and the risks to environment and human health. Looking to the future the question arises of which sludge research and development issues are most important. Based on a brief evaluation of current sludge treatment systems and research results it can be concluded that land application of sewage sludge remains one of the most attractive options. However, more research into the health risks is necessary to make this method worldwide more acceptable. Recovery of energy from sludge is becoming more and more attractive. High thermal processes are interesting if sludge does not satisfy the guidelines for land application. Integration of these high thermal processes with existing industrial activities or other thermal waste treatment processes can be very attractive. Research into dewatering and drying can make the energy recovery more efficient. Processes for recovery of valuable products from sludge such as aquatic worms and P-compounds are potentially very attractive but their feasibility strongly depends on the marketing and market value of these products. It is expected that supercritical sludge treatment and direct production of electricity require still a long research and development path.
Towards sustainable sludge management in Poland: the current status and perspectives
Authors: Malina G. , Bien J.D. , Bien B.
Published: March 2020

The status of sewage sludge management in Poland is presented. Current management practices are reviewed, and the problems associated with them evaluated, including technological aspects, as well as institutional issues, such as enforcement of legislation and problems with utilization. Perspectives for more sustainable sludge management practices are outlined and briefly discussed.
Sewage sludge as a precursor of adsorbents/catalysts for environmental applications
Authors: Ros A. , Canals-Batlle C. , Lillo-Ródenas M.A. , Fuente E. , Montes-Morán M. A. , Martin M.J. , Linares-Solano A.
Published: March 2020

This paper focuses on the valorisation of solid residues obtained from the thermal treatment of sewage sludge. In particular, sewage sludge samples were collected from two waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) with different sludge line basic operations. After drying, sludges were heated up to 700 °C in appropriate ovens under diluted air (gasification) and inert (pyrolysis) atmospheres. The solids obtained, as well as the dried (raw) sludges, were characterised to determine their textural properties and chemical composition, including the speciation of their inorganic fraction. All the materials under study were employed as adsorbents/catalysts in H2S removal experiments at room temperature. It was found that, depending on the particular sludge characteristics, outstanding results can be achieved both in terms of retention capacities and selectivity. Some of the solids outperform commercially available sorbents specially designed for gaseous emissions control. In these adsorbents/catalysts, H2S is selectively oxidised to elemental sulphur most likely due to the presence of inorganic, catalytically active species. The role of the carbon-enriched part on these solids is also remarked.
Treatment and Quality of Sewage Sludge in Germany - Results of a Survey
Authors: Meda A. , Schaum C. , Wagner M. , Cornel P. , Durth A.
Published: March 2020

TIn 2004, the German Association for Wastewater, Water and Waste (DWA) carried out a survey about the current status of sewage sludge treatment and disposal in Germany. The study covered about one third of the wastewater treatment plants and about two thirds of the entire treatment capacity (expressed in population equivalents) in Germany. This provides an up-to-date and representative database. The paper presents the most important results regarding sludge treatment, process engineering, current disposal paths and sewage sludge quality.
Benchmarking water supply, waste water management and water control: conference summary paper
Authors: Dane Peter
Published: March 2020

Benchmarking has proven to be a good instrument to stimulate performance in water and wastewater management, both in terms of quality and of efficiency. The Amsterdam conference was organised to discuss the importance and the benefits of benchmarking for the water sector. This summary paper condenses the presentations made at the conference which aimed to assess the state of the art of benchmarking in water supply & sanitation in Europe, exchange knowledge on benchmarking methods & best practices, present results of benchmark schemes, and examine interest in (international) cooperation on benchmarking.
CSO Modelling Considering Moving Storms and Tipping Bucket Gauge Failures
Authors: Hochedlinger M. , Sprung W. , Kainz H. , König K.
Published: March 2020

The simulation of combined sewer overflow volumes and loads is important for the assessment of the overflow and overflow load to the receiving water to predict the hydraulic or the pollution impact. Hydrodynamic models are very data-intensive and time-consuming for long-term quality modelling. Hence, for long-term modelling, hydrological models are used to predict the storm flow in a fast way. However, in most cases, a constant rain intensity is used as load for the simulation, but in practice even for small catchments rain occurs in rain cells, which are not constant over the whole catchment area. This paper presents the results of quality modelling considering moving storms depending on the rain cell velocity and its moving direction. Additionally, tipping bucket gauge failures and different corrections are also taken into account. The results evidence the importance of these considerations for precipitation due the effects on overflow load and show the difference up to 28% of corrected and uncorrected data and of moving rain cells instead of constant raining intensities.
Odour and corrosion problems in pressure sewers
Authors: Saracevic E. , Bertrán de Lis F. , Matsché N.
Published: March 2020

Sulphide generation in sewers and waste water facilities is a world wide problem and much research has been done concerning this issue to determinate its causes, effects, prevention and control. Due to the lack of systematic research in Austria several investigations were carried out in different pressure sewers from different waste water treatment plants (WWTP) in order to assess the efficiency of the available technologies to control sulphide generation. Within this project some of the most applied technologies like pipe “pigging” or mechanical cleaning to remove the biofilm from the pipe wall, pneumatic waste water transport to minimise retention times, air or oxygen supply or addition of nitrate salts to avoid anaerobic conditions were tested. Finally the addition of iron salts proposed to eliminate accumulated sulphide by precipitation was also evaluated.
Verification tool for sewer database quality
Authors: Ottenhoff E.C. , Korving H.
Published: March 2020

Often the quality of information in sewer databases is questionable due to e.g. poor documentation and subsidence of sewers. As a result, decisions on sewer rehabilitation have to be made with unreliable or incorrect information. This paper presents an automatic validation tool for sewer database quality. This tool evaluates recency, reliability, accuracy, consistency and completeness of information in a sewer database. The evaluation of database quality consists of a combination of logical queries, which are implemented as automatic control algorithms. Information on database quality is useful for reducing uncertainty in decision-making on sewer inspection and rehabilitation. The verification tool has been applied to the database of several management authorities. The results show that the methodology provides useful information for decision-making. Interpretation of the results, however, depends on the management authority due to e.g. differences in standard specifications for sewers. In addition, checks of recency of information are difficult because information on revisions is not accessible or even unavailable.
Flow Modeling of Mithi River in Mumbai Catchment
Authors: Sharma M. , Gupta K.
Published: March 2020

Mumbai receives an average annual rainfall of 2100 mm; all of it during the monsoon months from June to September. Mumbai originally consisted of seven individual islands which have been merged through landfill over the past 300 years. The city population has grown to 16.36 million (2001 census) but the city infrastructure has not kept pace with the rate of population growth. Although the water supply has increased, it has been difficult to provide new drainage facilities. This has resulted in local system overloads and causes severe flooding on an average twice a year. This happen when high intensity rainfall (>50 mm/hr) occurs continuously for 2-3 hours coinciding with the occurrence of high tides.

Mithi River catchment is the largest catchment in Mumbai. The main objective of this study is to quantify the volume of flows at key points in the Mithi River system and to evaluate alternatives to reduce flooding in the catchment using the Australian urban drainage modeling software DRAINS. The option of detention basin at suitable locations to control flooding in the catchment has been simulated and it is concluded that the provision of detention basin can reduce flooding by 50 to 95% at various points in the catchment.
Strategies for Condition Assessment of Sewer Systems
Authors: Müller K.
Published: March 2020

The inspection of sewers can take place whether by means of fixed-intervals in a conventional surface-covering inspection, or by means of need-oriented strategies. Those need-oriented strategies can be differed between a selective inspection, an evaluation of the present sewer condition based on a representative samples and a failure-oriented forecasting strategy.

By setting up and implementing a numerical model it is now possible to carry out a comparison between strategies. Herewith, the potential of success from every single strategy concerning different boundary conditions has been evaluated.

For larger Sewer Systems a failure-oriented forecasting strategy presents a more reasonable alternative than the conventional surface-covering one. The reason is because the holding time from every sewer in a critical condition can be reduced considerably within this kind of oriented-need inspections compared to the conventional ones. Similarly, this method meets the ability to estimate the whole condition of a sewer for a given term in the minimum time, which usually could not be achieved by a conventional inspection. Oriented-need inspection strategies offer even superior advantages when the crop and the ground water pollution regulation controls have been followed from the beginning, in order to reduce holding times within sewers in a critical class-condition.
Impact of the Level of Approximation on Modeling Flushing Waves
Authors: Staufer P. , Dettmar J. , Pinnekamp J.
Published: March 2020

Sewer cleaning with the means of flushing offers the possibility to place sewers free of deposit if flushing waves are generated continuously or quasi-continuously by suitable flushing devices. Numerical investigations should be carried out regarding different hydraulic circumstances because sewer networks consist of various compounds with complex geometries e.g. cross-section alignment or special structures. To accomplish a stable and successful operation of flushing devices it seems necessary to use different level of approximation on modelling flushing waves. Thereby both accuracy and running-time of simulations with numerical models will be optimized. This paper presents differences and similarities of the simulation results of a one-dimensional and a three-dimensional model of flushing wave within a big sized sewer. As assumed the one-dimensional model becomes less accurate when the complexity of the geometry increases. The three-dimensional model shows an underestimation of velocity and bottom shear-stress at the flushing head due to energy losses within the water body. Contrary, the one-dimensional model overestimates bottom shear-stress at the flushing head because of a stationary basic approach which is used. However, real highly resolved measurements of bottom shear-stresses are required to confirm the results in detail.
Experimental and computational study of velocity fields in narrow or compound section sewers
Authors: Bonakdari H. , Larrarte F. , Bardiaux J.-B.
Published: March 2020

Sound management of sewer networks and minimization of the pollution discharged into receiving waters through combined sewer overflows need in-depth knowledge of the flow rates and pollutant loads conveyed in sewers. This knowledge relies on a good assessment of the spatial distribution of the velocities in a cross section, as they are involved both in flowrate, and distribution of concentration. The possibility of assessing this distribution by using computational fluid dynamics is explored and compared with experimental results collected from real sewers.
Scenarios for redesigning an urban drainage system to reduce runoff frequency and restore stream ecological condition
Authors: Ladson A. R. , Lloyd S. , Walsh C. J. , Fletcher T. D. , Horton P.
Published: March 2020

Monitoring the hydrochemical efficiency of urban stormwater treatment devices is not straightforward as the traditional, automated, In urban areas, efficient drainage of impervious surfaces means that polluted stormwater is frequently delivered to streams. Commonly, catchment urbanization can increase runoff frequency by a factor of 10 or more, as the effective imperviousness - the proportion of the catchment that consists of impervious surfaces drained to streams - is increased. This causes a decline in stream health.

To decrease runoff frequency, effective imperviousness must be reduced. This requires urban drainage systems to be redesigned, using techniques such as infiltration and rainwater harvesting, so that stormwater from small rain events is not piped directly to streams but instead is infiltrated, reused or retained. We have developed scenarios that explore alternative urban drainage systems appropriate for a small partly urbanised catchment in Melbourne’s east. These scenarios incorporate, biofiltration basins, swales and dual purpose rainwater tanks that supply water for householders. Our results suggested that sufficient reductions in effective imperviousness and runoff frequency are possible to achieve improvements in stream health.
The first two years of full scale operation of the two-stage Main Wastewater Treatment Plant of Vienna
Authors: Wandl G. , Schaar H. , Papp M. , Svardal K.
Published: March 2020

The Main Wastewater Treatment Plant of Vienna had to be extended to guarantee sufficient nitrogen removal. After intensive evaluation studies a two-stage activated sludge system was chosen for the plant-extension. Due to the very small specific reactor tank volume of two-stage treatment plants in comparison with low loaded single-stage plants internal cycles had to be applied to ensure sufficient nitrogen removal.

Starting in the year 2000 the plant extension was finished by the beginning of 2005 and the extended plant went into operation in spring. The Austrian effluent standards had to be fulfilled by December 2005.

This paper presents a description of the plant layout and gives an overview of the operating results of the first two years of full scale operation. Mass balances were used to evaluate the pathways of nitrogen removal. The results confirmed the expected flexibility of the chosen concept; nitrogen elimination did not decrease although the effluent recirculation that has been implemented to ensure sufficient nitrogen removal efficiency especially during winter had been reduced markedly due to energy reasons. The treatment efficiency that was observed at pilot plant investigations was clearly exceeded.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Amsterdam West: New, Large, High-Tech and Sustainable
Authors: van Nieuwenhuijzen A.F. , Havekes M. , Reitsma B.A. , de Jong P.
Published: March 2020

This paper presents the new wastewater treatment plant Amsterdam West: a high-technology and sustainable wastewater treatment plant with a biological capacity of 1.0 million population equivalents. The design is based on the modified UCT process. Due to the limited space, deep activated sludge tanks (8.2 m) and secondary sedimentation tanks (side depth 3.45 m) are applied. The WWTP Amsterdam West was constructed within a period of app. 27 months and started-up in three months. The WWTP Amsterdam West operates well and produces a high-quality effluent, with yearly average concentrations of 6.7 mg Ntotal /l and 0.8 mg Ptotal/l. Biogas and sludge are combusted with high-rate energy retrieval at the nearby Waste and Energy Enterprise Amsterdam.
A Wastewater Treatment Plant Composed of UASB Reactors, Activated Sludge with DAF and UV Disinfection, in Series
Authors: Campos J. R. , Reali M.A.P. , Rossetto R. , Sampaio J.
Published: March 2020

This paper focuses the Piçarrão wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) located in Brazil; including its project, construction and operation, related to its first step, with working capacity until 2010 (208.785 inhabitants). The conception of the second step is also presented. This WWTP, based on the water quality of the receiving river, was designed to reach a secondary treatment level in the first step, and a tertiary treatment level in the second step. In the first step, preliminary treatment, UASB reactors, activated sludge with dissolved air flotation (DAF) and post-aeration were implanted. For the second step, denitrification, coagulation applying ferric chloride and UV disinfection should be included. In the second step, one of the UASB modules will be adapted to operate as an anoxic reactor for denitrification. The process/operation flow diagram resulted in a low complexity and relatively low cost treatment plant: USD$ 120.9 per inhabitant for implantation, and USD$ 219.05 per 1000m3 of treated wastewater. Average results for this first period of operation are: BOD5.20°C removal in the UASB reactors: 72.0%, global BOD5.20°C removal in the system: 91.4%; effluent turbidity: (11±5)NTU; total suspended solids in the effluent: (16±8)mg.L-1; fecal coliform removal ≥4 log and dewatered sludge production: 12.3 ton.d-1.
Detoxification of Waste Water Contaminated with Imidacloprid using Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Photo-Fenton Processes
Authors: Zaror C.A. , Segura C. , Mansilla H. , Mondaca M. A. , González P.
Published: March 2020

This paper presents experimental results on the removal of Imidacloprid from waste water using homogeneous and heterogeneous photo-Fenton processes. Experiments were conducted in a 2 L photo reactor, initial concentrations in the range 10 - 40 mg L-1 Fe(II) and 100 - 450 mg L-1 H2O2; 30 - 150 min processing times.

Initial H2O2 concentration determined the extent of the oxidation process, whereas iron concentration played a key role in the process kinetics. Homogeneous photo-Fenton showed a fast initial reaction leading to 50% Imidacloprid degradation after less than 1 min treatment, followed by a slower process until full removal was achieved. Rapid Fe(II) oxidation to Fe(III) seems responsible for the initial Imidacloprid removal. TOC and COD removal up to 77% and 88%, respectively, were measured. Heterogeneous photo Fenton, using co-acrylic acid polyacrylamide resin as a solid support, presented similar trends than homogeneous applications, although the overall process proceeded at a slower rate.

Untreated Imidacloprid samples showed significant acute toxicity to Daphnia magna and genotoxic effects on Bacillus subtilis. Acute toxicity and genotoxicity remained detectable even after complete pesticide removal, showing that toxic by-products were present.
Use of bank filtration systems in the sub-tropical region of the lower Brahmaputra valley
Authors: Ronghang Medalson , Barman Pranjal , Medhi Hemantajeet , Brahma Kamal Kumar , Misra Arup Kumar
Published: March 2020

River bank filtration (RBF) is a natural method of obtaining surface water from a river or lake via the sub-surface for domestic use. It has been intensively used worldwide to augment water supply systems for sustainability and can be operated under various conditions. Its energy requirements are comparatively lower than those of conventional water treatment systems.

Field investigations were carried out at various locations in Kokrajhar district of Assam, India to assess groundwater quality and aquifer characteristics. The results suggest that major water quality parameters were within the Indian drinking water standards. The iron concentration exceeded the permissible maximum in more than 50% of samples from hand pumps, its concentration ranging between 0.33 and 3.50 mg/L. The pH was mostly in the range 5.4 to 7.4, suggesting that the water is slightly acidic. Aquifer and riverbed material collected along the banks of the Gaurang River were sieved, and classified as coarse silt to fine gravel, with gravel and sand predominant. The hydraulic conductivity, determined from the grain size distributions, were between 5 × 10−3 and 1.4 × 10−2 m/s, suggesting good aquifer permeability. The maximum safe well yield was estimated at 2,000 to 7,500 L/min, and the mean travel time at less than a week during the monsoon and more than 3 years under non-monsoon conditions.

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the RBF method for treating river water naturally under wet climatic conditions. The lower Brahmaputra basin is a unique physiographic setting with a powerful monsoon regime and a fragile geological base. The approach was to prepare a comparative study of water quality and aquifer characteristics with the present site and few active RBF sites.
Percepción de los docentes de la Facultad de Medicina de la UNMSM respecto al aula virtual en la enseñanza de Bioquímica
Authors: Loli Ponce Rudi Amalia , Sandoval Vegas Miguel Hernán , Velásquez Perales Rosa Albina , Casquero Navarro Rosa Aide
Published: March 2020

En esta investigación se planteó identificar las percepciones y opiniones que tienen los docentes sobre el aula virtual en la enseñanza de la bioquímica. En el estudio participaron ocho docentes de bioquímica, seleccionados bajo un muestreo por conveniencia, contando con el consentimiento informado de los participantes. Metodológicamente se abordó un estudio con enfoque cualitativo-descriptivo, en el cual se efectuaron entrevistas en profundidad audio-grabadas. Para analizar datos se utilizó la reducción abierta, axial y selectiva. Los docentes cuentan con 19 años en promedio de experiencia en docencia universitaria. El análisis de los resultados permite identificar las siguientes categorías: I. reconocer el aula virtual como parte de la actividad docente; II. identificar las nuevas formas de interacción docente/discente en la enseñanza de la Bioquímica y III. reconocer la necesidad de la formación de las NTIC aplicadas a la educación. Se reconoce al aula virtual como herramienta académica, pero demanda esfuerzo y tiempo adicional al docente; además identifican la necesidad de un cambio de actitud en la enseñanza. Admiten que los discentes cuentan con mejor afinidad y destreza en las TIC, por ello la necesidad de capacitación y debate frente al nuevo papel del profesor en la enseñanza de la bioquímica con apoyo del aula virtual.
(Des)cortesía y modalización en el contexto de educación básica
Authors: Osuna-Bermúdez Roberto
Published: March 2020

Este artículo constituye una aproximación teórico-descriptiva de carácter cualitativo, cuyo propósito es detallar la incidencia de la modalización y la (des)cortesía en las interacciones verbales, para resolver los conflictos interpersonales de diecisiete estudiantes de grado séptimo en una institución educativa distrital de la localidad de Ciudad Bolívar, en Bogotá, Colombia. La investigación se desarrolla con una orientación sociopragmática y de acuerdo con algunos elementos de la enunciación. Se encuentra que las infracciones a los turnos de conversación y algunos comportamientos verbales y no verbales constituyen formas de cortesía o descortesía. Este análisis se fundamenta en las acciones comunicativas, en particular, la manera en que los estudiantes realizan sugerencias y dan opiniones.
Drug Discovery of Acetophenone Derivatives as BRD4 Inhibitors
Authors: Zhang Zhimin , Huang Wenhai , Zheng Xiaoliang , Li Chuansheng , Shen Zhengrong
Published: March 2020

Background:

The bromodomain and extra-terminal proteins (BET), in particular BRD4,
has recently emerged as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of many human disorders
such as cancer, inflammation, obesity and cardiovascular disease, which draw more and more
attention to discover potent BRD4 inhibitors in the past years. In this article, we described the
discovery process of an entirely new chemotype of BRD4 inhibitors.

Methods:

A fragment-based drug discovery strategy was employed in attempting to find a novel
chemotype of BRD4 inhibitors. Thus, the potential hits were firstly identified by docking study with
KAc binding pocket and AlphaScreen assay. Then the elected hit was further structurally optimized
based on the interaction revealed by the docking study and the Structure-Activity Relationship
(SAR).

Results:

A 1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethan-1-one fragment was first identified as an efficient hit to BRD4
with a weak inhibition activity and high ligand efficiency (IC50 = 8.9 μM, LE > 0.5) based on
virtual screening and biochemical assay. Then, two-rounds optimization of the hit by a fragmentbased
drug discovery approach enabled the discovery of a potent BRD4 inhibitor 9, which exhibit
nanomolar potency in biochemical assays (IC50 = 0.18 μM).

Conclusion:

The title compounds displayed potent inhibitory activity to BRD4, implying
acetophenone core is an effective KAc residue mimic, suggesting acetophenone derivatives as a new
chemotype may be promising for developing novel BRD4 inhibitors.
Prediabetic Dysglycemia: Call for Action
Authors: Sjöholm Åke
Published: March 2020

Different dysglycemic states precede overt type 2 diabetes. Prediabetic dysglycemia also carries
an increased cardiovascular risk per se. Prediabetic dysglycemia may be divided into impaired fasting
glycemia, impaired glucose tolerance and intermediate hyperglycemia. Mixed forms of these are
very common. Dysglycemia develops insidiously for many years and usually produces no symptoms
until very late. It is possible to prevent prediabetic dysglycemia from progressing to manifest type 2
diabetes and it can also be made to return to normoglycemia. The importance of lifestyle interventions,
pharmacological treatment, surgical treatment and community efforts are discussed.
Development and Validation of a Stability-indicating HPLC Method for the Analysis of Cabazitaxel in Jevtana® Concentrate-solvent Leftover Samples
Authors: Arnamo Hedvig , Hillebrand Michel J.X. , Huitema Alwin D.R. , Nuijen Bastiaan , Rosing Hilde , Beijnen Jos H.
Published: March 2020

Aim/Background:

In this study, a stability-indicating method of the anticancer agent cabazitaxel was developed and validated. This method will be used to determine the chemical stability of commercially available concentrate-solvent mixture cabazitaxel (Jevtana®) to examine the possibility of multi-dosing from the same product vial after storage. The impossibility to re-use leftovers today is contributing to an unnecessary and significant financial waste.

Methods:

A forced degradation study of cabazitaxel was performed under different conditions to produce degradation products. Acidic, basic, oxidation, heat, and ultraviolet (UV) light conditions were tested. The method to determine the stability was developed so that potential degradation products would be shown in the UV spectra after separation from cabazitaxel with a C18 column in a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system. The only degradation product occurring during storage in room temperature and ambient light was identified by accurate mass Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry.

Results:

A stability-indicating method for cabazitaxel (Jevtana®) concentrate-solvent mixture has been
developed. We demonstrated that this method can be applied to stability studies with the purpose of
multi-dosing cabazitaxel from a chemical/physical stability perspective within the tested period of time
and conditions.

Conclusion:

As an addition, the only naturally occurring degradation product found has been identified
and a degradation reaction has been suggested.
Cereal-based Complementary Foods Marketed in the City of Yaounde: Assessment of the Compliance to Labeling and Nutritional Composition Standards
Authors: Rolly Mvogo N. , Michelle Djouhou F. , Brice Saha F. , Blaise Kuagny M. , Borelle Mafogang , Elie Fokou
Published: March 2020

Background:

Complementary foods are foods intended for consumption by infants and young children to supplement then replace their milk diet. Compliance with labeling and nutritional composition standards conditions their nutritional quality.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to assess the compliance level of Cereal-based Complementary Foods (CCFs) marketed in the city of Yaounde to related standards.

Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 125 mothers in 2 hospitals of Yaounde using probabilistic cluster sampling. The labelings and nutritional compositions of the most consumed CCFs coded as “ASC O”, “ASC I”, “ASC E” and “ASC A”, were compared to Codex Alimentarius standards at an acceptability threshold of 80%.

Results:

The labeling standards were 95.24%, 93.48%, 89.68% and 59.34% compliant for “ASC O”, “ASC I”, “ASC E” and “ASC A” respectively, 52.5%, 73.75%, 83. 75% and 35% for nutritional composition standards. 90% of these CCFs complied with labeling standards, while only 26% with nutritional composition standards.

Conclusion:

CCFs in Yaounde have as main defects: incomplete labels, labels with errors and falsities, protein and mineral deficiencies. Their producers, controllers, and buyers should respectively improve, control and seek their good quality for the well-being and good health of infants and young children.
Consumers’ Perceptions on Plastic Bags Tax Levy in Peri-urban Areas of Eswatini: A Case of Kwaluseni and Logoba Chiefdoms
Authors: Mavuso M. M. , Singwane S. S.
Published: March 2020

Introduction:

This study focused on assessing the perceptions of consumers on plastic bags tax levy in peri-urban areas of Eswatini, using Kwaluseni and Logoba chiefdoms as case studies.

Methods:

The areas of key focus include knowledge of and attitudes of consumers towards plastic bags pollution, strategies employed by consumers to manage plastic bags, consumers’ willingness to pay for plastic bags and what Eswatini Environment Authority has done so far in controlling plastic bags pollution.

Results:

A total of 165 households, (99 from Kwaluseni and 66 from Logoba) were conveniently sampled and interviewed with the aid of a questionnaire. Community leaders and an environmental inspector from Eswatini Environment Authority were also interviewed. The findings show that the use of plastic bags is increasing in both chiefdoms (92.93% at Kwaluseni and 92.42% at Logoba). Concerning what respondents do with the plastics bags after ferrying their goods home, 25% at Kwaluseni and 19% at Logoba of the respondents claimed to reuse some bags and throw away the rest.

Conclusion:

With regard to willingness to pay, the findings indicate that 49.70% of the respondents are willing to buy plastic bags.