bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safe and cost-effective prescribing for the management of wounds
Authors: Watret Lynne
Published: July 2016

Wound care is a growing area of non-medical prescribing. In 2010, a survey of members of the (then) Association for Nurse Prescribing found that it was the third most common prescribing after pain and minor ailments ( Courtenay et al, 2012 ). In the UK, the availability of wound management products for community use is dictated by the drug tariff. Drew et al (2007) found that over 70% of wound care is carried out in the community. With the shifting balance of care to the community this figure may now be much higher. A wide range of wound types are encountered in the community; these are mainly chronic wounds in patients with multiple comorbidity challenges across a wide demographic. Most non-medical prescribing of wound care in the community is by nurses and podiatrists. Non-medical prescribers are responsible and accountable for prescribing practice of wound management products and must ensure that they work within their level of competency and have the necessary knowledge and skills to prescribe safely and cost-effectively.
Palliative care: Medicines for actively dying patients without pain
Authors: Sims Anna-Marie , Grant Cristin
Published: July 2016

Health professionals providing palliative care aim to give the best quality of life for patients who are terminally ill. This care is accomplished by providing treatments that either prevent or relieve symptoms that are common at the end of life, regardless of the disease process. A person who is ‘actively dying’ is in their last days or hours of life; within this time period, symptoms will become more consistent and intense, therefore they need to be managed to reduce distress for the patient and family. This paper focuses on the pharmacological management of three of the most commonly prescribed medications for the active dying patient—lorazepam, morphine and atropine—which are prescribed for the relief of anxiety, severe dyspnea, and respiratory secretions.
Cultural Heritage and the Arab Spring: War over Culture, Culture of War and Culture War
Authors: Watenpaugh Heghnar Zeitlian
Published: July 2016

The Arab Spring launched political shifts that were once considered impossible. Five years later, the events have taken a darker turn, with a mounting death toll; the displacement of millions; and the destruction of cities and infrastructure. The role of cultural heritage in the protests and conflicts of the Arab Spring and the Middle East generally is manifold. Culture has become a collateral damage of war, as the destruction that opponents have inflicted on each other has also harmed cities and cultural heritage sites. But, more than merely an unintended target, culture has also been ‘combatant’ and ‘victim’ at the same time, engaged, wielded and contested in three primary, interrelated dimensions: a war over culture; a culture at war; and a culture of war. Analysis of issues in cultural heritage and an awareness of the historic resonance of culture seem all the more urgent at a time of great uncertainty, contestation and ongoing violence.
Heritage as a Right: Heritage and the Arab Spring
Authors: Rabbat Nasser
Published: July 2016

Briefly reviewing the history of urbanization in the Arab world, from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present, this article argues that comprehensive heritage preservation did not obtain until the late twentieth century, in tandem with mounting economic and urban pressures on historic cities, which threatened not only their architectural monuments but also their entire social fabric. Analysing the situation since these transformations, the article concludes that the rampant real estate capitalism of the last quarter century, fuelled by investments from the Gulf region, worsened the conservation conditions of these old cities and unravelled their civil qualities. The article posits that the Arab Spring was partly a response to these dismal conditions. It brought to the forefront the value of civil rights, whose Arabic equivalent, al-huquq al-madaniyya, combines in one semantic field the notions of city, civil, civilization, law and religion. This makes it possible to re-conceive heritage preservation as a civil right that is meant to serve both the cities and their citizens.
‘Cairo Ring Road’: Anthony Hamboussi’s Poetic Survey of an Urban Topography
Authors: Elshahed Mohamed
Published: July 2016

Cairo’s landscape has morphed over the past century due to uncontrolled urban growth. This transformation has overturned the city’s iconic status as a city of great monuments of Islamic art, the ‘City Victorious’. While Cairo has occupied a central position in the study of historic art and architecture from the Middle East, poor planning and mismanagement of heritage sites have put the city’s historic significance into a state of crisis. While historians turn away from Cairo’s contemporary urbanity, by contrast, photographers such as Anthony Hamboussi have refocused their lenses on the city’s current realities. The city’s historic monuments are drowning in an urban topography that resulted from impoverished governance and improvised urban expansion. What can we learn from photographs of Cairo’s ongoing urban informality, uneven development and spatial inequality? This article critically examines one photographer’s project to make visible the undesirable majority of contemporary Cairo. The author argues that engaging with the city’s contemporary reality, in this case through photography, is key to understanding its declining heritage status and the poor condition of many of its monuments of Islamic architecture.
Tribal Mediation and Empowered Women: Potential Contributions of Heritage to National Development in Yemen
Authors: Adra Najwa
Published: July 2016

When demonstrations against Yemen’s former regime first began in 2011, observers expressed surprise at two developments: first, that women led the demonstrations, and second, that Yemen’s heavily armed tribes did not lead the country into civil war. Instead, a significant number of tribesmen went into cities to protect demonstrators from harm, and others protected their own communities from the incursions of outsiders. This article suggests that both developments are rooted in a deeply engrained tribal heritage that provides social capital, contributes to Yemeni society’s resilience and counteracts stereotypes of primitivism by prioritizing mediation, dialogue and consensus above the facile use of force or terrorism. Ways in which this heritage can be harnessed to support national reconciliation and development are proposed. Yemen’s tribal heritage is threatened by recurrent political and economic crises, various forms of modernism, and imported conservative interpretations of Islam that perceive tribalism as divisive and women’s mobility unacceptable. By far the most serious threat to Yemen’s population and heritage, however, is the current war unleashed by Saudi Arabia and its allies, which threatens to destroy the very foundations of Yemeni society.
Inheriting Dispossession, Mobilizing Vulnerability: Heritage amid Protest in Contemporary Turkey
Authors: Çayli Eray
Published: July 2016

This article discusses recent Occupy-style protests that took place at sites of heritage quality in Turkey. It looks into the material and discursive ways in which the protests have negotiated possession, dispossession and belonging across time. Cultural heritage is more often than not understood as a ‘thing’ belonging to a particular proprietor (regardless of heritage’s intangibility or the proprietor’s collectivity or anonymity). It is regulated as such not just on the level of nation states but also globally. The examples discussed in this article, however, have seen much of this association thrown into disarray by shifting focus, instead, to vulnerability and dispossession. This shift of focus invokes the following two forces: (1) the violent pasts and their role in the production of ‘cultural heritage’ as such, and (2) the risk of earthquake and its prompting of negotiations over the use, ownership and physical layout of heritage-quality sites. What sorts of political agency might heritage enable when it is experienced and conceptualized through vulnerability and dispossession? What might such experience and conceptualization mean for the temporalities and human–nonhuman hierarchy associated with conventional understandings of belonging in and through heritage? The article explores these questions through two cases: Gezi Park and its environs in Istanbul, and the Tigris Valley (including Hewsel Gardens and Mount Kırklar) in Diyarbakır.
Book Reviews
Authors: Shorto Sylvia , Pancaroğlu Oya , McClary Richard Piran , Gardner Andrew
Published: July 2016

WORLD HERITAGE, URBAN DESIGN AND TOURISM: THREE CITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST, LUNA KHIRFAN (2014) Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate, 196 pp., 58 b&w illus., ISBN 9781409424079, $104.95 (hardback)

THE POLITICS AND PRACTICES OF CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST: POSITIONING THE MATERIAL PAST IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETIES, RAMI DAHER AND IRENE MAFFI (2014) London: I.B. Tauris, 320 pp., ISBN 9781848855359, $99.00 (hardback)

RAYY: FROM ITS ORIGINS TO THE MONGOL INVASIONS: AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORIOGRAPHICAL STUDY, ROCCO RANTE (2015) Leiden and Boston: Brill. xiv + 165 pp., 107 illus., ISBN 9789004279292, $149.00 (hardback)

LEGENDS OF AUTHORITY: THE 1215 SELJUK INSCRIPTIONS OF SINOP CITADEL, TURKEY, SCOTT REDFORD (2014) Istanbul: Koç University Press, 288 pp., 112 figures, ISBN 9786055250300, $32.50 (paperback)

DEMYSTIFYING DOHA: ON ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM IN AN EMERGING CITY, ASHRAF SALAMA AND FLORIAN WIEDMANN (2013) Farnham, Surrey: Publishing Limited, 260 pp., 122 illus., 13 tables, ISBN 9781409466345, $119.95 (hardback)
Exhibition Reviews
Authors: Avrami Erica , Sandouby Aliaa El , Kurd Nadia
Published: July 2016

‘CITIES OF THE DEAD: THE ANCESTRAL CEMETERIES OF KYRGYZSTAN’, ARTHUR A. HOUGHTON GALLERY, THE COOPER UNION, NEW YORK, JANUARY 27–FEBRUARY 28, 2015

‘ISLAMIC ART NOW: CONTEMPORARY ART OF THE MIDDLE EAST’, THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART, LOS ANGELES, FEBRUARY 1, 2015–JANUARY 3, 2016

‘VISION OF MUGHAL INDIA: THE COLLECTION OF HOWARD HODKIN’ AND ‘INSPIRED BY INDIA: PAINTING BY HOWARD HODGKIN’, AGA KHAN MUSEUM, TORONTO, CANADA, FEBRUARY 21–JUNE 21, 2015
Laser borided composite layer produced on austenitic 316L steel
Authors: Mikołajczak Daria , Kulka Michał , Makuch Natalia
Published: July 2016

Abstract Austenitic 316L steel is well-known for its good resistance to corrosion and oxidation. Therefore, this material is often used wherever corrosive media or high temperatures are to be expected. The main drawback of this material is very low hardness and low resistance to mechanical wear. In this study, the laser boriding was used in order to improve the wear behavior of this material. As a consequence, a composite surface layer was produced. The microstructure of laser-borided steel was characterized by only two zones: re-melted zone and base material. In the re-melted zone, a composite microstructure, consisting of hard ceramic phases (borides) and a soft austenitic matrix, was observed. A significant increase in hardness and wear resistance of such a layer was obtained.
Delinquency Reinforcement and Balance: Is Exposure to Delinquent Peers Always Risky?
Authors: James Charles Joni S. , Chih Yao-Yu
Published: July 2016

This study investigates whether exposure to delinquent peers increases the risk of committing delinquent acts. To incorporate a balance argument in a conventional setting, we develop an adjusted exposure level to study an individual’s delinquency choice. We show this choice is affected by not only how many delinquent peers an individual directly and indirectly connects with, but also who those peers are. Specifically, exposure to delinquent peers is not universally risky, and could even be protective if the average exposure level of the individual’s delinquent peers is significantly less than her own exposure level. In addition, we show that individuals with high exposure levels are more sensitive to structural changes in the delinquent network. Therefore, a policy aiming to isolate key players in the network could be more cost-effective than strengthening the law-enforcement system.
Home hours in the United States and Europe
Authors: Fang Lei , McDaniel Cara
Published: July 2016

Using data from the Multinational Time Use Study, this paper documents the trend and level of time allocation, with a focus on home hours, for the US and European countries. Three patterns emerge. First, home hours per person have declined in both the US and European countries over the past 50 years. Second, female time allocation contributes more to the difference in time allocation per person between the US and European countries than does male time allocation. Third, the time allocation between the US and European countries is more similar for prime-age individuals than for young and old individuals.
Association between apolipoprotein E polymorphisms and premature coronary artery disease: a meta-analysis
Authors: Zhao Qiong Rui , Lei Yu Ying , Li Juan , Jiang Nan , Shi Jing Pu
Published: July 2016

Background:

Although several studies have explored the genetic polymorphisms of apolipoprotein E (APOE) and their impact on premature coronary artery disease (PCAD), there is still some controversy regarding the significance of their association. Our aim is to estimate the association between APOE polymorphisms and PCAD via meta-analysis.

Methods:

All relevant case-control studies and cohort studies published in Chinese or English prior to March 2016 were searched for in electronic databases. Detailed information concerning each piece of literature was independently extracted by two researchers. We used STATA11.0 to process all data and to determine the pooled odds ratio (OR). Altogether, four genetic models were applied to calculate OR and 95% confidence interval (CI): (1) ε2 allele vs. ε3 allele; (2) ε2 carriers vs. ε3/3; (3) ε4 allele vs. ε3 allele; (4) ε4 carriers vs. ε3/3.

Results:

Eighteen studies concerning APOE polymorphisms and their impact on PCAD were included in the final analysis. The pooled analysis displayed that the ε2 allele and ε2 carriers increased the risk of PCAD significantly among Asians (OR 1.54; 95% CI, 1.09–2.17; OR 1.65; 1.10–2.47), while they showed protective effects on PCAD in Caucasians (OR 0.77; 95% CI, 0.62–0.95; OR 0.69; 0.54–0.89). Subjects with the ε4 allele and ε4 carriers showed significant associations with PCAD (OR 1.62; 95% CI, 1.27–2.06; OR 1.65; 1.27–2.15).

Conclusions:

Our investigation supported the fact that the ε2 allele in APOE may appear as a risk factor for PCAD in Asians while a protective factor in Caucasians and that the ε4 allele acted as a genetic risk factor for PCAD.
Cardiac troponins and mortality in type 1 and 2 myocardial infarction
Authors: Lippi Giuseppe , Sanchis-Gomar Fabian , Cervellin Gianfranco
Published: July 2016

Background:

The pathogenesis of different types of myocardial infarction (MI) differs widely, so that accurate and timely differential diagnosis is essential for tailoring treatments according to the underlying causal mechanisms. As the measurement of cardiac troponins is a mainstay for diagnosis and management of MI, we performed a systematic literature analysis of published works which concomitantly measured cardiac troponins in type 1 and 2 MI.

Methods:

The electronic search was conducted in Medline, Scopus and Web of Science using the keywords “myocardial infarction” AND “type(-)2” OR “type II” AND “troponin” in “Title/Abstract/Keywords”, with no language restriction and date limited from 2007 to the present.

Results:

Overall, 103 documents were identified, but 95 were excluded as precise comparison of troponin values in patients with type 1 and 2 MI was unavailable. Therefore, eight studies were finally selected for our analysis. Two studies used high-sensitivity (HS) immunoassays for measuring cardiac troponin T (HS-TnT), one used a HS immunoassay for measuring cardiac troponin I (HS-TnI), whereas the remaining used conventional methods for measuring TnI. In all studies, regardless of type and assay sensitivity, troponin values were higher in type 1 than in type 2 MI. The weighted percentage difference between type 1 and 2 MI was 32% for TnT and 91% for TnI, respectively. Post-discharge mortality obtained from pooling individual data was instead three times higher in type 2 than in type 1 MI.

Conclusions:

The results of our analysis suggest that the value of cardiac troponins is consistently higher in type 1 than in type 2 MI.
An integrated proteomic and peptidomic assessment of the normal human urinome
Authors: Di Meo Ashley , Batruch Ihor , Yousef Arsani G. , Pasic Maria D. , Diamandis Eleftherios P. , Yousef George M.
Published: July 2016

Background:

Urine represents an ideal source of clinically relevant biomarkers as it contains a large number of proteins and low molecular weight peptides. The comprehensive characterization of the normal urinary proteome and peptidome can serve as a reference for future biomarker discovery. Proteomic and peptidomic analysis of urine can also provide insight into normal physiology and disease pathology, especially for urogenital diseases.

Methods:

We developed an integrated proteomic and peptidomic analytical protocol in normal urine. We employed ultrafiltration to separate protein and peptide fractions, which were analyzed separately using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) on the Q-Exactive mass spectrometer.

Results:

By analyzing six urines from healthy individuals with advanced age, we identified 1754 proteins by proteomic analysis and 4543 endogenous peptides, arising from 566 proteins by peptidomic analysis. Overall, we identified 2091 non-redundant proteins by this integrated approach. In silico protease activity analysis indicated that metalloproteases are predominantly involved in the generation of the endogenous peptide signature. In addition, a number of proteins that were detected in normal urine have previously been implicated in various urological malignancies, including bladder cancer and renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Conclusions:

We utilized a highly sensitive proteomics approach that enabled us to identify one of the largest sets of protein identifications documented in normal human urine. The raw proteomics and peptidomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium via the PRIDE partner repository with the dataset identifier PXD003595.
A simple colorimetric assay for measuring fructosamine 3 kinase activity
Authors: Cikomola Justin C. , Kishabongo Antoine S. , Vandepoele Karl , Mulder Marieke De , Katchunga Philippe B. , Laukens Bram , Schie Loes Van , Grootaert Hendrik , Callewaert Nico , Speeckaert Marijn M. , Delanghe Joris R.
Published: July 2016

Background:

Fructosamine 3 kinase (FN3K) is a deglycating enzyme, which may play a key role in reducing diabetes-induced organ damage by removing bound glucose from glycated proteins. We wanted to develop a simple colorimetric method for assaying FN3K activity in human body fluids.

Methods:

Glycated bovine serum albumin (BSA) was obtained by glycation with a 10% glucose solution at 37 °C. After 72 h, glycated BSA was dialyzed against phosphate buffered saline (0.1 mol/L, pH 7.4). The dialyzed solution (containing ±1000 µmol/L fructosamine) was used as an FN3K substrate. In the assay, 300 µL of substrate was incubated with 50 µL of serum and 100 µL of MgCl2 (0.7 mmol/L)/ATP (3.2 mmol/L). The fructosamine concentration was determined at the start and after incubation (120 min, 25 °C). The decrease in fructosamine concentration over time is a measure for the FN3K activity (1 U corresponding to 1 µmol/min). Concomitantly, the FN3K SNP rs1056534 and the ferroportin SNP rs1156350 were genotyped.

Results:

Within-assay CV was 6.0%. Reference values for FN3K activity in serum were 14.2±1.6 U/L (n=143). Reference values for FN3K were neither age- nor sex-dependent. The various FN3K SNP rs1056534 genotypes showed no significant differences in serum FN3K activity. In diabetics (n=191), values (14.0±2.2 U/L) were comparable to those of the controls. FN3K activity in erythrocytes was significantly higher (170.3±7.6 U/L). The intra-erythrocytic FN3K activity makes the results prone to hemolysis. FN3K activity depended on the ferroportin Q248H genotypes, with the highest value for the wild type genotype. Neither transferrin saturation nor ferritin were confounders for the FN3K activity. FN3K activity was significantly (p<0.0001) correlated with HbA1c values, although the correlation between FN3K and HbA1c was weak.

Conclusions:

The simple colorimetric method allows determining FN3K activity in human serum. The assay may be useful for studying the impact of deglycation processes in diabetes mellitus.
Carrots and Sticks as Incentive Mechanisms for the Optimal Initiation of Insolvency Proceedings
Authors: Cepec Jaka , Kovac Mitja
Published: July 2016

The pursuit of ex-ante efficiency in bankruptcy law has been widely discussed in recent law and economics literature. However, the exact incentive mechanisms inducing the optimal commencement of bankruptcy proceedings have generally been exempted from the current scholarly debate. Using the law and economics tools and comparative analysis, this paper seeks to identify insolvency-specific optimal incentive mechanisms, while using the general theory on carrots and sticks in legal regulations. The paper suggests the employment of mixed-sticks-and-carrots incentive mechanisms for managers’ prompt proposals of insolvency proceedings as an optimal regulatory response. Moreover, the article provides comparative evidence that exclusive use of sticks or carrots in French, German, US, English, and Slovenian legal systems results in sub-optimal initiation of insolvency proceedings and may also induce adverse effects on prompt initiation.
Social Risk Management as a Strategy in the Fight Against Poverty and Social Exclusion
Authors: Vykopalová Hana
Published: July 2016

Questions surrounding the fight against poverty and social exclusion have become a global priority. Poverty and its causes are perceived as differences in the economic and social development of each individual continent and country. Social risk management was developed by the World Bank as a specific conceptual framework of social protection strategy and includes prevention, mitigation and the management of social risks. The diverging causes of poverty across the European continent assume a different approach in identifying causes and social risk management. An important aspect of the EU’s social policy is to combat unemployment and social exclusion with the support of the European fund to help the extreme poor and other EU funds, e.g. EQUAL. The appropriate implementation of social risk management in each country is a prerequisite for reducing extreme poverty. Social risk management as a global strategy to combat poverty and extreme poverty is a challenge in the field of education which offers a new range of views and is generating more complex professional competencies in education and new possibilities for university graduates in the labor market.
Superficiary Right of Building: Origin and Development in Central Europe
Authors: Petr Pavel
Published: July 2016

The Czech Republic has been dealing for the last four years with a legal revolution in the field of private law. A new Civil Code was adopted in 2012 and many new and forgotten legal figures were restored in the text of the code. An interesting example of forgotten legal figures is the superficiary right of building, which has again entered the legal order of the Czech Republic after a long one hundred years. Unlike the Act on the Superficiary Right of Building of 1912, the new Civil Code extends the scope of persons that may create the superficiary right of building to their land. This should eliminate the obstacle that has substantially limited its wider use. The superficiary right of building is not likely to become a legal concept very frequently seen in public registers. The aim of this paper is, therefore, a reflection on divided ownership and the purpose and genesis of the superficiary right of building in relation to its origins, as well as a prediction of future developments of this legal concept in the real estate market. To analyse the concept, the paper employs formal and legal methods (logical, grammatical and historical method). A comparative study is conducted in the spirit of the comparative method. The superficiary right of building is a suitable complement to the range of options of property rights offered by the new Civil Code. The author concludes that the use of the superficiary right of building, although not limited in comparison with the 1912 Act, will likely be less frequent and focused on longer-term projects.
The concept of well integrity in gas production activities
Authors: Reichetseder Peter
Published: July 2016

Shale gas production in the US, predominantly from the Marcellus shale, has been accused of methane emissions and contaminating drinking water under the suspicion that this is caused by hydraulic fracturing in combination with leaking wells. Misunderstandings of the risks of shale gas production are widespread and are causing communication problems. This paper discusses recent preliminary results from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) draft study, which is revealing fact-based issues: EPA did not find evidence that these mechanisms have led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States, which contrasts many broad-brushed statements in media and public. The complex geological situation and extraction history of oil, gas and water in the Marcellus area in Pennsylvania is a good case for learnings and demonstrating the need for proper analysis and taking the right actions to avoid problems. State-of-the-art technology and regulations of proper well integrity are available, and their application will provide a sound basis for shale gas extraction.
Microbial removal of selected volatile organic compounds from the model landfill gas
Authors: Zdeb Magdalena , Lebiocka Magdalena
Published: July 2016

Landfills of municipal waste are an important source of BTEXs in the atmosphere. Biodegrability of these compounds implies that biological methods, such as oxidation in landfill covers, may be an effective way to mitigate emission of these gases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of BTEXs removal from landfill gas by biofiltration method and to analyze the influence of methane on BTEXs oxidation rate. The experiments were carried out at laboratory scale continuous flow system (microcosms) and in batch tests. A mixture of municipal waste compost and expanded clay pellets (1:1 of volume) was used as a filter bed material. The model landfill gas (50% vol. of CH4 and 50% vol. of CO2) purged through the microcosms was enriched with toluene (series 1) and all the BTEXs (series 2). The results of 7-month continuous flow experiment showed that removal efficiency of BTEXs in experimental columns ranged from 91 to 100% when the individual trace gases loading rates in model gas were in the range of 0.1-0.2 g m−2d−1. The rate of toluene removal, which followed the first order kinetics, depended on the presence of methane in treated gas. About 2-fold higher values of rate constant and 2.5-fold higher values of initial toluene removal rates were observed when no methane was present in the headspaces inside the vials used in the batch tests.
Application of algae in active biomonitoring of the selected holding reservoirs in swietokrzyskie province
Authors: Rajfur Małgorzata , Krems Paweł , Kłos Andrzej , Kozłowski Rafał , Jóźwiak Małgorzata A. , Kříž Jan , Wacławek Maria
Published: July 2016

During the years 2014-2015, biomonitoring studies were carried out at three holding reservoirs located in Swietokrzyskie Province (central Poland): Kielce artificial lake, Chancza reservoir and Sielpia reservoir. In sea water algae Palmaria palmata (Linnaeus) Weber & Mohr, exposed in the analysed waters, the increases of concentrations were determined by the atomic absorption spectrometry method (AAS), of the following: Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb. Conductivity and pH were also determined in the reservoirs waters. The differences between the increases of heavy metal concentrations in the samples of algae found along the coastline were indicated; they result from different distances from the pollution sources, such as resorts, communication routes and industrial plants.
Effect of selected additions on de novo synthesis of polychlorinated dioxins and furans
Authors: Wielgosiński Grzegorz , Namiecińska Olga , Łechtańska Patrycja , Grochowalski Adam
Published: July 2016

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans are generally considered the most dangerous chemical substances known to man. Although they have never been the product of purposeful human activity, yet they are formed in many chemical and virtually all thermal processes. Research on the occurrence of dioxins in the environment, their release into the environment, ways of formation and methods of reducing their emissions lasts since the late seventies of the last century. Currently, we know three basic pathways of dioxins formation in thermal processes, the most important of them being the so called de novo synthesis which occurs outside the combustion zone at 200-400°C in the presence of catalysts (eg copper) and oxygen from the products of incomplete combustion including carbon black and chlorine or chlorinated compounds. It is well known that some metals like copper catalyze the de novo synthesis, while others decompose dioxins and furans formed previously. The formation of dioxins resulting from the de novo synthesis was studied through analysis of the effect of the type of metal on the course of the de novo synthesis. The influence of the addition of sulfur, nitrogen and alkali metals on this synthesis was also examined because some reports in the literature refer to inhibitory effect of these elements.
Using ATP tests for assessment of hygiene risks
Authors: Pistelok Franciszek , Pohl Alina , Stuczyński Tomasz , Wiera Bogusław
Published: July 2016

Adenosine-5’-triphosphate (ATP) is a high-energy molecule playing a role of universal energy carrier used in cell metabolism. Since ATP is present in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, this coenzyme can be used to determine a hygiene state. During last decade there has been a significant growth of practical applications of ATP measurements. ATP tests are commonly used for an assessment of hygienic conditions in food industry, residential buildings and hotels. In comparison with traditional and time-consuming laborious microbial analysis the measurement of ATP provides a quick indicative on-site data, characterizing microbial and organic contamination to support decision-making with regards to adequate corrective and preventive actions. This paper demonstrates applications of ATP in practice and, particularly, in water treatment technology and wastewater processing. The review highlights opportunities for using the test for the optimization of water treatment facilities and pipe networks functioning in order to assess wastewater toxicity and wastewater treatment process efficiency. Other areas of application are also addressed. The review of literature indicates that ATP used in different areas of industry can be considered as a diagnostic method - complement the classical methods - useful for identification of hygiene risks as well as a tool for a real-time management of health and environmental risks.
Temporal variability of sewage sludge heavy metal content from Greek wastewater treatment plants
Authors: Spanos Thomas , Ene Antoaneta , Styliani Patronidou Chrysoula , Xatzixristou Christina
Published: July 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate the temporal variations of selected heavy metals level in anaerobic fermented and dewatered sewage sludge. Sewage sludge samples were collected in different seasons and years from three municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in Northern Greece, in Kavala (Kavala and Palio localities) and Drama (Drama locality) Prefectures. An investigation of the potential of sludge utilization in agriculture was performed, based on the comparison of average total heavy metal concentrations and of chromium species (hexavalent, trivalent) concentrations with the allowed values according to the Council Directive 86/278/EEC and Greek national legislation (Joint Cabinet Decision 80568/4225/91) guidelines. In this regard, all the investigated heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Hg) and chromium species Cr(VI) and Cr(III) have average concentrations (dry matter weight) well below the legislated thresholds for soil application, as following: 2.12 mg kg−1 Cd; 103.7 mg kg−1 Cr; 136.4 mg kg−1 Cu; < 0.2 mg kg−1 Hg; 29.1 mg kg−1 Ni; 62.0 mg kg−1 Pb; 1253.2 mg kg−1 Zn; 1.56 mg kg−1 Cr(VI) and 115.7 mg kg−1 Cr(III). Values of relative standard deviation (RSD) indicate a low or moderate temporal variability for domestic-related metals Zn (10.3-14.7%), Pb (27.9-44.5%) and Cu (33.5-34.2%), and high variability for the metals of mixed origin or predominantly resulted from commercial activities, such as Ni (42.4-50.7%), Cd (44.3-85.5%) and Cr (58.2-102.0%). For some elements the seasonal occurrence pattern is the same for Kavala and Palio sludge, as following: a) Cd and Cr: spring>summer>winter; b) Cu, Ni and Pb: winter>spring>summer. On average, in summer months (dry season) metal concentrations are lower than in spring and winter (wet seasons), with the exception of Zn. For Kavala and Palio the results demonstrate that the increased number of inhabitants (almost doubled) in summer time due to tourism does not influence the metal levels in sludge. Comparing the results obtained for similar spring-summer-winter sequences in 2007 and 2010/11 and for the spring season in 2007, 2008 and 2010, it can be noticed that, in general, the average heavy metal contents show an increasing tendency towards the last year. In all the measurement periods, the Palio sludge had the highest metal contents and Kavala sludge the lowest, leading to the conclusion that the WWTP operating process rather than population has a significant effect upon the heavy metal content of sludge. Cr(VI)/Cr(total) concentration ratios are higher for Kavala sludge in the majority of sampling campaigns, followed by Drama and Palio sludge. The metals which present moderate to strong positive correlation have common origin, which could be a domestic-commercial mixed source.
Treatment of industrial wastewater in the sequential membrane bioreactor
Authors: Świerczyńska Anna , Bohdziewicz Jolanta , Puszczało Ewa
Published: July 2016

The aim of presented study which was associated with modification of the various work cycle phases duration in the membrane bioreactor, was to reduce the concentration of phosphate phosphorus during the leachate co-treatment with dairy wastewater. The experimental set-up was comprised of the membrane bioreactor equipped with the immersed membrane module installed inside the reactor chamber, and the equalization tank. During the co-treatment experiment performance the excessive activated sludge was constantly removed from the membrane bioreactor in order to keep its concentration at 3.5 g/dm3. The load of the sludge with the contaminants was equal to 0.06 g COD/g d.m. d. The concentration of oxygen was equal to 3 mg/dm3. The share of the leachates in the co-treated mixture was equal to 10% vol. The membrane bioreactor worked as the sequential biological reactor, in two cycles per day. Duration of each phase was equal as follows: filling - 10 min - with concurrent mixing phase lasting for 4 h, aeration phase - 1 h, sedimentation - 30 min and removal from purified wastewater - 30 min. After 4 weeks under these conditions, the modification of the sequential membrane bioreactor’s work cycle was made. The duration of particular phases was shortened and two phases of denitrification and nitrification were introduced. Work cycle phases were modified as follows: filling - 10 min - with concurrent mixing phase lasting for 3 h, aeration phase - 4 h, mixing phase - 1 h, aeration phase - 3 h, sedimentation - 30 min and removal from purified wastewater - 30 min. Based on research, it was found that the change in membrane bioreactors’ work cycle affects the effectiveness of treated mixture. It was found that the applied modification of phases of the cycle of the MSBR did not affect the concentration of organic compounds and the no significant changes in the concentration of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen in the effluent from the bioreactor were observed, however, the total nitrogen removal efficiency increased by 50%. Alteration of MSBR reactor particular phases duration caused reduction of concentration of P-PO4
3 from 4.7 to 2.9 mg/dm3.
Assessment of industrial contamination of agricultural soil adjacent to Sadat City, Egypt
Authors: Badawy Wael , Chepurchenko Olesya Ye. , El Samman Hussein , Frontasyeva Marina V.
Published: July 2016

Assessment of the environmental impact of El Sadat City, a Cairo satellite, known for its clustered enterprises, on the neighbourhood water supply El Manashi Tawfikia Canal was undertaken through soil analysis. A total of 20 agricultural soil samples were collected along the El Manashi Tawfikia Canal. Neutron activation analysis was implemented to determine heavy metal contents of such elements as As, Ba, Co, Cr, Ni, and Zn. Multivariate statistical analysis was applied to the results obtained. The metal pollution index and enrichment factor were calculated. It was shown that the content of toxic heavy metals in soil samples does not exceed the worldwide-published values, except arsenic which considerably exceeds normalized to the content of the same element in the Upper Continental Crust. The metal pollution index is high compared with the calculated ones for similar soil samples from the Nile Delta, and the enrichment factor varied from moderate to high enrichment (5 < EF > 10).
Specifics of pesticides effects on the phytopathogenic bacteria
Authors: Patyka Volodymyr , Buletsa Natalia , Pasichnyk Lidiya , Zhitkevich Natalia , Kalinichenko Antonina , Gnatiuk Tatiyana , Butsenko Lyudmyla
Published: July 2016

The data concerning the effects of pesticides of different nature on the phytopathogenic bacteria was examined and summarized. Without extensive research on the mechanisms of interaction between pathogenic bacteria and pesticides in the literature review a similar message about microorganisms of soil and phyllosphere are included. The bacteria can be suppressed permanently by pesticides with a mechanism of action that universally affects biological processes in living systems. Long-term storage, ease of use and fast visible effect are the advantages of synthetic pesticides remedies. But chemical pollution, shifts in the balance of ecosystems, unpredictable effects of chemical pesticides on non-target objects are the drawbacks. Stimulation of resistance response in plants is unifying factor for all types of biopesticides. This is realized through localization of the pathogen during infection, blocking its further penetration, distribution and reproduction. The results of the study of effects of plant protection products on the phytopathogenic bacteria of main crops are described. Among all tested pesticides, thiocarbamate fungicides demonstrated significant inhibitory action on phytopathogens, but their effect may be neutralized by other constituents of multicomponent preparations. Triazole fungicides affect the causative agents of bacterioses of crops at a dose of more than 1% of the active substance in the nutrient medium. Insecticides and herbicides have little or no effect on phytopathogenic bacteria; however they can enhance morphological dissociations of some Pseudomonas strains, thereby increasing their ability to survive. The disadvantage of many biopesticides against phytopathogenic microorganisms is the difference between their efficacy in vitro and in vivo that is why the desired result is not achieved in field condition. In addition, biological pesticides often lose their activity causing the problem of constant search for new active antagonists. The fact that the sensitivity of phytopathogenic bacteria to pesticides is strain-dependent should be considered in practice, particularly, assessment of the antibacterial action of various preparations should not be limited to a single bacterial strain.
Harmfulness of Septoria carvi Syd. towards caraway and preparations limiting occurrence of fungus
Authors: Zalewska Ewa
Published: July 2016

Septoria carvi is an important pathogen of caraway. With the increasing occurrence of septoriosis of caraway during warm and humid growing seasons, the possibility of limiting the growth and development of the fungus was investigated. In vitro studies included 2 preparations of natural origin, ie Biosept Active, Beta-chikol and 12 fungicides from different chemical groups, as well as one isolate K 1806 S. carvi, obtained from caraway. Tests were performed by poisoning the culture media. The percentage of inhibition of the growth of four- and eight-day-old fungus colonies on the medium with preparations in comparison to the control colonies was a measure of the toxic activity of the preparations. The effectiveness of Beta-chikol in limiting S. carvi colony growth was significantly higher than the efficiency of Biosept Active. All tested fungicides limited the growth of the fungus colony and their inhibitory effect increased with the concentration of the active ingredient in the medium. The most effective preparation in vitro was Signum 33 WG, belonging to the strobilurin compounds. In vivo studies investigated the effect of Beta-chikol, Biosept Active and Dithane NeoTec 75 WG on the health of caraway plants. The occurrence of septoriosis was determined basing on the presence of disease symptoms and the mycological analysis of diseased plants. A significant reduction of septoriosis symptoms on plants and plant colonization by the fungus was caused by Biosept Active and Dithane NeoTec 75WG.
Environmental contamination with phthalates and its impact on living organisms
Authors: Przybylińska Paulina A. , Wyszkowski Mirosław
Published: July 2016

The relevant literature was reviewed to identify phthalate sources in the environment and problems resulting from phthalate contamination of soil and water. Phthalate properties responsible for their toxicity for living organisms were identified, and the effects of phthalates on humans and animals were described. Special emphasis was placed on the effects of exposure to phthalates on human health. Phthalates are readily released into the environment and create a risk of exposure for humans and other living organisms. They are characterized by reproductive toxicity in humans and animals, they can cause infertility and reproductive problems in males. Phthalates are more toxic in young children, which are much more susceptible to phthalate exposure, including fetal life. Phthalates are used in numerous industries, and they are very difficult to eliminate from our daily surroundings.
Shifts in EU Cohesion Policy and Processes of Peripheralization: A View from Central Eastern Europe
Authors: Faragó László , Varró Krisztina
Published: July 2016

The increasing dominance of neoliberalism as the key steering mechanism of the European Union (EU) since the early 1990s has implied the competitiveness-oriented reshaping of cohesion policy. The aim of this paper is to initiate a debate from a critical political economic perspective on the implications of this shift for Central Eastern European (CEE) member states. To this end, the paper discusses the formation of EU centre-periphery relations from a CEE point of view and formulates some preliminary suggestions as to how cohesion policy would need to be rethought in order to ensure the better integration of lagging CEE regions.
Institutional Cooperation in the Brownfield Regeneration Process: Experiences from Central and Eastern European Countries
Authors: Perić Ana
Published: July 2016

The topic of brownfield regeneration has been the focus of planning debate for years. However, the aspect of institutional cooperation and strengthening the institutional capacity in order to cope with a complex task of brownfield regeneration is considered a challenge. This is particularly true for the post-socialist countries and, hence, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Serbia are chosen as the case studies of this research. By implementing a concise survey of both the institutions and policies related to the topic of brownfield regeneration in the selected countries, the research aims at determining the form, extent and nature of collaboration between different sectors, disciplines, and institutions. Based on such insights, it is finally possible to provide the recommendations for more effective institutional design within specific political and socio-economic context.
Slovak Creativity Index – A PCA Based Approach
Authors: Hudec Oto , Klasová Slávka
Published: July 2016

The article aims at transferring the European Creativity Index (ECI) assessment from the country to regional comparison basis, focusing on the case of Slovakia. The newly created Slovak Creativity Index (SCI) has the power to assess the creativity potential found in the Slovak regions. The Principal Component Analysis has been chosen as an advanced method for establishing a well-designed overall Index and six sub-indices to show differences and variability according to all dimensions of the creative potential. The research also explains several relations between creative performance of the regions by several factors such as urbanisation, cultural environment, human capital and tolerance.
Compact and Resource Efficient Cities? Synergies and Trade-offs in European Cities
Authors: Fertner Christian , Große Juliane
Published: July 2016

Cities are the main consumers of energy and resources but at the same time are considered as centres for innovation which can provide solutions to unsustainable development. An important concept regarding energy and resource efficiency on the scale of the city and city-region is the compact city. Compact cities and compact urban development are thought to decrease energy and resource demand per capita and increase efficiency. At the same time trade-offs and potential rebound effects of increased resource efficiency question certain achievements of a compact urban structure. This paper reviews aspects of resource and energy efficiency in compact city development in a European context. We conclude that, if the idea of the compact city should have any effect on resource and energy efficiency, accompanying measures have to be implemented, such as e.g. efficient public transport systems to offer alternative travel modes. Also the allocation of efficiency gains due to compact urban development has to be taken into account in order to avoid direct and indirect rebound effects.