bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The uneven progress of sanitation in India
Authors: Ghosh Arabinda , Cairncross Sandy
Published: February 2014

The 2001 and 2011 Census of India returns are used to document the proportion of households with access to a latrine on their premises, in the different regions, states and districts of India. While some states have already achieved coverage of 90% or more, in others the proportion served is as low as 22%. There are also wide disparities between urban and rural households. Overall, more than 81.4% of urban households, but only 30.7% of rural households have a latrine. The difference varies widely across the country. Coverage has increased by 10.5% over the decade from 2001. This progress also varied widely between states and between districts within each state; 6.3% of districts made negative progress during that period. The variation between states and districts means that some have already achieved the Millennium Development Goal of halving the proportion of their population that lacks sanitation, while others, if they continue at the present rate, will not do so for many decades. Study of the causes of these differences offers the hope of finding ways to accelerate progress in the laggard states and districts. For example, we find a close association between district sanitation coverage and female literacy, suggesting an important role for education.
Participatory multi-criteria evaluation of alternative options for water supply in cyclone-prone areas of Bangladesh
Authors: Sikder Abu Hena Mustafa Kamal , Salehin Mashfiqus
Published: February 2014

Availability of safe drinking water is considered a key challenge in the coastal region of Bangladesh. High concentrations of salinity, iron and arsenic, and the unavailability of suitable aquifers, have deterred the exploitation of groundwater resources. In addition the cyclonic storm surge is a major threat to this system. Cyclones accompanied by storm surges in the coastal area cause significant deterioration of drinking water supply and sanitation. Water professionals have launched some initiatives to promote small-scale, alternative safe water sources (e.g. rainwater harvesting, pond sand filters and piped water techniques) to provide sustainable solutions to the problem. However, a systematic evaluation of the alternatives that considers social, technical and economic criteria has not been carried out so far. The present study is an attempt to evaluate the alternative options for drinking water supply in a cyclone-prone area. The authors conducted a multi-criteria analysis and reached the conclusion that rainwater harvesting is the most suitable option for the area. Moreover, the final result was shared with the users to obtain their feedback to ensure sustainability of the water source.
Application of artificial neural network for modeling of phenol mineralization by photo-Fenton process using a multi-lamp reactor
Authors: Mota André L. N. , Chiavone-Filho Osvaldo , da Silva Syllos S. , Foletto Edson L. , Moraes José E. F. , Nascimento Cláudio A. O.
Published: February 2014

An artificial neural network (ANN) was implemented for modeling phenol mineralization in aqueous solution using the photo-Fenton process. The experiments were conducted in a photochemical multi-lamp reactor equipped with twelve fluorescent black light lamps (40 W each) irradiating UV light. A three-layer neural network was optimized in order to model the behavior of the process. The concentrations of ferrous ions and hydrogen peroxide, and the reaction time were introduced as inputs of the network and the efficiency of phenol mineralization was expressed in terms of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) as an output. Both concentrations of Fe2+ and H2O2 were shown to be significant parameters on the phenol mineralization process. The ANN model provided the best result through the application of six neurons in the hidden layer, resulting in a high determination coefficient. The ANN model was shown to be efficient in the simulation of phenol mineralization through the photo-Fenton process using a multi-lamp reactor.
Bioflocculation behaviours of microbial communities in water treatment
Authors: Zhu Yanbin , Li Shan , Li Dengxin , Liu Chunyan , Ma Fang
Published: February 2014

We studied the flocculation behaviours of microbial communities in 21 soil, wastewater and activated sludge samples to clarify the effects of culture medium types on flocculation ability and screening efficiency, and to analyze diverse functions and microbial compositions. The bioflocculants produced by 33% of the microbial communities had flocculating efficiencies higher than 90%. Six out of the eight microbial communities with efficiencies over 94% were screened from the culture medium using dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as the carbon source. BF-BCT, which was derived from the Chinese cabbage soil sample, had the highest flocculating efficiency (99.6%), species diversity and uniformity. Nine highly efficient strains were separated and purified from seven different microbial communities, indicating that flocculating microorganisms are widely distributed in ecosystems. The 16S rRNA gene testing shows that the eight bacterial and the one fungal strains are common soil microorganisms. The flocculating abilities of BB11 (Sphingobacterium multivorum) and SE3 (Galactomyces geotrichum) have never been reported hitherto. Six strains, including the most flocculating-active TB13 and JB17, were screened from the culture medium using DBP as the sole carbon source. In particular, we compared the performance of culture media and analyzed analogous microbial communities with a Biolog automatic micro-analysis system for the first time.
Anaerobic ammonium oxidation in polyvinyl alcohol and sodium alginate immobilized biomass system: a potential tool to maintain anammox biomass in application
Authors: Zhu Gang-Li , Yan Jia , Hu Yong-You
Published: February 2014

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) has been proved to be a promising nitrogen removal method for treating ammonium-rich wastewater. However, because of the low-growth rate of anammox bacteria, maintenance of a sufficient amount of anammox biomass in reactor became a key factor in application. Gel immobilization is an efficient method to prevent biomass from being washed out and to promote hyper-concentrated cultures. This study focused on a nitrogen removal process by anammox enrichment culture immobilized in polyvinyl alcohol and sodium alginate (PVA-SA) gel beads. The rapid startup of reactor demonstrated that gel entrapment was supposed to be a highly effective technique for immobilizing anammox bacteria. The anammox bacteria present in the enrichment were identified to be Jettenia-like species (>98%). Moreover, the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT), pH, and temperature on immobilized anammox processes were investigated. The effect of pH and temperature on the anammox process was evidently weakened in PVA-SA immobilized gel beads, however, the effect of HRT on the anammox reaction was enhanced. Therefore, a stable operated reactor could be obtained in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor, which proved gel immobilization was an excellent method to maintain the biomass in anammox reactor for application.
Denitrifying kinetics and nitrous oxide emission under different copper concentrations
Authors: Wu Guangxue , Zhai Xiaofeng , Jiang Chengai , Guan Yuntao
Published: February 2014

Denitrifying activities and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission during denitrification can be affected by copper concentrations. Different denitrifiers were acclimated in sequencing batch reactors with acetate or methanol as the electron donor and nitrate as the electron acceptor. The effect of copper concentrations on the denitrifying activity and N2O emission for the acclimated denitrifiers was examined in batch experiments. Denitrifying activities of the acclimated denitrifiers declined with increasing copper concentrations, and the copper concentration exhibited a higher effect on denitrifiers acclimated with acetate than those acclimated with methanol. Compared with the control without the addition of copper, at the copper concentration of 1 mg/L, the acetate utilization rate reduced by 89% for acetate-acclimated denitrifiers, while the methanol utilization rate only reduced by 15% for methanol-acclimated denitrifiers. Copper also had different effects on N2O emission during denitrification carried out by various types of denitrifiers. For the acetate-acclimated denitrifiers, N2O emission initially increased and then decreased with increasing copper concentrations, while for the methanol-acclimated denitrifiers, N2O emission decreased with increasing copper concentrations.
Removal kinetic of Escherichia coli and enterococci in a laboratory pilot scale wastewater maturation pond
Authors: Ouali A. , Jupsin H. , Ghrabi A. , Vasel J. L.
Published: February 2014

During the last 15 years several authors studied the disinfection in waste stabilisation pond (WSP) and several empirical models were developed. There are huge differences between the models describing this process and there is really a need to improve the design of ponds for better disinfection. This paper addresses the Escherichia coli and enterococci disinfection in a laboratory pilot scale maturation pond (1.5 l) with light intensity (0, 12 and 25 W/m2) under controlled pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions. The aim of this study is to improve modelling for a better design of disinfection in maturation ponds (MP) and to identify the key parameters influencing the process. It was found that kinetic coefficients K values for E. coli and enterococci are closely dependent on physicochemical parameters. K values increase with increasing pH, I, T and DO. E. coli disinfection depends closely on the pH and the DO and increases strongly when the pH is above 8.5. The enterococci disinfection depends essentially on DO. Two equations are suggested to calculate the kinetic coefficient K related to the environmental average state variables.
Novel method for sludge blanket measurements
Authors: Schewerda J. , Förster G. , Heinrichmeier J.
Published: February 2014

The most widely used methods for sludge blanket measurements are based on acoustic or optic principles. In operation, both methods are expensive and often maintenance-intensive. Therefore a novel, reliable and simple method for sludge blanket measurement is proposed. It is based on the differential pressure measurement in the sludge zone compared with the differential pressure in the clear water zone, so that it is possible to measure the upper and the lower sludge level in a tank. Full-scale tests of this method were done in the secondary clarifier at the waste water treatment plant in Hecklingen, Germany. The result shows a good approximation of the manually measured sludge level.
Environmental assessment of different dewatering and drying methods on the basis of life cycle assessment
Authors: Stefaniak J. , Żelazna A. , Pawłowski A.
Published: February 2014

Sewage sludge is an inevitable product of wastewater treatment in municipal wastewater plants and its amount has increased dramatically due to the growing number of sewage systems users. This sludge needs to be adequately treated in order to decrease its hazardous properties and any negative influence on the environment. In this paper, gate to gate analysis, on the basis of life cycle assessment (LCA), was carried out in order to compare the environmental impact of alternative ways of sludge processing employing a dewatering press and three different kinds of dryers – belt dryer, container dryer and batch dryer. SimaPro 7.2 software and Ecoinvent 2.2 database were used to estimate the carbon footprint and energy balance of these processes. The main energy consumption in the scenarios analyzed is caused by the drying process. The solution based on application of the batch dryer allows a saving of 39.6% of energy compared with the most energy-consuming solution using a belt dryer. Sludge processing using belt and container dryers cause greater environmental burdens.
Recovery of water and acid from leach solutions using direct contact membrane distillation
Authors: Kesieme Uchenna K. , Milne Nicholas , Cheng Chu Yong , Aral Hal , Duke Mikel
Published: February 2014

This paper describes for the first time the use of direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) for acid and water recovery from a real leach solution generated by a hydrometallurgical plant. The leach solutions considered contained H2SO4 or HCl. In all tests the temperature of the feed solution was kept at 60 °C. The test work showed that fluxes were within the range of 18–33 kg/m2/h and 15–35 kg/m2/h for the H2SO4 and HCl systems, respectively. In the H2SO4 leach system, the final concentration of free acid in the sample solution increased on the concentrate side of the DCMD system from 1.04 M up to 4.60 M. The sulfate separation efficiency was over 99.9% and overall water recovery exceeded 80%. In the HCl leach system, HCl vapour passed through the membrane from the feed side to the permeate. The concentration of HCl captured in the permeate was about 1.10 M leaving behind only 0.41 M in the feed from the initial concentration of 2.13 M. In all the experiments, salt rejection was >99.9%. DCMD is clearly viable for high recovery of high quality water and concentrated H2SO4 from spent sulfuric acid leach solution where solvent extraction could then be applied to recover the sulfuric acid and metals. While HCl can be recovered for reuse using only DCMD.
Fate of organic pollutants in a pilot-scale membrane bioreactor-nanofiltration membrane system at high water yield in antibiotic wastewater treatment
Authors: Wang Jianxing , Wei Yuansong , Li Kun , Cheng Yutao , Li Mingyue , Xu Jianguo
Published: February 2014

A double membrane system combining a membrane bioreactor (MBR) with a nanofiltration (NF) membrane at the pilot scale was tested to treat real antibiotic wastewater at a pharmaceutical company in Wuxi (China). The water yield of the pilot system reached over 92 ± 5.6% through recycling the NF concentrate to the MBR tank. Results showed that the pilot scale system operated in good conditions throughout the entire experiment period and obtained excellent water quality in which the concentrations of chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon were stable at 35 and 5.7 mg/L, respectively. The antibiotic removal rates of both spiramycin (SPM) and new spiramycin in wastewater were over 95%. Organics analysis results showed that the main organics in the biological effluent were proteins, soluble microbial by-product-like, fulvic acid-like and humic-like substances. These organics could be perfectly rejected by the NF membrane. Most of the organics could be removed through recycling NF concentrate to the MBR tank and only a small part was discharged with NF concentrate and permeate.
Anaerobic digestion foaming in full-scale biogas plants: a survey on causes and solutions
Authors: Kougias P. G. , Boe K. , O-Thong S. , Kristensen L. A. , Angelidaki I.
Published: February 2014

Anaerobic digestion foaming is a common operation problem in biogas plants with negative impacts on the biogas plants economy and environment. A survey of 16 Danish full-scale biogas plants on foaming problems revealed that most of them had experienced foaming in their processes up to three times per year. Foaming incidents often lasted from one day to three weeks, causing 20–50% biogas production loss. One foaming case at Lemvig biogas plant has been investigated and the results indicated that the combination of feedstock composition and mixing pattern of the reactor was the main cause of foaming in this case. Moreover, no difference in bacterial communities between the foaming and non-foaming reactors was observed, showing that filamentous bacteria were not the main reason for foaming in this case.
Simultaneous Biological Nutrient Removal: A State‐of‐the‐Art Review
Authors: Daigger Glen T. , Littleton Helen X.
Published: February 2014

Simultaneous biological nutrient removal (SBNR) is the occurrence of biological nutrient removal (BNR) in systems that do not possess defined anaerobic and/or anoxic zones. A review of the relevant literature demonstrates that two mechanisms are primarily responsible for SBNR: (1) the bioreactor macro‐environment and (2) the floc micro‐environment. Complex hydraulic flow patterns exist in full‐scale bioreactors that can result in the cycling of mixed liquor through the different environments needed for BNR. Diffusion resistance further allows oxygen‐sufficient and oxygen‐deficient zones to develop in activated sludge flocs if the external dissolved oxygen concentration is properly controlled. The diffusion of substrates between these zones allows BNR to occur. Long‐term acclimation to the unique environmental conditions occurring in these systems results in the selection of microorganisms well adapted to the low dissolved oxygen concentrations occurring in them. The experience base for the design and operation of SBNR systems is expanding, thereby allowing their more widespread application, especially coupled with conventional mathematical modeling approaches. Computational fluid dynamics is an evolving tool to assist with the design and optimization of SBNR.
Effects of annealing and laser irradiation on optical and electrical properties of ZnO thin films
Authors: Nie Meng , Zhao Yan , Zeng Yong
Published: February 2014

Zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited on a sapphire (001) by pulsed laser deposition technique at room temperature. The profound changes of ZnO thin films had been observed. The large surface morphology difference of ZnO thin films between annealing and laser irradiation was found. Meanwhile, the dependence of photoluminescence (PL) spectra on annealing temperature and laser irradiation energy had been investigated. As the annealing temperature and laser irradiation energy increased, the PL intensity of visible luminescence decreased. In contrast, the intensity of ultraviolet (UV) emission increased largely with the increasing laser energy. However, annealing treatment had no effect on the UV emission behavior. The results from Hall measurements and the variation of visible emission indicated annealing and laser irradiation had the same influence on controlling the concentration and some native defects in ZnO thin films. Besides, the thermal and photochemical effects of KrF excimer led to an enormous accumulation of zinc interstitial, and the carrier concentration increased up to six orders of magnitude. Furthermore, the origins of UV and visible emissions were discussed.
Modeling of ethylbenzene dehydrogenation in catalytic membrane reactor with porous membrane
Authors: Shelepova E.V. , Vedyagin A.A. , Mishakov I.V. , Noskov A.S.
Published: February 2014

The modeling of ethylbenzene dehydrogenation in a catalytic membrane reactor has been carried out for porous membrane by means of two-dimensional, non-isothermal stationary mathematical model. A mathematical model of the catalytic membrane reactor was applied, in order to study the effects of transport properties of the porous membrane on process performance. The performed modeling of the heat and mass transfer processes within the porous membrane, allowed us to estimate the efficiency of its use in membrane reactors, in comparison with a dense membrane (with additional oxidation of the hydrogen in shell side). The use of a porous ceramic membrane was found to cause an increase of the ethylbenzene conversion at 600°C, up to 93 %, while the conversion in the case of conventional reactor was 67%. In this work, we defined the key parameter values of porous membrane (pore diameter and thickness) for ethylbenzene dehydrogenation in catalytic membrane reactor, at which the highest conversion of ethylbenzene and styrene selectivity can be reached.
Ni(Co)-containing catalysts based on perovskite-like ferrites for steam reforming of ethanol
Authors: Arapova M. V. , Pavlova S. N. , Rogov V. A. , Krieger T. A. , Ishchenko A.V. , Roger A.-C.
Published: February 2014

For two series of catalysts based on praseodymium ferrite, their structural and redox properties as well as performance in ethanol steam reforming have been studied. The first series was PrFe
Colloidal catalysts on the base of iron(3+) oxides for oxidative treatment of biomass
Authors: Kasaikina O.T. , Lesin V.I. , Pisarenko L.M.
Published: February 2014

The analysis of the chemical nature of wood waste processing by fungus and bacteria was the starting point for innovative production of a new, relatively simple, colloidal catalytic system based on iron (III) oxides, combined with environmentally friendly oxidants - hydrogen peroxide and/or atmospheric oxygen. Colloidal iron(III) oxides, obtained by hydrolysis of Fe(III) salts in water in the presence of surfactants, catalyze the oxidative destruction of lignocellulosic biomass under atmospheric pressure, at a mild temperature range of 60-70
Self-propagation high-temperature sintering of the Ti–Al–C-diamond/BN system
Authors: Liang Baoyan , Wang Zhiwei , Wang Le , Han Jingxian , Guo Meng
Published: February 2014

A mixture of Ti, Al, C, diamond, or c-BN powder was used as the raw material for the fabrication of a titanium aluminum carbide matrix-bonded diamond/c-BN composite using self-propagation high-temperature synthesis. The phase composition and microstructure of the reacted products were analyzed via X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The addition of diamond did not inhibit the synthesis of titanium aluminum carbide in the sintered product. The diamond and this matrix exhibited good bonding. However, c-BN reacted with Ti and Al in the Ti–Al–C–BN system, which resulted in the formation of small amounts of titanium aluminum carbide. TiC, TiN, and Ti(C,N) matrix-bonded diamond/c-BN composites were obtained.
Effect of heat treatment on the slurry erosion resistance of high strength steel DP980
Authors: Ji Xiulin , Han Xue , Zhou Meiying , Liu Jiaqi
Published: February 2014

The slurry erosion resistance of the high strength steel DP980 was investigated using a jet erosion tester. The cumulative volume loss of DP980 samples was about 32.6 mm3 after 30 min erosion in a slurry containing 5.68 wt.% sand particles with an impact velocity of 13.01 m s−1 at an impact angle of 30°. With water quenching directly from austenite, the erosion resistance of DP980 samples was improved to about 2.0 times that of common low-carbon steel ASTM A283C and was also better than that of AISI 304 under identical test conditions. Heat treatment was very useful to improve the erosion resistance of the DP980 samples at the high impact velocity, but was adverse at the low impact velocity. Martensite islands in the DP steels could resist the microcutting and microploughing better than the base which improves the wear resistance, especially at high impact velocity.
Imaging of hydrogen in steels using neutrons
Authors: Griesche Axel , Dabah Eitan , Kardjilov Nikolay , Hilger André , Manke Ingo , Kannengiesser Thomas
Published: February 2014

We investigated the hydrogen distribution spatially and temporally in technical iron at room temperature. Samples were charged electrochemically and subsequently analysed by means of neutron radiography and tomography. The radiographic images allowed for a time-resolved analysis of hydrogen fluxes. The three-dimensional distribution of hydrogen measured by neutron tomography delivered valuable information for the damage analysis of hydrogen-induced cracks. For the first time hydrogen concentration gradients inside the material could be detect directly together with the cracks. The neutron radiography and tomography results were gained at the Research Reactor BER II of the HZB in Berlin.
Effect of ball milling time on the synthesis of nanocrystalline merwinite via mechanical activation and heat treatment
Authors: Hafezi Masoud , Nadernezhad Ali , Mohammadi Maryam , Barzegar Hadi , Mohammadi Hossein
Published: February 2014

Nanocrystalline merwinite was successfully synthesized by mechanical activation of a mixture of magnesium hydroxide, calcium oxide and silica gel powders followed by heat treatment. The phase development and various physical properties were investigated as a function of milling time using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, simultaneous thermal analysis, particle size analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that formation of merwinite in annealed powders was enhanced by increasing the milling time. Nanocrystalline merwinite powder with an average crystallite size of about 36 nm was obtained after 30 hours of ball milling and subsequent annealing in 900 °C for 1 hour.
Materials research and non-destructive testing using neutron tomography methods
Authors: Lehmann Eberhard H. , Kaestner Anders , Grünzweig Christian , Mannes Dadid , Vontobel Peter , Peetermans Steven
Published: February 2014

This paper describes the modern tool of neutron tomography as an alternative and complement to the more common X-ray options and its potential for applications in materials research and engineering. Based on our own practical experiences, the challenges, success and limitations of neutron tomography are sketched and the potential for further improvements and methodical extensions is described. Using the performance at dedicated neutron imaging beam lines, there are many new aspects which only can be made available with neutron methods such as energy-selective imaging near Bragg edges, imaging with polarized neutrons and even imaging in the resonance region. Therefore, it is of high importance to get more and easier access to suitable beam ports at advanced neutron sources to make methodical progress and to attract more scientific and industrial users.
Meningitis  what precaution is needed for central neuraxial blockade
Authors: Miah Md Ruhul Amin , Anwar Shaheda
Published: February 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbsa.v22i1.18083Journal of BSA, 2009; 22(1): 5-11
Pre-operative fasting guidelines: An update
Authors: Yasmin Rubina , Khan Sayed Akhter , Sarker Paresh Chandra , Khan Zakir Hossain
Published: February 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbsa.v22i1.18099 Journal of BSA, 2009; 22(1): 32-34
An ‘imperial hangover’? Royal Honours in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, 1917–2009
Authors: Fox Karen
Published: February 2014

New Zealand ceased to award the titles of ‘Sir’ and ‘Dame’ in 2000, joining Australia and Canada in what looked like the end of a process of change that all three countries had been implementing in their honours systems over the twentieth century, albeit at varying speeds. In each case, imperial British honours had been gradually discarded in favour of homegrown national ones, and the practice of conferring knighthoods and damehoods had ceased. In 2009, however, New Zealand's newly elected National government announced that titles were to be reinstated. While not a restoration of imperial honours in place of the country's relatively young national ones, the move put New Zealand out of step with Australia and Canada in terms of honours. This article traces the shifting relationships that Australia, New Zealand and Canada had with imperial honours over the twentieth century, and the steps by which each moved away from British honours towards their own national systems. In all three settings, changes were accompanied by debates over nationalism, independence and the endurance of historic ties to Britain. Through the case study of honours, this article offers a contribution to scholarly consideration of the process of de-dominionisation and the end of empire in the British World, and of the new nationalism that arose alongside and as part of that process.
Exporting the Westminster model: MPs and Colonial Governance in the Victorian era
Authors: Owen James
Published: February 2014

While the role of British colonial governors has been subject to recent extensive analysis, the collective phenomenon of Victorian Members of Parliament taking up gubernatorial office remains largely unaddressed. Between 1828 and 1868, 38 former MPs were appointed to colonial governorships. With metropolitan administrators, who believed in the superiority of British institutions, seeking to introduce greater colonial self-government from the 1830s onwards, the careers of these former MPs offer a direct and personal example of the challenges of exporting the Westminster style of politics to the British world. This article analyses the extent to which MPs, who became colonial governors, drew on their experiences of Westminster culture, particularly the art of negotiating the public and private spheres of political life, when attempting to introduce self-government to their respective colonies. Four MPs with varying political experience are considered: Charles Poulett Thomson, governor-general of Canada, 1839–41; Arthur Hamilton Gordon, lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick, 1861–66; Sir Charles Edward Grey, governor of Jamaica, 1847–53, and his successor, Sir Henry Barkly, 1853–56. The article argues that when these MPs enjoyed a measure of success in bargaining with a colonial assembly, it was because they were able to cultivate an effective public persona while exploiting, through private correspondence, their connections with former colleagues at Westminster.
The Branch Life of Empire: Imperial Loyalty Leagues in Antipodean Cities – Comparisons and Contrasts with the British Model
Authors: Griffiths John
Published: February 2014

This article examines the developmental trajectory of a cluster of Antipodean imperial loyalty leagues, several of which were branches of British based leagues, which were formed and operated in the first half of the twentieth century. It is argued here that the thesis of the success of leagues which exhibited ‘feminine’ characteristics and the relative failure of those which demonstrated ‘masculine’ characteristics after 1918 largely holds good for this region of the British Empire, although some of the ‘masculine’ leagues managed to traverse such gender boundaries and are, as a result, more problematic to categorise. The general picture of league operations across the period under scrutiny, when viewed from both within (through league archives) and without (through newspaper reports of their activities) should however, perhaps stress their relative failure to act as imperial propaganda mechanisms and they did not for the most part, ignite the enthusiasm of the wider city populaces for an imperial identity. Possible reasons for their failure are advanced and comparisons made with County Societies with which they were contemporaneous.
Virtual Representations: A Somatechnical Politics of Sexual Difference
Authors: Hinton Peta
Published: February 2014

As Ulrika Dahl and Jenny Sunden point out in a recent issue of the Somatechnics journal, somatechnical explorations of bodies and techne continue a longer feminist dialogue with technologies as spaces for political intervention. The initial reception of the internet provides one such example of this somatechnical genealogy. An area of feminism interested in the new digital technologies and virtual reality found it to be a provocative context for reconsidering assumptions surrounding technology and its relationship with humans, their bodies, and their subjectivities. However, the way cyberfeminist debates took up with the nature of the incorporeal, underscored by a particular reading of sexual difference, potentially compromised the full impact of what their reconfiguring of virtuality, representation and the human might achieve. Critically addressing essays by Zoë Sophia, Sadie Plant, and Kim Toffoletti, three scholars engaged in varying ways with the question of difference and virtuality, this paper's task is twofold: to underline the conceptual commitments informing the politics of difference that is advanced in these accounts; and to engage in a line of discussion opened in contemporary somatechnical analyses, to suggest that in Toffoletti's figure of the posthuman we also find a reading of difference that disturbs and makes possible a somatechnical politics of sexual difference that elides any capacity for fixity or closure of its terms.
Assessment of Hypoxia in the Stroma of Patient-Derived Pancreatic Tumor Xenografts
Authors: Lohse Ines , Lourenco Corey , Ibrahimov Emin , Pintilie Melania , Tsao Ming-Sound , Hedley David
Published: February 2014

The unusually dense stroma of pancreatic cancers is thought to play an important role in their biological aggression. The presence of hypoxia is also considered an adverse prognostic factor. Although it is usually assumed that this is the result of effects of hypoxia on the epithelial component, it is possible that hypoxia exerts indirect effects via the tumor stroma. We therefore measured hypoxia in the stroma of a series of primary pancreatic cancer xenografts. Nine patient-derived pancreatic xenografts representing a range of oxygenation levels were labeled by immunohistochemistry for EF5 and analyzed using semi-automated pattern recognition software. Hypoxia in the tumor and stroma was correlated with tumor growth and metastatic potential. The extent of hypoxia varied from 1%–39% between the different models. EF5 labeling in the stroma ranged from 0–20% between models, and was correlated with the level of hypoxia in the tumor cell area, but not microvessel density. Tumor hypoxia correlated with spontaneous metastasis formation with the exception of one hypoxic model that showed disproportionately low levels of hypoxia in the stroma and was non-metastatic. Our results demonstrate that hypoxia exists in the stroma of primary pancreatic cancer xenografts and suggest that stromal hypoxia impacts the metastatic potential.
σ-Hole Interactions of Covalently-Bonded Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Arsenic: A Survey of Crystal Structures
Authors: Politzer Peter , Murray Jane , Janjić Goran , Zarić Snežana
Published: February 2014

Covalently-bonded atoms of Groups IV–VII tend to have anisotropic charge distributions, the electronic densities being less on the extensions of the bonds (σ-holes) than in the intervening regions. These σ-holes often give rise to positive electrostatic potentials through which the atom can interact attractively and highly directionally with negative sites (e.g., lone pairs, π electrons and anions), forming noncovalent complexes. For Group VII this is called “halogen bonding” and has been widely studied both computationally and experimentally. For Groups IV–VI, it is only since 2007 that positive σ-holes have been recognized as explaining many noncovalent interactions that have in some instances long been known experimentally. There is considerable experimental evidence for such interactions involving groups IV and VI, particularly in the form of surveys of crystal structures. However we have found less extensive evidence for Group V. Accordingly we have now conducted a survey of the Cambridge Structural Database for crystalline close contacts of trivalent nitrogen, phosphorus and arsenic with six different types of electronegative atoms in neighboring molecules. We have found numerous close contacts that fit the criteria for σ-hole interactions. Some of these are discussed in detail; in two instances, computed molecular electrostatic potentials are presented.
An Artificial Neural Network Compensated Output Feedback Power-Level Control for Modular High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors
Authors: Dong Zhe
Published: February 2014

Small modular reactors (SMRs) could be beneficial in providing electricity power safely and also be viable for applications such as seawater desalination and heat production. Due to its inherent safety features, the modular high temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR) has been seen as one of the best candidates for building SMR-based nuclear power plants. Since the MHTGR dynamics display high nonlinearity and parameter uncertainty, it is necessary to develop a nonlinear adaptive power-level control law which is not only beneficial to the safe, stable, efficient and autonomous operation of the MHTGR, but also easy to implement practically. In this paper, based on the concept of shifted-ectropy and the physically-based control design approach, it is proved theoretically that the simple proportional-differential (PD) output-feedback power-level control can provide asymptotic closed-loop stability. Then, based on the strong approximation capability of the multi-layer perceptron (MLP) artificial neural network (ANN), a compensator is established to suppress the negative influence caused by system parameter uncertainty. It is also proved that the MLP-compensated PD power-level control law constituted by an experientially-tuned PD regulator and this MLP-based compensator can guarantee bounded closed-loop stability. Numerical simulation results not only verify the theoretical results, but also illustrate the high performance of this MLP-compensated PD power-level controller in suppressing the oscillation of process variables caused by system parameter uncertainty.
Lessons from Genome-Wide Search for Disease-Related Genes with Special Reference to HLA-Disease Associations
Authors: Tokunaga Katsushi
Published: February 2014

The relationships between diseases and genetic factors are by no means uniform. Single-gene diseases are caused primarily by rare mutations of specific genes. Although each single-gene disease has a low prevalence, there are an estimated 5000 or more such diseases in the world. In contrast, multifactorial diseases are diseases in which both genetic and environmental factors are involved in onset. These include a variety of diseases, such as diabetes and autoimmune diseases, and onset is caused by a range of various environmental factors together with a number of genetic factors. With the astonishing advances in genome analysis technology in recent years and the accumulation of data on human genome variation, there has been a rapid progress in research involving genome-wide searches for genes related to diseases. Many of these studies have led to the recognition of the importance of the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) gene complex. Here, the current state and future challenges of genome-wide exploratory research into variations that are associated with disease susceptibilities and drug/therapy responses are described, mainly with reference to our own experience in this field.
Changes of Heavy Metals in Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) in Korea
Authors: Kwon Yong-Su , Bae Mi-Jung , Park Young-Seuk
Published: February 2014

Industrial effluent containing heavy metals discharged into streams may pose high toxicity risks to aquatic organisms and to human health. Therefore, it is important to understand how to change the amount of effluent with heavy metals discharged from industries into open aquatic ecosystems both for effective management of heavy metals and to foster sustainable ecosystems. This study was conducted to characterize the release of heavy metals from industries based on the Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers database in Korea from 1999 to 2010. From the database, we selected nine heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Mn, Sb, Cu, Zn, Cr, Sn, and Ni) and compared the differences in their effluent for different types of industries. The heavy metal effluents released into freshwater ecosystems were classified into four clusters through the learning process of the self-organizing map. Cluster 1 was characterized by the relatively higher effluent volumes of heavy metals, whereas cluster 4 had lower effluent volumes. The different patterns of the effluent volumes in heavy metals were closely associated with the differences of industrial types, and the changes of effluents of heavy metals reflected the changes in regulations and laws for aquatic ecosystem management.
The Influence of Changes in Lifestyle and Mercury Exposure in Riverine Populations of the Madeira River (Amazon Basin) near a Hydroelectric Project
Authors: Hacon Sandra , Dórea José , Fonseca Márlon , Oliveira Beatriz , Mourão Dennys , Ruiz Claudia , Gonçalves Rodrigo , Mariani Carolina , Bastos Wanderley
Published: February 2014

In the Amazon Basin, naturally occurring methylmercury bioaccumulates in fish, which is a key source of protein consumed by riverine populations. The hydroelectric power-plant project at Santo Antônio Falls allows us to compare the Hg exposure of riverine populations sparsely distributed on both sides of the Madeira river before the area is to be flooded. From 2009 to 2011, we concluded a population survey of the area (N = 2,008; representing circa 80% of community residents) that estimated fish consumption and mercury exposure of riverine populations with different degrees of lifestyle related to fish consumption. Fish samples from the Madeira river (N = 1,615) and 110 species were analyzed for Hg. Hair-Hg was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in less isolated communities near to the capital of Porto Velho (median 2.32 ppm) than in subsistence communities in the Cuniã Lake, 180 km from Porto Velho city (median 6.3 ppm). Fish Hg concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 6.06 µg/g, depending on fish size and feeding behavior. Currently available fish in the Madeira river show a wide variability in Hg concentrations. Despite cultural similarities, riparians showed hair-Hg distribution patterns that reflect changes in fish-eating habits driven by subsistence characteristics.
Revisiting the Performance of MACD and RSI Oscillators
Authors: Chong Terence , Ng Wing-Kam , Liew Venus
Published: February 2014

Chong and Ng (2008) find that the Moving Average Convergence–Divergence (MACD) and Relative Strength Index (RSI) rules can generate excess return in the London Stock Exchange. This paper revisits the performance of the two trading rules in the stock markets of five other OECD countries. It is found that the MACD(12,26,0) and RSI(21,50) rules consistently generate significant abnormal returns in the Milan Comit General and the S&P/TSX Composite Index. In addition, the RSI(14,30/70) rule is also profitable in the Dow Jones Industrials Index. The results shed some light on investors’ belief in these two technical indicators in different developed markets.
[7-(Fluoromethyl)-2-naphthyl]methanol
Authors: Bogdanov Jane
Published: February 2014

The title compound was synthesized from 2,7-bis(bromomethyl)naphthalene via two step sequence-partial halogen exchange, followed by hydrolysis. The structure of this product was established by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 19F-NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis.
Regulation by Light of Chemotaxis to Nitrite during the Sexual Life Cycle in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Ermilova Elena , Zalutskaya Zhanneta
Published: February 2014

Nitrite plays an important role in the nitrogen metabolism of most cells, including Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We have shown that vegetative cells of C. reinhardtii are attracted by nitrite. The Nia1nit2 mutant with defects in genes encoding the nitrate reductase and regulatory protein NIT2 respectively was found to exhibit normal chemotaxis to nitrite. The data suggest that chemotaxis events appear to be specific and independent of those involved in nitrate assimilation. Unlike vegetative cells and noncompetent pregametes, mature gametes did not show chemotaxis to nitrite. Just like gamete formation, the change in chemotaxis mode is controlled by the sequential action of two environmental cues, removal of nitrogen from the medium and light. Comparative analysis of wild-type and RNAi strains with reduced level of phototropin has indicated that switch-off of chemotaxis towards nitrite is dependent on phototropin. The studies revealed individual elements of the phototropin-dependent signal transduction pathway involved in the blue-light-controlled change in chemotaxis mode of C. reinhardtii during gamete formation: three protein kinases, one operating against signal flux and two that promote signal transduction. We have proposed a working model for the signaling pathway by which blue light controls chemotaxis towards attractants, which are nitrogen sources, during pregamete-to-gamete conversion of C. reinhardtii.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Processes in 2013
Authors: Processes Editorial Office
Published: February 2014

The editors of Processes would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2013. [...]
The Body in Grief: Death Investigations, Objections to Autopsy, and the Religious and Cultural ‘Other’
Authors: Carpenter Belinda , Tait Gordon , Quadrelli Carol
Published: February 2014

Sudden, violent and otherwise unexplained deaths are investigated in most western jurisdictions through a Coronial or medico-legal process. A crucial element of such an investigation is the legislative requirement to remove the body for autopsy and other medical interventions, processes which can disrupt traditional religious and cultural grieving practices. While recent legislative changes in an increasing number of jurisdictions allow families to raise objections based on religious and cultural grounds, such concerns can be over-ruled, often exacerbating the trauma and grief of families. Based on funded research which interviews a range of Coronial staff in one Australian jurisdiction, this paper explores the disjuncture between medico-legal discourses, which position the body as corpse, and the rise of more ‘therapeutic’ discourses which recognise the family’s wishes to reposition the body as beloved and lamented.
A Qur’anic Framework for Spiritual Intelligence
Authors: Bensaid Benaouda , Machouche Salah , Grine Fadila
Published: February 2014

This paper examines the perspective of the Qur’an on spiritual intelligence in an attempt to understand its foundations, meaning and nature, as well as derive its indicators, in an effort to develop a competency-based criterion for it. This paper draws on some illustrations that effectively highlight the Qur’anic perspective on the subject of spiritual intelligence. The paper concludes that spiritual intelligence developed in accordance with a Qur’anic framework that incorporates spiritual consciousness into a system of belief, worship, morality and social responsibility. The understanding of the Qur’anic perspective helps uncover some of the broad underlying theoretical principles and values of Islamic spiritual intelligence which shapes much of Muslim spiritual undertaking with relation to a wider spectrum of interaction with faith-groups and society; effectively developing more inclusive models of evaluation and capacity-building in contemporary multi-religious societies.
On the Use of Low-Cost Radar Networks for Collision Warning Systems Aboard Dumpers
Authors: González-Partida José-Tomás , León-Infante Francisco , Blázquez-García Rodrigo , Burgos-García Mateo
Published: February 2014

The use of dumpers is one of the main causes of accidents in construction sites, many of them with fatal consequences. These kinds of work machines have many blind angles that complicate the driving task due to their large size and volume. To guarantee safety conditions is necessary to use automatic aid systems that can detect and locate the different objects and people in a work area. One promising solution is a radar network based on low-cost radar transceivers aboard the dumper. The complete system is specified to operate with a very low false alarm rate to avoid unnecessary stops of the dumper that reduce its productivity. The main sources of false alarm are the heavy ground clutter, and the interferences between the radars of the network. This article analyses the clutter for LFM signaling and proposes the use of Offset Linear Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (OLFM-CW) as radar signal. This kind of waveform can be optimized to reject clutter and self-interferences. Jointly, a data fusion chain could be used to reduce the false alarm rate of the complete radar network. A real experiment is shown to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system.