bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intervenção fonológica em crianças com distúrbio específico de linguagem com base em um modelo psicolinguístico
Authors: Gahyva Dáphine Luciana Costa , Hage Simone Rocha de Vasconcellos
Published: November 2009

TEMA: intervenção fonológica em crianças com Distúrbio Específico de Linguagem, com base em um Modelo Psicolinguístico. PROCEDIMENTOS: participaram do processo de intervenção 4 pré-escolares, de ambos os gêneros, com idade entre 48 e 83 meses. O desempenho psicolinguístico dos sujeitos foi obtido em duas etapas (pré e pós-intervenção), mediante a utilização de instrumentos que avaliam diferentes níveis do processamento da informação: reconhecimento auditivo-fonético, consciência fonológica, codificação/ produção fonológica, memória de trabalho e acesso lexical. O Programa de intervenção teve duração de 4 meses. RESULTADOS: os pré-escolares apresentaram comprometimento em todos os níveis do processamento da informação avaliados (pré-intervenção), revelando que as dificuldades de organização fonológica estavam relacionadas a problemas no processamento receptivo e expressivo. Ao fim do Programa, todos apresentaram melhora no desempenho fonológico. CONCLUSÃO: o uso de procedimentos de avaliação que abordam os diferentes níveis de processamento possibilita a compreensão da natureza dos distúrbios de linguagem e permitem a programação de estratégias mais efetivas para as dificuldades de linguagem.
A constituição de 1988, vinte anos depois: suprema corte e ativismo judicial "à brasileira"
Authors: Verissimo Marcos Paulo
Published: November 2009

Este artigo examina as transformações por que vem passando o Supremo Tribunal Federal nos últimos anos, relacionando-as à sua reconfiguração institucional ocorrida por ocasião da Constituição de 1988. essas transformações são apresentadas como respostas a um duplo fenômeno (impulsionado por essa mesma reconfiguração institucional) de incremento do papel político do tribunal, por um lado, e de sobrecarga extraordinária de seu volume de trabalho, por outro. Essa tensão reflete no modelo misto de controle de constitucionalidade no Brasil e parece apontar para mudanças iminentes nesse mesmo modelo, algumas das quais já vêm sendo concebidas pelo próprio tribunal.
A Emenda Constitucional 45 e a questão do acesso à justiça
Authors: Ribeiro Ludmila
Published: November 2009

A proposta deste artigo é discutir em que medida a Emenda Constitucional 45 pode (ou não) alterar o cenário atual de acesso à justiça através da alteração de algumas normas relativas ao funcionamento do judiciário brasileiro. Este estudo se insere na seara denominada "direito e segurança jurídica" na medida em que pretende verificar de que forma alterações legais podem o escopo e o tipo de acesso que a população possui ao judiciário. Para tanto, além de uma revisão sobre o processo de constituição e reforma do sistema judiciário brasileiro, sobre os pressupostos teóricos da questão do acesso à justiça, este artigo revisou outras pesquisas nacionais sobre cada um dos temas escolhidos para esta abordagem no âmbito dessa emenda. As conclusões apontam para o fato de que várias das mudanças previstas pela EC/45 poderiam ser materializadas pelo simples cumprimento da legislação extraordinária já existente. Nesse sentido, a grande alteração instituída pela Emenda 45 foi a constituição do Conselho Nacional de Justiça como órgão destinado a avaliar o trabalho das cortes estaduais de justiça.
Legitimidade e governabilidade na regulação do sistema financeiro
Authors: Pereira Júnior Ademir Antonio
Published: November 2009

A relação entre direito e economia pode resultar numa oposição entre governabilidade e legitimidade legal-racional, uma vez que se baseiam em diferentes racionalidades. A revisão judicial da regulação do sistema financeiro evidencia esse conflito, observado neste trabalho sob a perspectiva da jurisprudência constitucional do Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF). O objetivo deste trabalho resume-se então em identificar o conflito entre governabilidade e a exigência de legitimidade legal das decisões analisadas pela corte no que concerne à regulação financeira. O estudo de casos evidencia que o STF tem rejeitado argumentos econômicos, entretanto, tem preservado a lógica da governabilidade com decisões contraditórias e incoerentes pautadas em argumentos formais. Dessa forma, possível identificar o papel institucional conferido pelo STF à Constituição Federal de 1988, considerando o contexto das crises econômicas vividas pelo Brasil a partir da metade da década de 1980 e sua nova conformação a partir da Emenda Constitucional n. 40.
Escrevendo um romance, primeiro capítulo: precedentes e processo decisório no STF
Authors: Vojvodic Adriana de Moraes , Machado Ana Mara França , Cardoso Evorah Lusci Costa
Published: November 2009

O artigo, por meio do estudo de casos exemplificativos, procura mostrar que um dos motivos para a falta de uma cultura de respeito aos precedentes judiciais no Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF), ou para a falta de um romance em cadeia (Dworkin), é a dificuldade de formação de uma ratio decidendi comum entre os ministros nos julgamentos da corte, em virtude, por exemplo, do próprio processo decisório do Tribunal. A falta de padrões de decisão implica que cada caso seja decidido sem referência a casos previamente relacionados. Esse contexto pode colaborar para a falta de transparência decisória e para o que pode ser considerado um deficit democrático do STF.
O Supremo Tribunal e a compensação SNUC: A ADI 3.378-DF
Authors: Domingues José Marcos
Published: November 2009

Este texto examina e critica recente julgamento do STF, ainda não definitivo, que julga legítima a chamada compensação financeira Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação da Natureza (SNUC), embora dando parcial procedência à ação direta ajuizada pela Confederação Nacional da Indústria, para " declarar a inconstitucionalidade das expressões indicadas no voto reajustado do Relator" . A ilegitimidade da previsão legal estaria no fato de que o valor da compensação em questão " é de ser fixado proporcionalmente ao impacto ambiental, após estudo em que se assegurem o contraditório e a ampla defesa" , sendo prescindível a " fixação de percentual sobre os custos do empreendimento" . A Lei nº 9.985, de 18 de julho de 2000, criou o Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação, no bojo do qual se inserem as unidades do " Grupo de Proteção Integral" (art. 8º); em apoio às mesmas, a lei determina o pagamento de uma compensação, a cuja implantação e manutenção estará afetada a receita respectiva (art. 36, caput). O texto discute as possibilidades de interpretação das cláusulas gerais relativas ao caso, abordando os limites da atuação do poder jurisdicional e sugerindo o que julga ser a melhor solução para o caso concreto.
Is the international frog legs trade a potential vector for deadly amphibian pathogens?
Authors: Gratwicke Brian , Evans Matthew J , Jenkins Peter T , Kusrini Mirza D , Moore Robin D , Sevin Jennifer , Wildt David E
Published: November 2009

There have been surprisingly few analyses of how the international trade in amphibians for food affects the conservation status of this group. We analyzed information from the UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database and found that, by volume, Indonesia supplied nearly half of the animals entering the world's US$40 million per year international frog legs trade, and that – collectively – France, Belgium, and the US imported more than 75% of all frog legs traded internationally. Nonetheless, a close examination of available information from 1996 through 2006 revealed that most countries throughout the world participated in the frog legs trade at some level. These extensive international amphibian trade networks could facilitate the spread of pathogens, includingBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which has been identified as a threat connected with the disappearance and possible extinction of over 90 amphibian species around the world. Given the size and extent of the international trade in frog legs, we advocate for the rigorous implementation of clear policies regulating the domestic and international movement of amphibians for food.
A Conceptual Model of Soil Susceptibility to Macropore Flow
Authors: Jarvis N. J. , Moeys J. , Hollis J. M. , Reichenberger S. , Lindahl A. M. L. , Dubus I. G.
Published: November 2009

The extent to which a fast, nonequilibrium, and highly transient pore‐scale process such as macropore flow can be predicted is very often debated, although little research has been conducted to investigate this issue. The validity of approaches to “upscaling” transport predictions from pore through Darcy to landscape scales critically depends on the answer to this question. We developed a simple conceptual model of soil susceptibility to macropore flow, based on a synthesis of existing experimental information. The conceptual model takes the form of a decision tree, which classifies soil horizons into one of four susceptibility classes on the basis of easily available site and soil factors. The model was tested against an independent database of tracer breakthrough experiments on undisturbed soil columns collated from the literature (n = 52), using the pore volumes drained at peak solute concentration, tp, as a measure of the strength of macropore flow. Analysis of variance for tp as a function of susceptibility class showed that the overall model was significant. A significant proportion of the residual variation in tp could be attributed to variation in clay content within one of the susceptibility classes. Some important sources of experimental error were also identified that may account for much of the remaining unexplained variation. We concluded that macropore flow is predictable to a sufficient degree from easily available soil properties and site factors. The simple classification tree developed in this study could be used to support hydropedological approaches to quantifying the spatial distribution of contaminant leaching at the landscape scale by providing the basis for class pedotransfer functions to estimate model parameters related to macropore flow. Such an approach has been implemented in the European project FOOTPRINT.
Site Classification to Predict the Abundance of the Deep‐Burrowing Earthworm Lumbricus terrestris L.
Authors: Lindahl A. M. L. , Dubus I. G. , Jarvis N. J.
Published: November 2009

Channels made by deep‐burrowing (anecic) earthworms are known to strongly affect soil water flow and increase the leaching risk of agricultural pollutants. A classification tree that predicts the abundance of the anecic earthworm Lumbricus terrestris L. from readily available survey information (land use, management practices, and soil texture) was derived from literature data (n = 86). The most important factors favoring L. terrestris were perennial land use, no‐till arable cropping, organic additions (i.e., manure), and medium‐textured soil. The classification scheme correctly predicted earthworm abundance for 71% of the studies in the database. Among other potential applications, the classification tree could be used to identify areas at risk from groundwater pollution in agricultural landscapes and to support catchment‐ and regional‐scale models of contaminant leaching in the vadose zone.
Effect of Particle Size and Soil Compaction on Gas Transport Parameters in Variably Saturated, Sandy Soils
Authors: Hamamoto Shoichiro , Moldrup Per , Kawamoto Ken , Komatsu Toshiko
Published: November 2009

The soil gas diffusion coefficient (Dp) and air permeability (ka) and their dependency on soil air content (ε) control gas diffusion and advection in soils. This study investigated the effects of average particle size (D50) and dry bulk density (ρb) on Dp and ka for six sandy soils under variably saturated conditions. Data showed that particle size markedly affects the effective diameter of the drained pores active in leading gas through the sample at −100 cm H2O of soil water matric potential (calculated from Dp and ka) as well as the average pore diameter at half saturation (calculated from the water retention curve), both exhibiting similar and exponential relationships with D50 Under variably saturated conditions, higher Dp and ka in coarser sand (larger D50) were observed due to rapid gas diffusion and advection through the less tortuous large‐pore networks. In addition, soil compaction (larger ρb) simultaneously caused reduced water blockage effects and a reduction of large‐pore space, resulting in higher Dp(ε) but lower ka(ε). Two recent models for Dp(ε) and ka(ε) were evaluated: the water‐induced linear reduction (WLR) model for Dp, and the reference‐point power law (RPL) model for ka, with reference point ka set at −100 cm H2O. The performance of both models for the sandy soils (particle size range 0.02–0.9 mm) was improved if the pore connectivity–tortuosity factor and water blockage factors were assumed to be functions of D50 and ρb Water blockage factors, N for the WLR Dp(ε) model and M for the RPL ka(ε) model, showed a strong nonlinear relationship (R2 = 0.95) that seems promising for predicting Dp(ε) from the more easily measureable ka(ε).
Imaging Brilliant Blue Stained Soil by Means of Electrical Resistivity Tomography
Authors: Koestel John , Kasteel Roy , Kemna Andreas , Esser Odilia , Javaux Mathieu , Binley Andrew , Vereecken Harry
Published: November 2009

Temporal mapping of the three‐dimensional spatial distribution of solute transport in soils is needed for an improved understanding of the underlying processes. Numerous studies have confirmed that Brilliant Blue imaging provides spatially highly resolved information on solute transport in soils. A drawback of the method, however, is its destructive character, which prevents three‐dimensional mapping of the temporal evolution of Brilliant Blue plumes or fronts. In this study, we determined that the negative ionic charge of the Brilliant Blue molecule for moderately acid and basic environments provides an electrical conductivity contrast that can be detected by means of time domain reflectometry (TDR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). Time‐lapse ERT supplies three‐dimensional spatiotemporally resolved image data through minimally invasive measurements but with limited spatial resolution. A joint application of Brilliant Blue imaging and (time‐lapse) ERT offers potential benefits such as ERT image validation by dye staining, spatiotemporally resolved Brilliant Blue displacement studies, and improved ERT inversion regularization based on Brilliant Blue image‐derived solute plume or front characteristics. This study illustrates the efforts needed to quantitatively relate Brilliant Blue concentration and electrical conductivity as well as the potential and limitations of noninvasive smoothness‐constrained ERT for solute imaging in soils.
Modeling the Water and Energy Balance of Vegetated Areas with Snow Accumulation
Authors: Kelleners T. J. , Chandler D. G. , McNamara J. P. , Gribb M. M. , Seyfried M. S.
Published: November 2009

The ability to quantify soil–atmosphere water and energy exchange is important in understanding agricultural and natural ecosystems, as well as the earth's climate. We developed a one‐dimensional vertical model that calculates solar radiation, canopy energy balance, surface energy balance, snowpack dynamics, soil water flow, and snow–soil–bedrock heat exchange, including soil water freezing. The processes are loosely coupled (solved sequentially) to limit the computational burden. The model was applied to describe water and energy dynamics for a northeast‐facing mountain slope in the Dry Creek Experimental Watershed near Boise, ID. Calibration was achieved by optimizing the saturated soil hydraulic conductivity. Validation results showed that the model can successfully calculate seasonal dynamics in snow height, soil water content, and soil temperature. Both the calibration and validation years confirmed earlier results that evapotranspiration on the northeast‐facing slope consumes approximately 60% of yearly precipitation, while deep percolation from the soil profile constitutes about 40% of yearly precipitation.
Measurement of Wind‐Induced Pressure Gradients in a Waste Rock Pile
Authors: Amos Richard T. , Blowes David W. , Smith Leslie , Sego David C.
Published: November 2009

An automated data logging system designed to measure gas pressures within a 15‐m‐high waste rock test pile was installed at a diamond mine site in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Data collected from 12 Aug. 2007 to 15 Oct. 2007 shows distinct gas pressure gradients within the waste rock pile. The magnitude of the gradients within the pile shows a clear response to wind speed external to the pile. The direction of the gradients shows a response to the wind direction. The results demonstrate the ability to measure wind‐induced gas pressure gradients within a waste rock pile or other similar porous structures. The general pattern of the observed gradients is inconsistent with the results of numerical modeling assuming homogeneous permeability within the pile. This inconsistency suggests that heterogeneity within the pile and an irregular landscape surrounding the pile affect the way in which the wind flows around and air flows through the rock pile. Calculations of O2 fluxes using the observed gradients show that wind‐induced air flow through the pile has the potential to be a significant mechanism of O2 transport, similar in magnitude to other mechanism such as diffusion and convection. These results suggest that wind‐driven advection may be an important process in waste rock piles where the supply of oxygen limits the overall rate of sulfide oxidation.
Gravity‐Driven Viscous Flow in Sand Boxes Assessed with Neutron Radiography
Authors: Hincapié Ingrid , Germann Peter
Published: November 2009

Heterogeneous wetting patterns in time and space often obscure the applicability of approaches to flow in permeable media. Neutron radiography allows recording of 2‐d water content distributions with high enough temporal and spatial resolutions to assess the suitability of advancing water‐content waves (WCWs). A WCW comprises a gravity‐driven and viscosity‐controlled mobile water volume due to infiltration. Infiltration experiments were performed in various boxes that contained unsaturated sands of fine, medium, or coarse texture. The boxes were 400 mm deep, 200 mm wide, and either 5 or 10 mm thick and were sprinkler irrigated. The 2‐d evolution of volumetric water content θ(x,z,t) was monitored every 25 s with neutron radiography. The WCW approach applied to extremely thin horizontal layers that were just one pixel deep, i.e., 0.272 mm, and best matched the data for infiltration into pre‐wet, medium‐sized sand. The WCW approach is linear but discontinuous, and it does not require a representative elementary volume that is deeper than one pixel. Thus, the WCW approach applies directly to flow at the sand‐grain scale.
Three‐Dimensional Modeling of Multiple Automated Equilibrium Tension Lysimeters to Measure Vadose Zone Fluxes
Authors: Wöhling Thomas , Schütze Niels , Heinrich Ben , Šimůnek Jirka , Barkle Gregory F.
Published: November 2009

Using numerical simulation, we analyzed a novel vadose zone sampling system installed in a vadose zone of volcanic origin in the Lake Taupo catchment, New Zealand. The system comprises 15 Automated Equilibrium Tension Lysimeters (AETLs) installed at five depths. The vacuum in each individual lysimeter is controlled to match the pressure head measured at a reference location in the undisturbed vadose zone. The three‐dimensional numerical flow model HYDRUS‐3D was used to investigate the impact of flow impediment and shadow effects caused by the installation and operation of the AETLs. The analysis was conducted for steady‐state conditions in homogeneous sand, loam, and ignimbrite, as well as in the layered materials present at the experimental site. The hydraulic properties of the different layers were estimated using one‐dimensional inverse modeling and global optimization techniques. Horizontal, vertical, and radial two‐dimensional sections through the model domain were analyzed for divergence from steady‐state conditions. The results suggest that the sampling efficiency of the AETLs is relatively large and the errors caused by the setup and operation of the vadose zone sampler are relatively small. We further utilized a transient HYDRUS‐3D model of the vadose zone sampler to simulate transient tensiometric pressure heads using field data. The simulations for the various depths compared favorably with both the measured pressure heads and the simulations of the one‐dimensional model. In contrast, the simulated cumulative water fluxes during the evaluation period were larger than the measurements of the corresponding AETLs. These findings highlight the importance of an adequate model structure and information content of the calibration data for the accurate prediction of vadose zone water fluxes.
Flood vulnerability indices at varying spatial scales
Authors: Balica S. F. , Douben N. , Wright N. G.
Published: November 2009

Populations around the world are vulnerable to natural disasters. Such disasters are occurring with increased frequency as a consequence of socio-economic and land-use developments and due to increased climate variability. This paper describes a methodology for using indicators to compute a Flood Vulnerability Index which is aimed at assessing the conditions which influence flood damage at various spatial scales: river basin, sub-catchment and urban area. The methodology developed distinguishes different characteristics at each identified spatial scale, thus allowing a more in-depth analysis and interpretation of local indicators. This also pinpoints local hotspots of flood vulnerability. The final results are presented by means of a standardised number, ranging from 0 to 1, which symbolises comparatively low or high flood vulnerability between the various spatial scales. The Flood Vulnerability Index can be used by international river basin organisations to identify and develop action plans to deal with floods and flooding or on smaller scales to improve local decision-making processes by selecting measures to reduce vulnerability at local and regional levels. In this work the methodology has been applied to various case studies at different spatial scales. This leads to some interesting observations on how flood vulnerability can be reflected by quantifiable indicators across scales, e.g. the relationship between the flood vulnerability of a sub-catchment with its river basin or the weak relation between the flood vulnerability of an urban area with the sub-catchment or river basin which it belongs to.
Treatment of automotive industry oily wastewater by electrocoagulation: statistical optimization of the operational parameters
Authors: GilPavas Edison , Molina-Tirado Kevin , Gómez-García Miguel Ángel
Published: November 2009

An electrocoagulation process was used for the treatment of oily wastewater generated from an automotive industry in Medellín (Colombia). An electrochemical cell consisting of four parallel electrodes (Fe and Al) in bipolar configuration was implemented. A multifactorial experimental design was used for evaluating the influence of several parameters including: type and arrangement of electrodes, pH, and current density. Oil and grease removal was defined as the response variable for the statistical analysis. Additionally, the BOD5, COD, and TOC were monitored during the treatment process. According to the results, at the optimum parameter values (current density = 4.3 mA/cm2, distance between electrodes = 1.5 cm, Fe as anode, and pH = 12) it was possible to reach a c.a. 95% oils removal, COD and mineralization of 87.4% and 70.6%, respectively. A final biodegradability (BOD5/COD) of 0.54 was reached.
Phosphorus and nitrogen profile measurements to locate phosphorus limitation in a fixed bed filter
Authors: Scherrenberg S. M. , Menkveld H. W. H. , Bechger M. , van der Graaf J. H. J. M.
Published: November 2009

The European Union presented in 2000 the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Within the WFD approach the focus is more and more on ultra low nitrogen (<2.2 mg N-total/L) and phosphorus concentrations (<0.15 mg P-total/L) in waste water treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. Nitrogen concentrations of 2.2 mg N-total/L can be reached with denitrifying filters as a tertiary treatment step. When combining nitrogen and chemical phosphorus removal in a filter, phosphorus limitation may occur. After nitrite accumulation, caused by phosphorus limitation, was measured in the filtrate water of the dual media filter, research was started to locate, to understand and to solve the problem. Profile measurements for nitrate, nitrite and orthophosphorus (PO4-P) combined with COD and O2 were conducted. Results show that the minimal required PO4-P/NOx-N ratio is 0.006 mg/mg after coagulation and flocculation. Profile measurements have proven to be a useful tool. It showed how nitrate and orthophosphorus are removed through the filter bed and it showed the consequences for the PO4-P/NOx-N ratio. When orthophosphorus is removed more rapidly compared to nitrate the PO4-P/NOx-N ratio decreases. When the PO4-P/NOx-N ratio becomes below 0.006 mg/mg for a certain period of time, orthophosphorus limitation occurs. The solution can be either changing the filter bed configuration or decreasing the coagulant dosage.
Evaluation of alternative electron donors for denitrifying moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs)
Authors: Bill K. A. , Bott C. B. , Murthy S. N.
Published: November 2009

The effectiveness of four different electron donors, specifically methanol, ethanol, glycerol, and sulfide (added as Na2S), were evaluated in post-denitrifying bench-scale moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs). With the requirement for more wastewater treatment plants to reach effluent total nitrogen levels approaching 3 mg/L, alternative electron donors could promote more rapid MBBR startup/acclimation times and increased cold weather denitrification rates compared to methanol, which has been most commonly used for post-denitrification processes due to low cost and effectiveness. While the application of alternative substrates in suspended growth processes has been studied extensively, fixed film post denitrification processes have been designed to use primarily low yield substrates like methanol. Bench-scale MBBRs were operated continuously at 12°C, and performance was monitored by weekly sampling and insitu batch profile testing. Ethanol and glycerol, though visually exhibited much higher biofilm carrier biomass content, performed better than methanol in terms of removal rate (0.9 and 1.0 versus 0.6 g N/m2/day, respectively.) Maximum denitrification rate measurements from profile testing suggested that ethanol and glycerol (2.2 and 1.9 g N/m2/day, respectively) exhibited rates that were four times that of methanol (0.49 g N/m2/day.) Sulfide also performed much better than either of the other three electron donors with maximum rates at 3.6 g N/m2/day and with yield (COD/NO3-N) that was similar to or slightly less than that of methanol.
Modelling multi-species algal bloom in a lake and inter-algal competitions
Authors: Imteaz Monzur Alam , Shanableh Abdallah , Asaeda Takashi
Published: November 2009

A numerical model was developed to simulate water quality and algal species composition in a deep lake. As artificial destratification is widely used in the lakes, a destratification (bubble plume) model was incorporated with the ecological model to simulate the dynamic responses of different species under artificial mixing. The ecological model predicts concentrations of PO4-P, NH4-N, NO3-N, DO and pH throughout the water column, all of which have a significant influence on the growth of different algal species. The model has been calibrated using data from Uokiri Lake (Japan) for two different species (Diatom and Cyanobacteria) with and without artificial mixing. The calibrated model was used to simulate different conditions of artificial mixing within the lake over a period of five months. The simulation results show that artificial mixing favors non-motile heavier species, such as Diatom, while preventing the growth of Blue-green algae. It is also demonstrated that intermittent operation of the artificial mixing is better for water quality amelioration than continuous operation.
Oxidation of sulfamethoxazole by UVA radiation and modified Fenton reagent: toxicity and biodegradability of by-products
Authors: Marciocha D. , Kalka J. , Turek-Szytow J. , Wiszniowski J. , Surmacz-Górska J.
Published: November 2009

Improvement of sulfamethoxazole (4-amino-N-(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl)-benzenesulfonamide—SMX) biodegradability using a modified Fenton's reaction has been studied. The modification consists of replacing hydrogen peroxide with atmospheric air and adding copper sulphate as a reaction promoter. Two series of experiments were carried out. The first (Series 1) was conducted using only the catalysts with aeration. In the second series (Series 2), cycles of UVA radiation and aeration were used. During UVA radiation, the removal of sulfamethoxazole proceeds less rapidly than in only aerated solution. After 1.5 h of these two processes, the SMX degradation was 23% in Series 2 and 59% in Series 1. The opposite trend was observed for mineralization and the removal of DOC was about 5% higher in Series 2 than in Series 1. The FTIR spectra of the extracts of reaction products yielded by four organic solvents of varying polarity revealed a wide diversity of functional groups in the post-reaction mixture in comparison to the extracts from sulfamethoxazole solution. Based on FTIR analysis, several oxidation products of sulfamethoxazole are proposed. Apparently, hydroxyl radicals initially attack sulphonamide bonds, resulting in the formation of sulfanilic acid and 3-amino-5-methylisoxazole. Irrespective of the reference organism used in toxicity tests, the post-reaction mixture in the Series 2 was more toxic than the post-reaction mixture in Series 1. In contrast, the biodegradability calculated as BOD5/DOC ratio, was higher for post-reaction mixture 2 and amounted to 0.43.
Atomic layer deposited (ALD) TiO2 and TiO2−x-Nx thin film photocatalysts in salicylic acid decomposition
Authors: Vilhunen S. H. , Sillanpää M. E. T.
Published: November 2009

Degradation of salicylic acid (SA) with thin film photocatalyst, titanium dioxide (TiO2) and nitrogen-doped TiO2 (TiO2−x-Nx) combined with ultraviolet (UV) radiation was studied. TiO2 film with thickness of 15 and 65 nm was tested. The TiO2−x-Nx film had thickness of 15 nm on top of TiO2 (50 nm). Photocatalysts were prepared on glass substrate by atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The effect of initial pH (3–10) was studied with SA concentration of 10 mg/l. Decomposition of SA was fastest at pH 6 with both films and the rate was equal at initial pH values 3 and 4.3. However, at higher pH values the non-doped film was more efficient.
Treatment of ink effluents from flexographic printing by lime precipitation and boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrochemical oxidation
Authors: Diamadopoulos Evan , Barndõk Helen , Xekoukoulotakis Nikolaos P. , Mantzavinos Dionissios
Published: November 2009

Effluent treatment from flexographic printing was investigated by precipitation/coagulation and electrochemical oxidation over boron-doped diamond electrodes. Precipitation with 3 g/L of lime led to complete removal of effluent turbidity (initial value of about 410 NTU) but only about 20% chemical oxygen demand (COD) decrease (initial value of about 1,900 mg/L). Higher lime dosages (up to 15 g/L) had no effect on separation. On the other hand, coagulation with alum in the range 0.05–1 mM failed to enhance the extent of solids separation achieved by gravity settling alone (i.e. about 60%). Preliminary electrochemical oxidation experiments in the presence of sulphuric acid as supporting electrolyte showed that treatment performance (in terms of COD removal and decrease in sample absorbance at 300 nm) increased with increasing applied current. The latter was more efficiently utilized at shorter treatment times and lower currents with efficiency reaching 30%. Following lime precipitation, the effluent was electrochemically oxidized at alkaline conditions for 360 min yielding 64% absorbance reduction and 50% COD removal (this corresponds to 60% overall COD removal for the combined process). The rather low electrochemical treatment performance may be attributed to limestone deposition and fouling of electrodes and other electrochemical reactor components as evidenced by the gradual drop in conductivity/current throughout the operation.
Model-based study of nitrite accumulation with OUR control in two continuous nitrifying activated sludge configurations
Authors: Jubany Irene , Baeza Juan Antonio , Lafuente Javier , Carrera Julian
Published: November 2009

Achievement of partial nitrification relies on the different characteristics of the microorganisms involved in the two steps of nitrification (AOB, ammonium oxidizing bacteria and NOB, nitrite oxidizing bacteria). Several configurations and conditions have been used to achieve partial nitrification taking into account their different responses in front of some environmental conditions like pH, temperature (T), dissolved oxygen (DO) and the inhibitory compounds free ammonia (FA) and free nitrous acid (FNA). This work is a theoretical study about the utilization of a control strategy based on controlling OUR by manipulating the influent flow-rate together with additional changes in T, pH or DO for achieving stable partial nitrification. Two different configurations were simulated. Configuration A consisted of three continuous stirred-tank reactors in series plus a settler, while configuration B consisted of a single reactor with the same total volume and a settler. The developed control system was shown as a good tool to achieve partial nitrification with both configurations. Nevertheless, configuration A showed better results and partial nitrification was obtained even under theoretically unfavourable conditions as T = 15°C, pH = 8.3 and DO = 3 mg O2 L−1.
Integrated method in international development for water solutions using the rights-based approach
Authors: Byars P. , Woodrow M. , Antizar-Ladislao B.
Published: November 2009

The introduction of the rights-based approach to International Development has presented a new set of challenges to those working for the water and sanitation sectors in developing countries. This introduction of this additional pressure on both State and Non-State Actors working in the field has necessitated an overhaul of the existing needs based responses. The engineering solutions and intermediate technology currently available often fail to address the complex requirements of the recipients. This study addresses the change that is required and suggests an integrated engineering approach that will be capable of responding accurately to the requirements of the beneficiary. It proposes an ‘integrated method’, a way of combining technology, community participation and education.
Comparison between UCT type and DPAO biomass phosphorus removal efficiency under aerobic and anoxic conditions
Authors: Kapagiannidis A. G. , Zafiriadis I. , Aivasidis A.
Published: November 2009

Two different types of biomass, capable for Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal (EBPR), a UCT (University of Cape Town) type and a sludge enriched with DPAOs (Denitrifying Phosphorus Accumulating Organisms) were tested in batch reactors under specific operational and environmental conditions, in order to achieve a direct comparison of their phosphorus removal capability. Three types of batch reactors were operated, Anaerobic/Oxic (AO), Anaerobic/Anoxic (A2) and Anaerobic/Anoxic/Oxic (A2O), under controlled temperature and pH conditions. Maximum anaerobic specific phosphate release, substrate utilization, as well as denitrification and phosphate uptake rates under aerobic and anoxic conditions were determined and compared for the two different microbial populations. Experimental results indicated no significant difference between the anoxic and the aerobic phosphorus (P) uptake rates, respectively for DPAO and UCT sludge. The UCT sludge was also found to achieve anoxic P uptake, however to much less extend compared to the DPAO sludge. It has also been proved that anoxic P uptake seems to negatively affect the total P removal efficiency of this type of sludge, even under following aerobic conditions. Based on these findings, denitrifying phosphorus removal systems are proved comparable to conventional EBPR configurations (UCT), concerning phosphorus removal efficiency, while their operation is accompanied by potential advantages.
Carbon accounting in the United Kingdom water sector: a review
Authors: Prescott C.
Published: November 2009

The UK is committed to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets and has introduced a number of initiatives to achieve these. Until recently, these targeted energy-intensive industries and, thus, the water sector was not significantly affected. However, from 2010, UK water companies will need to report their emissions under the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). Both Ofwat (the economic regulator for water companies in England and Wales) and the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (NIAUR) now require annual reporting of GHG emissions in accordance with both Defra Guidelines and the CRC. Also, carbon impacts must now be factored into all water industry investment planning in England and Wales. Building on existing approaches, the industry has developed standardised carbon accounting methodologies to meet both of these requirements. This process has highlighted gaps in knowledge where further research is needed.
The Birth of an Idea
Authors: Walshe John
Published: November 2009

The story began in 1912, but my involvement only began in 1951. In 1912 Dr Kinnier Wilson, working at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases in London described a new illness affecting youngsters, the principal symptoms being loss of control of movement and contractures of the limbs. This was always associated with scarring of the liver. All these patients died with in a few months of diagnosis.

Dr Wilson's life long ambition was to find a cure for this disease which became known as Wilson's disease, technically hepatolenticular degeneration.. In 1948 Professor John Cumings, working at the same hospital, showed that patients dying of Wilson's disease all had large abnormal amounts of copper deposited in the brain and in the liver. He suggested that the new metal binding drug, British Antilewisite (BAL) might be used to arrest the course of the disease.

In 1951, working in the Metabolic Unit at University College Hospital in London I discovered that patients treated with the antibiotic penicillin excreted in their urine, a breakdown product of the drug, penicillamine. Later, when studying as a Fulbright Fellow in the Liver Unit at the Boston City Hospital, I saw a patient with Wilson's disease being treated, with little, benefit, with BAL. I suggested that penicillamine had the right structural formula to bind copper and promote its excretion and this would be a more effective treatment than BAL and, could be given my mouth and not by painful injection, it would be easier to give over a lifetime.
Progress Despite Bureaucracy
Authors: Walshe John
Published: November 2009

Although the hospital pharmacy had taken over the production of trientine this drug needed to be put on an official basis with production by a pharmaceutical company. None, however, were interested. A letter to the British Medical Journal aroused some interest but no positive result. In 1976 I convened a conference in Cambridge to which all interested groups were invited to discuss this problem. An unexpected result was that the Department of Health agreed to take out a product license and that the Government Chemist would test the final product for purity if a manufacturer could be found. A small chemical firm Cambrian Chemicals undertook the manufacturer and Rupert Purchase, their principal chemist worked out a large scale method for production. However It took several more years of correspondence with the Department of Health to overcome the bureaucratic baffles and to obtain the necessary product license. This was achieved successfully in 1985, shortly before a similar license was issued in the United States.

Basic work had continued during this time. This included studies with radiolabelled penicillamine to determine its rate of absorption from the gut, distribution in the body and rate of excretion in the urine. Later similar studies were conducted with radiolabellesd trientine. One problem remained, and still remains unsolved. Why does a small percentage of patients fail to respond to any of the currently available lines of treatment. Can it be due to a particularly unfavourable gene mutation?
Going International and yet more Problems
Authors: Walshe John
Published: November 2009

Inevitably the news of the success of penicillamine treatment for patients with Wilson's disease spread and calls came from abroad for help. My first overseas call for help came from Rheims, then Vienna and the last one was from Rome. Unfortunately I was not able to help any of these patients as they were already on penicillamine and had failed to respond and no other therapies were available at the time of those visits although the patient from Vienna was eventually transferred to Cambridge. However the television programme on the BBC Overseas Service did result in the opening of a flood gate of patients from Europe and then the Middle East. The first of these patients came from Hungary and this was closely followed by patients from Italy, including Sardinia, Spain, Yugoslavia (as was), Greece, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, The Yemen and Egypt. There was also one each from the USA and South Africa.

A new problem arose with a home patient who developed intolerance to penicillamine, trientne BAL and zinc treatment. A new drug had to be found for her. Earlier workers had investigated the use of molybdate on good theoretical basis but had used the wrong salt. This problem was solved by using a sulphur molybdate compound which was known to induce copper deficiency in sheep. As nothing was known of its safety in many I successfully assayed this first on myself.
Medicolegal Problems
Authors: Walshe John
Published: November 2009

The average delay in making the correct diagnosis for all patients was 2 years; some were diagnosed relatively quickly others waited many years. This resulted in some unnecessary deaths and some patients being left with severe disabilities and wanting compensation. I was involved in six such cases. In four cases, with the help of my evidence substantial damages were obtained but in two cases, which I think resulted in miscarriages of justice, the patient failed to obtain damages. My first case was in 1974 when a father complained of the late diagnosis of his son's illness which resulted in the boy's death He wanted publicity more than damages in the hope that such an error would not recur. The case was settled out of court with no publicity. Success was also achieved for twins from Belfast and for a civil engineer from England whose diagnosis had been made in the USA having been missed by his consultant in this country. The case of one unfortunate patient who suffered from a very rare abnormality of copper metabolism actually was settled the High Court in the Strand with the award of over one million pounds damages. In two cases my evidence failed to obtain damages, one of these was of a very bad case of case of medical incompetence by a psychiatrist but the plaintiff made her claim too late and the case never came to court. I recommended, in vain, an ex gratia payment should be made.
Looking Back
Authors: Walshe John
Published: November 2009

Looking back covers the highlights of my career. When I qualified as a doctor in 1945 medicine, by present day standards, was rather primitive with few effective therapies a good bedside manner was important. But there was little bureaucracy. Today it has changed out of all recognition as has the growth of bureaucratic control and meaningless Government targets The 1950s saw the start of this revolution in both new and highly effective drugs and high tech investigative techniques.. Two years in the army taught me little medicine but surely matured my outlook on life. On return to civilian medicine I learned about metabolic medicine and thanks to a year as a Fulbright fellow in the USA I was introduced to the problems of Wilson's disease which set the course for the rest of my life's work. This was continued with the development of effective therapies, in the environment of the University of Cambridge and at Addenbrooke's Hospital. On reaching retiring age I was able to continue work at University College Hospital and then the Middlesex Hospital in London until I took a well earned retirement at the age of 80 years.
Methodology, Algorithms, and Emerging Tool for Automated Design of Intelligent Integrated Multi-Sensor Systems
Authors: Iswandy Kuncup , König Andreas
Published: November 2009

The emergence of novel sensing elements, computing nodes, wireless communication and integration technology provides unprecedented possibilities for the design and application of intelligent systems. Each new application system must be designed from scratch, employing sophisticated methods ranging from conventional signal processing to computational intelligence. Currently, a significant part of this overall algorithmic chain of the computational system model still has to be assembled manually by experienced designers in a time and labor consuming process. In this research work, this challenge is picked up and a methodology and algorithms for automated design of intelligent integrated and resource-aware multi-sensor systems employing multi-objective evolutionary computation are introduced. The proposed methodology tackles the challenge of rapid-prototyping of such systems under realization constraints and, additionally, includes features of system instance specific self-correction for sustained operation of a large volume and in a dynamically changing environment. The extension of these concepts to the reconfigurable hardware platform renders so called self-x sensor systems, which stands, e.g., for self-monitoring, -calibrating, -trimming, and -repairing/-healing systems. Selected experimental results prove the applicability and effectiveness of our proposed methodology and emerging tool. By our approach, competitive results were achieved with regard to classification accuracy, flexibility, and design speed under additional design constraints.
A Framework for Bioacoustic Vocalization Analysis Using Hidden Markov Models
Authors: Ren Yao , Johnson Michael T. , Clemins Patrick J. , Darre Michael , Glaeser Sharon Stuart , Osiejuk Tomasz S. , Out-Nyarko Ebenezer
Published: November 2009

Using Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) as a recognition framework for automatic classification of animal vocalizations has a number of benefits, including the ability to handle duration variability through nonlinear time alignment, the ability to incorporate complex language or recognition constraints, and easy extendibility to continuous recognition and detection domains. In this work, we apply HMMs to several different species and bioacoustic tasks using generalized spectral features that can be easily adjusted across species and HMM network topologies suited to each task. This experimental work includes a simple call type classification task using one HMM per vocalization for repertoire analysis of Asian elephants, a language-constrained song recognition task using syllable models as base units for ortolan bunting vocalizations, and a stress stimulus differentiation task in poultry vocalizations using a non-sequential model via a one-state HMM with Gaussian mixtures. Results show strong performance across all tasks and illustrate the flexibility of the HMM framework for a variety of species, vocalization types, and analysis tasks.