bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Glycocalyx of the Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cell
Authors: Chappell Daniel , Jacob Matthias , Paul Oliver , Rehm Markus , Welsch Ulrich , Stoeckelhuber Mechthild , Conzen Peter , Becker Bernhard F.
Published: May 2009

Potter and Damiano recently assessed the hydrodynamic dimensions of the endothelial glycocalyx in vivo (mouse cremaster muscle venules) and in vitro (human umbilical vein and bovine aorta endothelium cultured in perfused microchannels) using fluorescent microparticle image velocimetry (
Circ Res
. 2008;102:770–776). Great discrepancy was observed, the glycocalyx presenting a zone of interaction extending ≈0.52 μm into the vessel lumen in vivo, but only 0.02 to 0.03 μm from cultured cells. In an accompanying editorial, Barakat cautioned that the difference in hydrodynamic interaction did not allow one to conclude that the cultured cells totally lack a physical cell surface layer capable of mechanotransduction (
Circ Res
. 2008;102:747–748). To stabilize the glycocalyx for electron microscopic investigation, we perfusion-fixed 6 human umbilical veins and confluent and nonconfluent cultures (5 each) of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with lanthanum/glutaraldehyde solution. Ex vivo, the thickness of glycocalyx of umbilical vein endothelium averaged 878 nm. HUVECs in vitro presented a glycocalyx with a dense-zone thickness of only 29.4 nm, plus sparse filaments reaching out on average to 118 nm, there being no difference between the nonconfluent and confluent cells. Immunohistology demonstrated the presence of heparan sulfates and syndecan-1, main constituents of the glycocalyx, both ex vivo and in vitro. These results support the observed discrepancy between glycocalyx thickness in vivo and in vitro, now for one and the same type of human cell. The presence of heparan sulfates and syndecan-1 also on cultured cells may explain why mechanotransduction phenomena can be observed even with a nonmature glycocalyx.
Genetic Evidence for a Noncanonical Function of Seryl-tRNA Synthetase in Vascular Development
Authors: Herzog Wiebke , Müller Katja , Huisken Jan , Stainier Didier Y.R.
Published: May 2009

In a recent genetic screen, we identified mutations in genes important for vascular development and maintenance in zebrafish (Jin et al.
Dev Biol
. 2007;307:29–42). Thirty-two mutations at the
adrasteia
(
adr
) locus cause a pronounced dilatation of the aortic arch vessels as well as aberrant patterning of the hindbrain capillaries and, to a lesser extent, intersomitic vessels. This dilatation of the aortic arch vessels does not appear to be caused by increased cell proliferation but is dependent on vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegf) signaling. By positional cloning, we isolated
seryl-tRNA synthetase
(
sars
) as the gene affected by the
adr
mutations. Small interfering RNA knockdown experiments in human umbilical vein endothelial cell cultures indicate that SARS also regulates endothelial sprouting. These analyses of zebrafish and human endothelial cells reveal a new noncanonical function of Sars in endothelial development.
The
Tbx2
+
Primary Myocardium of the Atrioventricular Canal Forms the Atrioventricular Node and the Base of the Left Ventricle
Authors: Aanhaanen Wim T.J. , Brons Janynke F. , Domínguez Jorge N. , Rana M. Sameer , Norden Julia , Airik Rannar , Wakker Vincent , de Gier-de Vries Corrie , Brown Nigel A. , Kispert Andreas , Moorman Antoon F.M. , Christoffels Vincent M.
Published: May 2009

The primary myocardium of the embryonic heart, including the atrioventricular canal and outflow tract, is essential for septation and valve formation. In the chamber-forming heart, the expression of the T-box transcription factor Tbx2 is restricted to the primary myocardium. To gain insight into the cellular contributions of the
Tbx2
+
primary myocardium to the components of the definitive heart, genetic lineage tracing was performed using a novel
Tbx2

Cre

allele. These analyses revealed that progeny of
Tbx2
+
cells provide an unexpectedly large contribution to the
Tbx2
-negative ventricles. Contrary to common assumption, we found that the embryonic left ventricle only forms the left part of the definitive ventricular septum and the apex. The atrioventricular node, but not the atrioventricular bundle, was found to derive from
Tbx2
+
cells. The
Tbx2
+
outflow tract formed the right ventricle and right part of the ventricular septum. In
Tbx2
-deficient embryos, the left-sided atrioventricular canal was found to prematurely differentiate to chamber myocardium and to proliferate at increased rates similar to those of chamber myocardium. As a result, the atrioventricular junction and base of the left ventricle were malformed. Together, these observations indicate that Tbx2 temporally suppresses differentiation and proliferation of primary myocardial cells. A subset of these
Tbx2

Cre

-marked cells switch off expression of
Tbx2
, which allows them to differentiate into chamber myocardium, to initiate proliferation, and to provide a large contribution to the ventricles. These findings imply that errors in the development of the early atrioventricular canal may affect a much larger region than previously anticipated, including the ventricular base.
Blood Volume Measurement to Guide Fluid Therapy After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Hoff Reinier , Rinkel Gabriel , Verweij Bon , Algra Ale , Kalkman Cor
Published: May 2009

Background and Purpose—

Conventional parameters used to guide fluid therapy after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are poorly related to blood volume. In a prospective controlled study we assessed whether fluid management guided by daily measurements of blood volume (BV) reduces the incidence of severe hypovolemia compared to conventional fluid balance guided fluid therapy.

Methods—

We used Pulse Dye Densitometry to measure BV daily in 102 patients during the first 10 days after SAH. Fluid management was based on BV-measurements in the intervention group (n=54) and on fluid balance in the control group (n=48). Severe hypovolemia was defined as BV <50 mL/kg.

Results—

In the intervention group 6.7% of BV measurements were in the severe hypovolemic range and in the control group 17.1% (mean weighted difference 7.7%; 95% CI: 1.4 to 13.9%). In the intervention group 21 patients (39%) had 1 or more measurements with severe hypovolemia versus 26 (54%) of the controls (RR 0.7; 95% CI: 0.5 to 1.1).

Conclusions—

Guiding fluid management on daily measurements of blood volume reduces the incidence of severe hypovolemia after SAH. The effects on neurological outcome should be studied.
A Review of the Evidence for the Use of Telemedicine Within Stroke Systems of Care
Authors: Schwamm Lee H. , Holloway Robert G. , Amarenco Pierre , Audebert Heinrich J. , Bakas Tamilyn , Chumbler Neale R. , Handschu Rene , Jauch Edward C. , Knight William A. , Levine Steven R. , Mayberg Marc , Meyer Brett C. , Meyers Philip M. , Skalabrin Elaine , Wechsler Lawrence R.
Published: May 2009

The aim of this new statement is to provide a comprehensive and evidence-based review of the scientific data evaluating the use of telemedicine for stroke care delivery and to provide consensus recommendations based on the available evidence. The evidence is organized and presented within the context of the American Heart Association’s Stroke Systems of Care framework and is classified according to the joint American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation and supplementary American Heart Association Stroke Council methods of classifying the level of certainty and the class of evidence. Evidence-based recommendations are included for the use of telemedicine in general neurological assessment and primary prevention of stroke; notification and response of emergency medical services; acute stroke treatment, including the hyperacute and emergency department phases; hospital-based subacute stroke treatment and secondary prevention; and rehabilitation.
Defining Ourselves
Authors: Reid-Merritt Patricia
Published: May 2009

What's in a name? For the discipline that has become familiar to so many of us as Black Studies , much can be made of this question. While the study of Black people from multiple approaches and perspectives reflective of African worldviews and orientations is at the very core of the discipline, properly naming the field with a single, unifying designation has remained an elusive goal. In the past 40 years, the multidisciplinary nature of the field has contributed to the ongoing development of new programs and academic units with specialized foci and creative titles to match. This article examines the historical emergence and expansion of the field of Black Studies and the challenges that remain in appropriately naming the discipline and correctly identifying those who portend to be its practitioners.
Public—Nonprofit Partnership
Authors: Alexander Jennifer , Nank Renée
Published: May 2009

This longitudinal study tracks the generation of trust between a public agency and nine community-based nonprofits (CBNs) over a 10-year period. The evolution from active distrust to trust was demonstrated by the generation of ideological consensus and domain consensus achieved through sharing information, integrated responsibilities and authority, and collaborative decision making. Results indicate that public—nonprofit partnerships create a locus for the practice of the New Public Service. CBNs offer public administrators a bridge into disenfranchised communities and a point of engagement where partners join public agency resources and expertise with tacit knowledge of community through a trusted institution.
Can Bureaucracy Benefit Organizational Women?
Authors: DeHart-Davis Leisha
Published: May 2009

A significant body of evidence suggests that bureaucratized organizations provide greater career rewards to women than do less bureaucratized organizations. Beyond career rewards, are there ways in which bureaucracy can benefit organizational women? This study explores potential answers to this question by examining perceptions of bureaucracy held by public employees. Analyzing qualitative and quantitative data collected from the employees of four cities in a Midwestern state, the study detects pronounced gender differences in perceptions of bureaucracy, particularly with regard to legitimacy, efficiency, equity, and control. These results suggest ways in which bureaucracy can empower the participation of women in organizations.
Use of Probiotics in the Management of Chemotherapy‐Induced Diarrhea: A Case Study
Authors: El‐Atti Samia Abd , Wasicek Kelley , Mark Scott , Hegazi Refaat
Published: May 2009

Gastrointestinal disturbances (particularly diarrhea) are often induced in response to cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. Oral chemotherapeutic agents can induce diarrhea by damaging the intestinal lining. Two common oral drugs used in cancer treatment that are known to have gastrointestinal side effects are capecitabine and lapatinib. In this brief communication, the authors discuss a case study of a stage IV breast cancer patient whose chemotherapy‐induced diarrhea was treated successfully with a multispecies combination of probiotics. This is a unique study in which grade 3 chemotherapy‐induced diarrhea (characterized by 7–9 stools per day and associ ated with incontinence and abdominal cramping) was treated with only a multispecies combination of probiotics. Probiotics have been used to treat diarrhea in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, pouchitis, and Crohn's disease. More recently, probiotics have been used to treat chemotherapy‐induced diarrhea in colon cancer patients. This case study demonstrates that the probiotics can also be used to treat severe cases of chemotherapy‐induced diarrhea in breast cancer patients. The use of different probiotics in gastrointestinal diseases is an increasingly important area of study, and more research into this area is needed. This study demonstrates that probiotics should be considered for advanced breast cancer patients with chemotherapy‐induced diarrhea.
Off-label psychotropic prescribing for young persons in medium security
Authors: Haw C. , Stubbs J.
Published: May 2009

Psychotropic drug prescribing for children and adolescents is frequently off-label and has increased over time and can be controversial. Psychotropic prescribing in two large UK medium secure units for young people has been studied. A total of 89 patients were included, 64% being aged less than 18 years. A total of 137 of 202 (67.8%) of prescriptions were off-label. The most common reasons for a prescription being off-label were the indication (N = 103) and the patient’s age (N = 41). The main classes of drugs involved were antipsychotics (N = 59), antiepileptics as mood stabilisers (N = 22), anticholinergics and hyoscine (N = 15) and antidepressants (N = 11). Aggression (N = 48) and post-traumatic stress disorder (N = 30) were the most common off-label indications. Some antidepressant prescriptions were contrary to advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM). Meta-analyses or randomised controlled trials supported 27% of off-label prescriptions, with lesser quality studies supporting a further 29.2% and expert opinion 38.7%, whereas for 5.1% no evidence could be found. Prescribers tended to over-estimate the level of evidence from clinical trials or extrapolated from findings in adults. They often quoted their own experience rather than expert sources to justify their prescribing practice. It is important that prescribers are fully aware of the quality of experimental data and the risk-benefit ratio when prescribing off-label for young persons. If the evidence base is limited, it is particularly important to provide information about the risks and benefits of the treatment to the patient/relatives. A second opinion may be helpful. Both target symptoms and side effects should be monitored and regularly reviewed.
Influence of gender and menopausal status on antidepressant treatment response in depressed inpatients
Authors: Vermeiden M. , van den Broek WW , Mulder Pgh , Birkenhäger TK
Published: May 2009

The present study investigated the influence of gender and menopausal status on treatment response in depressed inpatients, treated with either imipramine or fluvoxamine. The patients were divided into three groups: men, premenopausal women and postmenopausal women. A multivariate analysis was performed using the difference in Hamilton score (pretreatment — post-treatment) for imipramine and fluvoxamine as dependent variable. The following independent variables were used: the baseline Hamilton score, the antidepressant used, the gender-group and the interaction between the type of antidepressant and gender. In total, 138 patients with a DSM IV diagnosis of depressive disorder were analysed. Men responded more favorably to imipramine (B = 7.12, P = 0.005). Premenopausal women had a better response rate to fluvoxamine than men (B = −8.66, P = 0.027). In depressed inpatients, men respond more favorably to imipramine than to fluvoxamine. Premenopausal women respond more frequently to fluvoxamine than men.
Effects of acute abstinence and nicotine administration on taste perception in cigarette smokers
Authors: Mullings EL , Donaldson LF , Melichar JK , Munafò MR
Published: May 2009

We investigated the effects of short-term abstinence from smoking and acute nicotine administration on taste perception in smokers. We assessed sensitivity for salt and sucrose solutions and the self-reported intensity and pleasantness of these tastes, using a previously validated model of taste perception. This was in order to investigate mechanisms by which cigarette smoking and smoking cessation may modulate dietary behaviour. Male and female daily smokers attended a single testing session. Participants were randomised to either abstain for smoking for 12 h or smoke as usual on the morning of testing. At the testing session, participants completed subjective ratings of mood and ratings of intensity and pleasantness of salt and sucrose solutions, followed by measurement of the threshold at which these solutions could be detected on the tongue. Participants were then randomised to smoking either a nicotine-containing or denicotinised cigarette, after which they completed the same measures as previously. Our data suggest that following cigarette smoking, lower taste thresholds are obtained after smoking a denicotinised cigarette compared with a nicotinised cigarette, but among females only. This effect was not observed among males and did not differ as a function of abstinence condition. In addition, among non-abstinent smokers, females demonstrated higher taste thresholds (i.e. reduced sensitivity) for salt than males, but this sex difference was not observed among abstinent smokers.
Behavioural and endocrine effects of chronic cola intake
Authors: Celec P. , Behuliak M.
Published: May 2009

Consumption of cola beverages is very high worldwide. The health effects of cola intake are not clear, although epidemiological studies point toward associations with obesity, kidney diseases and osteoporosis. Experimental studies are surprisingly rare. In this study, we substituted drinking water of adult male Wistar rats with three different cola beverages for 3 months. Behavioural phenotyping, measurement of sex steroids in plasma and oxidative stress in testes were performed at the end of the study. A light-dark box showed increased locomotor activity and anxiety in all groups with cola intake. A subtle anti-depressive effect was seen in the forced swim test. Chronic cola intake increased both oestradiol and testosterone levels suggesting an additional mechanism of action beyond the known effects of caffeine on adenosine receptors.
Lack of effect of citalopram on magnetic resonance spectroscopy measures of glutamate and glutamine in frontal cortex of healthy volunteers
Authors: Taylor MJ , Norbury R. , Murphy S. , Rudebeck S. , Jezzard P. , Cowen PJ
Published: May 2009

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a non-invasive imaging technique that can provide localised measures of brain chemistry in vivo. We previously found that healthy volunteers receiving the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, citalopram, daily for 1 week showed higher levels of a combined measure of glutamate and glutamine (Glx) in occipital cortex than those receiving placebo. The aim of this study was to assess if a similar effect could be detected in the frontal brain region. Twenty-three healthy volunteers randomised to receive either citalopram 20 mg or a placebo capsule daily for 7—10 days were studied and scanned using a 3T Varian INOVA system before and at the end of treatment. Standard short-TE (echo time) PRESS (Point-resolved spectroscopy) (TE = 26 ms) and PRESS-J spectra were acquired from a single 8-cm3 voxel in a frontal region incorporating anterior cingulate cortex. Glutamate and total Glx levels were quantified both relative to creatine and as absolute levels. Relative to placebo, citalopram produced no change in Glx or glutamate alone at the end of the study. Similarly, no effect was seen on other MRS measures studied: myo-inositol, choline, N-acetylaspartate and creatine. These data suggest that the effects of serotonin reuptake to modify cortical glutamatergic MRS measures may be regionally specific. This supports the potential for MRS in assessing neuroanatomically specific serotonin-glutamate interactions in the human brain.
The Influence of Father Criminality on Juvenile Recidivism
Authors: Huan Vivien S. , Ang Rebecca P. , Lim Helena Yen Nie
Published: May 2009

This study investigates the relationships between father criminality, prior delinquency, and recidivism using data from 382 incarcerated juveniles assessed in Singapore’s Juvenile Court in 2005. The juveniles are aged 13 to 16 years, with a mean of 14.55 years ( SD = 0.93). Using Baron and Kenny’s framework, this study tests the prediction that the prior delinquent behaviors of the juvenile mediate the relationship between father criminality and recidivism in a four-step process. When the juvenile’s prior delinquent behaviors are included in the model, the previous significant relation between father criminality and recidivism disappears. Implications of findings in terms of applied and practical intervention and prevention work for youths in schools and those in incarceration are discussed.
The substitution of mineral fertilizers by compost from household waste in Cameroon: economic analysis with a partial equilibrium model
Authors: Jaza Folefack Achille Jean
Published: May 2009

This paper analyses the possibility of substitution between compost and mineral fertilizer in order to assess the impact on the foreign exchange savings in Cameroon of increasing the use of compost. In this regard, a partial equilibrium model was built up and used as a tool for policy simulations. The review of existing literature already suggests that, the compost commercial value i.e. value of substitution (33 740 FCFA tonne—1) is higher compared to the compost real price (30 000 FCFA tonne—1), proving that it could be profitable to substitute the mineral fertilizer by compost. Further results from the scenarios used in the modelling exercise show that, increasing the compost availability is the most favourable policy for the substitution of mineral fertilizer by compost. This policy helps to save about 18.55% of the annual imported mineral fertilizer quantity and thus to avoid approximately 8.47% of the yearly total import expenditure in Cameroon. The policy of decreasing the transport rate of compost in regions that are far from the city is also favourable to the substitution. Therefore, in order to encourage the substitution of mineral fertilizer by compost, programmes of popularization of compost should be highlighted and be among the top priorities in the agricultural policy of the Cameroon government.
Study of the effects of urban organic residues on the distribution of culturable actinomycetes in a Tunisian agricultural soil
Authors: Mokni-Tlili Sonia , Jaoua Leila , Murano Fumio , Jedidi Naceur , Hassen Abdennaceur
Published: May 2009

The main objective of this investigation was to identify a collection of actinomycetes isolates and to study the influence of amendment [municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) and farmyard manure (FM)] on their distribution in agricultural soil. For this purpose, a phenotypic and molecular characterization of 226 isolates collected from soil (with and without amendment) and 55 isolates from MSWC and FM was developed. The phenotypic study showed that the majority of strains isolated belong to the genus Streptomyces. By using the 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction—restriction fragment length polymorphism method (restriction digest using six enzymes AluI , HhaI , MspI , TaqI , RsaI and HaeIII), two clusters were found: Streptomyces, dominant genus and Amycolatopsis, followed by Nocardioides. This result agreed with phylogeny revealed by 16S rDNA sequencing. The number of these actinomycetes in soil increased with FM or MSWC application. The studied soil is a potential source for isolation of actinomycetes, especially Streptomyces, and the application of organic amendment to the soil appeared to have an impact on the diversity of actinomycetes. Amendment of the soil with MSWC and FM significantly increased the number of actinomycetes due to the contribution of bacteria originally contained in biowastes and/or by stimulation of the endogenous soil micro-organisms.
Research into fine powder and large particle tyre pyrolysis
Authors: Ningbo Gao  , Aimin Li  , Wanjing Li
Published: May 2009

This paper investigates the kinetics of the pyrolysis of scrap tyre using thermogravimetry and a small batch laboratory-scale externally heated fixed-bed. Five particle sizes (20—40, 40—60, 60—80, 80—100, 100—200 mesh) and five heating rates (5, 10, 15, 20, 40 K min—1) were investigated. The results show that there is no obvious distinction on weight loss for different sizes. With increasing heating rate the weight loss regions shift to a higher temperature range and the weight loss rate increases. The activation energy ( E) and pre-exponential factor constant ( A) were calculated using the Arrhenius type kinetic model. The heat value of pyrolysis gases is in the range of 12 to 22 MJ Nm—3. The yields of solid, liquid and gas of pyrolysis scrap tyre and tyre cube at 800 °C were investigated, the ratio of pyrolysis production composition of scrap tyre and tyre cube for gas, oil and char is found to be 35 : 23 : 42 and 10 : 31 : 59, respectively.
Skid resistance performance of asphalt wearing courses with electric arc furnace slag aggregates
Authors: Kehagia Fotini
Published: May 2009

Metallurgical slags are by-products of the iron and steel industry and are subdivided into blast furnace slag and steel slag according to the different steel-producing processes. In Greece, slags are mostly produced from steelmaking using the electric arc furnace process, and subsequently are either disposed in a random way or utilized by the cement industry. Steel slag has been recently used, worldwide, as hard aggregates in wearing courses in order to improve the skidding resistance of asphalt pavements. At the Highway Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki research has been carried out in the field of steel slags, and especially in electric arc furnace (EAF) slag, to evaluate their possible use in highway engineering. In this paper, the recent results of anti-skidding performance of steel slag aggregates in highway pavements are presented.
Management of healthcare waste in circumstances of limited resources: a case study in the hospitals of Nablus city, Palestine
Authors: Al-Khatib Issam A. , Al-Qaroot Yousef S. , Ali-Shtayeh Mohammad S.
Published: May 2009

The objectives of this study were the assessment of healthcare waste management and the characterization of healthcare waste material generated in the hospitals in Nablus city, Palestine, and furthermore, to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B among the cleaning personnel working in these hospitals. The medical waste generation rate in kg per bed per day was between 0.59 and 0.93 kg bed— 1 day—1. The waste generation rate in the healthcare facilities of Nablus city hospitals was similar to some other developing countries; however, the percentage of medical wastes in the total waste stream was comparatively high. The density of medical waste at the four hospitals studied ranged between 144.9 and 188.4 kg m— 3 with a mean value of 166.7 kg m—3. The waste segregation and handling practices were very poor. Other alternatives for waste treatment rather than incineration such as a locally made autoclave integrated with a shredder should be evaluated and implemented. The system of healthcare waste management in Nablus city is in need of immediate improvement and attention. Formulating rules and guidelines for medical waste and developing strategies for overcoming the obstacles related to waste management should be considered as an urgent matter.
Report: Searching for a way to sustainability: technical and policy analyses of solid waste issues in Kathmandu
Authors: Dangi Mohan B. , Cohen Ronald R. H. , Urynowicz Michael A. , Poudyal Khem N.
Published: May 2009

Kathmandu Metropolitan City has attempted to reorganize its solid waste management a number of times. The German Technical and Financial Aid Organization led early efforts that were followed by a number of more recent experiments that left the city with an unsustainable solid waste management system following the termination of foreign aid. To examine this failure, the research team evaluated household surveys, field observations, interviews, and other primary and secondary information within the context of technical, social, and institutional analyses. The survey results show that the solid waste collection rates are far below the 90% claimed by the metropolis and street sweeping consumes approximately 51% of its solid waste budget. As a result of the relatively low collection rates the city residents are encouraged to dump waste into public lands. Consequently, too much of the city's resources are focused on sweeping rather than collection. Kathmandu needs to recognize informal waste picking, privatize, use local techniques, build capacity, promote bottom-up and participatory styles of management, and regulate policies to maintain solid waste management.
Feasibility study on solidification of municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash with circulating fluidized bed combustion coal fly ash
Authors: Wenshi Liu  , Haobo Hou  , Chuhao Zhang  , Dajie Zhang
Published: May 2009

The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of solidification of municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) fly ash with circulation fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) fly ash, which is unsuitable as a cement replacement due to its high amounts of carbon, lime and anhydrite. The solidification process was conducted on samples prepared from MSWI fly ash, binders (cement clinkers and CFBC fly ash were mixed at two replacement ratios) and water (water/solid weight ratio = 0.4), among which the MSWI fly ash replaced each binder at the ratio of 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80% by dry weight. The samples were subjected to compressive strength tests and Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure and the results showed that all solidified MSWI fly ash can meet the landfill standard imposed by US EPA after 28 days of curing. Micro-analysis (X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry) revealed that the main hydrate products were C—S—H gel and ettringite, which have a positive effect on heavy metals retention. Therefore, this method provides a possibility to achieve a cheap and effective solution for MSWI fly ash management and use for CFBC fly ash.
The use of uncertainty analysis as a food waste estimation tool
Authors: Langley Joseph , Yoxall Alaster , Manson Graeme , Lewis Walter , Waterhouse Alison , Thelwall David , Thelwall Sarah , Parry Andrew , Leech Barbara
Published: May 2009

Food waste going to landfill is a significant environmental issue with 33% of all food we buy simply being thrown away. Not only is this extremely wasteful but rotting food produces gases that are harmful to the environment and contributes to global warming. The UK government is committed to reducing the amount of household waste directly being disposed of at landfills by 10.1 million tonnes tonnes over 20 years from 2000 ( Waste Composition Analysis: Guidance for Local Authorities, Defra, 2004). As part of this the Waste Reduction Action Programme was set up to fund and facilitate innovative solutions to reduce waste to landfill. Part of that process was to assess bids by solution providers with regards the effectiveness of the technologies that they were offering. This was found to be a non-trivial task, with multiple input parameters and large variations in data. Establishing which parameters have the greatest effect on food waste estimation was therefore essential in any decision-making process. However, the large number of unknowns, assumptions and parameters makes this understanding both difficult and time consuming. A branch of mathematics known as uncertainty analysis can be used to analyse these types of situations quickly and effectively and is easily adapted to understanding of food waste estimation. This paper outlines the techniques used to develop an internet-based decision-making tool and demonstrates the methodology used with simple case studies.
Influence of biological pre-treatment of municipal solid waste on landfill behaviour in Sri Lanka
Authors: Gunawardana Egodaha G.W. , Basnayake Benedict F.A. , Shimada Sohei , Iwata Tomoto
Published: May 2009

Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean with an area about 65 610 km2. The population of the country is around 20.2 million. Hazardous disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a major concern particularly in the most urbanized areas of Sri Lanka. However, the current waste management system does not facilitate any waste pre-treatment techniques before final disposal. As a consequence, there is immense pressure to improve the waste disposal practices in the country. Under the above circumstance, this study is an attempt to examine the influence of biological pre-treatment of MSW on landfill behaviour in Sri Lanka. Field-scale lysimeters with untreated and biologically pre-treated MSW were used for this study. The data was obtained on leachate quantity, quality, and settlement. The ambient parameters were also measured at the experiment site. According to the results, the effect of rainfall incident on leachate generation was visible but the effect on pre-treated waste was comparatively less than untreated waste. The organic pollutant load in leachate of pre-treated MSW was seven times lower than that of untreated MSW. The settlement of the lysimeter with pre-treated MSW was comparatively less. It can be concluded that the process of biological pre-treatment of MSW by composting is an effective method for Sri Lanka and also it reduces the health and environmental risks by improving the behaviour of landfill.
Reuse of waste glass in building brick production
Authors: Demir Ismail
Published: May 2009

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of waste glass addition on the properties of fired clay brick. Milled waste glass was added into brick clay at a ratio of 0% (control sample), 2.5, 5 and 10%. Four different series of test samples were produced by extrusion pressing. Samples were fired at 850, 950 and 1050 °C. The microstructures of the fired samples were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The compressive strength of the fired samples was significantly improved by the addition of waste glass. It was concluded that the amorphous nature of waste glass particles enhanced the sintering action and this led to better strength behaviour.
Tertiary treatment of landfill leachates by adsorption
Authors: Marañón Elena , Castrillón Leonor , Fernández-Nava Yoland , Fernández-Méndez Alejandro , Fernández-Sánchez Arcadio
Published: May 2009

The leachates produced at the municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill of Asturias (Spain) were submitted to a biological treatment consisting of a pressurized nitrification—denitrification process followed by ultrafiltration. The effluent from this treatment plant has a high chemical oxygen demand : biochemical oxygen demand (COD : BOD 5) ratio (about 25 : 1). The COD values of the effluent are above the discharge limits permitted by current legislation and therefore require a final treatment. In the present study, adsorption was investigated as a possible post-treatment. Three activated carbons (Organosorb 10, Organosorb 10MB and Filtracarb CC65/1240) were selected and equilibrium and column data were obtained. The best results were obtained with Organosorb 10MB, although adsorption capacities obtained were low and equilibrium was unfavourable. Adsorption capacities ranged between 150 and 157 mg COD g—1 for an activated carbon dosage of 1 mg L—1 and between 13.3 and 18.4 mg COD g—1 for a dosage of 20 mg L—1. As regards colour, adsorption capacities ranged between 145 and 175 UPtCo g—1 for the lower dosage and between 16 and 29 UPtCo g—1 for the higher dosage. Removal efficiency increased with the dosage of activated carbon employed, obtaining maximum COD and colour removals of 63 and 45%, respectively, for a dosage of 20 mg L—1 after 5 h contact time.
Environmental assessment of Ämmässuo Landfill (Finland) by means of LCA-modelling (EASEWASTE)
Authors: Niskanen Antti , Manfredi Simone , Christensen Thomas H. , Anderson Reetta
Published: May 2009

The Old Ämmässuo Landfill (Espoo, Finland) covers an area of 52 hectares and contains about 10 million tonnes of waste that was landfilled between 1987 and 2007. The majority of this waste was mixed, of which about 57% originated from households. This paper aims at describing the management of the Old Ämmässuo Landfill throughout its operational lifetime (1987—2007), and at developing an environmental evaluation based on life-cycle assessment (LCA) using the EASEWASTE-model. The assessment criteria evaluate specific categories of impact, including standard impact categories, toxicity-related impact categories and an impact categorized as spoiled groundwater resources (SGR). With respect to standard and toxicity-related impact categories, the LCA results show that substantial impact potentials are estimated for global warming (GW), ozone depletion (OD), human toxicity via soil (HTs) and ecotoxicity in water chronic (ETwc). The largest impact potential was found for SGR and amounted to 57.6 person equivalent (PE) per tonne of landfilled waste. However, the SGR impact may not be viewed as a significant issue in Finland as the drinking water is mostly supplied from surface water bodies. Overall, the results demonstrate that gas management has great importance to the environmental performance of the Old Ämmässuo Landfill. However, several chemicals related to gas composition (especially trace compounds) and specific emissions from on-site operations were not available or were not measured and were therefore taken from the literature. Measurement campaigns and field investigations should be undertaken in order to obtain a more robust and comprehensive dataset that can be used in the LCA-modelling, before major improvements regarding landfill management are finalized.
Spatial and multi-criteria decision analysis-based methodology for landfill site selection in growing urban regions
Authors: Ersoy Hakan , Bulut Fikri
Published: May 2009

The construction of landfills is not an alternative option, since a landfill is always a necessary component of the specific waste management system that will be developed. One of the serious and growing potential problems in large urban areas is the shortage of land for waste disposal. In solid waste management programmes, use of geographic information systems (GIS) is a very significant tool because the selection of a suitable site is a very time-consuming process. The analytic hierarchy process in GIS provides objective mathematics to process the subjective preferences of individuals or groups and arrive at a decision. The present paper describes a spatial methodology which comprised several methods, such as multi-criteria analysis, that originate in different scientific fields. The final goal of the methodology was to evaluate the suitability of the studied area (Trabzon, NE Turkey) in order to optimally select a landfill site. Different constraint maps were overlaid with spatial analysis modules to obtain a final suitability map for Trabzon City and five suitable areas were identified. An analytic hierarchy process was applied to select the most suitable solid waste disposal site for municipal waste in the city among these alternative candidate sites. The Düzyurt area was found to be the most suitable solid waste disposal site. However, geotechnical investigations indicated that some remedial measures would be needed before this landfill site could be used.
Report: Potential environmental impact of exempt site materials — a case study of bituminous road planings and waste soils
Authors: Bark Marjorie , Bland Michael , Grimes Sue
Published: May 2009

The use of waste materials for ecological benefit, agricultural improvement or as part of construction works are often exempt from waste management control in order to maximize the reuse of material that would otherwise be disposed of to landfill. It is important, however, to determine whether there is potential for such waste to cause environmental harm in the context of the basis for granting exemptions under the relevant framework objective to ensure that waste is recovered or disposed of without risk to water, air, soil, plants or animals. The potential for environmental harm was investigated by leaching studies on two wastes commonly found at exempt sites: bituminous road planings and waste soils. For bituminous road planings, the organic components of the waste were identified by their solubility in organic solvents but these components would have low environmental impact in terms of bioavailability. Leaching studies of the heavy metals copper, lead and zinc, into the environment, under specific conditions and particularly those modelling acid rain and landfill leachate conditions showed that, except for copper, the amounts leached fell within Waste Acceptance Criteria compliance limits for defining waste as inert waste. The fact that the amount of copper leached was greater than the Waste Acceptance Criteria level suggests that either additional testing of wastes regarded as exempt should be carried out to ensure that they are in analytical compliance or that legislation should allow for the potential benefits of reuse to supersede deviations from analytical compliance.
The consideration of long-term emissions from landfills within life-cycle assessment
Authors: Laner David
Published: May 2009

Within a product system of a life-cycle assessment (LCA), solid waste landfills should be treated as processes, because they are considered to be a part of the technical system. Hence, their inputs and outputs should be included in the life-cycle inventory analysis and evaluated within the life-cycle impact assessment. The aim of this paper is to discuss the consideration of emissions from solid waste landfills within the LCA framework and to investigate the uncertainties in existing modelling approaches. Based on this analysis the main limitations are discussed and recommendations for incorporating long-term emissions from landfills in LCA are made. It is emphasized that the lack of consideration of spatial and temporal characteristics of long-term emissions turns out to be an important source of uncertainty when modelling the environmental impact of landfills. For toxicity categories in particular, the life-cycle impact assessment might be the dominant source of uncertainty. However, in order to understand the reliability of LCA results with respect to landfill emissions, quantitative uncertainty should be routinely included in LCA studies and sources of uncertainty need to be thoroughly discussed.
Electrical resistivity and induced polarization tomography in identifying the plume of chlorinated hydrocarbons in sedimentary formation: a case study in Rho (Milan — Italy)
Authors: Cardarelli Ettore , Di Filippo Gerardina
Published: May 2009

Resistivity and induced polarization surveying were originally developed for mineral exploration but are now finding new applications in the field of environmental and engineering geophysics. The present article reports the results of a geophysical survey performed with the aim of identifying a plume of chlorinated hydrocarbons in sedimentary formations of the Pandania plain. The tested site is characterized by three sand and gravel aquifers containing a quantity of clay particles which influence the overall bulk resistivity and chargeability. According to data obtained using shallow boreholes, mainly dense non-aqueous phase liquids were found as contaminants in the first and second aquifer. The aforementioned geo-electrical methods were applied in both two- and three-dimensional approaches. Steel and copper electrodes were used in the process of field data acquisition and the results of the survey were compared. The geophysical survey revealed some anomalies that could be explained by the presence of dense non-aqueous phase liquids in the soil medium. The concept of normalized chargeability facilitates the interpretation of detected induced polarization anomalies. The shape of the plume was inferred from maps of resistivity and chargeability to a depth of 25 m below the surface of the ground.
Fly ashes from coal and petroleum coke combustion: current and innovative potential applications
Authors: González Aixa , Navia Rodrigo , Moreno Natalia
Published: May 2009

Coal fly ashes (CFA) are generated in large amounts worldwide. Current combustion technologies allow the burning of fuels with high sulfur content such as petroleum coke, generating non-CFA, such as petroleum coke fly ash (PCFA), mainly from fluidized bed combustion processes. The disposal of CFA and PCFA fly ashes can have severe impacts in the environment such as a potential groundwater contamination by the leaching of heavy metals and/or particulate matter emissions; making it necessary to treat or reuse them. At present CFA are utilized in several applications fields such as cement and concrete production, agriculture and soil stabilization. However, their reuse is restricted by the quality parameters of the end-product or requirements defined by the production process. Therefore, secondary material markets can use a limited amount of CFA, which implies the necessity of new markets for the unused CFA. Some potential future utilization options reviewed herein are zeolite synthesis and valuable metals extraction. In comparison to CFA, PCFA are characterized by a high Ca content, suggesting a possible use as neutralizers of acid wastewaters from mining operations, opening a new potential application area for PCFA that could solve contamination problems in emergent and mining countries such as Chile. However, this potential application may be limited by PCFA heavy metals leaching, mainly V and Ni, which are present in PCFA in high concentrations.
Municipal solid waste flow and waste generation characteristics in an urban—rural fringe area in Thailand
Authors: Hiramatsu Ai , Hara Yuji , Sekiyama Makiko , Honda Ryo , Chiemchaisri Chart
Published: May 2009

In the urban—rural fringe of the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, rapid urbanization is creating a land-use mixture of agricultural fields and residential areas. To develop appropriate policies to enhance recycling of municipal solid waste (MSW), current MSW management was investigated in the oboto (local administrative district) of Bang Maenang in Nonthaburi Province, adjoining Bangkok. The authors conducted a structural interview survey with waste-related organizations and local residents, analysed household waste generation, and performed global positioning system (GPS) tracking of municipal garbage trucks. It was found that MSW was collected and treated by local government, private-sector entities, and the local community separately. Lack of integrated management of these entities complicated waste flow in the study area, and some residences were not served by MSW collection. Organic waste, such as kitchen garbage and yard waste, accounted for a large proportion of waste generation but was underutilized. Through GPS/GIS analysis, the waste collection rate of the generated waste amount was estimated to be 45.5— 51.1% of total generation.
In itinere strategic environmental assessment of an integrated provincial waste system
Authors: Federico Giovanna , Rizzo Gianfranco , Traverso Marzia
Published: May 2009

In the paper, the practical problem of analysing in an integrated way the performance of provincial waste systems is approached, in the framework of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). In particular, the in itinere phase of SEA is analysed herein. After separating out a proper group of ambits, to which the waste system is supposed to determine relevant impacts, pertinent sets of single indicators are proposed. Through the adoption of such indicators the time trend of the system is investigated, and the suitability of each indicator is critically revised. The structure of the evaluation scheme, which is essentially based on the use of ambit issues and analytical indicators, calls for the application of the method of the Dashboard of Sustainability for the integrated evaluation of the whole system. The suitability of this method is shown through the paper, together with the possibility of a comparative analysis of different scenarios of interventions. Of course, the reliability of the proposed method strongly relies on the availability of a detailed set of territorial data. The method appears to represent a useful tool for public administration in the process of optimizing the policy actions aimed at minimizing the increasing problem represented by waste production in urban areas.