bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Communicative Flows between the Diaspora and ‘Homeland’
Authors: Murthy Dhiraj
Published: January 2008

Indian cities are experiencing significant processes of social, economic and political change, bringing together new configurations of urban identities. This is hardly a new phenomenon. During Imperial rule, nineteenth and twentieth century Bombay, for example, experienced considerably rapid metropolitan reconfigurations (Morris 1991: 235–37). Indian partition is, of course, the most glaring example in contemporary Indian history. However, what is distinct about recent changes in urban India is how they have been shaped by the wide-ranging economic liberalization policies of the early 1990s spearheaded by P.V. Narasimha Rao's Congress Party coalition. The previously socialist sheltered economy was ‘structurally reformed’ as the selected means to avert a near currency collapse.1 Over the last decade, Indian urban centres have seen enormous growth in the forms of upmarket housing (Appadurai 2004: 263), stylish coffee bars such as Baristas and Café Coffee Days, the building of high-tech private hospitals (Ray 2003) and other developments targeting the burgeoning middle to upper classes. Indian metropolises have been experiencing massive inflows of national, international and diasporic capital that have transformed the cities at an astonishing pace. New Delhi is no exception to this trend; its society has been the site of deep shifts ranging from kinship to consumption over the last decade (Mathur and Parameswaran 2004). Some very striking shifts have arisen from cultural, political and economic interactions with the diaspora. As India's capital, Delhi has also experienced unique political interactions with the diaspora. The lobbying by first-generation diasporic ‘non-resident’ Indians (NRIs) for dual citizenship is one example.2
‘Indian Art’ in Trinidad? Ethnicity at its Limits
Authors: Wainwright Leon
Published: January 2008

Addressing present day art making in the southern Caribbean island of Trinidad, with specific attention to the notion of a diasporic ‘Indian art’, this article offers a genealogy of some relationships between ethnicity, nationhood and visual imaging. Focusing on the painter and sculptor Shastri Maharaj (b. 1953), who is descended from South Asian indentured migrants to Trinidad, it shows how artists in the Caribbean have negotiated the region's period of strident anti-colonialism to the present. Examples of Maharaj's art comprise works of figuration and landscape, including depictions of local architectural styles and Hindu ritual, as well as more ambiguous and abstract forms, also presented as gallery installations. Paying attention to these the discussion highlights the problematic relations between the exegetical tendency for ‘reading’ such visual materials, and the ambitions of artists seeking to transcend the limits of expectations about ethnicity and cultural difference. In place of those limits it recommends an alternative historiography able to enjoin the critical search among contemporary artists for perceptual and aesthetic agency.
Nurses' perceptions of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Impacts on practice
Authors: Lugg G.R. , Ahmed H.A.
Published: January 2008

Aim and objectives: The main aim of this study is to explore the perceptions and understanding of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections among adults' and children's nurses. Specifically the objectives are:

■ to assess and compare adults' and children's nurses' self-reported practices

■ to examine the correlation between knowledge and self-reported practices among nursing staff members

■ to investigate the factors that influence nurses' compliance with good infection control practice.

Background: MRSA is notorious for having serious physical and economical implications for patients, healthcare managers and practitioners. Therefore, it is important that healthcare professionals and managers are given adequate information to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the condition in order to minimise and control it. There are few studies from the United Kingdom that address nurses' knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices, and hence a gap in human knowledge is identified, which provides a good rationale for this study.

Design: A combined quantitative and qualitative research design, which comes from a positivist paradigm perspective, was used in this study.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey with a purposive sample was used. Adults' and children's nurses' (n = 144) knowledge and self-reported practices were studied using a self-reporting questionnaire devised for the study using information from the literature.

Results: The overall level of knowledge of infection control was relatively inadequate. However, adults' nurses scored significantly higher on knowledge (p = 0.001) and self-reported practice (p = 0.001) than did children's nurses. In addition, there was no significant difference in self-reported practices between nurses who had received infection control training and those who did not receive training (p = 0.16), in both specialties.

Conclusion: Adults' nurses in this sample have higher levels of knowledge and self-reported practice than children's nurses with regard to MRSA. Moreover, there is a correlation between subjects' knowledge and self-reported practices.

Relevance to clinical practice: Educational interventions and training should be implemented with nurses of different disciplines in order to improve their knowledge scores and practice proficiency. Repeating the study in other settings and in a larger sample size would be worthwhile to see if these conclusions can be generalised.
Diffusive and Convective Salt Transport in Building Materials Depending on Pore Solution Concentration and Moisture Content
Authors: Terheiden K.
Published: January 2008

For the examination of transport processes of salts in building materials there are different driving forces that are taken into consideration. One of them is the salt concentration gradient in the pore solution. This concentration gradient results into diffusive and convective salt transport. To separate between those two processes and to determine the characteristic conditions invoking them investigations are done into the dependence of those processes on different types of building materials, different moisture saturations, and different concentrations of the pore solution. Main influence on convection has the pore radius, the connectivity of the pore system, the permeability, and the concentration of the pore solution. In case of the Bucher sandstone convection already occurs at 0.5 M Na2SO4-solution and 30% moisture saturation. Although the decrease of moisture saturation only has a minor influence on the occurrence convection in the Bucher sandstone. The investigations demonstrate the high potential of convection occurring in overall transport processes in building materials (especially in sandstones) and in diffusion experiments.
Secular Spirituality and Implicit Religion
Authors: Ashley Martin
Published: January 2008

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The Marginality of the Implicit
Authors: Homan Roger
Published: January 2008

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I Believe in Love
Authors: Schnell Tatjana
Published: January 2008

Love in personal relationships is one of the central issues in contemporary society or maybe the most central of all, as the sociologist Ulrich Beck holds. He claims that love has reached the status of a "secular religion", following institutional religion and class to provide the "focal point" for society. As such, he holds, it serves as a grande narrative to compensate for the process of individualisation, one of the main characteristics of modernity. Beck's theoretical analysis is here reconsidered from the perspective of implicit religion. Edward Bailey's idiographic study of individuals' implicit religion compiles statements about the meaning of life, priorities, satisfactions, etc. It is thus used as an empirical basis for the elucidation of the role of love in today's lives. It will be demonstrated that the contemporary construct of love shares phenomenological and functional features with explicit religion such as being initiated by a transcendent state of consciousness, demanding and providing commitment, and enabling an encounter with the numinous. Love appears as a power that reigns arbitrarily, is worshipped and served. Thus the implicit religion of love emerges as surprisingly similar to a primal religion. Nevertheless, it has neither the scope nor the potential to substitute for Christianity, and it cannot be seen as the only implicit religion in a time of multiple, simultaneously existing, integrating foci.
I Can't Believe my Eyes
Authors: Grimshaw Michael
Published: January 2008

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Christaquarianism
Authors: Kemp Daren
Published: January 2008

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Implicit Religion and Related Concepts
Authors: Hamilton Malcolm
Published: January 2008

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Walter Benjamin's Aura
Authors: Thomas David G.
Published: January 2008

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Implicit Religion
Authors: Howes Graham
Published: January 2008

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Implicit Religion and the Curvilinear Relationship between Religion and Death Anxiety
Authors: Donovan James M.
Published: January 2008

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A Psychological Dimension to Implicit Religion
Authors: Hills Peter , Argyle Michael
Published: January 2008

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The Discourse of Human Rights -- a Secular Religion?
Authors: Reader John
Published: January 2008

Human rights are a key part of the contemporary debate on creating an integrated global community. The relationship between religious traditions and the discourse of human rights has yet to be fully explored. This article argues that the structure of this discourse displays elements that suggest it should be viewed as a form of secular religion. It utilizes research carried out by the author on a reconfigured relationship between faith and reason, building upon interpretations of the work of Habermas and Derrida from within the fields of sociology and philosophy respectively. In particular, the text offers the ideas of the ‘messianic’, of a continuing tension between the universal and the particular, of an understanding of the human subject that balances the cognitive with the affective, and of the hope for a democracy to come that takes into account indeterminacy, as structures to be found both within a renewed relationship between reason and faith and in the discourse of human rights. On this basis there can be seen to be a direct link between human rights and the Christian, tradition and therefore the hope that the latter will be able to make a more substantive contribution to the contemporary debate. Becoming a more integral part of the public sphere may be a way forward for religious traditions as they search for more effective ways of engaging with contemporary culture.
Cult Figures within Academia
Authors: Makrides Vasilios N. , Sotiriu Eleni
Published: January 2008

In this paper we examine the case of Max Weber as a cult figure within academic life, a phenomenon that falls under the broad category of implicit religion. It is about a hidden ‘religiosity’ that develops around certain mythical figures in the scholarly world, who are venerated in various ways and serve as luminous examples worthy of imitation for subsequent generations of scholars. Attention is also paid to the opposite perspective, namely to the anti-cult trend aimed at demystifying the myth surrounding Weber. The examination of the Weber cult, which may serve as a basis for locating other analogous phenomena, shows that attitudes within the allegedly strictly rationalistic academic community are not altogether devoid of other non-scholarly, implicitly religious orientations.
An Investigation into the Impact of Religion on Health among Iranian Community Residents in the UK
Authors: Ghazi Fery , Caldwell Kay , Collins Leila , Workman Elizabeth
Published: January 2008

The primary aim of this study is to explore the interrelationships between health, health beliefs and religious beliefs within the Iranian community resident in the UK. The theoretical framework used for this study draws on the work of the existentialists who describe human existence in terms of four dimensions—the physical world, the social world, the public world and the spiritual world. A purposive convenience sample was selected, by nominated and network qualitative sampling techniques, representing the main Iranian religious groups. A qualitative, phenomenological approach to data collection was employed, semi-structured focus group interviews being conducted with four groups, each representing one of the main religious groups within the Iranian community. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, and content analysis was carried out utilising Huberman’s systematic approach as a framework. Five major themes emerged from the analysis of the focus group interviews. First was the process by which a system of values was constructed. Second was the issue of the continuum of cultural integration/isolation. Third was the level at which social cohesion or division was experienced. Fourth was the concept of spirituality as a coping strategy and fifth was the ebb and flow of religious influence over the lifespan. Consideration was given to these themes, and the ways in which they interrelated and overlapped. This led to the conclusion that cultural and religious identity were experienced and perceived differently, but recognised to be interrelated. Spirituality appeared to be more strongly related to health, in its broadest sense, than did religiosity, and well-being and health were viewed as being inextricably linked. The relevance of this study to health care practice is evident. Consideration of the spiritual dimension of care must extend beyond attention to religious practices, and the potential exists for the coping strategies related to spirituality to be developed as an aid to therapeutic intervention.
A Framework for the Study of Implicit Religion
Authors: Schnell Tatjana
Published: January 2008

A basic, inter-disciplinarily developed theory of implicit religiosity is introduced. Three structures common to all explicit religions are identified: they are myth, ritual, and experience of transcendence. Independent of a content, they can be viewed as patterns of thinking (myth), acting (rituals) and feeling (experiences of transcendence) underlying all kinds of—implicitly or explicitly—religious conduct. Only when associated with personally meaningful contents, do these structures become representatives of implicit religiosity: they turn into ‘personal myth’, ‘personal rituals’ and subjectively accessible transcendent experiences. A qualitative empirical study of contents of implicit religiosity and related ultimate meanings is described. Results are displayed to demonstrate the functional equivalence of implicit and explicit religiosity. An inventory of ultimate meanings as well as a list of contents frequently associated with implicit religion are documented. Finally, the theory of implicit religiosity is used as a framework for the comparison of applications of implicit religion. A synopsis of applications, subdivided into myth, ritual, and transcendent experience, helps to integrate existing research in the field, to determine the scope of the applications, and to display the religious state of contemporary societies.
Growth, Survival, and Body Composition of Yellow Perch Juveniles Fed Commercial and Experimental Diets
Authors: Rinchard Jacques , Becheret Renaud , Dabrowski Konrad
Published: January 2008

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the efficacy of commercial and experimental diets on the survival, growth, and body composition of juvenile yellow perch Perca flavescens. In both experiments, fish were fed by hand four to five times a day at a restricted ration of up to 90% satiation for 51 d. In experiment 1, fish (initial weight, 87 ± 24 mg) were fed three experimental diets (F1, F2, and a casein-gelatin-based diet) and one commercial diet (Kyowa 400B). In experiment 2, fish (initial weight, 174 ± 56 mg) were fed four experimental diets (Kyowa 400B, INVE-NRD, a starter diet from BioOregon, and a starter diet from Purina). In both experiments, the growth performance of yellow perch juveniles was significantly affected by dietary treatments. In experiment 1, fish fed Kyowa 400B and the casein-gelatin-based diet grew significantly faster than those fed the F1 and F2 diets. However, survival was significantly lower in fish fed the casein-gelatin-based diet than in those fed the other dietary treatments. In experiment 2, fish fed the INVE-NRD diet exhibited the best growth performance. Survival was not affected by dietary treatments. In both experiments, the proximate composition of fish among dietary treatments reflected the proximate composition of the diet. Our results indicate that satisfactory growth of yellow perch juveniles can be achieved using commercial and experimental diets.
Effect of Seminal Plasma Protein on Postthaw Viability and Fertility of Arctic Char Spermatozoa
Authors: Mansour Nabil , Richardson Gavin F , McNiven Mary A
Published: January 2008

Seminal plasma protein of Arctic char Salvelinus alpinus was characterized using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis. Twelve protein bands with molecular weights of 7.2, 12.4, 15.3, 20.0, 20.4, 22.6, 39.4, 66.3, 74.0, 92.0, 94.5, and 130.1 kilodaltons (kDa) were detected. The effect of total seminal plasma protein and protein fractions of three categories (<50, 50–100, and >100 kDa) on postthaw sperm motility, viability, and fertility was tested. Incorporation of total seminal plasma protein, the fraction greater than 100 kDa, or the fraction less than 50 kDa into the semen extender (300 mmol of glucose/L of water, plus 10% methanol) had a deleterious effect on postthaw sperm motility, viability, and fertility in comparison with spermatozoa frozen in the semen extender only. However, adding the 50-100-kDa fraction of seminal plasma protein to the semen extender did not affect the postthaw sperm motility and fertility relative to spermatozoa frozen in the extender only. Further experiments are needed to test the effect of different concentrations of seminal plasma proteins alone or in a combination with other seminal plasma constituents on sperm physiology and viability during short-term storage and cryopreservation.
Evaluation of Barley Straw and a Commercial Probiotic for Controlling Prymnesium parvum in Fish Production Ponds
Authors: Barkoh Aaron , Paret John M , Lyon Dale D , Begley Drew C , Smith Dennis G , Schlechte J Warren
Published: January 2008

Since 2001, the ichthyotoxic microalga Prymnesium parvum has caused major fish kills in 13 U.S. states, including Texas, raising concerns about its impacts on hatchery fish production, sport fisheries, and local economies. We investigated the efficacy of two natural products, barley Hordeum vulgare straw and the probiotic Liquid Live Micro-Organisms (LLMO) System in controlling P. parvum and its ichthyotoxicity. Their effects on factors essential for successful production of fingerling fish (i.e., water quality, nutrient levels, phytoplankton biomass and composition, zooplankton density and composition, and fingerling fish production) were also evaluated. Barley straw and LLMO were individually tested during summer and fall 2004 in hatchery ponds for 140 d (experiment 1). Four ponds were treated with barley straw applied once at the beginning of the study at 252 kg/ha, and four ponds received LLMO at a rate of 1 L/56,718 L of pond water at 2-week intervals throughout the study. Another four ponds were untreated and served as the control. Barley straw was further tested at 280 kg/ha in winter 2005 for 93 d (experiment 2). These barley straw treatment rates were similar to those used in other studies, and the LLMO rate was recommended by the supplier. In both experiments, P. parvum blooms did occur. Neither barley straw nor LLMO had a significant effect on P. parvum density, toxin levels, or ichthyotoxicity at the rates used in this study. Similarly, neither barley straw nor LLMO affected any of the other variables investigated. Our results do not support reports that barley straw and LLMO can control planktonic algae.
Comparison of Production Traits of NWAC103 Channel Catfish, NWAC103 Channel Catfish × Blue Catfish Hybrids, Kansas Select 21 Channel Catfish, and Blue Catfish Grown at Commercial Densities and Exposed to Natural Bacterial Epizootics
Authors: Dunham Rex A , Umali Gloria M , Beam Renee , Kristanto Anang H , Trask Michael
Published: January 2008

The NWAC103 strain is an improved channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus that has been widely used in the catfish industry. However, it is not yet known whether the hybrid progeny (hereafter termed 103 hybrids) of male blue catfish I. furcatus and NWAC103 females will exhibit further improvement in growth. Therefore, we compared production attributes among four catfish genotypes that were communally reared in earthen ponds: NWAC103, Kansas Select 21 channel catfish, Rio Grande × D&B-strain blue catfish, and 103 hybrids. Compared with the other genotypes, the 103 hybrids had a higher (P < 0.05) growth rate during the food fish stage, better survival when exposed to natural epizootics of enteric septicemia of catfish, and greater production and survival when exposed to critically low levels of dissolved oxygen. Mean weights at the food fish stage were 639.0 g for 103 hybrids, 569.7 g for NWAC103, 514.7 g for Kansas Select 21, and 394.3 g for blue catfish. Production rates were 8,632 kg/ha for 103 hybrids, 5,205 kg/ha for NWAC103, 6,250 kg/ha for Kansas Select 21, and 4,582 kg/ha for blue catfish. Fingerling survival rates were 100% for 103 hybrids, 25.7% for NWAC103, 43.5% for Kansas Select 21, and 72.9% for blue catfish; food fish survival rates were 88.7, 60.0, 82.7, and 76.3%, respectively. The heterosis for body weight was only 12.2%, but the combination of faster growth and greater survival resulted in 65.8% heterosis for production. Channel catfish that have been genetically improved through selection programs can be used to produce channel × blue catfish hybrids with higher performance than the parental species. The improvement via selection does not limit further enhancement via hybridization.
Parasite Survey of the Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica in Coastal Lagoons of the Southern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Aguirre-Macedo Ma Leopoldina , Simá-Álvarez Raúl A. , Román-Magaṋn María Karla , Güemez-Ricalde Jorge I.
Published: January 2008

A parasitological study of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica from 11 coastal lagoons in the southern Gulf of Mexico in dry and rainy seasons between late 1999 and early 2001 revealed the presence of 36 bacterial, 2 protozoan (Nematopsis prytherchi and Perkinsus marinus), and 4 helminth species (Urastoma cyprinae, Proctoeces maculatus, a Bucephalus sp., and a Tylocephalum sp.). The prevalence and mean abundances for the protozoa and helminths varied widely between locations but were generally below 50%. Nematopsis prytherchi and the Tylocephalum sp. were the most prevalent species (values were above 60% in most locations). Perkinsus marinus was present in oysters of eight of the coastal lagoons and had low prevalence (<30%) in almost all samples. All identified protozoa and helminths are widely distributed in the Gulf of Mexico and are common oyster parasites. Only P. marinus and the Bucephalus sp. were associated with damage to host tissues. In addition to these parasites, Rickettsia-like bacteria were found in the digestive gland and gills and viral gametocytic hypertrophy inclusions in the gonads by histological examination.
Genetic Diversity of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus from Feather River and Lake Oroville, California, and Virulence of Selected Isolates for Chinook Salmon and Rainbow Trout
Authors: Bendorf Christin M. , Kelley Garry O. , Yun Susan C. , Kurath Gael , Andree Karl B. , Hedrick Ronald P.
Published: January 2008

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is a significant pathogen of young salmonid fishes worldwide but particularly within the historical range of the Pacific Northwest and California. In the Sacramento and San Joaquin River drainages of California, IHNV outbreaks in juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha have been observed regularly at large production hatcheries, including Coleman National Fish Hatchery (established in 1941) and Feather River State Fish Hatchery (FRH; established in 1967), since facility operations began. Recent severe epidemics at the FRH in 1998 and 2000–2002 prompted investigations into the characteristics and potential sources of virus at this facility. Both phylogenetic analyses of a variable portion of the glycoprotein gene and serologic comparisons based on neutralization with three polyclonal rabbit sera were used to characterize 82 IHNV isolates from the Feather River watershed between 1969 and 2004. All isolates examined were in the L genogroup and belonged to one of three serologic groups typical of IHNV from California. The IHNV isolates from the Feather River area demonstrated a maximum nucleotide sequence divergence of 4.0%, and new isolates appeared to emerge from previous isolates rather than by the introduction of more diverse subgroups from exogenous sources. The earliest isolates examined from the watershed formed the subgroup LI, which disappeared coincidently with a temporal shift to new genetic and serologic types of the larger subgroup LII. Experimental challenges demonstrated no significant differences in the virulence for juvenile Chinook salmon and rainbow trout O. mykiss from selected isolates representing the principal types of IHNV found historically and from recent epidemics at FRH. While most isolates were equally virulent for both host species, one isolate was found to be more virulent for Chinook salmon than for rainbow trout.
Population and Production Estimates for Decapod Crustaceans in Wetlands of Galveston Bay, Texas
Authors: Minello Thomas J. , Matthews Geoffrey A. , Caldwell Philip A. , Rozas Lawrence P.
Published: January 2008

The value of wetlands is reflected in the relative abundance and production of nekton, but these population variables have been difficult to estimate because of sampling problems, landscape complexity, tidal dynamics, and limited information on growth and mortality. We combined a landscape analysis of land‐water patterns in regularly flooded wetlands of lower Galveston Bay, Texas, with data on small‐scale (1‐50‐m) distribution patterns of nekton over the marsh surface to estimate population abundances of juvenile brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus, white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus, and blue crab Callinectes sapidus. Using information on size frequencies, size‐weight relationships, and growth rates, we estimated the wet biomass and production of these species from salt marshes and open‐water habitats. In 17,673 ha of marsh complex (vegetation with a 150‐m water buffer) in lower Galveston Bay, we estimated the standing crops (number/ha) at 19,382 for brown shrimp, 17,406 for white shrimp, and 16,726 for blue crabs, or 3.0, 2.2, and 4.2 times the standing crop estimates for shallow, open bay water. Annual production from the marsh complex was substantially higher than for open water and was estimated at 128 kg/ha for brown shrimp, 109 kg/ha for white shrimp, and 170 kg/ha for blue crabs.
Identification of Novel Single‐Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Chinook Salmon and Variation among Life History Types
Authors: Campbell Nathan R. , Narum Shawn R.
Published: January 2008

Single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are simple base substitutions or small indels in otherwise conserved regions of nuclear or mitochondrial DNA. Assays detecting these genetic markers have been a powerful tool for conserving and managing fish populations. In nonmodel species, however, available DNA sequence data are limited and inventive techniques must be employed in screening for SNPs. In this study, we used expressed sequence tags from rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to design primers for amplification of genomic DNA fragments from Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha. The regions flanking the repeat sequence of published microsatellite loci in Chinook salmon were also chosen to examine nucleotide variation. Thirty‐two individuals representing the majority of the species' range from Russia to California were sequenced at 19 loci to identify SNPs. We discovered 58 polymorphisms during the screen and chose 13 for development into 5′ exonuclease assays (TaqMan assays). The genotypes from the TaqMan assays were compared with sequence data from individuals from the ascertainment panel to confirm proper allele designations. To evaluate the power of these markers to differentiate populations and life history types, we typed 91 individuals representing the major lineages of Chinook salmon with 11 validated assays. Significant allele frequency differences were observed among life history types of Chinook salmon at seven SNP loci, demonstrating the power of these markers to differentiate lineages.
Biomass adaptation to complex substrate degradation in membrane bioreactors: appropriated operating conditions
Authors: Sridang P.C. , Lobos J. , Pottier A. , Wisniewski C. , Grasmick A.
Published: January 2008

The aim of this work is to analyse the biological performances of two immersed membranes bioreactors focusing on the biomass adaptation to complex substrate degradation and the performance in term of permeate quality. Two influents were selected: a synthetic complex influent (acetate/Viandox®, MBR1) and a real seafood processing wastewater (surimi product, MBR2). The MBR systems were operated for long periods without any sludge extraction except for sampling. Organic matter removal, sludge production and quality of the treated wastewater were analysed and studied. COD removal efficiencies after a period of biomass adaptation were higher than 97% and 95% for the synthetic and real wastewater respectively. In both cases, the COD of the treated wastewater was lower than 50 mg.L−1. In spite of salt concentration in the real wastewater a biomass adaptation process occurs. In the overall operational period, a 0.058 gCODP.gCODT−1 and a 0.12 gCODP.gCODT−1 observed sludge yields were obtained for the MBR1 and MBR2 respectively. These values are approximately 5 to 10 times lower than those measured in conventional activated sludge process. These results showed that the presence of particular and some of non-easily degradable compounds in the influent of MBR2 didn't limit the performance of MBR in term of COD removal achieved. The results have also confirmed the excellent permeate quality for water reuse from MBRs systems.
Side effects of flux enhancing chemicals in membrane bioreactors (MBRs): study on their biological toxicity and their residual fouling propensity
Authors: Iversen V. , Mohaupt J. , Drews A. , Kraume M. , Lesjean B.
Published: January 2008

Soluble and colloidal materials like soluble microbial products (SMP) or extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are considered to be major foulants in membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Removing these fouling causing substances is thus thought to reduce the fouling of the membrane in general.

In addition to traditional strategies for fouling prevention which mostly try to remedy the effects of fouling by air scour, etc., the new and promising method of adding chemicals is being investigated here. Previous tests with 30 different substances have shown that several of these reduce SMP concentration in the supernatant and enhance filtration. Nevertheless, additive dosing might have unknown side effects in filtration systems. Results presented in this study indicate that these additives may themselves cause severe fouling on different membranes if they remain unbound in the liquid phase. Therefore, the thorough control of the dosing rate of these chemicals will be of paramount importance in full scale applications. Biological toxicity of additives was measured in terms of respiration. OUR tests did not show inhibiting effects for most additives. Chitosan even showed an enhanced OUR due to biodegradability. Oxygen transfer could be enhanced for 25% with the addition of a polymer.
The performance of the sludge pretreatment system with venturi tubes
Authors: Kim H.J. , Nguyen D.X. , Bae J.H.
Published: January 2008

This research investigates the feasibility of the venturi cavitation system (VCS) for the sludge pretreatment to increase biodegradability. The performances of the VCS depended on the inclination angle of the venturi outlet, and better results obtained with 12° than with 8° or 15°. Although it is energy efficient to use several venturies in series, the number of the venturies should be determined with detailed fluid dynamic calculations. The linear relationship between total solid (TS) concentration and the increases in soluble chemical oxygen demand (ΔSCOD) was observed for both wasted activated sludge (WAS) and primary sludge, which might be related to the better conditions for cavitation development at high TS concentrations even with higher viscosity. The VCS achieved better energy efficiency in terms of ΔSCOD/kJ compared to high-speed homogenizer (HSH). On the other hand, the VCS showed a similar energy efficiency for mixed sludge with 1.8% TS, but lower efficiency for WAS with 4% TS when compared to ultrasonic disintegration.
The ecotoxicology of hormonally active micropollutants
Authors: Sumpter John P.
Published: January 2008

There has been intense research and wide public interest in hormonally active micropollutants present in the aquatic environment for more than a decade. This group of micropollutants contains a large number of structurally diverse chemicals with quite different origins. Some are natural hormones, others pharmaceuticals, both veterinary and human, and yet others are chemicals which are hormonally active by accident, not design. Most of these hormonally active micropollutants enter the aquatic environment in effluent from (STWs). Hence, the highest concentrations of these chemicals will be in rivers heavily impacted by effluent, especially effluent from poorly performing STWs. In some cases river concentrations of a hormonally active micropollutant are well established, but in many cases they are not. It is important to know “real world” concentrations, so that laboratory ecotoxicological studies can be conducted at environmentally relevant concentrations.

Fish, as vertebrates, have endocrine systems very similar to those of mammals. This means that if a micropollutant is hormonally active in a mammal, it is very likely to also be active and cause similar or related effects, in fish. It is currently less clear whether or not these chemically are also hormonally active in invertebrates, whose endocrine systems often differ appreciably from those of vertebrates.
Evaluation of ozone-based treatment processes for wastewater containing microcontaminants using LC-QTRAP-MS and LC-TOF/MS
Authors: Gómez M.J. , Martínez Bueno M.J. , Agüera A. , Hernando M.D. , Fernández-Alba A.R. , Mezcua M.
Published: January 2008

This article describes the development of an enhanced liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for the analysis of a selected group of 57 organic contaminants in wastewater. This group comprises 39 pharmaceuticals belonging to different therapeutical classes and 10 of their most frequent metabolites. Six pesticides and two disinfectants were also included. The LC-MS method was developed using a hybrid quadrupole/linear ion trap (Q TRAP) analyzer operating in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode (in both positive and negative electrospray ionization) in combination with a time-of flight (TOF) mass analyser. The application of both techniques provided very good results in terms of accurate quantification and unequivocal identification. Quantification was based on the use of a linearly accelerating (LINAC) high-pressure collision cell, which enable the analysis of a high number of compounds with enough acquisition data points for an optimal peak definition in SRM. Unequivocal identification was provided by the acquisition of at least two SRM transitions and by obtaining accurate mass measurements of the identified compounds with errors lower than 2 ppm. As an alternative for compounds where a second transition cannot be detected by Q-Trap-MS, the application of survey scans in enhanced product ion (EPI) was evaluated.

The analytical performance of the method was evaluated in effluent wastewater samples. Linearity of response over three orders of magnitude was demonstrated (R2>0.99 for most compounds). Matrix effects resulting in suppression of the response were frequently observed, between 2–50% for most of compounds, except 4-DAA and 4-AA, which exhibit higher values (68%). Signal enhancement was also detected in 16 compounds. Method limits of detection (LOD) were between 0.1–50 ng L−1. Finally, the methodology was successfully applied to the evaluation of the efficiency of two ozone-based treatments applied to the effluent from the secondary clarifier of a municipal wastewater treatment facility. Preliminary results are presented demonstrating that ozonation of wastewaters degrade pharmaceuticals with a high efficiency. Removals higher than 90% were reached for most of target analytes.
Management of chemical substances in a water environment communicating among stakeholders
Authors: Yamagata H. , Suzuki H. , Kobayashi H. , Minamiyama M. , Fujita K. , Saino H. , Sakai K. , Takahashi M.
Published: January 2008

With the implementation of Pollutant Discharge and Transfer Register (PRTR) in fiscal 2003, information on the quantity of chemical substances discharged annually from each business is released in Japan. Such information is expected to lead to heightened public concern about the presence of chemical substances in environment. This paper showed the effects of using PRTR data for managing chemical risk in a water environment communicating among stakeholders based on the results of the case study held in Japan. First, it was possible to identify the discharge sources using PRTR and related data for the chemicals such as Zn and NPs which were shown that they had relatively high risks based on the survey in a model area. Second, it was suggested that the chemical risk communication among the stakeholders including people using PRTR and related data would be a good way to encourage environmental activities of businesses, and to build a good relationship among stakeholders including people who have anxiety about chemical risk.
Who is chasing whom? A call for a more integrated approach to reduce the load of micro-pollutants in the environment
Authors: Schirmer K. , Schirmer M.
Published: January 2008

One of the key questions arising from the presence of micro-pollutants in surface-, ground-, and drinking water is whether they pose a risk to human and ecosystem health. In our laboratories we have identified a number of biological effects by several pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) on human, animal and/or plant cells at different levels of biological organisation. In part, these effects occur at concentrations even below those reported in drinking water. Even though it is often still difficult to fully deduce the role of some of these effects on the whole organism or population level as well as after chronic exposure, the effects observed illustrate that the input of micro-pollutants into the environment must be avoided or as far as possible reduced. Much effort has already been devoted to improved treatment of sewage and raw drinking water. A comprehensive protection from aquatic micro-pollutants, however, cannot reside in water treatment technology alone. Instead, all components of the life cycle of these chemicals must be put to the table to turn around the current trend of increasing environmental loads. The goal of this report is to illustrate why a more comprehensive way of risk assessment is needed and what this should include.
A review of the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Dakwar Elias , Reddy Jaypal , Vale Fernando L. , Uribe Juan S.
Published: January 2008

✓ Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, progressive inflammatory rheumatic disease involving primarily the sacroiliac joints and the axial skeleton. The main clinical features are back pain and progressive stiffness of the spine. Oligoarthritis of the hips and shoulders, enthesopathy, and anterior uveitis are common, and involvement of the heart and lungs is rare. The current understanding of the pathogenesis of this disorder is limited. Despite the strong association between human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27) and susceptibility to AS reported over the past 30 years, the exact pathogenic role of HLA-B27 in AS and other spondyloarthropathies has yet to be determined. The authors present a review of the literature pertaining to the pathogenesis of AS over the past several decades.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a polygenic disorder, with HLA-B27 playing a critical causative role in its pathogenesis. Animal studies of the immunobiology of HLA-B27 have provided significant insight into the pathogenic role of HLA-B27. The search for the antigenic peptide to support the “arthritogenic peptide” hypothesis has been disappointing. Over the past decade there has been increasing interest in the critical role of the misfolding and unfolded protein response of the heavy chain HLA-B27 in the modulation of the inflammatory response. Although there have been significant new findings in the understanding of the pathogenesis of AS, the exact mechanisms have yet to be identified. There is considerable optimism that additional susceptibility genes, predisposing factors, and regulators of the inflammatory process will be identified that will provide avenues for future treatment.
Nonsurgical management of ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Sangala Jaypal Reddy , Dakwar Elias , Uribe Juan , Vale Fernando
Published: January 2008

Object

The aim of this study was to review the current evidence-based nonsurgical management strategies of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) for spine surgeons. Whereas surgical management is indicated in a highly selected group, nonsurgical management is itself a useful measure for nearly all patients with AS.

Methods

The authors conducted a literature review of PubMed using relevant search words. All the articles published in English in the last 15 years were reviewed and the level of evidence provided by them was noted.

Results

Nonpharmacological treatments in the form of physical therapy and patient education have Level Ib evidence in maintaining function in AS. There is Level Ib evidence supporting the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and coxibs for treatment in patients with symptoms. There is not enough evidence to support the use of conventional disease-modifying antirheumatoid arthritis drugs. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α inhibitors (infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab) are associated with Level Ib evidence in improving spinal pain, function, inflammatory biomarkers, and spinal inflammation detected by magnetic resonance imaging in patients in whom symptom duration has exceeded 3 months.

Conclusions

Physical therapy and patient education are useful for all patients diagnosed with AS. If symptomatic, patients are started with either a course of nonselective NSAIDs or a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor. The role of NSAIDs as a disease-modifying therapy in the treatment of AS is increasingly being understood. The central role of TNF in the pathogenesis of AS is now known, and the advent of biological treatment in the form of anti–TNFα factors has revolutionized the medical management of AS and is used in patients with axial disease whose symptoms persist despite an adequate dose of NSAIDs.
Effectiveness of preoperative planning in the restoration of balance and view in ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Pigge Roy R. , Scheerder Famke J. , Smit Theo H. , Mullender Margriet G. , Van Royen Barend J.
Published: January 2008

Object

The object of this study was to assess the effectiveness of preoperative planning in the restoration of balance and view angle in patients treated with lumbar osteotomy in ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods

The authors prospectively analyzed 8 patients with a thoracolumbar kyphotic deformity due to AS that was treated using a closing wedge osteotomy (CWO) of the lumbar spine to correct sagittal imbalance and horizontal view. Preoperative planning to predict postoperative balance, defined by the sagittal vertical axis (SVA) and the sacral endplate angle (SEA), and the view angle, defined by the chin-brow to vertical angle (CBVA), was performed using the ASKyphoplan computational program.

Results

All patients were treated with a CWO at level L-4 and improved in balance and view angle. The mean correction angle was 35° (range 24–47°). The postoperative SEA improved from 21 to 36° for a mean correction of 15°. In addition, the SVA and CBVA improved significantly. Note, however, that the postoperative results did not exactly reflect the predicted values of the analyzed parameters.

Conclusions

Preoperative planning for the restoration of balance and view angle in AS improves understanding of the biomechanical and clinical effects of a correction osteotomy of the lumbar spine. The adaptation of basic clinical and biomechanical principles to restore balance is advised in such a way that the individual SEA is corrected by 15° (maximum 40°) in relation to the horizon and C-7 is balanced exactly above the posterosuperior corner of the sacrum.
Management of cervical deformity in ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Hoh Daniel J. , Khoueir Paul , Wang Michael Y.
Published: January 2008

✓ Ankylosing spondylitis can lead to severe cervical kyphosis, causing problems with forward vision, swallowing, hygiene, patient functionality, and social outlook. Evaluation of patients with cervical flexion deformity includes assessment of global sagittal balance and chin–brow angle. The primary treatment in extreme disabling cases is surgical correction involving a posterior cervical extension osteotomy, which is a technically demanding procedure with considerable risk of neurological injury. To address the potential complications with extension osteotomy, the authors of several reports have described modifications to the surgical technique. These developments incorporate recent advances in anesthesia, neuromonitoring, and spinal instrumentation. Complications associated with the procedure include subluxation at the osteotomy level, spinal cord injury, radiculopathy, dysphagia, and pseudarthrosis. Although the risks of spinal correction are considerable, extension osteotomy remains an effective treatment modality for patients with disabling cervical flexion deformity.