bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Divisão de trabalho em cuidados à prole em Sicalis flaveola (Linnaeus, 1766) (Passeriformes, Emberizidae), em cativeiro
Authors: Marcondes-Machado Luiz Octavio
Published: August 2009

São relatadas observações relativas à divisão de trabalho em cuidados à prole em Sicalis flaveola brasiliensis (Gmelin) e S. f. pelzelni (Sclater), em condições de cativeiro.
Estudo das aves mortas por atropelamento em um trecho da rodovia BR-471, entre os distritos da Quinta e Taim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil*
Authors: Novelli Ronaldo , Takase Emilio , Castro Valdir
Published: August 2009

São estudadas as aves mortas por atropelamento em trecho da Rodovia BR-471, entre Quinta e Taim, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, com discussões taxonômicas e dados sobre conteœdo estomacal e taxas de mortalidade. Propõe-se uma política conservacionista para reduzir a mortandade de aves nas rodovias brasileiras.
Estágios imaturos de Sabulodes caberata caberata Guenée, 1857 e Sabulodes exhonorata Guenée, 1857 (Lepidoptera, Geometridae, Ennominae)1
Authors: Dias Manoel Martins
Published: August 2009

São apresentados dados sobre o ciclo de vida e a morfologia dos estágios imaturos de Sabulodes caberata caberata Guenée, 1857 e Sabulodes exhonorata Guenée, 1857, ambas coletadas em São Carlos, São Paulo, Brasil. As larvas se alimentam de Eucalyptus sp. Os estágios imaturos são semelhantes em geral, nas duas espécies, mas existem vários caracteres distintivos.
Estudo das glândulas mandibulares e ovários de operárias de Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae) mantidas em condiçoes artificiais
Authors: Salvo Claudia Regina de , Costa Leonardo Ana Maria
Published: August 2009

Foram estudados os ovários e as glândulas mandibulares de Apis mellifera mantidas em condições artificiais e foi observado que em pequenos grupos (menos de 20 abelhas) os órgãos analisados não se desenvolveram.
Hemodynamic effects of ropivacaine and levobupivacaine intravenous injection in swines
Authors: Udelsmann Artur , Silva William Adalberto , Moraes Ana Cristina de , Dreyer Elisabeth
Published: August 2009

PURPOSE: To compare the hemodynamic effects following a toxic dose of either agent after intravenous injection in swines, as might accidentally occur during regional anesthesia in humans. METHODS: Large White pigs were anesthetized with thiopental, tracheal intubation was performed and mechanical ventilation was instituted. Hemodynamic variables were recorded with invasive pressure monitoring and pulmonary artery catheterization. After a 30-minute resting period, the animals were randomly divided into two groups in a double-blinded fashion and received a bolus intravenous injection of 4 mg.kg-1 of either agent. Hemodynamic results were evaluated at rest and 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 minutes after intoxication. RESULTS: Hemodynamic repressions of acute intoxication with levobupivacaine were more important and more prolonged than those of ropivacaína. CONCLUSION: In pigs, levobupivacaine was shown to be more toxic than ropivacaine when the same large doses are injected intravenously.
Inspeção técnica de pulverizadores agrícolas: histórico e importância
Authors: Dornelles Marçal Elizandro , Schlosser José Fernando , Casali André Luis , Brondani Leonardo Basso
Published: August 2009

Os projetos de inspeção técnica de pulverizadores agrícolas são realizados já há bastante tempo em diversos países e têm por objetivo levantar informações e levar orientação aos usuários de pulverizadores agrícolas. Tendo em vista a minimização das contaminações humanas e ambientais durante o manuseio de agrotóxicos e a importância da eficiência das aplicações, esses projetos são implantados em regiões onde ainda não são realizados como forma de orientação aos usuários e inspeção sobre o estado de conservação e uso dos pulverizadores. Embora seja um país estruturalmente agrícola, o Brasil não tem uma política direcionada a esse tipo de projeto que ajude o agricultor, por meio da otimização nas aplicações, o meio ambiente, por meio da menor contaminação, e a humanidade em geral, como uma conseqüência de alimentos mais saudáveis. Diversas instituições brasileiras de ensino já deram sua contribuição inicial realizando esse projeto em diversas regiões e constatando a importância de sua implantação obrigatória e periódica sobre os equipamentos. O objetivo desta revisão foi descrever o histórico, a abrangência, as formas de realização e os resultados obtidos com esses projetos em vários países, chamando a atenção para a importância da regularização das inspeções técnicas no Brasil. Considerando o resultado positivo obtido com as inspeções nesses países, o grande número e a situação precária dos equipamentos em uso no Brasil (já comprovada em projetos nacionais), a regulamentação das inspeções técnicas dos pulverizadores no país torna-se fundamental.
Estratégias competitivas e de desenvolvimento de produtos lácteos funcionais: estudos de caso em empresas agroindustriais da região Sul do Brasil
Authors: Lima Mateus Silva de , Révillion Jean Philippe Palma , Padula Antonio Domingos
Published: August 2009

Esta pesquisa buscou compreender o motivo e o modo como as empresas agroindustriais brasileiras desenvolvem novos produtos e se orientam para o mercado no segmento de alimentos lácteos funcionais. Ela também examina o papel do sistema regulatório nesse processo. Foi utilizada a abordagem de estudos de caso para esclarecer as inter-relações sistêmicas e trade-offs entre os fatores relacionados à inovação. Foi escolhido um desenho de pesquisa com uma unidade de análise (empresas agroindustriais que, recentemente, lançaram novos produtos no mercado de lácteos funcionais) e estudos de caso múltiplos (três empresas agroindustriais da região Sul). Os resultados revelam que as empresas agroindustriais adotam estratégias seguidoras em relação às concorrentes multinacionais. Tradicionalmente, essa é uma estratégia considerada mais segura e exige menores investimentos em P&D e marketing. Contudo, ela corrói a imagem de marca e limita os retornos financeiros das inovações. O comportamento seguidor é resultado de um baixo grau de orientação para mercado e restrita cooperação com parceiros externos. Esse "ciclo vicioso" é reforçado pelas barreiras estabelecidas pelo sistema regulatório.
Indicadores de atitude de estudantes e professores com relação à matemática
Authors: Faria Paulo Cézar de , Camargo Brigido Vizeu , Moro Maria Lucia Faria
Published: August 2009

O estudo compara a atitude em relação à matemática de quatro grupos amostrais de estudantes de licenciatura em matemática e de professores de matemática em exercício. Os participantes (n=440) foram voluntários de escolas públicas e privadas escolhidas por conveniência. O referencial teórico se reportou ao construto atitude. Indicadores das razões de escolha do curso superior, dos fatores que dificultam o ensino da matemática e das razões que levam a lecionar matemática foram revelados por meio do uso de instrumentos que forneceram dados de natureza qualitativa. A condição em que a pessoa se encontra no final da licenciatura e no início da carreira, associada à sua autopercepção de desempenho, indica que a mudança de atitude está relacionada às particularidades de um determinado momento da vida estudantil ou profissional. Os resultados sublinham a importância de utilizar diferentes instrumentos para se obter indicadores de atitude com relação à matemática.
Influência do agente de cloração do catalisador à base de veodímio e da razão molar Cl: Nd na polimerização do butadieno
Authors: Ferreira Cintia N. , Mello Ivana L. , Coutinho Fernanda M. B.
Published: August 2009

Neste trabalho foi utilizado um sistema catalítico composto por hidreto de diisobutilalumínio (DIBAH), versatato de neodímio (NdV) e um agente de cloração para avaliar a influência da fonte de cloro e da razão molar Cl:Nd nas características da reação de polimerização (conversão e constante de velocidade de propagação) e do polibutadieno (massa molecular e microestrutura). Os agentes de cloração estudados foram cloreto de t-butila (t-BuCl), sesquicloreto de etilalumínio (EASC) e cloreto de dietilalumínio (DEAC). As razões molares Cl:Nd utilizadas foram: 1:1, 3:1 e 5:1 para o t-BuCl; 0,5:1, 1:1 e 3:1 para o EASC e 1:1, 1,5:1, 3:1 e 5:1 para o DEAC. Foi observada a existência, para cada agente de cloração, de um valor ótimo de razão molar Cl:Nd para o qual a conversão foi máxima. O DEAC apresentou uma maior conversão em relação aos outros agentes de cloração; em contrapartida, o t-BuCl produziu polibutadienos com maior teor de unidades 1,4-cis e maior massa molecular (n e w)
Comportamento reológico de xantana produzida por Xanthomonas arboricola pv pruni para aplicação em fluido de perfuração de poços de petróleo
Authors: Borges Caroline D. , Vendruscolo Claire T. , Martins André L. , Lomba Rosana F. T.
Published: August 2009

O trabalho objetivou avaliar xantanas produzidas por Xanthomonas arboricola pv pruni como viscosificante de fluido para aplicação na perfuração de poços de petróleo, comparando-as com três amostras comerciais utilizadas para este fim. Para isto, a viscosidade de soluções aquosas e salinas (NaCl, KCl e CaCl2) das diferentes xantanas, em distintas temperaturas (25, 45, 65 e 80 ºC), foi determinada em reômetro. Os parâmetros reológicos índice de consistência (K) e o índice de fluxo (n) foram obtidos pelo ajuste do modelo de Ostwald-de-Waelle. A força gel (G0, G10 e G30) foi determinada em viscosímetro, e a concentração de sais monovalentes (sódio e potássio) e divalentes (cálcio e magnésio) foi determinada em fotômetro de chama e em espectrômetro de absorção atômica, respectivamente. De uma forma geral, os resultados obtidos neste estudo mostram que as xantanas produzidas pelo patovar pruni, Xp 106-600 e Xp 115-600, por conterem baixa concentração de sais, apresentaram potencial para aplicação em fluido de perfuração de poços de petróleo, quando utilizada solução salina. Já os polímeros comerciais apresentaram melhores resultados quando utilizados em solução aquosa, pois continham alta concentração de sais.
Avaliação das propriedades mecânicas de material polimérico utilizado na confecção de caixas de medição de energia elétrica
Authors: Ferracin Ricardo J. , Ruvolo Filho Adhemar , Marconcini José M. , Diniz José H. de O.
Published: August 2009

As propriedades mecânicas de materiais poliméricos apresentam forte correlação com o processamento do material. Neste trabalho foram estudadas blendas de poli(óxido de fenileno)/poliestireno (PPO/PS) e policarbonatos utilizados na confecção de caixas, comparando-se as propriedades mecânicas de amostras injetadas nos formatos de corpo de prova, segundo a norma ASTM D638, e de amostras retiradas diretamente das caixas. A partir dos resultados de ensaio de impacto Izod verificou-se uma grande variabilidade nos valores antes e após envelhecimento em água, de todas as caixas. Isto se deve, principalmente, às diferentes tensões internas em cada região da caixa provenientes do processamento. Também foi observada uma grande diferença entre os valores encontrados para resistência ao impacto Izod dos corpos de prova retirados da parte inferior das caixas comparados com os valores encontrados para os respectivos materiais injetados, indicando também uma significativa influência dos parâmetros de processamento de injeção, tanto nas caixas como nos corpos de prova injetados. De modo geral, os valores de resistência à tração no ponto de máxima deformação elástica não diferem significativamente entre os corpos de prova injetados e os corpos de prova retirados das caixas do mesmo material; contudo, observou-se que esta variação é significativa nos valores de alongamento à ruptura, demonstrando que esta propriedade deve ser considerada nas avaliações do comportamento mecânico dos materiais poliméricos.
Análise acústica da voz de mulheres idosas
Authors: Cerceau Janaína da Silva Berto , Alves Cláudia Fernanda Tolentino , Gama Ana Cristina Côrtes
Published: August 2009

OBJETIVO: avaliar medidas acústicas da voz de idosas. MÉTODOS: participaram 96 idosas, com idades entre 60 e 103 anos, divididas em três grupos conforme a faixa etária. RESULTADOS: valores da frequência fundamental foram: 193,81 Hz (Grupo 1), 195,71 (Grupo 2) e 187,60 Hz (Grupo 3). Extensão fonatória: 42,10 semitons (Grupo 1); 37,29 semitons (Grupo 2) e 38,75 semitons (Grupo 3). Os valores da frequência mínima e máxima foram, respectivamente, 103,62 Hz e 1099,1 Hz (Grupo 1); 102,28 Hz e 918,10 Hz (Grupo 2) e 88,73 Hz e 876,8 Hz (Grupo 3). Os valores do Tempo Máximo de Fonação da vogal /a/ foram 8,54 segundos (Grupo 1), 7,97 segundos (Grupo 2) e 7,52 segundos (Grupo 3). Para a vogal /i/ os valores foram de 8,82 segundos (Grupo 1), 8,44 segundos (Grupo 2) e 8,05 segundos (Grupo 3). Para a vogal /u/ os valores foram de 9,22 segundos (Grupo 1), 8,09 segundos (Grupo 2) e 7,95 segundos (Grupo 3). CONCLUSÃO: mulheres idosas apresentam uma frequência fundamental mais grave e tempos máximos de fonação das vogais diminuídos. A extensão fonatória máxima apresentou valores semelhantes aos de adultos jovens. Todas as medidas estudadas mostraram uma tendência de diminuição com o avanço da idade.
Posição habitual de língua e padrão de deglutição em indivíduo com oclusão classe III, pré e pós-cirurgia ortognática
Authors: Sígolo Cássia , Campiotto Alcione Ramos , Sotelo Mariana Bonafé
Published: August 2009

TEMA: os distúrbios miofuncionais orofaciais dos indivíduos que apresentam desproporções maxilomandibulares podem estar relacionados à condição muscular orofacial e às diferentes funções por elas realizadas. PROCEDIMENTOS: a paciente realizou um exame radiográfico de videofluoroscopia no qual se observou quantas deglutições foram necessárias para total limpeza das valéculas e qual foi a posição da língua após a deglutição de saliva. O exame foi realizado com bário líquido e pão de queijo. RESULTADOS: na avaliação pré-operatória, foi encontrada a língua posicionada no soalho da cavidade oral; mastigação com movimento compensatório de língua, com amassamento do alimento pela língua, contra o palato; deglutição com projeção anterior de língua, diminuição da elevação de dorso de língua; elevação de palato mole e laringe adequada; diminuição de ejeção oral para líquido e função de clearance faríngeo completa para líquidos e sólidos. No exame pós-operatório, foi observada a posição habitual de língua em soalho da boca; mastigação com movimento compensatório de língua, com amassamento do alimento pela língua, contra o palato; elevação de palato mole e laringe adequada, ejeção oral satisfatória para líquido e função de clearance faríngeo completo para líquidos e sólidos. CONCLUSÃO: foi observado padrão adaptativo funcional em mastigação e deglutição mantido, mesmo após a cirurgia corretiva para a adequação da deformidade dentofacial, apesar da melhora da força de ejeção oral.
"O país do futebol" mediatizado: mídia e Copa do Mundo no Brasil
Authors: Gastaldo Édison
Published: August 2009

Este trabalho analisa o discurso midiático relativo à Copa do Mundo no Brasil. Em uma revisão crítica acerca da constituição social dos "meios de comunicação de massa", discuto o processo pelo qual a mídia atua na sociedade, a partir da noção de "mediação". A partir de dados sobre a audiência e foco temático na televisão brasileira durante a Copa do Mundo de 1998, analiso o papel desempenhado pela mídia na construção social do interesse pela Copa do Mundo no Brasil. Sem pretender negar a legitimidade do interesse social pelo futebol no Brasil, destaco, entretanto, a participação da mídia neste processo.
Estado de mal epiléptico
Authors: Garzon Eliana
Published: August 2009

INTRODUÇÃO: O estado de mal epiléptico (EME) é subdiagnosticado, especialmente as formas clínicas com sinais motores sutis ou apenas com alteração da consciência. É uma emergência neurológica que necessita diagnóstico imediato e a tratamento agressivo e para prevenir lesão neuronal. OBJETIVOS: Revisar, discutir e propor protocolo para o tratamento desta condição. METODOLOGIA: A literatura foi selecionada a partir de pesquisa nas bases de dados MEDLINE e PUBMED. RESULTADOS: Propomos um protocolo utilizando diazepam, fenitoína, fenobarbital, midazolam, thiopental e pentobarbital ainda nos casos refratários topiramato ou levetiracetam. CONCLUSÕES: Um protocolo estruturado para a investigação da etiologia e tratamento do EME é necessário e possibilita melhores chances de evolução dos casos.
Tratamento das epilepsias generalizadas idiopáticas
Authors: Betting Luiz Eduardo , Guerreiro Carlos A. M.
Published: August 2009

As epilepsias generalizadas idiopáticas (EGIs) correspondem a um-terço de todas as epilepsias. Apesar desta elevada freqüência, as EGIs permanecem pouco reconhecidas. As características clínicas são fundamentais para o diagnóstico. Neste grupo de epilepsias, todos os tipos de crises generalizadas podem ocorrer especialmente as crises tônico-clônicas generalizadas, as crises mioclônicas e as crises de ausência. O eletroencefograma é bastante sugestivo do diagnóstico quando evidencia os típicos complexos espículas ou poliespículas-onda lenta, generalizados, simétricos e com atividade de base normal. De acordo com o tipo de crise predominante e com a idade de início das crises, as EGIs são divididas em subsíndromes. A importância do diagnóstico preciso está relacionada com a elevada porcentagem de indivíduos livre de crises quando tratados com a medicação antiepiléptica apropriada. Por outro lado, o uso de algumas medicações antiepilépticas como carbamazepina e fenitoína pode exacerbar as crises ou até mesmo induzir estado de mal epiléptico em determinadas subsíndromes. Neste artigo, revisamos as principais medicações antiepilépticas utilizadas no tratamento das EGIs bem como alguns aspectos práticos no tratamento das subsíndromes mais freqüentes.
Pobreza e direitos humanos: da mera retórica às obrigações jurídicas - um estudo crítico sobre diferentes modelos conceituais
Authors: Costa Fernanda Doz
Published: August 2009

Definir a pobreza como uma violação de direitos humanos envolve conceitos ainda pouco claros. Isto é especialmente problemático para aqueles que trabalham em direitos humanos e levam a sério a indivisibilidade própria destes direitos; para aqueles que procuram entender o papel central da pobreza no sofrimento de muitas vítimas de direitos humanos e se preocupam em atuar de maneira profissional neste tema, utilizando como ferramenta na luta contra a pobreza as obrigações vinculantes em direitos humanos já reconhecidas internacionalmente. O presente artigo procura esclarecer esta lacuna conceitual, apresentando um resumo crítico das principais propostas para elucidar, a partir de uma perspectiva jurídica dos direitos humanos, os conceitos pertinentes à relação entre pobreza e direitos humanos. Este artigo identifica três formas distintas de relacionar estes conceitos: (1) teorias que concebem a pobreza, por si só, como uma violação de direitos humanos; (2) teorias que definem a pobreza como uma violação de um direito humano específico, a saber, o direito a um nível de vida adequado ou o direito ao desenvolvimento; e (3) teorias que consideram a pobreza como causa ou conseqüência de violações de direitos humanos. Defenderei, em minha conclusão, que a terceira abordagem é a mais útil diante do atual estágio do Direito e da jurisprudência internacional de direitos humanos. A segunda perspectiva, no entanto, tende fortemente a promover o debate sobre pobreza e direitos humanos e, portanto, deveria ser melhor elaborada.
Development by design: blending landscape‐level planning with the mitigation hierarchy
Authors: Kiesecker Joseph M , Copeland Holly , Pocewicz Amy , McKenney Bruce
Published: August 2009

Compensatory mitigation, or biodiversity offsets, provide a mechanism for maintaining or enhancing environmental values in situations where development is being planned, despite detrimental environmental impacts. Offsets are generally intended as an option for addressing any remaining environmental impacts of a development plan, after efforts have been made to avoid, minimize, or restore on‐site impacts. Although offset programs require that developers adhere to the mitigation hierarchy to avoid, minimize, and restore biodiversity on‐site before considering an offset for residual impacts, no quantitative guidelines exist for this decision‐making process. What criteria are needed to require that impacts be minimized or avoided altogether? Here, we examine how conservation planning can provide a way to address this issue. By blending landscape‐level conservation planning with application of the mitigation hierarchy, we can ensure that the use of biodiversity offsets is consistent with sustainable development practices.
From ecological risk assessments to risk governance: Evaluation of the Norwegian management system for contaminated sediments
Authors: Sparrevik Magnus , Breedveld Gijs D
Published: August 2009

Managing of contaminated sediments is a complex process that will naturally have to balance scientific, political, and economic interests. This study evaluates the Norwegian system for managing contaminated sediments toward a generic system for risk governance encompassing both knowledge, legally prescribed procedures, and social values. The review has been performed examining the management plans for 17 prioritized contaminated fjord systems in Norway. The results indicate a strong focus in the Norwegian management system on ecological risk assessment. This facilitates selection of local sustainable remediation measures, but may also complicate the balance toward other relevant interests in a decision-making process. The Norwegian system lacks management tools to identify and handle ambiguity through concern assessments and stakeholder involvement, and the decision-making process seems to a large extent based on ad hoc decisions, making it difficult to incorporate and document multicriteria evaluations into the management process. To develop a sustainable management system, encompassing environmental, economical, and social interests, a stronger focus on concern assessment and multicriteria evaluations is required. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2010;6:240–248. © 2009 SETAC
The synergy of solar radiation, plant biomass, and humidity as an indicator of ecological functions of the landscape: A case study from Central Europe
Authors: Hesslerová Petra , Pokorný Jan
Published: August 2009

Monitoring the dissipation of the daily pulse of solar energy is one of the ways to assess functionality in landscapes. The temperature of the land cover indicates both balances among fluxes of solar energy (reflection, latent, and sensible heat) and conditions for matter retention in the landscape. Temperature is distributed across landscape depending on the type and structure of land cover, qualitative parameters (contents of chlorophyll and water), and the related process of evapotranspiration. The present study explains a method used for objectively diagnosing the ecological functions of the landscape, drawing theoretically from the Energy-Transport-Reaction model and using Landsat multispectral satellite data. The method is applied to 3 images taken in the northwest of the Czech Republic and in Saxony (Germany), in 1986, 1995, and 2004. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2010;6:249–259. © 2009 SETAC
Production Optimization in Closed-Loop Reservoir Management
Authors: Wang Chunhong , Li Gaoming , Reynolds Albert C.
Published: August 2009

In closed-loop reservoir management, one periodically updates reservoir models by integrating production data and then solves an optimal control problem to determine optimum operating conditions to maximize hydrocarbon production or net present value (NPV) for the remaining expected life of the reservoir. The cycle of model updating and production optimization is repeated at specified times. Here, to account for geological uncertainty, we suggest using the ensemble Kalman filter for reservoir model updating and consider three different algorithms for production optimization. Two simple but representative examples indicate that the steepest ascent algorithm is the best of the optimization methods. If the required adjoint software for calculating the gradient of NPV with respect to the controls is not available, we show that iteration using an easily computed stochastic gradient can yield a good estimate of the optimal NPV if properly implemented. For the problem considered, it is shown that NPV is a nonlinear function of the controls, but the final controls from the cases with both known true geology and uncertain geology show "bang-bang" behavior.
Effects of Boundary Conditions and Friction on Static Buckling of Pipe in a Horizontal Well
Authors: Gao Guohua , Miska Stefan
Published: August 2009

A comprehensive buckling model, a group of fourth-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations, was derived by applying the principle of virtual work. Lateral friction force is included in this model. The equations were normalized to make the solutions independent of the wellbore size, type of pipe, and mud. The critical sinusoidal buckling load of tubing with different boundary conditions typically seen in drilling and well-completion applications was analyzed on the basis of the analytical solution of the linearized buckling equation. The results show that the effect of the boundary conditions can be neglected when the dimensionless length of tubing is greater than 5π. The authors further investigated the effects of friction on sinusoidal buckling by applying the principle of virtual work. The critical conditions for initiating sinusoidal buckling were determined by a group of three nonlinear equations. A perturbation solution of these nonlinear equations was obtained. It was found that the critical loads for sinusoidal buckling will increase by 30 to 70% for friction coefficients between 0.1 and 0.3. The authors also conducted an experimental study. The experimental results, including both data obtained by the authors and results published by other researchers, support the proposed model.
Volatile-Phosphorus-Free Gellants for Hydrocarbon-Based Fracturing Systems
Authors: Lawrence S. C. , Kalenchuk A. C. , Ranicar K. , Dhillon S. , Baig A.
Published: August 2009

In recent years, a number of refineries in western Canada and the United States have discovered the formation of scale or sludge in their distillation towers. The buildup of large amounts of sludge lowers the efficiency of refineries to the point where it must be removed. The process of removing sludge requires that the refinery shut down at a cost of USD millions in lost production to the refinery operators. Analysis of the sludge has revealed that it has an extraordinarily high phosphorus content (8 to 12%). Further investigation into the origin of the phosphorus in the sludge raised concerns that chemicals used in hydrocarbon-fracturing fluids, specifically volatile-phosphorus-containing hydrocarbon gellants, are responsible for the refinery fouling. This paper will discuss how the origin of the volatile-phosphorus in the hydrocarbon gellants has been determined and how a viable, ultralow volatile phosphorus solution for hydrocarbon gelling has been developed.
Spatial Distribution of Carbon in the Subsurface of Riparian Zones
Authors: Blazejewski Gary A. , Stolt Mark H. , Gold Arthur J. , Gurwick Noel , Groffman Peter M.
Published: August 2009

Soil C supplies vary spatially within and among riparian wetlands. Understanding this variability is essential to assessments of C‐dependent riparian wetland functions such as water quality enhancement and C storage. In this study, we examined the distribution of C with depth across the riparian landscape. Our objectives were to describe the spatial distribution of various C forms in the subsurface of riparian wetlands, and to identify the watershed, landscape, and soil characteristics that govern the distribution of these forms. Twenty‐two riparian sites, mapped as alluvial or outwash soils, were examined along first‐ through fourth‐order streams. Soils were described from pits and auger borings along transects established perpendicular to the stream. Roots and buried A horizons represent the majority of C in the subsurface, representing an important source of C for riparian zone functions. Buried A horizons and C‐rich lenses, indicative of alluvial soils, were identified in 21 of the 22 sites. Higher order riparian zones tended to have greater quantities of alluvium. Roots were generally distributed to the greatest depths close to the streams where alluvial deposits were thickest. All first‐, second‐, and third‐order riparian zones were mapped as outwash soils on county‐scale soil surveys. These sites, however, contained predominantly alluvial soils, suggesting that soil surveys at the 1:15,840 scale are inadequate for identifying alluvial soils along lower order streams. To assess the best predictors of alluvium distribution within riparian zones, 11 watershed characteristics were examined. A forward stepwise regression revealed that watershed size and floodplain width are two of the most important indicators of the quantity, width, and depth of alluvium, and subsequently subsurface C, within glaciated riparian zones.
Determination of Clay Surface Potential: A More Reliable Approach
Authors: Hou Jie , Li Hang , Zhu Hualin , Wu Laosheng
Published: August 2009

Surface electrical potential is an important parameter in soil electrochemistry. Currently there are several methods that can be used to estimate the surface potential, but they all have their limitations. Thus a noninvasive, more reliable, and widely applicable method is needed. In this research, a new method for the determination of surface potential was developed. The new method not only provides a more reliable determination for the surface potential, but also can be widely applied to any charged materials under any conditions of pH, temperature, and electrolyte concentration. The new method was used to determine the surface potentials of 36 different montmorillonites. Results showed that the average surface potential obtained by the new method was 5.4 times higher than the average zeta potential from electrophoresis experiments. Under the same experimental conditions, the estimated swelling pressures based on the surface potentials from the new method matched the experimental data very well for the montmorillonite/aqueous solutions, while the predicted values based on the zeta potential deviated from the experimental data, indicating that the new approach provides a more reliable prediction of surface potential than the zeta potential approach.
Effects of Soil Water Potential and Moisture Content on Sound Speed
Authors: Lu Zhiqu , Sabatier James M.
Published: August 2009

To monitor and understand the temporal variations of sound speed due to the changes of soil physical properties such as soil water potential, moisture content, and soil temperature under natural conditions, a long‐term field soil survey has been conducted. In this study, transmitter and receiver acoustic probes, consisting of ten (five pairs) and five transducers respectively, were inserted into a prepared trench containing a soil‐sand mixture in an outdoor test site. Five time domain reflectometers, five tensiometers, and five thermocouples were buried during the trench‐filling at the same depths as the acoustic transducers. Measurements of sound speed, soil temperature, soil moisture content, and water potential were performed continuously, along with the measurements of surface temperature and precipitation over a period of 2 yr. Analysis of the data shows that there is a power law relationship between the sound speed and water potential. It is also found that the water potential is the dominant influence on the sound speed whereas the moisture content and temperature have relatively minor impacts. Brutsaert and Luthin's theory was employed to calculate the sound speed as a function of the effective stress. The theoretical predictions were compared with the experimental data and they are in good agreement. The study suggests that sound speed measurement could be used as a new and effective tool for water potential measurement.
Evaluation of the Rawls et al. (1982) Pedotransfer Functions for their Applicability at the U.S. National Scale
Authors: Nemes A. , Timlin D. J. , Pachepsky Ya. A. , Rawls W. J.
Published: August 2009

Large scale environmental impact studies typically involve the use of simulation models and require a variety of inputs, some of which may need to be estimated when adequate measured data are absent. As an example, soil water retention needs to be estimated for a large number of soils that are to be used in the context of the U.S. national scale Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP). Use of a set of well known linear regression based pedotransfer functions (PTFs) developed in 1982 was proposed to address such data need. Examination of the underlying data as well as comparative estimations to an independent US‐wide data set revealed that the proposed equations were most likely meant to use organic carbon (OC) data in place of the reported organic matter (OM) data. Other discrepancies—possibly due to misreporting—were also found in a large portion of the OM data. These PTFs were also developed from data originating from only 18 U.S. states—and 48% of them dominated by 3 U.S. states—while major cropland states/regions were barely or not represented at all. Resulting estimations showed non‐random distribution of estimation residuals (i.e., bias) that could however be corrected with data transformations and by using a k‐Nearest Neighbor algorithm as an alternative PTF technique. We recommend that the PTF equations proposed in 1982 not be used in the context of the U.S. national scale CEAP project. Alternative solutions should ensure the proper representation of U.S. soils and their properties.
Effects of Consciousness Raising of Metacognitive Strategies on EFL Students’ Reading Comprehension
Authors: Shokrpour Nasrin
Published: August 2009

The view that explicit instruction of metacognitive strategies is important for raising reader consciousness has become prominent recently. This study was an attempt to determine the impacts of instructing metacognitive strategies on readers’ comprehension. Two groups of students majoring in English language at Shiraz University/ Iran were compared using Schraw & Denisson’s (1994) “Metacognitive Awareness Inventory” to find out the participants’ degree of awareness towards metacognitive strategies. After a period of four months of pretest- treatment–posttest design, the results revealed a significant improvement in the experimental group who were trained to use metacognitive strategies consciously in their reading tasks as compared with the control group. The pedagogical implications of the study are also discussed.
Gender and Communication Strategy Use in Learning English as a Second Language
Authors: Ting Su-Hie , Kho Tiee-Pai
Published: August 2009

The study examined the use of communication strategies in same- and cross-gender interactions by learners of English as a Second Language (ESL). Analysis of oral data from 10 female same- and 10 cross-gender interactions using an integrated psycholinguistic, social interaction and discourse-based framework showed that communication strategies were mainly used to overcome linguistic inadequacies rather than to enhance the message. Female learners used considerably more restructuring while male learners preferred approximation to bridge communication gaps when understanding of meanings may not be shared. The ESL learners were found to accommodate in their use of communication strategies to the gender of their interaction partners. In cross-gender dyads, there were attempts at a more careful formulation of the message, as indicated by a decrease in the use of approximation by both female and male speakers and an increase in restructuring of the message by male learners. The results revealed that it was not the gender of the learners but the gender of the interaction partners that heightened the use of message-enhancing communication strategies, particularly, topic fronting by female speakers and lexical repetition by male speakers. The potential of cross-gender interactions in ESL language learning contexts is discussed.
Extraction and Solution of the Gyroplane Trim Equations
Authors: Osaji A. , Farrokhfal H.
Published: August 2009

Extraction and solution of the gyroplane trim equations are the goal of this paper. At first according to forces
and moments acting on gyroplane and the different parts of gyroplane, the six equations of the rigid body will be
extracted. Because of the trim conditions, angular velocity and linear acceleration are considered to be zero. Then the
energy balance equation will be derived by modeling forces and velocities. The energy balance equation shows the
advancing efficient power, which is derived from the engine, is equal to all depleted powers (induced power, profile
power, main rotor power, parasite power, climb power) by the gyroplane. Then by modeling non-dimensional velocities in
the parallel and perpendicular directions of the main rotor reference plane, the main rotor momentum equation will be
extracted. The forces of each different parts of the gyroplane will be derived according to the trim control parameters in
the body axes. They will be assigned into the rigid body equations of motion. By solving the rigid body, energy balance
and main rotor momentum equations, for several flight scenarios, the pilot trim control parameters (containing thrust,
angle of attack for reference plane, pilot blade pitch angle and Rudder angle) will be obtained.
Characterization of Lectins and Bacterial Adhesins in Activated Sludge Flocs
Authors: Park Chul , Novak John T.
Published: August 2009

Bacterial lectins are carbohydrate‐binding proteins that are involved in bacterial adhesion and aggregation. To investigate whether lectins are involved in floc formation of activated sludge, hemaaggultination (HA) and HA inhibition assays were conducted on extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extracted from activated sludges. Six sludges from both full‐scale and synthetic chemical‐fed laboratory activated sludge systems were subjected to EPS extraction and lectin assay. Activated sludge EPS resulted in strong agglutination with trypsin‐treated human red blood cells. While simple monosaccharides failed to exhibit inhibition of agglutination, several glycoproteins clearly reversed agglutination, indicating that glycoprotein (oligosaccharide)‐specific lectins are present in activated sludge. This inhibitory pattern was the same for both the field and laboratory‐grown activated sludges, indicating that these lectins are indigenously generated by activated sludge microorganisms. The major lectin activities were found to be present in a hydrophobic region of EPS. The activities remained unaffected after heat and urea treatment of EPS, but were significantly reduced by the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) treatment. These results share similar properties with previously studied pure culture bacterial lectins and support the conclusion that lectin‐mediated bacterial aggregation is one of the mechanisms responsible for activated sludge bioflocculation.
Using a Pulsed Electric Field as a Pretreatment for Improved Biosolids Digestion and Methanogenesis
Authors: Salerno Michael B. , Lee Hyung‐Sool , Parameswaran Prathap , Rittmann Bruce E.
Published: August 2009

Researchers tested using pulsed electric field (PEF) technology to enhance conversion of organic solids material in waste activated sludge (WAS) and pig manure to soluble and colloidal forms, which are more bioavailable for methane production during subsequent anaerobic digestion. Operating parameters were varied from 1.1 to 19.8 kWhr/m3 to show the influence amount of treatment has on soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), small colloidal solids, and methane production via the biochemical methane potential test. When PEF treatment exceeded a threshold, which was approximately 10 kWhr/m3, focused pulsed treatment solubilized approximately 10% of the total COD, increasing SCOD from as low as 20 mg/L to more than 1000 mg/L. The process also disrupted a larger portion of the volatile suspended solids (VSS) to form small colloids not measured by the VSS assay (between 0.2 and 1.2 µm). The effects increased the biological methane potential of the samples significantly: by 80% for pig manure and 100% for WAS after 25 to 30 days. These results support the conclusion that PEF pretreatment before anaerobic digestion has the potential to significantly improve digester performance, resulting in added methane production and decreased residual biosolids.
Evolving Urban Water and Residuals Management Paradigms: Water Reclamation and Reuse, Decentralization, and Resource Recovery
Authors: Daigger Glen T.
Published: August 2009

Population growth and improving standards of living, coupled with dramatically increased urbanization, are placing increased pressures on available water resources, necessitating new approaches to urban water management. The tradition linear “take, make, waste” approach to managing water increasingly is proving to be unsustainable, as it is leading to water stress (insufficient water supplies), unsustainable resource (energy and chemicals) consumption, the dispersion of nutrients into the aquatic environment (especially phosphorus), and financially unstable utilities. Different approaches are needed to achieve economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Fortunately, a toolkit consisting of stormwater management/rainwater harvesting, water conservation, water reclamation and reuse, energy management, nutrient recovery, and source separation is available to allow more closed‐loop urban water and resource management systems to be developed and implemented. Water conservation and water reclamation and reuse (multiple uses) are becoming commonplace in numerous water‐short locations. Decentralization, enabled by new, high‐performance treatment technologies and distributed stormwater management/rainwater harvesting, is furthering this transition. Likewise, traditional approaches to residuals management are evolving, as higher levels of energy recovery are desired, and nutrient recovery and reuse is to be enhanced. A variety of factors affect selection of the optimum approach for a particular urban area, including local hydrology, available water supplies, water demands, local energy and nutrient‐management situations, existing infrastructure, and utility governance structure. A proper approach to economic analysis is critical to determine the most sustainable solutions. Stove piping (i.e., separate management of drinking, storm, and waste water) within the urban water and resource management profession must be eliminated. Adoption of these new approaches to urban water and resource management can lead to more sustainable solutions, defined as financially stable, using locally sustainable water supplies, energy‐neutral, providing responsible nutrient management, and with access to clean water and appropriate sanitation for all.
New Labour's Skills Policy at the Intersection of Business and Politics
Authors: Elliot Nils Lindahl
Published: August 2009

This article offers a critical analysis of the New Labour government's skills policy, with special reference to its impact on higher education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is argued that, as developed by the Leitch Review of Skills, and by advocates of the discourse of ‘Knowledge Exchange’, the policy engages in the ‘skillification’ of higher education. The concept of skillification refers to the reduction of education to a matter of economically valuable skills. This reduction is the equivalent, in the sphere of adult education, of Margaret Thatcher's famous claim that ‘there is no society’. As such, it is likely to undermine the New Labour government's objective of using the policy ‘to maximise economic prosperity, productivity and to improve social justice’.
Digital Systems Analysis
Authors: Martin Vance S.
Published: August 2009

There have been many attempts to understand how the Internet affects our modern world. There have also been numerous attempts to understand specific areas of the Internet. This article applies Immanuel Wallerstein's World Systems Analysis to our informationalist society. Understanding this world as divided among individual core, semi-periphery, and periphery members adds greater clarity to studies of subsections of the world, digital and otherwise.
Collective mode dispersions of organic chain compounds
Authors: Lošić Željana , Županović Paško
Published: August 2009

We investigate the collective mode dispersions for the tight-binding dielectric matrix with two one-dimensional electron bands per donor and acceptor chains, and the three-dimensional long-range Coulomb electron-electron interaction within the random phase approximation. The hybridized collective modes are the result of the strong coupling between the intraband plasmon and the interband dipolar modes due to strong dipole Coulomb interactions. Our calculations show the existence of the low-energy renormalized plasmon mode above the electron-hole quasi-continuum in the long wavelength limit. The obtained modes are brought into correspondence with the optical data of quasi-one-dimensional organic conductor tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TTF-TCNQ). Namely, the renormalized plasmon and the dipolar mode are assigned to the observed excitations at respective energy scales of roughly 10 meV and 0.75 eV, explaining why lower excitation is eliminated while higher excitation persists below the temperature of the Peierls phase transition.
Predicting disease-related genes by topological similarity in human protein-protein interaction network
Authors: Zhang Lei , Hu Ke , Tang Yi
Published: August 2009

Predicting genes likely to be involved in human diseases is an important task in bioinformatics field. Nowadays, the accumulation of human protein-protein interactions (PPIs) data provides us an unprecedented opportunity to gain insight into human diseases. In this paper, we adopt the topological similarity in human protein-protein interaction network to predict disease-related genes. As a computational algorithm to speed up the identification of disease-related genes, the topological similarity has substantial advantages over previous topology-based algorithms. First of all, it provides a global measurement of similarity between two vertices. Secondly, quantity which can measure new topological feature has been integrated into the notion of topological similarity. Our method is specially designed for predicting disease-related genes of single disease-gene family. The proposed method is applied to human protein-protein interaction and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) data. The results show a significant enrichment of disease-related genes that are characterized by higher topological similarity than other genes.