bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterisation of smectite-rich clay soil: Implication for groundwater defluoridation
Authors: Mudzielwana Rabelani , Gitari Mugera W. , Msagati Titus A.M. 
Published: November 2016

Groundwater is a widely used and affordable source of drinking water in most of the rural areas of South Africa. Several studies have indicated that groundwater in some boreholes in South Africa has a fluoride concentration above the level recommended by the World Health Organization (1.5 mg/L). Fluoride concentrations above the permissible limit (>1.5 mg/L) lead to dental fluorosis, with even higher concentrations leading to skeletal fluorosis. In the present work, we evaluate the application of smectite-rich clay soil from Mukondeni (Limpopo Province, South Africa) in defluoridation of groundwater. The clay soil was characterised by mineralogy using X-ray diffraction, by elemental composition using X-ray fluorescence and by morphology using scanning electron microscopy. Surface area and pore volume was determined by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface analysis method. Cation exchange capacity and pHpzc of the soil were also evaluated using standard laboratory methods. Batch experiments were conducted to evaluate and optimise various operational parameters such as contact time, adsorbent dose, pH and initial adsorbate concentration. It was observed that 0.8 g/100 mL of smectite-rich clay soil removed up to 92% of fluoride from the initial concentration of 3 mg/L at a pH of 2 with a contact time of 30 min. The experimental data fitted well to a Langmuir adsorption isotherm and followed pseudo second order reaction kinetics. Smectite-rich clay soil showed 52% fluoride removal from field groundwater with an initial fluoride concentration of 5.4 mg/L at an initial pH of 2 and 44% removal at a natural pH of 7.8. Therefore smectite-rich clay soil from Mukondeni has potential for application in defluoridation of groundwater. Chemical modification is recommended to improve the defluoridation capacity.

Significance:

Physicochemical and mineralogical characterisation of smectite-rich clay soil
Defluoridation of groundwater using smectite-rich clay soil
Adsorption modelling using adsorption isotherms and kinetic models
Determinantes ambientais e sociais nos níveis de actividade física dos adolescentes. Utilização de metodologias SIG
Authors: Pereira Margarida , Mota Jorge , Nogueira Helena , Santos Maria 
Published: November 2016

A actividade física (af) tem um papel fundamental na melhoria da saúde e no bem -estar. no entanto, nas sociedades modernas, os estilos de vida estão a mudar no sentido de comportamentos mais sedentários, o que contribui para um aumento do risco de desenvolvimento de doenças crónicas, como diabetes tipo ii, doenças cardiovasculares, hipertensão, alguns tipos de cancro, doenças músculo -esqueléticas, obesidade, entre outras. Comportamentos como a af e bons hábitos alimentares, entre outros, são moldados em idades precoces. Pode portanto afirmar -se que os comportamentos adquiridos durante a infância e a adolescência podem ser determinantes dos níveis de af (naf) na idade adulta. existem evidências científicas que sugerem que o ambiente urbano pode influenciar os naf da população, comprovando -se que algumas das suas características estão associadas com o transporte activo ou com o desenvolvimento de actividades de lazer. no entanto há poucos estudos sobre elementos objectivos do território e sua relação com os naf, sobretudo dos realizados fora dos contextos americano e australiano. É importante identificar que variáveis influenciam os naf dos adolescentes, especialmente em espaços urbanos, a fim de promover áreas e pessoas mais saudáveis.
Clima e turismo num contexto de mudanças ambientais
Authors: Machete Raquel 
Published: November 2016

A disseminação da prática turística é um fenómeno recente, especialmente marcado a partir da década de 60 do século passado. Mais recente ainda é o estudo sistemático das relações entre turismo e clima. na abordagem teórica acerca da motivação turística, o clima, visto como um bem ou a prestação de um serviço, transforma -se num recurso passível de ser avaliado. neste texto, exemplificam -se várias tentativas para quantificar o “recurso climático” na determinação do potencial turístico de uma região e sintetizam -se os conhecimentos sobre a importância do clima na motivação dos turistas. além disso, o turismo é um dos sectores económicos em que se antecipa que as alterações climáticas venham a ter bastante impacto, devido a modificações do clima nos locais turísticos; por outro lado, as próprias práticas turísticas contribuem para intensificar as alterações climáticas, devido ao aumento de emissão de gases com efeito de estufa. na segunda parte, abordam -se as possíveis interacções entre as alterações climáticas e o turismo, bem como possíveis medidas de mitigação e adaptação.
Conflictos urbanísticos y movilizaciones ciudadanas: reflexiones desde Barcelona
Authors: Gallach Helena Cruz , Martì-Costa Marc 
Published: November 2016

El artículo propone, de un lado, analizar cómo la evolución del planeamiento urbanístico en un contexto de globalización ha facilitado el surgimiento de nuevos conflictos urbanísticos y, de otro, identificar cómo se articulan las variadas formas de movilización ciudadana en relación a estos conflictos. Finalmente, a través del caso de la defensa del complejo industrial de Can Ricart de Barcelona se ejemplifica cómo las plataformas ciudadanas consiguen poner en entredicho el modelo de desarrollo urbano de la ciudad.
O território e a (ir)racionalidade da decisão
Authors: Mourato João 
Published: November 2016

Este texto é um revisitar crítico da relação dinâmica entre os processos de criação de conhecimento e a sua utilização na dicotomia informação vs.validação de políticas públicas. Com enfoque na interacção entre os múltiplos agentes envolvidos na criação e utilização desse conhecimento reflectir-se-á, holisticamente, sobre a racionalidade que sustenta este universo de interacções e a forma como esta influencia os processos de tomada de decisão. Debater-se-á a existência de um estrangulamento comunicacional entre os múltiplos agentes de inovação e disseminação de conhecimento nos processos de elaboração e implementação de políticas públicas. Finalmente argumenta-se a necessidade da criação de amplificadores de comunicação institucional para desbloquear tal situação e catalisar uma mudança na forma como é encarada a relação conhecimento e território no contexto Português.
Consumactor: da condição do indivíduo na cidade pós-moderna
Authors: Cachinho Herculano 
Published: November 2016

Neste pequeno ensaio sobre o consumidor na cidade pós-modernadesenvolveram-se essencialmente três ideias. Em primeiro lugar, procurou demonstrar-se que a metrópole contemporânea se pode caracterizar, essencialmente, comoum centro de consumo. Consumo que é elevado ao estatuto de espectáculo pelosdiferentes actores urbanos. Enquanto centro de consumo, a metrópole pós-modernaalimenta-se de dois tipos de paisagens: a cityscape, o ambiente construído ou a arquitectura física da cidade, e a mindscape, as paisagens interiores, ou da alma, produtoda espacialidade das práticas quotidianas. As primeiras fornecem os palcos e os cená-rios necessários à representação dos consumidores, as segundas escrevem os textosque servem de guião à representação.Em segundo lugar, defendeu-se a ideia que na sociedade urbana pós-moderna,os consumidores se tornaram, simultaneamente, espectadores e actores. Conjugandoa faceta de flâneur, de viajante contemplativo, com a de persona implicada na representação e nas experiências de consumo, transformaram-se na figura de consumactores. Para se poder captar esta multidimensionalidade do consumidor pós-moderno,sugere-se o abandono da tradicional segmentação em múltiplos nichos de mercado,e que passemos a ver o indivíduo de forma integrada, respeitando a sua complexaestrutura bio-psico-social, que faz dele uma pessoa.Por último, defende-se também que para captar o espírito do consumactor precisamos de investigá-lo no seu habitat. Nómada de espírito, pela sua condição deviajante contemplativo, empenhado em obter prazer estético na experiência superficial das intensidades e no fluxo das imagens, o consumactor transita, deambula, passeia-se por múltiplos palcos, mas nutre especial simpatia pelos centros comerciais.Feitos de simulações, arranjos cenográficos, jogos de sedução e possibilidades, oscentros comerciais criam a ambiance ideal para a comunicação tribal, o espectáculoe a representação. Aos olhos do consumactor nenhum outro lugar na cidade parececonseguir sublimar melhor a sua actuação, razão pela qual fazem destes morada,lugar de encontro e de celebração.
The Quebec system of social innovation: a focused analysis on the local development field
Authors: Klein Juan-Luis , Fontan Jean-Marc , Harrisson Denis , Lévesque Benoît 
Published: November 2016

This article shows the components of a system of social innovation based on collaboration and consensus building between a plurality of actors and economic logics. The social innovation system of Quebec features new combinations, approaches, ways of coordination and governance in which social economy and civil society play an important role. Participative governance, co-production of services, co-construction of public policies, as well as the plural character of the economy represent important aspects of this system. This article addresses the territorial dimensions of what could be called the Quebec model of social innovation.
Sustainable development policies and the geographical landscape of the green economy: actors, scales and strategies
Authors: Hamdouch Abdelillah , Depret Marc-Hubert 
Published: November 2016

Following the rise of climate and environmental challenges during the last decade or so, the growing awareness among various actors of sustainability issues at the local and global levels has resulted in a change in public policies as in industrial and financial strategic moves. This change has been rapidly translated into substantial investments both in public and private environmental sectors. Indeed, many “green” technologies and innovations are now reaching the market and more radical ones are being developed through significant research and Developing (r&D) investments. However, the development of this emergent “Green economy” is rather concentrated in certain leading countries or regions. Building on some national examples, the paper explains this phenomenon by the key role played both by the integration and inter-temporal coherence of public policies and by territorial specific settings and permissive conditions.
Exposure to Contaminated Drinking Water and Health Disparities in North Carolina
Authors: Stillo Frank , MacDonald Gibson Jacqueline 
Published: November 2016

Objectives. To examine drinking water quality in majority Black periurban neighborhoods in Wake County, North Carolina, that are excluded from nearby municipal water service and to estimate the health benefits of extending water service. Methods. We tested 3 samples collected July through December 2014 in 57 private wells for microbial contaminants. We compared contaminant prevalences to those in adjacent community water systems (35 280 samples from routine monitoring). Using a population intervention model, we assessed the number of annual emergency department visits for acute gastrointestinal illness that is preventable by extending water services to the 3799 residents of these periurban communities. Results. Overall, 29.2% of 171 private well samples tested positive for total coliform bacteria and 6.43% for Escherichia coli, compared with 0.556% and 0.00850% of municipal system samples. An estimated 22% of 114 annual emergency department visits for acute gastrointestinal illness could be prevented by extending community water service. Conclusions. Predominantly Black periurban neighborhoods excluded from municipal water service have poorer quality drinking water than do adjacent neighborhoods with municipal services. These disparities increase the risk of emergency department visits for acute gastrointestinal illness.
The Impact of Michigan’s Partial Repeal of the Universal Motorcycle Helmet Law on Helmet Use, Fatalities, and Head Injuries
Authors: Carter Patrick M. , Buckley Lisa , Flannagan Carol A. C. , Cicchino Jessica B. , Hemmila Mark , Bowman Patrick J. , Almani Farideh , Bingham C. Raymond 
Published: November 2016

Objectives. To evaluate the impact of the partial repeal of Michigan’s universal motorcycle helmet law on helmet use, fatalities, and head injuries. Methods. We compared helmet use rates and motorcycle crash fatality risk for the 12 months before and after the April 13, 2012, repeal with a statewide police-reported crash data set. We linked police-reported crashes to injured riders in a statewide trauma registry. We compared head injury before and after the repeal. Regression examined the effect of helmet use on fatality and head injury risk. Results. Helmet use decreased in crash (93.2% vs 70.8%; P < .001) and trauma data (91.1% vs 66.2%; P < .001) after the repeal. Although fatalities did not change overall (3.3% vs 3.2%; P = .87), head injuries (43.4% vs 49.6%; P < .05) and neurosurgical intervention increased (3.7% vs 6.5%; P < .05). Male gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.65), helmet nonuse (AOR = 1.84), alcohol intoxication (AOR = 11.31), intersection crashes (AOR = 1.62), and crashes at higher speed limits (AOR = 1.04) increased fatality risk. Helmet nonuse (AOR = 2.31) and alcohol intoxication (AOR = 2.81) increased odds of head injury. Conclusions. Michigan’s helmet law repeal resulted in a 24% to 27% helmet use decline among riders in crashes and a 14% increase in head injury.
Rapid Method for Assessment of Soil Structural Stability by Turbidimeter
Authors: Zhu Yingcan , Marchuk Alla , McLean Bennett John 
Published: November 2016

Core Ideas
A quantitative dispersion assessment chart is developed for rapid diagnosis of soil structural stability.
Turbidity and the amount of dispersed clay have a strong linear relationship.
The color and mean particle size of colloidal solution has a negligible effect on the linearity of turbidity.
A rapid and inexpensive method to evaluate soil structural stability via assessment of soil clay dispersion is needed. Such a method would provide critical information for decision‐making for soil and agricultural management not currently undertaken due to the expense of testing. The aim of this work was to validate the use of a turbidimeter for quantifying clay released from soil and to relate this back to dispersive parameters. Ten Australian soils with different physicochemical properties were studied. Six‐step dilution was used to adjust the clay suspensions sequentially by dilution from a datum concentration of 4000 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU). The linearity of turbidity by dilution was verified, considering the effects of soil color and mean particle size. There was a strong correlation between turbidity (NTU) and dispersed clay (mg L−1, % of soil) for each soil. Clay particle size was related to turbidity response, although the coefficients between turbidity and dispersed clay were very close irrespective of mean particle size differences. Dispersed clay was concluded to be accurately quantified using a turbidimeter after spontaneous and mechanical dispersion. A semi‐quantitative dispersion assessment chart was developed for rapid assessment of soil structural stability, the application of which is intended to provide rapid diagnosis and to act as an important index for soil management practitioners. Additionally, when dispersed clay was combined with electrical conductivity and clay content parameters, the dispersive indices (cation ratio of soil structural stability and exchangeable dispersive percentage) were reasonably predicted at a resolution useful for farm management decisions.
Pulmonary Hypertension and Palliative Care: What, When, Where, and Why?
Authors: Fenstad Eric R. , Wordingham Sara E. , Swetz Keith M. 
Published: November 2016

Summary:
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) can be associated with a high level of symptom burden from the disease as well as its treatment. Involvement of palliative care (PC) services may help facilitate discussion regarding goals of care, prognostic planning, and treatment options focused on improving quality of life (QOL).

Background:
PC is active total care of a patient whose disease is not fully responsive to curative therapies, with symptom control as the top priority. After a life-limiting diagnosis is made, health care teams and patients determine prognosis, whether cure is attainable or reasonable, what treatment options are available, risks and benefits of associated treatments, and how treatment or nontreatment will impact QOL and survival. QOL is often the focus of palliative interventions, with the goal to minimize symptoms and empower patients with accurate information to help affirm life and meet objectives of care.

Implications for clinicians:
PC can begin at the onset of symptoms in a disease that cannot be cured. Early PC may help facilitate discussion regarding goals of care when patient expectations are discordant with prognosis. While PC is a responsibility of all clinicians, subspecialist assistance can be helpful when a clinical decline occurs, in the setting of uncertainty, when patients are removed from the transplant list, or when long-term QOL issues are present.

Conclusion:
Communication with patients who have PH can be delicate and requires an understanding of the disease's process, trajectory, and prognosis. PC teams possess communication skills that may benefit patients and providers with QOL optimization, delivery of difficult news, advanced care planning, and shared decision-making.
Stachybotrys chartarum: A Novel Biological Agent for The Extracellular Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles and Their Antimicrobial Activity
Authors: Mohamed Abdel Ghany Tarek 
Published: November 2016

Microbial assisted biosynthesis of nanoparticles is a rapidly progressing area of nanobiotechnology. Inthis paper Stachybotrys chartarum assisted extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is reportedwhen challenged with 1mM silver nitrate (AgNO3). The characterization of AgNPs was carried out visualobservation and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Further analysis carried out by Fourier Transform InfraredSpectroscopy (FTIR), provides evidence for the presence of proteins as capping agent, which helps in increasingthe stability of the synthesized AgNPs. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) investigations confi rmedthat AgNPs were formed. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were found in the range of 65-108 nm. Finally,the antimicrobial susceptibility of AgNPs synthesized was investigated which exhibited more potent activityagainst bacteria than fungi compared with using silver nitrate at concentration 1mM. Keywords: Antimicrobial activity, Stachybotrys chartarum, Silver nanoparticles
The Phylogenetic Relationship Among Varieties of Lansium domesticum Correa Based on ITS rDNA Sequences
Authors: Hanum Laila , Kasiamdari Rina Sri , Santosa S. , Rugayah R. 
Published: November 2016

Lansium domesticum Corr. with vernacular name in Indonesian duku has been reported containingtherapeutic bioactive compounds, and some of these compounds shown to be potent antitumor, anticancer,antimalaria, antimelanogenesis, antibacteria, and antimutagenic activities. This plant is commonly known asduku, kokosan and langsat by the local community in Indonesia. The morphological appearance of all varieties isnearly the same, and identifi cation of the varieties is very diffi cult for growers. Variation of DNA sequences ofthe ITS (Internal transcribed spacer) region can be used as a molecular character to determine the phylogeneticrelationship of different varieties of L. domesticum. The aims of this study were to determine taxonomy status ofduku, kokosan, and langsat, also phylogenetic relationship among varieties of L. domesticum based on ITS rDNAsequencing. DNA was isolated from leaves of plant and then amplifi ed using F1 and R1 primers. Nucleotidesequences were identifi ed using Sequence Scanner Software Programm version 1.0, nucleotide sequences from18S, ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2 and 26S region, that has been mergered using EditSeq and SegMan in software Suite forSequence Analysis DNASTAR Lasergene DM version 3.0.25. The results of study showed that DNA fragmentsranging in size from 782-810 bp. Different pattern of DNA fragments indicated polymorphism among duku,kokosan, and langsat. Based on the results of the ITS rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic tree analysis. Itwas determined that Lansium and Aglaia are a separated genus with the similarity index value of 0.98. Duku,kokosan and langsat were divided into two cluster, namely cluster kokosan-langsat and cluster duku with thesimilarity index value of 0.996. Keywords : Phylogenetic relationship, ITS region, L. domesticum, duku, kokosan, langsat
Fetal stem cells in combined treatment of chronic heart failure and their effect on morphofunctional parameters of the left ventricle myocardium
Authors: Klunnyk M. , Sych N. , Matiyaschuk I. , Ivankova O. , Demchuk M. , Skalozub M. , Sinelnyk A. 
Published: November 2016

Fetal stem cells treatment (FSCT) is assumed to be a new direction in a combined therapy for the patients with the severe chronic heart failure (CHF).Material and methods. 20 patients (average age of 50.1 ± 1.1 yrs.) with CHF functional class III-IV (FC) undergoing the transplantation of the cryopreserved cells of the fetal liver and heart obtained from 5-8 weeks gestation embryos were examined. The control group (CG) of 20 patients was compared by gender and age with the main group (MG).Results. Within 6 months after FSC therapy CHF patients reported a significant improvement of the contractile activity of the left ventricle (LV) heart muscle in echocardiography (EchoCG) findings (left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) increased by 20.9 % being 2-fold higher than in patients without FSCT, p<0.05) and in features of LV remodeling (left ventricle end diastolic volume (LV EDV) decreased by 20.5 %, p < 0.05). Serum NT-proBNP significantly raised within 1 month after FSCT by 33.8 %, 50 % and 65.1 % in 1, 3 and 6 months respectively (p<0.001) and was significantly lower after a month of treatment compared with CG (р<0.05).As a result of general condition improvement in CHF patients significant elevation in 6 minute walking distance (6MWD) test was observed and the distance walked increased 7.3-fold (p<0.001), 10.3-fold (p<0.001) and 12.5-fold (p<0.001) vs. the baseline in 1, 3 and 6 months, respectively, which was generally 2-fold higher than in patients of the CG. DASI score increased by 54.6 %, after 3 months — by 63.2 %, after 6 months — by 66.4 %, which is significantly higher than the baseline (p<0.05 vs. baseline).Conclusion. It has been proven that combined treatment of CHF patients using FSCs along with the standard therapy increases the LV myocardial contractility, lowering the blood serum NT-proBNP level and results in overall life quality improvement among the patients.