bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A framework to contain a spatially distributed model of the degradation of solid waste in landfills
Authors: White James K. , Ren Qingchao , Robinson John P. 
Published: April 2009

This paper describes the concept and development of a generic spatially distributed numerical model that can contain and link sub-models of landfill processes in order to simulate solid waste degradation and gas generation in landfills. The model has been designed to simulate anaerobic degradation of solid waste saturated in leachate, and to reflect the effect on degradation of the control of both the flow and chemistry of the leachate in the pore space of the solids. The model can accommodate different profiles of waste constituents and therefore has the potential to simulate the effects of pre-treatment techniques such as shredding and inoculation. Components of the model simulate the transport of leachate and gases, and the consolidation of the solid waste. The results of some prototype calculations are presented.
Evaluation of pre-treatment methods for landfill disposal of residues from municipal solid waste incineration
Authors: Kim Sang-Yul , Matsuto Toshihiko , Tanaka Nobutoshi 
Published: April 2009

This study presents results concerning leaching of Pb, Cd, Ca, and Cl with reference to one individual batch of bottom ash and fly ash (5:1) resulting from a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in Japan. This ash mixture was stabilised by the following pre-treatments: water washing, carbonation, and phosphate stabilisation. Once the optimum processing condition for each pre-treatment was determined, the performances were evaluated using both pH-stat leaching (pH 6, 9, 12) and availability tests. These performance tests were carried out with only fly ash without considering the mixture of MSWI residues, in order to accurately determine leaching differences among the pre-treatments. Water washing effectively removed the major elements from MSWI residues and also reduced the leachability of trace metals, such as Pb and Cd. A washing time of 15 minutes with a liquid/solid ratio of 5 was reasonably effective. Carbonation had a significant effect on leachability in alkaline ranges (pH 9 and 12), when the reaction occurred only on the surface of MSWI residues, moreover a moisture content of 10-16.7% was proved suitable for carbonation. On the other hand, phosphate stabilisation, even with small amounts of phosphate (0.16 mol-PO43- kg-1), was very effective in reducing the leach-ability of heavy metals.
Spent potlining utilisation possibilities
Authors: Mikša Dragan , Homšak Marko , Samec Niko 
Published: April 2009

As the world’s capacity for aluminium production increases, the amount of waste connected with this industry is also increasing. Spent potlining (SPL) from aluminium reduction cell cathodes presents a major environmental concern in the primary aluminium industry. It is concluded, after laboratory tests, that leachable cyanide and fluoride compounds present the major problem in SPL disposal. The behaviour of cyanide and fluoride under high temperature treatment has been investigated. On the basis of this laboratory investigation, the possibilities for SPL utilisation in red brick manufacturing, cement industry and thermal power stations were evaluated. SPL refractory material is already re-used in red brick manufacturing. In the cement industry, a pilot test on the utilisation of 25 t SPL carbon waste mixed with green petrol coke gave positive results. Additionally a fluoride emission forecast for a thermal power station utilising carbon waste SPL mixed with coal was elaborated.
Report: Pipeline transport of solid waste in the Grand Holy Mosque in Makkah
Authors: Al-Ghamdi Abdullah Saeed , Abu-Rizaiza Asad Seraj 
Published: April 2009

The Grand Holy Mosque, located in the Holy City of Makkah in Saudi Arabia, attracts millions of Muslim visitors from all over the world, especially during the pilgrimage season. The daily amount of refuse generated in the Grand Holy Mosque and surrounding plazas reached a maximum value of 192.8 tons/day in 1998. Collection and transport of the solid waste generated during the peak times present a challenge to the Makkan authorities. The congested streets and high population density in the Holy Mosque and its surrounding plazas make the traditional methods of collecting and transporting solid waste impractical. This paper presents an alternative system for the collection and transport of solid waste generated in and around the Grand Holy Mosque in Makkah. The proposed system is based on a pneumatic transport technique, by which the waste is collected and transported in underground pipelines. A conceptual layout of the proposed system in the Mosque area is presented, and the merits of the suggested system are discussed.
Availability and quality of solid waste and wastewater in Southern Thailand and its potential use as fertiliser
Authors: Schouw Nanette Levanius , Tjell Jens Christian , Mosbæk Hans , Danteravanich Somtip 
Published: April 2009

Recycling nutrients to agriculture with waste in Southern Thailand has been assessed in three model-areas: Kuan Lang, Prik and Phattalung. Samples of biodegradable solid waste and gray wastewater were collected and characteris ed physically and chemically. At present nutrients in the biodegradable solid waste and wastewater are lost, but especially kitchen waste and grey household wastewater constitute a large fertiliser potential. The average daily per capita generation rate of household kitchen waste is 228 g wet matter, 0.65 gN, 0.16 gP, 0.34 gK, 0.05 gS, 0.39 gCa, 0.06 gMg, 6.9 mgZn, 0.29 mgCu, 0.05 mgNi, 0.02 mgPb, 0.09 mgCd and 0.006 mgHg. The average daily per capita generation rate of grey household wastewater is 102 L, 2.4 gN, 2.4 gP, 4.2 gK, 2.0 gS, 2.2 gCa, 0.82 gMg, 42 mgZn, 0.91 mgCu, 1.6 mgNi, 0.46 mgPb, 0.20 mgCd and < 0.06 mgHg. The waste products generally contain higher amounts of K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu and Pb (relative to phosphorous) than conventional chemical fertiliser, while N, S, Ni, Hg and Cd is at the same level.
Characterisation and treatment of roads covered with zinc ashes, muffle furnace fragments and lead slags from former non-ferrous metal industries in Belgium
Authors: Vandecasteele C. , Van den Broeck K. , Van Gerven T. , Dutré V. , Seuntjens P. , Berghmans P. , Cornelis C. , Nouwen J. 
Published: April 2009

Zinc ashes, muffle furnace fragments and lead slags from non-ferrous industries were applied to pave roads in the North of Belgium. From an inventory it appeared that there are at least 490 km of such roads. In our survey the materials on these roads were characterised. The total metal concentration, the availability and the leaching as a function of time were determined. It appeared that these materials contain high concentrations of heavy metals, some of which are readily available. The high leaching of some metals makes them as such unsuitable as secondary construction material. Methods for the application of these materials for road construction were examined where the materials replaced part of the sand and gravel fraction in lean concrete and in bituminous mixtures, or where they replaced the sand in sand-cement mixtures, all these to be used for road foundations, cycle tracks, etc. When lead slags were applied in lean concrete, a material was obtained complying with the standards for secondary construction materials and with sufficient compressive strength for road foundations. When zinc ashes or muffle fragments were used to replace sand in sand-cement mixtures, again a suitable construction material was obtained. The other combinations tried out were rather unsuccessful, because of high metal leaching and/or poor compressive strength.
Whose parliament? Political oratory and print culture in the later 18th century
Authors: Reid Christopher 
Published: April 2009

A recurrent feature of the long history of the British Parliament has been its resistance to the media which facilitate public access to its proceedings. Throughout the 18th century the reporting of parliamentary debates was technically a breach of privilege and it was not until the 1770s that the publication of proceedings in newspapers became an established fact of political life. The emergence of this extra-parliamentary public sphere had important implications for parliamentary discourse itself. With opinion increasingly being made and exchanged outside Westminster, parliament itself came under pressure to adapt to changing circumstances and readerships. Focusing on the House of Commons, this article examines how a parliamentary culture of gentlemanly orality began to negotiate a relationship with an increasingly dominant culture of print. With particular reference to the early 1780s it considers the extent to which the publication of debates complicated oratorical performance, requiring speakers to conceive of their productions as engaging with a new kind of public and inducing them to refashion themselves rhetorically in recognition of shifting conceptions of political sincerity, accountability and trust.
Examining Media Representations: Benefits for Health Psychology
Authors: Lyons Antonia C. 
Published: April 2009

Health psychology has tended to undervalue analyses of media representations of health, disease and illness. In this article I argue that critical approaches to media texts and images are valuable for health psychologists because: (1) individuals are socially located and gain their beliefs about health and illness from the discourses and constructions that are available to them; (2) media representations of health, illness and disease produce and reproduce meaning concerning health and illness, for lay people and professionals alike; and (3) media representations mediate individuals’ lived experiences. These arguments are illustrated throughout with examples from critical and feminist research on representations of women, menopause and midlife. I go on to argue that critical approaches are particularly important in analysing media representations because they explicitly examine the social, cultural and political context of health and illness. Critical approaches increase awareness of control and power issues surrounding dominant representations and also provide possibilities for change and resistance.
But who will make the visits? A patient-related information system for management in district nursing
Authors: Goldstone L. A. , Wing S. , Barker L. , Hughes A. 
Published: April 2009

District nurses in Barnsley, UK, have for many years used a patient classification system based on ‘Criteria for Care’, whose value in practical management terms has established itself into the routine of the information system used. This is a descendant of FIP, now known as TCCS (Total Care Community System). ‘Criteria for Care’ was, however, hospital based and an independent validity check was required for community use. This was carried out in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where research produced a system for patient classification, workload analysis and skillmix analysis which was generated by nurses and acted both as a validity check and further development of the system used in Barnsley. The management information matrix, which is the outcome of this paper, is generated from practitioners using guidelines agreed by them, and yields management information of a directly practical value. The system presented is now implemented and uses data updated daily, if required, to produce a spreadsheet covering team workload index, a workload profile, and measures of pressure of work on each nurse, patient acuity [1], and a quality of care index. From this it is possible to adjust skillmix and staffing levels to create equity of pressure across teams and to match nursing skillmix to patient classification in the light of a quality index from each team. From a GP attachment and a team perspective this information can be utilized in conjunction with contract monitoring data in order to review district nursing activity. This will enable workloads to be reviewed and could facilitate integrated team working within the practice.
Building bridges: constructing a framework for evidence-based information systems
Authors: Atkins C. , Louw G. 
Published: April 2009

A recurring and problematic characteristic of information systems’ (IS) use has been the development of isolated ‘islands of information’. As technological advances have provided solutions, so, however, have the original problems been transformed. The current archipelago exists largely unrecognized, partly because the matter from which the islands are formed has also changed. It is no longer the content of the computerized systems that is isolated but information about IS practice itself. Academic research, practitioner reports and vendor marketing all contribute to a disparate collection of contradictory and often unevaluated information concerning IS practice, while the large volume of this information and the ease of its accessibility serve to disguise the extent of its fragmentation. Following the lead established by medicine and healthcare, the creation of an ‘evidence-based’ culture within the IS community, particularly the creation of systematic analyses of relevant literature, has been proposed as one means of bridging the gaps between these islands. There are, however, significant differences between IS and healthcare which need to be recognized if the transfer of concepts is to be successful. In this paper we identify and describe some of those differences and provide an initial sketch of a framework in which an evidence-based IS culture could flourish.
Practice nurses’ training in information technology: report on an empirical investigation
Authors: Russell A. , Alpay L. 
Published: April 2009

Information technology (IT) is an integral part of the development and delivery of health services. Healthcare professionals, including nurses, are in need of appropriate educational training to enable them to use IT adequately. In particular, nurses in primary care have had less access to IT training and fewer opportunities to benefit from IT. Furthermore, little evidence is found in the literature on the current situation of IT training needs and requirements for nurses in primary care. This paper discusses critical issues in the training of primary care nurses in information technology. It then reports on the PRACTIS (PRimary care nurses Access to Communications Technology and Informatics Skills) project which is addressing these issues through an empirical investigation. Preliminary results are examined. Finally, directions for further work in the training of primary care nurses are also discussed.
System issues for successful telemedicine implementation
Authors: Fitch C. J. , Briggs J. S. , Beresford R. A. 
Published: April 2009

Although there is a great deal of activity in the area of telemedicine in the United Kingdom, it has not yet been widely adopted as a tool for healthcare delivery. This could partly be as a result of the fact that the various parties involved in the development of such projects come from different backgrounds and disciplines and as such do not always fully understand the aspects involved in the successful implementation of such projects. This may lead to projects not working as expected or being abandoned prematurely. This paper examines some common issues relating to telemedicine projects in greater detail. The rapid development of technology may sometimes overshadow the organizational and societal aspects of telemedicine applications but systems are likely to fail or not fully perform as anticipated if issues are not properly considered. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive, although not exhaustive, summary of some of the matters involved. It raises a number of questions in an attempt to increase awareness of all parties, so perhaps aiding the wider, successful implementation of telemedicine systems.
Validation of a theoretical model linking organizational fit and diffusion of innovation in information systems development
Authors: Gladwin J. , Wilson T. D. 
Published: April 2009

Exploratory, inductive analysis has not validated the linking of diffusion of innovation and dynamic equilibrium frameworks by grounding these theories in empirical information systems development. This paper reports on an ethnographic case study that followed the introduction of new health information management strategies in a low-income country. The aim was not to test theory, but to use existing theory to develop an interpretation of the themes and patterns which arose. During the analysis this research empirically validated the idea of organizational fit and concepts from the diffusion of innovation theoretical framework. Some refinements to the models and several contributions to theory have been made. In addition many implications for practice are identified. Furthermore, because theory can have an impact upon the way planners frame problems and identify solutions, this combination of theoretical frameworks could bring benefits to future IS development and organizational change.
An informaticist working in primary care: a descriptive study
Authors: Martin P. , Kauser A. 
Published: April 2009

A regional R and D grant was used to explore how an informaticist could stimulate and respond to questioning behaviour in primary care clinicians. Training needs for the informaticist were identified and provided for. Nurses and doctors working in primary care were approached individually. They were encouraged to think about their clinical behaviour and to identify topics where they thought they might like to have more evidence either to justify their current practice or to stimulate change. The personal approach was labour intensive but seemed to provide a good yield in questions. The project took two years and the informaticists have tackled over 125 topics. The project is being evaluated by the Department of Primary Care at University College Hospital Medical School, London. A number of the GPs who used the service were interviewed and there was a high level of satisfaction. There was some informal feedback that the answers to the questions actually changed clinical behaviour but so far, audits of reported changes have not been carried out. Funding to continue and expand the service has now been secured through the access to evidence initiatives.
User acceptance of inter-organizational electronic medical records
Authors: Handy J. , Hunter I. , Whiddett R. 
Published: April 2009

This paper reports the findings of the first stage of an ongoing, longitudinal study into primary care practitioners’ views of an electronic medical records (EMR) system for maternity patients. All doctors and midwives holding maternity care contracts with a large urban hospital in New Zealand were sent a questionnaire soliciting their views on a planned EMR system linking the hospital and the primary care sectors. The questionnaire was based on Davis’ technology acceptance model (TAM) [1]. The results show that while Davis’ two key factors of perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness were important to medical professionals, other features of the proposed system and the wider organizational environment also influenced the respondents’ willingness to utilize the proposed system.
Programmable electronic medical systems – related risks and learning from accidents
Authors: Koornneef F. , Voges U. 
Published: April 2009

The application of medical devices is often combined with some risk. This risk needs to be evaluated and compared with the benefits: based on this, evaluation of the device needs to fulfil a certain safety integrity level. On the basis of examples of failures of medical systems, some measures to overcome repetitive failures and to diminish their negative effects will be described. The use of a reporting procedure and a reporting system should help early recognition and removal of faults. Learning from incidents must be organized and users, producers and licensing bodies need to be involved. The design of medical devices needs to take careful consideration of the possible risks involved with the use of the devices, especially in the case of sophisticated devices and their use by inexperienced laypersons. The identification of user requirements, relevant application contexts and the associated assignment of the appropriate risk category are discussed.
Computerized decision support systems: an overview
Authors: Hajioff S. 
Published: April 2009

Computerized clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are an area of technology that attract much interest. In the past, the prohibitive cost of the high performance systems needed to run such systems effectively confined their use to large research and teaching units. The decreasing price and increasing power of personal computers is making their widespread use more possible.CDSS are divided into active and passive systems. Passive systems make information available should the clinician specifically request it, whereas active systems process information and interact with clinical data. Active CDSS may use rules based upon simple logic or systems based upon probability. A variety of active CDSS systems have been shown to have a positive effect on patient outcome. Such an effect has yet to be clearly demonstrated for passive CDSS. CDSS should be carefully designed, so that they are accurate, safe, useful and accessible to the clinician. In this way, their utility can be maximized. Medical knowledge is expanding rapidly, and it is unlikely that the clinician of the future will know even a small proportion of it. It is thus important that information is available in a digestible form and in close proximity to the clinical context. CDSS are likely to be one of the major ways to deliver such data.
Resource Discovery: Identifying, Evaluating and Integrating Digital Networked Resources Within the Learning Process
Authors: Anagnostelis B. 
Published: April 2009

The phenomenal popularity of the World Wide Web (WWW) is now well documented, and there is a broad acceptance of the range of digital networked educational materials in the field of medicine available through this medium. Such is the popularity of the WWW, that students will increasingly expect an element of course delivery to be supported through it: they will be aware that lecture notes, case studies, MCQs and entire courses even, are available worldwide. The pervasive nature of the medium is convincingly illustrated by the example of UCLA this summer, where the provision of a web page for every undergraduate course in its largest unit, the College of Letters and Science, became mandatory (Young 1997).According to the Dearing Report (point 13.3), 'for the majority of students, over the next ten years the delivery of some course materials and much of the organisation and communication of course arrangements will be conducted by computer' (NCEHE, 1997). While the WWW offers an excellent medium for course administration, this paper focuses primarily on issues relating to the use of the WWW for course content delivery: examples of evaluation initiatives that have been undertaken to date are reviewed, and models of integrating networked resources in the context of course delivery are considered.