Vertical flow constructed wetlands for treating unscreened sewage in the UK

The use of two stage vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs) for sewage treatment post coarse screening is an established option in France. The need to reduce the energy and maintenance requirements associated with small sewage works remains a key objective to the UK water industry. Two stage VFCWs have been identified as a candidate technology to meet these aspirations. However, there is a paucity of information concerning operation and performance during the start-up period which could last up to two years as well as knowledge transfer relating to differences in hydraulic and organic loading patterns. Accordingly, the UK’s first two stage VFCWs for municipal sewage treatment has been recently built and operated to assess its suitability. Overall, the site performed similar to values reported in the literature regarding total suspended solids, biological demand and ammonium-N being respectively 6.2 ± 3.4 mg·L-1 , 5.6 ± 2.6 mg·L-1 and 5.8 ± 3.8 mg·L-1 compared to literature values of 10 ± 10 mg·L-1 , 6 ± 4 mg·L-1 and 5 ± 6 mg·L-1 , based on composite sampling. However, a key difference compared to operating systems in France was sustained operating periods beyond the design hydraulic load leading to long periods of surface ponding. This had two major impacts: a limiting ability to re- oxygenate the filter body affecting the nitrification performance and retardation of the sludge mineralisation rate reducing the operating infiltration rate and hydraulics of the filters. This highlights the hydraulic limitations of the young filter (5 months of operation) especially in winter conditions. Future work has been suggested in order to adapt the technology to UK conditions such as extending first stage, optimising feeding strategy, using a storm and first stage overflow constructed wetland, aeration of the second stage or design based on infiltration rate

The Altar of National Prosperity: Extractivism and Sacrifice Zones in Argentine Patagonia

The advances in extractive technologies in the 21st century has led to the creation of a new powerful global actor, the Multinational. These multinationals have no allegiance to a state, as earlier forms of capitalism did, rather they are ventures in the industries of agribusiness and mining that operate in countries throughout Latin America. These global actors are able to effectively dominate economies through the reprimarization of the countries that host them. Countries like Argentina have welcomed multinationals like Monsanto and Patagonia Gold into their territories, which has proven to be a detriment to the communities and environments in which they take place. These industries promise the creation of jobs, development of economies, and state revenue through taxes and royalties. Upon further inspection of these promises, it is revealed that these goals are misleading and these extractive operations are only able to succeed by preying on the preexisting social, political, and economic inequalities of communities in Argentina. I offer a vignette of socio-environmental conflicts that take place in rural, urban, and Indigenous communities. By analyzing these conflicts across space, identity reconfiguration and articulation such as that of the Mapuche in Río Negro is visibilized. As Mapuche and non-Mapuche community members come together to contest their positions within this extractive paradigm, the persisting logic and legacy of colonialism is revealed

Nonlocal and nonlinear evolution equations in perforated domains

In this work we analyze the behavior of the solutions to nonlocal evolution equations of the form $u_t(x,t) = \int J(x-y) u(y,t) \, dy - h_\epsilon(x) u(x,t) + f(x,u(x,t))$ with $x$ in a perturbed domain $\Omega^\epsilon \subset \Omega$ which is thought as a fixed set $\Omega$ from where we remove a subset $A^\epsilon$ called the holes. We choose an appropriated families of functions $h_\epsilon \in L^\infty$ in order to deal with both Neumann and Dirichlet conditions in the holes setting a Dirichlet condition outside $\Omega$. Moreover, we take $J$ as a non-singular kernel and $f$ as a nonlocal nonlinearity. % Under the assumption that the characteristic functions of $\Omega^\epsilon$ have a weak limit, we study the limit of the solutions providing a nonlocal homogenized equation

DEVELOPING ACADEMIC WRITING AND CULTURAL IDENTITY FOR SPANISH HERITAGE LANGUAGE LEARNERS (HLLS) THROUGH WRITING TEXTS IN SPANISH

The present study investigated the implementation of a genre-based approach to the instruction of academic writing in a High school Spanish class to heritage language learners (HLLs). The intervention explicitly taught students the ways of meaning in the genre of biographies. In addition, discussions around the theme of identity were explored in this class. Analyses of students’ writing assessment tools revealed that students’ writing performance developed in terms of the genre-specific features from the pre-test to the post-test. Moreover, findings of this study showed that unpacking the ways of meaning in a particular genre positively influenced the quality of writing in the target language that HLLs produced. The class also provided a space for HLLs to unravel their multiple identities through classroom discussions. Through interviews, video-recordings of the classes, and short written responses, the process with the genre approach was described. The effect of the genre-based intervention was documented, and it helped strengthen students’ academic literacy in Spanish. In addition, students showed some discomfort when discussing their multiple identities during the classes. The present study demonstrated that explicit instruction in a particular genre positively influenced the quality of students’ academic writing in that genre. Future research on genre-based instruction and the implementation on different levels in heritage language classes is needed

TAXA DE SOBREVIVÊNCIA EM FACETAS FELDSPÁTICAS DENTÁRIAS: ESTUDO RETROSPETIVO A 6 ANOS

Introdução: As facetas de cerâmica feldspática são restaurações de cerâmica que reparam a face vestibular e parte da superfície proximal dos dentes que estão indicados para intervenções estéticas. Constituem uma técnica conservadora para dentes com alteração de cor, desalinhados, com malformações, fraturas ou desgastes, proporcionando uma reabilitação estética e funcional. O uso de técnicas adesivas pode apresentar desvantagens relacionadas com limitações mecânicas principalmente em pacientes com hábitos parafuncionais. Objetivos: O objetivo do estudo foi realizar uma investigação clínica retrospetiva a 6 anos sobre a taxa de sobrevivência das facetas cerâmicas feldspáticas, avaliando as complicações mecânicas e biológicas a partir de 6 meses depois de terminado o tratamento. Materiais e métodos: Foram selecionados 39 pacientes da Clínica Médica Odontológica privada (Clínica Guitián) em Espanha, com um total de 468 facetas a serem analisadas. Diferentes variáveis foram estudadas: variáveis demográficas, clínicas, mecânicas, uso de goteira, consumo de tabaco e tratamento com toxina botulínica. Foi efetuada uma pesquisa bibliográfica usando a base de dados eletrónica PubMed e Scielo com várias combinações de palavras-chaves relacionadas com o tema do trabalho. Resultados: O género predominante neste estudo foi o feminino (61,5%). Nas complicações biológicas, 51,3% dos pacientes apresentavam higiene precária com presença de placa bacteriana e, nas complicações mecânicas, a fratura foi a situação mais prevalente (em 12,8% dos casos). O consumo de tabaco não mostrou associação coma sobrevivência das facetas feldspáticas. Conclusão: Observou-se uma taxa de sobrevivência elevada das facetas feldspáticas. No entanto, seria necessária uma amostra mais representativa para obter resultados mais consistentes.Introduction: Feldspathic ceramic veneers are ceramic restorations that repair the buccal surface and part of the proximal surface of teeth that are indicated for aesthetic interventions. They are a conservative technique for discolored, misaligned, malformed, fractured or worn teeth, providing aesthetic and functional rehabilitation. The use of adhesive techniques may have disadvantages related to mechanical limitations, especially in patients with parafunctional habits. Objectives: The aim of the study was to conduct a 6-year retrospective clinical investigation on the survival rate of feldspathic ceramic veneers, evaluating mechanical and biological complications from 6 months after the end of treatment. Materials and methods: Thirty-nine patients were selected from the private Dental Medical Clinic (Guitián Clinic) in Spain, with a total of 468 veneers to be analyzed. Different variables were studied: demographic, clinical, mechanical, splint use, tobacco consumption and botulinum toxin treatment. Bibliographical research was carried out using the PubMed and Scielo electronic database with various combinations of keywords related to the work topic. Results: The predominant gender in this study was female (61.5%). In biological complications, 51.3% of patients presented poor hygiene with the presence of plaque and, in mechanical complications, the fracture was the most prevalent situation (in 12.8% of cases). Tobacco consumption showed no association with the survival of feldspathic veneers. Conclusion: A high survival rate of feldspathic veneers was shown. Regardless, a more representative sample would be needed to draw more consistent conclusions

Light activated antimicrobial agents can inactivate oral malodour causing bacteria.

Oral malodour is a common condition which affects a large proportion of the population, resulting in social, emotional and psychological stress. Certain oral bacteria form a coating called a biofilm on the tongue dorsum and degrade organic compounds releasing volatile sulfur compounds that are malodourous. Current chemical treatments for oral malodour such as mouthwashes containing chlorhexidine or essential oils, are not sufficiently effective at reducing the bacterial load on the tongue. One potential alternative to current chemical treatments for oral malodour is the use of light activated antimicrobial agents (LAAAs), which display no toxicity or antimicrobial activity in the dark, but when exposed to light of a specific wavelength produce reactive oxygen species which induce damage to target cells in a process known as photodynamic inactivation. This study aimed to determine whether oral malodour causing bacteria were susceptible to lethal photosensitization. Five bacterial species that are causative agents of oral malodour were highly sensitive to lethal photosensitization and were efficiently killed by methylene blue in conjunction with 665 nm laser light. Between 4.5-5 log10 reductions in the number of viable bacteria were achieved with 20 µM methylene blue and 14.53 J cm(-2) laser light for Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius and Solobacterium moorei. The number of viable cells fell below the limit of detection in the case of Fusobacterium nucleatum. These findings demonstrate that methylene blue in combination with 665 nm laser light is effective at killing bacteria associated with oral malodour, suggesting photodynamic therapy could be a viable treatment option for oral malodour

Dimensionamento de uma Pequena Hídrica por via do Aproveitamento e Transformação de Moinhos

A necessidade de aumentar e diversificar as formas de produção de energia elétrica, originou uma mudança de paradigma no setor elétrico português, nomeadamente com a introdução de produção dispersa e com a crescente aposta na produção de origem renovável. Desta forma, sendo conhecidas as potencialidades e as inúmeras infraestruturas existentes no território nacional surgiu, através da Resolução da Assembleia da República n.º 136/2012, a possibilidade de aproveitar e transformar moinhos ou outros engenhos hídricos em pequenas centrais hidroelétricas, para produção de energia. Assim, passa pelos objetivos desta dissertação conhecer as características destes aproveitamentos e dos seus constituintes, realizar o dimensionamento do circuito hidráulico aplicado a um caso real, tendo em conta as características do local e do curso de água, podendo dessa forma verificar a viabilidade técnica e económica dessa transformação

Novel Functional Whey-Based Drinks with Great Potential in the Dairy Industry

This work focuses on the production of liquid whey protein concentrates by ultrafi ltration followed by thermal denaturation and homogenization of the ultrafi ltrated concentrate, as well as on the production of ultrafi ltrated permeates concentrated by reverse osmosis. Kefi r grains (fresh and thawed) and/or commercial probiotic bacteria were inoculated in both liquid whey protein concentrates and concentrated ultrafi ltrated permeates and grown at 25 °C for 24 h for the manufacture of fermented drinks. The physicochemical characterization (pH, titratable acidity, viscosity, and content of total solids, ash, fat and proteins) of the obtained drinks was then assessed and compared. Enumeration of viable microorganisms was carried out immediately aft er inoculation (at 0 h), during the fermentation period (at 12 and 24 h) and during refrigerated storage (at 48, 168 and 336 h). The fermented drinks showed acceptable physicochemical and sensorial properties, and contained above 7 log CFU/mL of lactococci and lactobacilli and 6 log CFU/mL of yeasts aft er 14 days of refrigerated storage, which is in agreement with the standards required by international organizations like European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for products containing probiotics. In summary, the strategy developed in this work contributes to the expansion of the applications of products derived from whey fractionation for the design of novel functional foods

Pregnancy of unknown location

Pregnancy of unknown location is a situation in which a positive pregnancy test occurs, but a transvaginal ultrasound does not show intrauterine or ectopic gestation. One great concern of pregnancy of unknown location is that they are cases of ectopic pregnancy whose diagnosis might be postponed. Transvaginal ultrasound is able to identify an ectopic pregnancy with a sensitivity ranging from 87% to 94% and a specificity ranging from 94% to 99%. A patient with pregnancy of unknown location should be followed up until an outcome is obtained. The only valid biomarkers with clinical application and validation are serum levels of the beta fraction of hCG and progesterone. A single serum dosage of hCG is used only to determine whether the value obtained is above or below the discriminatory zone, that means the value of serum hCG above which an intrauterine gestational sac should be visible on ultrasound. Serum progesterone levels are a satisfactory marker of pregnancy viability, but they are unable to predict the location of a pregnancy of unknown location: levels below 5 ng/mL are associated with nonviable gestations, whereas levels above 20 ng/mL are correlated with viable intrauterine pregnancies. Most cases are low risk and can be monitored by expectant management with transvaginal ultrasound and serial serum hCG levels, in addition to the serum progesterone levels. To minimize diagnostic error and intervene during progressive intrauterine gestation, protocol indicates active treatment only in situations when progressive intrauterine pregnancy is excluded and a high possibility of ectopic pregnancy exists