Urban wastewater treatment with mature constructed wetlands

Despite the global acceptance for the application of vertical-flow constructed wetlands (VF CWs) as sustainable and cost-efficient technology in treating various types of wastewater, including urban wastewater, continuous loading of wetlands over time can lead to performance inefficiency and generate operational problems especially when high shock loads, such as petroleum hydrocarbon spills, are subjected to the system. Contamination with petroleum hydrocarbon compounds results in changing the structure, function and ecosystem service values of wetlands, which can eventually lead to clogging of the wetland substrate and affect the life time of the system. Sound knowledge of long-term performance in mature vertical-flow constructed wetlands linked with hydrocarbon treatment processes is needed to make guided judgments about the probable effects of a given suite of impacts and revise the management plans accordingly. A study was conducted to compare the impact of different design (aggregate size) and operational (contact time, rest time and chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading) variables on the long-term and seasonal performance of vertical-flow constructed wetland filters operated in tidal flow between June 2011 and March 2016. Ten different vertical-flow wetland systems were planted with Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (Common Reed). Approximately 130 and 975 grams of diesel fuel (equivalent to 20 and 150 grams/litre, respectively) were each poured into four wetland filters on 26/09/2013 and 26/09/2014 respectively. Overall findings showed that the mature wetland system improved the water quality except for ortho-phosphate-phosphorus (PO₄-P), which reduced less over time. Findings also indicated that the wetland filter with the highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) loading but no diesel contamination performed the best in terms of COD and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) removal. Filters contaminated by diesel performed worse in terms of COD and BOD but considerably better regarding nitrate-nitrogen removal. The removal efficiencies dropped for those filters impacted by the diesel spills. Seasonal analysis for water quality from different wetlands showed clear seasonal outflow concentration trends (low in summer) for COD, and nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N) while effluent BOD showed high treatment performance in winter. No clear seasonal trend for ammonia-nitrogen (NH₄-N), PO₄-P or suspended solids (SS) was noted. Serious clogging phenomena, impacting negatively on the treatment performance and the hydraulic conductivity, were not observed. The simulation model confirms the experimental findings that notable wetland clogging restricting the operation did not occur. Moreover, results showed that small aggregate diameter, low inflow COD load, and high contact and rest time were most efficient in reducing SS accumulation within the wetland filter bed. With regard to the treatment performance of the hydrocarbon contaminants, results indicated that all wetland systems had a relatively good performance in treating petroleum hydrocarbon compounds and the evaluation showed that all the hydrocarbon components were highly degraded and their concentrations were reduced in all treated effluents of wetland filters with time. This indicates that VF CW zones provide appropriate conditions for high treatment capacity of diesel compounds spilled with urban wastewater by a combination of processes taking place in the wetland filters, thus minimizing hydrocarbon compounds within the filter.A new experimental artificial ponds system, including: ponds with wastewater; ponds with wastewater and reeds; and ponds with wastewater, reeds and aeration, was operated in parallel with the mature experimental vertical-flow constructed wetland system, for the period between July 2015 and October 2015, to compare performance, design and operation variables between the two treatment technologies in the treatment of urban wastewater. Findings showed that highest COD and SS removals were observed for wetlands in comparison to ponds. Moreover, mature wetlands were better in removing NH₄-N and PO₄-P than ponds unless the ponds were aerated. Both systems were linked with medium to high levels of BOD removal. The aerated pond system demonstrated better treatment performance in terms of NH₄-N and PO₄-P. The NO₃-N concentration increased in the aerated ponds reflecting the high oxygen availability. Due to increasing water scarcity and droughts, which are key concerns worldwide, there is considerable interest in recycling various wastewater streams, such as treated urban wastewater, for irrigation in the agricultural sector. Recycling of effluents from various wetland filters (with/without diesel contamination) was assessed for the irrigation of chilli plants (De Cayenne; Capsicum annuum (Linnaeus) Longum Group ‘De Cayenne’) grown in a greenhouse environment. Concerning chilli fruit numbers, findings showed that the highest fruit yields for all wetland filters were associated with those that received inflow wastewater with a high loading rate, reflecting the high nutrient availability in treated wastewater, which is of obvious importance for yield production. Findings also indicated that wetlands without hydrocarbon contamination, with small aggregate size, low contact time, and low inflow loading rate provided high marketable yields (expressed in economic return). In comparison, chillies irrigated by filters with hydrocarbon contamination, small aggregate size, high contact time and high loading rate also resulted in high marketable yields of chillies, which pointed out the role of high contact time and high inflow load for better diesel degradation rates. The overall outcome of this research could considerably contribute to optimization of the design and development of long-term operation variables for constructed wetland technology particularly in petroleum industry applications. Statistically validated long-term data interpretation can particularly help the wetland modelling community and wetland managers to define, with insight into long-term and seasonal factors, removal processes for individual water quality parameters to maximize wetlands treatment performance

The Role of Social Media in Spreading the Holy Qur'an

The current era is also known as the digital age, where highly developed satellites and the global internet are nascent of the modern information revolution. The digital age has impacted all activities and life areas and has become a reality. Moreover, it is inevitable and has a major role in influencing the users, whether this is a positive or negative influence, social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram have attracted millions of Internet users. In recent times, it has evolved to become the most widespread and used network among Internet pioneers; especially adolescents and young people who have been liberated from the social reality restrictions category and became more free to express themselves through interaction by means of social networking, which has eventually become the users own culture, views, trends, and has affected their behavior in all aspects. Each technique, with its pros and cons, offers social networking a lot of features and services that can bring significant benefits such as an abundance of information and speed of communicating with others. At the same time can be used for bad purposes such as spreading rumors and extremist ideas, due primarily to the same user, and how his education and upbringing can get him awareness and knowledge of the risk and disadvantages of social networking when he uses it. The research deals with the role of media in community awareness, especially for adolescents and young people, the hazards of using social media, and how to face them. It requires a comprehensive strategy overseen by the concerned authorities in the country, focusing on the moral, religious, social, cultural, economic, political dimensions, science, and security. This paper is concerned with using social media to serve the Holy Quran sciences. It was based on presenting reading for social media that receive wide attention from individuals, given that it is easy to use, it went far from that by being used in different sciences and educational domains. This emerged by using it in teaching the rules of reciting the Holy Quran as one of its most important sciences. The lessons of the rules of recitation that were posted on Facebook are characterized by diversity and universality, and any user can benefit from them and grasp the content. For reason that it changed the traditional function of teaching the Holy Quran. The teaching process became a participatory one, where all the users can contribute and exchange information, in order to reach a mutual understanding of what is published from the lessons. Keywords: influence, role, service, internet, networks social communication, creation, development, Holy Quran, scienc

The Qur'anic Approach is a Consolidation of Peaceful and Societal Coexistence: The Model of Madinah Document

This study was summarized by explaining the Qur'anic approach and the Prophet's approach in showing a document or a constitution that the nation will follow. According to a divine system and law that adopts equality in rights and duties, and establishes security and peace in all Islamic and non-Islamic countries that take upon themselves the status of individuals and ensure that they live in dignity and security for their safety. They are stable and, in their countries, enjoying dignity. Therefore, the city document was a successful solution because it was built according to the Quranic approach, based on its provisions and everything related to the lives of people of all sects, nationalities, and races. Keywords: Quranic method, consolidation of peaceful coexistence, city documen

Objectivity and Subjectivity to Explain and Interpret the Author's Online Legal Rights

ان السلوكيات الانسانية بشكل عام الصحيحة منها والمنحرفة, المجرمة والمباحة هي في مجملها تصدر من كيان مركبا يتكون من عناصر مادية واخرى غير مادية, ولعل هذه الاسطر البسيطة في السرد تعد من اكبر الاشكاليات التي تواجه المنهجية العلمية في دراسة الانسان والظواهر الاجتماعية المحيطة به. ان اقرب المصطلحات الفقهية التي تتناول هذه الاشكالية بالدرس والتحليل تسمى (الموضوعية والذاتية), والموضوع بشكل عام يراد به شيء موجود في عالم خارجي يمكن ان يدرك بالحس ويقبل الخضوع للتجربة, وبهذا الوجود المادي المحسوس له يحقق عزلة واستقلالية عن الانسان وعيا وارادة. اما الذات فيراد بها ذات الشيء من جوهر ومضمون وشخصية. ولنجعل الانسان وفق المفاهيم العامة السابقة للموضوع والذات كونه كيان مادي محسوس, هو المحور لدراسة الموضوع والذات, فنجد ان الوجود المادي للإنسان هو الموضوع وان العقل الانساني والارادة الحرة التي يمتلكها هما الذات.  In general, human behaviors, whether appropriate and inappropriate or permissible and impermissible, that are of a composite entity consists of physical and non-physical elements. Perhaps, these simple lines are considered one of the biggest problems facing the scientific methodology in studying the human and the surrounding social phenomena. The closest terms of jurisprudence that tackle this problem through study and analysis are called "Objectivity and Subjectivity". The object, in general, means something exists in an external world that can be recognized by sense and subjects to experiments. It achieves isolation and independence from human by this tangible physical existence. The subject is the essence, content and personality of the thing. To make human the focus to study the subject and object in accordance with the previous principles of object and subject as he is a tangible physical entity,  we find that the human physical existence is the object and human mind and free will are the subject. Objectivity is the perception of things as they are without desires, interests or self-tendencies. It is merely facts based upon a mind that is free from biases and prejudices, resulting in an analysis called knowledge. If the objective effort in research and analysis is dedicated based upon the individual's autonomous mind with his experience or study benefiting from his scientific and practical experiments and the resulting taste and feeling,  this cognitive product will be called the auto cognitive product as it is the source of subject rather than the abstract reality. The issue is more precise and needs to be considered further concerning the type of phenomenon that is studied and analyzed by the researcher. If the phenomenon was natural, its physical monitoring, even it was external, would be enough for analysis and giving a result close to the fact and logic. If the phenomenon was human, the monitoring and analysis of the natural phenomenon would not be enough and it would be unacceptable becaus

Stability analysis of the Iraqi GNSS stations

The Iraqi GNSS network was installed in 2005 with help from the USA and UK. The network consists of seven GNSS stations distributed across Iraq. The network GNSS data have been comprehensively analyzed in this study; this, in turn, allowed us to assess the impact of various geophysical phenomena (e. g., tectonic plate motion and Earthquakes) on its positional accuracy, stability, and validity over time. We processed daily GPS data, spanning over more than five years. The Earth Parameter and Orbit System software (EPOS.P8), developed by the German Geoscience Research Center (GFZ), was used for data processing by adopting the Precise Point Positioning (PPP) strategy. The stacked time series of stations coordinates was analyzed after estimating all modeled parameters of deterministic and stochastic parts using the least-squares technique. The study confirmed a slight impact of the recent M 7.3 Earthquake on the Iraqi GNSS stations and concluded that the stations are stable over the study period (2013 up to 2018) and that the GNSS stations represent the movement of the Arabian plate

Investigation of enhanced double weight code in point to point access networks

© 2020 Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. In this paper, an investigation and evaluation to enhanced double weight (EDW) code is performed, a new technique for code structuring and building using modified arithmetical model has been given for the code in place of employing previous technique based on Trial Inspections. Innovative design has been employed for the code into P2P networks using diverse weighted EDW code to be fitting into optical CDMA relevance applications. A new developed relation for EDW code is presented, the relation is based on studying and experimenting the effect of input transmission power with code weight, and the relation developed using numerical analysis method. This relation makes the estimation for the system input power needed more efficient. The results of the code has been explained by eye diagram and parametric illustrations from the simulated results. The result shows a magnificent performance of the code during high number of users and weight. On the other hand, the relation developed for power measurement helps to prevent power loss and consumption

Investigation the nonlinear optical properties of silver nanoparticles using femtosecond laser

© 2020 Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. In this research, the fabrication of silver nanoparticles and experimental nonlinear response (NLO). The fabrication of the silver nanoparticles has been done using E-Beam evaporation on a glass substrate (Ag-NPs) and investigation of their nonlinear optical response (NLO). The silver nanoparticles was evaluated by optical spectrum (UV-Vis) that shows localized surface Plasmon band at 375 nm. The experiment shows the nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction effect of silver nanoparticles, the silver nanoparticles is analysed by Z-Scan technique using a femtoseconds laser with 800 nm wavelength. The result shows the nonlinear absorption (NLA) is at 4.8710-4cmW-1, while (NLR) is at 7.9410-9cmW-1

GPR6 receptor: model construction, docking studies, drug design, and development of novel GPR6 modulators

G protein coupled receptor 6 (GPR6) is a cannabinoid-related Class A GPCR orphan receptor, with high abundance in the central nervous system and high constitutive activation of adenylyl cyclase. A variety of research groups reported that GPR6 represents a possible target for the treatment of different neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, or Huntington’s Disease. Different pharmaceutical companies claim the use of GPR6 inverse agonists in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other dyskinesia syndromes by using a wide range of pyrazine derivatives analogs. In the first chapter, a review for the closely related orphan receptors GPR3/6/12, that share a high percentage of sequence homology is provided. This chapter includes background information about GPR3/6/12, pharmacological importance, reported molecules that target them, and their physiological role inside and outside the central nervous system. In sight of the lack of GPR6 structural information, the second chapter is a detailed description of constructing a homology model of the GPR6 inactive state (R), using a suite of computational techniques. Using the GPR6 R model, docking studies were performed to rationalize the structure activity relationship of the patented pyrazine analogs, that act as GPR6 inverse agonists. Chapter III discusses the designing, docking, and synthesis of novel potential GPR6 modulators. A subset of pyrazine analogs was used here as a starting point for the design of novel GPR6 inverse agonists using a fragment-based scaffold hopping approach, with taking into consideration the structural knowledge that has been gathered from building GPR6 model and docking studies. Chapter IV is focused on cannabimimetic compounds’ interaction with GPR6. Pharmacological evaluation and docking studies to help in understanding the structure activity relationship of cannabinoid receptor 2 antagonist SR144528 (5-(4-chloro-3-methylphenyl)-1-[(4-methylphenyl)methyl]-N-[(1S,2S,4R)-1,3,3-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-yl]-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide) and its analogs in regulating GPR6 Beta-arrestin2 recruitment is discussed in here. [This abstract has been edited to remove characters that will not display in this system. Please see the PDF for the full abstract.]]]> 2020 Molecular dynamics Molecules $x Models Parkinson's disease$x Treatment Cannabinoids English http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/Isawi_uncg_0154D_13090.pdf oai:libres.uncg.edu/33244 2020-09-22T16:08:12Z UNCG Women mid-level managers in higher education: a study of inequity in higher education Jones-Goodwin, Jennifer E. NC DOCKS at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro <![CDATA[Quantitative data gathered in numerous studies shows women in higher education are not advancing in their careers as frequently or to the same levels as men (Gerdes, 2006; Maschke, 1997; Perry, 2000; West et al., 2006; Wilson, 2004). Women remain in high numbers in mid-level positions as either assistant/associate faculty members or staff. While gains have been made in the number of women who hold upper level leadership positions (Bornstein, 2007; June, 2007), these changes are not reflected at all institutions or for women of all races and ethnicities. The purpose of this study is to share the personal stories of the career trajectory for women in mid-level management positions at one higher education institution in order to better understand their career path; motivation or road blocks which compelled them to remain at a mid-level management level; unwritten rules around expectations for women as employees in higher education and finally, personal stories of career growth as they relate to their ability to advance to senior-level leadership positions. I interviewed ten different women regarding their career paths and how they thought and felt about the journey to their current job; including any advice, joys, regrets, or nuggets of wisdom they wished to share with women on a similar journey. Questions involving the lack of women in leadership positions in higher education arise over and over again on college and university campuses and in current literature but remain unanswered. Before change occurs that will eventually lead to gender and racial equity in higher education, personal descriptions of women’s experiences as mid-level managers and insights – in their own words – are needed to gain understanding and context in regard to the questions above while helping to explain the complications inherent in progressing to senior-level leadership positions as perceived by those who face them. Specifically, this study addresses the following research questions: First, I will look at the broader question of, “How do lived experiences of women in mid-level management positions shape their careers in higher education”? Then I will focus on answering: 1. “Why do women make a personal choice not to pursue senior-level leadership positions?” 2. “Do some women make a deliberate choice not to move into higher level positions?” and; 3. “What is it about institutional culture in higher education that makes it so hard for women who desire a higher-level role to move into senior-level leadership positions?