Some aspects of geological information contained in LANDSAT images

The characteristics of MSS images and methods of interpretation are analyzed from a geological point of view. The supportive role of LANDSAT data are illustrated in several examples of surface expressions of geological features, such as synclines and anticlines, spectral characteristics of lithologic units, and circular impact structures

Analysis of Pedestrian Performance by Integrating both Quantitative and Qualitative Factors

The importance of non-motorized movements, explicitly walking, and its corresponding impact on social, economic, and environmental aspects has always been overlooked due to the convenience brought by motorized vehicles. An automobile-dependent society mirrors the rise and worsening of several transportation problems, such as road-wide traffic congestion, massive fuel consumption, and excessive CO2emissions. In response to these aggravating situations and in support of various national and international calls, the main objective of this study was to extract the significant factors influencing the pedestrian level of service and walkability and to subsequently develop a predictive mathematical model for evaluating pedestrian conditions. Factors influencing the pedestrian level of service and walkability were initially identified through an extensive review and evaluation of existing studies, literature, and other relevant resources. A cause-and-effect analysis was used to develop an Ishikawa Diagram tackling pedestrian performance. The finalized factors were incorporated into the development of the Pedestrian Performance Assessment Questionnaire (PPAQ), which was utilized for data acquisition. Survey responses were then subjected to factor analysis after satisfying several tests for assumptions and suitability to extract the root causes influencing pedestrian performance. The validated root causes were then integrated to form the Pedestrian Performance Audit Tool (PPAT), a tool used in evaluating pedestrian areas in Tarlac City, Philippines. Data was analyzed through ordinal regression analysis to develop the multi-objective pedestrian performance prediction model. Results showed that there are six critical predictors of pedestrian performance unified in the final mathematical model: Pedestrian Space (PS), Official’s Intervention (OI), Ambiance (A), Vibrance (V), Street Vendors (SV), and Trash Bins (TB), and is the most significant contribution of the study. The model's validity was ascertained through a confusion matrix, which resulted in an acceptable rating. The comparison between calculated and perceived values together with the use of odds ratios served as the basis for the interpretation of some of the key results and findings. Finally, recommendations were also presented which can be a basis for the development of sustainable programs and interventions for the improvement of the pedestrian system. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-06-02 Full Text: PD

FROM ENGLISH PLUS TO ENGLISH 1 AND 2: ASSESSING TRANSFER OF GRAMMAR SKILLS

This paper explores the effectiveness of grammar skills transfer from English Plus to English 1 & 2. English Plus is meant to address the English Language deficiency of incoming freshmen by providing them enabling skills to cope with college. It aimed to address the lack of readiness of entrants, through the improvement of crucial language skills, particularly grammar and usage. The research used the descriptive-evaluative method. It was anchored on the Constructivist’s Paradigm: “individuals construct new knowledge from their experiences, either by accommodation or assimilation (Microsoft Encarta,2007”) It was found out that nowhere in the evaluation did it appear that the English Plus takers even approximated the competencies of the non-takers. This means that English Plus has in fact no carry-over effect on students taking English 1 and 2. This means further that English Plus takers were NOT able to integrate or apply learning of English grammar in this college course as evidenced by the disparity in the scores of the two sets of respondents. It is therefore recommended that specific measures be undertaken to improve the implementation of the English Plus – to provide coping skills and to ensure that there is indeed assimilation of learning

Joint Environmental and Economical Analysis of Wastewater Treatment Plants Control Strategies : a Benchmark Scenario Analysis

In this paper, a joint environmental and economic analysis of different Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) control strategies is carried out. The assessment is based on the application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a method to evaluate the environmental impact and the Benchmark Simulation Model No. 1 (BSM1). The BSM1 is taken as the benchmark scenario used to implement the control strategies. The Effluent Quality Index (EQI) and the Overall Cost Index (OCI) are two indicators provided by BSM1 and used to evaluate the plant's performance from the efluent quality and the economic points of view, respectively. This work conducts a combined analysis and assessment of ten different control strategies defined to operate a wastewater treatment plant. This analysis includes the usual economic and performance indexes provided by BSM1 joined with the LCA analysis that determines the environmental impact linked to each one of the considered control strategies. It is shown how to get an overall evaluation of the environmental effects by using a normalized graphical representation that can be easily used to compare control strategies from the environmental impact point of view. The use of only the BSM1 indexes provides an assessment that leads to a clustering of control strategies according to the cost/quality tradeoff they show. Therefore, regarding the cost/quality tradeoff, all strategies in the same group are almost equal and do not provide an indication on how to proceed in order to select the appropriate one. It is therefore shown how the fact of adding a new, complementary, evaluation (LCA based) allows either to reinforce a decision that could be taken solely on the basis of the EQI/OCI tradeoff or to select one control strategy among the others

Produção de etanol a partir de subproduto cervejeiro

O processo de fabricação de cerveja inevitavelmente envolve a geração de diversos resíduos e subprodutos. O mais comum dos subprodutos é o dresh, o qual é gerado a partir da principal matéria-prima usada para a elaboração da cerveja, o malte de cevada. O dresh é gerado em grandes quantidades ao longo do ano, mas seu uso ainda é limitado, sendo basicamente vendido para fazendeiros locais para ser utilizado como alimento para o gado, ou simplesmente é descartado na natureza. Tendo em conta a quantidade considerável em que este subproduto é continuamente gerado, e considerando que se trata de um material rico em açúcares, o nosso grupo de pesquisa investigou a possibilidade de reutilizar o dresh como matéria-prima para a produção de etanol de segunda geração. A possibilidade de produzir etanol combustível a partir de dresh foi confirmada e esta aplicação pode ser considerada uma alternativa de interesse para a valorização deste subproduto industrial

Métodos para estudiar el efecto del cambio climático sobre los bofedales y sus servicios ambientales inherentes

A pesar que las montañas tropicales son uno de los biomas más amenazados del mundo, es escasa la investigación fundamental y aplicada sobre los efectos de los cambios globales en la biodiversidad y los beneficios de los ecosistemas. Las zonas húmedas de los ambientes altoandinos tropicales - los bofedales - son espacios verdes dentro de una matriz árida que concentran una rica biodiversidad y variedad de beneficios asociados (almacenamiento de carbono, regulación de agua y producción de ganado), de los que dependen millones de personas. Estos frágiles ecosistemas están amenazados por la rapidez del derretimiento de los glaciares de los cuales dependen significativamente. El proyecto BIOTHAW - Biodiversidad e interacciones de uso de los suelos frente a la evolución de la disponibilidad de agua de los glaciares en las zonas húmedas de los Andes tropicales - tiene por objetivo desarrollar un marco de modelización para establecer escenarios de biodiversidad y uso de las tierras en un contexto de cambios globales. El enfoque del proyecto integra tres componentes: 1) la modificación de los aportes de agua glaciares a las zonas húmedas, 2) la biodiversidad (animal y vegetal) de estas zonas y 3) las prácticas de cultivo (patrones de utilización de las tierras, dinámica de las estructuras de la ganadería). Nutridos por escenarios climáticos y socioeconómicos, los diferentes modelos combinados con mapas de distribución de las zonas húmedas permitirán establecer escenarios de la biodiversidad y los servicios de los bofedales, con el fin de definir zonas prioritarias de conservación. (résumé d'auteur

The general dielectric tensor for bi-kappa magnetized plasmas

In this paper we derive the dielectric tensor for a plasma containing particles described by an anisotropic superthermal (bi-kappa) velocity distribution function. The tensor components are written in terms of the two-variables kappa plasma special functions, recently defined by Gaelzer and Ziebell [Phys. Plasmas 23, 022110 (2016)]. We also obtain various new mathematical properties for these functions, which are useful for the analytical treatment, numerical implementation and evaluation of the functions and, consequently, of the dielectric tensor. The formalism developed here and in the previous paper provides a mathematical framework for the study of electromagnetic waves propagating at arbitrary angles and polarizations in a superthermal plasma.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physics of Plasma

Anaerobic digestion process control using a data-driven internal model control method

Anaerobic digestion processes offer the possibility for wastewater treatment while obtaining a benefit through the obtained biogas. This paper aims to continue the effort to adopt data-driven control methods in the case of anaerobic digestion processes. The paper proposes a data-based Internal Model Control approach applied to an anaerobic digestion process. The paper deals extensively with the issue of choosing the reference model and proposing an engineering approach to this issue. The paper also addresses the issue of verifying robust stability, a very important aspect considering the uncertainties that characterize bioprocesses in general. The approach proposed in the paper is validated through a numerical simulation using the Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1. During the validation of the proposed control solution, the main operating conditions were analyzed, such as the setpoint tracking performance, the rejection of disturbance generated by variations in the influent concentration, and the effect of the measurement noise on the controlled variable

Influence of extraction solvents on the recovery of antioxidant phenolic compounds from brewer’s spent grains

This study evaluated the efficacy of different solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone, hexane, ethyl acetate, water, methanol:water mixtures, ethanol:water mixtures, and acetone:water mixtures) for extracting antioxidant phenolic compounds from brewer’s spent grains (BSGs). The extracts were characterized regarding the contents of total phenols, flavonoids, proteins and reducing sugars. Antioxidant activity was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The solvents had different efficiencies for extraction of antioxidant phenolic compounds. All the produced extracts showed antioxidant activity, but the extract produced with 60% v/v acetone had the most elevated content of total phenols and antioxidant potential by the two methods. BSG was demonstrated to be a valuable source of antioxidant phenolic compounds, and solid-to-liquid extraction using 60% v/v acetone was a low cost and quite efficient method to recover these value-added compounds.This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and FCT