Development of a rehabilitation system for the red mud waste generated at the Aughinish Alumina Bayer Plant

Aughinish Alumina Limited (AAL) have an obligation by terms of their Integrated Pollution Control Licence (IPCL) and Planning Permission to establish vegetation on the red mud stack at their plant at Aughinish, Co. Limerick. High pH and high exchangeable sodium percentage are the main known factors limiting the establishment of vegetation on red mud. Gypsum addition has been known to assist in alleviating these problems in other countries. However, there is no experience or published information on red mud rehabilitation under Irish conditions. Red mud with organic and inorganic waste-derived ameliorants as well as selected grassland species were examined under laboratory controlled environment conditions as well as in field plot trials. Also, in order that it would be economically achievable, the research utilised locally available waste products as the organic amendments. Screening trials found that physical constraints severely limit plant germination and growth in red mud. Gypsum addition effectively lowers pH, exchangeable sodium percentage and the availability of A1 and Fe in the mud. A strong relationship between pH, ESP and A1 levels was also found. Gypsum addition increased germination percentages and plant growth for all species investigated. Greenhouse trials demonstrated that organic wastes alone did not greatly improve conditions for plant growth but when used in conjunction with gypsum plant performances for all species investigated was significantly increased. There was a high mortality rate for grasses in non-gypsum treatments. An emerging trend of preferential iron uptake and calcium deficiency in non-gypsum treatments was found at pot screening stage. Species also displayed manganese and magnesium deficiencies.

The production of vermicompost from dairy sludge and its value as a plant growth medium

Dairy sludge generated at Glanbia Ingredients Ltd., Kilkenny has up until now been landspread. This study investigated the feasibility of using earthworms to vermicompost the sludge as an alternative method of treatment. It was found that high levels of ammonia in the sludge led to earthworm fatality but that by manually aerating the sludge the ammonia could be volatilised or by adding zeolite the ammonia could be absorbed, thus solving the problem. In a medium scale trial, the earthworm species Dendrobaena veneta and Eisenia fetida dominated the polyculture. Earthworms grew and generated cocoons during vermicomposting. During vermicomposting no leachate was generated. Nutrient changes took place during vermicomposting. There were high levels of nitrate, increased calcium and sulphate in the vermicomposted dairy sludge. The amount of magnesium, potassium and chloride did not change, while phosphate was undetectable after vermicomposting. The levels of nitrate and phosphate were good indicators of the extent of vermicomposting. The vermicomposted dairy sludge provided improved growth and yields of radishes and barley compared to the dairy sludge and control. Compared to the vermicompost, the dairy sludge provided heavier ryegrass yields and more marigolds with larger flower diameters. Generally, it is the amount of phosphate in dairy sludge that dictates how much can be applied as a fertiliser on land. Vermicomposting reduced the amount of phosphate to an undetectable level but on the other hand created a problem of high nitrate levels. In a pot trial with grass grown in vermicompost the nitrate leached from the vermicompost. In field conditions the leaching of nitrate might occur and could cause an increased risk of contamination of groundwater and watercourses.

Efeitos do arsênico sôbre a cultura do algodoeiro em terra arenosa

The authors studied the action of arsenic, in the form of lead arsenate and sodium arsenite, on cotton in white sandy soil of Piracicaba, State of S. Paulo, Brazil. The experiment was carried out in Mitscherlich pots, applying increasing quantities of the above mentioned compounds. The following conclusions were reached: sodium arsenite is more toxic than lead arsenate. 48 pounds per acre of lead arsenate and 16 pounds per acre of sodium arsenite reduced the vegetative development and the production of cotton. The roots were more seriously affected than the aerial parts. Sandy soils were sensitive to arsenic toxicity. The arsenic mobilization in the soil seems to depend upon factors such as, the a- cidity, the concentration of Fe2O3, CaO, P2O5 and soil colloids, both clay and humus components. The authors suggest, based on their own experiment and after a detailed study of the literature, the use of organic insecticids which may not leave toxic residues, rotation of crops, application of lime and reduction of arsenical sprays to a mini mum. Arsenic compounds should not be used in soils destined to the cultivation of food plants. Rice should not be planted in soils contaminated by arsenic compounds during several years of cotton cultivation. Future experiments are planed, using other soils such as "terra roxa", in Mitscherlich pots and in field plots.

Nota preliminar sôbre a absorção e a translocação do radiozinco no cafeeiro [Coffea arabica] cultivado em solução nutritiva

Two water-culture experiments were carried out to study the absorption and the translocation of radiozinc in young coffee plants as influenced by two factors, namely, concentration of heavy metals (iron, manganese, copper and molybdenum) and method of application. Inert zinc was furnished at a uniform rate of 0.05 p.p.m.; the levels of iron supply were 0, 1.0 and 10 p.p.m.; manganese was supplied in three doses 0, 0.5, and 5 p.p.m.; copper - 0, 0.02, and 0.2 p.p.m.; molybdenum - 0, 0.01 and 0.1 p.p.m. When applied to the nutrient solution the activity of the radiozinc was 0.15 microcuries per plant. In the study of the leaf absorption, the radiozinc was supplied at the level of 0.10 microcuries per plant; in this case the material was brushed either on the lower or in the upper surface or both of two pairs of mature leaves. In both experiments the absorption period was 8 weeks. The following conclusions can be drawn: 1. Among the heavy metals herein investigated the iron concentration did not affecc the uptake of the radiozinc; by raising the level of Mn, Cu and Mo ten times, the absorption dropped to 50 per cent and even more whe compared with the control plant; however, when these micronutrients were omitted from the nutrient solution an increase in the uptake of zinc was registered only in the minus - Cu treatment. The effects of high leveds of Mn, Cu and Mo probably indicate an interionic competition for a same site on a common binding substance in the cell surface. 2. The absorption of the radiozinc directly applied to the leaf surface reached levels as high as 8 times that registered when the root uptake took place. Among the three methods of application which have been tried, brushing the lower surface of the leaves proved to be the most effective; this result is easily understood since the stomatal openings of the coffee leaves are preferentially located in the lower surface. In this treatment, about 40 per cent of the activity was absorbed and around 12 per cent were translocated either to the old or to the newer organs. 3. Data herein presented suggest that leaf sprays should be preferred - rather than soil applications - to control zinc deficiency in coffee plants when growing in field conditions.

Recent brazilian experience on farmer reaction and crop response to fertilizer use

(1) In the period 1965/77 fertilizer consumption in Brazil increased nearly fifteen foild from circa 200,000 tons of N + P2O5 + K2O to 3 million tons. During the fifteen years extending from 1950 to 1964 usage of the primary macronutrients was raised by a factor of 2 only. (2) Several explanations are given for the remarkable increase, namely: an experimental background which supplied data for recommendations of rates, time and type of application; a convenient governmental policy for minimum prices and rural credit; capacity of the industry to meet the demand of the fertilizer market; an adequate mechanism for the diffusion of the practice of fertilizer use to the farmer. (3) The extension work, which has caused a permanent change in the aptitude towards fertilization, was carried out in the traditional way by salesmen supported by a technical staff, as well as by agronomists of the official services. (4) Two new programs were started and conducted in a rather short time, both putting emphasis on the relatively new technology of fertilizer use. (5) The first program, conducted in the Southern part of the country, extended lab and green house work supplemented by a few field trials to small land owners - the so called "operação tatú" (operation armadillo). (6) The seconde program, covering a larger problem area in the Northeast and in Central Brazil, began directly in field as thousands of demonstrations and simple experiments with the participation of local people whose involvement was essential for the success of the initiative; in this case the official extension services, both foreign and national sources of funds, and universities did participate under the leadership of the Brazilian Association for the Diffusion of Fertilizers (ANDA). (7) It is felt that the Brazilian experience gained thereof could be useful to other countries under similar conditions.

Automatic measurement of key ski jumping phases and temporal events with a wearable system.

We propose a new method, based on inertial sensors, to automatically measure at high frequency the durations of the main phases of ski jumping (i.e. take-off release, take-off, and early flight). The kinematics of the ski jumping movement were recorded by four inertial sensors, attached to the thigh and shank of junior athletes, for 40 jumps performed during indoor conditions and 36 jumps in field conditions. An algorithm was designed to detect temporal events from the recorded signals and to estimate the duration of each phase. These durations were evaluated against a reference camera-based motion capture system and by trainers conducting video observations. The precision for the take-off release and take-off durations (indoor < 39 ms, outdoor = 27 ms) can be considered technically valid for performance assessment. The errors for early flight duration (indoor = 22 ms, outdoor = 119 ms) were comparable to the trainers' variability and should be interpreted with caution. No significant changes in the error were noted between indoor and outdoor conditions, and individual jumping technique did not influence the error of take-off release and take-off. Therefore, the proposed system can provide valuable information for performance evaluation of ski jumpers during training sessions.

A recombinant hybrid protein as antigen for an anti-blood stage malaria vaccine: a study on the conservation of a protective component

Recently we have shown that two hybrid proteins expressed in Escherichia coli confer protective immunity to Aotus monkeys against an experimental Plasmodium falciparum infection (Knapp et al., 1992). Both hybrid proteins carry a sequence containing amino acids 631 to 764 of the serine stretch protein SERP (Knapp et al., 1989b). We have studied the diversity of this SERP region in field isolates of P. falciparum. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood of six donors from different endemic areas of Brazil and West Africa. The SERP region encoding amino acids 630 to 781 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. Only conserved amino acid substitutions in maximally two positions of the analyzed SERP fragment could be detected which supports the suitability of this SERP region as a component of anti-blood stage malaria vaccine.

Effects of corticosterone pellets on baseline and stress-induced corticosterone and corticosteroid-binding-globulin.

Exogenous administration of glucocorticoids is a widely used and efficient tool to investigate the effects of elevated concentrations of these hormones in field studies. Because the effects of corticosterone are dose and duration-dependent, the exact course of plasma corticosterone levels after exogenous administration needs to be known. We tested the performance of self-degradable corticosterone pellets (implanted under the skin) in elevating plasma corticosterone levels. We monitored baseline (sampled within 3min after capture) total corticosterone levels and investigated potential interactions with corticosteroid-binding-globulin (CBG) capacity and the endogenous corticosterone response to handling in Eurasian kestrel Falco tinnunculus and barn owl Tyto alba nestlings. Corticosterone pellets designed for a 7-day-release in rodents elevated circulating baseline total corticosterone during only 2-3 days compared to placebo-nestlings. Highest levels occurred 1-2days after implantation and levels decreased strongly thereafter. CBG capacity was also increased, resulting in a smaller, but still significant, increase in baseline free corticosterone levels. The release of endogenous corticosterone as a response to handling was strong in placebo-nestlings, but absent 2 and 8 days after corticosterone pellet implantation. This indicates a potential shut-down of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis after the 2-3 days of elevated baseline corticosterone levels. 20 days after pellet implantation, the endogenous corticosterone response to handling of nestlings implanted with corticosterone pellets attained similar levels as in placebo-nestlings. Self-degradable pellets proved to be an efficient tool to artificially elevate circulating baseline corticosterone especially in field studies, requiring only one intervention. The resulting peak-like elevation of circulating corticosterone, the concomitant elevation of CBG capacity, and the absence of an endogenous corticosterone response to an acute stressor have to be taken into account.

Schistosomiasis and associated infections

In hospital-based series viral hepatitis B has been frequently described in association with schistosomiasis whilst in field-based studies the association has not been confirmed. The association between schistosomiasis and Salmonella bacteraemia has been well documented. More recently, acute schistosomiasis has been shown to be a facilitating factor in the genesis of pyogenic liver abscesses caused by Staphylococcus aureus. New evidences indicate an interaction between the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and schistosomiasis. In this paper, data on the association of schistosomiasis with other infections are updated.

Solid phase microextraction as a short-term sampling technique for BTEX occupational exposure

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) has been widely used for many years in various applications, such as environmental and water samples, food and fragrance analysis, or biological fluids. The aim of this study was to suggest the SPME method as an alternative to conventional techniques used in the evaluation of worker exposure to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX). Polymethylsiloxane-carboxen (PDMS/CAR) showed as the most effective stationary phase material for sorbing BTEX among other materials (polyacrylate, PDMS, PDMS/divinylbenzene, Carbowax/divinylbenzene). Various experimental conditions were studied to apply SPME to BTEX quantitation in field situations. The uptake rate of the selected fiber (75 microm PDMS/CAR) was determined for each analyte at various concentrations, relative humidities, and airflow velocities from static (calm air) to dynamic (> 200 cm/s) conditions. The SPME method also was compared with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health method 1501. Unlike the latter, the SPME approach fulfills the new requirement for the threshold limit value-short term exposure limit (TLV-STEL) of 2.5 ppm for benzene (8 mg/m(3))

Activity and Residual Effect of Two Formulations of Lambdacyhalothrin Sprayed on Palm Leaves to Rhodnius prolixus

The insecticidal activity and residual effect of two formulations of lambdacyhalothrin were evaluated with Rhodnius prolixus;laboratory and field tests were conducted in the State of Chiapas, Mexico. The results indicate that the lethal concentrations of the active ingredient of SC (LC50 = 2.37 and LC90 = 8.5 mg, a.i./m²) were 4-8 times than those with the insecticide WP applied on R. prolixus bugs in palm leaves, a common building material for thatched roofs. Other investigators in South America recommended applying 30 mg a.i./m² in porous materials; we obtained that the products WP and SC were 3.5 and 16 times more effective on palm leaves. Regarding the evaluation of the residual effects in field spraying, there was up to 15 months persistence after the application of WP in two doses (8.6 mg a.i./m² and 3.752 mg a.i./m²) with SC. We consider R. prolixus highly susceptible to the employed pyrethroids; they could be used to control this vector in the state of Chiapas, Mexico.

Aplicación para la transformación y estudio de archivos log

La aplicación Log2XML tiene como objeto principal la transformación de archivos log en formato texto con separador de campos a un formato XML estandarizado. Para permitir que la aplicación pueda trabajar con logs de diferentes sistemas o aplicaciones, dispone de un sistema de plantillas (indicación de orden de campos y carácter separador) que permite definir la estructura mínima para poder extraer la información de cualquier tipo de log que se base en separadores de campo. Por último, la aplicación permite el procesamiento de la información extraída para la generación de informes y estadísticas.Por otro lado, en el proyecto se profundiza en la tecnología Grails.

Reproductive activity alterations on the Biomphalaria glabrata exposed to Euphorbia splendens var. hislopii latex

The reproductive activity of Biomphalaria glabrata exposed to Euphorbia splendens var. hislopii latex was evaluated. Parameters related to fecundity and fertility were observed. The snails were exposed to the LD50 (1 mg/l) of crude latex. At the first week post exposure (p.e.), the egg laying was reduced. After the fourth week p.e., an increase of the number of eggs/snail occurred. The results showed a marked reduction in the hatching of the snails, revealing an interference of latex exposure with the reproductive process of B. glabrata of E. splendens var. hislopii. The LD50 of the latex may be used as an alternative method to control the size of the populations of B. glabrata in field.

Enhanced diastolic reflections on arterial pressure pulse during exercise recovery.

During recovery from a maximal or submaximal aerobic exercise, augmentation of central (aortic) systolic pressure by reflected pressure waves is blunted in healthy humans. However, the extent to which reflected pressure waves modify the central pulse in diastole in these conditions remains unknown. We evaluated systolic and diastolic central reflected waves in 11 endurance-trained athletes on recovery from a maximal running test on a treadmill (treadmill-max) and a 4000 m run in field conditions. On both occasions in each subject, the radial pulse was recorded with applanation tonometry in the resting preexercise state and then 5, 15, 25, 35, and 45 min after exercise termination. From the central waveform, as reconstructed by application of a generalized transfer function, we computed a systolic (AIx) and a diastolic index (AId) of pressure augmentation by reflections. At 5 min, both indices were below preexercise. At further time-points, AIx remained low, while AId progressively increased, to overshoot above preexercise at 45 min. The same behavior was observed with both exercise types. Beyond the first few minutes of recovery following either maximal or submaximal aerobic exercise, reflected waves selectively augment the central pressure pulse in diastole, at least in endurance-trained athletes.

Inferring ultraviolet anatomical exposure patterns while distinguishing the relative contribution of radiation components

Exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the main causative factor for skin cancer. UV exposure depends on environmental and individual factors, but individual exposure data remain scarce. While ground UV irradiance is monitored via different techniques, it is difficult to translate such observations into human UV exposure or dose because of confounding factors. A multi-disciplinary collaboration developed a model predicting the dose and distribution of UV exposure on the basis of ground irradiation and morphological data. Standard 3D computer graphics techniques were adapted to develop a simulation tool that estimates solar exposure of a virtual manikin depicted as a triangle mesh surface. The amount of solar energy received by various body locations is computed for direct, diffuse and reflected radiation separately. Dosimetric measurements obtained in field conditions were used to assess the model performance. The model predicted exposure to solar UV adequately with a symmetric mean absolute percentage error of 13% and half of the predictions within 17% range of the measurements. Using this tool, solar UV exposure patterns were investigated with respect to the relative contribution of the direct, diffuse and reflected radiation. Exposure doses for various body parts and exposure scenarios of a standing individual were assessed using erythemally-weighted UV ground irradiance data measured in 2009 at Payerne, Switzerland as input. For most anatomical sites, mean daily doses were high (typically 6.2-14.6 Standard Erythemal Dose, SED) and exceeded recommended exposure values. Direct exposure was important during specific periods (e. g. midday during summer), but contributed moderately to the annual dose, ranging from 15 to 24% for vertical and horizontal body parts, respectively. Diffuse irradiation explained about 80% of the cumulative annual exposure dose.