Club Medic

For most of us, getting sick is a good way to ruin a vacation. However, for growing numbers of people, needing to see the doctors the whole point of going abroad. When they require surgery or dental work, thy may combine treatment with a trip to the Taj Mahal, A photo safari on the African veldt, or a stay at a luxury hotel-or at a hospital that feels like one – all at bargain-basement prices. This is medical tourism, and it is one of the hottest niche markets in the hospitality industry.

The Influence of Social Responsibility Image Relative to Product and Service Quality on Brand Loyalty: An Exploratory Study of Quick-service Restaurants

Social responsibility (SR) is becoming an increasingly significant component of many firms’ strategic planning decisions. Research has shown that consumers tend to reward socially responsible behavior. However, there has been little testing of the construct in the hospitality industry. Additionally, when other important variables that influence consumer brand loyalty are considered, will brand social responsibility image (BSRI) still play a significant role? This study investigates the importance of SR and its impact on brand loyalty, relative to product quality and service quality in the quick-service restaurant industry. The authors were also interested to learn whether BSRI impacted consumers' image of product and service quality. It was found that BSRI had a positive impact on brand loyalty, product quality, and service quality. However, product quality was a significantly stronger predictor of brand loyalty than BSRI. Where the vast majority of studies of SR have utilized scenario analysis of hypothetical firms, this study utilizes consumers' perceptions of a real-world firm.

The Beacon, November 3, 2010

Vol. 24, Issue 31, 8 pages

Florida International University Summer August 6,2013 Session 4

Florida International University Commencement Ceremony August 6,2013 at US Century Bank Arena ( Session 4 ) Colleges graduated: College of Arts and Sciences

The Beacon, September 8, 2014

Vol. 26, Issue 12, 8 pages

Conservation ecology of amphibians and reptiles in Sarapiqui, Costa Rica : forest fragmentation and long term population change

In order to explore the conservation ecology of frogs and lizards in the Sarapiqui region of Costa Rica, I compared populations and communities among forest fragments and La Selva Biological Station, as well as across 35 years of sampling at La Selva. Species richness in nine fragments combined was 85% of that found in La Selva, and community composition varied among sites and by fragment size class. Although communities in fragments differed fundamentally from those in intact forest, the high diversity observed across all fragments indicates that preserving a network of small forest patches may be of great conservation value to the herpetofauna of this region. According to data from past studies at La Selva, most common species of leaf-litter frogs and lizards demonstrated significant decreases in density over the 35-year period. My findings may represent either natural population fluctuations or sweeping faunal declines at this site.

Global compilation of benthic data sets I

Approaches to quantify the organic carbon accumulation on a global scale generally do not consider the small-scale variability of sedimentary and oceanographic boundary conditions along continental margins. In this study, we present a new approach to regionalize the total organic carbon (TOC) content in surface sediments (<5 cm sediment depth). It is based on a compilation of more than 5500 single measurements from various sources. Global TOC distribution was determined by the application of a combined qualitative and quantitative-geostatistical method. Overall, 33 benthic TOC-based provinces were defined and used to process the global distribution pattern of the TOC content in surface sediments in a 1°x1° grid resolution. Regional dependencies of data points within each single province are expressed by modeled semi-variograms. Measured and estimated TOC values show good correlation, emphasizing the reasonable applicability of the method. The accumulation of organic carbon in marine surface sediments is a key parameter in the control of mineralization processes and the material exchange between the sediment and the ocean water. Our approach will help to improve global budgets of nutrient and carbon cycles.

Data compilation on the biological response to ocean acidification: environmental and experimental context of data sets and related literature

The exponential growth of studies on the biological response to ocean acidification over the last few decades has generated a large amount of data. To facilitate data comparison, a data compilation hosted at the data publisher PANGAEA was initiated in 2008 and is updated on a regular basis (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.149999). By January 2015, a total of 581 data sets (over 4 000 000 data points) from 539 papers had been archived. Here we present the developments of this data compilation five years since its first description by Nisumaa et al. (2010). Most of study sites from which data archived are still in the Northern Hemisphere and the number of archived data from studies from the Southern Hemisphere and polar oceans are still relatively low. Data from 60 studies that investigated the response of a mix of organisms or natural communities were all added after 2010, indicating a welcomed shift from the study of individual organisms to communities and ecosystems. The initial imbalance of considerably more data archived on calcification and primary production than on other processes has improved. There is also a clear tendency towards more data archived from multifactorial studies after 2010. For easier and more effective access to ocean acidification data, the ocean acidification community is strongly encouraged to contribute to the data archiving effort, and help develop standard vocabularies describing the variables and define best practices for archiving ocean acidification data.

Tecnologia eletroquímica como tratamento alternativo de efluentes derivados da indústria têxtil e petroquímica

In this work, the treatment of wastewater from the textile industry, containing dyes as Yellow Novacron (YN), Red Remazol BR (RRB) and Blue Novacron CD (NB), and also, the treatment of wastewater from petrochemical industry (produced water) were investigated by anodic oxidation (OA) with platinum anodes supported on titanium (Ti/Pt) and boron-doped diamond (DDB). Definitely, one of the main parameters of this kind of treatment is the type of electrocatalytic material used, since the mechanisms and products of some anodic reactions depend on it. The OA of synthetic effluents containing with RRB, NB and YN were investigated in order to find the best conditions for the removal of color and organic content of the dye. According to the experimental results, the process of OA is suitable for decolorization of wastewaters containing these textile dyes due to electrocatalytic properties of DDB and Pt anodes. Removal of the organic load was more efficient at DDB, in all cases; where the dyes were degraded to aliphatic carboxylic acids at the end of the electrolysis. Energy requirements for the removal of color during OA of solutions of RRB, NB and YN depends mainly on the operating conditions, for example, RRB passes of 3.30 kWh m-3 at 20 mA cm-2 for 4.28 kWh m-3 at 60 mA cm-2 (pH = 1); 15.23 kWh m-3 at 20 mA cm-2 to 24.75 kWh m-3 at 60 mA cm-2 (pH 4.5); 10.80 kWh m-3 at 20 mA cm-2 to 31.5 kWh m-3 at 60 mA cm-2 (pH = 8) (estimated data for volume of treated effluent). On the other hand, in the study of OA of produced water effluent generated by petrochemical industry, galvanostatic electrolysis using DDB led to the complete removal of COD (98%), due to large amounts of hydroxyl radicals and peroxodisulphates generated from the oxidation of water and sulfates in solution, respectively. Thus, the rate of COD removal increases with increasing applied current density (15-60 mAcm-2 ). Moreover, at Pt electrode, approximately 50% removal of the organic load was achieved by applying from 15 to 30 mAcm-2 while 80% of COD removal was achieved for 60 mAcm-2 . Thus, the results obtained in the application of this technology were satisfactory depending on the electrocatalytic materials and operating conditions used for removal of organic load (petrochemical and textile effluents) as well as for the removal of color (in the case of textile effluents). Therefore, the applicability of electrochemical treatment can be considered as a new alternative like pretreatment or treatment of effluents derived from textiles and petrochemical industries.

Aplicação de tratamentos eletroquímicos integrados para remediação de solos e águas contaminadas com petróleo e pesticidas

Electrochemical technologies have been proposed as a promising alternative for the treatment of effluents and contaminated soils. Therefore, the objective of this work was to study the treatment of contaminated soils and wastewaters using electrochemical technologies. Thus, the study regarding the scale-up of the electrochemical system with continuous flow treatment of wastewater of the petrochemical industry was investigated using platinum electrodes supported on titanium (Ti / Pt), and boron-doped diamond (BDD). The results clearly showed that under the operating conditions studied and electrocatalytic materials employed, the better removal efficiency was achieved with BDD electrode reducing the chemical oxygen demand (COD) from 2746 mg L-1 to 200 mg L-1 in 5 h consuming 56.2 kWh m-3 . The decontamination of soils and effluents by petrochemical products was evaluated by studying the effects of electrokinetic remediation for removal of total petroleum hydrocarbons (HTP) from contaminated soil with diesel. The efficiency of this process was dependent on the electrolyte used Na2SO4 (96.46%), citric acid (81.36%) and NaOH (68.03%) for 15 days. Furthermore, the effluent after treatment of the soil was treated by electrochemical oxidation, achieving a good elimination of the organic polluting load dissolved. Depending on the physical behavior of wastewater contaminated with oil (emulsified state); atrazine emulsified effluents were investigated. The main characteristics of the effluent produced during the washing of contaminated soil were studied, being dependent on the surfactant dosage used; which determined its electrolytic treatment with BDD. The electrochemical oxidation of emulsified effluent of atrazine was efficient, but the key to the treatment is reducing the size of micelles.

Aplicação e otimização de métodos eletroquímicos combinados para remoção e determinação de cromo hexavalente em efluentes simulados

Hexavalent chromium is a heavy metal present in various industrial effluents, and depending on its concentration may cause irreparable damage to the environment and to humans. Facing this surrounding context, this study aimed on the application of electrochemical methods to determine and remove the hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) in simulated wastewater. To determine was applied to cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) using ultra trace graphite electrodes ultra trace (work), Ag/AgCl (reference) and platinum (counter electrode), the samples were complexed with 1,5- diphenylcarbazide and then subjected to analysis. The removal of Cr6+ was applied electrocoagulation process (EC) using Fe and Al electrodes. The variables that constituted the factorial design 24, applied to optimizing the EC process, were: current density (5 and 10 mA.cm-2), temperature (25 and 60 ºC), concentration (50 and 100 ppm) and agitation rate (400 and 600 RPM). Through the preliminary test it was possible the adequacy of applying the CSV for determining of Cr6+, removed during the EC process. The Fe and Al electrodes as anodes sacrifice showed satisfactory results in the EC process, however Fe favored complete removal in 30 min, whereas with Al occurred at 240 min. In the application of factorial design 24 and analysis of Response Surface Methodology was possible to optimize the EC process for removal of Cr6+ in H2SO4 solution (0.5 mol.L-1), in which the temperature, with positive effect, was the variable that presented higher statistical significance compared with other variables and interactions, while in optimizing the EC process for removal of Cr6+ in NaCl solution (0.1 mol.L-1) the current density, with positive effect, and concentration, with a negative effect were the variables that had greater statistical significance with greater statistical significance compared with other variables and interactions. The utilization of electrolytes supports NaCl and Na2SO4 showed no significant differences, however NaCl resulted in rapid improvement in Cr6+ removal kinetics and increasing the NaCl concentration provided an increase in conductivity of the solution, resulting in lower energy consumption. The wear of the electrodes evaluated in all the process of EC showed that the Al in H2SO4 solution (0.5 mol.L-1), undergoes during the process of anodization CE, then the experimental mass loss is less than the theoretical mass loss, however, the Fe in the same medium showed a loss of mass greater experimental estimated theoretically. This fact is due to a spontaneous reaction of Fe with H2SO4, and when the reaction medium was the NaCl and Na2SO4 loss experimental mass approached the theoretical mass loss. Furthermore, it was observed the energy consumption of all processes involved in this study had a low operating cost, thus enabling the application of the EC process for treating industrial effluents. The results were satisfactory, it was achieved complete removal of Cr6+ in all processes used in this study.

Catalisadores bifuncionais à base de silicoaluminofosfato e fosfatos de nióbio para emprego em reações de hidroisomerização e hidrocraqueamento do n-hexadecano

Lubricants and cutting middle distillates typically have large amounts of n-paraffins to increase its freezing point and fluidity. Accordingly, the removal of n-paraffins of long chain lubricants oils and diesel is essential to get a product with good cold flow properties. The development of new catalysts, which exhibit thermal stability and catalytic activity for the hydroisomerization reaction is still a challenge. Thus, silicoaluminophosphates (SAPO) were synthesized by different routes. Have been used also post-synthesis treatment for obtaining hybrid structures and others synthesis have been carried out with mesoporous template (soft and hard-template). Therefore, SAPO have been impregnated with H2PtCl6 solution by the incipient wetness method. Then assessments of catalytic activities in hydroisomerization and hydrocracking reactions of hexadecane have been held. Besides SAPO, niobium phosphate - NbP - were also impregnated with platinum and evaluated in the same reaction. After impregnation, these catalysts have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption, infrared spectroscopy with adsorbed pyridine (IV-PY), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and resonance nuclear magnetic 29Si (29Si-NMR). The characterization results by XRD have shown that it has been possible to obtain mesoporous SAPOs. However, for the syntheses with soft template there was collapse of the structure after removal of the organic template. Even so, these catalysts have been actives. It was possible to obtain hybrid materials through the synthesis of SAPO-11 made with hard templates and by means of post-synthesis treatments samples of SAPO-11. Moreover, NbP has shown characteristic XRD of amorphous materials, with high acidity and were active in the conversion of hexadecane.

Catalisadores bifuncionais à base de silicoaluminofosfato e fosfatos de nióbio para emprego em reações de hidroisomerização e hidrocraqueamento do n-hexadecano

Lubricants and cutting middle distillates typically have large amounts of n-paraffins to increase its freezing point and fluidity. Accordingly, the removal of n-paraffins of long chain lubricants oils and diesel is essential to get a product with good cold flow properties. The development of new catalysts, which exhibit thermal stability and catalytic activity for the hydroisomerization reaction is still a challenge. Thus, silicoaluminophosphates (SAPO) were synthesized by different routes. Have been used also post-synthesis treatment for obtaining hybrid structures and others synthesis have been carried out with mesoporous template (soft and hard-template). Therefore, SAPO have been impregnated with H2PtCl6 solution by the incipient wetness method. Then assessments of catalytic activities in hydroisomerization and hydrocracking reactions of hexadecane have been held. Besides SAPO, niobium phosphate - NbP - were also impregnated with platinum and evaluated in the same reaction. After impregnation, these catalysts have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption, infrared spectroscopy with adsorbed pyridine (IV-PY), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and resonance nuclear magnetic 29Si (29Si-NMR). The characterization results by XRD have shown that it has been possible to obtain mesoporous SAPOs. However, for the syntheses with soft template there was collapse of the structure after removal of the organic template. Even so, these catalysts have been actives. It was possible to obtain hybrid materials through the synthesis of SAPO-11 made with hard templates and by means of post-synthesis treatments samples of SAPO-11. Moreover, NbP has shown characteristic XRD of amorphous materials, with high acidity and were active in the conversion of hexadecane.