In-vehicle nitrogen dioxide concentrations in road tunnels

There is a lack of knowledge regarding in-vehicle concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO) during transit through road tunnels in urban environments. Furthermore, previous studies have tended to involve a single vehicle and the range of in-vehicle NO concentrations that vehicle occupants may be exposed to is not well defined. This study describes simultaneous measurements of in-vehicle and outside-vehicle NO concentrations on a route through Sydney, Australia that included several major tunnels, minor tunnels and busy surface roads. Tests were conducted on nine passenger vehicles to assess how vehicle characteristics and ventilation settings affected in-vehicle NO concentrations and the in-vehicle-to-outside vehicle (I/O) concentration ratio. NO was measured directly using a cavity attenuated phase shift (CAPS) technique that gave a high temporal and spatial resolution. In the major tunnels, transit-average in-vehicle NO concentrations were lower than outside-vehicle concentrations for all vehicles with cabin air recirculation either on or off. However, markedly lower I/O ratios were obtained with recirculation on (0.08–0.36), suggesting that vehicle occupants can significantly lower their exposure to NO in tunnels by switching recirculation on. The highest mean I/O ratios for NO were measured in older vehicles (0.35–0.36), which is attributed to older vehicles having higher air exchange rates. The results from this study can be used to inform the design and operation of future road tunnels and modelling of personal exposure to NO

From Heroes to Homeless: Do Grand Per Diem (GPD) programs help decrease chronic homelessness among veterans in Los Angeles County?

The goal of ending veteran homelessness remains high on the public administration agenda. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs approves millions of dollars every year to fund Grand Per Diem (GPD) programs that help homeless veterans. To better understand the effectiveness of Grand Per Diem (GPD) programs, the researcher will use a qualitative method with a descriptive research design to conduct the study. The researcher will use in-depth interviews to gather information from ten Grand Per Diem (GPD) service providers and ten homeless veterans enrolled in Grand Per Diem (GPD) programs in Los Angeles County. Both chronic and non-chronic homeless veterans will be allowed to participate. This study will aim to determine whether Grand Per Diem (GPD) programs help decrease chronic homelessness among veterans in Los Angeles County. Ultimately, Grand Per Diem (GPD) programs should increase access and housing resources in order to permanently house chronically homeless veterans upon completion of the program.California State University, Northridge. Department of Political Science

Communication Apprehension and Coping Strategies of the English Language Learners: Basis for Interactive Activities Enrichment

Communication apprehension is an uneasiness experienced by all individuals, especially when speaking. Meanwhile, coping strategies are approaches people use in dealing with anxiety. This study determined the level of communication apprehension and coping strategies of the BSED-English major students of the College of Education (CED), Jose Rizal Memorial State University-Tampilisan Campus. The researchers used the descriptive survey method utilizing the survey-questionnaire checklists. The first instrument was adopted from McCroskey's (1981) cited in Diane (2015) Personal Report of Communication Apprehension 24 (PRCA-24). The other one is the validated researchers-made survey statements comprising 30-item statements categorized as strategies for overcoming communication apprehension in group discussions, meetings, interpersonal conversation, and public speaking, with a Cronbach's alpha value of >0.70. The researchers also adopted McCroskey and Richmond's coding and scoring system, weighted mean, and frequency count. Results show that most of the English major students in JRMSU-TC have a moderate level of communication apprehension. Further, there is a difference in the level of communication apprehension when grouped according to group discussion, meetings, interpersonal communication, and public speaking, as well as in the overall weighted mean. Therefore, there is a difference in the level of communication apprehension of the BSED English major students when grouped according to year level. In terms of coping strategies, students used the following strategies: accepting cultural differences, paying attention when talking to others and considering their cultural views, thoroughly preparing before the speech, and thinking of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation as a reward. In this connection, there are proposed interactive activities that may help overcome the students' communication apprehension

Analysis of Seawater Desalination Research Data: Trends and Perspectives

Projections of water availability in the near future are increasingly worrisome due to climate change. It is, therefore, high time to seek and develop technologies that would guarantee water availability in the future. In this respect, desalination of seawater is one of the most important alternatives, as specific attention needs to be directed at improving the existing techniques of it. This is why updating information about new achievements for researchers is so important in improving such technologies. This comprehensive review article analyzes advancements in seawater desalination through a bibliometric study encompassing 8523 scientific papers published from 1966 to 2023. The analysis identifies eight key research areas, highlighting significant improvements in energy efficiency and membrane technology. The review examines innovative approaches, including the application of nanoparticles and hydrogels, as well as the integration of renewable energy sources. Additionally, it addresses persistent challenges such as biofouling and brine management. A compilation of costs of different technologies of the last decade has been carried out in order to serve as a baseline for future research or technological developments. This study serves as a valuable resource for researchers and policymakers, aiming to promote sustainable water solutions and enhance future water security. By synthesizing decades of research, this review provides a foundation for further advancements in desalination technology and policy development, ultimately contributing to the global effort to secure water resources for future generations

Effect of Activated Carbon Made from Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao L.) Shells on the Adsorption of Iron in Aquifer Water

This research aims to determine the effect of activated carbon obtained from cocoa husks (Theobroma cacao L.) on the adsorption of iron (II) present in water of an aquifer for human consumption. Charcoal was prepared at different carbonization temperatures (500, 600 and 700 °C) for 30 minutes and activated with phosphoric acid in the proportions of 1:1. Iron (II) adsorption was determined as a function of variations in mixing speed, contact time, charcoal dosage and stirring speed. It was determined that, over the range considered, agitation speeds had no significant effect on the percentage of iron (II) removal, being the dose of activated carbon and temperature, the most influential variables. The water samples had an initial iron concentration of 3.15 mg/L and 4 mg/L. The best iron (II) adsorption result was obtained with activated carbon at the carbonization temperature of 700 °C, with a mass of 1.5 g of carbon, with efficiencies of 93 % and 98 % for both samples considered. Based on the results, it was concluded water for human consumption is treatable with activated carbon derived from Theobroma cacao L. for the adsorption of iron (II), considering that this parameter is below the maximum limit of 0.3 mg/L allowed by current regulations

Water retentivity and environmental impact assessment in the headwaters of the Chambira micro-watershed, San Martin region

The study found that maximum precipitation and water retention occur in February for the Cacao sector and in October and February for the Caliza sector, with minimum values in July. The correlation between precipitation and temperature is −0.43 for both sectors, while the negative correlation between retentivity and temperature is stronger in the Caliza sector (−0.467) than in the Cacao sector (−0.096). Precipitation explains 82.07% and 89.92% of the variability in retentivity for the Cacao and Caliza sectors, respectively, according to the R2 coefficients. The environmental impact analysis indicates a medium impact with a value of 5.6

Removal of Hardness from Water and Characterization of Activated Carbon Made from Peach Pit

In the present study, the influence of temperature and activating agents in the production of activated carbon from peach pits was evaluated to determine the most effective removal of water hardness. To obtain experimental data, activation was carried out using a 1:1 ratio of KOH, H3PO4, ZnCl2, and H2SO4 at temperatures of 400°C, 500°C, and 600°C. The results indicate that the highest preparation yield was achieved with carbon activated by H3PO4 at 400°C, resulting in a 47% yield. In all activation cases, the surface acidity, determined by Boehm titration, exceeded the basic character. The predominant acidic character was obtained with ZnCl2 at 500°C, reaching 62.08 mol%; acid character analyses were supported by zero-charge point pH analysis. The best iodine index analysis results were 797.22 mg/g and 747.72 mg/g, obtained with ZnCl2 at 400°C and 600°C, respectively. The activated carbon with ZnCl2 at 400°C demonstrated an efficiency of 66.88 % in removing water hardness, representing the highest removal compared to other activated carbons

Reconstruction of primary vertices at the ATLAS experiment in Run 1 proton–proton collisions at the LHC

This paper presents the method and performance of primary vertex reconstruction in proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment during Run 1 of the LHC. The studies presented focus on data taken during 2012 at a centre-of-mass energy of √s=8 TeV. The performance has been measured as a function of the number of interactions per bunch crossing over a wide range, from one to seventy. The measurement of the position and size of the luminous region and its use as a constraint to improve the primary vertex resolution are discussed. A longitudinal vertex position resolution of about 30μm is achieved for events with high multiplicity of reconstructed tracks. The transverse position resolution is better than 20μm and is dominated by the precision on the size of the luminous region. An analytical model is proposed to describe the primary vertex reconstruction efficiency as a function of the number of interactions per bunch crossing and of the longitudinal size of the luminous region. Agreement between the data and the predictions of this model is better than 3% up to seventy interactions per bunch crossing

Removal of Color and Turbidity in Runoff Water using Coconut (Cocos Nucifera) Endocarp Activated Carbon

The aim of this research was to determine the efficiency of activated carbon obtained from coconut (Cocos nucifera) endocarp in the reduction of color in runoff water to improve its quality. For this purpose, activated carbon was produced at a carbonization temperature of 700 °C in a time of 30 minutes and phosphoric acid at a concentration of 85% was used as an activating agent. A completely randomized design was used, consisting of 3 treatments (100, 50 and 25 g of activated carbon) and a control (without treatment), with three replicates of each treatment, where 1 L of water from the uptake was filtered. It was determined that the best percentage removal was obtained with treatment 3 (T3) in the reduction of color and turbidity with average values of 97.56% and 97.11%, respectively. An activated carbon filter was installed in the San Lorenzo - Moyobamba sector in a similar way to the laboratory tests, in which the efficiency of this product in reducing the color and turbidity of the water was demonstrated, achieving values suitable for human consumption