Groundwater redox conditions and conductivity in a contaminant plume from geoelectrical investigations

International audienceAccurate mapping of the electrical conductivity and of the redox potential of the groundwater is important in delineating the shape of a contaminant plume. A map of redox potential in an aquifer is indicative of biodegradation of organic matter and of concentrations of redox-active components; a map of electrical conductivity provides information on the mineralisation of the groundwater. Both maps can be used to optimise the position of pumping wells for remediation. The self-potential method (SP) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) have been applied to the contaminant plume associated with the Entressen landfill in south-east France. The self-potential depends on groundwater flow (electrokinetic contribution) and redox conditions ("electro-redox" contribution). Using the variation of the piezometric head in the aquifer, the electrokinetic contribution is removed from the SP signals. A good linear correlation (R2=0.85) is obtained between the residual SP data and the redox potential values measured in monitoring wells. This relationship is used to draw a redox potential map of the overall contaminated site. The electrical conductivity of the subsoil is obtained from 3D-ERT analysis. A good linear correlation (R2=0.91) is observed between the electrical conductivity of the aquifer determined from the 3D-ERT image and the conductivity of the groundwater measured in boreholes. This indicates that the formation factor is nearly homogeneous in the shallow aquifer at the scale of the ERT. From this correlation, a map of the pore water conductivity of the aquifer is obtained. Keywords: self-potential, redox potential, electrical resistivity tomography, fluid conductivity, contaminant plum

Narratives of ethnic identity among practitioners in community settings in the northeast of England

The increasing ethnic diversity of the UK has been mirrored by growing public awareness of multicultural issues, alongside developments in academic and government thinking. This paper explores the contested meanings around ethnic identity/ies in community settings, drawing on semi-structured interviews with staff from Children’s Centres and allied agencies conducted for a research project that examined the relationship between identity and the participation of parents/carers in services in northeast England. The research found that respondents were unclear about, especially, white ethnic identities, and commonly referred to other social categorizations, such as age, nationality, and circumstances such as mobility, when discussing service users. While in some cases this may have reflected legitimate attempts to resist overethnicizing non-ethnic phenomena, such constructions coexisted with assumptions about ethnic difference and how it might translate into service needs. These findings raise important considerations for policy and practice

On the Choquet multiple criteria preference aggregation model: theoretical and practical insights from a real-world application

We consider the use of the Choquet integral for evaluating projects or actions in a real-world application starting from the case of the re-qualification of an abandoned quarry. Despite the Choquet integral being a very well-known preference model for which there is a rich and well developed theory, its application in a multiple criteria decision aiding perspective requires some specific methodological developments. This led us to work out and implement, in practice, two new procedures: A first procedure to build interval scales with the objective of assigning utility values on a common scale to the criteria performances, and a second one to construct a ratio scale for assigning numerical values to the capacities of the Choquet integral. This article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the Choquet integral as appearing in the case study, proposing as well insights related to the interaction of the experts within a focus grou

The Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Oncology recommendation for breast tumor Recurrence: Grades of recommendation, assessment, development and evaluation criteria

Salvage mastectomy is currently considered the standard of care for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and postoperative radiotherapy (RT). Alternative treatment options for these patients, such as a second BCS followed by repeated RT, have been suggested. The panel of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology developed clinical recommendations for second BCS followed by re-irradiation over mastectomy alone for women with IBTR using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology and the evidence to decision framework. The following outcomes were identified by the panel: locoregional control, metastasis-free survival, overall survival, and cancer-specific survival; acute and late toxicity, specific late toxicity, second locoregional tumor, and death related to treatment. An Embase and PubMed literature search was performed by two independent authors. Five retrospective observational studies were eligible for inclusion in the present analysis. According to the reports in the literature and our analysis, the advantages of second quadrantectomy and re-irradiation (re-QUART) outweigh its side effects, with overall good rates of survival and adequate toxicity without increasing costs. Given the very low level of evidence, the panel stated that a second BCS plus re-irradiation can be considered as an alternative to salvage mastectomy for selected patients with IBTR

Documenting cultural heritage in an INSPIRE-based 3D GIS for risk and vulnerability analysis

Purpose: The study, within the Increasing Resilience of Cultural Heritage (ResCult) project, aims to support civil protection to prevent, lessen and mitigate disasters impacts on cultural heritage using a unique standardised-3D geographical information system (GIS), including both heritage and risk and hazard information. Design/methodology/approach: A top-down approach, starting from existing standards (an INSPIRE extension integrated with other parts from the standardised and shared structure), was completed with a bottom-up integration according to current requirements for disaster prevention procedures and risk analyses. The results were validated and tested in case studies (differentiated concerning the hazard and type of protected heritage) and refined during user forums. Findings: Besides the ensuing reusable database structure, the filling with case studies data underlined the tough challenges and allowed proposing a sample of workflows and possible guidelines. The interfaces are provided to use the obtained knowledge base. Originality/value: The increasing number of natural disasters could severely damage the cultural heritage, causing permanent damage to movable and immovable assets and tangible and intangible heritage. The study provides an original tool properly relating the (spatial) information regarding cultural heritage and the risk factors in a unique archive as a standard-based European tool to cope with these frequent losses, preventing risk

The energy center initiative at politecnico di torino: practical experiences on energy efficiency measures in the municipality of torino

Urban districts should evolve towards a more sustainable infrastructure and greener energy carriers. The utmost challenge is the smart integration and control, within the existing infrastructure, of new information and energy technologies (such as sensors, appliances, electric and thermal power and storage devices) that are able to provide multi-services based on multi-actors and multi and interchangeable energy carriers. In recent years, the Municipality of Torino represents an experimental scenario, in which practical experiences in the below-areas have taken place through a number of projects: 1. energy efficiency in building; 2. smart energy grids management and smart metering; 3. biowaste-to-energy: mixed urban/industrial waste management with enhanced energy recovery from biogas. This work provides an overview and update on the most interesting initiatives of smart energy management in the urban context of Torino, with an analysis and quantification of the advantages gained in terms of energy and environmental efficiency

Moored temperature observations in JASIN

Moored temperature observations were obtained at an array of buoys in the North Atlantic (59° 00.2'-59°10.7'N, 12°27.4'-12°33.6'W) during the Joint Air-Sea Interaction Experiment (JASIN) of 1978. Observations were taken at 10-minute intervals by use of thermistors at 21 depths ranging from 4.5 m to 81.5 m. Plots of temperature as a function of time are presented for three moorings for the period July 28 through September 6, 1978

Anatomía foliar y radical de Urera caracasana (Urticaceae) en la provincia de Tucumán, Argentina

Ávila Hael, Natividad G.; María A. Saracho Bottero; Jorgelina V. Medaglia; Patricia L. Albornoz; Marta E. Arias. 2010. “Anatomía foliar y de raíz de Urera caracasana (Ur ticaceae) en la provincia de Tucumán, Argentina”. Lilloa 47 (1-2). U. caracasana se encuentra en el Bosque montano inferior, entre los 500 y 800 msnm. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar la morfología y anatomía foliar y radical de esta especie. Se utilizo material fresco y fijado en FAA y se aplicaron técnicas anatómicas convencionales. Los resultados muestran que las hojas son simples, alternas con venación pinnada, caspedódroma, estructura dorsiventral, hipostomática, con cutícula lisa. La epidermis presenta tricomas eglandulares, glandulares, urticantes y aguijones. Los estomas son de tipo anisocítico y ciclocítico. Cistolitos presentes en lámina. El pecíolo es subcircular con tricomas similares a la hoja. La lámina y el pecíolo presentan haces vasculares colaterales y cristales de oxalato de calcio en forma de drusas. La raíz presenta estructura primaria de tipo diarca. Los elementos de valor diagnóstico para la identificación de esta especie son: tipos de estomas, tricomas y cristales en hoja y el tipo de estructura secundaria de raíz