Perspective For Remediation Research Articles

Effectiveness, stabilization, and potential feasible analysis of a biochar material on simultaneous remediation and quality improvement of vanadium contaminated soil

Biochar additions to soil have been proposed as an environment-friendly way to enhance the soil nutrients or to amend the contaminated soils; however, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of biochars from an integrated perspective of soil remediation and quality improvement, especially for the soil contaminated by vanadium with increasing prevalence, complex species and chemistry, widespread toxicity to organisms. Herein, this gap is addressed by using a biochar to evaluate the effectiveness of both remediation and quality improvement of a vanadium contaminated soil. Based on the physicochemical and morphology properties, the optimal biochar with a good porous structure and abundant surface functional groups prepared by pyrolyzing rice straw at 650 °C and sieving through a 200 mesh (RS-T650-P0.075) was selected from 18 candidates. The increase of pH (1.72), organic matter content (3.80%), and available P content (9.17 mg kg−1) of soil and the decrease of bioavailable vanadium (225.59 ± 16.25 mg vanadium kg−1 soil) in soil during a 10-week experiment indicated an effective and stable improvement of soil quality and treatment for soil vanadium pollution, by high RS-T650-P0.075 application (3%) to soil contaminated at high exogenous vanadium level (1000 mg vanadium kg−1 soil). Analysis of the cost-benefit and environmental influence confirmed the potential feasibility for practical applicating the RS-T650-P0.075 to treat the vanadium contaminated soils. Overall, the RS-T650-P0.075 can be served as a cost-effective and ecofriendly amendment for both soil quality improvement and the vanadium contaminated soil remediation.

RAN training in dyslexia: Behavioral and brain correlates

Currently, no study has demonstrated the efficacy of RAN training with both behavioral and brain-imaging evidence. Besides, the brain basis of RAN and its contribution to reading processes are still not well understood. This study aimed to address these gaps with a RAN-objects intervention, administered to children with dyslexia, and assessed by behavioral and brain measures. Trained children (n = 18) were compared to untrained normal-reading children (n = 13) on RAN, reading, and diffusion MRI measures, before and after the intervention. Results showed significant improvements in the trained children in RAN performance and in word reading accuracy. Importantly, gains in RAN observed in the dyslexic group were correlated with increased fractional anisotropy (FA) in the left anterior segment of the arcuate fasciculus (AF), which is primarily known to be involved in articulation and in speech fluency. Our findings open up new perspectives for remediation of dyslexia, and suggest that RAN essentially recruits a brain pathway involved in oral language production and reading.

Entrepreneurship at the Base of the Pyramid: The Moderating Role of Person-Facilitator Fit and Poverty Alleviation

Facilitating entrepreneurship through micro-credit, micro-franchise, and micro-consignment potentially helps to alleviate desperate poverty. However, the effectiveness of these facilitators have varied from positive outcomes of poverty alleviation to negative outcomes of increased debt. Therefore, we seek to understand: how and why are different facilitators of entrepreneurial activity at the Base of the Pyramid (BOP) relatively more effective at alleviating poverty? Building on the foundation of person-entrepreneurship fit, we introduce the construct of person-facilitator fit and develop propositions about how and why the fit between entrepreneurs and the different facilitators of entrepreneurship may influence poverty alleviation. Specifically, using a remediation perspective, we explicate how the demands-abilities and needs-supplies fit between an entrepreneur and the different facilitators of micro-credit, micro-franchise and micro-consignment moderates the likelihood of poverty alleviation and how person-facilitator fit moderates the magnitude of poverty alleviation over time. We offer theoretical and practical implications of our framework for different perspectives (remediation, reform, and revolution) on entrepreneurship and poverty alleviation.

The Right Approach to Harmless Error

My article “Harmless Errors and Substantial Rights” challenged conventional wisdom about the harmless constitutional error doctrine in criminal procedure. Specifically, I contended that the traditional way of understanding harmless error as a remedial doctrine rooted in so-called “constitutional common law” created significant anomalies. Instead, harmless constitutional error doctrine can only be understood as part of the definition and judicial enforcement of constitutional rights. Few legal scholars have thought as deeply about the mysteries of harmless error as Professor John M. Greabe, and he is well equipped to give the remedial perspective the best possible defense. Nonetheless, despite Professor Greabe’s able efforts in his response piece “Criminal Procedure Rights and Harmless Error: A Response to Professor Epps,” I remain persuaded of the correctness of the rights-based approach to harmless error laid out in my article. In this short Reply, I explain why. First, I respond to Professor Greabe’s most significant criticisms of my rights-based approach, and show why I think they miss the mark. Second, I explain why Professor Greabe’s own remedy-based theory is itself problematic and unable to solve the enduring riddles of harmless error.

Retrieval practice improves memory in patients with schizophrenia: new perspectives for cognitive remediation

BackgroundSchizophrenia is associated with severe cognitive deficits, particularly episodic memory deficits, that interfere with patients’ socio-professional functioning. Retrieval practice (also known as testing effect) is a well-established episodic memory strategy that involves taking an initial memory test on a previously learned material. Testing later produces robust long-term memory improvements in comparison to the restudy of the same material both in healthy subjects and in some clinical populations with memory deficits. While retrieval practice might represent a relevant cognitive remediation strategy in patients with schizophrenia, studies using optimal procedures to explore the benefits of retrieval practice in this population are still lacking. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to investigate the benefits of retrieval practice in patients with schizophrenia.MethodsNineteen stabilised outpatients with schizophrenia (DSM-5 criteria) and 20 healthy controls first studied a list of 60 word-pairs (30 pairs with weak semantic association and 30 non associated pairs). Half the pairs were studied again (restudy condition), while only the first word of the pair was presented and the subject had to recall the second word for the other half (retrieval practice condition). The final memory test consisted in a cued-recall which took place 2 days later. Statistical analyses were performed using Bayesian methods.ResultsCognitive performances were globally altered in patients. However, in both groups, memory performances for word-pairs were significantly better after retrieval practice than after restudy (56.1% vs 35.7%, respectively, Pr(RP > RS) > 0.999), and when a weak semantic association was present (64.7% vs 27.1%, respectively; Pr(weak > no) > 0.999). Moreover, the positive effect of RP was observed in all patients but one.ConclusionsOur study is the first to demonstrate that retrieval practice efficiently improves episodic memory in comparison to restudy in patients with schizophrenia. This learning strategy should therefore be considered as a useful tool for cognitive remediation programs. In this perspective, future studies might explore retrieval practice using more ecological material.

Facile fabrication of MnWO4/CdS composites for visible-light-driven photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction

A novel efficient MnWO4/CdS photocatalyst was fabricated, which had effective performance and outstanding stability of photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction. Various characterization techniques were used to investigate the crystallographic structure, morphology, optical and electrical properties of photocatalysts. By coupling with MnWO4, the photo-absorption capacity of composites was clearly enhanced. The X-ray photoelectron spectra revealed that CdS as the electron donor excited carriers irradiated by visible light. The excellent photocatalytic performance of MnWO4/CdS composites was mainly ascribed to efficient separation and migration of carriers between CdS and MnWO4 via their intimate contact interfaces which follows a Type-II heterojunction. Under acidic conditions, the major species HCrO− 4 in K2Cr2O7 solution was easily reduced by the photogenerated electrons. This work provides a new design of MnWO4/CdS photocatalysts for more efficient utilization of solar energy and some new perspectives for environmental remediation.

Microbial metatranscriptomic investigations across contaminant gradients of the Detroit River

Microbial community function in freshwater sediments is influenced by the presence and persistence of anthropogenic pollutants, yet simultaneously imposes significant control on their transformation. Thus, microbes provide valuable ecosystem services in terms of biodegradation and bioindicators of compromised habitats. From a remediation perspective it is valuable to leverage the suite of microbial genes at the transcriptional level that are active in either natural versus stressed environments to provide insight into the cycling and fate of contaminants. Metatranscriptomic analysis of total bacterial and archaeal messenger RNA (mRNA) is a useful tool in this facet and was applied to sediments sampled from the Detroit River; a binational Area of Concern (AOC) in the Great Lakes. Previously established sediment surveys and modelling delineated the river into contaminant gradients based on concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and metals. Differential expression analysis through DESeq2 revealed that microbial transcripts associated with nitrate reduction, methanogenesis, and beta-oxidation were significant in legacy polluted sediments and linked with energetic pathways key in the generation of cellular currencies (acetyl-CoA, succinyl-CoA). Gluconeogenesis and polyester synthesis also showed high abundance in contaminated regions, along with increased expression of stress response genes and transposons, despite decreases in community α-diversity. Aromatic cleavage genes were detected, but in low abundance across the contaminant gradient. These results suggest that microbial communities within the Detroit River exploit unique anabolic and catabolic pathways to derive and store energy from legacy organic contaminants while simultaneously recruiting stress-response and gene transfer mechanisms to cope with xenobiotic pressures. By coupling well-resolved chemical datasets with metatranscriptomics, this study adds to the spatial understanding of in-situ microbial activities in pristine and perturbed freshwater sediments.

An Experimental Study on the Adsorption and Desorption of Cu(II) in Silty Clay

Heavy metals such as Cu(II) are widespread in the environment, and the impact of heavy metals on the environment of soils depends on the ability of soils to immobilize these pollutants. It is necessary to investigate the mechanism of interaction between heavy metal and soil from a soil remediation perspective. In this study, a series of experiments were conducted to investigate the adsorption and desorption behavior of Cu(II) in silty clay. Several impact factors such as pH, organic matter, temperature, and coexisted ions Zn(II) were considered. It was found that the adsorption process reached equilibrium after 4 hours of the experiment, and the data can be fitted well by the Elovich model and the double-constant model for the kinetic sorption process. The isothermal adsorption results showed that the adsorption rate reached a peak value when the initial concentration was about 20 mg L−1. The decrease of H+ can increase the adsorption activity of Cu(II) and reduce the ability of the desorption of Cu(II) ions. The adsorption capacity of Cu(II) is less than the desorption capacity under the condition of strong acidity and low concentration of Cu(II). In addition, the adsorption capacity of the native soil on Cu(II) was larger than that of the soil with the removal of organic matter, while the opposite was true for the desorption capacity on Cu(II). The maximum adsorption of Cu(II) occurred at 35°C for this study, and the binding energy increased as the temperature increased. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the adsorption process of Cu(II) was spontaneous and endothermic. The Freundlich, Langmuir, Temkin, and Henry adsorption models were used for analyzing the adsorption isotherm of Cu(II), and it was found that the Freundlich model agreed the best with the experimental data compared with other three models. The results of the competitive adsorption experiments indicated that the competitive capacity of Cu(II) was greater than that of Zn(II) in low-permeability media such as silty clay, and the existence of binary metals can weaken the adsorption force between the single metal and the soil surface.

Alla ricerca di tutele collettive per i lavoratori digitali: organizzazione, rappresentanza, contrattazione

The essay analyzes the different ways of organizing the digital workers' union.The digital economy has accelerated the process of fragmentation of work and has weakened traditional forms of collective representation. But at the same time it is established the proliferation of forms of self-organization of gig-workers made possible by digital technologies applied to web.To enforce the effectiveness of union action, the Author proposes to enhance the latitude and the systemic placement of collective rights in the constitutional framework.The real challenge for these spontaneous aggregations is the creation of a national and European network that is able to intercept and summarize the collective interests and to impose forms of bargaining.One way to follow could be that of social movement unionism: that is networking with associations, civil society and citizenship to break the isolation of the worker-platform relationship, reconcile collective interests at the territorial level and stimulate the attention of public opinion and the activation of the institutions.The proposed model presupposes an indissoluble link between social and labor rights and citizenship and requires a direct activation of all the social actors towards platforms: workers, local institutions and citizens-consumers.The public entity, in particular, can play a dual role: promoting neo-concertation practices, becoming an active part of the negotiation process, and stimulating the c.d. critical consumer of citizenship.If this undoubtedly opens up new areas of negotiable bargaining for the union in the management and control of the development of the digital economy at the territorial level, it also risks modifying the model of territorial industrial relations in the lobbyist sense.Despite this risk, the territorial level is the framework most suited to accepting the demands of the workers of the gig economy. At local level it is easier to create virtuous mechanisms of social coalition between institutions, spontaneous organizations of workers, confederal unions and citizenship able to influence the market power of the platforms in the urban context through the reputational lever.An emblematic example of this is the stipulation of the Carta dei diritti fondamentali del lavoro digitale nel contesto urbano.Despite the limited effectiveness, this agreement clearly shows how, in terms of the effectiveness of the protections, collective territorial bargaining can create adequate tools for the protection of digital workers, according to a remedial perspective that does not prescribe the qualifying dilemma between autonomy and subordination.

Online News Production, Consumption and Immediacy: The Remediation Perspective

Evidence suggests that media displacement theory has limitation to explain the current development in news industry. This paper turns to the work of Bolter and Grusin on remediation which promotes the idea that old media are being transformed into new digital forms. Anchoring on this idea, this paper offers ways of understanding the processes in which online news sources repurpose print news for digital spaces via remediation. Three processes were identified; (1) borrowing the content and reusing it in a different format, (2) borrowing the format only and not the content, and (3) absorbing the older medium in its entirety. The paper also explores users’ experience with new news media and suggests that greater interactivity and user control in online environment indicate the experience of immediacy. To achieve immediacy is the goal of all media, and its manifestation ranges from an improved experience to a sense of being there (or presence) in media use. Linking remediation and literature in journalism studies, this essay contests the straightforward definition of news immediacy and introduces a theoretically driven concept focusing on a sense of presence in news consumption. The dimension of immediacy adds to our knowledge of the complementary use of online and print news media, and is central to the issue of media survival and competition in today’s digital age. Keywords: immediacy, remediation, online news, news consumption, media displacement

Examining user perceptions of smartwatch through dynamic topic modeling

Since the 2010s, various companies have begun to manufacture wearable smartwatch devices, but the current sales of these products are not impressive. This study investigates how the limitations of the smartwatch are related to perceptual discomforts. Theoretically, this study evaluates the claim that the discomfort that users appear to have with the smartwatch stem from failed remediation. Users perceive the smartwatch more as a set of functional sensors rather than a watch or smartphone. Specifically, from the remediation perspective, the authors asked how users perceive the functions of the smartwatch. This study used dynamic topic modeling for topics on the smartwatch on Reddit. This study reports that the smartwatch has failed to provide a proper way to use the remediated content that it provides. Suggestions for future studies are addressed.

P.4.e.001 - Hoarding in users of online classified advertisements

Since the 2010s, various companies have begun to manufacture wearable smartwatch devices, but the current sales of these products are not impressive. This study investigates how the limitations of the smartwatch are related to perceptual discomforts. Theoretically, this study evaluates the claim that the discomfort that users appear to have with the smartwatch stem from failed remediation. Users perceive the smartwatch more as a set of functional sensors rather than a watch or smartphone. Specifically, from the remediation perspective, the authors asked how users perceive the functions of the smartwatch. This study used dynamic topic modeling for topics on the smartwatch on Reddit. This study reports that the smartwatch has failed to provide a proper way to use the remediated content that it provides. Suggestions for future studies are addressed.

Program of Psychotherapy of Patients with Oncology Diseases

Introduction Oncology disease often results in severe emotional trauma, psychological crisis is caused by a special attitude to the disease. Once the oncology pathology is diagnosed it becomes a stress factor that often leads to a severe psychological trauma with strong emotional experiences: anxiety; fear; apprehension; uncertainty; feelings of loss; depression. Aims The psychotherapeutic approach used with the oncology clients after the operation is based on person-centered features and is built on individual peculiarities, attitude to the disease, and psychosocial and somatic factors which negatively influence state of mind, as well as life quality of these patients. Methods The choice of which form of psychotherapeutic treatment to administer is based on the individual peculiarities of the patient, the stage of treatment, and their reaction to the disease. Results While undergoing psychotherapy we use tactics based on the opposition of a negative attitude to oncology disease and a totally pessimistic attitude to possibility of recovery on the one hand and a system of positive images according to scientific data about a fairly positive forecast at the vast majority of oncology diseases in case on their early recognition and proper treatment on the other. Conclusions All above mentioned psychotherapeutic measures provide an effective change in psychological status, changes in the existing problem perception and shaping remedial perspective, as well as certain reconstruction of their social position.

Accumulation and localization of cadmium in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) grown hydroponically

Hydroponics experiment was conducted to identify cadmium (Cd) tolerance and phytoextraction potential of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) seedlings grown under different levels of Cd. Application of Cd adversely affected the overall growth and ultrastructural characteristics of moso bamboo. At the highest Cd concentration (400 µM), the growth of moso bamboo seedlings was significantly inhibited, and Cd concentrations in leaves, stems and roots reached the maximum of 25.6, 129.8 and 377 mg kg−1, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the excessive Cd concentrations caused formation of abundant inclusions in the root and stem. The ultrastructural analysis using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the excessive Cd concentrations caused abnormal-shaped chloroplasts, disappearance of endoplasmic reticulum, and shrinkage of nucleus and loss of thylakoid membranes. It is suggested that use of moso bamboo as experimental material provides a new perspective for remediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil due to its deep root system and larger biomass. However, mechanisms of Cd uptake and accumulation as well as metal interactions within the plant cell need to be investigated further.

Lead accumulation and tolerance of Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) seedlings: applications of phytoremediation.

A hydroponics experiment was aimed at identifying the lead (Pb) tolerance and phytoremediation potential of Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) seedlings grown under different Pb treatments. Experimental results indicated that at the highest Pb concentration (400 μmol/L), the growth of bamboo seedlings was inhibited and Pb concentrations in leaves, stems, and roots reached the maximum of 148.8, 482.2, and 4282.8 mg/kg, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the excessive Pb caused decreased stomatal opening, formation of abundant inclusions in roots, and just a few inclusions in stems. The ultrastructural analysis using transmission electron microscopy revealed that the addition of excessive Pb caused abnormally shaped chloroplasts, disappearance of endoplasmic reticulum, shrinkage of nucleus and nucleolus, and loss of thylakoid membranes. Although ultrastructural analysis revealed some internal damage, even the plants exposed to 400 µmol/L Pb survived and no visual Pb toxicity symptoms such as necrosis and chlorosis were observed in these plants. Even at the highest Pb treatment, no significant difference was observed for the dry weight of stem compared with controls. It is suggested that use of Moso bamboo as an experimental material provides a new perspective for remediation of heavy metal contaminated soil owing to its high metal tolerance and greater biomass.

Simulated In-Situ Immobilization of Heavy Metals in Selected Soils of Karnataka

Chemical remediation of heavy metal infested soils is gaining importance owing to the multifaceted approach in creating ideal physical, chemical and biological conditions in the rhizosphere ensuing higher productivity. Three representative soils belonging to Alfisols, Vertisols and Ultisols spiked with 100 ppm of each Pb, Ni and Cd was treated with ameliorants like agricultural lime, potassium di-hydrogen orthophosphate (KH2PO4) and compost. Sequential extraction procedure was adopted to determine the phyto-available fraction constituting water soluble, exchangeable and carbonate bound metal with the perspective of remediation. Potassium di-hydrogen orthophosphate was the most effective chemical in attenuating Pb as indicated by the lowest phyto-available fraction in soils followed by agricultural lime and compost. For Cd, agricultural lime was superior to other amendments in all the soils. However, among the different ameliorants compost was most efficient in immobilizing Ni in all the soils.

Holding Standards for RANDsome: A Remedial Perspective on RAND Licensing Agreements

Holding Standards for RANDsome: A Remedial Perspective on RAND Licensing Agreements

The Work of Nam June Paik from the Perspective of Remediation

The Work of Nam June Paik from the Perspective of Remediation

ZnAl Layered Double Hydroxides As Potential Molybdate Sorbents and Valorize the Exchanged Sorbent for Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation of Phenol

Molybdate uptake was studied using ZnAl layered double hydroxides (LDHs) having different interlayer anions namely chloride, carbonate, or nitrate with various Zn/Al atomic ratios. A maximum molybdate uptake of 114 mg Mo/g was observed for ZnAl3-Cl-LDH. The uptake is due to ion-exchange for chloride and nitrate containing samples and surface adsorption for carbonate bearing samples. Temperature of the medium had little influence on the uptake while nearly 100% uptake was observed for a wide pH range (2.3 to 10.0). The material after molybdate uptake was valorized for catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of aqueous phenol (100 mg/L). A maximum phenol degradation of 43% was achieved at catalyst loading of 0.5 g/L. The potential for dual application of LDHs for the removal of both inorganic and organic pollutants in the perspective of wastewater remediation by acting as sorbents for molybdate and valorize the used sorbent as catalyst for the removal of phenol is demonstrated.

English in Eastern Ethiopia is Learnt; Not Mastered

English Language Teaching (ELT) has undergone immense changes over the years in terms of using different methods, but none of the methods till this date have proved what they had proclaimed. The paper believes in the hypothesis that learning is understanding the linguistic components of a language, whereas mastering is the part of using them in a well structured way with perfection and ease. Viewing this dichotomy between learning and mastering, the paper examines a problematic discourse: English in Eastern Ethiopia is often learnt; but not mastered. The broad concern of the paper is to draw the attention of the local and global ELT practitioners towards the dismal state of English in Eastern Ethiopia. In this pursuit, the paper set three prime objectives: (i) exploring global and local uses of ELT methods, (ii) exploring major linguistic and non-linguistic impediments in mastering English, and (iii) proposing an empirical approach to overcome the impediments from remedial perspective. Participant observation, unstructured Interview, and document analysis were employed to gather the data, whereas analytic induction was used to analyze the data. Under findings, seventeen linguistic and non-linguistic impediments were found as serious deterrents in mastering English. From remedial perspective, the paper proposes an empirical Integrated Iconic Approach to overcome the linguistic impediments followed by seventeen apposite recommendations to pave the path of quality English education in Eastern Ethiopia.