scholarly journals Evaluation of the viability of recycling railroad ballast for reusing in railroads

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. e277101321231
Author(s):  
Jhenifer Terezinha Aparecida Mattos Cescon ◽  
Ben-Hur de Albuquerque e Silva ◽  
Maria Esther Soares Marques ◽  
Romero Pereira dos Santos
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Laboratory Tests ◽  
Strength Properties ◽  
Rock Composition ◽  
Los Angeles Abrasion ◽  
Mineralogical Characteristics ◽  
The World ◽  
Original Rock ◽  
The Impact

The main objective of this study is to assess the reuse of naturally old ballast that was removed from an operating railroad.  In order to verify the viability of its reuse, laboratory tests were carried out, based on the procedures and parameters established in literature. The reuse of ballast would reduce costs, minimize the disposal of this material and reduce quarry extraction. There are several standards regulations the ballast’s (gravel) properties, such as size, shape, hardness, abrasion resistance and composition to provide better performance of the rail platform, due to the wide variety of materials and environmental conditions to which they are subjected. Ballast specifications are based on the execution of characterization tests and can be divided according to strength properties and geometric properties. Thus, several specifications have been used by different railway organizations around the world to meet the needs of their projects. One test used to analyze ballast quality is the Los Angeles Abrasion, which provides data on resistance to fragmentation. The durability of the ballast depends on the quality of the gravel related to the original rock composition. This is an important parameter that can be associated with railroad maintenance, which is expensive. A series of tests were carried out to evaluate the ballast properties, as well as an analysis of the geometric and mineralogical characteristics of the gravel, and the impact of the variation of these properties in the performance of the ballast. The viability of reusing the ballast removed from an operating road was then evaluated, and it was concluded that the material is still suitable for reusing, although its properties have undergone a few changes, without modifying its main characteristics and functions.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown Measures on Quality of Life among Italian General Population

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Stella Epifanio ◽  
Federica Andrei ◽  
Giacomo Mancini ◽  
Francesca Agostini ◽  
Marco Andrea Piombo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
World Health ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
World Health Organization Quality ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic that has hit the world in the year 2020 has put a strain on our ability to cope with events and revolutionized our daily habits. On 9 March, Italy was forced to lockdown to prevent the spread of the infection, with measures including the mandatory closure of schools and nonessential activities, travel restrictions, and the obligation to spend entire weeks in the same physical space. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures on quality of life (QoL) in a large Italian sample, in order to investigate possible differences in QoL levels related to both demographic and pandemic-specific variables. A total of 2251 Italian adults (1665 women, mainly young and middle adults) were recruited via a snowball sampling strategy. Participants were requested to answer to an online survey, which included demographic and COVID-related information items, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). The results showed statistically significant differences in QoL depending on a number of variables, including sex, area of residence in Italy, and being diagnosed with a medical/psychiatric condition. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess QoL during COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, therefore the present findings can offer guidelines regarding which social groups are more vulnerable of a decline in QoL and would benefit of psychological interventions.

Risks of the Digitalization of Life of the Population and Ways of Decreasing Them

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4-1) ◽  
pp. 180-203
Author(s):  
Elena Stukalenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Digital Economy ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Short Period ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Digital technologies, ubiquitous in our daily life, have radically changed the way we work, communicate, and consume in a short period of time. They affect all components of quality of life: well-being, work, health, education, social connections, environmental quality, the ability to participate and govern civil society, and so on. Digital transformation creates both opportunities and serious risks to the well-being of people. Researchers and statistical agencies around the world are facing a major challenge to develop new tools to analyze the impact of digital transformation on the well-being of the population. The risks are very diverse in nature and it is very difficult to identify the key factor. All researchers conclude that secure digital technologies significantly improve the lives of those who have the skills to use them and pose a serious risk of inequality for society, as they introduce a digital divide between those who have the skills to use them and those who do not. In the article, the author examines the risks created by digital technologies for some components of the quality of life (digital component of the quality of life), which are six main components: the digital quality of the population, providing the population with digital benefits, the labor market in the digital economy, the impact of digitalization on the social sphere, state electronic services for the population and the security of information activities. The study was carried out on the basis of the available statistical base and the results of research by scientists from different countries of the world. The risks of the digital economy cannot be ignored when pursuing state social policy. Attention is paid to government regulation aimed at reducing the negative consequences of digitalization through the prism of national, federal projects and other events.

scholarly journals BOD Pressure in the sustainability of the Citarum River

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 00037
Author(s):  
Resha Ayu Putri Belinawati ◽  
Tri Edhi Budhi Soesilo ◽  
Herdis Herdiansyah ◽  
Intan Nurul Aini
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Biochemical Oxygen Demand ◽  
Quantitative Method ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
River Pollution ◽  
Measuring Instrument ◽  
The World ◽  
Polluted Rivers ◽  
The Impact

As one of the 10 most polluted rivers in the world, Citarum river pollution has become the world’s spotlight. The pollution that occurred along the Citarum River in West Java has been the concern of the local government. Pollution not only comes from a plant and household, but also from industries. In this study the authors use descriptive quantitative method, where researchers will describe and compare the existing variables to see the possibilities that arise. Variable used is the number of industries that exist and how the impact against BOD. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a measuring instrument that is widely used to see the quality of oxygen levels in the water. In this paper shows that there is a possibility if BOD increases if the number of industries increases.

scholarly journals COMPULSORY LICENSING MECHANISM UNDER INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL LAW

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-79
Author(s):  
Aslan H Abashidze ◽  
Vladislav S Malichenko
Keyword(s):  
Access To Medicines ◽  
Russian Government ◽  
Strong Argument ◽  
Compulsory Licensing ◽  
The World ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Price Negotiations ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Doha Declaration

The article highlights the main steps in the formation of compulsory licensing mechanism before the establishment of the World Trade Organization, and analyzes the main provisions of this mechanism implementation under the TRIPS Agreement and the Doha Declaration. Based on the analysis of examples from different regions of the world, the article determines the main advantages of using compulsory licensing with regard to expand of access to medicines, possible impact on quality of the medicinal products being produced and the investment attractiveness of the countries applying this mechanism are assessed. The purpose of this article is to analyze the main approaches to the implementation of compulsory licensing in order to determine the most effective strategy for using this mechanism in the Russian Federation in order to expand the availability of drug therapy for the treatment of life-threatening diseases. Based on the impact of compulsory licensing implementation, the author concludes that it does not correspond to the objectives of the Russian pharmaceutical industry development identified as a priority by Russian Government. Despite a possibility of using compulsory licensing under regulation of many countries, this mechanism is implemented rarely. A possibility of issuing a compulsory licensing is a strong argument in price negotiations with producers. According to the authors position, implementation of compulsory licensing has to be preceded by cost containment mechanism, primarily based on negotiations with producers.

scholarly journals Social Media and the Quality of Subjective Well-Being; Counseling Perspective in Digital Era

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zadrian Ardi ◽  
Indah Sukmawati
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Social Community ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Various studies in the information technology revealed that there has been a change in the trend of internet use in recent years. Internet users in the world prefer to spend time accessing the internet through the social media. Social media with a variety of platforms provides special communities with their own uniqueness and allows users to share lots of content. The members involves creates a new social community with various phenomena, both positive and negative. Counselors in the millennium era are required to have the insight andknowledge that is qualified to deal with the well being conditions of individuals from activities in social media. Counselors are also required to have specific skills in providing handling with the condition of well being individuals related to the impact of activities on social media.

scholarly journals Social isolation and quarantine in the COVID-19 pandemic: impacts on mental health and quality of population life

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. e30510212535
Author(s):  
Gabriel Kiaro Leite Nunes ◽  
Karinne Alice Santos de Araújo ◽  
Thais Ranielle Souza de Oliveira ◽  
Marcelina da Conceição Botelho Teixeira ◽  
Ieler Ferreira Ribeiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Definitive Treatment ◽  
World Population ◽  
The World ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about major changes in the lifestyle of the world population. Due to the lack of vaccines or a definitive treatment for disease, governments around the world have adopted social isolation and quarantine as methods to control the spread of the virus. Objective: Thus, the objective of this study was to discuss how social isolation and quarantine periods affected people's mental health and quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An integrative literature review was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic between March and September 2020, establishing the following guiding question: How did social isolation and quarantine affect the mental health and quality of life of the population in the COVID-19 pandemic? Results: The final sample consisted of nineteen (19) articles, two (2) addressed depression during the pandemic period, three (3) presented the pandemic and the relationship with sociodemographic aspects, five (5) analyzed mental health in the pandemic, four (4) reported the impact of COVID-19 on the population's style and quality of life and the last five (5) demonstrated the quality of human relationships and emotional aspects in the face of the pandemic. Conclusion: It was demonstrated that isolation and the quarantine period had a negative impact on the population's quality of life and long-term mental health.

scholarly journals Testing the Impact of Waste from Anaerobic Digestion (Enriched with an Organic Component) on the Quality of Agricultural Land

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 33-38
Author(s):  
Jana Kodymová ◽  
Miroslav Kyncl ◽  
Hana Švehláková ◽  
Magdaléna Bártková
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Field Trial ◽  
Laboratory Tests ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Mineral Fertilizer ◽  
Organic Component ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Macro And Micronutrients ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Waste from anaerobic digestion is considered as a mineral fertilizer and it is usually applied to agricultural land. The aim of our attempt was to enrich this waste from anaerobic digestion (digestate) with an organic component (in our case represented by haylage). For this purpose, we made different mixtures of digestate and haylage in different weight ratios. In the field trial, the effect of these mixtures on the soil, under standard agricultural conditions, was monitored. Selected accessible nutrients (P, K, Mg, Mn, Ca) and the amount of carbon and nitrogen in the soil were monitored. The results of the laboratory tests confirmed that the areas where the sowing and digestate mixtures were applied showed greater amounts of macro- and micronutrients in plant-accessible forms than the surface fertilized only with digestate or areas fertilized only with standard fertilizers.

scholarly journals Abiotic Stresses: Alteration of Composition and Grain Quality in Food Legumes

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2238
Author(s):  
Sumi Sarkar ◽  
Marium Khatun ◽  
Farzana Mustafa Era ◽  
A. K. M. Mominul Islam ◽  
Md. Parvez Anwar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Abiotic Stresses ◽  
Grain Quality ◽  
Economic Security ◽  
Poor People ◽  
Grain Composition ◽  
Food Legumes ◽  
The World ◽  
Quality Of Food ◽  
The Impact

Abiotic stresses varyingly affect the grain composition and quality of food legumes. This paper is aimed at discussing the impact of abiotic stresses on the grain composition and quality of food legumes. As protein is the main grain constituent of food legumes for which it is being consumed by humans as a cheap protein source, abiotic stresses such as heat, cold, drought, salinity and heavy metals alter this grain protein content in different dimensions for different food legumes. Moreover, other valuable constituents such as starch, soluble sugar, oil, fatty acid and fiber content are affected differently by the abiotic stresses. The diverse impact of these abiotic stresses ultimately declines the grain quality and yield of food legumes. As food legumes play a vital role in the nutritional diet of millions of people in the world and are occasionally denoted as the meat of poor people, it is important to recognize that the sustainable production of food legumes, even under various environmental stresses, has the potential to ensure protein security for people globally. Therefore, it has become a necessity to improve the productivity and quality of food legumes under abiotic stresses through proper crop management and improved breeding strategies, thus enhancing food and economic security to the farmers, particularly in the developing countries of the world.

scholarly journals The Influence of the Use of Polymer Lining within the Roller Press Gravity Feeder on Briquette Quality

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 2489
Author(s):  
Michał Bembenek
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
High Molecular Weight ◽  
Material Flow ◽  
Laboratory Tests ◽  
Polymer Materials ◽  
Roller Press ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ultra High Molecular Weight

When considering the operation of roller presses for the consolidation of fine-grained materials, the main problems are disturbances in the proper flow of the material and its bridging in gravity feeders. This is especially true for small and medium capacity presses, where the hoppers for dosing the material are narrow. This article presents innovative laboratory tests of the impact of using a polymer plate lining in the gravity feeder of a roller press. Polymer materials Polyacetal C (POM C) and Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHMW-PE) were used for the tests. The influence of the use of plates on the material flow and quality of briquettes was investigated in comparison with the case where such plates were not used. The research showed an improvement in the flow of fine-grained materials in the feeder and an increase of the briquette strength indexes, as compared to those cases when polymer linings were not used in the feeder.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID−19 on Female Sexual Health

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (19) ◽  
pp. 7152
Author(s):  
Anna Fuchs ◽  
Aleksandra Matonóg ◽  
Joanna Pilarska ◽  
Paulina Sieradzka ◽  
Mateusz Szul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Health ◽  
Sexual Function ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
World Health ◽  
Polish Version ◽  
The World ◽  
Female Sexual Health ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID−19), announced as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, recently has dominated people’s lifestyle. The impact of COVID−19 seems to be relevant to the sexual health as well. Methods: This prospective study was conducted on two occasions involving 764 female patients between March and April 2020—before and during the time of social quarantine. The sexual function was assessed using the Polish version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Every patient filled out the survey concerning socio-demographic characteristics as well as the influence of SARS-CoV−2 pandemic on their lives. Results: The overall FSFI score before the pandemic was 30.1 ± 4.4 and changed to 25.8 ± 9.7 during it. Scores of every domain: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain decreased as well (p < 0.001). There was statistically significant association between the workplace and the change of FSFI scores before and during COVID−19 pandemic (p < 0.01). We noticed the biggest decrease in FSFI score in the group of women who did not work at all (5.2 ± 9.9). Religion had a statistically important impact on level of anxiety (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The main finding of our study was the influence of COVID−19 pandemic on the quality of sexual lifestyle and frequency of intercourse among Polish women.

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