Optimal Water Backwashing Condition in Combined Water Treatment of Alumina Microfiltration and PP Beads

Membrane fouling is a dominant limit of the membrane separation process. In this research, the optimal water backwashing to solve the membrane fouling problem was investigated in the combined water treatment process of alumina MF and pure polypropylene (PP) beads. Additionally, the influence of membrane shape (tubular or seven channel) was examined, depending on the water backwashing period. The optimal backwashing time (BT) could be 20 s in the combined water treatment process, because of the highest total treated volume (VT) in our BT 6–30 s conditions. The optimal backwashing period (BP) could be 6 min, because of the minimum membrane fouling and the maximum VT in the combined process of tubular alumina MF and PP beads. The resistance of reversible membrane fouling (Rrf) showed a major resistance of total membrane fouling, and that of irreversible membrane fouling (Rif) was a minor one, in the combined process using tubular or seven channel MF. The Rif showed a decreasing trend obviously, as decreasing BT from NBW to 2 min for seven channel MF. It means that the more frequent water backwashing could be more effective to control the membrane fouling, especially irreversible fouling, for seven channel membranes than tubular membranes.

Multimodal practical argumentation and behavioral change: an analysis of the “Remember, the Metro is for everyone” campaign

The aim of this paper is to discuss how the verbal and the pictorial modalities interact to construe argumentative meanings in a transport campaign promoted by Lisbon’s subway company in 2018. As an instance of multimodal practical argumentation aimed at behavioral change, the campaign constitutes a significant corpus for discussing a series of relevant issues in the field, such as the illative reconstruction of arguments, the affordances of each modality in schematization, and the operationalization of pictorial analysis in regard to its argumentative potential. By drawing on a dialogue between Social Semiotics and Argumentation Theory, we arrived at the following conclusions: (i) the campaign established verbal and pictorial subcanvases specialized in construing certain parts of the main practical argumentation schemes; (ii) images were inherently tied to the construction of Circumstantial premises, thus exerting a direct role in argumentation, and tended to portray complex representational meanings, with three combined process types; (iii) the most productive argumentation schemes utilized were the instrumental practical reasoning scheme, the argument from values and the argument from consequences; (iv) there were two targeted audiences – the readers/clients in general, usually identified with the affected depicted people, and the clients whose behavior was being targeted in the campaign, represented as transgressors in the pictorial subcanvas

Removal of antibiotic resistance genes in secondary effluent by slow filtration-NF process

In this study, the combined process of slow filtration and low pressure nanofiltration (NF) has been used to deeply remove the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in a secondary effluent, and the mechanism of ARGs removal has been subsequently explored. It is observed that the optimal filtration rate for the slow filtration without biofilm, slow filtration with the aerobic heterotrophic biofilm, slow filtration with the nitrification biofilm and slow filtration with the denitrification biofilm to remove tet A, tet W, sul I, sul II and DOC is 20 cm/h, and the slow filtration with the aerobic heterotrophic biofilm exhibits the highest removal amount. The slow filtration with biofilms removes a high extent of free ARGs. As compared with the direct NF of the secondary effluent and the slow filtration without biofilm-NF, the slow filtration with the aerobic heterotrophic biofilm-NF combined process exhibits the best ARGs removal effect. The microbial population structure and the high filtration rate in the aerobic heterotrophic biofilmand promote the removal of ARGs. Strengthening the removal of 16S rDNA, intI 1 and DOC can improve the ARGs removal effect of the combined process. Overall, the slow filtration-NF combined process is a better process for removing ARGs.

Support of young children from disadvantaged families in Switzerland: mixed-method evaluation of the home visitation program Schritt:weise

Purpose Children from disadvantaged families often already show developmental deficits at the time of school entry. The goal of Schritt:weise, a preventive, easy-access early education program for children ages one to five is to avoid such deficits through a combination of home visits by semi-professionals as well as center-based group activities. The program has been translated and adapted from the Dutch program Opstapje and is now being implemented in different regions in Switzerland. To offer the program more readily in rural areas, four adapted models were developed. This paper aims to provide a mixed-method, combined process and outcome evaluation of these newly developed models. Design/methodology/approach For this combined process and outcome evaluation, standardized testing for child development outcomes and interviews with different stakeholders were conducted. Findings The evaluation found that implementation of all four models was feasible and children developed along the norm in all four of the models. This finding was confirmed one year after program completion. Research limitations/implications Building an evidence-base to better understand success of early intervention programs is key to effectively supporting children from disadvantaged families in their development. Practical implications This early education program using home-visitation with semi-professionals is feasible and successful in reaching children from disadvantaged families. Social implications It is possible to support children from disadvantaged families through the program Schritt:weise and prevent developmental deficits at school entry. Originality/value The finding that children developed along the norm in all four models means that the key program goal was achieved and that the specific implementation model can be chosen based on the specifics of the implementation context.