Karst springs are an essential source of private water supply in northeast Tennessee for various end-users. There are no regulatory standards for private (drinking) water quality in the state, unlike the public water system, while water users are only advised to test for contaminants in private water sources like springs or private wells. Water quality generally is spatially and temporally dynamic in terms of chemical quality, and more prominently in a karst environment, therefore, this study investigates the water quality of roadside springs used for drinking water. Parameters to be measured include E. coli, radon, and various physicochemical properties (pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, chloride, fluoride, sulfide, nitrite, and nitrate). I plan to collect 51 water samples from 51 spring locations so that spatial patterns in spring water quality can be evaluated using spatial interpolation, statistical correlation, or spatial regression. Spring water quality results will be compared to water quality of the streams into which these springs discharge. Preliminary work to be presented here includes identification of sampling sites and sampling strategies and integration of existing data, including geology and spring water quality data from a prior related study. Key findings will guide the delineation of the studied karst springs into risk regions for microbial, chemical, and radioactive content, and identification of key factors associated with high risk regions.

During the past quarter of a century there has been considerable investigation into the effects of fluorides on living organisms. It has been well established, as a result of these studies, that both small and elevated amounts of fluorides present in the environment may have a marked toxic effect upon gaining entry into the organism. Much of the research involving fluorides and the living organism has been confined to experimentation with animals, although considerable evidence indicates that plants are also subject to injury if fluorides are present in the atmosphere or the soil. The great majority of the research dealing with effects of fluorides on animals has been confined to higher vertebrates, principally domestic farm species. The concentration of fluoride research in this area has been prompted by economic pressures arising from natural, industrial, or accidental fluoridation of livestock. For the most part, these investigations have been confined to determination of toxicity levels to various domestic species, while the mode of fluoride action upon living organisms has often been neglected. Some investigators, however, have postulated "defense mechanisms" within the organism whereby active fluoride ion is removed from systemic circulation and is either deposited in less active tissues of the body, or, is excreted in some manner. Such mechanisms would offer a degree of temporary protection of the organism from harmful effects of the fluoride ion.

The focus of this thesis is the forcing mechanisms incorporated with salinity transport for the Lower St. Johns River. There are two primary analyses performed: a historical data analysis of primary forcing mechanisms to determine the importance of each individual influence, and a tidal hydrodynamics analysis for the Lower St. Johns River to determine the required tidal constituents for an accurate resynthesis. This thesis is a preliminary effort in understanding salinity transport for the Lower St. Johns River for engineering projects such as the dredging of navigation canals and freshwater withdrawal from the river. The analysis of the physical forcing mechanisms is performed by examining the impact of precipitation, tides, and wind advection on historical salinity measurements. Three 30-day periods were selected for the analysis, to correspond with representative peak, most-variable, and low-salinity periods for 1999. The analysis displays that wind advection is the dominant forcing mechanism for the movement of salinity over a 30 day duration; however all mechanisms have an impact at some level. The dominant forcing mechanism is also dependent on the period of record examined where tidal influence is vital for durations of hours to a day, while freshwater inflow has more significance over a longer period due to climatological variation. A two-dimensional finite difference numerical model is utilized to generate a one month tidal elevations and velocities simulations that incorporates geometry, nonlinear advection and quadratic bottom friction. Several combinations of tidal constituents are extracted from this modeled tidal signal to investigate which combination of tidal constituents produces an accurate tidal resynthesis for the Lower St. Johns River. The analysis displays the need for 39 total tidal harmonic constituents to accurately resynthesize the original tidal signal. Additionally, due to the nonlinear nature of shallow water, the influence of the overtides for upstream or downstream locations in the Lower St. Johns River is shown to be spatially variable for different frequencies depending on the geometry. The combination of the constituent analysis and the historical analysis provides the basis information needed for the development of an accurate salinity transport model for the Lower St. Johns River.

No description available.

No description available.

Emerging contaminants (ECs) are chemicals such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products that have been detected in various environmental matrices, including drinking water supplies at trace concentrations (ng/L-ug/L or ng/kg-ug/kg). Current wastewater treatment plant technology is largely ineffective at removing ECs. The objectives of this investigation were to: 1) determine the occurrence of ECs in private well water supplies in Montgomery and Roanoke County, VA 2) quantify the concentrations of three ECs in selected private water supplies; 3) examine the relationship between water quality constituents (nitrate, bacteria, pH and total dissolved solids) to EC occurrence in private water supplies; and 4) determine the ability of the MicroEvapTM, a novel wastewater treatment technology, to remove ECs from secondary wastewater effluent. In partnership with the Virginia Household Water Quality Program, 57 private water supplies were sampled and tested for the occurrence of 142 ECs and 43 other water quality constituents. Up to 73 ECs were detected in the sampled private water supplies. Higher numbers of ECs detected in the tested private water supplies were related with nitrate >1 mg/L, total dissolved solids >250 mg/L, and the presence of total coliform bacteria. Results indicate the MicroEvapTM technology had >99% removal effectiveness for all 26 tested ECs from three secondary wastewater effluent. With the increasing detection of ECs in water bodies, it is essential to understand the occurrence of ECs and environmental predictors of EC presence in different water matrices and continue to develop water treatment technology capable of treating wastewater for EC removal. / Master of Science

FERREIRA, Tatiane Morais. Efeito da massa e dos constituintes químicos do material particulado inalável sobre admissões hospitalares por doenças respiratórias e circulatórias em cidade de porte médio, 2015. 112f. Dissertação (Mestrado) Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Ambiental (PROCAM) Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 2015. Segundo a Organização Mundial da Saúde, a poluição atmosférica é atualmente o principal fator de risco ambiental para a saúde no mundo, principalmente aos grupos mais vulneráveis como crianças e idosos. Em relação ao material particulado inalável (MP10) ainda há incertezas quanto às características físico-químicas que são determinantes de sua toxicidade na saúde. Diversos estudos vêm correlacionando níveis de poluentes com o estado de saúde populacional. Entretanto, tais correlações têm sido feitas principalmente em cidades de grande porte. Assim, é de grande importância estender as avaliações para outras cidades, como as de médio porte, a fim de conhecer os níveis de concentração a qual a população está sendo exposta, para que medidas preventivas possam ser tomadas. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a associação entre as concentrações de MP<2, MP2-10 e MP10 e seus constituintes químicos (Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Ca2+e Mg2+) com as admissões hospitalares por doenças respiratórias e circulatórias em crianças e idosos. Para isso, realizou-se um estudo ecológico de séries temporais a partir de dados de internação por doenças respiratórias em crianças (5 anos) e idosos (60 anos) e por doenças cardiovasculares em idosos, residentes em São José dos Campos, São Paulo, entre março/2010 e fevereiro/2011. Para a análise utilizou-se regressão de Poisson em Modelo Aditivo Generalizado, com ajuste para tendência temporal, variáveis meteorológicas (temperatura e umidade), dias da semana e feriados. Foi encontrada associação estatisticamente significativa entre MP10 e MP2-10 apenas com as doenças respiratórias em crianças e idosos. A cada 10 g/m3 de MP2-10 o aumento no risco de internações para crianças e idosos foi de 20% (IC95%: 11;30) e 23% (IC95%: 13;34), respectivamente, e para MP10 o risco foi cerca de 13% em ambos os grupos. Para o MP<2 observou-se associação estatisticamente significativa para as doenças respiratórias em crianças e circulatórias em idosos. A cada 10 g/m3 de MP<2 o aumento no risco de internação foi de 26% (IC95%: 9;45) para doenças respiratórias em crianças e 20% (IC95%: 6;35) para doenças circulatórias em idosos. Quanto às espécies químicas observaram-se riscos específicos para cada constituinte sobre cada causa analisada. De modo geral, o SO42- no MP2-10 e o K+ no MP<2 foram os constituintes associados ao aumento no risco de internação por todas as causas e em todos os grupos avaliados. Esses resultados estão em acordo com as evidências de que os riscos para diferentes causas variam em relação à fração do MP10 e sua composição química. Porém, para valer-se de estimativas de maior confiabilidade, há necessidade da disponibilização de dados para os demais constituintes químicos de ambas as frações do MP10 e por um período de tempo maior. / FERREIRA, Tatiane Morais. Mass and the chemical constituents effect of inhalable particulate matter on hospital admissions for respiratory and circulatory diseases in medium-sized city, 2015. 112f. Thesis Masters Dissertation - Graduate Program of Environmental Science, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 2015. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is currently the main environmental risk factor for health in the world, especially to the most vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. Regarding the inhalable particulate matter (PM10) there is still uncertainty about the physical and chemical characteristics that are determinants for toxicity in health. Several studies have correlated pollutant levels with the health status of the population. However, these correlations were performed mainly in large cities. Therefore, it is very important to extend the evaluation for other cities, such as medium-sized, in order to know the concentration levels to which the population is being exposed so that preventive measures can be taken. The objective of this study was to analyze the association between PM<2, PM2-10 and PM10 concentrations and its chemical constituents (Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+) with hospital admissions for respiratory and circulatory diseases in children and the elderly. To do so, we carried out an ecological time-series study using hospitalization data for respiratory diseases in children (5 years) and elderly (60 years) and cardiovascular disease among elderly people living in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, between March 2010 and February 2011. For the analysis we used Poisson Regression in Generalized Additive Model, adjusted for temporal trends, meteorological variables (temperature and humidity), day of week and holidays. A statistically significant association between PM10 and PM2-10 was found only with respiratory diseases in children and elderly. The increase in hospitalization risk for children and the elderly was 20% (CI95%: 11;30) and 23% (CI95%: 13;34) for every 10 µg/m3 of PM2-10, respectively, and for the PM10 the risk was about 13% in both groups. For the PM<2 there was a statistically significant association for respiratory diseases in children and circulatory in the elderly. The increase in hospitalization risk was 26% (CI95%: 9;45) for respiratory diseases in children and 20% (CI95%: 6;35) for circulatory diseases in the elderly, for every 10 g/m3 of PM<2. For chemical species we observed risks specific to each constituent and for each cause of hospitalization analyzed. In general, the SO42- in the PM2-10 and the K+ in PM<2 were the constituents associated with an increase in the hospitalization risk for all causes and for all study groups. These results are in accordance with the evidence that the risks for different causes vary according to different fractions of PM10 and its chemical composition. However, to obtain more reliable estimates, one needs data on other chemical constituents of both PM10 fractions and over a longer period of time.

Nesta tese estudamos o movimento de sintagmas preposicionados (PPs), pronomes locativos (Locs) e pronomes locativos preposicionados (LocPs) em estruturas encaixadas do português quatrocentista, admitindo que esse período acomode variações que apontam para uma competição de gramáticas na linha de Kroch (1989, 1994, 2003). Assumimos com Martins (1994), Muidine (2000) e Moraes de Castilho (2005), que os pronomes locativos hi e ende tenham coexistido com os PPs, mas foram suplantados por estes últimos a partir do séc.XV. Tomando-se como corpus representativo do português quatrocentista a Crônica do Conde Dom Pedro de Menezes de Zurara, de fato atestamos PPs convivendo com pronomes locativos nos mesmos contextos sintáticos e inclusive os redobrando. As estruturas de redobro de um locativo por um PP mostraram-se relevantes por indicar a especialização das posições desses elementos. Fazemos uso de duas linhas teóricas, conforme proposta de Kato e Tarallo (1989): um modelo mais formal como a Teoria de Princípios e Parâmetros (Chomsky, 1986) e um de cunho variacionista como a Sociolinguística Laboviana, Para uma análise descritiva dos dados, seguimos a metodologia da Sociolingüística Quantitativa, pontuando fatores lingüísticos condicionadores da posição desses constituintes. De modo geral, os cálculos estatísticos registraram altos índices de movimento dos locativos, por um lado, mas baixos índices de movimento dos PPs, por outro. Já os LocPs equilibraram movimento e posição canônica. Outros fatores como função sintática e tipo de oração incidiram no movimento de PPs e Locs, sobretudo. A análise interpretativa dos resultados se deu sob uma perspectiva gerativista, à luz da Teoria de Princípios e Parâmetros (Chomsky, 1981,1986). Tomando-se o clítico e o sujeito como marcadores de fronteira, conforme propostas de Martins (1994) e Belletti (2002), foi possível vislumbrar quatro posições de ancoragem para os Locs e PPs, que se distribuíram ao longo da estrutura sentencial. Ficou, por fim, evidente, que o movimento de Locs, PPs e LocPs é um caso de competição de gramáticas no português quatrocentista, que acompanha algumas mudanças que desembocam na constituição do português brasileiro. / This research analyses the movement of prepositioned phrases (PPs), locative pronouns (Locs) and prepositioned locative pronouns (LocPs) in embedding structures of the 15th century Portuguese language, admitting that this period has variations which point to a grammar competition in Krochs (1989, 1994, 2003) framework. According to Martins (1994), Muidine (2000) and Moraes de Castilho (2005), latin locative pronouns hi and ende, and PPs had coexisted in Portuguese until the 15th century, when PPs supplanted the usage of locative pronouns. Indeed, taking the Dom Pedro de Menezes Cronic of Zurara (Brocardo, 1997) as the 15th century Portuguese representative corpus, we have found PPs coexisting with locatives in the same syntactic contexts, redoubling them as well. The redoubling structures have turned out to be relevant for indicating the specialization of the positions of these elements. Taking Kato and Tarallo (1989) into consideration, two frameworks are used: one formal model like the theory of Principles and Parameters, and abnother variational like Labov Sociolinguistics. The Quantitative Sociolinguistic methodology is considered for a descriptive analysis of the data, indicating linguistic facts that could affect the position of PPs and locative pronouns. Statistics have registered high percentages regarding the movement of locative pronouns on one hand, but low percentages of PPs movement on the other. LocPs registered similar numbers for movement and for no movement. Other factors such as syntactic function and kind of sentence influenced the movement of PPs and Locs.. The interpretative analysis of the results has happened in the framework of Generative Syntax, considering the Principles and Parameters Theory (Chomsky 1981, 1986). Taking clitics and subject as frontier demarcators, as stated by Martins (1994) and Belletti (2002), it has been possible to verify four positions to host Locs and PPs, all distributed along the sentential structure. In conclusion, it has been evident that PP and locative movement is a grammar competition case in the 15th century Portuguese language and it will accompany some changes which will arise in the Brazilian Portuguese language.

Esta Dissertação abrange a caracterização microestrutural do aço API 5L X65 soldado por feixe de elétrons (EBW) com cinco diferentes aportes térmicos e sem o uso de metal de adição. O aço API 5L X65 pertence à classe de aços ARBL e é empregado na fabricação de oleodutos e gasodutos. As três regiões da solda metal-base (MB), zona termicamente afetada (ZTA) e zona fundida (ZF) foram caracterizadas por microscopia ótica (MO), microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), difração de raios X e medidas de microdureza Vickers. As microestruturas encontradas nestas três regiões são bastante distintas. O MB apresenta grãos ferríticos com bandas perlíticas orientadas paralelamente à direção de laminação. Devido à elevada densidade de potência do processo EBW e às elevadas velocidades de soldagem utilizadas, a ZTA é bastante estreita sendo formada por grãos ferríticos finos e bandas perlíticas degeneradas que a diferem do MB. Na interface ZTA/ZF foi possível observar a presença de grãos com morfologia acicular com a presença dos constituintes M-A (martensita-austenita). A ZF apresentou morfologia similar à encontrada em aços microligados soldados: ferrita alotriomórfica, ferrita acicular, ferrita de Widmanstätten, constituintes M-A, além de regiões bainíticas. Na parte central da chapa foi observada a segregação de manganês. A técnica EBW permite a soldagem de tubos com paredes espessas com apenas um passe. Os resultados desta Dissertação são úteis para avaliar a viabilidade técnica do uso de EBW na fabricação de tubos para o transporte de óleo e gás, especialmente em aços mais resistentes (bainíticos). / This Dissertation aims at the microstructural characterization of electron-beam welded (EBW) API 5L X65 steel using five different processing conditions (heat input) and without filler metal addition. The API 5L X65 steel is a high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel employed mainly in the manufacture of pipelines for oil and gas. The three regions of the welds, namely the base metal (BM), heat affected zone (HAZ) and fusion zone (FZ) were characterized by light optical microscopy using different chemical etching agents, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Vickers microhardness testing. The microstructures found in the three regions were quite distinct. The BM consists of elongated ferritic grains with pearlite bands oriented along the rolling direction. Due to the high power density provided by EBW, the HAZ is very narrow and consists of ferritic grains and bands of degenerated pearlite. At the HAZ/FZ interface it is possible to observe the presence of grains with acicular morphology and the presence of M-A (martensite- retained austenite) constituents. The FZ showed a morphology similar to that one found in molten microalloyed steels consisting of allotriomorphic ferrite, acicular ferrite, Widmanstätten-like ferrite, M-A constituents, as well as bainite. In the central part of the plate it was observed the presence of Mn-segregation lines along the BM. The electron beam welding was chosen because it produces a relatively small HAZ and it allows the welding of thick-wall tubes in one single pass. The results of this work are useful to evaluate the possibility of using EBW in the manufacture of pipelines for transport of oil and gas, especially in higher grade steels.

The topic of this diploma thesis is pronominal subject in Italian in comparison to Czech. The work is divided into two parts, theoretical and practical part. In the first theoretical part, the autor initially investigates the syntax, briefly defines constituensts of sentence and then describes in detail the Italian and Czech subject. Author will focus his attention primarily on the obligatory expression pronominal subject. In the following practical part, the author makes a comparison the obligatory expression pronominal subject in Italian and Czech based on selected literary texts from a parallel corpus InterCorp. The main objective of this work will be to determine whether the distribution of an obligatory pronominal subject is same or different in the two compared languages.