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Reclaimed water use in irrigation : do we need stringent reuse standards to enhance water use and reduce climate impacts?
No full textUnused reclaimed water in arid and semi-arid regions is a wasted water source considering the increased water demand due to population growth, rapid industrial development and climate change impacts. The legal, administrative, technical, and socio-cultural issues govern enhanced reclaimed water use in agricultural irrigation. The study aims at technical assessment of the Palestinian standards (PSI-742 and TR 34) for reclaimed water use in agricultural irrigation and explores how to enhance the water use in agricultural sector. The methodology entails critical revision of local, regional and international reuse standards reuse projects, and evaluation of reclaimed water quality from three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with effluent reuse schemes (Jericho, Nablus West and Jenin WWTP). In addition, the capacity of laboratories at the three selected WWTPs including four national labs were assessed. The results obtained the following:
- The Palestinian reuse standards are based on FAO, WHO and set effluent quality parameters prescribed in the memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) of the joint water committee. The latter entail less stringent quality parameters for the treated effluent destined for agricultural irrigation. However, if discharged into seasonal Wadis, more stringent technical rules apply (10/10/10 as mg/L for BOD/TSS/total N).
- Despite seasonal operational disruption, all WWTPs produced reclaimed water (after filtration and disinfection) in compliance with PSI 742 considering salinity parameters (TSS, COD, total-N) and sanitary quality parameters (pathogenic microorganisms). Reclaimed water contained only nine of 14 elements including boron with values below the PSI-742 limits.
- Relaxation of the PSI-742 quality parameters entails reduction in the number (half) of heavy metals required, removing BOD, lowering total-N similar to that in TR-34, in the latter raise SAR value as in PSI-742, and add EC and pH. MoA reuse permit shall include priority parameters, as TDS, turbidity, Cl and Na content due to their potential toxicity on soil and produce.
- Capacity of local laboratories urges concerned parties recognize specific labs for the analysis of certain lab tests based on equipment availability and staff qualification. This will ensure reliable and credible lab results and monitoring. Training of lab analysts and securing spare parts and sufficient chemicals are essential. To enhance health and environmental protection, enforcement of regulatory monitoring for the WWTPs, regular O&M, preventive and corrective maintenance, control of illicit industrial discharges, pretreatment of heavy industrial polluters, are all urgent measures suggested
Potential application of renewable energy sources at urban wastewater treatment facilities in Palestine : three case studies
No full textMain articleArticle in : Desalination and Water Treatment, 94 (2017), pp.64–71This paper aimed to assess the energy consumption and the removal efficiency of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Palestine and explores the potential application of renewable energy with associated impacts on unit operations. National rules and regional guidelines for treated water are regulatory instruments for the construction approval of WWTPs in Palestine. Three urban WWTPs of various technologies were selected as case studies for the assessment. The technologies applied were conventional activated sludge with anaerobic sludge digestion, extended aeration and membrane bioreactor (MBR) serving Nablus, Al-Bireh and Altira cities, respectively. Analysis of col-lected data on the BOD5removal were 96%, 98% and 99%. The removal efficiency of nitrogen reached 85% and 95% for Al-Bireh and Altira and not accounted for in Nablus WWTP. The energy required for both liquid and sludge lines was calculated based on the available data and correlated with the treatment efficacy. Results analysis revealed wide variations in the energy consumption among the three WWTPs. Altira MBR showed normal trends compared to published literature with 2.88 kWh/m3, of which 40% was consumed by the biological treatment stage. Al-Bireh WWTP consumed 1.86 kWh/m3 with 35% of the electrical consumption for biological stage, and 24% for the sludge line. Nablus-WWTP consumed 2.25 kWh/m3 with 62% of the energy consumed by the biological stage and 34% for sludge line. Under load operation below the design capacities, the specific energy con-sumption for Al-Bireh and Nablus WWTPs are contradicting common published data for activated sludge treatment systems. Use of renewable energy could assist in the reduction of the annual energy operational costs. Assessment of solar photovoltaic (PV) application could yield electricity sufficient for Altira and Al-Bireh pump station facilities covering 9%, 15%, and 1% of their energy demand. PV installation at Nablus WWTP showed marginal impacts if connected off-grid or if combined heat and power are not operational until 2020, payback periods were estimated at 7.5 and 18.7 years, respectively.The European Desalination Society Secretariat, Italy and the Higher Council for Innovation and Excellence-Palestin
Binary dragonfly algorithm for feature selection
No full textWrapper feature selection methods aim to reduce the number of features from the original feature set to and improve the classification accuracy simultaneously. In this paper, a wrapper-feature selection algorithm based on the binary dragonfly algorithm is proposed. Dragonfly algorithm is a recent swarm intelligence algorithm that mimics the behavior of the dragonflies. Eighteen UCI datasets are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. The results of the proposed method are compared with those of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Genetic Algorithms (GAs) in terms of classification accuracy and number of selected attributes. The results show the ability of Binary Dragonfly Algorithm (BDA) in searching the feature space and selecting the most informative features for classification tasks
Shape evolution in Kr, Zr, and Sr isotopic chains in covariant density functional theory
No full textThe relativistic-Hartree-Bogoliubov formalism using density-dependent zero and finite range NN interactions, and separable pairing, is applied to the Kr isotopes (Z = 36) and N = 34–64 isotopes, neutron-rich Sr(Z = 38) and Zr(Z = 40) nuclei with neutron numbers N = 48–70. A systematic search of triaxial ground state and the phenomena of unusual structural change and the coexistence of shape for 70−100Kr, and at N = 58 in the 86−108Sr and 88−110Zr isotopes are done. A reasonable agreement is found with the available experimental data and with the macro-microscopic finite range droplet model. The findings are also in good agreement with the self-consistent Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov calculations based on the interaction Gogny-D1S force, and with relativistic calculations
Dynamics of higher order rational difference equation xn+1= (α+βxn)/(A+Bxn+Cxn−k)
No full textThe main goal of this paper is to investigate the periodic character, invariant intervals, oscillation
and global stability and other new results of all positive solutions of the equation
xn+1 =
α + βxn
A + Bxn + Cxn−k
, n = 0, 1, 2, . . . ,
where the parameters α, β, A, B and C are positive, and the initial conditions x−k, x−k+1, . . . , x−1, x0
are positive real numbers and k ∈ {1, 2, 3, . . .}. We give a detailed description of the semi-cycles of
solutions and determine conditions under which the equilibrium points are globally asymptotically
stable. In particular, our paper is a generalization of the rational difference equation that was
investigated by Kulenovic et al. [The Dynamics of xn+1 =
α+βxn
A+Bxn+Cxn−1
, Facts and Conjectures,
Comput. Math. Appl. 45 (2003) 1087–1099
Spatiotemporal analysis of K-Ras plasma membrane interactions reveals multiple high order homo-oligomeric complexes
No full textAn Article published in : Journal of American Chemical Society, 2017, 139 (38), pp. 13466–13475Self-assembly of plasma membrane-associated Ras GTPases has major implications to the regulation of cell signaling. However, the structural basis of homo-oligomerization and the fractional distribution of oligomeric states remained undetermined. We have addressed these issues by deciphering the distribution of dimers and higher-order oligomers of K-Ras4B, the most frequently mutated Ras isoform in human cancers. We focused on the constitutively active G12V K-Ras and two of its variants, K101E and K101C/E107C, which respectively destabilize and stabilize oligomers. Using raster image correlation spectroscopy and number and brightness analysis combined with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and electron microscopy in live cells, we show that G12V K-Ras exists as a mixture of monomers, dimers and larger oligomers, while the K101E mutant is predominantly monomeric and K101C/E107C is dominated by oligomers. This observation demonstrates the ability of K-Ras to exist in multiple oligomeric states whose population can be altered by interfacial mutations. Using molecular modeling and simulations we further show that K-Ras uses two partially overlapping interfaces to form compositionally and topologically diverse oligomers. Our results thus provide the first detailed insight into the multiplicity, structure, and membrane organization of K-Ras homomers
The right to image : a reflection of the right to privacy or a separate right ?
No full textما يزال التعامل مع الحقوق الأساسية جامداً، بالنظر إلى وجود هذه الحقوق في الدستور والتشريعات العادية من عدمه، بينما تجاوزت المحاكم في عدد من الدول النص الدستوري الجامد، الأمر الذي ساهم بشمل الكثير من الحقوق الأساسية -غير المنظمة بتشريعات- بالحماية والكفالة، والحق في الصورة هو حق من الحقوق الملازمة لشخصية الإنسان، حيث تم النص على ذلك في العديد من القوانين المدنية للدول، كالقانون المدني الفرنسي والأردني والمصري، ونتيجة لكثرة حالات الاعتداء على حق الشخص في صورته بسبب التطور التكنولوجي في مجال التصوير والنشر، قامت العديد من التشريعات المقارنة بمعالجة هذا الموضوع من خلال إدراج نصوص قانونية ترتّب مسؤولية مدنية ومسؤولية جنائية وعقوبات على المعتدي، بهدف ردعه وتوفير الحماية والضمان لحق الشخص في صورته، كما تم تضمين بعض التشريعات نصوص وقائية لحماية الحق في الصورة، وإيراد قيود واستثناءات على هذا الحق بناءً على اعتبارات محددة، والمتمثلة برضاء الشخص بتصويره ونشر هذه الصورة، والإذن الصادر من السلطات العامة للمصلحة العامة، وتصوير الشخصيات العامة والمشهورة
الموت بكرامة : الحق في الحياة، الموت أو الوجود ؟
No full textIt is part of human nature to take things for granted. Nobody ever sees walking or the
ability to move our arms or legs as a privilege until they are incapacitated. Very few
appreciate their immune system until they are sick. In short, we do not recognise a
privilege or register its actual value until it is taken away.
This is not true of those with a severe physical disability or terminal illness. The ability to
move their limbs, walk unaided or perform the most basic of absolutions appears to
them as a luxury or privilege that will be forever denied. Autonomy is a privilege that is
denied to those with severe disabilities or a terminal illness. One response is to ask how
this can be remedied through ‘empowerment’. While the reality of their physical illness
cannot be altered, it is clear that the attitudes and practices of wider society can be
challenged and potentially even altered
The right to education
No full textArabic Abstract: تعكس هذه الورقة التنظيم الدستوري والدولي للحق في التعليم ودور الدولة في إرساء هذا الحق؛ لأهميته في ارتقاء المجتمع، وذلك بجعله إلزامياً في بعض المراحل ومجانياً في مراحل أخرى، مع ضمانها للحق في التعليم العالي، وتنظيمه سواء فيما يتعلق بالتعليم العام أو الخاص من ناحية، أو التعليم المهني أو الفني من ناحية أخرى. وبناءً على ذلك يمكن القول إن المواثيق الدولية وكذلك الوثائق الدستورية اهتمت بتنظيم الحق في التعليم. كما أنها اتفقت في تحديد الإطار العام لقواعده، وإن اختلفت في هذا التنظيم على مستوى الدساتير العربية؛ فمنها ما توسعت، وأخرى ضُيقت، في تحديد مضامينه أو طبيعة الالتزامات المترتبة على الدولة لتوفيره، وأحالت جميع الدساتير موضوع الورقة البحثية تنظيم هذا الحق إلى قوانين صادرة من السلطة التشريعية، الأمر الذي قد يعرّضها لتقييدات إضافية، إلا أنه يمكن توفير الحماية الخاصة من تجاوز السلطات ومن ضمنها التشريعية لحدودها القانونية من خلال الرقابة على دستورية القوانين