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Copyright of Bulletin of Soil & Water Conservation is the property of Bulletin of Soil & Water Conservation Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

New Zealand building codes are often amended to ensure a resilient built environment. The changes in the building code have unintentionally affected the application and use of the amendments in the building code. The purpose of this study is to investigate the unintended consequences of building code amendments in New Zealand and make adequate recommendations for improvement. The view of relevant building code users in the building code regulatory system on the negative consequences of building code amendments was analyzed in this study. In total, the study examined 116 responses from a questionnaire survey to explore the understanding of building code users on the unintended impacts of building code amendments. Findings from the study showed that a high proportion of respondents strongly believed in the need to ameliorate the unintended side effects of building code amendments with an emphasis on proactive training, bureaucracy in the design approval process, shortage of technical staff, and increased code technical complexity, which demonstrated the usefulness of the research. Based on the findings from the study, it is evident that providing satisfactory technical guidelines and reducing regulatory deficiencies among the building code authorities will help to reduce the negative impacts of building code amendments in New Zealand. The study concludes by stressing the significant impacts of unintended consequences of amending the building code and emphasized the importance of informing policy regulators on the need to improve the identified consequences of building code amendments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversification in fertilizer sources will be necessary to meet the growing demand for food worldwide. For this reason, organic amendments emerge as a synthetic fertilizers alternative. Composting organic waste stabilizes the nitrogen (N) content and delays N release to the soil. Applying composted amendments to the soil could reduce the losses of N, including nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas with great potential for global warming. The objective of this work was to evaluate the N2O emission in typical Argiudol soil after applying a traditional synthetic fertilizer, raw poultry manure, composted poultry manure and control soil. Cumulative N2O emission rates during the 32 days of the trial were 1273, 965, 423, and 244 g N2O-N/ha-1 from the soil using urea, poultry manure, composted poultry manure, and control, respectively. Our results suggest that the application of composted poultry manure to the soil produces lower N2O emissions than the application of raw poultry manure or urea. The presence of more stabilized compounds in the composted manure decreases the soil nitrate availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Piezoelectrics & Acoustooptics is the property of Piezoelectric & Acoustooptic and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Biochar or pyrogenic carbon, obtained from the thermo‐chemical conversion of biomass in an anaerobic or oxygen‐limited environment, has been in use in agriculture perhaps as far back as the Neolithic. Its unique soil‐ameliorating properties render it suitable for environmental remediation as well as sustainable crop production. It improves soil physicochemical properties and plant nutrient availability, reduces toxic chemical load, facilitates biodiversity, and reduces the emission of greenhouse gases thereby subsiding global warming. The application of biochar can reduce soil erosion, improve soil hydrological properties, and help soil microbial dynamics. It has synergistic effects on plant growth, disease‐pest resistance, and crop yield per unit area and time. Due to its soil‐ameliorative effects and soil and water‐conserving ability, it can be used beneficially in organic farming, permaculture, dryland farming, conservation agriculture, and land remediation. Cheaper production cost, simple, and easy pyrolytic technologies, easy availability of feedstock and bio‐wastes in many developing countries, and its long‐term effects on soil not only build up the soil carbon pool but also help support small and marginal farmers in resource‐rich but economically deprived countries for sustainable agriculture and land development. In this review, efforts have been made to elucidate various uses of biochar, its characteristics and applications effects on soil systems, land development, and sustainable agricultural production toward achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN‐SDGs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of good potting media to produce good planting materials for rubber plantations is one of the problems affecting natural rubber (NR) growers and this demands viable solutions. This work describes the effects of potting media made with horse waste-based bokashi compost on the growth and biomass accumulation of rubber seedlings. The research involved four potting media (M1 = 1:0 soil:bokashi, M2 = 1:1 soil:bokashi, M3 = 2:1 soil:bokashi, and M4 = 1:2 soil:bokashi), as well as PB 350 and RRIM 2002 seedlings. Growth parameters assessed were plant height and girth size per plant. Shoot and root dry weights were computed to evaluate the biomass accumulation using indices such as the relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), leaf area ratio (LAR), specific leaf area (SLA), root–shoot ratio (RSR) and leaf weight ratio (LWR). Significant growth in terms of plant height was achieved in M4 with the tallest plants (114.1 cm) compared to 93.1 cm in M1 (corresponding to 74.4 and 42.0% height increment, respectively). Plant height increased by 66.3% in RRIM 2002 as compared to 54.6% in PB350. Also, M4 provided a significant shoot dry weight of 139.0 g/plant, leaf area of 4233.2 cm2/plant compared to 58.1 g/plant and 1832.3 cm2/plant, respectively, in the control-M1. Interaction results indicated that RRIM 2002 clone provided the highest RGR (0.011 g/g/day) in M4. This work also demonstrated that adding bokashi to the soil significantly improved most of the chemical properties (but did not significantly change the physical properties) with RRIM 2002 clone responding better to bokashi potting media compared to PB 350 clone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Derecho Politico is the property of Editorial UNED and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Among mine wastes, tailings are known to have the largest environmental impact, as they have high concentrations of trace elements and are susceptible to wind dispersal and water erosion. A tree plantation trial was installed at Kipushi tailing (DR Congo) in order to mitigate the contaminant dispersal in the surrounding areas. Fifteen years later, the present study was conducted for the purpose of investigating the macronutrient and metal content in amended holes and assessing the performance of tree species through root behavior in the tailings dams. Results show elevated available P, K, Ca, and Mg concentration in the surface and amended layers, which is higher than the unpolluted soil of the miombo woodland. Trace metals were manifold higher compared to the pedo-geochemical background of the region, with Cu and Co concentration tending to increase in the organic matter-rich layers, while Zn, Cd, Pb, and As remained higher in tailings. Compared to the tailing layer, roots grew well in the amended layers, but few roots ranging from very fine to big from all the surviving species were able to grow beyond the amended layers, indicating the possibility of tree survival on the tailings dams over many years. Acacia polyacantha and Psidium guajava are species that showed a higher quantity of roots in the unamended tailing layers. Leaves should be avoided for human or animal consumption, but as the concentration of Cu, Zn, and Co in guava was lower, there is no indication of hazards in case of their consumption. Therefore, the use of well-adapted tree species on the mix-up of the organic amendments with the uncontaminated topsoil seemed to be a good technique for the reclamation of larger polluted areas.

Objective The aim of this study was to gather the opinion of medical practitioners in India regarding the modifications in the recently released MCI (Medical Council of India) circular for faculty promotion criteria across medical colleges in the country and their suggestions for further changes. Materials and Methods An 11-set validated online questionnaire was circulated among medical practitioners across various medical colleges in the country, open for a period of 8 days between 5 to 12 June, 2020. The participants in this online survey were asked to rank the order of authors and types of manuscripts on a scale of 0 to 1 with increments of 0.1 and were also asked for an opinion regarding indexing, inclusion of impact factor of the journal, and citation indices. Results There were 182 respondents included in the survey, belonging to 12 different states. Majority of the doctors participating in the survey were professors (37.3%, 68/182). About 81.3% (148/182) doctors were aware of the latest MCI guidelines. Opinion for adding citations to the promotion criteria was expressed by 59.3% (108/182). There was a general suggestion to include number of citations, and Google Scholar as citation service. A scoring table was proposed based on the responses, to rank various publications. Conclusion As per the survey, more than 80% of the medical practitioners were aware of the recent update by MCI for faculty promotion. The participants expressed that the exiting guidelines may be further modified by the inclusion of all authors and all types of manuscripts into the criteria, based on a graded score system.

The extraction of olive oil produces an enormous quantity of waste, such as olive mill wastewater (OMWW) and olive mill pomace (OMP), The majority of the agricultural wastes, including olive oil mill waste, are used as soil amendments due to their high nutritional value. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the amendment with olive mill pomace from a 3-phase coldpressed system on the characteristics of the soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and organic matter content (OM). The experiment was carried out using increasing rates of olive mill pomace (12.5%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% w/w) plus the control untreated soil in microcosms under laboratory conditions. The results showed that the treatment of soil with olive mill pomace has a significant effect on soil properties (pH, EC, OM, OC, and CaCO3) soil pH was decreased under OMP treatment, especially with high doses of PR4 and PR5, and the electrical conductivity of the soil (EC) was increased, as well as soil carbonate content. Moreover, the soil organic matter content and soil organic carbon content were highly increased under the treatment with OMP. As a result, we can consider the olive mill pomace as a soil fertilizer. Pretreatment of olive mill pomace to reduce acidic pH and salt content before use as a soil amendment is also recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the renewed Russian Fundamental Law, in addition to a number of provisions introducing changes to the political system, there are also statements of programmatic importance, as well as several provisions with symbolic and identity function. In this article these provisions are subject to functional and semiotic-cultural analysis. Particular emphasis has been placed on legally irrelevant content transmitted by the new regulations, on their semantic connections with the content of the preamble and on their cultural context. The research procedure carried out allows us to state that, compared with the 1993 text, the Russian Constitution in its current version participates to a much greater extent in the complex system of transmission of symbolic content, as well as the narratives that contribute to social memory, cultural and historical identity. In doing so, it goes beyond its genre limitations, opening the basic text to the functions assigned to the preamble. In the fragments I have analysed in the paper there are undoubtedly functional and genre disturbances, and with them changes the mode of semiosis of the legal text, both in its normative and programmatic form. Renewed Constitution is the case in which a legal text, by its very nature designing the possible future world, does so through ideas about the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the sorption characteristics and mechanism of phosphate on zirconium-modified attapulgite (Zr-ATP), iron-modified attapulgite (Fe-ATP), and zirconium/iron co-modified attapulgite (Zr/Fe-ATP) prepared by a simple impregnation method were studied, and the impacts of Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP amendment and capping on the migration of phosphorus (P) from sediments to overlying waters were investigated. The results showed that Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP possessed stronger adsorption ability for phosphate in aqueous solution than Fe-ATP. The ligand replacement of the hydroxyl group with the phosphate anion to form the inner-sphere phosphate complex played a crucial role in the adsorption process of phosphate on Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP. Most of the phosphate ions bound by Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP were in the form of caustic soda solution-extractable inorganic P (NaOH-IP) and residual P (Res-P), and it is hard for these P species to be re-released into water under the circumstances of reducing environment and normal pH (5–9). The ratio of mobile P to total P of Fe-ATP loaded with phosphate was much higher than those of Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP loaded with phosphate, indicating that Fe-ATP-bound phosphate has a higher re-releasing risk than Zr-ATP-bound and Zr/Fe-ATP-bound phosphate. Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP amendment all can reduce the releasing risk of P from sediments to overlying waters. The amendment of sediment with Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP can both induce the conversion of redox-sensitive P (BD-P) to NaOH-IP and Res-P in the sediment, making the phosphorus in the sediment more stable. However, the amendment of sediment with Fe-ATP can only induce the conversion of HCl-P to NaOH-IP in the sediment and had a negligible effect on the inorganic P activity in the sediment. Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP capping all can reduce the risk of P release from sediment into the overlying water, and Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP capping had a better reduction efficiency of internal P liberation to the overlying water than Fe-ATP capping. Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP capping all can give rise to the reduction of pore water SRP and diffusive gradient in thin-film (DGT)-labile P in the upper sediment. This is beneficial to the control of P releasing from sediment into the overlying water by the Zr-ATP, Fe-ATP, and Zr/Fe-ATP capping. The findings of this work suggest that Zr-ATP and Zr/Fe-ATP are promising active capping or amendment materials for internal P loading management in surface water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil carbon (C) mineralization was studied in an incubation experiment comprised of two factors having six organic materials and three nitrogen (N) rates. Cow dung (CD), rice straw (RS), wood ash (WA), cow dung biochar (CB), rice straw biochar (RB) and wood biochar (WB) considering 2.5 g C kg−1 soil along with three levels of N, i.e., 0, 0.05 and 0.10 g N kg−1 soil were mixed with 400 g of soil used in each pot. The pots were placed for 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days of incubation, and soils were collected after each incubation and analyzed for C and N. Irrespective of treatment factors, C decreased in an irregular fashion until 180 days of incubation. From the initial level of 1.91%, C contents decreased to 1.08, 1.10, 1.06, 1.23, 1.17 and 1.12% in soil mixed with CD, RS, WA, CB, RB and WB, respectively, and to 1.28, 1.11 and 0.99% in 0, 0.05 and 0.10 g N kg−1 soil, respectively, at 180 days of incubation. The mineralization followed the order of WA > CD > RS > WB > RB > CB. Biochars could supply stable C in soil, while N enhances mineralization; optimization of N is therefore essential to ensure soil C accretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the ecological barrier of a lake environment, lakebanks with plant/soil/microorganism systems play roles in runoff sink function. However, without proper control, the pollutants absorbed by plants can remain in plant litter and return to the water body in the plant fall season, resulting in secondary pollution. To reuse plant litter and further enhance the ecological function of lakebanks, in this study, plant litter was collected to produce biochar, which was incorporated into the lakebank soil in a microcosm. Then, the results and mechanisms of nitrogen (N) interception/removal by biochar-amended soil (biochar-based lakebank) were examined in the plant fall season (December–February) and growth season (June–August), respectively. The results showed that: (1) in both plant fall and growth seasons, the biochar-based lakebank exhibited higher total nitrogen (TN) and nitrate N (NO3−-N) removal efficiency from runoff than natural lakebank, especially in the plant growth season; (2) in the plant growth season, the TN removal efficiency of biochar-based lakebank increased by 32.85%, 12.00%, and 18.97%, and NO3−-N removal efficiency increased by 218.19%, 67.22%, and 85.91% under low, medium, and high influent pollution loads, respectively, when compared with those of natural lakebank; and (3) biochar amendment into soil promoted plant growth and increased the abundance of microorganisms related to the N cycle such as nitrobacteria, nitrifying bacteria, and aerobic denitrifying bacteria, which can further enhance the ecological function of lakebank in N removal from runoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dissipation study of pesticides in soil is essential as it is a major sink for bulk of globally used pesticides. Soil properties, temperature and application rate play important role in its degradation. Laboratory studies were carried out in order to assess the degradation dynamics of imazethapyr under subtropical conditions. In all soils, at all studied temperatures dissipation followed single first-order kinetics at lower application rates (0.0375 and 0.187 µg g−1) with half-life varying from 30.15 to 52.16 days. However, at higher application rate (0.8 and 1.5 µg g−1), dissipation followed biphasic first-order kinetics and half-life varied from 6.57 to 7.79 days (p > 0.05) during initial phase and 93.74–152.83 days (p < 0.05) during final phase. Dissipation rate was fastest in alkaline soils (pH = 8.0–8.8) followed by neutral soil (pH = 7.4) and acidic soil (pH = 5.0). Amendment of soil with farmyard manure and increase in temperature enhanced the dissipation of imazethapyr. Application of imazethapyr at low rate has nonsignificant effect on dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphates activity, whereas short and momentary toxic effect was observed at 0.8 and 1.5 µg g−1. These findings indicate that soil physicochemical parameters especially pH, OM content and temperature should be considered in combination along with the application rate of imazethapyr for achieving satisfactory weed control and reducing environmental risk associated with the use of imazethapyr in different crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application amendments to saline-alkaline soils is considered to be a good practice for soil remediation. The effects of different amendments (e.g., biochar soil amendment, microorganism agents, polyacrylamide) on saline soils were investigated under a wheat-maize rotation system from 2017 to 2018 in Binzhou, Shandong Province, China. The field experiment was conducted with four soil treatments: control (CK), biochar soil amendment (BSA), polyacrylamide (PAM) and microorganism agents (MA). Surface soil (0-20 cm) moisture increased consistently under various amendment treatments compared with CK during crops growing season, especially under BSA treatment. The effect of amendments on subsoil (20-60 cm) moisture was not significant. Simultaneously, soil amendment remarkably reduced soil salinity at the 0-60 cm depth during wheat growing season especially under BSA treatment. During maize growing season, surface soil (0-20 cm) salinity decreased. Surface soil (0-20 cm) salt content was the lowest under PAM treatment, but the salt content in deeper soil (20-60 cm) changed little. Furthermore, amendments significantly reduced Cl-content and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and increased K+ /Na+ ratio. Soil moisture content was higher and salinity content was lower during maize growth season compared with those during wheat growth season. As a result, application of BSA, among the three amendments, produced the best effects. Therefore, it can be recommended for wide application in similar saline-alkali soil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2018 Algeria has had a new mental health law intended to be more practical and in line with international standards for patients' rights and supervision of coercive measures. Despite its simpler formulation compared with the previous law it remains far from what psychiatrists need and what patients hope for. Some chapters are confusing and difficult to grasp. Like previous mental health laws, it is unlikely that the current law will actually be applied, owing to the huge gap between the core text and the available services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Belügyi Szemle / Academic Journal of Internal Affairs is the property of Ministry of Interior of Hungary and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Journal of Irrigation & Drainage Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study presents the problems of courts, in the case of sentencing for crimes of false testimony in the light of judicial decisions. The article is, therefore, a presentation of issued decisions of common courts and the Supreme Court in the scope of this off ense, indicating the changes made to the law. The author will attempt to resolve the problem of the circumstances in which a false testimony is sentenced for as an off ence, given the current case-law of the Supreme Court and common courts. The conclusions of the discussed principles of sentencing for this crime (based on available statistics), will be the starting point for the assessment.

The accumulation of ammonia in poultry houses is of concern to bird and human health. Acidification of the litter by application of acidifying amendments such as sodium bisulfate (SBS) retains ammonia generated by microbial degradation of uric acid as harmless ammonium in the litter. Although some studies on the effects of litter amendments on specific bacteria and groups of bacteria have been carried out previously, wide gaps in knowledge remain. In the present study, 2 types of samples were prepared and either left unamended or amended with 2.5 or 10% SBS. One set of samples consisted of a 1:1 mixture of built-up litter and fresh poultry manure (L/M); the other of fresh wood shavings and fresh poultry manure (S/M). The samples were kept in the laboratory at room temperature for 35 d. The pH of unamended mixtures increased to 7.3 and 6.9 for L/M and S/M, respectively. A pH of 6.7 and 3.9 on day 35 was observed for L/M and SM with 2.5% SBS, respectively. The corresponding values for LM and SM amended with 10% SBS were 3.5 and 2.5, respectively. Plating data indicated that coliforms became less numerous in the unamended samples than the SBS-amended samples. This difference was also seen in data obtained by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rDNA. The sequencing data also indicated that sequences from the genus Oceanisphaera accounted for as much as 80% of the sequences from L/M and about 40% of those from S/M samples early on. Sequences from members of the order Clostridiales were enriched in L/M and S/M amended with 10% SBS as were sequences from the genus Turicibacter. Weisella species sequences were more prevalent in SBS-amended samples than in unamended ones. Sequences from the genus Corynebacterium, Brachybacterium, and Arthrobacter were more common in L/M samples than in S/M samples regardless of the SBS content. The data indicate that litter amendments affect some bacteria populations and not others. Further studies are required to determine if the observed population changes such as increased survival of coliforms warrant actions to improve the microbial quality of litter to be reused.

This article addresses some amendments of the Polish Code of Criminal Procedure in so far as they affect the position of the injured party. The Act of 19 July 2019 amending the Polish Code of Criminal Code provides for a number of changes relating to that participant of criminal proceedings. The paper deals with the extension of the time limit within which it is possible to withdraw a motion to prosecute, changes to the so-called subsidiary complaint, setting a deadline for questioning the injured under Articles 185a and 185c of the Polish Code of Criminal Procedure or serving the injured party with an order to pay (injunctive judgment) alongside the instructions on how to appeal against the judgment and simultaneously file a statement that the injured will act in the capacity of a subsidiary prosecution counsel. The analysis is aimed to establish whether those changes have led to the strengthening or weakening of the position of the injured party.

When a constitutional judge willing to spend his time to give a review to a book, it is a great sign that the book has some appeals to offer. Yet, the book that is currently will be reviewed is not only discussed by one but two constitutional judges. At the end of November 2019, two constitutional judges, Saldi Isra and I Dewa Gede Palguna, discussed a book entitled “Constitutional Amendment: Making, Breaking and Changing Constitutions†written by Richard Albert. The attention to the book did not only appear in Indonesia. In the author’s origin, North America, the book received great acknowledgment from a wide range of legal and political scholars whom people often used to reference their works. Distinguished names like Bruce Ackerman, Tom Ginsburg, Ran Hirschl, Vicki Jackson and Mark Tushnet, encourage audiences to have a close examination of this recent Richard Albert’s publication. Richard Albert, himself, is not a foreign name to political science communities, as well as constitutional law academics. Albert is one of the founders and editors of the International Journal of Constitutional Law (ICON). The book offers two distinct novelty as its strength. First, the book raised a very important issue in the constitutional discourse but rarely been discussed. the second strength of Albert’s works is his mastery in capturing the constitutional amendment process in many countries around the globe and mapping them as well as structuring their similarities.

The effectiveness and longevity of amendments will influence the reduction in cadmium (Cd) bioavailability by in situ remediation techniques. Different amendments, including red mud (RM), corn straw (CS), rape straw (RS), and their combinations with zinc (Zn) fertilizer, were evaluated based on a long-term field experiment. It was found that all amendments decreased the concentration of available-Cd (EDTA-Cd and Exch-Cd) in soil and also reduced the Cd content (%) in plants. The amendments were still effective after eight years, although the effect did decline over time. The reduction of plant Cd content was 83.5% for red mud plus rape straw (RMRS), 65.3% for red mud plus corn straw (RMCS), 50.9% for RS, 54.0% for RM, and 37.3% for CS in the first few years. The reduction in plant Cd content was still 17.2% for RMRS after eight years, and RMRS was found to be the most effective treatment for decreasing Cd bioavailability. This study also explained that why the reduction in plant Cd content declined over time is the change of available Cd content in soil over time, which is important for guiding agricultural practice. It was concluded that RM, CS, RS, and their combinations with Zn fertilizer as effective amendments can have a profound and lasting positive impact on Cd-contaminated soils.

Background: Hospitals are one of the greatest and most costly operational units of the health system and a study on its performance may be a criterion for operation and efficiency assessment of its resource consumption. The present study was done in 2017 with the purpose of assessing technical efficiency of the selected hospital under the coverage of Yazd University of Medical Sciences using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in context of Health Reform Plan. Methods: This research is a descriptive-analytical study was done in 2017. In this research in order to determine assessing the efficiency of Yazd University of Medical Sciences hospitals, 10 hospitals affiliated with this university were chosen. To collect data the information collection form including specifications of hospital as well as input and output index is used and the data before and after executing Health Reform Plan were collected and compared. The input-oriented DEA method is used for estimating technical efficiency of hospitals and data analysis is done by DEAP software and two-sample paired-t test SPSS21. Results: The average of hospitals that have been studied before and after the reform plan is 0.985 and 0.990 respectively. In management efficiency, it is respectively 0.986 and 0.992 before and after the reform plan and the efficiency average of the hospital's scale before and after executing the health reform plan is respectively 0.999 and 0.997. There is no meaningful relationship observed between hospitals' efficiency grades before and after the reform plan in these three technical, management and scale types of efficiency (P-value > 0.05). Conclusion: According to results we could say the efficiency of the hospitals was not so affected by reform plan. It is recommended to assess the efficiency of the Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) method on a linear basis in addition to identifying indexes that are effective in efficiency of hospitals.

Law no. 8/2002, of January 10, introduces various and important amends the condominium legal regime. Amongst other relevant amendments, the new regime regarding expenses and outstanding debts and the increase of the condominium manager's responsibility stand out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To eradicate terrorism sternly and speedily, the Parliament of Pakistan amended the constitution and empowered the military courts to try the suspect civilian terrorists. The criticism has been copious, and multiple petitions were filed before the apex court around the country. They contended that the Parliament amended the salient features of the constitution beyond its amending powers and is liable to be struck down. Further, expanding the jurisdiction of the military courts over the alleged civilian terrorists is a contravention of their fundamental rights and the principle of judicial independence. The Supreme Court has ruled that it had no jurisdiction to examine the constitutional amendment and strike it down. Further, the Parliament was competent to expand the jurisdiction of military courts over civilians terrorists to secure the country's safety and integrity. Hence, it is not a violation of the fundamental rights of the civilian suspect terrorists, and it is consistent with the prescribed criminal justice system. This study examines the judicial verdict rendered by the apex court of Pakistan in favour of the twenty-first constitutional amendment with the support of the eminent experts' views taken by way of conducting face-to-face interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Waste Forum is the property of Czech Environment Management Center (CEMC) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study indicates the solutions introduced by the amendment to the Penal Code during the pandemic. These are the so-called anti-crisis shields - shield 1.0, shield 3.0 and shield 4.0. The primary role of these laws was to respond to the crises related to the COVID-19 epidemic. Amendments to the Penal Code were introduced in a manner inconsistent with the Constitution of the Republic of Poland and the Regulations of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. The mere legislative change and increasing punitiveness of the criminal law system and penal policy will not significantly reduce crime. The work is of a presentative and systematising character. The assumed hypothesis boils down to the assertion that the changes to the penal code made pursuant to the so-called anti-Covid laws are irrational and introduced without the required legislative procedure. The study mainly used the formal-dogmatic method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil properties are significantly influenced by the addition of biochar. Biochar improves soil quality as it increases the soil alkalinity, surface negative charge, nutrient retention capacity, porosity, organic carbon content and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The present research based on pot study was carried out in October 2015 to April 2016 with Prosopis juliflora biochar. We investigated the effect of different concentrations of biochar (1%, 5% and 10%) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (50 mg/kg naphthalene and 100 mg/kg phenanthrene) on various physico-chemical parameters of sandy soil. Biochar application significantly helps to reduce the soil bulk density by 8.40%, 13.95% and 17.61%, respectively, as compared to control. Similarly, percent soil space was effectively decreased with increased biochar application rate from 8.4% to 17%. Porosity and water holding capacity were significantly increased with biochar application rate (0% < 1% <5% <10%). The non-significant (p ≤ 0.05) results were observed in case of increase in pH and electrical conductivity values in biochar-amended and non-biochar amended soil samples. CEC and soil organic carbon values were significantly increased from 26.54 to 33.18% and 38.54 to 51.63%, respectively, in 10% biochar-amended soil as compared to biochar non-amended soil. However, biochar nourishes soil that could be safely applied in agriculture for improvement of soil health and crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of 0.5% and 1% alkaline, clay mineral and phosphorus amendments, as well as 2% and 5% organic amendments, on lead (Pb) soil bioavailability and Pb absorption by the low-Pb accumulator kumquat (Citrus japonica Thunb.) 'Cuipi' in two typical Pb-contaminated soils, Jiyuan and Yangshuo, from northern and southern China, respectively. The diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-extractable Pb soil concentration and Pb accumulation in kumquat significantly decreased with amendment additions. High amendment doses had greater inhibitory effects than low doses but no significant effects on the kumquat's biomass in the two typical soils. Alkaline, but not clay mineral, amendments greatly increased the soil pH level. Organic amendments effectively reduced Pb accumulation owing to their strong adsorptive capacities. Thus, using organic amendments combined with a low-Pb accumulator kumquat forms a suitable farming practice for producing safe fruit in the two common types of Pb-contaminated soils in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Due to the biomagnifying effect in the food chains, heavy metals will cause serious harm to the food produced in paddy soil, and then threaten human health. The remediation of soil heavy metals by the addition of amendments is a common method. However, the combination of the two amendments has been less studied and its effect is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of different concentrations of a lime and calcium-magnesium phosphate (CMP) amendments metal availability and paddy soil bacteria biodiversity. The experiment proves that the addition of 0.5 and 1.0‰ amendment can effectively reduce cadmium (Cd) availability and the cadmium content in rice to be below 0.2 mg/kg, meeting the national food safety level. The results demonstrate that increasing pH and phosphorous (P) in soil were two important factors decreasing available cadmium. Furthermore, biodiversity analysis of the treated soil showed that the amendment increased biodiversity. Proteobacteria and Chloroflex were the most abundant bacteria at the phylum level, followed by Acidobacterium and Nitrospirae. The abundance of Bacterodietes - vadinHA17 , Syntrophaceae , and Thiobacillus increased as phosphorous increased. Cadmium passivation might induce those species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the biomagnifying effect in the food chains, heavy metals will cause serious harm to the food produced in paddy soil, and then threaten human health. The remediation of soil heavy metals by the addition of amendments is a common method. However, the combination of the two amendments has been less studied and its effect is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of different concentrations of a lime and calcium-magnesium phosphate (CMP) amendments metal availability and paddy soil bacteria biodiversity. The experiment proves that the addition of 0.5 and 1.0‰ amendment can effectively reduce cadmium (Cd) availability and the cadmium content in rice to be below 0.2 mg/kg, meeting the national food safety level. The results demonstrate that increasing pH and phosphorous (P) in soil were two important factors decreasing available cadmium. Furthermore, biodiversity analysis of the treated soil showed that the amendment increased biodiversity. Proteobacteria and Chloroflex were the most abundant bacteria at the phylum level, followed by Acidobacterium and Nitrospirae. The abundance of Bacterodietes-vadinHA17, Syntrophaceae, and Thiobacillus increased as phosphorous increased. Cadmium passivation might induce those species.

In phytomanagement approach the application of a combination of amendments is an option for remediating arsenic polluted areas and valorized biomass obtained. Various amendments can be used. Biochar has been shown to reduce metal(loid) availability, and increase soil fertility, while iron sulfate has a considerable As binding capacity, and poultry manure is a source of nutrients. A phytotoxicity test was performed by applying the three amendments (2% biochar, 0.15%, 0.30% and 0.45% iron sulfate and 0.4% poultry manure) to a former tin mine technosol, to investigate their effects on (i) soil pore water properties, (ii) metal(loid) immobilization and (iii) Phaseolus vulgaris L. growth, used as a bioindicator. Biochar addition alone did not affect soil properties or plant parameters. However, the addition of iron sulfate acidified the soil, decreased soil pore water As concentrations, and increased the ones of Fe and Pb. It also improved plant growth, and reduced As and Pb aerial and root concentrations. Finally, the addition of poultry manure had no effect on soil and plants. Based on our results, the combination of iron sulfate with biochar may be a solution for reducing soil toxicity of the Abbaretz mining technosol, improving its fertility, and thus ameliorating plant growth. The work presented in this manuscript describes the effect of amendment application, i.e., biochar, chicken dung and/or iron sulfate, on soil properties, metals availability and dwarf bean growth, plant used as bioindicator. Our results showed that the combination of a low amount of iron sulfate with biochar is the strategy to reduce soil toxicity, improved its fertility and consequently authorizes plant growth. This study is one of the first describing the effects of combined amendments on a mining soil properties with focusing on metal(loid) mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil fumigation is currently an effective and rapid method to prevent soil-borne diseases, insects, and weeds. However, some pathogens may reproduce again as crops are planted, leading to the continuous development of diseases. After soil fumigation treatment, it will cause the soil microenvironment to be in a state of imbalance. Soil amendments can improve the soil environment, reduce crop root diseases, reduce nutrient loss and improve the quality of agricultural products. Soil fumigation combined with amendments can repair or improve the soil to a certain extent, restore the microbial community affected by the fumigants or increase the relative abundance of beneficial microorganisms, prevent soil pathogenic bacteria from reinfecting, which will make the soil more conducive to the growth of crops. This article briefly summarizes the classification information of commonly used fumigants and soil amendments, focusing on the combined use of soil amendments and fumigants to affect the physical and chemical properties, enzyme activities, microbial communities and crop growth of the soil after fumigation. Therefore, this study has provided the reference for the prevention and control of disease-borne diseases, the combined use of fumigants and soil amendments, and related mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the multitude of situations that can be encountered in real life in terms regarding the violation of the provisions of the legal document that regulates hunting and protects the hunting fund, it is necessary the constant intervention of the legislator to adapt the rules to new methods of acting in committing one or another of the incriminated facts. This is also the reason for the existence of this approach, in the sense that we wanted to briefly analyze the aspects under which the rules found in the articles indicated in the title have been recently amended and supplemented by the provisions of Law no. 13/2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several industrial by-products may be used as amendments to reduce arsenic availability in contaminated areas, hence contributing to phytoremediation processes. This study was conducted aiming to evaluate red mud (RM) and a mixture containing 75% of RM + 25% of phosphogypsum (PG) (hereafter, RMPG) as amendments in arsenic-contaminated soils presenting distinct properties, like clay and organic matter content and chemical composition. Two contrasting soils were artificially contaminated with 150 mg dm3 of arsenic and after that cultivated with Urochloa brizantha. The experiment was carried out using a Typic Dystrudox (LV, 750 g kg−1 clay) and a Typic Quartzipsamment (RQ, 70 g kg−1 clay), with the following RM and RMPG rates: 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0% (w/v). Also, limestone was tested as an additional amendment for comparison. Hydrogen potential (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), sodium, and arsenic concentrations were analyzed on leachates, and the dry matter production of Urochloa brizantha and arsenic concentration in plant root and shoot dry matter were also recorded. The amendments increased pH, EC, and sodium concentration and the addition of RMPG decreased the arsenic concentration on leachates. RMPG increased plant dry matter production and decreased arsenic concentration in the plant's shoot. The plant resistance to arsenic contamination was influenced by soil properties, with arsenic toxicity being more evident in the sandy soil (RQ) compared with the clayey soil (LV). The mixture (RMPG) has shown to be an advantageous amendment since, besides decreasing arsenic availability, it also furnishes the nutrients calcium and sulfur from the PG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the use of manganese-containing amendments (Mn amendments) to improve the Mn uptake of a low-cadmium (Cd) rice cultivar, Koshihikari Kan No.1 (Oryza sativa L.), with a loss of function in the OsNramp5 that transports Mn and Cd, which was developed from an elite japonica cultivar Koshihikari. A flooded soil incubation experiment demonstrated that an increase of dissolved Mn in soils was induced by adding all 14 Mn amendments and was highly dependent on the citric acid-extractable Mn in the amendment. From the result of the incubation experiment, we selected three Mn amendments, namely, SM-1 (remarkably high Mn availability), FME-2 (high Mn availability), and SM-3 (moderate Mn availability) for a pot experiment. The pot experiment was carried out using two kinds of Mn-deficient soils with different pH (soil A and B). Manganese uptake by Koshihikari Kan No.1 was only less than one-tenth of that by Koshihikari grown on the same kinds of control soils. Dissolved Mn in soils and Mn uptake by Koshihikari Kan No.1 were substantially improved with the application of Mn amendments in the order SM-1 > FME-2 > SM-3; however, the magnitude was much more prominent in soil A than soil B. Lower soil solution pH of soil A would promote Mn dissolution from amendments and prevent dissolved Mn from adsorption on solid phase. Manganese uptake by Koshihikari Kan No.1 increased linearly with the increased dissolved Mn in the observed range (R2 = 0.972, p < 0.001 for soil A and R2 = 0.978, p < 0.001 for soil B). We concluded that the application of Mn amendment to Mn-deficient soils would be a promising countermeasure to ensure the healthy growth of Koshihikari Kan No.1. Additionally, soil pH control along with the application of Mn amendment would be of significance to improve the effectiveness of the application. The findings provide useful information for soil management to enhance Mn uptake by using the existing and future low-Cd cultivars with the mutant osnramp5 allele. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To investigate the effect of vermicomposted kitchen, market and tea wastes on tomato growth and yield and assess the benefits and costs that arise. Method A field experiment arranged in the randomized complete block design with five experimental treatments: vermicomposted kitchen, market, tea wastes, NPK fertilizer and a control, replicated thrice was conducted. Data were collected on plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, number of flower stalks, fruit number, fruit weight, above-ground biomass, marketable tomato yield, soil nutrient content, pH, texture and exchangeable acidity. Data obtained were analyzed using SAS version 9.4 by subjecting to one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Biophysical crop data means were separated using Tukey's Studentized Range (HSD) test at p=0.05 significance level. T-test was used to determine the difference in soil nutrient content (Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), and Carbon (C)) at the beginning and end of the study. The benefits and costs were analyzed using the benefit- cost ratio formula. Results The three vermicomposts had a similar effect (p>0.05) in influencing most of the tomato crop variables such as plant height, leaves number, branch number and flower stalks number. Tea waste vermicompost and kitchen waste vermicompost gave significantly high tomato yields of 115 t ha-1 and 113 t ha-1 at p=0.0001 as well as the highest benefit-cost ratio of 1.4:1. Conclusion Tea, market and kitchen wastes have a potential for use in the production of high-quality vermicompost that can be used as a soil amendment to enhance tomato performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The review of the constitution emanates from the constitution, from the institute of constitutional review of which the latter is closely related to the dynamic processes in society as well as with the demand for sustainable stability, stability which very well it may be economic, political or social, national or international, the stability that affects even the constitutional order itself in a state. In this article, we will address the constitutional changes, the amendments over the years In Turkey and Russia which are 'proof' of the violation of the constitutional order, 'proof' of the impinging of democracy and stability in the country. Through this article, we will see that the constitutional system, rule of law, democracy or its consolidation, the stability in the country to a large extent are influenced by the way it is conducted the constitutional review process. The application or nonapplication of this instrument has multi-dimensional effects, negative, destabilizing ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan came into existence in the name of Islam. People of indo-pak struggle for independent motherland, where they spend their lives according to teaching of Islam. They sacrifice their lives, properties and respects. According to the constitution of Pakistan Islam is the state religion and all high officials should be Muslims. So according to the constitution's 8th amendment, The Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hadood ordinance 1979. Theoffence of QAZF Enforcement of HADD) ordinance 1979 was implemented in the country. Islamic punishments are imposed by the courts and cases are registered according to these laws. But due to misuse of these laws women are punished. Now these laws are amended and addition the more section in PPC and Hadood ordinance, AQZF ordinance, and dissolution of Muslims Marriage Acts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria-driven strategies have gained attention because of their effectiveness, viability, and cost-efficiency in the soil formation process of bauxite residues. However, further investigation is needed to enhance the extreme environment of bauxite residues and facilitate long-term sustainable development of bacteria. Here, soil, phosphogypsum, and leaf litter were selected as amendments, and soil and leaf litter were also used as bacterial inoculants in a 12-month microcosm experiment with bauxite residues. The results showed significant improvements in physicochemical properties, including alkalinity, organic carbon content, nutrient availability, and physical structure, when bauxite residue was mixed with amendments, particularly when different amendments were combined. The diversity, structure, and function of the bacterial community were significantly enhanced with the amelioration of the physicochemical properties. In the treated samples, especially those treated with a combination of different amendments, the relative abundance (RA) of alkali-resistant bacterial taxa decreased, whereas the RA of some common taxa found in normal soil increased, and the structure of the bacterial community gradually changed towards that of normal soil. A strong correlation between physicochemical and biological properties was found. These findings suggest that rational application of soil, phosphogypsum, and leaf litter effectively improves the environmental conditions of bauxite residues and facilitate long-term sustainable bacterial communities. [Display omitted] • Amendments and bacterial inoculants improve physicochemical properties. • Amendments and inoculants enhance bacterial diversity, structure, and function. • Physicochemical properties and bacterial community gradually approach those of soil. • A strong correlation exists between physicochemical and biological properties. • pH, organic carbon, Na+ and nutrient content determined resilience of bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decline of soil organic matter (SOM) and micro and macronutrients is among the most serious threats that many agricultural soils in the world are facing. In many countries, soil amendments from a wide range of organic wastes are increasingly used as a win-win strategy to mitigate global warming while enhancing soil fertility and, in turn, food security. Digestate, a by-product of the anaerobic digestion, is often used as a fertilizer and an amendment. However, an in-depth understanding of its impacts on native SOM and organic carbon (OC) stabilization mechanisms is still needed. The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of solid vs. liquid digestates on both SOM accrual and distribution in particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) pools, after 0, 3 and 6 months from their application. None of the amendments had significant effects on soil OC and total nitrogen concentrations and stocks. However, after 6 months, a clear difference in OC distribution between SOM pools was observed as a function of the digestate phase applied to soil. In particular, the MAOM to POM ratio decreased in the soil amended with solid digestate with respect to the unamended control soil, while this ratio did not differ following liquid digestate amendment. Thermal analysis suggested that the interaction between SOM and mineral surfaces, rather than the biochemical recalcitrance, is the major SOM stabilization mechanism in both unamended and amended soils. This study highlighted that a more in-depth evaluation of OC accrual through digestate application, especially in the short term, can be achieved by investigating functionally defined fractions rather than bulk SOM. [Display omitted] • Solid and liquid digestates had no significant effects on SOC concentration and stock. • Digestate phase affects SOC distribution between SOM pools. • The MAOM to POM ratio decreased in soil amended with solid digestate. • The MAOM to POM ratio in soil amended with liquid digestate and in the control was similar. • Further studies based on longer-term observations and multiple applications are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article was to analyze the amendment of Fugitive Offenders Ordinance & Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance, which caused widespread controversy in Hong Kong recently. This amendment stemmed from a murder case that occurred in Taiwan, which led the Hong Kong government to decide to fill the legal loopholes in the extradition law. The amendment abolished the prohibition of extradition of China and made the fundamental changes to the vetting procedure for extradition. However, based on the question to the judicial environment in China and the unequal relationship between Hong Kong and China, many Hong Kong people believed that the amendment would seriously threaten their personal safety. The amendment mattered important because people it affected were not only Hong Kong citizens, but also foreigners staying in Hong Kong. And as an important international financial center, the influence of Hong Kong couldn’t be underestimated. Therefore, the amendment had triggered a high degree of international concern. This article will analyze the contents of the amendment and the supports and the oppositions to clarify the dispute and discuss whether the amendment is good or bad.