Search

Occurrence of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in aquatic environment is a worldwide concern. A long list of anthropogenic substances, including pharmaceuticals, hormones, etc., are frequently detected in natural water sources. Wastewater treatment plants are one main source of OMPs pollution, but also a key step to control OMPs dissemination into the environment. This dissertation focuses on the evaluation of Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) as a sustainable process to treat wastewater polluted by OMPs. Furthermore, application of high intensity pulsed light is proposed as an innovative tertiary treatment to produce reclaimed water of high quality. In Chapter 1, a literature review was performed to investigate the occurrence and toxicity of 12 selected organic micropollutants (OMPs) in surface and ground water and the limitations of current available biological processes. Among these technologies, systems with enriched nitrifying activity were able to enhance the removal of specific OMPs through cometabolic activities. Thus, I proposed the use of a MABR with enriched nitrifying biomass to treat OMP polluted water. In Chapter 2, I studied the influence of biofilm thickness on the removal of 13 OMPs via MABR. Results demonstrated OMP removal was dependent on biofilm thickness and bacterial cell density. MABR demonstrated important efficiencies in the removal of ammonium, COD, acetaminophen and triclosan at early stages of biofilm thickness. However, the removal of nonpolar, hydrophobic 4 OMPs and anionic, acidic OMPs required thicker biofilms, achieving maximum removal at biofilm with 1.02 mm thickness and 2.2 × 106 cell mL-1. In Chapter 3, the contribution of sorption and biodegradation in the removal of OMPs via MABR was evaluated. At three stages of biofilm thickness studied, biodegradation dominated the removal for most OMPs. Heterotrophs played an important role in OMP biodegradation at all biofilm thickness, while autotrophic nitrifiers enhanced their contribution at thickness beyond 0.58 mm. Increased removal of pollutants like estrone and ethinyl estradiol were linked to the MABR enrichment with nitrifying bacteria. Sorption was essential for the removal of lipophilic and recalcitrant pollutants like triclosan. Finally, to provide high quality treated water for reuse, Chapter 4 explores the use of high-intensity pulsed light (HIPL) as post-treatment. The number of pulses and optical energy dose have a significant impact on the OMPs removal. HIPL demonstrated fast kinetics and efficient photodegradation – with significant OMPs removal within milliseconds. The findings from my Ph.D. dissertation indicate that MABR combined with high-intensity pulse light may be an effective treatment train for the efficient removal OMPs present in municipal wastewaters. This combined treatment process could potentially pave the way to produce high quality reclaimed water for various reuse purposes.

We construct TFP series at a sectoral level for Chile and analyze how commodity price shocks affect these measures. The Dutch-Disease literature is concerned by that possible fall in productivity in the industrial sector after a commodity boom, as that sector may be a mayor driver of TFP improvements for the economy as a whole. Our results provide evidence that indeed Industrial TFP is negatively affected by positive commodity price shocks, both after either temporary or permanent shocks. However, despite this effect, TFP at the aggregate level is not necessarily reduced. In particular, Aggregate TFP does not seems to be significantly affected by the shock, while if we exclude Commodities and Utilities, or if we just focus on non-traded sectors, TFP actually tends to increase. This results holds even controlling for the possibility of sectoral relocations of resources in measuring TFP at an aggregate level. Resumen: En este trabajo se construyen series de productividad total de factores (PTF) a nivel sectorial y agregado, y se analiza como shock al precio de los Commodities afecta a estas variables. La literatura sobre la Enfermedad Holandesa se preocupa por la posible caída en la productividad del sectorial industrial que puede ocurrir luego de un boom de commodities, ya que ese sector suele ser una de los principales determinantes de la PTF a nivel agregado. Nuestros resultados muestran que de hecho la PTF en el sector industrial se ve afectada negativamente por shocks al precio de los commodities, tanto luego de shocks temporarios como permanentes. Sin embargo, a nivel agregado la PTF no se ve necesariamente reducida. De hecho, si excluimos los sectores productores de Commodities y de Energía, o si nos enfocamos en sectores no-transables, la PTF tiende a aumentar luego de un incremento en el precio de los commodities. Estos resultados se verifican aun cuando controlamos por la posibilidad de reasignaciones de recursos entre sectores cuando medimos la PTF a nivel agregado.

A new silver coordination compound [Ag(sac) (pbi)] was synthesized by reaction of silver(I) saccharinate with 2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole (pbi) in 64% yield. The characterization was performed by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Visible, XPS, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. According to the results, silver is coordinating through three nitrogen atoms: one from saccharinate and the others from 2-(2-pyridyl) benzimidazole forming with this ligand a five-membered chelate ring. Resumen Se sintetizó un nuevo compuesto de coordinación de plata, [Ag(sac)(pbi)], por reacción de sacarinato de plata(I) con 2-(2-piridil)bencimidazol (pbi) con un rendimiento de 64%. La caracterización se realizó por análisis elemental, espectroscopia IR, UV-Visible, XPS, 1H-RMN y 13C-RMN. De acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos la plata está coordinada a través de tres átomos de nitrógeno, uno del sacarinato y los dos restantes del 2-(2-piridil)-bencimidazol formando con este ligando un anillo quelato de cinco miembros. Resumo O presente trabalho compreende a síntese de um novo composto de coordenação de prata, [Ag(sac)(pbi)], por reação de sacarinato de prata(I) com 2-(2-piridil)benzimidazol (pbi) com 64% de rendimento. A caracterização foi realizada por análise elementar, espectroscopia IV, UV-Visível, XPS, 1H-RMN e 13C-RMN. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, a prata é coordenada através de três átomos de nitrogênio, um do sacarinato e os outros dois do 2-(2-piridil)benzimidazol que formam com este ligando um anel de quelato de cinco membros.

Se ha sintetizado el compuesto 3-nitro-N-(1,1,3-trioxo-1, 3-dihidro- 2H-1λ6,2-benzotiazol-2- carbotioil)benzamida que se caracterizado por análisis elemental, espectroscopia infrarroja, resonancia magnética nuclear 1H y 13C. La estructura del nuevo compuesto presenta una señal característica en el espectro 1H-RMN del grupo N-H a campos muy desplazados por la presencia de un hidrógeno muy desprotegido a 11,9 ppm, debido a la existencia de puente de hidrógeno entre el C=O del grupo de la sacarina y el grupo N-H. The novel compound 3-nitro-N-(1, 1, 3-trioxo-1, 3-dihydro-2H-1λ6, 2-benzothiazole-2- carbothioyl)benzamide has been synthesized and is characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance 1H and 13C. The structure of the new compound shows a characteristic signal in the 1H-NMR spectrum of the NH group to fields highly displaced by the presence of a highly deprotected hydrogen at 11.90 ppm, due to the existence of a hydrogen bond between the C = O of saccharin group and the NH group.

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the results of the three food-cue paradigms most commonly used for functional neuroimaging studies to determine: i) commonalities and differences in the neural response patterns by paradigm; and, ii) the relative robustness and reliability of responses to each paradigm. Design and Methods functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies using standardized stereotactic coordinates to report brain responses to food cues were identified using on-line databases. Studies were grouped by food-cue modality as: i) tastes (8 studies); ii) odors (8 studies); and, iii) images (11 studies). Activation likelihood estimation (ALE) was used to identify statistically reliable regional responses within each stimulation paradigm. Results Brain response distributions were distinctly different for the three stimulation modalities, corresponding to known differences in location of the respective primary and associative cortices. Visual stimulation induced the most robust and extensive responses. The left anterior insula was the only brain region reliably responding to all three stimulus categories. Conclusions These findings suggest visual food-cue paradigm as promising candidate for imaging studies addressing the neural substrate of therapeutic interventions.

Through an intersectional lens, this article reflects on the dialog between planning and gender, feminist, and queer studies to analyze the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth of color (YOC) community in New York City (NYC). The community is subject to multiple disenfranchisements, given their ethno-racial status, class, age, gender, and sexual orientation. This community's limited access to safe public spaces and amenities, housing, health services, job training, and other opportunities is an urban planning challenge insufficiently understood or addressed. Our methodology includes participant observation and analysis of an LGBTQ YOC tour of West Village in NYC, interviews with LGBTQ individuals and NGO staff, life stories, observations in LGBTQ-friendly meetings and facilities, and content analysis of LGBTQ reports and media coverage. The research shows the agency of an LGBTQ youth group as a resilient community organization effectively participating in planning processes and exerting rights to public space and services. Finally, it offers recommendations to planners and policy-makers to facilitate the recognition and expansion of rights to the city for LGBTQ, particularly YOC, by committing to understanding their unique conditions and needs and expanding their access to safe housing and public spaces, poverty reduction programs and job opportunities, and health and social support services.

The Porto Maravilha Studio represents the work of seven Masters in Urban Planning students from Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation with the guidance of their instructors. In Spring 2012, the studio worked in collaboration with the Municipal Secretary of Housing of Rio de Janeiro (Secretaria Municipal de Habitação, or SMH) to analyze opportunities for incorporating affordable and inclusionary housing in the urban redevelopment plans of Rio de Janeiro’s historic port area. Rio will host a number of mega-events in the next five years, including the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics Games, and is currently undergoing large-scale urban development projects in preparation for these events. Despite its economic growth, the city faces a growing housing deficit that has been driven by rapidly increasing housing costs and population growth, among other factors. This presents many challenges to the SMH’s goal of ensuring access to housing to low-income residents as a basic social right. In supplementing the SMH’s mission, the Porto Maravilha studio seeks to deliver SMH with planning strategies to develop both affordable and inclusionary housing through the Porto Maravilha Project, a large urban redevelopment of the port area catalyzed by the upcoming Olympics and other mega-events.

Suburban sprawl and automobile dependence has undermined support and funding for mass transit in Los Angeles and New York, and has instead dedicated funding from gas tax revenues to highways. Infrastructure coalition building in Los Angeles is turning public need and support into dollars. The challenge is what can New York City learn from the soon to be ex-autopolis and what can Los Angeles learn from the funding transit legacy of New York. This thesis asks the questions of why there is more transit momentum in Los Angeles than in New York City, and what is making it easier to fund projects in a relatively conservative political environment. Points of similarity and divergence in transit funding in New York City and Los Angeles are be identified through critical review of the funding strategies of the two systems. Interestingly, though these two cities have historically pursued transit in inversely opposite manners; the newfound transit religion in Los Angeles is currently juxtaposed with what seems to be stagnate growth in New York. The impetus and values driving the grassroots coalition in Los Angeles are strengthening political support and helping secure financing for transit projects, and points to the importance of champions in securing funding for transit.

Tesis (Psicología) El presente trabajo obedece al interés de la autora por sistematizar y analizar críticamente las posibles conceptualizaciones de la perversión en la obra de Freud. Con lal finalidad de cumplir dicho objetivo, han sido escogidos dos textos fundamentales dentro de la obra Freudiana: Tres ensayos de teoría sexual (1905) y E/fetichismo (1927). La est¡ctura de esta investigación se encuentra conformada por un primer capítulo en el cual se desarrolla una revisión de los antecedentes del concepto de perversión postulado por Freud_ len Tres ensayos de teoría sexual. La revisión de los antecedentes incluye: la concei¡ión del pecado en San Agustín, la noción de pecado contra natura que surge aproximadamente a partir del siglo XII en Europa, y la concepción de las perversiones sexuales postulada por Kraffl-Ebing en su obra Psicopatía Sexual. El segundo capítulo se encuentra constituido por la revisión de Tres ensayos de teoría sexual, texto en el cual Freud postula una primera conceptualización de las perversiones sexuales. Las conclusiones apuntan a desarrollar una argumentación fuerte respecto a los motivos por los cuales dicha concepción es insostenible. Las razones argüidas apuntan básicamente a sostener, por una parte, que la norma sexual a partir de la cual las perversiones son definidas es una norma de orden moral -que es posible reencontrar en la noción de pecado- ·que ha sido legalizada al interior de la teoría psicoanalítica mediante una operación particular que consistiría en conceptualizar la pulsión sexual a la luz de una lógica evolutiva, que tendría como punto de llegada la organización genital.