Forest fires in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) stands in Portugal

Fire and cork can be considered both the most serious problem and the most valuable resource of Portuguese forests. The existence of important areas of burned cork oak stands resulting from severe fire seasons in recent years is an environmental problem which deserves special attention. This paper makes a multidisciplinary survey of the problem of burned cork oak stands focusing on: the dimensions of the problem in Portugal, the remarkable resistance of cork oak to fire, the post‐fire management of cork oak stands, and the economic and ecological effects of fire in cork oak stands. Particular emphasis is given to knowledge gaps in this context.     

Water treatment with silicofluorides and lead toxicity

Toxic metals like lead, manganese, copper and cadmium damage neurons and deregulate neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine (which are essential to normal impulse control and learning). Earlier studies show that — controlling for socio‐economic and demographic factors — environmental pollution with lead is a highly significant risk factor in predicting higher rates of crime, attention deficit disorder or hyperactivity, and learning disabilities. Exposure and uptake of lead has been associated with industrial pollution, leaded paint and plumbing systems in old housing, lead residues in soil, dietary habits (such as shortages of calcium and iron), and demographic factors (such as poverty, stress, and minority ethnicity). We report here on an additional “risk co‐factor” making lead and other toxic metals in the environment more dangerous to local residents: the use of silicofluorides as agents in water treatment. The two chemicals in question — fluosilicic acid and sodium silicofluoride — are toxins that, despite claims to the contrary, do not dissociate completely and change water chemistry when used under normal water treatment practices. As a result, water treatment with siliconfluorides apparently functions to increase the cellular uptake of lead. Data from lead screening of over 280,000 children in Massachusetts indicates that silicofluoride usage is associated with significant increases in average lead in children's blood as well as percentage of children with blood lead in excess of 10μg/dL. Consistent with the hypothesized role of silicofluorides as enhancing uptake of lead whatever the source of exposure, children are especially at risk for higher blood lead in those communities with more old housing or lead in excess of 15 ppb in first draw water samples where silicofluorides are also in use. Preliminary findings from county‐level data in Georgia confirm that silicofluoride usage is associated with higher levels of lead in children's blood. In both Massachusetts and Georgia, moreover, behaviors associated with lead nurotoxicity are more frequent in communities using silicofluorides than in comparable localities that do not use these chemicals. Because there has been insufficient animal or human testing of silicofluoride treated water, further study of the effect of silicofluorides is needed to clarify the extent to which these chemicals are risk co‐factors for lead uptake and the hazardous effects it produces.     

Andalusia,Spain: An Assessment of Coastal Scenery

The 1101 km length of the Andalusian coast (Spain) was assessed for coastal scenery at 45 specific locations. Selected areas covered resort (3), urban (19), village (8), rural (10) and remote (5) bathing areas. Scenery was analyzed for physical and human parameters via 26 selected parameters. These parameters were obtained by interviews of >500 people on European beaches. Each parameter was assessed via a one-to-five-point attribute scale, which essentially ranged from presence/absence or poor quality (1), to excellent/outstanding (5). Results were subsequently weighted by interviewing >600 bathing area users (not all 26 parameters have equal weight) and subjected to fuzzy logic mathematics in order to reduce recorder subjectivity. High weighted averages for attributes 4 and 5 (excellent/outstanding) reflected high scenic quality, vice versa for attributes 1 and 2. Sites were classified into five classes ranging from Class 1 sites having top grade scenery to Class 5, poor scenery. Seven sites each were found in Classes 1 and 2; 10 sites each in Classes 3 and 5; 11 sites in Class 4. The finest coastal scenery was found in remote areas whilst urban areas scored mainly as Class 3 or 4. Three out of the ten rural sites had Class 3 and 4 values assigned them whereas the rest scored as Class 1 and 2; village sites invariably had scores within Class 3 and 4. Of the three resort sites investigated, one scored as a Class 1 site, the others as Class 3.     

‘Assessing the visual impacts of urbanization from the highway: a visual evaluation of the South Fork interchange site,North Bend,Washington’

This study is noteworthy as an application at project design scale of a methodology developed in 1976 by Jones & Jones for the Federal Highway Administation course ‘Esthetics and Visual Resource Management’ currently being given to highway professionals around the country. It also demonstrates the transfer of this methodology from highway facilities to urbanization.     

A linear programming model for cash flow management in the Brazilian construction industry

A linear programming model has been developed for optimal cash flow management addressing specific cash flow issues related to the construction industry. These include typical financial transactions, possible delays on payments, use of available credit lines, effect of changing interest rates, and budget constraints that often occur in the construction industry. A small size project from the Brazilian construction industry is provided as a case study, aiming at evaluating the potential benefits from using the model. Different changes to the basic structure of the model allow and establish the consistency of the results. Alternative formulations are suggested to deal with uncertainties, longer planning horizons, and multiple subcontractors and suppliers. In addition to the tangible financial earnings derived from the optimization process, the simple structure of the model, as a network flow and corresponding equations, provides much visual insight concerning the relationships between the external inputs and the variables of the problem. Optimal results have yet to be achieved in a real life situation, but a better view of whole cash flow management is provided when using the model.