Search results for: salinity tolerance

Authors: Adan Valdez, Shawn Gallaher, James Morison, Jordan Aragon

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Global climate change has impacted atmospheric temperatures contributing to rising sea levels, decreasing sea ice, and increased freshening of high latitude oceans. This freshening has contributed to increased stratification inhibiting local mixing and nutrient transport and modifying regional circulations in polar oceans. In recent years, the Western Arctic has seen an increase in freshwater volume at an average rate of 397+-116 km3/year. The majority of the freshwater volume resides in the Beaufort Gyre surface lens driven by anticyclonic wind forcing, sea ice melt, and Arctic river runoff. The total climatological freshwater content is typically defined as water fresher than 34.8. The near-isothermal nature of Arctic seawater and non-linearities in the equation of state for near-freezing waters result in a salinity driven pycnocline as opposed to the temperature driven density structure seen in the lower latitudes. In this study, we investigate the relationship between freshwater content and remotely sensed dynamic ocean topography (DOT). In-situ measurements of freshwater content are useful in providing information on the freshening rate of the Beaufort Gyre; however, their collection is costly and time consuming. NASA’s Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) derived dynamic ocean topography (DOT), and Air Expendable CTD (AXCTD) derived Freshwater Content are used to develop a linear regression model. In-situ data for the regression model is collected across the 150° West meridian, which typically defines the centerline of the Beaufort Gyre. Two freshwater content models are determined by integrating the freshwater volume between the surface and an isopycnal corresponding to reference salinities of 28.7 and 34.8. These salinities correspond to those of the winter pycnocline and total climatological freshwater content, respectively. Using each model, we determine the strength of the linear relationship between freshwater content and satellite derived DOT. The result of this modeling study could provide a future predictive capability of freshwater volume changes in the Beaufort-Chukchi Sea using non in-situ methods. Successful employment of the ICESat-2’s DOT approximation of freshwater content could potentially reduce reliance on field deployment platforms to characterize physical ocean properties.

Keywords: ICESat-2, dynamic ocean topography, freshwater content, beaufort gyre

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Authors: Saranya Ganapathy, Megha N. Parajulee, Michael San Francisco, Hong Zhang

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Insect pests are a serious threat to agricultural productivity. Use of chemical pesticides, the predominant control method thus far, has resulted in environmental damage, pest resurgence, and negative effects on non-target species. Genetically modified (GM) crops offer a promising alternative, and Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxin genes have played a major role in this respect. However, to overcome insect tolerance issues and to broaden the target range, it is critical to identify alternative-insecticidal toxins working through novel mechanisms. Our research group has identified a kinase from Chilo iridescent virus (CIV; Family Iridoviridae) that has insecticidal activity and designated it as ISTK (Iridovirus Serine/Threonine Kinase). A 35 kDa truncated form of ISTK, designated iridoptin, was obtained during expression and purification of ISTK in the yeast system. This yeast-expressed CIV toxin induced 50% mortality in cotton aphids and 100% mortality in green peach aphids (GPA). Optimized viral genes (o-ISTK and o-IRI) were stably transformed into the model plant, Arabidopsis. PCR analysis of genomic DNA confirmed the presence of the gene insert (oISTK/oIRI) in selected transgenic lines. The further screening was performed to identify the PCR positive lines that showed expression of respective toxins at the polypeptide level using Western blot analysis. The stable lines expressing either of these two toxins induced moderate to very high mortality in GPAs and significantly affected GPA development and fecundity. The aphicidal potential of these transgenic Arabidopsis lines will be presented.

Keywords: Chilo iridescent virus, insecticidal toxin, iridoviruses, plant-incorporated protectants, serine/threonine kinase

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Authors: Asieh Abbassi Daloii, Ahmad Abdi

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Introduction: Sports information suggests that physical inactivity increases the risk of many diseases, including atherosclerosis. Coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis and clinical protests. However, exercise can have beneficial effects on risk factors for atherosclerosis by reducing hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity, plaque density, increased insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance is improved. Despite these findings, there is little information about the molecular mechanisms of interaction between the body and its relation to sport and there arteriosclerosis. The present study aims to investigate the effect of six weeks of progressive aerobic training and aqueous extract of crataegus monogyna on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) variations and angiopoetin-1/2 (ANG- 1/2) in plasma and heart tissue in male Wistar rats. Methods: 30 male Wistar rats, 4-6 months old, were randomly divided into four groups: control crataegus monogyna (N=8), training crataegus monogyna (N=8), control saline (N=6), and training saline (N=8). The aerobic training program included running on treadmill at the speed of 34 meters per minute for 60 minutes per day. The training was conducted for six weeks, five days a week. Following each training session, both experimental and control subjects of crataegus monogyna groups were orally fed with 0.5 mg crataegus monogyna extract per gram of the body weight. The normal saline group was given the same amount of the normal saline solution (NS). Eventually, 72 hours after the last training session, blood samples were taken from inferior Verna cava. Conclusion: It is likely that crataegus monogyna extract compared with aerobic training and even combination of both training and crataegus monogyna extract is more effective on angiogenesis.

Keywords: angiopoietin 1, 2, vascular endothelial growth factor, aerobic exercise

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Authors: Asif Hasan

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Among the reported suitable mariculture species in Bangladesh, seabass and mullet are the two most popular candidates due to their high market values. Several field studies conducted on the culture of seabass in Bangladesh, it still remains a challenge to commercially grow this species due to its exclusive carnivorous nature. In contrast, the grey mullet (M. cephalus) is a fast-growing, omnivorous euryhaline fish that has shown excellent growth in many areas including South Asia. Choice of a sustainable aquaculture technique must consider the productivity and yield as well as their environmental suitability. This study was designed to elucidate the ecologically suitable culture technique of M. cephalus in brakishwater ponds by comparing the biotic and abiotic components of pond ecosystem. In addition to growth parameters (yield, ADG, SGR, weight gain, FCR), Physicochemical parameters (Temperature, DO, pH, salinity, TDS, transparency, ammonia, and Chlorophyll-a concentration) and biological community composition (phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthic macroinvertebrates) were investigated from ponds under Semi-intensive, Improve extensive and Traditional culture system. While temperature were similar in the three culture types, ponds under improve-extensive showed better environmental conditions with significantly higher mean DO and transparency, and lower TDS and Chlorophyll-a. The abundance of zooplankton, phytoplankton and benthic macroinvertebrates were apparently higher in semi-intensive ponds. The Analysis of Similarity (ANOSIM) suggested moderate difference in the planktonic community composition. While the fish growth parameters of M. cephalus and total yield did not differ significantly between three systems, M. cephalus yield (kg/decimal) was apparently higher in semi-intensive pond due to high stocking density and intensive feeding. The results suggested that the difference between the three systems were due to more efficient utilization of nutrients in improve extensive ponds which affected fish growth through trophic cascades. This study suggested that different culture system of M. cephalus is an alternative and more beneficial method owing to its ecological and economic benefits in brackishwater ponds.

Keywords: Mugil cephalus, pond ecosystem, mariculture, fisheries management

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Authors: Mahani Razali, Nordin Mamat

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The purpose of this research is to identify the teacher’s role and parent’s participation to develop children`s socio emotion through play activities. This research is based on three main objectives which are to identify children`s socio emotion during play activities, teacher’s role and parent’s participation to develop children`s socio emotion. This qualitative study was carried out among 25 pre-school children, three teachers and three parents as the research sample. On the other hand, parent’s support was obtained from their discussions, supervisions and communication at home. The data collection procedures involved structured observation which was to identify socio emotional development element among pre-school children through play activities; as for semi-structured interviews, it was done to study the perception of the teachers and parents on the acquired socio emotional development among the children. Besides, documentation analysis method was used as to triangulate acquired information with observations and interviews. In this study, the qualitative data analysis was tabulated in descriptive manner with frequency and percentage format. This study primarily focused on five main socio emotional elements among the pre-school children: 1) Cooperation, 2) Confidence and Courage, 3) Ability to communicate, 4) patience, and 5) Tolerance. The findings of this study were presented in the form of case to case manner from the researches sample. Findings revealed that the children showed positive outcomes on the socio emotional development during their play. Both teachers and parents showed positive perceptions towards the acquired socio emotional development during their play activities. In conclusion, this research summarizes that teacher’s role and parent’s support can improve children`s socio emotional development through play activities. As a whole, this research highlighted the significance of play activities as to stimulate socio emotional development among the pre-school children.

Keywords: social emotional, children, play activities, stimulating

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Authors: Pedro Cabrales, Scott Caroen, Tony R. Reid, Bryan Oronsky

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Introduction and Purpose RRx-001 is an NLRP3 inhibitor and Nrf2 agonist in Phase 3 trials for the treatment of cancer. The purpose of this study was to examine whether treatment with RRx-001, given itsanti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, improvedexercise and skeletal muscle oxidative capacity in mice on the generalpremiss that better health outcomes correlatewith more activity. Material and Methods Male and female adult mice (n=6 per group) were subjected to an endurance exercise capacity (EEC)test until exhaustion on a motorized treadmill after 3 once weekly doses of either RRx-001 5 mg/kg, RRx-001 2 mg/kg, or vehicle. The EEC protocol consisted of a treadmill velocity of 30meters per min at an uphill inclination (slope of 10%) until the mice reached fatigue, which was defined as the inability of the mice to maintain the appropriate pace despitecontinuous hand stimulation for 1 min. The concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA), an indicator of lipid peroxidation, and creatine kinase (CK), an indicator of muscle damage, in the blood samples collected immediately after the acute exercise was determined with a commercial ELISA assay kit. ResultsThe exhaustive exercise times of the RRx-001 groups were significantly longer than that of the vehicle group (p<0.05) by weeks 2 and 3. In addition, MDA levels in the gastrocnemius, soleus, and extensor digitorum longus muscles were significantly lower than those of the vehicle group were (p<0.05), as were the serum CK levels(p<0.05). ConclusionsIn conclusion, this study found that RRx-001 has anti-fatigue properties, as evidenced by an increase in exercise capacity with RRx-001 treatment, and protects against strenuous exercise-induced muscle damage and lipid peroxidation. This data potentially supports the use of RRx-001 in the clinic to improve exercise performance and reduce physical fatigue.

Keywords: RRx-001, anti-fatigue, muscle protection, increased exercise tolerance, lipid peroxidation

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Authors: Tesfaye Walle Mekonnen

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Maize is one of the most important staple food crops for most low-income households in the Sub-Saharan (SSA). Combined heat and drought stress is the major production threats that reduce the yield potential of biofortified maize and restrain various macro and micronutrient deficiencies highly prevalent in low-income people who rely solely on maize-based diets, SSA. This problem can be alleviated by crossing the biofortified inbred lines with different nutritional attributes, Fe, Zn, Protein, and Provitamin A, and developing agronomically superior and stable multi-nutrient maize of various genetic backgrounds. This aimed to understand the correlation between biofortified inbred lines per se and hybrid performance under combined heat and drought stress conditions (CSC). The experiment was conducted at CIMMYT, Zimbabwe, using α-lattice design with three replications. The hybrid effect was highly significant for zein fractions (α-, β-, γ- and δ-zein) zinc, (Zn), and iron (Fe) provitamin A, phytic acid, and grain yield. Under CSC, Fe, Zn concentration, provitamin A in grain and grain yield of hybrids were significantly decreased, however, the zein fraction content and phytic acid content increases in grain were increased under CSC. The phenotypic correlation between grain yield with Zn, Fe concentration, and Provitamin A in grain was strongly positive and higher under CSC than in well-watered conditions. The present investigation confirmed that under CSC, Fe, and Zn-enhanced hybrids could be forecasted to a certain scope based on the performance of and scientifically selected for desirable grain yield and related traits with CSC tolerance during hybrid development programs. In conclusion, the development of high-yielding and micronutrient-dense maize variety is possible under CSC, which could reduce the highly prevalent micronutrient in SSA.

Keywords: drought, Fe, heat, maize, protein, zein fractions, Zn

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Authors: Xin Li, Yan-Rong Guo, Jin-Fang Lin, Yi Feng, Håkan Billig, Ruijin Shao

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Background: Young women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a high risk of developing endometrial carcinoma. There is a need for the development of new medical therapies that can reduce the need for surgical intervention so as to preserve the fertility of these patients. The aim of the study was to describe and discuss cases of PCOS and insulin resistance (IR) women with early endometrial carcinoma while being co-treated with Diane-35 and metformin. Methods: Five PCOS-IR women who were scheduled for diagnosis and therapy for early endometrial carcinoma were recruited. The hospital records and endometrial pathology reports were reviewed. All patients were co-treated with Diane-35 and metformin for 6 months to reverse the endometrial carcinoma and preserve their fertility. Before, during, and after treatment, endometrial biopsies and blood samples were obtained and oral glucose tolerance tests were performed. Endometrial pathology was evaluated. Body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), total testosterone (TT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), free androgen index (FAI), insulin area under curve (IAUC), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were determined. Results: Clinical stage 1a, low grade endometrial carcinoma was confirmed before treatment. After 6 months of co-treatment, all patients showed normal epithelia. No evidence of atypical hyperplasia or endometrial carcinoma was found. Co-treatment resulted in significant decreases in BW, BMI, TT, FAI, IAUC, and HOMA-IR in parallel with a significant increase in SHBG. There were no differences in the FSH and LH levels after co-treatment. Conclusions: Combined treatment with Diane-35 and metformin has the potential to revert the endometrial carcinoma into normal endometrial cells in PCOS-IR women. The cellular and molecular mechanisms behind this effect merit further investigation.

Keywords: PCOS, progesterone resistance, insulin resistance, steroid hormone receptors, endometrial carcinoma

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Authors: Husham Bayazed

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Purpose of Presentation: The eye is one of a few sites in the body with immune privilege (IP). However, this IP is relatively easily bypassed in the face of sufficient strong local or systemic immunological responses. As immune responses are crucial elements of the repair response, the eye has developed distinct mechanisms to deliver immune responses to injury in the avascular regions of the eye. This presentation may cover and provide an overview of the mechanisms that dictate immune cell trafficking to the local ocular microenvironment in response to different autoimmune and inflammatory-mediated diseases. Recent Findings: Literature reviews declare that immune responses and inflammation play a key role in a diverse range of eye diseases. In recent years, our understanding of ocular immune responses has widely spread in ocular surface inflammation, uveitis, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, transplantation rejection, and other ocular diseases. It is becoming increasingly clear that multiple seemingly unrelated diseases involve immune responses with common themes in their ocular pathogenesis. Recent studies are focusing on elucidating the pathogenesis of ocular inflammatory disease to identify new targets for immunotherapy that will not only improve efficacy but also minimize adverse effects from traditional therapy. Summary: While IP was believed to protect the eye from day-to-day inflammatory insults, however, it is relatively easily breached in the face of different strong local or systemic immunological and inflammatory responses. Therefore, the ocular immune response encapsulates the full range of classical and non-classical immune responses and demonstrates many features which are reflected in other tissues, but eye tissues, by modifying these responses, may reveal unexpected and novel findings which are relevant to immune responses generally. This may have therapeutic potential for new targeting immunotherapy, restoring immune tolerance in ocular autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and preventing rejection such as stem cells, currently being considered for treatment of worldwide blinding diseases such as AMD.

Keywords: ocular diseases, immunology, immune privilege, immunotherapy

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Authors: Amit Kaushik

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Equus kiang kiang is an indigenous large-bodied herbivore species, and in India, it is restricted to limited geographies of Ladakh. One of such areas is the Tsokar Basin. With the rise in global pashmina demand, the livestock numbers have grown significantly. Previous studies have reported conflict between a nomadic pastoral community, the Changpas, and kiang. Absentee pastoralism (in lieu of pure pastoralism) and tourism are two major economic activities among the local people. However, the social, economic, political, and ecological changes are inevitable in such a contemporary system. The study examines several factors influencing the local pastoral economy and focuses on the presence of two non-human cohabitants, kiang, and the wolf. This study used semi-structured interviews and vehicle count method in four different seasons. The results show that people perceived kiang as a threat but also reveal a level of tolerance towards them. The locals predicted high kiang numbers ranging from 200-3000 in the basin and contrastingly ranked them behind wolves, which are very few in numbers. Due to a lack of scientific pieces of evidence, the kiang population status remains obscure, and local peoples’ concerns remain unaddressed. But how this competitive dysfunctionality does take place? On one side, the rural development or the animal husbandry department aims at developing the area by providing stall-feed and tourism, whereas, on another side, the wildlife department emphasizes wildlife conservation. Therefore, the managers and planners may need to be cautious about the local socio-ecological complexities and may require inter-departmental communications. The study concludes that an interdisciplinary inquiry may be an important tool in understanding such a precarious situation and may be used in the policy-making processes.

Keywords: coexistence, human-livestock-wildlife interactions, interdisciplinary approach, kiang, policymaking, tsokar.

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Authors: Omowunmi Amao

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Sansevieria liberica belongs to the family Agavaceae (Ruscaceae or Dracaenaceae). They are widely distributed throughout the tropics. Literature review suggests that in Nigeria, the leaves and roots of Sansevieria liberica are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of asthma, abdominal pains, colic, diarrhea, eczema, gonorrhea, hemorrhoids, hypertension, monorrhagia, piles, sexual weakness, snake bites, and wounds of the foot. In this context, the standardized Methanolic extract of roots of Sansevieria liberica is hypothesized for the evaluation of the hypoglycemic activity. Material and Methods: Inbreed adult male sprague-Dawley albino rats were used in the experiment. The suspension of standardized Methanol extract (ME) of Sansevieria liberica was treated for hypoglycemic activity in oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) method. The suspension of standardized Methanolic extract (ME) of Sansevieria liberica was also treated for hypoglycemic activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Results: The Methanolic extract (ME) of Sanseviera liberica root (100 mg/kg, 200mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg) showed potential hypoglycemic activity in diabetic rats, and further in OGTT method. Furthermore, Methanolic extract of Sanseviera liberica root showed significant (P<0.05) increase in final body weight, total hemoglobin, insulin, albumin and high-density lipoprotein levels, however, decrease in fluid intake, glycosylated hemoglobin, urea, creatinine, total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein levels. Additionally, it improved oxidative stress in terms of reducing lipid peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, and elevating catalase activity. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the Methanolic extract of Sanseviera liberica root was found to be potential hypoglycemic, and would be a promising candidate for the treatment of diabetes.

Keywords: diabetes, Sanseviera liberica, hypoglycemic activity, diabetes and metabolism

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Authors: Lauren A. Bailey, Amber R. Childs, Nicola C. James, Murray I. Duncan, Alexander Winkler, Warren M. Potts

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For the persistence of fished populations in the Anthropocene, it is critical to predict how fished populations will respond to the coupled threats of exploitation and climate change for adaptive management. The resilience of fished populations will depend on their capacity for physiological plasticity and acclimatization in response to environmental shifts. However, there is evidence for the selection of physiological traits by capture fisheries. Hence, fish populations may have a limited scope for the rapid expansion of their tolerance ranges or physiological adaptation under fishing pressures. To determine the physiological vulnerability of fished populations in the Anthropocene, the metabolic performance was compared between a fished and spatially protected Chrysoblephus laticeps population in response to thermal variability. Individual aerobic scope phenotypes were quantified using intermittent flow respirometry by comparing changes in energy expenditure of each individual at ecologically relevant temperatures, mimicking variability experienced as a result of upwelling and downwelling events. The proportion of high and low-performance individuals were compared between the fished and spatially protected population. The fished population had limited aerobic scope phenotype diversity and fewer high-performance phenotypes, resulting in a significantly lower aerobic scope curve across low (10 °C) and high (24 °C) thermal treatments. The performance of fished populations may be compromised with predicted future increases in cold upwelling events. This requires the conservation of the physiologically fittest individuals in spatially protected areas, which can recruit into nearby fished areas, as a climate resilience tool.

Keywords: climate change, fish physiology, metabolic shifts, over-fishing, respirometry

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Authors: Abdallah M. Fayed

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The study area is located in south Darb El Arbaieen, western desert of Egypt. It occupies the area between latitudes 22° 00/ and 22° 30/ North and Longitudes 29° 30/ and 30° 00/ East, from southern border of Egypt to the area north Bir Kuraiym and from the area East of East Owienat to the area west Tushka district, its area about 2750 Km2. The famous features; southern part of Darb El Arbaieen road, G Baraqat El Scab El Qarra, Bir Dibis, Bir El Shab and Bir Kuraiym, Interpretation of soil stratification shows layers that are related to Quaternary and Upper-Lower Cretaceous eras. It is dissected by a series of NE-SW striking faults. The regional groundwater flow direction is in SW-NE direction with a hydraulic gradient is 1m / 2km. Mathematical model program has been applied for evaluation of groundwater potentials in the main Aquifer –Nubian Sandstone- in the area of study and Remote sensing technique is considered powerful, accurate and saving time in this respect. These techniques are widely used for illustrating and analysis different phenomenon such as the new development in the desert (land reclamation), residential development (new communities), urbanization, etc. The major issues concerning water development objective of this work is to determine the new development areas in western desert of Egypt during the period from 2003 to 2015 using remote sensing technique, the impacts of the present and future development have been evaluated by using the two-dimensional numerical groundwater flow Simulation Package (visual modflow 4.2). The package was used to construct and calibrate a numerical model that can be used to simulate the response of the aquifer in the study area under implementing different management alternatives in the form of changes in piezometric levels and salinity. Total period of simulation is 100 years. After steady state calibration, two different scenarios are simulated for groundwater development. 21 production wells are installed at the study area and used in the model, with the total discharge for the two scenarios were 105000 m3/d, 210000 m3/d. The drawdown was 11.8 m and 23.7 m for the two scenarios in the end of 100 year. Contour maps for water heads and drawdown and hydrographs for piezometric head are represented. The drawdown was less than the half of the saturated thickness (the safe yield case).

Keywords: remote sensing, management of aquifer systems, simulation modeling, western desert, South Darb El Arbaieen

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Authors: Sobia Mushtaq, Firdaus E. Bareen, Asma Tayyeb

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This study conducted to investigate the metal biosorption potential of indigenous Trichoderma species (T. harzianum KS05T01, T. longibrachiatum KS09T03, Trichoderma sp KS17T09., T. viridi KS17T011, T. atrobruneo KS21T014, and T. citrinoviride) that have been isolated from contaminated soil of Kasur Tannery Waste Management Agency. The effect of different biosorption parameters as initial metal ion concentration, pH, contact time , and temperature of incubation was investigated on the biosorption potential of these species. The metal removal efficiency and (E%) and metal uptake capacity (mg/g) increased along with the increase of initial metal concentration in media. The Trichoderma species can tolerate and survive under heavy metal stress up to 800mg/L. Among the two isotherm models were applied on the biosorption data, Langmuir isotherm model and Freundlich isotherm model, maximum correlation coefficients values (R 2 ) of 1was found for Langmuir model, which showed the better fitted model for the Trichoderma biosorption. The metal biosorption was increased with the increase of temperature and pH of the media. The maximum biosorption was observed between 25-30 o C and at pH 6.-7.5, while the biosorption rate was increased from 3-6 days of incubation, and then the rate of biosorption was slowed down. The biosorption data was better fitted for Pseudo kinetic first order during the initial days of biosorption. Thermodynamic parameters as standard Gibbs free energy (G), standard enthalpy change (H), and standard entropy (S) were calculated. The results confirmed the heavy metal biosorption by Trichoderma species was endothermic and spontaneous reaction in nature. The FTIR spectral analysis and SEM-EDX analysis of the treated and controlled mycelium revealed the changes in the active functional sites and morphological variations of the outer surface. The data analysis envisaged that high metal tolerance exhibited by Trichoderma species indicates its potential as efficacious and successful mediator for bioremediation of the heavy metal polluted environments.

Keywords: heavy metal, fungal biomass, biosorption, kinetics

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Authors: Salma H. Abu Hafsa, A. Mendonca, B. Brehm-Stecher, A. A. Hassan, S. A. Ibrahim

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Enterococci are important inhabitants of the animal intestine and are widely used in probiotic products. A probiotic strain is expected to possess several desirable properties in order to exert beneficial effects. Therefore, the objective of this study was to isolate and characterize strains of Enterococcus sp. from chicken cecal and fecal samples to determine potential probiotic properties. Enterococci were isolated from thirty one chicken cecal and fecal samples collected from a local farm. In vitro studies were performed to assess antibacterial activity (using agar well diffusion and cell free supernatant broth technique against Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis), susceptibility to antibiotics (amoxycillin, cotrimoxazole, chloramphenicol, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and nalidixic acid), survival in acidic conditions, resistance to bile salts, and their survival during simulated gastric juice conditions at pH 2.5. Isolates were identified using biochemical and molecular assays (API 50 CHL, and API ZYM kits followed by 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis). Two strains were identified, of which, Enteroccocus faecium was capable of inhibiting the growth of S. enteritidis and was susceptible to a wide range of antibiotics. In addition, the isolated strain exhibited significant resistance under highly acidic conditions (pH=2.5) for 8 hours and survived well in bile salt at 0.2% for 24 hours and showing ability to survive in the presence of simulated gastric juice at pH 2.5. Based on these results, the E. faecium isolate fulfills some of the criteria to be considered as a probiotic strain and therefore, could be used as a feed additive with good potential for controlling S. enteritidis in chickens. However, in vivo studies are needed to determine the safety of the strain.

Keywords: acid tolerance, antimicrobial activity, Enterococcus faecium, probiotic

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Authors: Joseph F. Cabrera, Rachael Dela Cruz

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This study specifically examines patterns that define ethnoracially diverse neighborhoods. Ethnoracial diversity is important as it facilitates cross-racial interactions within neighborhoods which have been theorized to be associated with such outcomes as intergroup harmony, the reduction of racial and ethnic prejudice and discrimination, and increases in racial tolerance. Los Angeles (LA) is an ideal location to study ethnoracial spatial patterns as it is one of the most ethnoracially diverse cities in the world. A large influx of Latinos, as well as Asians, have contributed to LA’s urban landscape becoming increasingly diverse over several decades. Our dataset contains all census tracts in Los Angeles County in 2016 and incorporates Census and ACS demographic and spatial data. We quantify ethnoracial diversity using a derivative of Simpson’s Diversity Index and utilize this measure to test previous literature that suggests Latinos are one of the key drivers of changing ethnoracial spatial patterns in Los Angeles. Preliminary results suggest that there has been an overall increase in ethnoracial diversity in Los Angeles neighborhoods over the past sixteen years. Patterns associated with this trend include decreases in predominantly white and black neighborhoods, increases in predominantly Latino and Asian neighborhoods, and a general decrease in the white populations of the most diverse neighborhoods. A similar pattern is seen in neighborhoods with large Latino increases- a decrease in white population, but with an increase in Asian and black populations. We also found support for previous research that suggests increases in Latino and Asian populations act as a buffer, allowing for black population increases without a sizeable decrease in the white population. Future research is needed to understand the underlying causes involved in many of the patterns and trends highlighted in this study.

Keywords: race, race and interaction, racial harmony, social interaction

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Authors: S. Subramaniam, J. S. A. Rao, P. Ramdas, K. R. Selvaduray, N. M. Han, M. K. Kutty, A. K. Radhakrishnan

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Immune system is a complex system where the immune cells have the capability to respond against a wide range of immune challenges including cancer progression. However, in the event of cancer development, tumour cells trigger immunosuppressive environment via activation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and T regulatory (Treg) cells. The Treg cells are subset of CD4+ T lymphocytes, known to have crucial roles in regulating immune homeostasis and promoting the establishment and maintenance of peripheral tolerance. Dysregulation of these mechanisms could lead to cancer progression and immune suppression. Recently, there are many studies reporting on the effects of natural bioactive compounds on immune responses against cancer. It was known that tocotrienol-rich-fraction consisting 70% tocotrienols and 30% α-tocopherol is able to exhibit immunomodulatory as well as anti-cancer properties. Hence, this study was designed to evaluate the effects of gamma-tocotrienol (G-T3) supplementation on T-reg cells in a syngeneic mouse model of breast cancer. In this study, female BALB/c mice were divided into two groups and fed with either soy oil (vehicle) or gamma-tocotrienol (G-T3) for two weeks followed by inoculation with tumour cells. All the mice continued to receive the same supplementation until day 49. The results showed a significant reduction in tumour volume and weight in G-T3 fed mice compared to vehicle-fed mice. Lung and liver histology showed reduced evidence of metastasis in tumour-bearing G-T3 fed mice. Besides that, flow cytometry analysis revealed T-helper cell population was increased, and T-regulatory cell population was suppressed following G-T3 supplementation. Moreover, immunohistochemistry analysis showed that there was a marked decrease in the expression of FOXP3 in the G-T3 fed tumour bearing mice. In conclusion, the G-T3 supplementation showed good prognosis towards breast cancer by enhancing the immune response in tumour-bearing mice. Therefore, gamma-T3 can be used as immunotherapy agent for the treatment of breast cancer.

Keywords: breast cancer, gamma tocotrienol, immune suppression, supplement

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Authors: Moshiur Rahman, Tahmida Jakia

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Bangladesh, a densely populated South Asian country is home to more than 160 million people. In two decades ago, the people of this developing nation drank heavily contaminated surface water. Over the past thirty years, the country, and its development partners, has undertaken extensive efforts to provide microbiologically safe groundwater based drinking water through the use of tube-wells. About 85% of the people now drink tube-well water from about 11 million tube-wells/hand pumps. However, diarrhoeal and other water-related diseases are still reported among the major causes of morbidity and mortality among Bangladeshi children. This implies that the mode of transmission of pathogens through water and/or other modes continue. In addition, massive scale arsenic contamination has been recently reported in the ground water. Thirty five million people may be at risk of consuming arsenic contaminated water exceeding 0.05 mg/l in Bangladesh. Drinking of arsenic contaminated water has been linked with skin problems, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases, eye problems, cancer of the internal organs, and other diseases. In the study area, Narail district, recent investigations about existing water quality situations indicated presence of low to high levels of arsenic, salinity, iron, manganese and bacteriological contamination risks. As challenges for safe water exist; it is likely that sanitation and food hygiene practices are poor which lead threat to ensure food security.The main attempt of this study is to find out the challenges to ensure food security andprovide probable solutions to ensure food safety towards 0.7 million of people in study area. A survey has been conducted at Lohagara and Kalia sub district of Narail district with a pretested questionnaire. Primary data are collected through a questionnaire, while secondary data are collected from pertinent offices as well as academic journals. FGD has also been done to know the knowledge regarding water, sanitation as well as food preparation and consumption practice of community people in study area. The major focus of this study is to assess the state of sanitation and food hygiene condition of rural people. It is found that most of the villagers have lack of knowledge about food safety. Open defecation rate is high which lead threat to ensure food security.

Keywords: food safety, challenges, hygiene, Bangladesh

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Authors: Sunghun Jung, Wonkook Kim

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Due to the difficulty of the utilization of satellite and an aircraft, conventional ocean color remote sensing has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to obtain images of desired places at desired times. These disadvantages make it difficult to capture the anomalies such as the occurrence of the red tide which requires immediate observation. It is also difficult to understand the phenomena such as the resuspension-precipitation process of suspended solids and the spread of low-salinity water originating in the coastal areas. For the remote sensing reflectance of seawater, above-water radiometers (AWR) have been used either by carrying portable AWRs on a ship or installing those at fixed observation points on the Ieodo ocean research station, Socheongcho base, and etc. In particular, however, it requires the high cost to measure the remote reflectance in various seawater environments at various times and it is even not possible to measure it at the desired frequency in the desired sea area at the desired time. Also, in case of the stationary observation, it is advantageous that observation data is continuously obtained, but there is the disadvantage that data of various sea areas cannot be obtained. It is possible to instantly capture various marine phenomena occurring on the coast using the unmanned aerial system (UAS) including vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) since it could move and hover at the one location and acquire data of the desired form at a high resolution. To remotely estimate seawater constituents, it is necessary to install an ultra-spectral sensor. Also, to calculate reflected light from the surface of the sea in consideration of the sun’s incident light, a total of three sensors need to be installed on the UAV. The remote sensing reflectance of seawater is the most basic optical property for remotely estimating color components in seawater and we could remotely estimate the chlorophyll concentration, the suspended solids concentration, and the dissolved organic amount. Estimating seawater physics from the remote sensing reflectance requires the algorithm development using the accumulation data of seawater reflectivity under various seawater and atmospheric conditions. The UAS with three AWRs is developed for the remote reflection sensing on the surface of the sea. Throughout the paper, we explain the details of each UAS component, system operation scenarios, and simulation and experiment results. The UAS consists of a UAV, a solar tracker, a transmitter, a ground control station (GCS), three AWRs, and two gimbals.

Keywords: above-water radiometers (AWR), ground control station (GCS), unmanned aerial system (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

Procedia PDF Downloads 142

Authors: Kgopa Bontle, Tholen Sodi

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Climate change poses a major threat to the well-being of both people and the environment, with subsistence farmers most affected as they rely on local supply systems that are sensitive to climate variation. This study documented psychological resilience factors associated with climate change adaptations by subsistence farmers in Maruleng Municipality, Limpopo Province. A qualitative study was conducted to examine the notions of climate change by subsistence farmers, the psychological resilience factors, the strategies to cope with climate change, adaptation methods, and the development of subsistence farmers’ psychological resilience factors model. Data were collected through direct interactions with participants using a grounded theory research design. An open-ended interview was used to collect data with a sample of 15 participants selected through theoretical sampling in Maruleng Municipality. The participants were both Sepedi and Xitsonga speaking from 2 villages, mostly unemployed, pensioners and dependent on social grants. The study included both males and females who were predominately the elderly. The research findings indicate that farmers have limited knowledge of what climate change is and what causes it. Furthermore, the research reflects that although their responses were non-scientific but sensible enough to know what they were dealing with. They mentioned extreme weather, which includes hot days and less rainfall and changes in seasons, as some of the impacts brought by climate change. The results also indicated that participants have learned to adapt through several adaptation strategies, including mulching, changes in irrigation time slots and being innovative. The resilience factors that emerged from the study were a passion for farming, hope, enthusiasm, courage, acceptance/tolerance, livelihood and belief systems. Looking at the socio-economic factors of the current study setting argumentation leads to the conclusion that it is important that government should assist the subsistence farmers as it was observed from the participants that they felt neglected by the government and policymakers as they are small scale farmers and are not included like commercial farmers.

Keywords: climate change, psychological resilience factors, human adaptation, subsistence farmers

Procedia PDF Downloads 102

Authors: Shoukat Ali, Abdul Qadir Jandga, Amjad Hussain

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Objective: The main purpose of this study is to compare the Percent Depth dose (PDD) and In-plane and cross-plane profiles of Varian Golden beam data to the measured data of 6 and 18 MV photons for the commissioning of Eclipse treatment planning system. Introduction: Commissioning of treatment planning system requires an extensive acquisition of beam data for the clinical use of linear accelerators. Accurate dose delivery require to enter the PDDs, Profiles and dose rate tables for open and wedges fields into treatment planning system, enabling to calculate the MUs and dose distribution. Varian offers a generic set of beam data as a reference data, however not recommend for clinical use. In this study, we compared the generic beam data with the measured beam data to evaluate the reliability of generic beam data to be used for the clinical purpose. Methods and Material: PDDs and Profiles of Open and Wedge fields for different field sizes and at different depths measured as per Varian’s algorithm commissioning guideline. The measurement performed with PTW 3D-scanning water phantom with semi-flex ion chamber and MEPHYSTO software. The online available Varian Golden Beam Data compared with the measured data to evaluate the accuracy of the golden beam data to be used for the commissioning of Eclipse treatment planning system. Results: The deviation between measured vs. golden beam data was in the range of 2% max. In PDDs, the deviation increases more in the deeper depths than the shallower depths. Similarly, profiles have the same trend of increasing deviation at large field sizes and increasing depths. Conclusion: Study shows that the percentage deviation between measured and golden beam data is within the acceptable tolerance and therefore can be used for the commissioning process; however, verification of small subset of acquired data with the golden beam data should be mandatory before clinical use.

Keywords: percent depth dose, flatness, symmetry, golden beam data

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Authors: Carmela Monterroso, Marc Romero-Estonllo, Carlos Pascual, Beatriz Rodríguez-Garrido

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The mobilization of heavy metals from polluted soils causes their transfer to natural waters, with consequences for ecosystems and human health. Phytostabilization techniques are applied to reduce this mobility, through the establishment of a vegetal cover and the application of soil amendments. In this work, the capacity of different organic amendments to improve water quality and reduce the mobility of metals in mine-tailings was evaluated. A field pilot test was carried out with leaching columns installed on an old Cu mine ore (NW of Spain) which forms part of the PhytoSUDOE network of phytomanaged contaminated field sites (PhytoSUDOE/ Phy2SUDOE Projects (SOE1/P5/E0189 and SOE4/P5/E1021)). Ten columns (1 meter high by 25 cm in diameter) were packed with untreated mine tailings (control) or those treated with organic amendments. Applied amendments were based on different combinations of municipal wastes, bark chippings, biomass fly ash, and nanoparticles like aluminum oxides or ferrihydrite-type iron oxides. During the packing of the columns, rhizon-samplers were installed at different heights (10, 20, and 50 cm) from the top, and pore water samples were obtained by suction. Additionally, in each column, a bottom leachate sample was collected through a valve installed at the bottom of the column. After packing, the columns were sown with grasses. Water samples were analyzed for: pH and redox potential, using combined electrodes; salinity by conductivity meter: bicarbonate by titration, sulfate, nitrate, and chloride, by ion chromatography (Dionex 2000); phosphate by colorimetry with ammonium molybdate/ascorbic acid; Ca, Mg, Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb by flame atomic absorption/emission spectrometry (Perkin Elmer). Porewater and leachate from the control columns (packed with unamended mine tailings) were extremely acidic and had a high concentration of Al, Fe, and Cu. In these columns, no plant development was observed. The application of organic amendments improved soil conditions, which allowed the establishment of a dense cover of grasses in the rest of the columns. The combined effect of soil amendment and plant growth had a positive impact on water quality and reduced mobility of aluminum and heavy metals.

Keywords: leaching, organic amendments, phytostabilization, polluted soils

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Authors: Zewdneh Zana Zate

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The study focuses on the evolutionary and ecological genomics of both wild and cultivated Coffea arabica L. at its center of origin, Ethiopia, aiming to uncover how this vital species may withstand future climate changes. Utilizing bioclimatic models, we project the future distribution of Arabica under varied climate scenarios for 2050 and 2080, identifying potential conservation zones and immediate risk areas. Through whole-genome resequencing of accessions from Ethiopian gene banks, this research assesses genetic diversity and divergence between wild and cultivated populations. It explores relationships, demographic histories, and potential hybridization events among Coffea arabica accessions to better understand the species' origins and its connection to parental species. This genomic analysis also seeks to detect signs of natural or artificial selection across populations. Integrating these genomic discoveries with ecological data, the study evaluates the current and future ecological and genomic vulnerabilities of wild Coffea arabica, emphasizing necessary adaptations for survival. We have identified key genomic regions linked to environmental stress tolerance, which could be crucial for breeding more resilient Arabica varieties. Additionally, our ecological modeling predicted a contraction of suitable habitats, urging immediate conservation actions in identified key areas. This research not only elucidates the evolutionary history and adaptive strategies of Arabica but also informs conservation priorities and breeding strategies to enhance resilience to climate change. By synthesizing genomic and ecological insights, we provide a robust framework for developing effective management strategies aimed at sustaining Coffea arabica, a species of profound global importance, in its native habitat under evolving climatic conditions.

Keywords: coffea arabica, climate change adaptation, conservation strategies, genomic resilience

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Authors: Malgorzata Krysiak, Anna Wegrzyn, Maciej Garstka, Radoslaw Mazur

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Under constantly fluctuating environmental conditions, the thylakoid membrane protein network evolved the ability to dynamically respond to changing biotic and abiotic factors. One of the most important protective mechanism is rearrangement of the chlorophyll-protein (CP) complexes, induced by protein phosphorylation. In a temperate climate, low temperature is one of the abiotic stresses that heavily affect plant growth and productivity. The aim of this study was to determine the role of LHCII antenna complex phosphorylation in the dark-chilling response. The study included an experimental model based on dark-chilling at 4 °C of detached chilling sensitive (CS) runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.) and chilling tolerant (CT) garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) leaves. This model is well described in the literature as used for the analysis of chilling impact without any additional effects caused by light. We examined changes in thylakoid membrane protein phosphorylation, interactions between phosphorylated LHCII (P-LHCII) and CP complexes, and their impact on the dynamics of photosystem II (PSII) under dark-chilling conditions. Our results showed that the dark-chilling treatment of CS bean leaves induced a substantial increase of phosphorylation of LHCII proteins, as well as changes in CP complexes composition and their interaction with P-LHCII. The PSII photochemical efficiency measurements showed that in bean, PSII is overloaded with light energy, which is not compensated by CP complexes rearrangements. On the contrary, no significant changes in PSII photochemical efficiency, phosphorylation pattern and CP complexes interactions were observed in CT pea. In conclusion, our results indicate that different responses of the LHCII phosphorylation to chilling stress take place in CT and CS plants, and that kinetics of LHCII phosphorylation and interactions of P-LHCII with photosynthetic complexes may be crucial to chilling stress response. Acknowledgments: presented work was financed by the National Science Centre, Poland grant No.: 2016/23/D/NZ3/01276

Keywords: LHCII, phosphorylation, chilling stress, pea, runner bean

Procedia PDF Downloads 112

Authors: M. Bučas, A. Skersonas, E. Ivanauskas, J. Lesutienė, N. Nika, G. Srėbalienė, E. Tiškus, J. Gintauskas, A.Šaškov, G. Martin

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Submerged vegetation enhances heterogeneity of sublittoral habitats; therefore, macrophyte stands are essential elements of aquatic ecosystems to maintain a diverse fish fauna. Fish-habitat relations have been extensively studied in streams and coastal waters, but in lakes and estuaries are still underestimated. The aim of this study is to assess temporal (diurnal and seasonal) patterns of fish juvenile assemblages associated with common submerged macrophyte habitats, which have significantly spread during the recent decade in the upper littoral part of the Curonian Lagoon. The assessment was performed by means of an upgraded pop-up net approach resulting in much precise sampling versus other techniques. The optimal number of samples (i.e., pop-up nets) required to cover>80% of the total number of fish species depended on the time of the day in both study sites: at least 7and 9 nets in the evening (18-24 pm) in the Southern and Northern study sites, respectively. In total, 14 fish species were recorded, where perch and roach dominated (respectively 48% and 24%). From multivariate analysis, water salinity and seasonality (temperature or sampling month) were primary factors determining fish assemblage composition. The southern littoral area, less affected by brackish water conditions, hosted a higher number of species (13) than in the Northern site (8). In the latter site, brackish water tolerant species (three-spined and nine-spined sticklebacks, spiny loach, roach, and round goby) were more abundant than in the Southern site. Perch and ruffe dominated in the Southern site. Spiny loach and nine-spined stickleback were more frequent in September, while ruffe, perch, and roach occurred more in July. The diel dynamics of the common species such as perch, roach, and ruffe followed the general pattern, but it was species specific and depended on the study site, habitat, and month. The species composition between macrophyte habitats did not significantly differ; however, it differed from the results obtained in 2005 at both study sites indicating the importance of expanded charophyte stands during the last decade in the littoral zone.

Keywords: diel dynamics, charophytes, pondweeds, herbivorous and benthivorous fishes, littoral, nursery habitat, shelter

Procedia PDF Downloads 162

Authors: Saeed M. Alshahrani

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This research integrated blockchain technology to reform medical records management in healthcare informatics. It was aimed at resolving the limitations of centralized systems by establishing a secure, decentralized, and user-centric platform. The system was architected with a sophisticated three-tiered structure, integrating advanced cryptographic methodologies, consensus algorithms, and the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (HL7 FHIR) standard to ensure data security, transaction validity, and semantic interoperability. The research has profound implications for healthcare delivery, patient care, legal compliance, operational efficiency, and academic advancements in blockchain technology and healthcare IT sectors. The methodology adapted in this research comprises of Preliminary Feasibility Study, Literature Review, Design and Development, Cryptographic Algorithm Integration, Modeling the data and testing the system. The research employed a permissioned blockchain with a Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) consensus algorithm and Ethereum-based smart contracts. It integrated advanced cryptographic algorithms, role-based access control, multi-factor authentication, and RESTful APIs to ensure security, regulate access, authenticate user identities, and facilitate seamless data exchange between the blockchain and legacy healthcare systems. The research contributed to the development of a secure, interoperable, and decentralized system for managing medical records, addressing the limitations of the centralized systems that were in place. Future work will delve into optimizing the system further, exploring additional blockchain use cases in healthcare, and expanding the adoption of the system globally, contributing to the evolution of global healthcare practices and policies.

Keywords: healthcare informatics, blockchain, medical records management, decentralized architecture, data security, cryptographic algorithms

Procedia PDF Downloads 35

Authors: Bruno Tassin, Robin Treilles, Cleo Stratmann, Minh Trang Nguyen, Sam Azimi, Vincent Rocher, Rachid Dris, Johnny Gasperi

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Microplastics (<5mm) in the environment and in hydro systems is one of the major present environmental issues. Over the last five years a research programme was conducted in order to assess the behavior of microplastics in the Seine river catchment, in a Man-Land-Sea continuum approach. Results show that microplastic concentration varies at the seasonal scale, but also at much smaller scales, during flood events and with tides in the estuary for instance. Moreover, microplastic sampling and characterization issues emerged throughout this work. The Seine river is a 750km long river flowing in Northwestern France. It crosses the Paris megacity (12 millions inhabitants) and reaches the English Channel after a 170 km long estuary. This site is a very relevant one to assess the effect of anthropogenic pollution as the mean river flow is low (mean flow around 350m³/s) while the human presence and activities are very intense. Monthly monitoring of the microplastic concentration took place over a 19-month period and showed significant temporal variations at all sampling stations but no significant upstream-downstream increase, indicating a possible major sink to the sediment. At the scale of a major flood event (winter and spring 2018), microplastic concentration shows an evolution similar to the well-known suspended solids concentration, with an increase during the increase of the flow and a decrease during the decrease of the flow. Assessing the position of the concentration peak in relation to the flow peak was unfortunately impossible. In the estuary, concentrations vary with time in connection with tides movements and in the water column in relation to the salinity and the turbidity. Although major gains of knowledge on the microplastic dynamics in the Seine river have been obtained over the last years, major gaps remain to deal mostly with the interaction with the dynamics of the suspended solids, the selling processes in the water column and the resuspension by navigation or shear stress increase. Moreover, the development of efficient chemical characterization techniques during the 5 year period of this pluriannual research programme led to the improvement of the sampling techniques in order to access smaller microplastics (>10µm) as well as larger but rare ones (>500µm).

Keywords: microplastics, Paris megacity, seine river, suspended solids

Procedia PDF Downloads 178

Authors: Prima Gusti Yanti, Fairul Zabadi

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The purpose of the study is to find out relation of moral massage with the authority ang globalization in proverb. Proverb is one of the many forms of cultural identity of the Indonesian/Malay people fulled with moral values. The values contained within those proverbs are beneficial not only to the society, but also to those who held power amidst on this era of globalization. The method being used is qualitative research by using content analysis which is done by describing and uncovering the forms and meanings of proverbs used within Indonesia Minangkabau society. Sources for this study’s data were extracted from a Minangkabau native speaker in the subdistrict of Tanah Abang, Jakarta. Said sources were retrieved through a series of interviews with the Minangkabau native speaker, whose speech is still adorned with idiomatic expressions. The research findings show that there existed 30 proverbs or idiomatic expressions in the Minangkabau language that are often used by its indigenous people. The thirty data contain moral values that are closely interwoven with the matter of power and globalization. Analytical results show that there are fourteen moral values contained within proverbs reflect a firm connection between rule and power in globalization; such as: responsible, brave, togetherness and consensus,tolerance, politeness, thorough and meticulous,honest and keeping promise, ingenious and learning, care, self-correction, be fair, alert, arbitrary, self-awareness. Structurally, proverbs possess an unchangeably formal construction; symbolically, proverbs possess meanings that are clearly decided through ethnographic communicative factors along with situational and cultural contexts. Values contained within proverbs may be used as a guide in social management, be it between fellow men, men between nature, or even men between their Creator. Therefore, the meanings and values contained within the morals of proverbs could also be utilized as a counsel for those who rule and in charge of power in order to stem the tides of globalization that had already spread into sectoral, territorial and educational continuums.

Keywords: continuum, globalization, identity, proverb, rule-power

Procedia PDF Downloads 365

Authors: Shima Nabinejad, Holger Schüttrumpf

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Farmers who are living in flood-prone areas such as coasts are exposed to storm surges increased due to climate change. Crop cultivation is the most important economic activity of farmers, and in the time of flooding, agricultural lands are subject to inundation. Additionally, overflow saline water causes more severe damage outcomes than riverine flooding. Agricultural crops are more vulnerable to salinity than other land uses for which the economic damages may continue for a number of years even after flooding and affect farmers’ decision-making for the following year. Therefore, it is essential to assess what extent the agricultural areas are flooded and how much the associated flood damage to each individual farmer is. To address these questions, we integrated farmers’ decision-making at farm-scale with flood risk management. The integrated model includes identification of hazard scenarios, failure analysis of structural measures, derivation of hydraulic parameters for the inundated areas and analysis of the economic damages experienced by each farmer. The present study has two aims; firstly, it attempts to investigate the flooded cropland and potential crop damages for the whole area. Secondly, it compares them among farmers’ field for three flood scenarios, which differ in breach locations of the flood protection structure. To achieve its goal, the spatial distribution of fields and cultivated crops of farmers were fed into the flood risk model, and a 100-year storm surge hydrograph was selected as the flood event. The study area was Pellworm Island that is located in the German Wadden Sea National Park and surrounded by North Sea. Due to high salt content in seawater of North Sea, crops cultivated in the agricultural areas of Pellworm Island are 100% destroyed by storm surges which were taken into account in developing of depth-damage curve for analysis of consequences. As a result, inundated croplands and economic damages to crops were estimated in the whole Island which was further compared for six selected farmers under three flood scenarios. The results demonstrate the significance and the flexibility of the proposed model in flood risk assessment of flood-prone areas by integrating flood risk management and decision-making.

Keywords: crop damages, flood risk analysis, individual farmer, inundated cropland, Pellworm Island, storm surges

Procedia PDF Downloads 237

Authors: Grmay Kassa Brhane, Hailemariam Siyum Mekonen

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This study was designed to identify the hydrogeochemical and anthropogenic processes controlling the evaluation of groundwater chemistry in the Ellala catchment which covers about 296.5 km2 areal extent. The chemical analysis revealed that the major ions in the groundwater are Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+ (cations) and HCO3-, PO43-, Cl-, NO3-, and SO42-(anions). Most of the groundwater samples (68.42%) revealed that the groundwater in the catchment is non-alkaline. In addition to the contribution of aquifer material, the solid materials and liquid wastes discharged from different sources can be the main sources of pH and EC in the groundwater. It is observed that the EC of the groundwater is fairly correlated with the DTS. This indicates that high mineralized water is more conductor than water with low concentration. The degree of salinity of the groundwater increases along the groundwater flow path from East to West; then, areas surrounding Mekelle City are highly saline due to the liquid and solid wastes discharged from the city and the industries. The groundwater facies in the catchment are predominated with calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate which are labeled as Ca-Mg-HCO3 and Mg-Ca-HCO3. The main geochemical process controlling the evolution of the groundwater chemistry in the catchment is rock-water interaction, particularly carbonate dissolution. Due to the clay layer in the aquifer, the reverse is ion exchange. Non-significant silicate weathering and halite dissolution also contribute to the evolution of groundwater chemistry in the catchment. The groundwater in the catchment is dominated by the meteoritic origin although it needs further groundwater chemistry study with isotope dating analysis. The groundwater is under-saturated with calcite, dolomite, and aragonite minerals; hence, the more these minerals encounter the groundwater, the more the minerals dissolve. The main source of calcium and magnesium in groundwater is the dissolution of carbonate minerals (calcite and dolomite) since carbonate rocks are the dominant aquifer materials in the catchment. In addition to this, the weathering of dolerite rock is a possible source of magnesium ions. The relatively higher concentration of sodium over chloride indicates that the source of sodium-ion is reverse ion exchange and/or weathering of sodium-bearing materials, such as shale and dolerite rather than halite dissolution. High concentration of phosphate, nitrate, and chloride in the groundwater is the main anthropogenic source that needs treatment, quality control, and management in the catchment. From the Base Exchange Index Analysis, it is possible to understand that, in the catchment, the groundwater is dominated by the meteoritic origin, although it needs further groundwater chemistry study with isotope dating analysis.

Keywords: Ellala catchment, factor, chemistry, geochemical, groundwater

Procedia PDF Downloads 44