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Energy consumption has become a requirement in the modern world, and without it, the economies of developing nations cannot prosper. Consistent economic growth is a challenge for countries of all economic levels, not just the less developed ones. We test the EKC hypothesis by analyzing the relationships between GDP growth, energy consumption, agricultural output, and the consequences of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. From 1991 to 2016, we used panel and quantile regression analysis to compare emissions in nine developing countries with those in 13 developed countries. There is the beginning of a reverse U-shaped relationship between agricultural energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the verified EKC hypothesis paves the way for a watershed moment in the progress of industrialized nations’ economies. As an added bonus, agricultural results have a positive impact on CO2 emissions from using liquid fuels. It has a negative impact on CO2 emissions by 19.12% and causes a 4.802 percent increase in environmental degradation. Feed cropping, deforestation, biomass burning, and deep soil and cropping also have negative effects on the environment, especially in developing countries. There is a negative correlation between CO2 emissions and economic growth in developing countries and their energy consumption. Although the EKC hypothesis for CO2 emissions was rejected at lower quantiles, it was validated for Qatar, Canada, China, and other high-emitting economies according to the empirical estimation of quantile regression. The findings of this study have important policy implications for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, suggesting that policymakers account for the stage of economic growth currently being experienced when formulating measures to cut energy use and protect the environment. In particular, policies aimed at reducing energy consumption could.

Background: Otitis Media (OM) is the inflammation of the middle ear which is most common among children and can lead to hearing loss affecting 1.23 billion people in developing countries. The current study aims to isolate and identify the bacterial agent's causative otitis media among schoolchildren at Dhamar City, Yemen. Methods: Cross section study was conducted at Dhamar City in the period from February to May 2020. A total of 100 ear swab samples were collected from children patients backing Al-Hasan, Al-Tholaia, Omar, Hamzah, Al-Shimaa and Al-Thawrah schools, inoculated into blood, chocolate, MacConkey agar, and biochemical tests. The results: The results being drawn from the study show that the most common isolated bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus, flowed by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Alloiococcus spp. and Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Micrococcus spp. and Klebsiella spp. as the recorded rates 37%, 16%, 13%, 13%, 11%, 7% and 3% respectively. Conclusion: Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae, were the predominant pathogens of discharging ear. Highest isolation rate of otitis media bacteria, were in age between nine to twelve and highest in female. Early detection and treatment of upper respiratory tract infection before it develops into OM and lead to hearing loss among children is a must. Further study with advanced test to detect bacteria causes OM is recommended. Keywords: Otitis media; bacterial pathogens; Children; Yemen.

Integrated farming system (IFS) has been the way of life of agrarian people in semi-arid tropics (SAT) of India and other developing countries. However, there has been losing links between crops and livestock in the recent past due to promotion of mono- or double-crop-based intensive agricultural production systems owing to compulsions of hunger and poverty. Such farming practices resulted in issues of sustainability and economic viability due to stagnant productivity, deteriorating soil health, risk of failure of mono-cropping, absence of by-product and resource recycling, etc. Therefore, a study was planned during 2014–2018 involving multiple enterprises like food crops, agroforestry (fruits + vegetables), forage, livestock and water harvesting-cum-fish production to enhance productivity, profitability, energy efficiency, resource recycling and soil health. The IFS model of one hectare size besides producing multiple products (grains, fruit, vegetable, fodder, milk, fish, etc.) also resulted in US$ 1671/year net return with a benefit cost ratio of 1.58 and generated 293 man-days/year employment as against US$ 1287 net return and 119 man-days in groundnut–wheat cropping system. Energy efficiency, net energy gain and energy profitability were observed higher in groundnut–wheat cropping system. However, the share of indirect energy (71%) and renewable energy (67%) was more in IFS making it more self-reliant and sustainable. The IFS approach ensured round the year supply of income and a farmer can get approximately 265 to 597 US$ every month while he gets income only twice a year by adopting double cropping. Further, nearly 10.22 tonnes of farm yard manure and 2.5 tonnes of farm compost were recycled under IFS that improved soil health as compared to the double cropping. The study concluded that the IFS approach is capable of producing multiple products, improving productivity, profitability, employment opportunities, soil health and sustaining livelihood in vulnerable ecologies like SAT of central India and other parts of the world.

Numerous pathogenetic factors are related to diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Adiponectin shortage is associated with chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, adiponectin deficiency, and plasma-site APP expression. The coexistence of these two diseases in many individuals could be explained by cleaving enzyme 1 activity and vascular injury. This study looked at β-site APP Cleaving enzyme 1 and various biochemical markers in diabetic type 2 individuals with and without Alzheimer's disease. The research included 90 patients. Thirty healthy control volunteers were disease-free and shared similar demographic features. The study revealed that patients with both disease had the highest mean levels of β-asecretase, while those without treatment had the lowest. The patients' mean age and weight were higher than the control group's, but the length was not significantly different. A high statistically significant of SOD, catalase, Vitamin C, uric acid, GSH, FBS, K, and Zn when compared to controls, while albumin, MDA, Insulin and HbA1c and sodium there is a no-significantly difference. There was an association between β-asecretase with SOD, Vitamin C, and MDA. While there was no association with Catalase, Albumin, Uric acid, GSH, FBS, Insulin, HbA1c Na, K and Zn. Also indicated that decrease levels of β-secretase

The current era is notably characterized by the major advances in communication technologies. The increased connectivity has been transformative in terrestrial, space, and undersea applications. Nonetheless, the water medium imposes unique constraints on the signals that can be pursued for establishing wireless links. While numerous studies have been dedicated to tackling the challenges for underwater communication, little attention has been paid to effectively interfacing the underwater networks to remote entities. Particularly it has been conventionally assumed that a surface node will be deployed to act as a relay using acoustic links for underwater nodes and radio links for air-based communication. Yet, such an assumption could be, in fact, a hindrance in practice. The paper discusses alternative means by allowing communication across the air–water interface. Specifically, the optoacoustic effect, also referred to as photoacoustic effect, is being exploited as a means for achieving connectivity between underwater and airborne nodes. The paper provides background, discusses technical challenges, and summarizes progress. Open research problems are also highlighted.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that is marked by cognitive dysfunctions and the existence of neuropathological hallmarks such as amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles. It has been observed that a persistent immune response in the brain has appeared as another neuropathological hallmark in AD. The sustained activation of the microglia, the brain’s resident macrophages, and other immune cells has been shown to aggravate both tau and amyloid pathology and may consider as a connection in the AD pathogenesis. However, the basic mechanisms that link immune responses in the pathogenesis of AD are unclear until now since the process of neuroinflammation can have either a harmful or favorable effect on AD, according to the phase of the disease. Numerous researches recommend that nutritional fruits, as well as vegetables, possess neurodefensive properties against the detrimental effects of neuroinflammation and aging. Moreover, these effects are controlled by diverse phytochemical compounds that are found in plants and demonstrate anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, as well as other beneficial actions. In this review, we focus on the link of neuroinflammation in AD as well as highlight the probable mechanisms of alkaloidal phytochemicals to combat the neuroinflammatory aspect of AD.

ObjectivesPaediatric cancer is a leading cause of death for children. Children in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) were four times more likely to die than children in high-income countries (HICs). This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the delivery of healthcare services worldwide, and exacerbated the disparity in paediatric cancer outcomes between LMICs and HICs.DesignA multicentre, international, collaborative cohort study.Setting91 hospitals and cancer centres in 39 countries providing cancer treatment to paediatric patients between March and December 2020.ParticipantsPatients were included if they were under the age of 18 years, and newly diagnosed with or undergoing active cancer treatment for Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, Wilms’ tumour, sarcoma, retinoblastoma, gliomas, medulloblastomas or neuroblastomas, in keeping with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer.Main outcome measureAll-cause mortality at 30 days and 90 days.Results1660 patients were recruited. 219 children had changes to their treatment due to the pandemic. Patients in LMICs were primarily affected (n=182/219, 83.1%). Relative to patients with paediatric cancer in HICs, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 12.1 (95% CI 2.93 to 50.3) and 7.9 (95% CI 3.2 to 19.7) times the odds of death at 30 days and 90 days, respectively, after presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic (pConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected paediatric oncology service provision. It has disproportionately affected patients in LMICs, highlighting and compounding existing disparities in healthcare systems globally that need addressing urgently. However, many patients with paediatric cancer continued to receive their normal standard of care. This speaks to the adaptability and resilience of healthcare systems and healthcare workers globally.

The purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the burden of DM among patients admitted to tertiary hospitals in Mukalla city at eastern Yemen.Patients and methods: It is a cross sectional study among patients admitted to in three main hospitals in Mukalla city. Results: the prevalence of DM among admitted patients to the three hospitals in Mukalla city is 16.6%. Age specific prevalence rate is higher among adults over 40 years (40.3%) than the younger patients (2.2%). In a logistic regression only, age is a determinate factor to DM. The main symptoms and signs of the hospitalized DM patients are: polyurea (72.6%), polydipsia (70.5%), blurring of vision (57.9%), marked loss of weight (54.7%) Paresthesia (51.2%) and polyphagia (34.7%). The main complications among hospitalized DM patients are difficulty of vision (60.8%), Foot ulcer (53.6%) and loss of libido (49.2%).Conclusion: The prevalence of DM among hospitalized patients is high.

The Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) is a perennial plant which is adapted to wide climatic conditions ranging from temperate to semiarid regions. Its tubers are alternative to potatoes and it can typically produce 18–28 tons of waste foliage from one hectare which can be exploited for bioenergy via pyrolysis. However, the pyrolytic behavior of its waste was never studied. The present study was focused to assess its potential via pyrolysis, kinetics, thermodynamics, and TG-FTIR-MS based study to produce energy and chemicals. The biomass was subjected to thermal degradation at five heating rates (10, 20, 30, 40, 80 °C/min) under an inert environment. The thermograms showed that the highest rate of thermal transformation was achieved at 270–430 °C. The data were subjected to kinetics and thermodynamics analyses using Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO), Starink and Vyazovkin models. The activation energy (Ea) and pre-exponential factors remained consistent and ranged from 160 to 175 kJ/mol and 1012–1014 s−1 at conversion fractions ranging from α = 0.2 to α = 0.6. The kinetic parameters showed higher statistical confidence with R2 ≥ 0.98 and good agreement among the data obtained through various models. The high heating value (HHV = 18.76 MJ/kg), change in enthalpy (∼ΔH = 150–170 kJ/mol), and Gibbs free energy (ΔG = 158–168 kJ/mol) demonstrated the substantial bioenergy potential of this waste. Moreover, the pyrolytic gases were subjected to Thermogravimetric-Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy-Mass Spectrometry (TG-FTIR-MS) analyses to identify the nature of products. The detected functional groups showed that the evolved gases contained aldehydes, phenols, carboxylic acids, esters, aromatic hydrocarbons and methane which indicated the substantial potential of this waste to produce energy and chemicals via pyrolysis causing no competition with the food/feed or land for food/feed.

Objective We sought to study the clinical profile presentations and in hospital outcome of acute coronary syndromes ACS among young patients years of age presenting to King Faisal Cardiac Center in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia Methods Retrospective Single center study of all patients years or younger who presented to King Faisal cardiac center with acute coronary syndrome from the period between august till December All data were obtained from health informatics system Descriptive data of risk factors clinical presentation angiographic results and in hospital outcome were reported Results During the study period patients were admitted with ACS among them patients were forty five or younger Majority were males patients Smoking and dyslipidaemia were seen among and respectively Mean age was years SD plusmn STEMI was the presenting syndrome among thirty two patients and NSTEMI among of the patients Normal coronaries were seen in patients The left anterior descending artery was the infarct related artery in patients Many patients had only single vessel disease Percutaneous intervention was performed in patients No adverse in hospital and days events were encountered Conclusion Smoking is a prevailing risk factor among young patients presenting with ACS Majority have a favourable short term outcomes nbsp

Agroforestry an established practice for centuries is the deliberate combination of perennials with food crops and/or livestock either simultaneously or sequentially. Agroforestry systems are bio-diverse and are associated in numerous ways for combating desertification and mitigating climate change. Agroforestry practice is a possible way of reducing deforestation and forest degradation and can alleviate resource-use pressure on natural conservation areas. Among many other reasons responsible for climate change, our traditional approaches towards forest management have failed thereby giving way to a drastic climate change, which slowly but has indeed harbingered the cataclysmic future that awaits us if we do not act now. This paper thus acquaints the readers with the role of agroforestry in mitigating the soil erosion, rehabilitation of degraded lands, improving water conservation and replenishment of soil fertility. Besides, the role of agroforestry in improving the soil health and overall ecosystem has also been discussed. This paper furthermore, attempts to recognize the role that agroforestry can play in mitigating the repercussions of climate change apart from improving natural resource sustainability and future food security issues.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to detect the presence of waterborne parasites in the treated wastewater in Rada'a city. Study Design: An Experimental Research Design. Materials and Methods: Waterborne parasites in the collected samples were concentrated using formol ether and zinc sulphate techniques and then microscopically analyzed to identify protozoa and helminth eggs. Fifteen treated sewage samples were randomly collected from different positions of wastewater treatment plant in three different months of 2019 (May, June and August) with three replications. Each sample was collected in one-litre volume and recorded as original sample. Parasite analysis was done using the McMaster worm egg counting slides with chamber size of 0.3 mm. Results: In this study, Giardia lamblia was found in a high percentage in comparison to other parasites, followed by Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba coli. The majority of parasite eggs in the treated wastewater samples were related to Hookworm and Ascaris lumbricoide followed by Taenia saginat and Enterobius vermicularis. Furthermore, Cryptosprodium oocyst and Fasciola hepatica eggs were rarely detected. Conclusion: The observed pattern of contamination demonstrated that the quantity of parasites in sewage after treatment exceeded the permitted levels and it is necessary to modify the treatment process of wastewater to prevent the possible spread of parasitic contamination.

In India, very limited knowledge of soil infiltration characteristics in forages are available. In this study, infiltration characteristics of land covered by six forages have been studied with respect to bare land in sandy loam soil. Two empirical (Kostiakov and Horton) and two physically-based (Phillip and Green‒Ampt) models have been employed to estimate infiltration characteristics and compared with observed field infiltration data. The steady-state infiltration rates measured in forages and bare land were significantly (p less than 0.05) different. The highest average steady-state infiltration rate was measured in Panicum maximum (9.00 cm h-1) followed by TSH (7.40 cm h-1) and least was recorded in Cenchrus ciliaris (2.65 cm h-1) whereas the average steady-state infiltration rate recorded for bare land was 1.90 cm h-1. Results showed that the Kostiakov and Phillip model simulated the field infiltration characteristics with higher accuracy than the two other models except for Chrysopogonfulvus and bare land in which the Horton model outperformed other models. Higher steady-state infiltration rates in forages were attributed to more porosity measured in the soils under forages as compared to bare land.

Knowledge about the maximum possible storage of rainwater in the field and its safe disposal is very important to save crops from the adverse impact of excess rainfall. Keeping this in view, daily rainfall data of 30 to 35 years as per availability was analyzed at four centres of All India Coordinated Research Project on Water Management i.e. (i) Samastipur (ii) Ludhiana, (iii) Hisar, and (iv) Almora. In the design of agricultural structures, generally, 10 years return period is considered, so the point, where tangent drawn on the curves of 10 years return period crosses the Y-axis, gives maximum possible storage (recommended bund height) in rice fields. Maximum possible storage (bund height) corresponding to 10 years return period was found as 25 cm, 15 cm, 13 cm, and 27.5 cm and corresponding drainage coefficient as 26.3 mm/day, 6.8 mm/day, 8.4 mm/day and 24.8 mm/day for Samastipur, Ludhiana, Hisar and Almora, respectively.

One of the most important criteria for a city’s sustainability is climate adaptation. Simultaneously, traditional cities in West Asia have achieved harmony between architecture and the environment, depending on the experience and culture of the local community, indicating a fundamental stage of adaptation to the environment and climate. This research attempted to study and examine the traditional urban fabric, in order to diagnose its significance and ability to solve contemporary problems, such as the lack of comfortable and suitable urban housing environments in hot–dry climate areas, which cover most of West Asia. We used two research methods to create an integrated vision to investigate the indicators and their effect on urban form. Four case studies in the urban fabric and housing communities of West Asia’s hot–dry research areas were chosen for the analytical study. Furthermore, inductive analysis was carried out to determine the most critical sustainability parameters in the particular urban fabric. The climate response parameters of the study cities were evaluated using Ecotect simulation tools, and the determinants of sustainability indicators were quantitatively evaluated to assess each indicator’s impact on the sustainability of the urban fabric. Our findings have implications for assessing the relevance of climate adaptation in the sustainability of cities and their effectiveness in combating the impacts of climate change.

A field experiment with spilt plot design was carried out for standardization of Frequency Domain Reflectometry (FDR) and Watermark sensors in drip irrigated broccoli(Brassica oleracea var. italica). The experiment included three levels of irrigation frequencies: N1 (once every day), N2 (once every 2 days) and N3 (once every 3 days) with three irrigation regimes of 100, 80 and 60 % of crop evapotranspiration (ETc). For evaluating the performance of different soil moisture sensors, the sensors’ readings were taken from the plot on a daily basis and these readings were compared with gravimetric methods (standard). It was observed that the calibration of two sensors (FDR and Watermark) give a similar calibration equation with lowRMSE after field calibration. The value of coefficient of determination (R2) for FDR was observed 0.85, 0.86, 0.89 and 0.86 for 0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 cm soil depth whereas, the value of coefficient of determination (R2) for Watermark sensor was observed as 0.76, 0.83, 0.84 and 0.85 for 0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 cm soil depth, respectively. The Watermark sensor curves observed less sensitive at low soil water tension, whereas FDR sensors performed better in wet as well as dry conditions. That field calibration of soil moisture sensors is a prerequisite to measure soil moisture content in the soil. Keywords : Broccoli, Crop evapotranspiration, FDR, Watermark, Split-plot design

The main aim of this study is to apply geographic information system (GIS) and data mining techniques to get the attribute data in a spatial and tabular form related to district wise availability of standing water bodies in their area and number of Bihar state. An analysis has been done on available spatial data and maps to get non-spatial/ tabular data, which are in a more easily understandable form. Data extracted district-wise related to area and number of standing water bodies according to their size of Bihar state. Study shows that the numberand area of standing water bodies in Madhubani, East Champaran and Patna districts are 2185, 1753, 350 and 2355.42, 6752.36 and 8429.68 ha respectively. In this way, number and area of standing water bodies of other districts of Bihar are also extracted from geodatabases and digitized maps. This type of information is moreuseful than the spatial data because a common person is able to understand these tabular data and they can use this data for their own purposes. These data can be utilized by scientific personnel as well as farmers and that will be used in agriculture for better utilization of water resources to enhance agricultural productivity andincome of farmers of Bihar state. Keywords: Spatial data, tabular data, GIS, data mining

The arising need for self-powered devices have driven the research towards new energy harvesting techniques, especially the mechanical energy. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are considered a very promising technique for harvesting mechanical energy. However, most of the studies in the literature have been focusing on rectangular TENGs with with a scarce research in cylindrical configurations. In this paper, a novel In-Out cylindrical TENG mode is proposed to serve as a potential candidate for different applications. A FEM model is constructed using COMSOL-Multiphysics to characterize the device intrinsic properties such as open circuit voltage $V_{oc}(x)$ and short circuit charges $Q_{sc}(x)$. Furthermore, an analytical model is developed to obtain a closed form $(V-Q-x)$ relation with its accuracy validated against the FEM model. The results show an excellent agreement with an average error of 5.2% due to FEM limitations, which was a motivation for establishing a Verilog-A model as a circuit element to describe the mode’s behavior under different loading conditions and explore its ability to be integrated into different applications.

Silica nanostructures were fabricated from Pennisetum glaucum (pearl millet) seed husk by acid-pretreatment and calcination. The fabricated silica nanostructure (SN) functional groups, crystalline nature, surface morphology, and particle size were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Additionally, the cytocompatibility of SNs was analyzed on human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in an MTT assay, propidium iodine (PI) staining, and acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining. We observed peaks at 1090 and 800 cm

Underwater wireless networks (UWNs) conventionally have been interfaced to remote control centers through floating nodes that serve as gateways. A gateway will have an acoustic transceiver to communicate with underwater nodes and interact with command nodes over radio airwaves. This paper presents a novel approach that avoids the need for surface gateways and enables effective communication through the air water interface using free space optics. We first analyze the effect of optical transmission angle on the underwater signal range. Based on such analysis we determine the optical beam angle and underwater node position for best signal strength. We further develop a scheme for extending the coverage by beamforming of multiple light sources to mitigate the effect of water current on the receiver position and enable the establishment of robust communication links between underwater nodes and an air-borne base-station.

Traditional architecture has been successful in achieving harmony between housing and the environment, which is one of the most important conditions for sustainability. The research tried to study and analyze the traditional architecture to diagnose its importance and ability to solve contemporary problems. In order to achieve this aim, we conduct an empirical study of five regions of the hot dry climate, focusing on the urban fabric and dwelling projects. Analytic studies were performed using computer simulations by Ecotect software. The research concludes the effective indicators in the traditional urban fabric and employed it in many of housing clusters in hot dry regions.

Our understanding of the etiopathogenesis of acute pancreatitis has matured tremendously in the last 3 decades. Advanced cross-sectional imaging with 3-dimensional techniques along with use of intravenous contrast to image the presence or absence of organ tissue perfusion has allowed early recognition of necrotizing pancreatitis. With this knowledge, the old terms to describe what used to be called ‘peri-pancreatic fluid collections' we now recognize are no longer accurate nor appropriate. The 2013 revised Atlanta Classification has introduced a new, accurate, objective classification of acute pancreatitis and terminology for the natural history of all forms of acute pancreatitis that is easy to use and will help in both the description of the disease and its appropriate treatment. This review will describe these pancreatic and peri-pancreatic collections with added insight into their natural history.

Cancer is a leading cause of Morbidity and Mortality. Currently, It is a second leading cause of death followed by Cardiovascular diseases. Despite the fact that cancer can occur at any age, the older adults are more susceptible for tumor spread and contribute for its largest increase in incident cases worldwide.

Underwater environments are categorized as inhomogeneous habitats which complicates determining long range propagation losses. Basically, transmitted signals tend to refract and change direction in accordance to the encountered sound speed profile (SSP). Therefore, a uniform spreading beam quickly loses its uniformity and complicating the estimation of the signal strength at a beam's wave front. Such complexity degrades a node's ability in determining both the optimum direction and transmitted power to reach neighbors, leading to wasting energy and increases interference. This paper addresses these shortcomings and proposes a propagation loss estimation technique. Our technique introduces a 2D path loss model that leverages both the known SSP and our parabolic ranging method. Then a 3D extension of the model is proposed that utilizes a geographic grid to study the effect of refraction on directional beams. Essentially, the grid is used to identify candidate beams and factor the departure angles and observed SSP to account for medium inhomogeneity. We then utilize the loss models and the wave front shape to determine the best communication angle that minimizes power requirements. We validate our approach through simulation and assess its performance through comparison with contemporary methods.

Acoustic Underwater Networks (AUNs) operate in a dynamic and inhomogeneous medium where acoustic signals tend to refract causing difficulty in sustaining connectivity and locating lost nodes. Such inhomogeneity is usually apprehended by observing sound speed variations in aquatic mediums, which is obtained by taking measurements at discrete depths, using historical samples, or by applying ocean acoustic tomography. However, these techniques do not capture the medium dynamicity or pose constraints that are often difficult to achieve in such a habitat. To overcome these shortcomings, we proposes a Distributed Real-time Oceanic Profiling approach (DROP) that relies on few randomly-deployed unsynchronized nodes to estimate underwater sound speed profile (SSP). We first present a method to map the 3D environment into an equivalent 2D one. Using the 2D map, DROP uses a second order degree polynomial to estimate the trajectory of a transmitted signal and exploits the slope gradient of the polynomial in generating a layered medium. DROP then combines the measured local sound speed values and the signal refraction to predict sound speed in distinct layers and obtains an SSP. We validate DROP through simulation and show that its performance is consistent with actual measured data.

The suitability of integrating biological and thermal transformation of microalgal biomass to design a biorefinery was studied. The mixed cultivation of Chlorella sp. and Bracteacoccus sp. in city wastewater produced 12 g L−1 of biomass (0.77 g L−1 day−1) and removed nitrates and phosphates by 68% and 75%, respectively. Microalgae outcompeted the contaminating microbes by raising the pH of wastewater to 9.93. The lipid-free residual biomass was pyrolyzed at four heating rates (10, 20, 30, 40 °C min−1) which showed a three-stage pyrolysis. The activation energies (182–256 kJ mol−1) and their corresponding lower enthalpies at the conversional fractions from 0.2 to 0.6 indicated that product formation was being favored. The values of pre-exponential factors (1015-17 s−1), Gibbs free energy (159–190 kJ mol−1) and entropy (43–81 J mol−1) showed efficient pyrolysis. The data may lead to establish a robust microalgal biorefinery to produce biomass and energy along with primary treatment of city wastewater.

To increase underwater acoustic signal detectability and conserve energy, nodes leverage directional transmissions. In addition, nodes operate in a three-dimensional (3D) environment that is categorized as inhomogeneous where a propagating signal changes its direction based on the observed sound speed profile (SSP). Coupling 3D directional transmission with frequent node drifts and the varying underwater SSP complicates the process of selecting suitable transmission angles to maintain underwater communication links. Fundamentally, utilizing directional transmission while nodes are drifting causes breaks in established communication links and thus nodes need to find new angles to reestablish these links. Moreover, selecting arbitrary transmission angles may lead to overlapping beams or result in leaving an underwater region uncovered. To tackle the abovementioned challenges, this paper proposes an autonomous beam selection approach that optimizes underwater communication by selecting non-overlapping beams while mitigating the possibility of missing a region, i.e., maximize coverage. Such optimization is achieved by utilizing a structured angle selection mechanism that accounts for the capability of the used transducer. Moreover, we introduce an algorithm suited for resource constrained nodes to classify rays into different types. Then we divide the underwater medium into regions where each region is identified by the limits of the coverage area of each ray type. Finally, we utilize the limits of these regions to aid nodes in selecting the best ray to reestablish communication with drifted nodes. We validate our contribution through simulation where actual SSPs are leveraged to validate the beam classification process.

The aim of this study is to find a new method of budgeting in one of the most important state facilities, namely, government universities, specifically the University of Garmian, by preparing the performance budget using the ABC method to achieve the efficiency and effectiveness of limited resources. The budget used in public universities is budget balancing. It is a traditional budget that focuses on the adoption of inputs without attention or focus on the objectives or the measurement of the outputs and the resulting effects, which weakens the accountability approach to efficiency and efficiency in implementation. In order to achieve the objectives of this study, a thorough analysis and discussion of the scientific elements related to the fundamentals of the proposed budget was carried out. It was concluded that the performance budget through the use of the ABC system may lead to the effective completion of programs and activities at the University and other government universities. Extent of response to planned programs and objectives.

Presenting soil heterogeneity precisely in various spatial scales is the main key to simulate water and solute transport through it. The method described by Richards is mostly used to study water flow through vadose zone. It requires spatial representation of hydraulic functions and water retention relationship in the soil. To represent the spatial relationship of soil hydraulic functions, scaling approach is being used since the last few decades. In this study, a simple scaling method using nonlinear least squares minimization technique has been used to scale soil matric potential, hydraulic conductivity as well as simultaneous scaling of soil matric potential and hydraulic conductivity data. Simultaneous scaling is necessary as it reduces the volume of data by producing a single set of scale factors for hydraulic functions in a heterogeneous soil. Van Genuchten’s semi-empirical expressions were used in this study to parameterize soil hydraulic functions. Results showed that correlation coefficient from raw and descaled data was superior when soil matric potential and hydraulic conductivity data were scaled separately than simultaneously. Improvement of correlation coefficient in simultaneous scaling can be obtained by adding more weight to the soil matric potential data than unsaturated hydraulic conductivity data, which enhances the overall correlation coefficient in simultaneously scaling. Statistical analysis of the scale factors showed that they are lognormally distributed. Scale factors calculated by solving simple equations obtained using the method described in this study can be used to simulate water movement through heterogeneous soil conditions using HYDRUS model.

Difficulty in finding technically qualified local resources that fit the drilling specific industry requirements is a global reality. This challenge also applies when searching for technically qualified expatriate resources in the global market especially in these days of unprecedented surge in drilling activity. With more owners chasing a small pool of experienced qualified technical staff the situation is attractive for the employee in the short term but is not helping the industry and certainly not fulfilling sustainability aspirations. The situation is further complicated due the fact that the skills demanded by some positions in the drilling industry are not typically taught in universities and colleges. Training institutions are few and the demand remains high. With governments of oil producing countries placing emphasis on national content quotas to ensure that a significant number of their citizens are employed within their country in critical positions a solution needs to be found, it has to be fast. Taking a leaf out of the shipping industry approach that has for decades trained the officers using well established apprenticeship programs, NDC put in place a robust program of training employees for these difficult to recruit positions using a combination of classroom, practical and on-the-job training while treating these employees as apprentices, thus ensuring that the integrity of operations. Once fully trained, assessed and ready for assuming operational roles, the apprentices were inducted on rigs for a defined period and assessed by experienced mentors till they were finally put in place for independent operations.

1, 11, Walailak Journal of Science and Technology

The dynamics, degradation, and conservation of forest ecosystems are matters of prime concerns worldwide at the present. Proper planning and management of a forest area are essentially needed to protect it from the grasp of burgeoning pressure of urban-industrial sprawl. Establishment of eco-sensitive zones (ESZs), which act as buffer areas around the core forests, is one of the key approaches towards achieving this goal. This paper deals with the applicability of geospatial techniques to identify the ESZ around an Indian wildlife sanctuary following the different rules and acts prescribed by the Government of India. Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the northeastern state of Tripura in India, has been selected here as a case study. Collected pieces of information on the distribution of biodiversity and human population in the area were also used to make the approach more holistic. As inferred from this study, remote sensing and geographical information systems were found to be easily implementable and time as well as cost-effective tools for this purpose with a distinct advantage of spatial as well as temporal accuracy in identifying the existing land use and land cover patterns in pilot assessments. However, the results indicated that only appropriate hybridization of field-based information on the biodiversity and ecological aspects of the forest as well as patterns of human interferences with the remote sensing and GIS-based data could make this approach more relevant in actual implementations.