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Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) accumulates challenges in the areas of research and innovation (R&I), agricultural water management (AWM) and their intersection. In the decade 2012–2022, the BiH gross domestic product per capita in current US$ increased by 6.2% annually. However, improvements are slowly arriving in R&I and AWM. In this period, relevant challenges to AWM have materialized, such as climate change effects or the need to implement an interconnected vision of ecosystem services. In the R&I arena, the societal demand for knowledge goods remains low, while the reforms of higher education and R&I funding systems have become urgent. This paper set out to elaborate a realistic and feasible policy roadmap to consolidate R&I in AWM in BiH. The methodology included an assessment of policies and sector performance, the analysis of stakeholder perceptions, the development of strategic directions and the design of a strategy. Desk research and stakeholder consultations (33 interviews, six workshops, 179 persons in total) were used to take stock of the current situation and expectations for the future. Stakeholders were divided into knowledge supply and knowledge demand, with five and six subcategories, respectively. Relations were established among the key enabling factors, the needs and the capacities of the involved stakeholders. The TOWS (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Strengths) matrix permitted to identify policy strategies. A Weaknesses – Opportunities, conservative or mini-maxi strategy was selected, owing to the relevance of system weaknesses (such as low investments, poor return of R&I to society or low R&I for AWM adaptation) and opportunities (such as the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, Smart Specialization or regional partnerships). The policy roadmap was structured along three policy goals: strengthen R&I, strengthen AWM and identify / fund local R&I priorities for AWM. Policy goals included policy instruments promoting eco-efficient use of resources and sustainable development of rural areas.

This work aimed to study the effect of drip irrigation management on growth and yield of the 'Roxo de Valinhos' fig tree (Ficus carica L.), at three years old, and to determine crop coefficients (Kc) and its water requirement (ETc) under Baixada Fluminense climate and soil conditions, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The study was carried out in the experimental area of SIPA (Sistema Integrado de Produção Agroecológica) in Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro State, from July 2011 to May 2012. The experimental area was divided in two blocks, named B1 (sandy clay loam texture) and B2 (loamy sand texture). In each block, irrigation frequencies (IF) of two (T1) and four days (T2) were evaluated, as well as the irrigation absence (T3). Irrigation management and water consumption determination were performed through the soil water balance, using the TDR technique. Plant growth was not affected by IF, differing only in the number of produced internodes. For both soil textures, the mean Kc was 0.60, with a significant difference (p

The aim of this study was to quantify the water consumption and the crop coefficients (Kc) for the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), in Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil, under organic management, and to simulate the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) using the Kc obtained in the field and the ones recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The water consumption was obtained through soil water balance, using TDR probes installed at 0.15m and 0.30m deep. At the different stages of development, the Kc was determined by the ratio of ETc and reference evapotranspiration, obtained by Penman-Monteith FAO 56. The crop coefficients obtained were 0.35, 0.45, 1.29 and 0.63. The accumulated ETc obtained in the field was 109.6 mm, while the ETc accumulated from FAO's Kc were 142.2 and 138mm, respectively, considering the classical values and the values adjusted to the local climatic conditions. The simulation of water consumption based on meteorological data of historical series from 1961 to 2007 provided higher value of ETc when compared with the one obtained in the field. From the meteorological data of historical series, it was observed that the use of Kc recommended by FAO may overestimate the amount of irrigation water by 9%, over the same growing season.O trabalho foi desenvolvido visando a quantificar, sob manejo agroecológico, o consumo hídrico e os kcs para a cultura da batata (Solanum tuberosum L.), em Seropédica (RJ), e a simular a evapotranspiração da cultura (ETc), utilizando os kcs obtidos e os kcs preconizados pela FAO. O consumo hídrico foi obtido por meio do balanço hídrico do solo, utilizando sondas de TDR instaladas a 0,15 e 0,30 m de profundidade. Nas diferentes fases de desenvolvimento, o kc foi determinado pela razão entre a ETc e a evapotranspiração de referência, obtida por Penman-Monteith FAO 56. Os kcs obtidos foram 0,35; 0,45; 1,29 e 0,63. A ETc acumulada obtida em campo foi de 109,6 mm, enquanto as ETcs acumuladas a partir dos kcs FAO foram de 142,2 e 138,0 mm, respectivamente, considerando os valores clássicos e os corrigidos para as condições climáticas locais. A simulação do consumo hídrico com base nos dados meteorológicos da série histórica de 1961 a 2007 proporcionou valor maior de ETc quando comparado ao obtido em campo. A partir dos dados meteorológicos obtidos na série histórica, observou-se que a utilização de kcs preconizados pela FAO pode superestimar a quantidade de água na irrigação em 9%, considerando o mesmo período de cultivo.

Soil water balance (SWB) in woody crops is sometimes difficult to estimate with one-dimensional models because these crops do not completely cover the soil and usually have a deep root system, particularly when cropped under rainfed conditions in a Mediterranean climate. In this study, the actual crop evapotranspiration (ETc act) is estimated with the soil water balance model SIMDualKc which uses the dual-Kc approach (relating the fraction of soil cover with the crop coefficients) to improve the estimation of the water requirements of a rainfed vineyard, using data from a deep soil profile. The actual basal crop coefficient (Kcb act) obtained using the SIMDualKc model was compared with the Kcb act estimated using the A&P approach, which is a simplified approach based on measurements of the fraction of ground cover and crop height. Spectral vegetation indices (VIs) derived from Landsat-5 satellite data were used to determine the fraction of ground cover (fc VI) and thus the density coefficient (Kd). The SIMDualKc model was calibrated using available soil water (ASW) measurements down to a depth of 1.85 m, which significantly improved the conditions for using an SWB estimation model. The test of the model was performed using a different ASW dataset. A good agreement between simulated and field-measured ASW was observed for both data sets along the crop season, with RMSE < 12.0 mm and NRMSE < 13%. The calibrated Kcb values were 0.15, 0.60, and 0.52 for the initial, mid-season, and end season, respectively. The ratio between ETc act and crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was quite low between veraison and maturity (mid-season), corresponding to 36%, indicating that the rainfall was not sufficient to satisfy the vineyard's water requirements. VIs used to compute fc VI were unable to fully track the plants' conditions during water stress. However, ingestion of data from remote sensing (RS) showed promising results that could be used to support decision making in irrigation scheduling. Further studies on the use of the A&P approach using RS data are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slopes adjacent to the Bahamian carbonate platform revealed a large variety of depositional processes. In this study, we present a synthesis summarizing 109,000 km2 of bathymetric and reflectivity data with ∼7,900 km of seismic lines and 311 m of sediment cores that were obtained over the last 50 years. These data are used to develop a conceptual model of sedimentation patterns on Quaternary carbonate slope systems and their interaction with the adjacent shallow‐water carbonate platforms. Our data highlight that during the Quaternary, factors controlling large‐scale sedimentation on Bahamian slopes have numerous similarities as they have higher sedimentation rates during interglacials. At a small scale, every slope has its own characteristics that are contemporary controlled by two main characteristics: (a) facies on the adjacent shallow‐water platform, and (b) the impact of shallow‐ and deep‐water currents. Large‐scale tectonics influence sediment deposition as it determines the position of the islands and impacts platform facies distribution. Plain Language Summary: The factors that allow sediment to be exported from carbonate platforms to the deep‐sea need discussion. To gain a better understanding of the processes involved, the sedimentary archives of the slopes connected to these carbonate platforms are consulted. The sediments encountered vary and range from grains finer than 20 μm to coarse sandy sediments, a few millimeters in size. To understand the different processes that export those different types of sediment, we analyze various slopes of the Bahamas, a well‐known pure carbonate platform system. We used both numerical data (bathymetry, reflectivity, seismic) and sediment samples from this area and compared those records for the different Bahamian slopes. We highlighted that every slope displays a different sediment record; for every slope transect the adjacent platform facies together with deep‐sea processes (currents) determine the sediment distribution. The processes that export and transport the sediments are of equal importance. Key Points: Main factors controlling Bahamian slope sedimentation are revisedNumerous data types acquired offshore were synthesizedOur data suggest a strong influence of platform fine‐grained concentration and currents on slope sedimentation models [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall simulators (RS) have been used, above all, to evaluate hydrological processes related to soil water infiltration, surface runoff and soil erosion. They allow repeatability of rain application with different precipitation intensities in field and/or laboratory conditions and should produce events with physical characteristics similar to natural rain. In this manuscript, we carried out a bibliometric and scientometric analysis of studies with simulated rainfall in Brazil to assess the temporal evolution of publications, the main topics addressed and the degree of technological development of the equipment. We searched for the terms “rainfall simulator” OR “simulated rainfall” AND “Brazil” in the Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO and Google Scholar databases. We found 143 articles published in the last 37 years (1985–2022). Our findings indicate that the main research areas covered in papers are soil erosion (57.34%), soil water infiltration (24.47%), nutrient losses (9.8%) and RS development and calibration/assessment (8.39%). In recent years, the number of published papers in international high-impact factor journals has increased. Most of the papers (49.65%) refer to studies carried out by institutions located in the south and southeast regions of Brazil. Moreover, there is a large gap of studies on simulated rainfall in other regions of Brazil, where important biomes such as the Cerrado, Amazon, Caatinga, and their transitions are located. This study informs research priorities on soil erosion under simulated rainfall and provides a bibliographic database that can assist in more detailed future analyses.

Appendicular osteosarcoma (OSA) is a highly aggressive and metastatic primary bone tumour in dogs. Standard therapy is amputation and adjuvant chemotherapy (e.g. with doxorubicin). Liposomal drug delivery may augment therapeutic efficacy and reduce negative side effects. Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-liposomal doxorubicin treats human metastatic cancers effectively. The study aimed was to evaluate PEG-liposomal doxorubicin’s inhibitory effect on canine metastatic proliferation and migration in vitro. It also aimed to appraise the drug’s extravasation inhibition in vivo using the human medicine–proven chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane ex ovo model.

Applying constant precipitation intensity, which does not occur in natural events, is one of the main limitations concerning rainfall simulators in soil erosion studies. The present work evaluated the InfiAsper rainfall simulator operating with a new control panel to program rainfalls with different precipitation intensities (PI). Infiltration rates and soil and water losses were evaluated in a Distrophic Acrisol (clay loam texture) with simulated rainfalls of 30 mm and duration of 40 min, considering advanced (AD), intermediate (IN), delayed (DE), and inverted intermediate (II) patterns, all with PI peaks of 110 mm h−1, and a constant (CT) pattern. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with five treatments (rainfall patterns) and experimental units measuring 2.5 × 2.5 m. The simulator worked satisfactorily, applying the rainfall according to the preconfigured programs. The simulated rainfall with the CT and II patterns did not promote runoff nor soil loss. Infiltration and runoff rates varied according to the applied rainfall pattern, reaching 97.8 and 27.3 mm h−1 (AD), 82.1 and 39.5 mm h−1 (IN), and 76.2 and 49.7 mm h−1 (DE), respectively. Soil loss and surface runoff totaled each 4.77 g m−2 and 3.9 mm (AD), 6.70 g m−2 and 6.8 mm (IN), and 6.03 g m−2 and 7.0 mm (DE). The InfiAsper simulator modified enables varying precipitation intensity besides obtaining satisfactory results in the field and information consistent with the expected characteristics of natural rainfall patterns. In the intermediate and delayed rainfall patterns, soil and water losses are higher than in the advanced.

Presents a study which investigated the formation conditions, oprical properties and lasing behavior of a specific color centers in lithium flourine crystals. Efficiency of the energy levels; Binding characteristics of electron ions; Center formation and stability.

The effect of different rainfall patterns on surface runoff, infiltration and thus soil losses and sediment concentrations are still in the focus of current research. In most simulated rainfall experiments, precipitation is applied at a fixed intensity for a fixed time. However, the impact of rainfall patterns on soil erosion processes may be different varying the rainfall duration and intensity that produces an event with similar rainfall erosivity values. Twenty-five rainfall events were applied on micro-scale runoff plots in a soil covered with corn straw to evaluate the sediment yield and runoff rates. The different rainfall types were composed by association of duration (Dur) and intensity (IP) with the same erosivity value. The Dur varied from 38 to 106 min and the IP varied from 75.0 to 44.6 mm h-1. The sediment yield varied from 1.89 ± 1.26 g m-2 to 4.02 ± 2.66 g m-2 and runoff ranged from 16.9 ± 8.74 mm to 32.63 ± 10.67 mm with highest rates occurring with high intensity and low duration. The highest rainfall intensity provides the maximum sediment yield (0.138 g m-2 min-1) and runoff rates (0.87 mm min-1). The time to start surface runoff varied from 14 to 19.2 min and it was longer in treatments with longer durations and low precipitation intensity. No difference was found in the amount of sediments applying rain with the same erosivity and different associations of duration and intensity. However, the intensity and duration of the rain, with the same erosivity, altered the amount and time of runoff. In rainfall experiments with constant intensity and fixed time, the erosion rates depend on the duration of the applied rain. Therefore, the results of this study can contribute to the development of new perspectives in the design of water erosion experiments with simulated rain considering the duration, intensity and also the association of these variables to produce rainfall that delivery the same soil erosion capacity.

Soil physical and hydraulic properties are interdependent, and soil-use planning and management are complicated by the high variability of these attributes. The current study assessed the variability of physical and hydraulic properties of soils along a toposequence located in a forest fragment under spontaneous regeneration in the coastal lowlands of Rio de Janeiro. Four soil profiles were selected, and samples were collected from surface and subsurface horizons for determination of moisture content, bulk density, macroporosity, microporosity, hydraulic conductivity, texture, and soil resistance to penetration (measured using benchtop and field penetrometers). Exploratory and principal component analyses were performed, and descriptive parameters and Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated. In A horizons of profiles 3 (Planossolo) and 4 (Gleissolo), clay contents ranged from 59.0 to 577.0 g kg-1, moisture contents from 1.5 to 16.4%, and microporosity from 10.4 to 46.2%, respectively. Field- and laboratory-measured penetration resistances showed a stronger association with profile 1 (Argissolo); however, values were not sufficiently high to limit root development. The variability in soil physical and hydraulic properties in short slopes is high, mainly in terms of hydraulic conductivity, moisture, microporosity, and clay content. The greater variability of soil physical and hydraulic properties in lowland is attributed to clay and silt fractions, microporosity, and moisture content. The increment in clay content with depth increases bulk density and resistance to root penetration.