Mapping performance of irrigation schemes in Turkey

Water is a crucial resource and approximately 70% usage of it in the agriculture sector in Turkey. Water user associations are in charge of irrigation water management. The core aim of this study is to assess water user associations have command area more than 1,000 ha (WUAs) within the districts of DSI (State Hydraulic Works) and to create spatial maps to show the distribution of the performance indicators used constantly by researchers especially around Mediterranean countries during the period from 2011 to 2015. Frequency and panel data analysis are used to figure out the relationship among performance indicators and attributes such as water diversion type, management type, source of water and district no. Panel data analysis was applied to examine statistical assessment over time. As a result, current performance indicators show that excessive irrigation water used due to low technology and management problem. Performance indicators show high differences among districts due to climate, water resources, and crop pattern. Moreover, low irrigation efficiency can be increased with a transition to pressurized irrigation systems, so more are can be irrigated with less water

Shock-induced reaction in several liquids

Single-shock experiments have been completed in several liquids using multiple, embedded, electromagnetic Lagrangian particle velocity and impulse gauges to measure shock waveforms. The liquids include acrylonitrile, bromoform, diiodomethane, phenylacetylene, bromocyclopropane, and carbon disulfide. Some of these are known to exhibit shock-induced reaction and others are considered to be candidates for reaction studies. The ''universal'' liquid Hugoniot, which depends only on initial condition sound speed, was used to calculate the unreacted Hugoniot. Sound velocities were measured for those liquids with no data available. The effects of shock-induced reaction are clearly identified in the particle velocity waveforms for some materials, but there are remaining questions about whether reactions occur in others. The most impressive results are that the full reactive, two-wave structure was measured in phenylacetylene. On the reacting materials with two-wave structures, the particle velocity waveforms had a decrease behind the top of the first wave. This is thought to be evidence of an early reaction which occurs at the top of the first (nonreactive) wave. 12 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

Progress in measuring detonation wave profiles in PBX9501

The authors have measured detonation wave profiles in PBX9501 (95 wt% HMX and 5 wt% binders) using VISAR. Planar detonations were produced by impacting the explosive with projectiles launched in a 72 mm bore gas gun. Particle velocity wave profiles were measured at the explosive/window interface using two VISARs with different fringe constants. Windows with very thin vapor deposited aluminum mirrors were used for all experiments. PMMA windows provided an undermatch, and LiF (Lithium Fluoride) windows provided an overmatch to the explosive, reacted and unreacted. While the present experiments do not have adequate time resolution to adequately resolve the ZND spike condition, they do constrain it to lie between 38.7 and 53.4 Gpa or 2.4 and 3.3 km/s. Accurate knowledge of the CJ state places the reaction zone length at 35 {+-} 12 ns ({approx} 0.3 mm). The present experiments do not show any effect of the window on the reaction zone; both window materials result in the same reaction zone length

Detonation wave profiles in HMX based explosives

Detonation wave profiles have been measured in several HMX based plastic bonded explosives including PBX9404, PBX9501, and EDC-37, as well as two HMX powders (coarse and fine) pressed to 65% of crystal density. The powders had 120 and 10 {micro}m average grain sizes, respectively. Planar detonations were produced by impacting the explosive with projectiles launched in a 72-mm bore gas gun. Impactors, impact velocity, and explosive thickness were chosen so that the run distance to detonation was always less than half the explosive thickness. For the high density plastic bonded explosives, particle velocity wave profiles were measured at an explosive/window interface using two VISAR interferometers. PMMA windows with vapor deposited aluminum mirrors were used for all experiments. Wave profiles for the powdered explosives were measured using magnetic particle velocity gauges. Estimates of the reaction zone parameters were obtained from the profiles using Hugoniots of the explosive and window

Observations of shock-induced reaction in liquid bromoform up to 11 GPA

Shock measurements on bromoform (CHBr{sub 3}) over the past 33 years at Los Alamos have led to speculation that this material undergoes a shock-induced reaction. Ramsay observed that it became opaque after a 1 to 2 {micro}s induction time when shocked to pressures above 6 GPa. McQueen and Isaak observed that it is a strong light emitter above 25 GPa. Hugoniot data start to deviate from the anticipated liquid Hugoniot at pressures above 10 GPa. The authors have used electromagnetic particle velocity gauging to measure wave profiles in shocked liquid bromoform. At pressures below 9 GPa, there is no mechanical evidence of reaction. At a pressure slightly above 10 GPa, the observed wave profiles are similar to those observed in initiating liquid explosives such as nitromethane. Their characteristics are completely different from the two-wave structures observed in shocked liquids where the products are more dense than the reactants. As with explosives, a reaction producing products which are less dense than the reactants is indicated. BKW calculations also indicate that a detonation type reaction may be possible

Bifidobacterium breve reduces apoptotic epithelial cell shedding in an exopolysaccharide and MyD88-dependent manner

Certain members of the microbiota genus Bifidobacterium are known to positively influence host well-being. Importantly, reduced bifidobacterial levels are associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, who also have impaired epithelial barrier function, including elevated rates of apoptotic extrusion of small intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) from villi—a process termed ‘cell shedding’. Using a mouse model of pathological cell shedding, we show that mice receiving Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 exhibit significantly reduced rates of small IEC shedding. Bifidobacterial-induced protection appears to be mediated by a specific bifidobacterial surface exopolysaccharide and interactions with host MyD88 resulting in downregulation of intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic responses to protect epithelial cells under highly inflammatory conditions. Our results reveal an important and previously undescribed role for B. breve, in positively modulating epithelial cell shedding outcomes via bacterial- and host-dependent factors, supporting the notion that manipulation of the microbiota affects intestinal disease outcomes

Preterm infants harbour diverse Klebsiella populations, including atypical species that encode and produce an array of antimicrobial resistance- and virulence-associated factors

Klebsiella spp. are frequently enriched in the gut microbiota of preterm neonates, and overgrowth is associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), nosocomial infections and late-onset sepsis. Little is known about the genomic and phenotypic characteristics of preterm-associated Klebsiella as previous studies have focussed on recovery of antimicrobial-resistant isolates or culture independent molecular analyses. The aim of this study was to better characterize preterm-associated Klebsiella populations using phenotypic and genotypic approaches. Faecal samples from a UK cohort of healthy and sick preterm neonates (n=109) were screened on MacConkey agar to isolate lactose positive Enterobacteriaceae. Whole-genome sequences were generated for Klebsiella spp., and virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes identified. Antibiotic susceptibility profiling, and in vitro macrophage and iron assays were undertaken for the Klebsiella strains. Metapangenome analyses with a manually curated genome dataset were undertaken to examine diversity of Klebsiella oxytoca and related bacteria in a publicly available shotgun metagenome dataset. Approximately one-tenth of faecal samples harboured Klebsiella spp. (Klebsiella pneumoniae, 7.3 %; Klebsiella quasipneumoniae, 0.9 %; Klebsiella grimontii, 2.8 %; Klebsiella michiganensis, 1.8 %). Isolates recovered from NEC- and sepsis-affected infants and those showing no signs of clinical infection (i.e. 'healthy') encoded multiple -lactamases. No difference was observed between isolates recovered from ‘healthy’ and sick infants with respect to in vitro siderophore production (all encoded enterobactin in their genomes). All K. pneumoniae, K. quasipneumoniae, K. grimontii and K. michiganensis faecal isolates tested were able to reside and persist in macrophages, indicating their immune evasion abilities. Metapangenome analyses of published metagenomic data confirmed our findings regarding the presence of K. michiganensis in the preterm gut. There is little difference in the phenotypic and genomic characteristics of Klebsiella isolates recovered from 'healthy' and sick infants. Identification of -lactamases in all isolates may prove problematic when defining treatment regimens for NEC or sepsis, and suggests ‘healthy’ preterm infants contribute to the resistome. Refined analyses with curated sequence databases are required when studying closely related species present in metagenomic data

Electromagnetic gauge measurements of shock initiating PBX9501 and PBX9502 explosives

The authors have used an embedded electromagnetic particle velocity gauge technique to measure the shock initiation behavior in PBX9501 and PBX9502 explosives. Experiments have been conducted in which up to twelve separate measurements have been made in a single experiment which detail the growth from an input shock to a detonation. In addition, another gauge element called a shock tracker has been used to monitor the progress of the shock front as a function of time, thus providing a position-time trajectory of the wave front as it moves through the explosive sample. This provides similar data to that obtained in a traditional wedge test and is used to determine the position and time that the wave attains detonation. Data on both explosives show evidence of heterogeneous initiation (growth in the front) and homogeneous initiation (growth behind the front) with the PBX9502 showing more Heterogeneous behavior and the PBX 9501 showing more homogeneous behavior

Changes to the LANL gas-driven two-stage gun: Magnetic gauge instrumentation, etc.

Our gas-driven two-stage gun was designed and built to do initiation studies on insensitive high explosives as well as other equation of state experiments on inert materials. Our preferred method of measuring initiation phenomena involves the use of magnetic particle velocity gauges. In order to accommodate this type of gauging in our two-stage gun, projectile velocity was sacrificed in favor of a larger experimental target area (obtained by using a 50 mm diameter launch tube). We have used magnetic gauging on our 72-mm bore diameter single-stage gun for over 15 years and it has proven a very effective technique to monitor reactive shock wave evolution. This technique has now been adapted to our gas-driven two-stage gun. We describe the method used, as well as some of the difficulties that arose while installing this technique. Several magnetic gauge experiments have been completed on plastic materials. Waveforms obtained in one experiment are given, along with the Hugoniot information that was obtained. This new technique is now working quite well, as is evidenced by the data. To our knowledge, this is the first time magnetic gauging has been used on a two-stage gun. We have also made changes to the burst diaphragm package in the transition section to ensure that the petals do not break off during the opening process and to increase the burst pressure. This will also be discussed briefly

Next generation of selenocyanate and diselenides with upgraded leishmanicidal activity

Nowadays, leishmaniasis is still treated with outdated drugs that present several obstacles related to their high toxicity, long duration, parenteral administration, high costs and drug resistance. Therefore, there is an urgent demand for safer and more effective novel drugs. Previous studies indicated that selenium compounds are promising derivatives for innovative therapy in leishmaniasis treatment. With this background, a new library of 20 selenocyanate and diselenide derivatives were designed based on structural features present in the leishmanicidal drug miltefosine. Compounds were initially screened against promastigotes of L. major and L. infantum and their cytotoxicity was evaluated in THP-1 cells. Compounds B8 and B9 were the most potent and less cytotoxic and were further screened for the intracellular back transformation assay. The results obtained revealed that B8 and B9 showed EC50 values of 7.7 µM and 5.7 µM, respectively, in L. major amastigotes, while they presented values of 6.0 µM and 7.4 µM, respectively, against L. infantum amastigotes. Furthermore, they exerted high selectivity (60 70) towards bone marrow-derived macrophages. Finally, these compounds exhibited higher TryR inhibitory activity than mepacrine (IC50 7.6 and 9.2 µM, respectively), and induced nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in macrophages. These results suggest that the compounds B8 and B9 could not only exert a direct leishmanicidal activity against the parasite but also present an indirect action by activating the microbicidal arsenal of the macrophage. Overall, these new generation of diselenides could constitute promising leishmanicidal drug candidates for further studies