Storm Surge Hazard Database for the United States Using Stochastic Hurricane Model: Development, Bias Correction and Applications

This thesis describes the development of a high-resolution storm-surge hazard database, which can be used for estimating the long-term storm surge hazard at any given site along the eastern coast of the United States (US). A stochastic hurricane track model is used to generate a set of one hundred thousand years of synthetic hurricane tracks. The SLOSH (Sea, Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricanes) model is used to simulate the storm surge in the Atlantic basin caused by selected synthetic hurricane tracks. The study domain covers a region of about 20 miles from the coastline containing more than 220,000 grid points (or observation points) for recording the peak storm surges of each synthetic hurricane track. A uniform grid of resolution of 1.1 km is proposed for this study. Hind cast simulation of a set of 16 hurricanes was performed to quantify the modeling error of SLOSH model in terms of its ability to predict the surge height that occurred along the US coastline. The SLOSH predicted surges for the 16 historical hurricanes were validated against historical storm surge data obtained from various tide stations and post-hurricane high watermarks along the eastern coast of the US. These modeling errors were then quantified for each SLOSH study region (basin). The simulated surge heights for each basin were then adjusted for systematic error (bias) to assist in the development of more robust, reliable and accurate hazard maps. The biased adjusted surge heights were used to generate (1) storm surge hazard curves (surge height versus return period) for the 220,000 grid points, and (2) storm surge hazard maps for different return periods. A hazard visualization tool was developed to view the surge hazard footprint. The availability of this information of long-term hazard for more than 220,000 locations along the US coast can be a useful tool for coastal city developers and planners, decision makers, risk analysts and engineering firms responsible for designing structures for hurricane induced storm surge hazards. Also, such a database and the visualization tools (maps, hazard curves) can improve the risk communication in the community and help in mitigating the losses (monetary and life) due to the storm surge by creating storm surge risk awareness in the society

Antidiabetic Activity of Vinca rosea Extracts in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

The present study was carried out to evaluate the antidiabetic activity of Vinca rosea methanolic whole plant extracts in alloxan induced diabetic rats for 14 days. The methanolic whole plant extract at high dose (500 mg/kg) exhibited significant anti-hyperglycemic activity than whole plant extract at low dose (300 mg/kg) in diabetic rats. The methanolic extracts also showed improvement in parameters like body weight and lipid profile as well as regeneration of β-cells of pancreas in diabetic rats. Histopathological studies reinforce the healing of pancreas, by methanolic Vinca rosea extracts, as a possible mechanism of their antidiabetic activity

Effects of temperature treatment on seed germination, root development and seedling growth of Citrullus lanatus (watermelon)

The objective of the present study is to investigate the effects of temperature on the seed germination, root development and seedling growth of watermelon. Yellow flesh watermelon seeds were incubated with control (normal temperature 25°C, 20°C, 30°C, 35°C and 40°C under lab condition. This experiment was carried out with Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and each treatment consists of five replications. The morphological and physiological parameters were measured once a week for five weeks during the germination and early seedling establishment. The results showed that seed treated under 35°C treatment produced the best results for the days require to germination, germination percentage, root development, vine and root length, leaf expansion and seedling growth of watermelon. In addition, chlorophyll content, carotenoid content, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic yield and stomatal conductance also affected positively with the temperature treatments. Fresh and dry biomass accumulation in the seedlings of watermelon was also the highest in 35°C treatment. It can be concluded that seeds incubated with 35°C during the germination increased the germination rate, root development and seedlings growth of watermelon

Improvement of immobilization of fat, oil and grease (FOG) by calcium alginate

Current wastewater pre-treatment plant system handling FOG consumes high energy and time. This study aims to introduce a new FOG wastewater pre-treatment by immobilizing the FOG in a calcium alginate gel beads. Using Design-Expert software, Response surface methodology (RSM) based on face centred central composite design (FCCCD) was used to optimize two important variables; pH of FOG and concentration of sodium alginate whereas the oil entrapment efficiency (OEE) was used as a response. The mixtures of synthetic FOG wastewater and sodium alginate were dropped in calcium chloride solution in droplets form to produce gel beads. The optimum combination for having highest OEE percentage at 87.27% was found to be at pH 4.7 and 10000 ppm concentration of sodium alginate. Moreover, coating the gel beads with chitosan has reduced the FOG loss during mechanical expression from 23.73 % to 12.58 %. The gel beads were dissolved completely in phosphate buffer solution of pH 5, 8 and 9. This technique can be applied for easier FOG removal, for it has high OEE percentage and the final gel is also biodegradable

Somatic evolution and global expansion of an ancient transmissible cancer lineage

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T15:53:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-08-02GPD Charitable TrustLeverhulme TrustThe canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT) is a cancer lineage that arose several millennia ago and survives by “metastasizing” between hosts through cell transfer. The somatic mutations in this cancer record its phylogeography and evolutionary history. We constructed a time-resolved phylogeny from 546 CTVT exomes and describe the lineage's worldwide expansion. Examining variation in mutational exposure, we identify a highly context-specific mutational process that operated early in the cancer's evolution but subsequently vanished, correlate ultraviolet-light mutagenesis with tumor latitude, and describe tumors with heritable hyperactivity of an endogenous mutational process. CTVT displays little evidence of ongoing positive selection, and negative selection is detectable only in essential genes. We illustrate how long-lived clonal organisms capture changing mutagenic environments, and reveal that neutral genetic drift is the dominant feature of long-term cancer evolution.Transmissible Cancer Group Department of Veterinary Medicine University of CambridgeAnimal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC)World VetsAnimal Shelter Stichting Dierenbescherming SurinameSikkim Anti-Rabies and Animal Health Programme Department of Animal Husbandry Livestock Fisheries and Veterinary Services Government of SikkimRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Roslin Institute University of Edinburgh Easter Bush CampusConserLab Animal Preventive Medicine Department Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences University of ChileCorozal Veterinary Hospital University of PanamáSt. George's UniversityNakuru District Veterinary Scheme LtdAnimal Medical CentreInternational Animal Welfare Training Institute UC Davis School of Veterinary MedicineCentro Universitário de Rio Preto (UNIRP)Department of Clinical and Veterinary Surgery São Paulo State University (UNESP)Ladybrand Animal ClinicVeterinary Clinic Sr. Dog'sWorld Vets Latin America Veterinary Training CenterNational Veterinary Research InstituteAnimal ClinicIntermunicipal Stray Animals Care Centre (DIKEPAZ)Animal Protection Society of SamoaFaculty of Veterinary Science University of ZuliaVeterinary Clinic BIOCONTROLFaculty of Veterinary Medicine School of Health Sciences University of ThessalyVeterinary Clinic El Roble Animal Healthcare Network Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences University of ChileOnevetGroup Hospital Veterinário BernaUniversidade Vila VelhaVeterinary Clinic ZoovetservisÉcole Inter-états des Sciences et Médecine Vétérinaires de DakarDepartment of Small Animal Medicine Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Utrecht UniversityVetexpert Veterinary GroupVeterinary Clinic Lopez QuintanaClinique Veterinaire de Grand Fond Saint Gilles les BainsDepartment of Veterinary Sciences University of MessinaFacultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia Universidad Autónoma del Estado de MéxicoSchool of Veterinary Medicine Universidad de las AméricasCancer Development and Innate Immune Evasion Lab Champalimaud Center for the UnknownTouray and Meyer Vet ClinicHillside Animal HospitalKampala Veterinary SurgeryAsavet Veterinary CharitiesVets Beyond BordersFaculty of Veterinary Medicine Autonomous University of YucatanLaboratorio de Patología Veterinaria Universidad de CaldasInterdisciplinary Centre of Research in Animal Health (CIISA) Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of LisbonFour Paws InternationalHelp in SufferingVeterinary Clinic Dr José RojasDepartment of Biotechnology Balochistan University of Information Technology Engineering and Management SciencesCorozal Veterinary ClinicVeterinary Clinic VetmasterState Hospital of Veterinary MedicineJomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and TechnologyLaboratory of Biomedicine and Regenerative Medicine Department of Clinical Sciences Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences University of ChileFaculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences University of MelbourneAnimal Anti Cruelty LeagueClinical Sciences Department Faculty of Veterinary Medicine BucharestDepartment of Pathology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Ankara UniversityFaculty of Veterinary Sciences National University of AsuncionLilongwe Society for Protection and Care of Animals (LSPCA)Wellcome Sanger InstituteDepartment of Cellular and Molecular Medicine University of California San DiegoDepartment of Clinical and Veterinary Surgery São Paulo State University (UNESP)Leverhulme Trust: 102942/Z/13/

Recurrent horizontal transfer identifies mitochondrial positive selection in a transmissible cancer

Abstract: Autonomous replication and segregation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) creates the potential for evolutionary conflict driven by emergence of haplotypes under positive selection for ‘selfish’ traits, such as replicative advantage. However, few cases of this phenomenon arising within natural populations have been described. Here, we survey the frequency of mtDNA horizontal transfer within the canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT), a contagious cancer clone that occasionally acquires mtDNA from its hosts. Remarkably, one canine mtDNA haplotype, A1d1a, has repeatedly and recently colonised CTVT cells, recurrently replacing incumbent CTVT haplotypes. An A1d1a control region polymorphism predicted to influence transcription is fixed in the products of an A1d1a recombination event and occurs somatically on other CTVT mtDNA backgrounds. We present a model whereby ‘selfish’ positive selection acting on a regulatory variant drives repeated fixation of A1d1a within CTVT cells

Är diabetes en kontraindikation för implantat behandling? Systematisk Litteraturöversikt

Sammanfattning Mål Litteraturstudien har som syfte att undersöka om diabetes anses kunna vara en kontraindikation för implantatbehandling, dels på kort och lång sikt. Alla typer av diabetes (typ 1 & typ 2) inkluderas i studien samt alla typer av implantat. Material och metod En sökning i databasen PubMed gjordes 18 April 2012 på bestämda MeSH termer. Sökningen resulterade i 186 artiklar. Artiklarna granskades på titel, abstract och fulltextnivå och dubbletter sorterades bort. Inklusionskriterierna / exklusionskriterierna var: språk engelska eller svenska, alla åldrar, tillgänglig abstract, kliniska studier samt humanstudier. Kvar blev 24 artiklar som ingick i studien. De inkluderade studierna sekundärgranskades enligt ett sekundärgranskningsprotokoll. Resultat Artiklarnas uppföljningstid varierade från 4 månader till 20år, varav de flesta artiklarna hade en uppföljningstid under 6år. Sexton artiklar kom fram till att diabetes inte är en kontraindikation för implantatbehandling, hos dessa varierade uppföljningstiden mellan 6 månader till 9år. Antal installerade implantat varierade mellan 23st till 6946st. Tre artiklar kom fram till att diabetes är en kontraindikation för implantatbehandling, hos dessa varierade uppföljningstiden mellan 4 månader och 20år. Antal installerade implantat varierade mellan 74st till 4680st. Resterande artiklar visade osäkert resultat och kom inte fram till om diabetes är en kontraindikation för implantatbehandling eller inte. Konklusion De flesta artiklarna hade en uppföljningstid som var kortare än fem år. Kriterier för vad som ansågs som ett lyckat implantat varierade. Slutsatsen var att de flesta artiklarna kom fram till att diabetes inte är en kontraindikation för implantatbehandling endast på kort sikt