Information flow and acquisition of knowledge in water governance in the Upper East Region of Ghana:

"This paper provides an assessment of information flows and the acquisition of knowledge in water governance of the Upper East Region, Ghana. These flows are patchy, often parallel, disconnected or slow. In many cases a great deal of information is gathered but for a number of reasons not transferred into knowledge that impacts on decision making and action. An analysis of knowledge flows can serve as guidance for research projects and capacity building endeavours to allow tackling the gap between data collection and knowledge for action." from authors' abstractWater governance, Irrigation, drinking water, information flow,

The Role of Snow Cover in Limiting Surface Disturbance Caused by Winter Seismic Exploration

The relationship between snow cover and the degree of surface disturbance caused by winter seismic vehicles was investigated on the Arctic Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska. Ninety study plots were established on seismic lines and camp moves in tussock tundra and moist sedge-shrub tundra. Total snow depth and its components, slab layer and depth hoar, were measured during the winter. Plant cover changes, tussock disturbance, visibility and disturbance levels were determined at the study plots in the summer. Disturbance was found to be generally lower when snow depths were greater. In tussock tundra, plots with snow depths over 25 cm had significantly less disturbance than those with under 25 cm (p <0.05). The relationship between snow cover and disturbance was less clear in moist sedge-shrub tundra, where disturbance appeared to be less at snow depths above 25 cm, but these differences were not statistically significant (p <0.05). Slab depth, which does not include the loose layer of depth hoar, provided a better measure of protective snow cover in most sedge-shrub tundra, as slab depths over 20 cm resulted in significantly less disturbance (p <0.05). Moderate-level disturbance (25-50% decrease in plant cover) did not occur on trails where snow depths were at least 25 cm in tussock tundra and 35 cm in moist sedge-shrub tundra. Low-level disturbances (less than 25% decrease in plant cover) occurred on trails with snow depths as high as 45 cm in tussock tundra and 72 cm in moist sedge-shrub tundra.Key words: surface disturbance, winter seismic exploration, seismic trails, tundra, snow depth, Alaska, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Arctic Coastal PlainMots clés: perturbation de surface, exploration sismique d‘hiver, pistes sismiques, toundra, épaisseur de la neige, Alaska, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, plaine côtière arctiqu

Airphoto Analysis of Winter Seismic Disturbance in Northeastern Alaska

Airphoto interpretation was used to quantify the extent of disturbance caused by seismic exploration on the 60,000 ha coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge during the winters of 1984 and 1985. The relationships of vegetation type, trail location and traffic pattern to the amount of disturbance were investigated. Approximately 20% of the seismic trails were photographed at 1:6000 scale, using color infrared film. Ground data collected at 194 sites were used to develop a photo interpretation key describing the photo signatures of seven vegetation types and four disturbance levels. Vegetation types and disturbance levels were determined for 4914 circles of 3 mm diameter on the aerial photos (18 m ground distance). Fourteen percent of the points were interpreted as having no disturbance (level 0), 57% had level 1 disturbance (low), 27% had level 2 (medium) and 2% had level 3 (high). Wet or partially vegetated areas were the least susceptible to disturbance. Vegetation types with mounds, tussocks, hummocks or high-centered polygons and dryas terraces were more heavily disturbed. Camp move trails and overlapping seismic and camp move trails created in 1984 caused more disturbance than other trail types due to multiple passes of vehicles over narrow trails. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitors were more successful at minimizing disturbance the second year by requesting that vehicle operators avoid multiple passes on the same trail, sensitive vegetation types and areas of low snow cover.Key words: airphoto analysis, winter seismic exploration, seismic trails, vegetation disturbance, traffic patterns, Alaska, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, arctic coastal plainMots clés: analyse de photographies aériennes, exploration sismique d’hiver, pistes sismiques, perturbations de la végétation, schémas de circulation, Alaska, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, plaine côtière arctiqu

Effect of retaliatory killing on African lion coalitions in Tarangire-Manyara ecosystem, Tanzania

A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master’s in Life Sciences of the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and TechnologyIn landscapes where people and lions coexist, conflicts are common due to livestock predation and threats to human safety. Retaliatory lion killing by humans is often a consequence of such conflicts. In Tarangire-Manyara Ecosystem (TME) lion population are threatened by retaliatory killing, but little is known how retaliatory killing affects lion social structure, particularly male coalitions. Fourteen years dataset of lion monitoring was used to map the spatial-temporal dynamics of male coalition. Lion killing data was used to assess the effects of retaliatory lion killing on the male coalitions for ten prides. Interviews on two hundred and fourteen respondents was used to assess the attitudes and awareness of the community on effects of retaliatory killing to lions. Lion coalitions were found larger and lasted for a longer tenure period in low-risk areas of retaliatory killing, and far from active hunting blocks. Twelves lions were killed for livestock loss, while fifteen attempts of lion killing were prevented. Attitude towards lion existence and conservation was positive for young people (18-35 years) compared to older age class. People with primary or secondary level of education were more likely to have lions killed if they attack livestock compared to people with no formal education. Community attitude on retaliation effect varied widely, as people perceptions depends on benefits/losses they incurred. This study showed retaliatory killing negatively affects long-term lion coalition and population. Also, recommends implementing better education programs and participatory conservation activities to protect the declining lion populations

Clima social familiar en la comprensión lectora de estudiantes del III ciclo de educación primaria, Huaral 2020

La investigación titulada Clima social familiar en la comprensión lectora de los estudiantes del III ciclo de educación primaria, Huaral 2020, tuvo como finalidad determinar la incidencia del clima social familiar en la comprensión lectora de los estudiantes de educación primaria de la institución educativa Nº 100 – Huaral-2020. La variable clima social familiar se enmarco en el modelo teórico de Rudolf Moos (1974), y la comprensión lectora sustentada en los modelos teóricos de Navalón, Alto y Rabadán (1989). Metodológicamente fue de enfoque cuantitativa y para su propósito se ha empleado el método hipotético deductivo y se ha desarrollado dentro del diseño no experimental de nivel explicativo se trabajó con una muestra de 83 estudiantes, la recolección de información se realizó a través de dos instrumentos estandarizados en el Perú, los cuales fueron validados mediante juicio de expertos y con alta confiabilidad (0,867) para clima social familiar y (0,875) para comprensión lectora. En cuanto a los resultados se encontró que el clima social familiar incide en la comprensión lectora. Y de acuerdo con los valores de Chi-cuadrado=116,357 y p=,000 < α se rechaza la hipótesis nula. Y se afirma que el modelo explica en un 55,5% (Nagelkerke=0,555) la variabilidad de la comprensión lectora

Toward forward-looking OCT needle tip vision of the spinal neuroforamen: animal studies

Neurologic complications have been reported with spinal transforaminal injections. Causes include intraneural injection, plus embolization occlusion of the radicular artery with subsequent spinal cord infarction. 1 Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging modality, which is used to image tissue microstructure with very high resolution (less than 20 microns) in real-time. With a view toward needle tip OCT visualization of the spinal neuroforamen, we conducted animal studies to explore OCT imaging of paraspinal neurovascular structures. With institutional animal care committee approval, we performed ex-vivo and in situ OCT studies in a euthanized dog, pig, and rabbit. Image data was gathered on spinal nerve roots, dura, and brachial plexus. Two systems were used: frequency domain OCT imaging system developed at California Institute of Technology, and time domain Imalux NIRIS system with a 2.7 mm diameter probe. In a euthanized pig, excised dura was punctured with a 17-gauge Tuohy needle. FDOCT dural images of the puncture showed a subsurface cone-shaped defect. In a rabbit in situ study, puncture of the dura with a 26-gauge needle is imaged as a discontinuity. FDOCT imaging of both small artery and large arteries will be presented, along with H&E and OCT images of the brachial plexus

Patterns of Change Over Time in Knee Bone Shape Are Associated with Sex.

BackgroundKnee osteoarthritis (OA) is more common in females than in males; however, the biological mechanisms for the difference in sex in patients with knee OA are not well understood. Knee shape is associated with OA and with sex, but the patterns of change in the bone's shape over time and their relation to sex and OA are unknown and may help inform how sex is associated with shape and OA and whether the effect is exerted early or later in life.Questions/purposes (1) Does knee shape segregate stably into different groups of trajectories of change (groups of knees that share similar patterns of changes in bone shape over time)? (2) Do females and males have different trajectories of bone shape changes? (3) Is radiographic OA at baseline associated with trajectories of bone shape changes?MethodsWe used data collected from the NIH-funded Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) to evaluate a cohort of people aged 45 to 79 years at baseline who had either symptomatic knee OA or were at high risk of having it. The OAI cohort included 4796 participants (58% females; n = 2804) at baseline who either had symptomatic knee OA (defined as having radiographic tibiofemoral knee OA and answering positively to the question "have you had pain, aching or stiffness around the knee on most days for at least one month during the past 12 months") or were at high risk of symptomatic knee OA (defined as having knee symptoms during the prior 12 months along with any of the following: overweight; knee injury; knee surgery other than replacement; family history of total knee replacement for OA; presence of Heberden's nodes; daily knee bending activity) or were part of a small nonexposed subcohort. From these participants, we limited the eligible group to those with radiographs available and read at baseline, 2 years, and 4 years, and randomly selected participants from each OAI subcohort in a manner to enrich representation in the study of the progression and nonexposed subcohorts, which were smaller in number than the OA incidence subcohort. From these patients, we randomly sampled 473 knees with radiographs available at baseline, 2 years, and 4 years. We outlined the shape of the distal femur and proximal tibia on radiographs at all three timepoints using statistical shape modelling. Five modes (each mode represents a particular type of knee bone shape variation) were derived for the proximal tibia and distal femur's shape, accounting for 78% of the total variance in shape. Group-based trajectory modelling (a statistical approach to identify the clusters of participants following a similar progression of change of bone shape over time, that is, trajectory group) was used to identify distinctive patterns of change in the bone shape for each mode. We examined the association of sex and radiographic OA at baseline with the trajectories of each bone shape mode using a multivariable polytomous regression model while adjusting for age, BMI, and race.ResultsKnee bone shape change trajectories segregated stably into different groups. In all modes, three distinct trajectory groups were derived, with the mean posterior probabilities (a measure of an individual's probability of being in a particular group and often used to characterize how well the trajectory model is working to describe the population) ranging from 84% to 99%, indicating excellent model fitting. For most of the modes of both the femur and tibia, the intercepts for the three trajectory groups were different; however, the rates of change were generally similar in each mode. Females and males had different trajectories of bone shape change. For Mode 1 in the femur, females were more likely to be in trajectory Groups 3 (odds ratio 30.2 [95% CI 12.2 to 75.0]; p &lt; 0.001) and 2 than males (OR 4.1 [95% CI 2.3 to 7.1]; p &lt; 0.001); thus, females had increased depth of the intercondylar fossa and broader shaft width relative to epicondylar width compared with males. For Mode 1 in the tibia, females were less likely to be in trajectory Group 2 (OR 0.5 [95% CI 0.3 to 0.9]; p = 0.01) than males (that is, knees of females were less likely to display superior elevation of tibial plateau or decreased shaft width relative to head width). Radiographic OA at baseline was associated with specific shape-change trajectory groups. For Mode 1 in the femur, knees with OA were less likely to be in trajectory Groups 3 (OR 0.4 [95% CI 0.2 to 0.8]; p = 0.008) and 2 (OR 0.6 [95% CI 0.3 to 1.0]; p = 0.03) than knees without OA; thus, knees with OA had decreased depth of the intercondylar fossa and narrower shaft width relative to epicondylar width compared with knees without OA. For Mode 1 in the tibia, knees with OA were not associated with trajectory.ConclusionsThe shapes of the distal femur and proximal tibia did not change much over time. Sex and baseline knee radiographic OA status are associated with the trajectory of change in the bone's shape, suggesting that both may contribute earlier in life to the associations among trajectories observed in older individuals. Future studies might explore sex-related bone shape change earlier in life to help determine when the sex-specific shapes arise and also the degree to which these sex-related shapes are alterable by injury or other events.Level of evidenceLevel III, prognostic study

Associations between alcohol, smoking, and cartilage composition and knee joint morphology: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

Summary: Objective: To determine the cross-sectional associations of alcohol consumption and smoking history with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of cartilage composition (T2) and joint structure using data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI). Design: Subjects with radiographic Kellgren Lawrence right knee grades 0–2 were selected from the OAI database, and those with previously analyzed MRI cartilage T2 and semi-quantitative joint morphology gradings (WORMS) were included (n ​= ​2061). Alcohol consumption was categorized as: no drinks to 7 drinks/week. Smoking history was categorized as none, current, or former. Linear regression was used to assess the relationships of alcohol consumption and smoking history with both WORMS scores and cartilage T2. Results: Subjects who consumed >7 drinks/week had significantly higher cartilage T2 than subjects who consumed 7 drinks/week was associated with elevated cartilage T2. Compared to non-smokers, current smokers had a more degenerated cartilage matrix as evidenced by greater cartilage T2

Identification of mycotoxins by UHPLC–QTOF MS in airborne fungi and fungi isolated from industrial paper and antique documents from the Archive of Bogotá

Mold deterioration of historical documents in archives and libraries is a frequent and complex phenomenon that may have important economic and cultural consequences. In addition, exposure to toxic fungal metabolites might produce health problems. In this work, samples of broths of fungal species isolated from the documentary material and from indoor environmental samples of the Archive of Bogotá have been analyzed to investigate the presence of mycotoxins. High resolution mass spectrometry made possible to search for a large number of mycotoxins, even without reference standards available at the laboratory. For this purpose, a screening strategy based on ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC–QTOF MS) under MSE mode was applied. A customized home-made database containing elemental composition for around 600 mycotoxins was compiled. The presence of the (de)protonated molecule measured at its accurate mass was evaluated in the samples. When a peak was detected, collision induced dissociation fragments and characteristic isotopic ions were also evaluated and used for tentative identification, based on structure compatibility and comparison with literature data (if existing). Up to 44 mycotoxins were tentatively identified by UHPLC–QTOF MS. 34 of these tentative compounds were confirmed by subsequent analysis using a targeted LC–MS/MS method, supporting the strong potential of QTOF MS for identification/elucidation purposes. The presence of mycotoxins in these samples might help to reinforce safety measures for researchers and staff who work on reception, restoration and conservation of archival material, not only at the Archive of Bogotá but worldwide.Generalitat Valenciana (research group of excellence PROMETEO II/2014/023; ISIC 2012/016), from Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá (Special Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology No. 2215100-153-2013) and from Universidad Antonio Nariño Grant 2010246