Extreme 15N Depletion in Seagrasses

Seagrass beds form an important part of the coastal ecosystem in many parts of the world but are very sensitive to anthropogenic nutrient increases. In the last decades, stable isotopes have been used as tracers of anthropogenic nutrient sources and to distinguish these impacts from natural environmental change, as well as in the identification of food sources in isotopic food web reconstruction. Thus, it is important to establish the extent of natural variations on the stable isotope composition of seagrass, validating their ability to act as both tracers�of nutrients and food sources. Around the world, depending on the seagrass species and ecosystem, values of seagrass N normally vary from 0 to 8 ? ?15N. In this study, highly unusual seagrass N isotope values were observed on the east coast of Qatar, with significant spatial variation over a scale of a few metres, and with ?15N values ranging from +2.95 to ?12.39 ? within a single bay during March 2012. This pattern of variation was consistent over a period of a year although there was a seasonal effect on the seagrass ?15N values. Seagrass, water column and sediment nutrient profiles were not correlated with seagrass ?15N values and neither were longer-term indicators of nutrient limitation such as seagrass biomass and height. Sediment ?15N values were correlated with Halodule uninervis ?15N values and this, together with the small spatial scale of variation, suggest that localised sediment processes may be responsible for the extreme isotopic values. Consistent differences in sediment to plant 15N discrimination between seagrass species also suggest that species-specific nutrient uptake mechanisms contribute to the observed ?15N values. This study reports some of the most extreme, negative ?15N values ever noted for seagrass (as low as ?12.4 ?) and some of the most highly spatially variable (values varied over 15.4 ? in a relatively small area of only 655�ha). These results are widely relevant, as they demonstrate the need for adequate spatial and temporal sampling when working with N stable isotopes to identify food sources in food web studies or as tracers of anthropogenic nutrients.Scopu

Three-Dimensional Numerical Modeling of Flow Hydrodynamics and Cohesive Sediment Transport in Enid Lake, Mississippi

Enid Lake is one of the largest reservoirs located in Yazoo River Basin, the largest basin in the state of Mississippi. The lake was impounded by Enid Dam on the Yocona River in Yalobusha County and covers an area of 30 square kilometers. It provides significant natural and recreational resources. The soils in this region are highly erodible, resulting in a large amount of fine-grained cohesive sediment discharged into the lake. In this study, a 3D numerical model was developed to simulate the free surface hydrodynamics and transportation of cohesive sediment with a median diameter of 0.0025 to 0.003 mm in Enid Lake. Flow fields in the lake are generally induced by wind and upstream river inflow, and the sediment is also introduced from the inflow during storm events. The general processes of sediment flocculation and settling were considered in the model, and the erosion rate and deposition rate of cohesive sediment were calculated. In this model, the sediment simulation was coupled with flow simulation. In this research, remote sensing technology was applied to estimate the sediment concentration at the lake surface and provide validation data for numerical model simulation. The model results and remote sensing data help us to understand the transport, deposition and resuspension processes of cohesive sediment in large reservoirs due to wind-induced currents and upstream river flows

31st Annual Meeting and Associated Programs of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC 2016) : part two

Background The immunological escape of tumors represents one of the main ob- stacles to the treatment of malignancies. The blockade of PD-1 or CTLA-4 receptors represented a milestone in the history of immunotherapy. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors seem to be effective in specific cohorts of patients. It has been proposed that their efficacy relies on the presence of an immunological response. Thus, we hypothesized that disruption of the PD-L1/PD-1 axis would synergize with our oncolytic vaccine platform PeptiCRAd. Methods We used murine B16OVA in vivo tumor models and flow cytometry analysis to investigate the immunological background. Results First, we found that high-burden B16OVA tumors were refractory to combination immunotherapy. However, with a more aggressive schedule, tumors with a lower burden were more susceptible to the combination of PeptiCRAd and PD-L1 blockade. The therapy signifi- cantly increased the median survival of mice (Fig. 7). Interestingly, the reduced growth of contralaterally injected B16F10 cells sug- gested the presence of a long lasting immunological memory also against non-targeted antigens. Concerning the functional state of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), we found that all the immune therapies would enhance the percentage of activated (PD-1pos TIM- 3neg) T lymphocytes and reduce the amount of exhausted (PD-1pos TIM-3pos) cells compared to placebo. As expected, we found that PeptiCRAd monotherapy could increase the number of antigen spe- cific CD8+ T cells compared to other treatments. However, only the combination with PD-L1 blockade could significantly increase the ra- tio between activated and exhausted pentamer positive cells (p= 0.0058), suggesting that by disrupting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis we could decrease the amount of dysfunctional antigen specific T cells. We ob- served that the anatomical location deeply influenced the state of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. In fact, TIM-3 expression was in- creased by 2 fold on TILs compared to splenic and lymphoid T cells. In the CD8+ compartment, the expression of PD-1 on the surface seemed to be restricted to the tumor micro-environment, while CD4 + T cells had a high expression of PD-1 also in lymphoid organs. Interestingly, we found that the levels of PD-1 were significantly higher on CD8+ T cells than on CD4+ T cells into the tumor micro- environment (p < 0.0001). Conclusions In conclusion, we demonstrated that the efficacy of immune check- point inhibitors might be strongly enhanced by their combination with cancer vaccines. PeptiCRAd was able to increase the number of antigen-specific T cells and PD-L1 blockade prevented their exhaus- tion, resulting in long-lasting immunological memory and increased median survival

Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure &lt; 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate &lt; 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation

QATARIZATION PRACTICES AT QATAR GENERAL ELECTRICITY AND WATER CORPORATION (KAHRAMAA): CHALLENGES AND FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS

This study explores the current practices and challenges for Qatarization at Kahramaa, the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation. This is a government entity in the energy sector and the study asks about the impact of important national strategic policy on Kahramaa in effectively engaging with it, as well as offering some future considerations and recommendations. It is a qualitative study that relies on primary and secondary sources. The former include semi-structured interviews and the latter includes both articles in journals, books, websites, newspapers and Kahramaa’s website and internal documentation of procedures and policies related to Qatarization. The purpose of this study necessitated an exploratory study design. Triangulation using multiple data sources and thematic analysis were both used for the data analysis. The results show that Kahramaa faces six major challenges in adopting Qatarization: a limited control of the implementation of this policy; the multiple standards that Kahramaa was obliged to meet; the lack of governmental and internal policies; the cost of training and development programs and the consequent inefficient investment in them; its work ethic; and its reward system, involving benefits and salaries. The major limitations of the study were the deficiency of information and difficulty in obtaining reliable data from official sources related to Qatarization, the limited number of literature, researches in Qatar especially in its energy sector, the lack of local and regional-based case studies on Qatarization. In addition, the Corona pandemic and the many precautionary measures that accompanied it like the inability to conduct face-to-face interviews. The importance of this study lies in focusing on the Qatarization practices, the main factors, and challenges that affect the progress and success of achieving Qatarization. It tries to be one of the first studies exploring Qatarization in Kahramaa. There is a lack of local case studies, which provide an appropriate content of Qatarization for researchers, practitioners, decision makers, and students. So, this study is introducing the case of Qatarization in Kahramma as crucial governmental entity in the energy sector, which is an addition to this direction

A systematic review for sustainability of global liquified natural gas industry: A 10-year update

This paper presents a comprehensive review and 10-years update of the sustainability research related to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) worldwide for the period between 2010 and 2020. Using the Scopus database, 467 articles, including journals, conference papers, and many other reports, were initially collected and screened. The filtered studies were categorized based on various factors such as author, year of publication, title, journal, method, country studied, analyzed system, the scope of the analysis, and period. It was found that only 168 (36% of the whole) studies have investigated the LNG sector's sustainability impacts with a detailed analysis. The collected literature was studied and categorized based on a proposed criterion. The findings showed that approximately 7 out of 46 countries performed such a massive number of LNG studies with a focus on LNG industries and sustainability. Moreover, it is observed that sustainability analysis research in LNG production concentrates mainly on the national level with 48% and the global level studies were found to be around 40% of total studies. The review also showed that there is no holistic life cycle environmental, economic, and social impact assessment for the LNG industry considering the entire value chain activities from gas extraction/processing to final consumption. This review finally discussed the lessons learned from the literature reviewed and industry best practices and several practical industry-specific policies are presented to enhance the long-term sustainability of LNG in support of sustainable development globally.Scopu

Using Data Analytics and Visualization Dashboard for Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Project's Performance Assessment

This study demonstrates the application of design principles for tools in Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects for project management purposes. It advocates the use of proper data analytics and visualization that can be implemented to support effective project progress reporting as well as performance monitoring. At first, an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) of the collected data was developed, and then the database was retrieved into the Microsoft Power BI for analysis and visualization. The project's relevant details were visualized and analyzed in terms of the major key performance indications that help evaluate the current situation of projects and aids in future decision making for project performance and portfolio management. A real case of a construction company has been selected and examined. Analytical results support finding the story behind the data. On the other hand, the effects point out that the use of the suitable facts analytics method coupled with the right analytics method and appropriate data visualization software would result in optimum use of information for future aspiration of project success and proper project progress reporting and performance evaluation. It will help companies to transfer from traditional data storage style to big data analytics and powerful use of enterprise business data for companies' growth and success in the field of EPC projects and the construction industries as a whole. Furthermore, it can be used for quicker and extra decisive choices aiming to keep projects on music about their security performance, scheduled time, cost, and great level. Using the proposed dashboard is creating a summary of the accessible records that prints a photo of how initiatives and portfolios are performing, permitting decision-makers to take their future strategic steps aiming for the improvement of their initiatives and accordingly success in their cutting-edge and future endeavors to reap the objective of all stakeholders of this organization. In this paper, it was demonstrated that the visualization of the contractor's performance and KPI are bringing assurance on contractor performance in addition to daily operational monitoring. Furthermore, it helps managers in organizing the workload to ensure the project's completion timely and meeting the customer demand as expected.Scopu

A model for estimating the carbon footprint of maritime transportation of Liquefied Natural Gas under uncertainty

The demand for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the global markets has changed significantly. As a result, industries have been forced to consider investing significantly in supply chains to achieve an efficient distribution of LNG for cost efficiency and carbon footprint reduction. To minimize the contribution of LNG maritime transportation to global climate change, there is a need to quantify the carbon footprints systematically. In this research, we developed a novel and practical model for estimating the carbon footprint for LNG maritime transport. Using the MATLAB program, an uncertainty-based carbon footprint accounting framework is created. The Monte Carlo simulation model is built to conduct a carbon footprint analysis while the main input parameters were changed within a reliable range. Later, a multivariate sensitivity analysis is performed using the Risk Solver software to estimate the most significant parameters on the net carbon footprints. The sensitivity analysis results showed that that steam process day and steaming fuel consumption are found to be the most sensitive parameters for the overall carbon footprint for both Laden and Ballast trips. Furthermore, it was found that the Q-Max vessel produces more carbon emissions when compared to the Q-Flex, although both are traveling the same distance and are using the same fuel type. The type of fuel is also significantly affecting the emission values due to the relevant carbon content in the fuel. Like the case of the two conventional vessels, the one that is running with the only LNG is found to have fewer emissions when compared to the one run with dual-mode.Scopu

The Value of Family History in Diagnosing Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders

Eliciting proper family medical history is critical in decreasing morbidity and mortality in patients with primary immunodeficiency disorders (PIDs). Communities with a common practice of consanguinity have a high rate of PIDs. We are presenting 2 cases where digging deeply into the family medical history resulted in the diagnosis of Omenn syndrome, a possibly fatal entity if not managed in a reasonable period

A novel hybrid life cycle assessment approach to air emissions and human health impacts of liquefied natural gas supply chain

Global interest in LNG products and supply chains is growing, and demand continues to rise. As a clean energy source, LNG can nevertheless emit air pollutants, albeit at a lower level than transitional energy sources. An LNG plant capable of producing up to 126 MMTA was successfully developed and simulated in this study. A hybrid life cycle assessment model was developed to examine the social and human health impacts of the LNG supply chain?s environmental air emission formation. The Multiregional Input?Output (MRIO) database, the Aspen HYSYS model, and the LNG Maritime Transportation Emission Quantification Tool are the key sources of information for this extensive novel study. We began our research by grouping environmental emissions sources according to the participation of each stage in the supply chain. The MDEA Sweetening plant, LNG loading (export terminal), and LNG transportation stages were discovered to have the maximum air emissions. The midpoint air emissions data estimated each stage?s CO2-eq, NOx-eq, and PM2.5-eq emissions per unit LNG generated. According to the midpoint analysis results, the LNG loading terminal has the most considerable normalized CO2-eq and NOx-eq emission contribution across all LNG supply chain stages. Furthermore, the most incredible intensity value for normalized PM2.5-eq was recorded in the SRU and TGTU units. Following the midpoint results, the social human health impact findings were calculated using ReCiPe 2016 characterization factors to quantify the daily loss of life associated with the LNG process chain. SRU and TGTU units have the most significant social human health impact, followed by LNG loading (export terminal) with about 7409.0 and 1203.9 (DALY/million Ton LNG produced annually), respectively. Natural gas extraction and NGL recovery and fractionation units are the lowest for social human health consequences.Scopu