Sea turtles disease risk analysis and discovery of the first Australian green turtle (Chelonia mydas) papillomavirus

Sea turtle populations are in decline, which has been attributed to threats such as predation, bycatch, unsustainable harvesting, habitat degradation, and pollution. The impact of these threats has resulted in the listing of six out of seven sea turtles in the IUCN red list of endangered animals. Infectious diseases are listed among the top five reasons for global species extinctions, but these have not been thoroughly evaluated in sea turtles. Suggested sea turtle conservation plans, based on risk and threat matrices, reported diseases of infectious aetiology with the least priority. Pollution and pathogens have been surveyed in less than half of regional management units (RMUs) and as such these threats have been identified as areas of data deficiency, warranting future investigations. In this thesis, I have addressed the issue of increasing incidence of disease in sea turtles by carrying out a disease risk analysis (DRA) based on the published literature and with the contributions of a group of experts representing more than 20 regions around the globe. In Chapter three of the thesis a comprehensive list of health hazards is provided for all seven species of sea turtles. The risk these hazards possibly pose to the health of sea turtles were assessed and "One Health" aspects of interacting with sea turtles were also investigated. The general result of the DRA was the distinct lack of knowledge regarding a link between the presence of pathogens (either bacteria, fungi, parasites or viruses) and diseases of sea turtles. Among all pathogens, viruses were studied the least, although the debilitating disease of sea turtles, fibropapillomatosis (FP) is suggested to have a viral aetiology: Chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5). The results of the DRA inspired efforts to improve methods for viral discovery in sea turtles. Chapter four of this thesis is focused on methods establishment. Three main virological methods: cell culture, molecular methods and histopathologial analysis, were used for this project. While the first two were developed and validated as part of this thesis, pathological analyses were done by a qualified veterinary pathologist. The aim was to increase the chance of finding new viruses using a combination of culture and non-culture methods. Sea turtle primary cell lines were established from different stages of green turtle embryos to provide a broad range of host tissues for viral isolation and propagation. PCR assays were designed to detect four DNA viruses previously described in chelonians: herpes, papilloma, adeno and iridoviruses. The methods developed were instrumental in identifying a papillomavirus associated with FP tumours in green turtles and led to the discovery of the first Australian Chelonia mydas papillomavirus (CmPV). First, cytopathic effects were observed in primary cell lines inoculated with homogenates from eight FP tumours and subsequently PCR assays of the affected cultures and the original tissues confirmed presence of CmPV. The Australian CmPV isolates were partially characterised and were examined further in Chapter five. Primer walking and Sanger sequencing revealed some features of the Australian CmPV isolates comparable to green turtle and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtle papillomaviruses from Florida, CmPV-1 and CcPV-1 respectively. The E1 gene partial sequencing and the L1 gene full sequencing suggested that Australian CmPV isolates are 100% similar to CmPV-1 and are whithin the same species as CcPV-1. Chapter six is focused on investigating the relationship between CmPV and FP, as the eight CmPVpositive samples were found only in FP tumours of green turtles but not in normal skin, blood and cloacal samples of the same animals. To investigate the possibility of concurrent infection with ChHV5 and CmPV in sea turtles with FP, the samples were screened for both viruses. DNA from 131 tumour tissues and 36 normal skin samples from 89 green turtles afflicted with FP tumours and also 47 normal skin samples from asymptomatic green turtles were extracted and used for the survey. These samples were collected from different regions of Queensland, Australia. Out of 89 FP green turtle samples, 77.52% tested positive for ChHV5, 51.68% for CmPV, 46.06% for both viruses and samples from 15.73% turtles tested negative for both. From 36 normal tissues tested for presence of ChHV5 and CmPV, 50% samples reacted in PCR for ChHV5, 27.77% for CmPV, 8.33% for both viruses and 30.55% samples did not react for either of these viruses. Six samples were collected from loggerhead turtles with FP and assessed for the presence of CcPV, CmPV and ChHV5. The samples were positive for CcPV and ChHV5 and negative for CmPV. The green turtle samples that were positive for CmPV, were negative for CcPV. Papillomaviruses of loggerhead and green turtles appear to be species specific, however further analyses on these samples and possibly more loggerhead samples are required to make sound conclusions about these findings. The high level of co-infection of ChHV5 and CmPV in both tumour tissues and normal skins of sea turtles reported here, challenges the general opinion in the scientific literature for the past 30 years about the role of ChHV5 in FP

Micro hydropower in water distribution systems

Considering various applications of Pump as Turbine (PAT) as an effective source of reducing the equipment cost in small hydropower plants as well as the selecting process of appropriate location and suitable machinery are the main concerns of this study. Vary range of PAT settings criteria has been propound by taking into account the State-of-the-Art researches. The purpose of this study is to establish the effectiveness of pump as turbine, considering all the possible obstacles such as producer’s market interests, accessibility of technical information and mechanical limitation. Cutting-edge scientific researches concerning PAT have been proposed by implementation of various approaches. The most challenging criteria of PAT, which is selecting the appropriate machinery, has been investigated subsequently. A comparative methodology to model the effectiveness of PATs, both numerical and experimental, has been developed based on the efficiency. The mechanical reliability of the hydropower devices in situ, prototype and numerical investigation have been reviewed. These results have been obtained through measurements and optimization of the simulated system by means of characteristic methods against the established PAT system in many different case studies. Water Distribution Networks (WDNs) allow to obtain a widespread and globally significant amount of produced energy by exploiting the head drop due to the network pressure control strategy for leak reductions. Replacing PAT in water distribution networks regarding to all the possible obstacles, will reduce the final cost and will improve the expected efficiencies, as much as the reduction of environmental impacts. This study definitively answers the question whether PAT is an effective alternative in WDNs. The comparative approach also aims for a better understanding of the impact of PAT on the transition to renewable energy systems

CFD Analysis of Petrol Internal Combustion Engine

ان التشغيل الامثل لمحركات الاحتراق الداخلي يتطلب تطبيقات لتقنيات ضرورية متقدمة بالاضافة الى طرق عملية، ان استخدام التحليل العددي ثلاثي الابعاد يوفر امكانية الحصول على رؤية ثاقبه للظواهر الفيزيائية المعقده داخل المحرك. في هذا البحث، تم نمذجة جريان المائع داخل محرك احتراق بالشرر رباعي الاشواط احادي الاسطوانه نوع هونداي بالأعتماد على التحليل العددي بأستخدام كود ANSYS /ICE، مع تقنية الشبكة الديناميكية لدراسة وتخمين خواص الجريان لوقود الاوكتان عند ظروف التشغيل الطبيعيه وفقاً لزوايا عمود المرفق عند سرعة دوران ثابته. تم أنجاز موديل المحرك بأستخدام بيئة SolidWorks. ركز هذا العمل على تحليل الأشواط الاربعة للمحرك في حالة التشغيل (البارد والاحتراق) متضمناً معادلات الاستمرارية ورينولدز ونافير ستوك ومعادلة حفظ الطاقه. قورن هذا البحث مع الابحاث المنشورة وأظهرت المقارنه مطابقة النتائج، وكان الحد الاقصى للتناقض17 %.Optimizing operation for internal combustion engines requires the application of advanced essential technique. Moreover, an experimental investigation, numerical 3D CFD simulation, is needed in order to obtain and investigate a vision into the complex phenomena’s within cylinder. In this paper, fluid flow inside a single cylinder of spark ignition engine (SI) Hyundai type was modeled depending on the numerical simulation using ANSYS V15.0/ICE CODE, with dynamic mesh technique to study and estimate the characteristics flow under normal operation of octane fuel with respect to crank angle at a constant r.p.m. The engine model was done by SolidWorks environment. This work focused on the simulation of the intake, compression, expansion and exhaust stroke, including cold and combustion simulation, solving the governing equations (continuity, Renolds Average Navier Stoke, and energy equation). The code was validated against published data for present case, and the comparison showed a close agreement between the results and the maximum discrepancy was 17 %

Sociétés pastorales et économies de subsistance au nord-est de l’Iran et au sud du Turkménistan

À partir d’une étude des données archéozoologiques ce papier présente un aperçu de l’évolution de l’exploitation animale et de sa variabilité depuis le chalcolithique ancien jusqu’à la période islamique entre l’Iran de l’est et le sud du Turkménistan. La tendance générale indique une économie de subsistance pastorale avec la dominante Caprinés (chèvres et moutons). Cependant la chasse peut parfois occuper aussi une place importante. Les sites turkmènes présentent globalement des profils plus diversifiés que les deux sites iraniens présentés ici.Based on the analysis of archaeoezoological data, this paper presents an overview of the development of animal exploitation and its variability from the late Chalcolithic to the Islamic period from Eastern Iran to Southern Turkmenistan. In general terms this is a pastoral subsistence economy, mainly with sheep and goat. However, hunting can also be an important component of the food economy. The sites in Turkmenistan show more diversified profiles than the two sites examined from Iran

Zooarchaeology of the Pre-Pottery and Pottery Neolithic site of Qasr-e Ahmad (Iran)

The zooarchaeological study of the Neolithic site of Qasr-e Ahmad in Fars Province (southern Zagros, Iran) provides valuable evidence for a better understanding of the process of caprine domestication and dispersal in Southwest Asia.Goat was the most commonly exploited animal in Qasr-e Ahmad during both phases of prehistoric settlement (Pre-Pottery Neolithic and Pottery Neolithic). Sheep were also present but represent a limited contribution to the subsistence economy at the site. Limited osteometric data from sheep suggest that they were already domesticated at the site, which is earlier than hitherto suggested for the region. Kill-off and osteometric data indicate that the majority of goats and sheep were managed using strategies known at other later sites in the region. Cattle and pig were not domesticated and were not regularly exploited. The location of the site next to the Qara Aqhaj permanent river, the presence of architectural remains in the PPN phases of the site, as well as the abundance of lithic tools indicate pastoral and agricultural components in the Qasr-e Ahmad human communities

Svojstva bukovine obrađene akrilnim premazom koji sadržava UV stabilizatore dihidroksi-benzofenon i nano cinkov oksid nakon izlaganja vremenskim utjecajima

In this study, the effect of UV stabilizers (dihydroxy benzophenone and nano zinc oxide) on the weathering degradation of water-based acrylic coating on beech wood was investigated. The wood specimens were coated by brush and then weathered naturally for six months. The obtained results showed that the use of nano zinc oxide reduced color changes and mold growth on the surface of weathered samples. However, the results of contact angle, pull-off adhesion, colorimeter and FTIR revealed that the dihydroxyl benzophenone was not effective in preventing weathering degradation of coated wood.U radu se prikazuje istraživanje utjecaja UV stabilizatora (dihidroksi-benzofenona i nano cinkova oksida) na razgradnju vodenoga akrilnog premaza na bukovini koja je bila izložena vremenskim utjecajima. Uzorci drva premazani su kistom, a potom su šest mjeseci prirodno izloženi vremenskim utjecajima. Dobiveni su rezultati pokazali da nano cinkov oksid smanjuje promjenu boje i pojavu plijesni na površini izloženih uzoraka. Međutim, rezultati kontaktnog kuta, adhezije, kolorimetrije i FTIR analize potvrđuju da dihidroksi-benzofenon nije učinkovit u sprečavanju razgradnje premazanog drva

The Role of Foreign Investment in the Development of Financial Markets (Iraq Stock Exchange for the period 2010 – 2017)

The research aims to show the role of financial markets in providing the necessary funds for the development of the national economy by attracting foreign investment.   Financial markets have played a major role in the global economy. The importance of these markets in the role played by the financing of the local economy by working on the convergence between groups that suffer from the financial deficit, and those who have the financial surplus and seeks to employ this money. The economic scene has witnessed many changes, including economic globalization, which has become a major challenge to the global economies, and the most important manifestations, the liberalization of financial markets and the increase of capital flows, so took many countries, including developing countries interested in attracting foreign investment and benefit from the movement of international capital, To the role of foreign capital in activating financial markets and their reflection in economic development. The research was conducted in the Iraqi Stock Exchange for the period 2010-2017. The research reached a number of conclusions, the most prominent of which was that the decline in oil prices in 2014 affected the movement of foreign and domestic funds in the financial market. The research also reached a number of recommendations, the most important of which is to develop the legal environment that allows registered and new companies in the stock market to increase their capital in order to attract domestic and foreign investments. Keywords : Foreign Investment, Development of Financial markets.

The concurrent detection of chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 and Chelonia mydas papillomavirus 1 in tumoured and non-tumoured green turtles

Characterised by the growth of benign tumours, fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a debilitating disease that predominantly afflicts the endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas). A growing body of histological and molecular evidence has consistently associated FP tumours with Chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5), leading this virus to be considered the most likely aetiological agent of FP. However, a recent study which detected both ChHV5 and Chelonia mydas papillomavirus 1 (CmPV1) DNA in FP tumour tissues has challenged this hypothesis. The present study aimed to establish the wider prevalence of CmPV1 and co-occurrence with ChHV5 in marine turtles in waters adjacent to the east coast of Queensland, Australia. This comprehensive molecular survey screened a total of 353 samples from 275 foraging turtles using probe-based qPCR. Three sample categories were used in this study: Group A (FP tumours), Group B (non-tumoured skin from turtles with FP tumours) and Group C (non-tumoured skin from turtles without FP tumours). Concurrent detection of ChHV5 and CmPV1 DNA is reported for all three categories, with the highest rate of concurrent detection reported for Group A samples (43.5%). Collectively, these results pivot the way we think about FP; as an infectious disease where two separate viruses may be at pla

Experimental Investigations on Combustion Pollutant Emissions of Sunflower Biodiesel and Its Blends with Diesel and Kerosene for Furnace Application

وقود الديزل الحيوي هو أحد أنواع الوقود البديلة الواعدة التي تستخدم في السيارات وتوربينات الغاز والأفران. في هذه الدراسة، تم تجريبيا اختبار وقود الديزل الحيوي وخلائطه (الديزل الحيوي-الديزل (Bx) ووقود الديزل الحيوي-كيروسين (Bkx)) باستخدام منظومة الاحتراق (البيرنر) المصنع للبحث. حيث تمت التجارب باستخدام مرذذ وقود نوع (airblast atomizer) وذلك للتحقق من خواص عملية الاحتراق خلال التجارب. تم اجراء التجارب ولجميع انواع الوقود عند قدرة 12.2 كيلو واط عند نسبة ترذيذ ثابته ALR=1 ودرجة حرارة 301K ولقيم نسب تكافؤ (0.6 الى 1.4). تم قياس الانبعاثات الناتجة عن عملية الاحتراق مثل CO2 وCO وNOx وUbH باستخدام محلل الانبعاثات Gas analyzer، حيث اظهرت النتائج ان الملوثات الرئيسية مثل CO2 وCO وUbH تنخفض بزيادة نسبة الوقود الحيوي (biodiesel) لزهرة عباد الشمس (SME)، كما انخفضت اكاسيد النتروجين المنبعثة. لذلك وحسب النتائج والاستنتاجات فان وقود الديزل الحيوي يمكن ان يكون بديلا جيدا للوقود الاحفوري.Biodiesel is one of the promising substitution fuels that are used in cars, gas turbine and furnace. In this study, the experiments liquid fuels used during the tests are biodiesel and its blends (biodiesel-diesel (Bx) and biodiesel-kerosene (Bkx)) in a furnace have been studied experimentally. An airblast atomizer was used to investigate the combustion properties. During the experiments, the heat rate is (12.2kW), the atomization-air to liquid fuel ratio (ALR = 1) and the constant air temperature is (301K) were maintained. For the range of equivalence ratio from 0.6 to 1.4, the characteristics of emission factors such as carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and unburned hydrocarbons (UbH) were measured experimentally. The results observed that the main pollutants such as CO2, CO, UbH were decreased with an increase in SME, while NOx emissions also decreased .Biodiesel could be a promising fuel for furnaces instead of fossil fuels

Effect of Financial Independence on Reducing Risk of Financial Fragility

Purpose:This research aims to know and measure the impact of financial independence on financial fragility and to provide an applied knowledge framework that shows the relationship between these variables.   Theoretical framework:  and the research problem was represented in several questions, such as can financial independence reduce the financial fragility of the research sample companies?; and what is the level of financial independence and financial fragility of these companies?.   Design/methodology/approach: Financial and statistical methods were relied on using the (SPSS) and (Excel) software. To answer these questions, test hypotheses and analyze the relationship between independent and dependent variables , several conclusions were reached, the most important of which is financial independence when companies reduce their dependence on debt and increase their dependence on internal resources as a main source of financing. Based on the conclusions, a set of recommendations was reached. The most important of which is the attention to restructuring the sources of financing for companies with high financial fragility, which contributes to increasing financial stability and reducing financial risks to a minimum.   Findings: The research was based on a sample consisting of (6) industrial companies listed in the Iraqi Stock Exchange for the period from (2011-2020).   Research, Practical & Social implications: The importance of the research lies in the fact that it has exploited the concepts of financial independence as it leads to reducing risks and assisting companies in reducing financial risks and reaching the required levels of performance, growth and continuity in a highly complex, unstable and limited environment, as well as contributing to urging companies to reconsider financial resources, and ways to benefit from it, which contributes to reducing costs and risks and increasing profitability.   Originality/value: The importance of the current research is highlighted by delving into very important topics for industrial companies, as the concepts of financial fragility and financial independence are of increasing importance in the current era, especially in light of the competitive environment, high costs and difficulty in obtaining financial resources