The Case for Combining a Large Low-Band Very High Frequency Transmitter With Multiple Receiving Arrays for Geospace Research: A Geospace Radar

We argue that combining a high‐power, large‐aperture radar transmitter with several large‐aperture receiving arrays to make a geospace radar—a radar capable of probing near‐Earth space from the upper troposphere through to the solar corona—would transform geospace research. We review the emergence of incoherent scatter radar in the 1960s as an agent that unified early, pioneering research in geospace in a common theoretical, experimental, and instrumental framework, and we suggest that a geospace radar would have a similar effect on future developments in space weather research. We then discuss recent developments in radio‐array technology that could be exploited in the development of a geospace radar with new or substantially improved capabilities compared to the radars in use presently. A number of applications for a geospace radar with the new and improved capabilities are reviewed including studies of meteor echoes, mesospheric and stratospheric turbulence, ionospheric flows, plasmaspheric and ionospheric irregularities, and reflection from the solar corona and coronal mass ejections. We conclude with a summary of technical requirements

Habitat selection of the mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii in its newly invaded range

Information on the habitat selection by non-indigenous species is crucial for understanding their effects on the communities to which they are introduced, since the effects are often focused on the invaded habitats. The North American mud crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii is a new invader in the northern Baltic Sea, on the coasts of Finland and Estonia. In the Finnish Archipelago Sea, it has been found in two very distinct habitats: reed belts of Phragmites australis and algal zones with Fucus vesiculosus as the main habitat-forming species. In previous studies in the Baltic Sea, R. harrisii has preferred F. vesiculosus and has locally driven a shift in the structure of F. vesiculosus-associated invertebrate communities. Here, we disentangled whether habitat choice was determined by habitat structure or the availability of food. First, we conducted a habitat selection experiment with P. australis and F. vesiculosus habitats and varying food availability, and found that R. harrisii preferred F. vesiculosus, with food having no effect on the habitat choice. Second, we studied if the preference for F. vesiculosus was due to the alga itself or the rocks it grows on. We found that R. harrisii preferred the shelter of the rock habitat, indicating that R. harrisii choose their habitat based on habitat structure rather than food availability in the habitat. However, the preference for sheltered rocky bottom habitats also exposes the associated F. vesiculosus communities to the impacts of R. harrisii through predation.Peer reviewe

Early weaning increases aggression and stereotypic behaviour in cats

Behaviour problems are common in companion felines, and problematic behaviour may be a sign of chronic stress. In laboratory animals, early weaning increases the risk for aggression, anxiety, and stereotypic behaviour. However, very few studies have focused on early weaning in one of the world's most popular pets, the domestic cat, although weaning soon after the critical period of socialisation is common practice. To study the effects of early weaning (<12 weeks) on behaviour, a large data set (N = 5726, 40 breeds) was collected from home-living domestic cats through a questionnaire survey. The results show that weaning before 8 weeks of age increases the risk for aggression, but not fearful behaviour. Moreover, cats weaned after 14 weeks of age have a lower probability for aggression towards strangers than early weaned cats and a lower probability for stereotypic behaviour (excessive grooming) than cats weaned at 12 weeks. The effect of weaning age on stereotypic behaviour is partially explained by the effects on aggression. These findings indicate that early weaning has a detrimental effect on behaviour, and suggest delayed weaning as a simple and inexpensive approach to significantly improve the welfare of millions of domestic cats.Peer reviewe

Pengaruh Waktu Pemberian Pupuk Mikoriza Terhadap Pertumbuhan Dan Hasil Tanaman Paprika (Capsicum Annum Var Grossum L.)

Paprika (Capsicum annum var grossum L.) adalah tumbuhan penghasil buah yang berasa manis dan sedikit pedas dari suku terong-terongan atau Solanaceae. Sama dengan jenis cabai lainnya. Paprika memiliki nilai jual yang bagus, permintaan pasar akan sayuran ini juga terus meningkat, terutama permintaan dari banyak restoran dan hotel berkembang di Bali. Kenyataan ini bisa dimanfaatkan dengan mengembangkan budidaya tanaman paprika untuk memasok kebutuhan pasar akan paprika yang kian hari kian meningkat disamping itu peningkatan produksi sayuran adalah merupakan salah satu USAha yang dewasa ini sedang digiatkan oleh pemerintah untuk mengimbangi kebutuhan pangan.Berdasarkan di atas dilakukan penelitian pengaruh waktu pemberian pupuk mikoriza terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman paprika (Capsicum annum var grossum L). Penelitian dilaksanakan pada lahan seluas 2 are di Desa Kembang Merta, Kecamatan Baturiti, Kabupaten Tingkat II Tabanan dari Maret s/d Juni 2016. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian faktor tunggal, dengan rancangan acak kelompok (RAK) sederhana. Perlakuan terdiri dari 5 (lima) waktu pemberian pupuk mikoriza yaitu : 1. Pemberian mikoriza 2 minggu sebelum tanam (W-2); 2. Pemberian mikoriza 1 Mst (W-1); 3. Pemberian mikoriza 2 Mst (W2); 4. Pemberian mikoriza 3 Mst (W3); 5. Pemberian mikoriza 4 Mst (W4) dan 6. Kontrol (Wk :Tanpa pemberian mikoriza). dengan 4 (empat) kali ulangan sehingga terdapat 30 (tiga puluh) petak penelitian.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemberian pupuk Mikoriza meningkatkan pertumbuhan tanaman cabai Paprika yaitu meningkatnya tinggi tanaman, jumlah daun pertanaman dan umur panen pertama, dimana umur saat panen pertama terjadi paling awal yaitu pada 78,50 hari setelah tanam pada perlakuan (Pemberian pupuk Mikoriza 2 minggu sebelum tanam). Pemberian pupuk Mikoriza lebih awal ketanaman memberikan hasil buah segar cabai paprika pertanaman yang tinggi yaitu mencapai 1306,25 g pada pemberian pupuk Mikoriza 2 minggu sebelum tanam. Pemberian pupuk Mikoriza lebih awal ketanaman memberikan berat kering buah pertanaman lebih tinggi tinggi yaitu mencapai 223,53 g pada perlakuan (Pemberian pupuk Mikoriza 2 minggu sebelum tanam)

PENGARUH PENAMBAHAN TEPUNG BIJI LABU KUNING TERHADAP KEMATANGAN GONAD IKAN LELE SANGKURIANG (CLARIAS SP)

Abstract - Pumpkin seeds contain lots of vitamin E so it can be used as a supplement for the brood fish to improve the maturities gonad. This study used a pumpkin-seed flour added in to the feed (pellets) which aims to determine the index maturity of gonad (IMG) 0f lele sangkuriang (Clarias sp.), and the concentration of pumpkin-seed flour is effective against gonad maturity. The study was conducted for 2 months using completely randomized design (CRD) with the treatment of pumpkin seed concentration in the feed ie: 0, 100, 150 and 200 gram /kg of feed each treatment was repeated 3 times. The results shows that the highest IKG value was 5.7 (± 0.55) in treatment with 200 g / kg of feed compared with controls whose IGM value was only 2.6 (± 0.39), while treatment with 100 and 150 g / kg of feed obtained by IMG value 4,21 (± 0,89) and 44,98 (± 0,48). The data analysis, ANOVA, showed that the treatment hight significant (P˂ 0.01) on IMG.The study condution concluded that the addition of pumpkin-seed flour into the feed can increase the maturity of the gonad of lele sangkuriang. Keywords : Pumpkin Seeds, IKG, Catfish.Abstrak - Biji labu kuning banyak mengandung vitamin E sehingga dapat digunakan sebagai suplement bagi induk ikan untuk meningkatkan kematangan gonadnya. Penelitian ini menggunakan tepung biji labu kuning yang ditambahkan ke dalam pakan (pellet) yang bertujuan untuk mengetahui indeks kematangan gonad (IKG) ikan lele sangkuriang (Clarias sp.) serta konsentrasi tepung biji labu yang efektif terhadap kematangan gonad. Penelitian telah dilaksanakan selama 2 bulan menggunakan rancangan acal lengkap (RAL) dengan perlakuan konsentrasi tepung biji labu kuning di dalam pakan yakni: 0, 100, 150 dan 200 gram per kilogram pakan. Masing-masing perlakuan diulang sebanyak 3 kali. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan nilai IKG terbesar yakni 5,7(±0,55) pada perlakuan dengan pemberian 200 gr/kg pakan dibanding dengan kontrol yang nilai IKGnya hanya 2,6(±0,39), sedang perlakuan dengan pemberian 100 dan 150 g/kg pakan diperoleh nilai IKG 4,21(±0,89) dan 44,98(±0,48). Hasil sidik ragam ANOVA menunjukkan perlakuan berpengaruh sangat nyata (P˂ 0,01) terhadap IKG. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian yang diperoleh kemudian disimpulkan bahwa penambahan tepung biji labu kuning ke dalam pakan dapat meningkatkan kematangan gonad ikan lele sangkuriang. Kata kunci : Biji Labu Kuning, IKG, Lel

Prenatal Risk Factors for Adverse Developmental Outcome in Preterm Infants—Systematic Review

Background: Preterm infants are still at an increased risk for suboptimal neurodevelopmental outcomes when compared with term born infants. The development of a child born preterm can be jeopardized by suboptimal conditions during pregnancy, in addition to the suboptimal growth environment postnatally compared to the normal in utero environment. This review summarizes the literature on the role of chorioamnionitis, placental insufficiency, and maternal smoking on the developmental outcomes of preterm infants.Methods: A systematic database search was performed to identify all original articles published on or before September 12, 2018 that evaluated the impact of clinical or histological chorioamnionitis, abnormal prenatal fetal and placental blood flow, and prenatal smoking exposure on the neuropsychological and cognitive outcomes of preterm infants. We identified a total of 54 studies. Thirty five original articles evaluated the effects of clinical or histological chorioamnionitis; 15 studies evaluated the effects of abnormal blood flow patterns; and four studies evaluated the effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy.Results: The studies on prenatal risk factors showed conflicting results about the impact on the neurodevelopment of preterm infants. The majority of the studies did not show that chorioamnionitis poses a direct risk to the development of preterm infants. The role of abnormal prenatal placental and fetal blood flow on the development of preterm infants remained inconclusive because the sample sizes were often small and methodological problems complicated the interpretation of the data. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was assessed only in one cohort which showed that maternal smoking is a risk for suboptimal cognitive and neuropsychological development in preterm infants.Conclusions: This review summarizes the data on several prenatal risk factors which play a role in the developmental outcomes of preterm infants. To optimize the developmental outcomes, we need to first optimize the fetal wellbeing before birth. More research that extends from the fetal life to long-term developmental outcomes is needed

Clay honeycomb monoliths for the simultaneous retention of lead and cadmium in water

Natural illite-smectite and stevensite Moroccan clays were used for the simultaneous removal of lead and cadmium from aqueous medium. The clays were employed in raw state and extruded as honeycomb monoliths form without any additives, which confirms the novelty of this approach in water treatment. The experiments were done in batch conditions with continuous stirring and using a recirculated flow, respectively. In addition to a characterization of the clays by XRF, XRD, TGA, laser granulometry, N2 physisorption, FTIR spectroscopy, SEM-EDS and evaluation of the cation exchange capacity, special attention was paid to the influence on the co-adsorption of variables such as adsorbent dosage, contact time and initial concentration of Cd2+ and Pb2+. Pseudo-second order kinetics and good fitting to Redlich-Peterson model for both heavy metals were found. Our results also suggest that Pb2+ and Cd2+ uptake is controlled by chemisorption with predominance of Langmuir characteristics. No significant depletion of the metals retention attributable to competition was observed, particularly for the stevensite (maximum retention capacity of 1.2 mg Pb2+/g and 4.6 mg Cd2+/g) that showed higher specific surface area. For both clays, cadmium ions adsorption was relatively favoured in the bimetallic solution, and the honeycombs kept the powders performance. Honeycomb monoliths as a compact adsorbent offer a promising way of water treatment thanks to their stability and easy incorporation into dynamic processes avoiding the issues of pressure drop under wastewater circulation. (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Inadequate socialisation, inactivity, and urban living environment are associated with social fearfulness in pet dogs

Problematic behaviours are severe welfare issues for one of the world's most popular pets, the domestic dog. One of the most prevalent behavioural problem that causes distress to dogs is social fearfulness, meaning fear of conspecifics or unfamiliar people. To identify demographic and environmental factors associated with fear of dogs and strangers, logistic regression was utilised with a large dataset of 6,000 pet dogs collected through an owner-filled behavioural survey. Social fearfulness was associated with several factors, including urban environment, poor socialisation during puppyhood, infrequent participation in training and other activities, small body size, female sex, and neutering. In addition, we identified several breed differences, suggesting a genetic contribution to social fearfulness. These findings highlight the role of inadequate socialisation, inactivity, and urban living environmental in fear-related behavioural problems in dogs. Improvements in the management and breeding practices of dogs could, therefore, enhance the welfare of man's best friend.Peer reviewe