تغيرات تركيب مجاميع الكوبيبودا (مجدافية الأقدام ) كنتيجة للانشطة الأرضية على سواحل الاسكندرية في البحر الأبيض المتوسط

Along the coastal water of Alexandria, Copepods were collected from four different areas subjected to agricultural/industrial mixed discharge, primary treated sewage flow, industrial effluent and agricultural runoff to trace the impact of land-based activities on their distribution patterns and community structure during high and low flow periods. Industrial discharge exerted the highest impact on the copepod population by decreasing its density to less than 500 ind./m3. Despite the decrease m copepod abundance during high flow of sewage, the impacted area sustained the maximum copepod density low discharge i.e. 11,222 ind./m3 due to presence of available food. The acceptable water quality characteristics and high nutritive nature of the agricultural runoff increased the copepod density and diversity. Euterpina acutifrons. Oithona nana and Paracalanus parvus showed high resistivity to pollution levels, blooming always near the discharge points. Harpacticoids showed high capacity to withstand industrial discharge more than Calanoids and Cyclopoids. Diversity indices for the area heavily affected by agricultural discharge (1.8 - 2.6) were higher than for the areas impacted by sewage (1.6 - 1.9), mixed agricultural/industrial (1.4 - 1.6) and industrial (0.6 - 0.8) discharge. Freshwater species were recorded at nearshore stations opposite agricultural runoff where salinity declined to < 10 psu. Multiple regression equations proved that the copepod community structure is influenced by various environmental factors which differed according to the water quality in the four investigated areas. While temperature and oxygen were not effectively involved in copepod community structure variations, pollution by Hg and oil seemed to suppress copepods abundance at areas impacted by industrial discharges.جُمعت عينات كوبيبودا من أربعة مناطق على سواحل مدينة الإسكندرية (البحر المتوسط ) معرضة على التوالي للصرف الزراعي ، الصرف الصناعي ، الصرف الصحي وخليط من الصرف الزراعي /الصناعي لتتبع تأثير الأنشطة الأرضية على توزيع وتركيب مجاميع الكوبيبودا أثناء فترة أقصى وأدنى تدفق للصرف ، كان تأثير الصرف الصناعي هو الأعلى حيث انخفضت أمامه كثافة الكوبيبودا إلى أقل مستوى ( 500كائن /م3) . بالرغم من انخفاض أعداد الكوبيبودا أثناء أقصى تدفق للصرف الصحي فقد أظهرت المنطقة المتأثرة بالصرف الزراعي توافر الغذاء الطبيعي للكوبيبودا مما أثر على زيادة كثافة الكائنات وتنوعها. أظهرت بعض الكائنات مقاومة مرتفعة لمستويات التلوث فازدهرت بالقرب من مناطق الصرف ، أثناء فترة أقصى تدفق للصرف الزراعي ، انخفضت الملوحة لأقل من 10 وحدة ملوحة عملية، فظهرت بعض الكائنات المميزة لبحيرات المياه العذبة، بينما لم تؤثر توزيعات الحرارة والأكسجين في تغيير تركيب مجاميع الكوبيبودا على سواحل الإسكندرية في انخفاض كثافة الكائنات في المناطق المتأثرة بالصرف الصناعي ، أبرزت المعادلات الإحصائية زيادة تنوع الكائنات أمام الصرف الزراعي ، الصرف الصناعي ، الصرف الصحي ، والصرف الزراعي /الصناعي

Whale Sharks, <em>Rhincodon typus</em>, Aggregate around Offshore Platforms in Qatari Waters of the Arabian Gulf to Feed on Fish Spawn

<div><p>Whale sharks, <i>Rhincodon typus,</i> are known to aggregate to feed in a small number of locations in tropical and subtropical waters. Here we document a newly discovered major aggregation site for whale sharks within the Al Shaheen oil field, 90 km off the coast of Qatar in the Arabian Gulf. Whale sharks were observed between April and September, with peak numbers observed between May and August. Density estimates of up to 100 sharks within an area of 1 km² were recorded. Sharks ranged between four and eight metres’ estimated total length (mean 6.92±1.53 m). Most animals observed were actively feeding on surface zooplankton, consisting primarily of mackerel tuna, <i>Euthynnus affinis,</i> eggs.</p> </div

Bio-volume, in-water surface temperature, salinity and numbers of organisms in plankton samples taken at fixed sampling stations and at sites where feeding whale sharks were encountered.

<p>Bio-volume, in-water surface temperature, salinity and numbers of organisms in plankton samples taken at fixed sampling stations and at sites where feeding whale sharks were encountered.</p

An image taken by Maersk Oil platform worker Soren Stig on 15^th August 2007, showing an aggregation of whale sharks feeding at the surface in the Al Shaheen Oil Field.

<p>An image taken by Maersk Oil platform worker Soren Stig on 15^th August 2007, showing an aggregation of whale sharks feeding at the surface in the Al Shaheen Oil Field.</p

Results of taxonomic inspection of plankton samples showing for each sample the taxa of plankton which accounted for the largest, second largest and third largest portion of the plankton in terms of numbers of individuals, and for each taxa and for fish eggs, the percentage of the zooplankton by numbers for which they accounted.

<p>Results of taxonomic inspection of plankton samples showing for each sample the taxa of plankton which accounted for the largest, second largest and third largest portion of the plankton in terms of numbers of individuals, and for each taxa and for fish eggs, the percentage of the zooplankton by numbers for which they accounted.</p

Map showing the respective locations of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Al Shaheen oil and gas field within the Arabian Gulf, and (inset) of the Arabian Gulf itself in relation the Arabian Peninsula.

<p>Map showing the respective locations of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Al Shaheen oil and gas field within the Arabian Gulf, and (inset) of the Arabian Gulf itself in relation the Arabian Peninsula.</p

Estimated number of whale sharks seen during platform and boat observations and moon phase for May through September 2011.

<p>Estimated number of whale sharks seen during platform and boat observations and moon phase for May through September 2011.</p

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licenseBackground: Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide. Methods: A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study—a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3·85 [95% CI 2·58–5·75]; p<0·0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63·0% vs 82·7%; OR 0·35 [0·23–0·53]; p<0·0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer. Interpretation: Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised. Funding: National Institute for Health and Care Research

Global variation in postoperative mortality and complications after cancer surgery: a multicentre, prospective cohort study in 82 countries

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licenseBackground: 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications on postoperative mortality. Methods: This was a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for primary breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer requiring a skin incision done under general or neuraxial anaesthesia. The primary outcome was death or major complication within 30 days of surgery. Multilevel logistic regression determined relationships within three-level nested models of patients within hospitals and countries. Hospital-level infrastructure effects were explored with three-way mediation analyses. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03471494. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019, we enrolled 15 958 patients from 428 hospitals in 82 countries (high income 9106 patients, 31 countries; upper-middle income 2721 patients, 23 countries; or lower-middle income 4131 patients, 28 countries). Patients in LMICs presented with more advanced disease compared with patients in high-income countries. 30-day mortality was higher for gastric cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (adjusted odds ratio 3·72, 95% CI 1·70–8·16) and for colorectal cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (4·59, 2·39–8·80) and upper-middle-income countries (2·06, 1·11–3·83). No difference in 30-day mortality was seen in breast cancer. The proportion of patients who died after a major complication was greatest in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (6·15, 3·26–11·59) and upper-middle-income countries (3·89, 2·08–7·29). Postoperative death after complications was partly explained by patient factors (60%) and partly by hospital or country (40%). The absence of consistently available postoperative care facilities was associated with seven to 10 more deaths per 100 major complications in LMICs. Cancer stage alone explained little of the early variation in mortality or postoperative complications. Interpretation: Higher levels of mortality after cancer surgery in LMICs was not fully explained by later presentation of disease. The capacity to rescue patients from surgical complications is a tangible opportunity for meaningful intervention. Early death after cancer surgery might be reduced by policies focusing on strengthening perioperative care systems to detect and intervene in common complications. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit