Developing a spatial approach to support local flood-risk-based land use planning

Flood-risk-based land use planning is largely a local government responsibility in Australia. In my research I sought to develop a new spatial approach to improve the implementation of flood-risk-based land use planning that can be used by local governments. In Australia, strategies for floodplain management to reduce and control flooding are best implemented at the land use planning stage. Flood-risk-based land use planning results in sustainable land management activities, including floodplain management. Flood-risk-based land use planning is largely dependent on flood behaviour across the land development areas, which can be documented in the form of planning zones that warn land use planners about the flood-threatened area. However, these are often out-dated so do not reflect the influence of recent land use changes. This is particularly for peri-urban areas (largely focus on riverine floods) and expensive to update. Developing a new approach based on geospatial science facilitates the implementation of flood-risk-based land use planning process and can provide a better approach for local governments in terms of cost, accuracy and ease of updating. To develop a new approach, a clear understanding of responsibility for flood-risk-based land use planning, the workflow processes in the authority responsible for such planning, the quality of existing database and how new data sources and the technology (e.g., LiDAR data and crowd source data) that can be used for flood-risk-based land use planning, is essential. The research involved a case study to document the process of flood-risk-based land use planning processes used by a Victorian council, an assessment of flood-relevant database completeness and accuracy, determination of missing datasets and information in the council’s flood-relevant GIS database, and development of methods based on GIS-embedded hydrological models to generate those datasets

Efficient and direct iodination of alkyl benzenes using polymer/HIO4 and I2 under mild condition

An efficient and rapid method has been found for the iodination of aromatic compounds using iodine and polymer-supported periodic acid (PSPIA) as an oxidant under mild aprotic conditions. The reagent after the completion of the reaction was easily removed by filtration and was regenerated for further use. This method has some advantages such as: mild reaction conditions, straight forward procedure, inexpensive method, high yields and one-pot conversion. KEY WORDS: Iodine, Polymer-supported periodic acid, Oxidant, Iodination Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2014, 28(2), 305-308.   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v28i2.1

Ki-67/MIB-1 as a prognostic marker in cervical cancer - a systematic review with meta-analysis

Background: In cervical cancer patients it has been reported that there in a significant Ki-67/MIB-1 expression is correlated with survival in cervical cancer patients. However, the prognostic value is still not well understood. Materials and Methods: In the present meta-analysis the prognostic value of Ki-67/MIB-1 with regard to overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in cervical cancer was investigated. The databases of PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, Science Direct and Wiley Online Library were used to identify appropriate literature. Results: In order to explore the relationship between Ki-67/MIB-1 and cervical cancer, we have included 13 studies covering 894 patients in the current meta-analysis. The effect of Ki-67/MIB-1 on OS for pooled random effects HR estimate was 1.63 (95confidence interval (CI) 1.09-2.45; P0.05) and the subgroup analysis indicated Ki-67/MIB1 was associated with DFS (HR=3.67, 95CI 2.65-5.09) in Asians. Conclusions: According to this meta-analysis, Ki-67/MIB-1 has prognostic value for OS in patients suffering from cervical cancer. For better evaluation of the prognostic role of Ki-67/MIB-1 on DFS, studies with larger numbers of patients are needed to validate present findings in the future

Effects of different dietary levels of AFB1 on survival rate and growth factors of Beluga (Huso huso)

In the present study, the impacts of various concentrations of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on Beluga, Huso huso, under controlled conditions were investigated. Belugas (120±10g) were fed on diets containing 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppb AFB1/kg of diet for 3 months. Results showed various levels of AFB1 do not significantly affect the specific growth ratio (SGR) (P<0.05) of fish in different treatments. However, weight gain and food conversion ratio (FCR) were varied significantly (P<0.05 between control and treatments with diets contaminated with 75 and 100 ppb AFB1/kg after 90 days). The increase AFB1 level of did not affect on the percent of survival rate (SR) and no mortality was observed in treatments (SR=100%) suggesting that various AFB1 levels under experimental conditions of the present study affect some growth factors, such as, weight gain and FCR but have no significant impact on SR and SGR. Histopathological studies showed that different level of AFB1 can cause broad range of change in liver tissue, including progressive fat deposition, hepatocyte degeneration and necrosis, particularly at concentration of 75 and 100 ppb AFB1/kg of diets after 60 days

Stability analysis of agegraphic dark energy in Brans-Dicke cosmology

Stability analysis of agegraphic dark energy in Brans-Dicke theory is presented in this paper. We constrain the model parameters with the observational data and thus the results become broadly consistent with those expected from experiment. Stability analysis of the model without best fitting shows that universe may begin from an unstable state passing a saddle point and finally become stable in future. However, with the best fitted model, There is no saddle intermediate state. The agegraphic dark energy in the model by itself exhibits a phantom behavior. However, contribution of cold dark matter on the effective energy density modifies the state of teh universe from phantom phase to quintessence one. The statefinder diagnosis also indicates that the universe leaves an unstable state in the past, passes the LCDM state and finally approaches the sable state in future.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figure

Study and evaluation of economical and hygienic effects of aflatoxin B1 in cultured Huso huso

In the present study, the impacts of various concentrations of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on Beluga, Huso huso, under controlled conditions were investigated. Belugas (120±10 g) were fed diets containing 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppb AFB1/kg of diet for 3 months. Results showed that various levels of AFB1 do not significantly affect the specific growth ratio (SGR) (p< 0.05) of fish in different treatments. However, weight gain and food conversion ratio (FCR) varied significantly (p< 0.05 between control and treatments with diets contaminated with 75 and 100ppb AFB1/kg after 90 days). The increase in level of AFB1 did not affect the percent of survival rate (SR) and no mortality was observed in treatments (SR=100%). Various levels of AFB1 under experimental conditions of the present study affect some growth factors, such as, weight gain and FCR but have no significant impact on SGR. Histopathological studies showed that different level of AFB1 can cause broad range of changes in liver, kidney, spleen and gills tissues, particularly at concentration of 75 and 100 ppb AFB1/kg of diets after 60 days. No tumor formation observed. With regard to toxin concentration and time of exposure to AFB1 in experimental fish, different degree of skin lesions (simple hemorrhage to progressive wounds) were observed in different parts of body especially in vent, caudal peduncle, fins, and head. "Yellow sores" on head and trunk regions are considerable and led to deterioration of appearance. Prevalence of skin lesion in different treatments was 8 -53.3 %, which after stop feeding with toxic diets, 16-24 % healing observed. Haematological changes included chronic anemia and lymphocyteopenia. Also neutrophilia observed with increasing of skin lesions. Meat accumulation of AFB1 in different treatments is not so considerable and harmful for human consumption, but is significantly different with control fishes (P<0.01)

The study of skin lesions in beluga (Huso huso) fed with different dietary levels of Aflatoxin B1

In this study, 180 Beluga (Huso huso) weighing 120110g each with a stocking density of 12 fish per tank were adapted with synthetic diet and then fed with different levels of AFBI (0, 25, 50,75 & 100pplpikg of diets) under controlled conditions (T=1 8±2°C, DO=7.3ppm). The fish were fed 3% of their body weight four times a day for three months. Prevalence of skin lesions evaluated through clinical observations monthly. With regard to toxin concentration and time of exposure to AFBi in experimental fish, different degree of skin lesions (simple hemorrhage to progressive wounds) were observed in different parts of body especially in vent, caudal peduncle, fins, and head. "Yellow sores" on head and trunk regions were considerable and led to deterioration of appearance. Prevalence of skin lesion in different treatments was 8•m53.3%. After feeding with toxic diets was stopped, 16.w24% healing was obsenTed in the fish

The effects of water temperature on weight and length growth in Bester

Hybrid Bester sturgeon (female Beluga x male Sterlet) was produced for the first time in Iran using sperm from a male Acipenser ruthenus and eggs of a female Huso huso in Shahid Marjani Sturgeon Porpagation Center (Agh Ghala, Golestan province). Bester fries and those of Beluga as control treatment weighed 490mg and 377mg respectively after about one month and were transported to International Sturgeon Research Institute (Rasht). All fishes were fed by artificial concentrated food (48-50% protein and 1547% fat) after a period of feeding on Artemia and Daphnia. Sorting was carried out according to weight increase for both fishes. Results showed that the weight increase in warmer months (water temperature 18-28°C) was higher than the colder months and ceased at 6-12°C. The trend in weight increase was of the same pattern for both fishes. There were no significant differences between fish length up to 5 months of rearing but afterwards, Bester showed a higher rate of length increase compared to that of the Beluga. The length increase rate for both fishes was sharper during the first year than the second year. Fish length increase was ceased at 6.841.4°C which coincided with the increase in fish weight

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) formation during subcritical water extraction

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of material type (artichoke leave, lemon peel, flaxseed meal), extraction temperature (50, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200 C) and static extraction time (5, 15, 30, 45 min) on 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) formation during subcritical water extraction. 5-HMF content of artichoke leave and lemon peel extracts increased 7.2 and 26.1 times with the rise of extraction temperature from 160 to 180 C for 5 min during subcritical water extraction, respectively. Besides, 5-HMF content of artichoke leave, lemon peel and flaxseed meal extracts increased 1.4, 2.0 and 4.5 times as static extraction time increased from 15 to 45 min at 180 C during subcritical water extraction, respectively. The highest 5-HMF content of artichoke leave and lemon peel extracts were obtained as 58.83 and 231.21 mg/L at 180 C and 45 min, respectively. However, for flaxseed meal, the highest 5-HMF content (222.94 mg/L) was obtained at 200 C and 15 min during subcritical water extraction.Project Nos. 2014.M80.02.03, 2014.M80.02.04 by Artvin Coruh University Scientific Research Project Uni