Induction of fish biomarkers by synthetic-based drilling muds

The study investigated the effects of chronic exposure of pink snapper (Pagrus auratus Forster), to synthetic based drilling muds (SBMs). Fish were exposed to three mud systems comprised of three different types of synthetic based fluids (SBFs): an ester (E), an isomerized olefin (IO) and linear alpha olefin (LAO). Condition factor (CF), liver somatic index (LSI), hepatic detoxification (EROD activity), biliary metabolites, DNA damage and stress proteins (HSP-70) were determined. Exposure to E caused biologically significant effects by increasing CF and LSI, and triggered biliary metabolite accumulation. While ester-based SBFs have a rapid biodegradation rate in the environment, they caused the most pronounced effects on fish health. IO induced EROD activity and biliary metabolites and LAO induced EROD activity and stress protein levels. The results demonstrate that while acute toxicity of SBMs is generally low, chronic exposure to weathering cutting piles has the potential to affect fish health. The study illustrates the advantages of the Western Australian government case-by-case approach to drilling fluid management, and highlights the importance of considering the receiving environment in the selection of SBMs

Global declarations on electric vehicles, carbon life cycle and Nash equilibrium

Universal environmental policies adopt strategies that enhance and encourage the production and usage of electric vehicles (EVs). Universal cooperation is evident in the framework of agreements or protocols so as to successfully lead countries towards the predetermined goals. The question is whether this trend can reduce global warming or CO2 emissions worldwide. By adopting game theory, this study analyses electricity carbon life cycle in leading EV countries. Results show that although the spread of EVs in Europe and the USA can mitigate carbon emissions, the production and use of electric vehicles in some countries, such as China and India, become a new source of such emissions. This reverse effect is due to the emission of greenhouse gases from electricity sources in these countries. Game theory also suggests that countries with unclean electricity sources should reconsider their plans to produce and use EVs. This study confirms that although carbon emission and global warming are global problems, regional and local policies can be substituted with a single comprehensive approach for an effective means of CO2 emission reduction

Toxicity assessment of individual ingredients of synthetic-based drilling muds (SBMs)

Synthetic-based drilling muds (SBMs) offer excellent technical characteristics while providing improved environmental performance over other drilling muds. The low acute toxicity and high biodegradability of SBMs suggest their discharge at sea would cause minimal impacts on marine ecosystems, however, chronic toxicity testing has demonstrated adverse effects of SBMs on fish health. Sparse environmental monitoring data indicate effects of SBMs on bottom invertebrates. However, no environmental toxicity assessment has been performed on fish attracted to the cutting piles. SBM formulations are mostly composed of synthetic base oils, weighting agents, and drilling additives such as emulsifiers, fluid loss agents, wetting agents, and brine. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of exposure to individual ingredients of SBMs on fish health. To do so, a suite of biomarkers [ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, biliary metabolites, sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) activity, DNA damage, and heat shock protein] have been measured in pink snapper (Pagrus auratus) exposed for 21 days to individual ingredients of SBMs. The primary emulsifier (Emul S50) followed by the fluid loss agent (LSL 50) caused the strongest biochemical responses in fish. The synthetic base oil (Rheosyn) caused the least response in juvenile fish. The results suggest that the impact of Syndrill 80:20 on fish health might be reduced by replacement of the primary emulsifier Emul S50 with an alternative ingredient of less toxicity to aquatic biota. The research provides a basis for improving the environmental performance of SBMs by reducing the environmental risk of their discharge and providing environmental managers with information regarding the potential toxicity of individual ingredients. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V

Experimental studies on vacancy induced ferromagnetism in undoped TiO2

Room temperature ferromagnetism is observed in undoped TiO2 films deposited on Si substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The ferromagnetic properties of the samples depend on the oxygen partial pressure during the PLD synthesis. The appearance of higher binding energy component (HBEC) in the oxygen 1s core peak from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) suggests the presence of oxygen vacancies in these samples. The amount of oxygen during the synthesis determines the vacancy concentration in the samples which is directly related to the magnetic behavior of the samples. The magnetic moment decreases with oxygen vacancy concentration in the samples. Valence band measurements were performed to study the electronic structure of both stoichometric and reduced TiO2. The analyses show the presence of Ti 3d band near the Fermi level in reduced TiO2 samples. These bands are otherwise empty in stoichiometric TiO2 and reside in the conduction band which makes them unobservable by XPS. The existence of this Ti 3d band near the Fermi level can possibly lead to Stoner splitting of the band.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figur

Best water conservation practices and their impact on water productivity in the Syr Darya River Basin

In Scientific maintenance as factor of sustainable development of water Management. Proceedings of International Conference, Kazakh Institute of Water Management, Kazakhstan, 20-21 October, 200

The Role of Cameraman in Media Production Technique in Kurdish Satellite Channels

لەگەڵ ئەوەی وێنەگری تەلەفزیۆنی لەتەکنیکی بەرهەمهێنانی میدیاییدا پێگەیەکی بەرچاو و رۆڵێکی سەرەکی هەیە، بەڵام هێشتا ناڕوونییەک هەیە لەوەی، کە ئایا وێنەگری تەلەفزیۆنی لە کەناڵە ئاسمانییە کوردییەکاندا توانیویانە بەشێوازێکی پرۆفیشناڵ هاندەرو یارمەتیدەربن لە بەرهەمهێنانی بەرهەمە میدیاییەکاندا. بۆیە توێژەران بەپەیڕەوکردنی رێبازێکی زانستی هەوڵدەدەن بزانن وێنەگری تەلەفزیۆنی لەتەکنیکی بەرهەمهێنانی میدیاییدا چ رۆڵێکی هەیەو شارەزایی وێنەگری تەلەفزیۆنی کەناڵە ئاسمانییە کوردییەکان لەتەکنیکی بەرهەمهێنانی میدیاییدا، لە چ ئاستێکدایە. ئەم توێژینەوەیە هەوڵێکی زانستییە بۆ هەڵسەنگاندنی رۆڵی وێنەگری تەلەفزیۆنی لەتەکنیکی بەرهەمهێنانی میدیایی لەکەناڵە ئاسمانییە کوردییەکاندا، لەڕێی سامپڵێک لە وێنەگرانی تەلەفزیۆنی کەناڵە ئاسمانییە کوردییەکان، کە تیایدا ئاماژە بە رۆڵ و کاریگەری وێنەگرانی تەلەفزیۆنی ئەو کەناڵانە لەبەرهەمهێنانی بەرهەمە میدیاییەکاندا کراوە، جۆری توێژینەوەکە وەسفییەو رێبازی راپێوی بەکارهاتووە، لەسەر سامپڵێک لە وێنەگرانی تەلەفزیۆنی کەناڵە ئاسمانییە هەواڵییە کوردییەکان، (93)وێنەگر وەكو سامپڵی توێژینەوەكە بەشێوەیەكی مەبەستدار لە كەناڵەئاسمانییە هەواڵییەكوردییەكان وەرگیراوەو لەڕێی فۆڕمی راپرسییەوە پێوانەی راکانییان کراوە. لە گرنگترین ئەو ئەنجامانەی، كە توێژەران پێیگەیشتوون زۆربەی زۆری وێنەگرانی تەلەفزیۆنی کەناڵە ئاسمانییە کوردییەکان لەڕەگەزی نێرینەن، هەروەها کەمتەرخەمی کامێرامان لەپشکنینی ئامێرەکانی کارکردن، هۆکارە بۆ زیادبوونی تێچوونی بەرهەمهێنان. سەربەخۆیی و دەستکراوەیی کامێرامان لەکارکردندا، کاریگەریی ئەرێنی لەسەر ئەدای کارەکەی هەیە. لەكۆتایی توێژینەوەكەشدا چەند پێشنیازو راسپاردەیەك خراوەتەڕوو.Inspite of the fact that cameramen have a main and an important role in media production technique; there is still a nonobvious side whether Cameramen in the Kurdish satellite TV channels were able able to assist and encourage in the production of media products professionally. Thus, the researchers try to find out the role of cameramen in media production technique in a scientific method and to see the experience of cameramen of Kurdish TV channels is at what level in the media production technique. This research is a scientific approach to evaluate the role of cameramen in media production technique of Kurdish TV channels through a sample of a group of cameramen in which the role and effect of these cameramen in the production of these media products of the channels are mentioned. The research is a descriptive research and an opinion method has been used on the cameramen of TV satellite news channels, 93 cameramen of Kurdish satellite TV news channels were chosen as the sample research intentionally, and their opinions are taken through a sample survey. The most important conclusions in which the researchers have observed during the research are, male gender makes the largest part of cameramen in TV satellite Kurdish channels, non responsibility of the cameraman to check the working devices is a reason to increase the production fee, the independence of the cameraman in his work has a positive effect on the cameraman’s performance, and at the end of the research project some suggestions and recommendations have been given

An application of evolutionary optimization algorithms for determining concentration and velocity profiles in sheet flows and overlying layers

The particle swarm optimization (PSO) method and the genetic algorithm (GA) were used to derive formulas for determining the velocity and concentration profiles in sheet flows. Specifically, these evolutionary optimization algorithms were used in conjunction with experimental data to determine coefficients and identify parameters for preselected formulas. The objective function, defined as the sum-of-squared errors between observed and predicted values of sediment velocity and concentration, was minimized by adjusting the parameter values in the formulas. Two well-known empirical formulas were also applied to the same data. The bias, root mean square error and scatter index were used to evaluate the comparison between predictions and measurements. The results indicated that the errors based on the PSO and GA approaches to predicting sediment parameters were less than those of the existing empirical formulas. Overall, both evolutionary approaches provided formulas that were in good agreement with the experimental data, giving improved descriptions of the vertical distribution of velocity and sediment concentration in the sheet flow for practical purposes. These models also described well the behavior of the velocity and sediment concentration above the sheet flow layer; in contrast with most existing formulas that are applicable only to the sheet flow layer

Cross-shore sediment transport estimation using fuzzy inference system in the swash zone

The interactions between fluid and sediment in the swash zone dominate the erosion or accretion of the beach, and they act as boundary conditions for nearshore hydrodynamic and morphodynamic models. Thus, the evaluation of sediment transport is of particular importance for many coastal processes and the design of coastal structures. In this paper, unlike conventional approaches, Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) and Adaptive-Network-Based Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) methods are used for the prediction and simulation of cross-shore sediment transport in the swash zone. The ANFIS and FIS are established using the free stream velocity time series, Shields parameter and antecedent sediment data. Statistical measures were used to evaluate the performance of the models. The cross-shore sediment transport rate and swash velocity time series for the swash experiments of Masselink and Hughes (1998) were used as case studies. Predicated on numerical results, it is found that the ANFIS-based predictions are slightly superior to the FIS-based predictions. Furthermore, numerical examples manifest that the neuro-fuzzy approach provides superior accuracy in sediment transport modeling without incorporating different multipliers for uprush and backwash