Spatial variability of groundwater recharge - II. Factors affecting variability and taking account of it in estimating recharge

The accompanying paper provided evidence to suggest that spatial variability of groundwater recharge is ‘true’ variability. This paper attempts to determine the major causes of such variability even at small distances, if there appear to be a frequency distribution to this spatial variability and lastly if it is possible take this variability into account in estimating recharge in an area. The clay content of the top soil appear to have a significant effect on recharge. The spatial variability of recharge appear to be log normally distributed and a way is shown where simple statistics can be used to take account of the spatial variability in estimating recharge

Spatial variability of groundwater recharge - I. Is it really variable?

The spatial variability of recharge is an important consideration in estimating recharge especially as all methods of estimating it are 'point' estimates and in most places recharge varies in space. This paper along with the accompanying paper attempts to find a suitable answer to the question of taking this variability into account in estimating groundwater recharge. This paper attempts to determine if recharge is actually varying in space and that this is 'true' variability and that it is not an artefact of the method used for estimating recharge. It also pulls together information on spatial variability of recharge reported by various workers in the literature, in order to determine if recharge is truly variable in space

Effect of climate change on potential groundwater recharge in the dry zone of Sri Lanka

Groundwater is still an important water source for many parts of the world, especially in countries such as Sri Lanka, because, despite a huge government investment to divert some of the rivers to dry areas, there are many areas which this river water cannot reach, and hence a large number of people depend on groundwater for their basic water requirements. The effects of climate change are evident in all parts of the world which include significant weather pattern changes, effect on fauna and flora, see level changes etc. Groundwater recharge, which results mostly from rainfall in many areas of the dry zone, will therefore be different from what they are now. This study looks at the possible effects of climate change on the estimates of potential groundwater recharge in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. The study locations chosen were Angunakolapellessa, MahaIllupallama and Kalpitiya, where estimates of recharge were obtained with a soil water balance model, programmed on a spreadsheet. The model was validated with estimates of recharge obtained by different workers at different locations including Sri Lanka. Parameters of (rainfall and evapotranspiration) generated from a Regional Climate Model (PRECIS) were inputted to the model both for the 1961-89 (baseline) as well as for the 2071-99 (generated) periods, giving estimates of recharge for the periods 1961-89 and 2071-99. The results show that the current estimates of recharge are likely to be reduced by 20-40% in the three study locations. The possible effects of such changes in recharge estimates and possible action to mitigate these possible effects of high/low estimates of recharge are also discussed

Reproductive Performance of Dairy Cows Affected by Endometritis, Pododermatitis and Mastitis

The effects of endometritis, pododermatitis and clinical mastitis on the conception rate and calving-conception interval of multiparous and primiparous cows after fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) were evaluated. Clinical endometritis was diagnosed by ultrasonography 20-40 days postpartum upon observation of fluid in the uterine lumen. Cows with clinical endometritis were treated intramuscularly with 2 mg/kg ceftiofur hydrochloride over three consecutive days. Forty-five days after delivery, multiparous and primiparous cows with normal uteri according to ultrasonography were selected for the study, filed and inseminated by FTAI. To identify animals with hoof problems and clinical mastitis and to define their respective groups, the cows were observed daily during morning and nightly milking for up to 60 days after FTAI, and animals with hoof lesions were treated. Animals with clinical mastitis were treated with intramammary infusion containing 88 mg cefquinome sulphate every 12 h after milking for four days. The conception rate of multiparous cows with clinical endometritis at 30 and 60 days after FTAI was negatively affected compared with that of healthy cows with pododermatitis. However, clinical endometritis did not influence the primiparous category, whereas pododermatitis and clinical mastitis did not influence the conception rate of any category at 30 and 60 days after FTAI. Differences were not observed between primiparous or multiparous cows in the calving-conception interval. Keywords: Lactation, Pregnancy, Health, Fertilit

Mycoplasma pneumoniae-induced rash and mucositis: a recently described entity

Mycoplasmapneumoniae is a common cause of respiratory infections. Although most cases are mild, some patients have extrapulmonary complications including mucocutaneous eruptions including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and erythemamultiforme (EM). Recently, a new entity, called M. pneumoniae-induced rash and mucositis (MIRM) was described. The authors present a clinical case difficult to classify attending to the classical classification of epidermolytic syndromes that meets the criteria proposed for the diagnosis of MIRM. The mucocutaneous disease associated with M. pneumoniae presents predominant mucositis, with scarce or absent cutaneous involvement. Because of the distinct morphology, pathophysiology and benign clinical course, MIRM should be considered as a new entity, distinct from SJS/TEN and EM.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Auxin-degron system identifies immediate mechanisms of OCT4.

The pluripotency factor OCT4 is essential for the maintenance of naive pluripotent stem cells in vitro and in vivo. However, the specific role of OCT4 in this process remains unknown. Here, we developed a rapid protein-level OCT4 depletion system that demonstrates that the immediate downstream response to loss of OCT4 is reduced expression of key pluripotency factors. Our data show a requirement for OCT4 for the efficient transcription of several key pluripotency factors and suggest that expression of trophectoderm markers is a subsequent event. In addition, we find that NANOG is able to bind to the genome in the absence of OCT4, and this binding is in fact enhanced. Globally, however, the active enhancer-associated histone mark H3K27ac is depleted. Our work establishes that, while OCT4 is required for the maintenance of the naive transcription factor network, at a normal embryonic stem cell levels it antagonizes this network through inhibition of NANOG binding