E-Government in Russia : Plans, Reality, and Future Outlook

Peer reviewe

Zebrafish Larvae Exhibit Rheotaxis and Can Escape a Continuous Suction Source Using Their Lateral Line

Zebrafish larvae show a robust behavior called rheotaxis, whereby they use their lateral line system to orient upstream in the presence of a steady current. At 5 days post fertilization, rheotactic larvae can detect and initiate a swimming burst away from a continuous point-source of suction. Burst distance and velocity increase when fish initiate bursts closer to the suction source where flow velocity is higher. We suggest that either the magnitude of the burst reflects the initial flow stimulus, or fish may continually sense flow during the burst to determine where to stop. By removing specific neuromasts of the posterior lateral line along the body, we show how the location and number of flow sensors play a role in detecting a continuous suction source. We show that the burst response critically depends on the presence of neuromasts on the tail. Flow information relayed by neuromasts appears to be involved in the selection of appropriate behavioral responses. We hypothesize that caudally located neuromasts may be preferentially connected to fast swimming spinal motor networks while rostrally located neuromasts are connected to slow swimming motor networks at an early age

Rheotaxis in Larval Zebrafish Is Mediated by Lateral Line Mechanosensory Hair Cells

The lateral line sensory system, found in fish and amphibians, is used in prey detection, predator avoidance and schooling behavior. This system includes cell clusters, called superficial neuromasts, located on the surface of head and trunk of developing larvae. Mechanosensory hair cells in the center of each neuromast respond to disturbances in the water and convey information to the brain via the lateral line ganglia. The convenient location of mechanosensory hair cells on the body surface has made the lateral line a valuable system in which to study hair cell damage and regeneration. One way to measure hair cell survival and recovery is to assay behaviors that depend on their function. We built a system in which orientation against constant water flow, positive rheotaxis, can be quantitatively assessed. We found that zebrafish larvae perform positive rheotaxis and that, similar to adult fish, larvae use both visual and lateral line input to perform this behavior. Disruption or damage of hair cells in the absence of vision leads to a marked decrease in rheotaxis that recovers upon hair cell repair or regeneration

Eco-efficiency analysis for remote area power supply selection in Western Australia

Remote area power supply (RAPS) systems in Western Australia account for more than 56% of total off-grid electricity supply in Australia and utilise carbon emission intensive diesel and gas generating technologies for power supply. Most of these RAPS systems are run by environmentally unfriendly conventional fuel due to economic reasons. An eco-efficiency analysis (EEA) framework was therefore developed to explore the environmental and economic efficiency of the current diesel RAPS systems in Western Australia. ISO 14040:2006 for Life Cycle Assessment and AS/NZS 4536:1000 (R2014) for Life Cycle Costing have been used to estimate the associated environmental impacts and costs of RAPS systems in conducting an EEA. The results show that the integration of solar photovoltaic panels and an energy storage system into existing diesel generating units for power supply could improve the eco-efficiency of the existing system. It was found that a 4% increase in total life cycle costs with the use of a hybrid system could potentially decrease the overall environmental impacts by 16%