Improving water resources management using different irrigation strategies and water qualities: Field and modelling study

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two different irrigation strategies, regulated deficit irrigation, RDI and partial root drying, PRD using surface freshwater (SW) and brackish treated wastewater (TWW) for maize and potato crops. The SALTMED model has been applied using the field measurements of two cropping seasons 2013 and 2014 at the Canale Emiliano Romagnolo, CER’s experimental farm located in Mezzolara di Budrio (Bologna, Italy). In 2013, PRD irrigated potato received 17% less irrigation water than RDI but produced nearly the same yield as under RDI. The water productivity, o naverage, was 11% higher for PRD compared with RDI. For maize 2014 season, the PRD strategy received almost 15% less irrigation water, but produced a yield only 6% lower than that of RDI and gave equal water productivity to RDI. Given that the two strategies received the same amount of rainfall the results favour the PRD over RDI. Had the site not received above average rainfall (258 mm in 2013 and 259 mm during the 2014 growing seasons), PRD might have produced higher yield and water productivity than RDI. In terms of model simulations, overall, the model showed a strong relationship between the observed and the simulated soil moisture and salinity profiles, total dry mater and final yields. This illustrates SALTMED model’s ability to simulate the dry matter and yield of C3 and C4 crops as well as to simulated different water qualities and different water application strategies. Therefore, the model can run with “what if” scenarios depicting several water qualities, crops and irrigation systems and strategies without the need to try them all in the field. This will reduce costs of labour and investment

Algunas consideraciones éticas acerca de la medicalización de la mutilación/corte genital femenina (circuncisión femenina).

According to each society’s condition the ethical attitude of the individual may be colored by the attitude of the society. It is therefore not surprising to find what is ethical in one society might not be ethical in another. Female Genital Cutting, as an example, is seen in some societies as a must and something good for the whole community in general and for girls in particular, while in others, it is seen as mutilation and violation of human rights. The practice of female genital cutting is a complex issue that ties the traditional gender roles, superstition, local concepts on health and sexuality, as well as several other social relations. Worldwide, an estimated 130 million girls and women have undergone FGC. The current paper examines medicalization of female genital cutting from ethical point of view. The paper discusses the issue in the following themes: definition of the practice, the justifications of the practice, the complications and lastly the ethical reflections. The paper argues that laws that prohibit the practice would not work, without wide socio-cultural change; any effort to eradicate the practice would not succeedDe acuerdo a las condiciones sociales la actitud ética del individuo puede ser matizada por la actitud de la sociedad. Por lo tanto no es sorprendente encontrar, que algo que es ético en una sociedad no lo sea para otra sociedad. La mutilación genital femenina, es un ejemplo de esto, ésta mutilación es vista en algunas sociedades como lo debido y algo bueno para toda la comunidad en general y para las niñas en particular; mientras que en otras sociedades, esto es visto como mutilación y violación de los derechos humanos. Esta práctica, es un aspecto complejo que ata los roles tradicionales de género, la superstición, los conceptos locales en cuanto a sexualidad, salud, así como otras relaciones sociales. En el mundo se tiene un estimado de 130 millones de niñas y mujeres que han sido sometidas a la mutilación genital femenina (FGC) El presente artículo examina la medicalización de ésta práctica, desde un punto de vista ético. Este documento discute el tópico en los siguientes temas : definición de la práctica, justificación de la misma, sus complicaciones y finalmente las reflexiones éticas. Este artículo argumenta que las leyes que prohiben esta práctica no funcionarían sin un amplio cambio sociocultural; cualquier esfuerzo para erradicar dicha práctica no será exitos

Preparation of Chlorodeoxycellulose from Shambat Cotton Lint Using Dimethyl Acetamide / Lithium Chloride Solvent System

Cotton cellulose has interesting properties which can be controlled to a large degree by chemical modification. This study was designed to prepare cellulose derivatives with different functional groups using novel homogenous solubilisation media. Raw cotton was modified (mercerized) in (15%) NaOH solution to weaken the aggregation of the bundles of cotton cellulose fibers and; subsequently, to facilitate the dissolution in N,N-dimethylacetamide/lithium chloride (DMA/LiCl) solvent system. Chlorodeoxycellulose was synthesized by treatment of the solubilised cotton cellulose with N-chlorosuccinimide in the presence of triphenylphosphine to convert the hydroxyl groups into the chlorodeoxy derivative of cellulose. The chemical structure of this derivative was investigated using infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis and thermal analysis (TGA, DSC). Chlorordeoxycellulose  proved to be a flame retardant polymer; since  thermal analysis showed that it has less thermal stability compared to unmodified cellulose. Thermal analysis also showed different behaviour between modified and unmodified cotton cellulose. Solubility in some organic solvents was tested for the prepared derivative to explore possible new uses and applications. This research has shown the versatility of Shambat cotton cellulose as a raw material for novel and advanced cellulose-based materials; and to widen and simplify the existing synthetic methodologies for cellulose modification, to yield novel derivatives using homogenous reaction media

Preparation of Bromodeoxycellulose and Derivatives from Shambat Cotton Lint Using Dimethyl Acetamide / Lithium Bromide Solvent System

This study was designed to prepare cellulose derivatives  with different   functional  groups  from  Sudanese  Shambat  cotton lint using   a homogenous   solubilisation  medium. The raw cotton lint was   mercerized    in   (15%)   NaOH     solution   to   weaken   the aggregation   of    the   bundles   of   cellulose    fibers;    and    was subsequently      dissolved      in     N,N-dimethylacetamide/lithium bromide    (DMA/LiBr)    as    a homogenous      solvent     system. Bromodeoxycellulose   was    synthesized   by   treatment,   of   the     solubilised   cotton  cellulose with N-bromosuccinimide (NBS)  in the    presence   of   triphenylphosphine   (Ph3P)   to   convert   the hydroxyl  groups  into  the  bromodeoxy  derivative  of   cellulose. The  chemical   structure  this  derivative  was  investigated  using infrared  spectroscopy,  elemental  analysis  which  confirmed  the presence  of  C-Br   bonds.  Thermal   analysis   (TGA,  DSC)  has shown     that    unlike   chlorordeoxycellulose    and    unmodified mercerized  cotton, bromodeoxycellulose was relatively thermally stable.  Azido  and  amino  deoxycellulose  were   easily  prepared from   bromodeoxycellulose   since   bromide   is  a good  leaving. Solubility in some organic solvents was tested to explore possible new uses and applications

Parameter estimation of electric power transformers using Coyote Optimization Algorithm with experimental verification

In this work, the Coyote Optimization Algorithm (COA) is implemented for estimating the parameters of single and three-phase power transformers. The estimation process is employed on the basis of the manufacturer's operation reports. The COA is assessed with the aid of the deviation between the actual and the estimated parameters as the main objective function. Further, the COA is compared with well-known optimization algorithms i.e. particle swarm and Jaya optimization algorithms. Moreover, experimental verifications are carried out on 4 kVA, 380/380 V, three-phase transformer and 1 kVA, 230/230 V, single-phase transformer. The obtained results prove the effectiveness and capability of the proposed COA. According to the obtained results, COA has the ability and stability to identify the accurate optimal parameters in case of both single phase and three phase transformers; thus accurate performance of the transformers is achieved. The estimated parameters using COA lead to the highest closeness to the experimental measured parameters that realizes the best agreements between the estimated parameters and the actual parameters compared with other optimization algorithms

Audit Committee Effectiveness, Audit Quality and Earnings Management: An Empirical Study of the Listed Companies in Egypt

The role of audit committees and audit quality in ensuring the quality of corporate financial reporting has come under considerable scrutiny due to recent high-profile earnings management cases in the world. The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between the audit committee effectiveness, audit quality and earnings management practices of more active 50 Egyptian companies listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange of the non-financial sector during the period 2007-2010. After controlling for size, leverage and cash flow from operation activities, the results of univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that audit committees independence; experience of audit committee members; audit committee meetings; and audit quality have significant negative association with discretionary accruals as a proxy for earnings management. On the other hand, no significant relationship is found between audit committees size and the level of discretionary accruals. This paper is important because it offers useful information that is of great value to policy makers, academics and other stakeholders. Keywords: Audit Committee Effectiveness, Audit Quality, Earning Management, Egyp

The Best of Both Worlds: Experiences of Co-developing Innovative Undergraduate Health Care Programmes in Egypt

As medical education has become increasingly globalised, universities across the world have sought to raise standards by partnering with well-established institutions and a number of different partnership models have emerged. This article describes an academic collaboration between University College London (UCL), UK, and Newgiza University (NGU), Egypt, to establish modern and innovative undergraduate medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy programmes delivered in Egypt. Academics from UCL and NGU co-developed programmes using established materials, assessments, and processes from the equivalent programmes at UCL. Dedicated project managers, regular steering group meetings, strong working relationships between project teams, and iterative curriculum and assessment development processes were important features of the success of this work. A multidisciplinary first semester included students across all 3 health care programmes. This promoted collaboration between academics at both institutions. Although UCL resources were the basis of this project, the different sociocultural, ethical, professional, and regulatory frameworks in Egypt have meant that a number of adaptations have been necessary, in both curricula and teaching content. Perhaps the most important factor underpinning the success of this project has been the mutual respect and sensitivity of academics and clinicians from both institutions