In-silico genome-wide identification and characterisation of NBS-LRR gene family in banana Musa acuminata

Various common diseases caused by bacteria and viruses are increasing threats to the production of bananas worldwide. Besides the practical application of cultivation techniques, intensive exploitation of resistant genes, most of which belong to the NBS-LRR(Nucleotide-binding site - Leucine-rich repeat) gene family, in fortifying banana’s disease resistance, has been considered as a sustainable approach. The recently published genome assembly of Musa acuminata, a species of the Musa genus native to Southern Asia, has facilitated the genome-wide identification and characterisation of NBS-LRR genes. In the present study, an in-silicoapproach was employed to identify and characterise 97 NBS-LRR genes and their evolution in M. acuminatagenome. Except Ma_NBS_083 belonging to the RNLsub-family, other identified genes are members of the sub-family CNL and most of them contain only one exon. Sixty-six (66) NBS-LRR genes (68%) were mapped on 11 banana chromosomes, among them 38 genes (39%) located in clusters. Phylogenetic analysis in combination with conserved motif identification classified the banana NBS-LRR genes into seven groups. This study provides novel insight into the NBS-LRR gene family in bananas as a potential resource for further research in functional evaluation and utilisation of resistant genes.

Hydrochemical, Isotopic, and Geophysical Studies Applied to the Evaluation of Groundwater Salinization Processes in Quaternary Beach Ridges in a Semiarid Coastal Area of Northern Patagonia, Argentina

Quaternary sea level fluctuations have led to the development of beach ridges on many South Atlantic coasts. The objective of this paper was to asses from lithological, hydrochemical, isotopic, and geophysical studies the salinization processes affecting groundwater stored in Pleistocene and Holocene beach ridges of the northern Patagonian coast. A hydrogeomorphological characterization of the area was performed using digital elevation models, the interpretation of satellite images, and field studies. Vertical electrical soundings were performed on transects running perpendicular to beach ridges in order to define variations in the freshwater-saltwater interface position. The salinity, chemistry, and stable isotopes of the groundwater were analyzed. The results demonstrated that the groundwater salinization of Pleistocene ridges responds to processes associated with the geological-geomorphological evolution of the area. The cementation of these surface sediments limits rainwater infiltration, which consequently prevents the development of freshwater lenses. This suggests that saline water is the result of ancient marine ingressions. Freshwater lenses develop in Holocene beach ridges; however, slight water salinization is detectable in the most populated areas as a result of intensive exploitation. The data provided are useful for freshwater resource prospection along the arid coast of Patagonia, where beach ridge deposits abound and populations experience serious drinking water supply problems.

New Data on Plant Use in the Eastern Sahara: The Macro-Remain Assemblage from Sheikh el-Obeiyid Villages and Bir el-Obeiyid Playa, Farafra Oasis, Egyptian Western Desert

This article discusses archaeobotanical evidence from two Sheikh el-Obeiyid villages and the Bir el-Obeiyid playa, which are located along the course of the Wadi el-Obeiyid and on the top and escarpment of the Northern Plateau, at the northern edge of the Farafra Oasis, Egypt. The villages and playa are both part of a settlement system which developed from the top of the plateau, through its various erosion surfaces, down to the bottom of the wadi. The villages in particular can be considered as seasonal base camps, populated by semi-sedentary groups who engaged in intensive exploitation of the resources available in the surrounding environment during the early and mid-Holocene. These sites can be compared to the better-known Hidden Valley village site located only 20 km to the east, the remains from which were analysed during the early 2000s by Ahmed G. Fahmy. At all the sites investigated to date in Farafra there is clear evidence for gathering and use of sorghum and other species of small-seeded wild grasses, fitting the emerging patterns of intense wild grass exploitation in attractive ecological zones for the eastern Sahara during the 9th–6th millennia BP.

The Mining History of Greece in School Textbooks: The Case of Lignite

The geological education in Greece is essentially rooted in the second half of the 19th century, since 1836, when secondary education was established in Greece. Although geology is referred to in all educational programs, its field was not taught before 1880, due to the lack of competent teachers and suitable books. Geological education in Greece was established as a ”necessary” science at the end of the above century, during Greece’s opening phase of mining activity. In particular, the first attempt to exploit lignite deposits began in Aliveri (Evia) in 1873, but the intensive exploitation in Aliveri began after the First World War, reaching an annual production of 23,000 tons by the end of 1927. Respectively, lignite mining began in Ptolemais in the 1950s and Megalopolis in the 1960s. In the present paper, the correlation of the lignite mining activity in Greece for electricity generation with the content of geoscience textbooks is investigated since it is widely accepted that education is directly linked to economic development.

Population structure and biological aspects of lobster (Panulirus spp.) of the Madura Strait landed in Situbondo of East Java, Indonesia

Lobster is an important economic fishery resource in domestic and international trade. The high economic value of lobster due to increasing market demand has led to its intensive exploitation. The enactment of specific regulations on lobster proves the urgency of its management. Madura Strait is one of the unique biogeographical sea regions of East Java. This research was conducted in January-March 2021 at Pasir Hitam Beach, Situbondo. The purpose of this study was to determine the species composition of lobsters, the frequency distribution and the growth form, and the sex ratio. The analysis applied is class distribution of length and weight classes, regression analysis, and chi-square. The lobster catches consist of 4 species, namely Scalloped spiny lobster (Panulirus homarus), Ornate spiny lobster (P. ornatus), Painted spiny lobster (P. versicolor), and Mud spiny lobster (P. polyphagus). P. homarus is the most dominant species. The frequency distribution of carapace length and weight of P. homarus, P. ornatus, and P. versicolor has met the minimum size limits rules. The length and weight relationship of P. Homarus and P. ornatus were negative allometric, while P. versicolor isometric. Lobster sex ratio is in a balanced condition.

Assessment of Land Use/Land Cover Change and Morphometric Parameters in the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site, Ghana

The rapid urbanization, industrialization, agricultural activities, and increasing trend of some natural hazards, such as climate change, particularly in coastal areas, necessitate the continual assessment of critical but fragile ecosystems like that of the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site (KLCRS). This productive ecosystem in Ghana faces serious threats from intensive exploitation, physical modification, changes in water regime, and water pollution. The current study employed geospatial and intensity analysis to assess the pattern of land use/land cover (LULC) change for almost the past three decades and morphometric parameters of the KLCRS landscape. Landsat Satellite images for 1991, 2007, and 2020 were acquired to uncover the pattern of LULC change, while morphometric changes were assessed using global Advance Space Thermal Emission and Radiometer (ASTER) digital elevation model (DEM) data and the spatial analyst tools in GIS software. The result established that the acceleration of land transformation was intensive between 2007 and 2020, which could be linked to population growth and increased socio-economic activities. There was a net gross gain of built-up that originated largely from the conversion of marsh, dense vegetation, and cultivated land. Prior to this period, cultivated land recorded net gain (125.51 km2) between 1991 and 2007, whereas dense vegetation and marshland showed a net loss of 151.37 km2 and 2.44 km2, respectively. The gain of cultivated land largely targeted marshland in both time intervals. The construction of saltpans contributed largely to the small increase in water extent. The morphometric analysis revealed the groundwater potential of the KLCRS. The low-lying nature of the landscape makes the area susceptible to coastal flooding. The trend of the observed changes could invariably affect the ecological integrity of the landscape, hence suggesting the need for immediate preparation and implementation of marine and coastal spatial plans by relevant stakeholders.

What are the Ethical Approaches Used by Experts When Sharing Health Data? - An Interview Study

Background: Health data driven activities have become central in diverse areas (research, AI development, wearables, etc.), and new ethical challenges have arisen with regard to privacy, integrity, and appropriateness of use. To improve data subjects’ privacy and security, we aim to identify ethically relevant issues experienced by experts in the data intensive exploitation area while collecting, using, or sharing peoples’ health data. Methods: Twelve experts, who were collecting, using, or sharing health data in different contexts in Sweden were interviewed. We used systematic expert interviews to access experts’ specialist knowledge. Thereafter, thematic analysis was used to identify categories and subcategories. The codes targeted ethical issues and approaches reported by the interviewed experts. Results: The main conceptual categories were ‘Consideration of the consequences,’ ‘Respect for rights,’ ‘Procedural compliance,’ and ‘Professional conduct.’ The respondents discussed and balanced different ethical approaches through several examples. They were morally sensitive to the problems involved in sharing health data. Conclusions: These empirical findings suggest a need for practical procedures that make it easier for data collectors and sharers to follow the ethical principles and laws relating to data sharing. We suggest that the time is now ripe to move on from policy discussions to practical technological solutions of the principles.

Selective Gold and Palladium Adsorption from Standard Aqueous Solutions

The intensive exploitation of resources on a global level has led to a progressive depletion of mineral reserves, which were proved to be insufficient to meet the high demand for high-technological devices. On the other hand, the continuous production of Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is causing serious environmental problems, due to the complex composition of WEEE, which makes the recycling and reuse particularly challenging. The average metal content of WEEE is estimated to be around 30% and varies depending on the manufacturing period and brand of production. It contains base metals and precious metals, such as gold and palladium. The remaining 70% of WEEEs is composed of plastics, resins, and glassy materials. The recovery of metals from WEEEs is characterized by two main processes well represented by the literature: Pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy. Both of them require the pre-treatment of WEEEs, such as dismantling and magnetic separation of plastics. In this work, the selective adsorption of precious metals has been attempted, using copper, gold, and palladium aqueous solutions and mixtures of them. A screening on different adsorbent materials such as granular activated carbons and polymers, either as pellets or foams, has been performed. Among these, PolyEther Block Amide (PEBA) was elected as the most performing adsorbent in terms of gold selectivity over copper. Spent PEBA has been then characterized using scanning electron microscope, coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy, demonstrating the predominant presence of gold in most analyzed sites, either in the pellet or foam form.

PECULIARITY OF THE LEGAL RELATIONSHIP OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

The possibilities of man to turn natural resources into sources of profit have led the legislator and the right, in general, to resort to much tougher regulations in the field of environmental protection, this could not be possible without knowing precisely the nature of the legal relationship that would lay the basis for subsequent regulations, and in the doctrinal plan it and today suffers from numerous criticisms, debates and controversies. However, one thing is for certain, the relationship of the environment is one of the particular, double-side, where, on the one hand, it regulates the relations between people are established on the occasion of the use, protection, conservation and development, environmental factors, and by the other hand, it requires the modeling of the principles of the other areas of the law with which they come in contact with, and this is asked for a better connectivity and efficiency in the plan for the defense of the values of the environment, the most valuable in the world is on the verge of collapse, natural. In this sense, the realities of today show that the twentieth century is the time of the greatest discoveries and transformations of civilization, but also the most complex and sometimes unintended effects on life. Not long ago, renewable natural resources of the Earth, would be sufficient for the needs of humanity, but for now, as a result of the population explosion, and the unprecedented development of all areas of the business, the demand for raw materials and energy for the production of goods has increased greatly, and the intensive exploitation of natural resources show more obviously, an ecological imbalance. In the context of large-scale changes that can jeopardize the quality of the environment, it is necessary to consider the intentions underlying the exploitation of environmental resources, emerging from the alarming situation that can no longer be tolerated, risking the survival and existence of the human species.