Genetic composition of queen conch (Lobatus gigas) population on Pedro Bank, Jamaica and its use in fisheries management

The queen conch fishery in Jamaica is sustained by Pedro Bank, which is the main harvesting site located approximately 80 km south-west from Kingston. Due to its relative size, Pedro Bank has been subdivided into zones for management purposes by the Fisheries Division and the Veterinary Services Division. Understanding whether these sub-divisions reflect different sub-populations is critical for managing exploitation levels because fisheries management must demonstrate that harvesting does not endanger the future viability of the population as queen conch are on Appendix II of the Convention in Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This determination is essential for the continued export to international markets such as the European Union. Two hundred and eight samples were collected across the entire Pedro Bank and were genetically characterized using nine polymorphic microsatellite loci. Population structure analysis for Lobatus gigas from Pedro Bank yielded low but significant values (FST = 0.009: p = 0.006) and suggested a high magnitude of gene flow indicative of a fit and viable population throughout the bank. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated a 100% variation within individual samples with little variation (0.9%) between populations. In contrast pairwise genetic comparisons identified significant differences between populations located to the south eastern and eastern region of the bank to those in the central and western locations. Bayesian clustering analysis also indicated the likelihood of two population sub-divisions (K = 2) on Pedro Bank. The results provided evidence of a weak but significant population structure which has crucial implications for the fishing industry as it suggests the use of ecosystem based management (EBM) in setting quotas to promote sustainable harvesting of L. gigas within each monitoring zone on Pedro Bank.

Road Overbridges of Car Lift Type for Crossing Railway Tracks in Densely Built-Up Areas of Modern Cities

The theoretical prerequisites for construction of road overbridges of car lift type for crossing railways by automotive vehicles are suggested. A technical solution has been proposed that makes it possible to ensure the crossing by cars of «problem» railway crossings during periods of their long-term closure for road traffic. The same solution can be used to organise a road overbridge in other locations where there is no railway crossing. The technical solution itself is based on the use of overhead road overpasses and is a «simplified» version of the solution implemented by Elon Musk and his company in Los Angeles based on a tunnel, moving platforms and freight elevators. For development of car lift type road overbridges, computational methods of theoretical mechanics, technical diagnostics and monitoring, as well as the theory of queuing should be used to estimate the number of cars passed through it when crossings are closed. It is proposed that the structures of the overbridge should be «built-in» into the landscape, equipped with alternative sources of energy supply and technical means of control, diagnostics and monitoring of rolling stock and of location of direct intersection of automobile and railway roads (an intelligent monitoring zone). The proposed promising technical solution in the form of a road overbridge makes it possible to increase comfort of road transportation and improve traffic safety at level crossings.

Genetic composition of queen conch (Lobatus gigas) population on Pedro Bank, Jamaica and its use in fisheries management

The queen conch fishery in Jamaica is sustained by Pedro Bank, which is the main harvesting site located approximately 80 km south-west from Kingston. Due to its relative size, Pedro Bank has been subdivided into zones for management purposes by the Fisheries Division and the Veterinary Services Division. Understanding whether these sub-divisions reflect different sub-populations is critical for managing exploitation levels because fisheries management must demonstrate that harvesting does not endanger the future viability of the population as queen conch are on Appendix II of the Convention in Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This determination is essential for the continued export to international markets such as the European Union. Two hundred and eight samples were collected across the entire Pedro Bank and were genetically characterized using nine polymorphic microsatellite loci. Population structure analysis for Lobatus gigas from Pedro Bank yielded low but significant values (F ST = 0.009: p = 0.006) and suggested a high magnitude of gene flow indicative of a fit and viable population throughout the bank. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated a 100% variation within individual samples with little variation (0.9%) between populations. In contrast pairwise genetic comparisons identified significant differences between populations located to the south eastern and eastern region of the bank to those in the central and western locations. Bayesian clustering analysis also indicated the likelihood of two population sub-divisions (K=2) on Pedro Bank. The results provided evidence of a weak but significant population structure which has crucial implications for the fishing industry as it suggests the use of ecosystem based management (EBM) in setting quotas to promote sustainable harvesting of L. gigas within each monitoring zone on Pedro Bank.

Approaches to the Establishment and Justification of the Size of Emergency Planning Areas around NPPs

Emergency planning zones around facilities that use radiation and nuclear technologies are set up in order to prevent or minimize deterministic effects and reduce risks of stochastic effects of radiation exposure in case of nuclear or radiological emergency. In international practice, in order to enhance effectiveness of response to emergencies, it is common to set up emergency planning zones for nuclear facilities in accordance with their level of threat for the environment and public. As the establishment of such zones requires certain material resources, the size of the zones is to be justified. As of today, sanitary-protective zone and monitoring zone in Ukraine could be considered, to a certain extent, as analogues of such emergency planning zones. However, the main functional load of these zones are relevant more for routine operation of nuclear facilities than for the issues of emergency planning and do not have such a specific for the emergency planning zones functions as ensuring necessary infrastructure for conducting such urgent protective actions as evacuation, sheltering, notification, relocation and others in case of severe accidents at NPPs. Absence of transparent numerical criteria for determining the size of emergency planning areas, on one hand, and necessity to determine such areas as required by the key IAEA publication GSR Part 7, as well as due to understanding the importance of emergency planning areas in the state emergency response system, on the other hand, make the task on establishing approaches to the definition of the scope of emergency release, which is a framework for emergency zoning, crucial. The paper proposes to discuss two approaches to defining the scope of the boundary release, according to which the size of the emergency planning areas is to be defined. The paper presents results of assessing the size of the emergency planning areas around NPPs based on the scope and radionuclide composition of the boundary release.

Arduino Fault Tolerant System, Internet of Things (IoT)

New developments in broadcast technology, such as the ad hoc wireless network and the detection devices that work, enable daily connections to the Internet, commonly referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT saw this as a support for the development of creative and contextual services and applications. The service can respond to the user's environment and preferences. Finite state machines are recently making waves when the issue of self-controlling systems come into the picture of designs. This research focuses on the design of a fault tolerant system that controls random failures impressed on the network. The method comprises of diodes, Resistors, Optocouplers, ESP8266 WI-FI Module Webpage with button, and two Arduinos which in effect will determine iteratively who to handle a failure at hand modelled as when the button on the webpage is pressed. In this work, a Heartbeat Detection and Monitoring System will be made using Arduino that detect the electrical state using the Pulse Sensor and show the readings in Beats Per Minute on the LED connected a microcontroller. It sends the texts to the server using the Wi-Fi module ESP8266 to signals can be monitored from the monitoring zone via the internet.   This is reflected by the declaration of a master state by either of two Arduinos whenever the push button is pressed as observed on the codes. The result obtained from the research shows apparently, the state of the fault tolerance system none power deny of heartbeat condition connected to the LED.

Development of land transport connections between Asia and Europe and their possible impact on vector introductions into European Countries

The possibility of transfer of several organisms – disease vectors by land transportation Asia – Europe corridors into European countries is discussed. In Europe most alien species are of Asiatic origin. Trade and exchange of goods have developed very intensively for the beginning of the XXI century between Asia and European Union countries both by sea and land routes. Road and railway connections shorten the time of goods’ transport from China to Europe to 10,5 – 12 days. Shorter travel time and increased intensity of trade can increase the risk of introducing vector organisms from Asian countries to Europe. Existing legal international regulations (International Health Regulations, IHR) provide procedures to protect goods and persons against the carriage of organisms – vectors at every stage of transport and travel. Mass passenger and car traffic at border crossing points increase the likelihood of vector organisms entering as random stowaways; therefore it is proposed to intensify educational activities to make people aware of the danger posed by the transport of alien species of arthropods and what preventive actions to take. Unloading goods in a transit country (such as Poland) may take place at a transshipment center located near the border or inland. It is postulated to introduce a 400 m vector monitoring zone around both.