A Search for Anti-Naegleria fowleri Agents Based on Competitive Exclusion Behavior of Microorganisms in Natural Aquatic Environments

Naegleria fowleri causes deadly primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in humans. Humans obtain the infection by inhaling water or dust contaminated with amebae into the nostrils, wherefrom the pathogen migrates via the olfactory nerve to cause brain inflammation and necrosis. Current PAM treatment is ineffective and toxic. Seeking new effective and less toxic drugs for the environmental control of the amoeba population to reduce human exposure is logical for the management of N. fowleri infection. On the basis of the concept of competitive exclusion, where environmental microorganisms compete for resources by secreting factors detrimental to other organisms, we tested cell-free culture supernatants (CFSs) of three bacteria isolated from a fresh water canal, i.e., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas otitidis, and Enterobacter cloacae, were tested against N. fowleri. The CFSs inhibited growth and caused morphological changes in N. fowleri. At low dose, N. fowleri trophozoites exposed to P. aeruginosa pyocyanin were seen to shrink and become rounded, while at high dose, the trophozoites were fragmented. While the precise molecular mechanisms of pyocyanin and products of P. otitidis and E. cloacae that also exert anti-N. fowleri activity await clarification. Our findings suggest that P. aeruginosa pyocyanin may have a role in the control of amphizoic N. fowleri in the environment.

Coastal Water: Wisdom, Destruction, Conflicts and Contestation. A Case of Southwest Coastal Region of Bangladesh

The coastal zone of Bangladesh is full of opportunities and vulnerabilities. Water is the central source of these opportunities and vulnerabilities. Seawater, river water, canal water, floodplain water, wetlands water, pond water is the dominant source of livelihoods of coastal people. The propel of the coastal economy is dependent on this water. But salinity alone creates vulnerability of the economy and people dependent on this water. Tidal surge, storm surge, drainage congestion, waterlogging, saline water aquaculture are the driving forces of water crises. Water crises are the unsolved issues ever despite large scale interventions. A shortage of freshwater suffers coastal people ever in regards to crop production, drinking water, health, aquaculture, and so on. Uncertainties driven by cyclones, river erosion, outsiders’ interventions-led consequences are the big challenges of the coastal zone in managing water. Coastal people are challenging, resilient, adaptive, and strong in contestations in managing water resources for their livelihoods. They exploit the opportunities using their ability of reconstruction.

Infrastructure mapping and performance assessment of irrigation system using GIS and remote sensing

Hence evaluating and improving the performance of irrigation systems is of paramount importance in Irrigation Water Management. Researchers are making many attempts to evaluate and benchmark the performance of irrigation systems. All of them have concluded that the non-availability of a detailed database limits their efforts. Keeping this in mind, an attempt is made in this pilot project titled “Infrastructure mapping and Performance Assessment of Irrigation system using GIS and Remote Sensing.” The results indicate that the Irrigation system's performance is satisfactory, but the water supply is not adequate if surface water (canal water) is the only source of irrigation. The analysis of feedback collected from farmers indicates that the positive project impacts agricultural productivity and socio-economics in the command area.

The Role of a Water Canal and Secondary Forest for Migrants

Forests have an important role during migration. They act as ecological corridors and provide resting and feeding places for birds. In our study, we sought to determine whether migratory birds prefer secondary forest or canal vegetation during migration. The study was carried out in Southeast Hungary, in an oleaster forest and in a canal. We used 12 mist nets and the ringing method. The study period lasted from August to October 2016–2018, covering approximately the entire migration period. According to our results, the canal has a significant effect on the species assemblage, as it functions as a migration corridor during migration, most likely not only for diurnal migrants, but for nocturnal migrants as well. Our results showed that the presence of both woody and berry plants had some influence on the species composition. Interestingly, the presence of berries had a positive effect on the presence of insectivorous birds.

URANIUM AND OTHER TOXIC ELEMENTS IN TRANSBOUNDARY WATERS NEAR KAMYSHANOVSKY DEPOSIT

The paper is devoted to revealing the signs of negative impact from the territory of the Kamyshanovskoye deposit (Kyrgyzstan) on the level of contamination with uranium and other hazardous elements in transboundary water bodies, in the first place in the Shu River. For this, six control points along the irrigation canal at this territory were chosen together with 9 control points along the Shu river within the area. The elemental composition of water samples was studied employing MS-ICP and OES-ICP; concentration values of 22 elements were determined. The calculations were performed based on the obtained contents of toxic elements of the 1st and 2nd classes. Corresponding sanitary standards exceed the corresponding values by 1.5 – 6.7 times. At that, uranium makes the main contribution to the toxicity level of the studied water in the Shu River (46%) and in the canal (61%). The toxicity of the water canal is for ~3 times higher than that of the Shu River. The highest toxicity indicator was found in the water delivered to the agricultural irrigation at the territory of the Kamyshanovskoye deposit. This peculiarity and the obtained data may be of interest to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic. The distribution of chemical elements in water along the irrigation canal and along the Shu River bed was studied. It is established that the canal water do not become contaminated with toxic elements while passing through the deposit lands. It was established in the 3 control points of the Shu River that an increase (by 28 – 130%) in the concentration of Ca, Ni, Li, Sr, U, Mg, Cr, Ba over their concentrations at the control points is higher upstream of this river. The results obtained convincingly indicate the presence of a serious influence of the Kamyshanovskoye deposit territory on the Shu River contamination with these elements. It is unlikely that such significant contamination is caused by the irrigation system discharge waters. One of the possible mechanisms of water contamination in the Shu River in its segment may be the entry of groundwater in contact with the ore body of this deposit.

Isolation and Molecular Identification of Acanthamoeba and Naegleria from Agricultural Water Canal in Qazvin, Iran

Background: Free-living amoeba (FLA) are widely distributed in different environmental sources. The most genera of the amoeba are Acanthamoeba, Naegleria and Vermamoeba. The most common consequences of the infections in immune-deficient and immunocompetent persons are amoebic encephalitis and keratitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Acanthamoeba spp. and Naegleria spp., isolated from the main agricultural water canal in Qazvin. Methods: Totally, 120 water specimens were collected and later the specimens were cultured and cloned to identify positive samples. PCR amplification and sequencing were carried out to identify the isolated species as well as the genotypes of amoeba. Results: According to morphological surveys, 41.7% (50/120) of water specimens were positive for FLA. Molecular analysis revealed that 68.6% and 31.4% of Acanthamoeba specimens were identified as T3 and T4 genotypes, respectively. Also, two species of Naegleria named as N. lovaniensis (57.1%) and Naegleria sp. (42.8%) were identified. The results of pathogenicity assays demonstrated that 38.5% of T3 and 61.5% of T4 genotypes of Acanthamoeba were highly pathogenic parasites. Conclusion: The water flowing in the agricultural canal of the area is contaminated with potential pathogenic FLA, therefore, it is recommended that more attention to be paid towards proper treatment of water sources to prevent possible risk of the disease.

Discrete Output Regulator Design for the Linearized Saint–Venant–Exner Model

This manuscript addresses the regulator design in the discrete-time setting for the unstable linearized Saint–Venant–Exner model, which describes the dynamics of a sediment-filled water canal. The proposed regulator ensures the closed-loop stability and proper tracking of polynomial and periodic reference signals using output feedback in a sample-data setting. To design this regulator, the system discrete representation is achieved by the application of the structure-preserving Cayley-Tustin time discretization and the direct relation with the regulator in the continuous-time setting is shown. The regulator design in the continuous-time setting is developed using the backstepping methodology ensuring the closed-loop stability and the observer design, while the Sylvester equations are solved to achieve proper tracking. Finally, the numerical simulation results are presented to show the performance of the regulator.

Between and within choreographies: An early choreographic object by William Forsythe

In 1990, William Forsythe created The Books of Groningen – Book N(7), an installation commissioned by the Dutch city of Groningen and architect Daniel Libeskind. This early choreographic object is composed of a water canal, a series of willow trees pulled by wires in order to grow in arched shape and a bush hedge. At a time of marked interest in expanded choreography as it develops in conjunction with choreography’s links to visual art, as well as in choreographic history, this article considers Book N(7) in relation with diverse historical conceptions of choreography – as dance-making, as an organisation of moving bodies, as notation and pre/scription. This analysis shows that the installation negates certain aspects of choreographic history while exemplifying and perpetuating others, therefore situating itself between different historical construals of choreography. At the same time, it points to the ways in which Book N(7) defies the possibility both of complete ruptures and of smooth continuities with the choreographic past, engaging in a negotiation which reworks this past in the present. Framing this analysis of The Books of Groningen – Book N(7) by references to certain of Forsythe’s ulterior works, this article presents the installation as a part of the artist’s longlasting, shifting engagements with the notion and history of choreography.

PROFILE OF MEDICO-LEGAL DEATHS DUE TO DROWNING – A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Death due to drowning is almost frequent in India, so it is but natural that, medico-legal expertise is called upon for investigations. Determining the cause of death in bodies found in water is quite challenging, which can be done by thorough investigation and complete autopsy by forensic pathologist. The present study was a retrospective, which was conducted for one year during June 2016 to May 2017 considering upon history and postmortem finding of the deceased. The maximum drowning cases were of male sex (74.73%), with commonest affected age group being 21-30 years (30.64%). Most of the drowning cases were accidental (55.91%) in nature and occurred commonly in water canal (55.37%), and rivers (25.26%). The most significant findings noted on autopsy were decomposition and animal bites (gnawing effects) (54.83%) and presence of heavy, voluminous, edematous and congested lungs with c/s showing copious frothy fluid (52.15%).