Ancient Woods, Trees and Forests

As trees age, they become ecologically richer and more full of life. The process of a tree, wood or forest becoming ‘ancient’, however defined, involves a vast and subtle web of relations – among the trees themselves, with other organisms, with the wider landscape and with human beings. A single tree can provide a vast array of habitats which are an integral part of the complex co-evolutionary relationships evolved over its lifetime and later during its sometimes long afterlife. From ancient times until today, trees and woods have inspired artists, writers and scientists; they have shaped cultures and reverberated through belief systems. Yet worldwide, forest cover has declined dramatically over the last 1,000 years, and what remains has been more or less altered from its original condition. Today, ‘virgin forests’ are only to be found at a few sites unreachable by humans, and even then they are affected by climate change, atmospheric pollution and species extinctions. The aim of this book is to help an understanding of the web of connections relating to ancient trees and woodlands, and to offer techniques to ensure effective conservation and sustainability of this precious resource. This book considers the key issues from a range of different aspects and varied geographical locations, beginning with fundamental concepts and reflecting on the strengths and limitations of the idea of ancient trees. Individual chapters then deal with cultural heritage, the archaeology of trees, landscape history, forest rights, tree management, saproxylic insects, the importance of dead wood, practical conservation and monitoring, biodiversity, and wood pasture among many other themes. Fresh perspectives are put forward from across Europe as far as Turkey, as well as Great Britain. Overall, given the urgent need to discover, understand, conserve and restore ancient woodlands and trees, this publication will raise awareness, foster enthusiasm and inspire wonder.

Advanced Skills Mapping and Career Development Using AI

Artificial intelligence has been an eye-popping word that is impacting every industry in the world. With the rise of such advanced technology, there will be always a question regarding its impact on our social life, environment and economy thus impacting all efforts exerted towards continuous development. From the definition, the welfare of human beings is the core of continuous development. Continuous development is useful only when ordinary people’s lives are improved whether in health, education, employment, environment, equality or justice. Securing decent jobs is a key enabler to promote the components of continuous development, economic growth, social welfare and environmental sustainability. The human resources are the precious resource for nations. The high unemployment and underemployment rates especially in youth is a great threat affecting the continuous economic development of many countries and is influenced by investment in education, and quality of living.

The use of Artificial Intelligence in Human Resources Development

Artificial intelligence has been an eye-popping word that is impacting every industry in the world. With the rise of such advanced technology, there will be always a question regarding its impact on our social life, environment and economy thus impacting all efforts exerted towards continuous development. From the definition, the welfare of human beings is the core of continuous development. Continuous development is useful only when ordinary people’s lives are improved whether in health, education, employment, environment, equality or justice. Securing decent jobs is a key enabler to promote the components of continuous development, economic growth, social welfare and environmental sustainability. The human resources are the precious resource for all nations. The high unemployment and underemployment rates especially in youth is a great threat affecting the continuous economic development of many countries and is influenced by investment in education, and quality of living.

Phosphorylation-Mediated Molecular Pathway Changes in Human Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors Identified by Quantitative Phosphoproteomics

To investigate the biological role of protein phosphorylation in human nonfunctional pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PitNETs), proteins extracted from NF-PitNET and control tissues were analyzed with tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics coupled with TiO2 enrichment of phosphopeptides. A total of 595 differentially phosphorylated proteins (DPPs) with 1412 phosphosites were identified in NF-PitNETs compared to controls (p < 0.05). KEGG pathway network analysis of 595 DPPs identified nine statistically significant signaling pathways, including the spliceosome pathway, the RNA transport pathway, proteoglycans in cancer, SNARE interactions in vesicular transport, platelet activation, bacterial invasion of epithelial cells, tight junctions, vascular smooth muscle contraction, and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum. GO analysis revealed that these DPPs were involved in multiple cellular components (CCs), biological processes (BPs), and molecule functions (MFs). The kinase analysis of 595 DPPs identified seven kinases, including GRP78, WSTF, PKN2, PRP4, LOK, NEK1, and AMPKA1, and the substrate of these kinases could provide new ideas for seeking drug targets for NF-PitNETs. The randomly selected DPP calnexin was further confirmed with immunoprecipitation (IP) and Western blot (WB). These findings provide the first DPP profiling, phosphorylation-mediated molecular network alterations, and the key kinase profiling in NF-PitNET pathogenesis, which are a precious resource for understanding the biological roles of protein phosphorylation in NF-PitNET pathogenesis and discovering effective phosphoprotein biomarkers and therapeutic targets and drugs for the management of NF-PitNETs.

Skills Mapping and Career Development Analysis using Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence has been an eye-popping word that is impacting every industry in the world. With the rise of such advanced technology, there will be always a question regarding its impact on our social life, environment and economy thus impacting all efforts exerted towards continuous development. From the definition, the welfare of human beings is the core of continuous development. Continuous development is useful only when ordinary people’s lives are improved whether in health, education, employment, environment, equality or justice. Securing decent jobs is a key enabler to promote the components of continuous development, economic growth, social welfare and environmental sustainability. The human resources are the precious resource for nations. The high unemployment and underemployment rates especially in youth is a great threat affecting the continuous economic development of many countries and is influenced by investment in education, and quality of living.

Impact of COVID-19 on Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in an Urban Safety-Net Community Hospital

Background: The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, has caused a pandemic leading to strained healthcare systems worldwide and an unprecedented public health crisis. Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and hypoxia caused by COVID-19 has led to an increase in hospitalizations. We sought to define the impact of COVID-19 on antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in an urban safety-net community hospital. Methods: Retrospective review of antimicrobial use and AMR in a 151-bed urban community hospital. Antimicrobial use was calculated in days of therapy per 1,000 patient days (DOT/1,000 PD) for ceftriaxone, piperacillin-tazobactam and meropenem during 2019 and 2020. Ceftriaxone, piperacillin-tazobactam and meropenem were reviewed for calendar year 2019 and 2020. AMR was assessed by comparing the carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infection incidence rate per 1,000 patient days between 2019 and 2020. Results: The average quarterly DOT/1,000 PD increased from 359.5 in 2019 to 394.25 in 2020, with the highest increase in the second and fourth quarters of 2020, which temporarily correspond to the first and second waves of COVID-19. Ceftriaxone and meropenem use increased during the first and second waves of COVID-19. Piperacillin-tazobactam use increased during the first wave and declined thereafter (Figure 1). Rates of CRE increased from a quarterly average of 0.57 to 0.68 (Figure 2). Conclusions: Antimicrobial pressure increased during the first and second waves of COVID-19. Ceftriaxone was the most commonly used antimicrobial, reflecting internal guidelines and ASP interventions. CRE rates increased during COVID-19. This finding may be due to an overall increase in antimicrobial pressure in the community and in critically ill patients. Antibiotics are a precious resource, and antimicrobial stewardship remains important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Appropriate use of antimicrobials is critical to preventing AMR.Funding: NoDisclosures: None

Estimation and Canal Conveyance Losses in Pune District

Water is a very precious natural resource. When this precious resource moves through the canals certain part of the water is lost by seepage, evaporation etc. This loss is known as conveyance loss. In present paper, study of Nira Left Bank Canal (NLBC) is done which is situated in Pune district. Total length of canal is 162 Km out of which 30 Km is our study area. Discharge calculations at the head of canal and at 30th Km is done, two standing wave flumes are present at these two locations. Since last few decades, the extensive underutilization has been found in canal irrigation. This issue constitutes the serious lacuna in irrigational planning which often depicts the major problem about optimal water use. As per FAO Aquastat 2015 records for India, out of 91% of water utilized for agriculture purpose, 45% is getting lost under different types of conveyance losses from dam headworks till farms. The conveyance losses constitute the seepage and evaporation losses. Out of these, seepage is a quite significant loss in most of the water conveyance systems. Estimating conveyance losses using physical methods is quite difficult and involves lots of field work and calculations, whereas empirical and analytical methods will not accommodate site condition of respective study area. This study attempted to assess the conveyance loss of Nira Left Bank Bank Main canal with the help of a hydraulic model built on a spatial platform and verified with flow-monitoring events. The hydrospatial model was simulated to understand the canal behaviour and evaluate the conveyance losses. The results show Nira Left Bank Main canal has average 39.96% water conveyance loss.

Water scarcity policy: evaluation with a focus on Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario

Water scarcity is inherently complex, yet it is a largely ignored and chronically understudied problem in Canada. The country has a relative abundance of freshwater, which has led to wasteful and inefficient use of water resources and high economic and environmental costs. Responsibility to govern this precious resource is predominantly in the power of the provinces in accordance with the 1982 Constitution Act. Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario were selected as jurisdictions of study. Alberta’s Water for Life Strategy, British Columbia’s Living Water Smart Strategy and Water Sustainability Act, as well as Ontario’s Permit to Take Water Program are important policy instruments in the prevention of scarcity. To contribute to policy improvements for each of selected jurisdiction, policy recommendations and criteria for policy evaluation were developed and applied, drawing on examples of challenges and responses from selected international jurisdictions.

“Stay home, be safe, and be kind”: University of Auckland’s Italian course goes online in a week

On March 23rd, at the University of Auckland (New Zealand), all lectures were suspended for a week. During this time, both students and staff made a considerable effort to prepare the online delivery of courses. In this chapter we discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the Italian beginners courses offered in Semester 1. With no certainty of when the campus would reopen, and with the well-being of students always considered as a priority, the courses were quickly adapted for distance learning. This change involved multiple aspects and the experience gained, denoted by urgency and flexibility, proving to be a precious resource to face the second semester and, above all, a less predictable and more frightening future; in which not only safety and adaptability, but kindness and mutual respect, should also be the keywords. Designing blended, easily migratable online courses that make use of both technology and up-to-date approaches to language teaching has emerged as a viable strategy for an uncertain future.