Virulence Potential And Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern Of Motile Aeromonads Associated With Freshwater Ornamental Fish Culture Systems: A Possible Threat To public Health

Aeromonas spp. are ubiquitous aquatic organisms, associated with multitude of diseases in several species of animals, including fishes and humans. In the present study, water samples from two ornamental fish culture systems were analyzed for the presence of Aeromonas. Nutrient agar was used for Aeromonas isolation, and colonies (60 No) were identified through biochemical characterization. Seven clusters could be generated based on phenotypic characters, analyzed by the programme NTSYSpc, Version 2.02i, and identified as: Aeromonas caviae (33.3%), A. jandaei (38.3%) and A. veronii biovar sobria (28.3%). The strains isolated produced highly active hydrolytic enzymes, haemolytic activity and slime formation in varying proportions. The isolates were also tested for the enterotoxin genes (act, alt and ast), haemolytic toxins (hlyA and aerA), involved in type 3 secretion system (TTSS: ascV, aexT, aopP, aopO, ascF–ascG, and aopH), and glycerophospholipid-cholesterol acyltransferase (gcat). All isolates were found to be associated with at least one virulent gene. Moreover, they were resistant to frequently used antibiotics for human infections. The study demonstrates the pathogenic potential of Aeromonas, associated with ornamental fish culture systems suggesting the emerging threat to public health

Enhanced UV emission from ZnO nanoflowers synthesized by the hydrothermal process

ZnO nanoflowers were synthesized by the hydrothermal process at an optimized growth temperature of 200 ◦C and a growth/reaction time of 3 h. As-prepared ZnO nanoflowers were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, UV–visible and Raman spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction and Raman studies reveal that the as-synthesized flower-like ZnO nanostructures are highly crystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite phase preferentially oriented along the (1 0 1 1) plane. The average length (234–347 nm) and diameter (77–106 nm) of the nanorods constituting the flower-like structure are estimated using scanning electron microscopy studies. The band gap of ZnO nanoflowers is estimated as 3.23 eV, the lowering of band gap is attributed to the flower-like surface morphology and microstructure of ZnO. Room temperature photoluminescence spectrum shows a strong UV emission peak at 392 nm, with a suppressed visible emission related to the defect states, indicating the defect free formation of ZnO nanoflowers that can be potentially used for UV light-emitting devices. The suppressed Raman bands at 541 and 583 cm−1 related to defect states in ZnO confirms that the ZnO nanoflowers here obtained have a reduced presence of defects

Contradictions within the Modern Food System: Nutritional Disbalance across the Globe, Its Main Drivers and Possible Ways Out

Contemporary food production, given the degree of technology being applied in it and the present state of scientific knowledge, should be able to feed the world. Corresponding statistics show that in fact the volumes of modern food production confirm this statement. Yet, the present nutritional situation across the globe leaves much to be desired: on the one hand the numbers of undernourished and malnourished people are still high and even growing in some regions, and on the other hand there is an increasing number of overweight and obese people who are experiencing (or are at risk of) adverse health impacts as consequences. The question arises how this situation is possible given the present state of food production and knowledge, and also in terms of nutrition basics when talking about the latter. When arguing about the main causes of the present situation with nutrition across the globe, it is the modern food system with its distortions that is often criticised with emphasis placed on inappropriate food distribution as one of the key problems. However it is not only food distribution that shapes inequalities in terms of food availability and accessibility – there is a number of other factors contributing to this situation including political influences. Each of the drivers of the present situation might affect more than one part and have outcomes in different dimensions. Therefore it makes sense to apply a holistic approach when viewing the modern food system, embracing all the elements and existing relationships between them for this will facilitate taking appropriate actions in order to target the desired outcome in the best possible way. Applying a systematic approach and linking various elements with corresponding interactions among them allows for picturing all the possible outcomes and hence finding the way for a better solution on global level – a solution to the present problem with nutritional disbalance across the globe.

Recycling urban waste as possible use for rooftop vegetable garden

Urban authorities in Europe are confronted with increasing demands by urban dwellers for allotment gardens, but vacant urban soil tends to be scarce and/or polluted by past industrial activities. A possible solution for local authorities could therefore be to promote rooftop gardening. However little technical information exists on certain forms of rooftop urban agriculture, called Z-Farming. In 2012, a pilot experiment was run in Paris (France). Simple and cheap systems of rooftop gardening were tested on a rooftop using as crop substrates only local urban organic waste so as to contribute to the urban metabolism. Production levels and heavy metal contents in cropping substrates and edible vegetables were measured. Available results show (i) high levels of crop production with limited inputs compared to land professional gardening, (ii) low levels of heavy metal pollutants in the edible parts of the crops, especially for Cd and Pb with respect to EU norms for vegetables and (iii) positive influence on yields on organizing the substrate in layers and enhancing the biological activity through earthworm inoculation. These encouraging results allow us to consider that rooftop gardening is feasible and seem to have a great potential to improve urban resiliency. It will nevertheless be necessary to identify more precisely the types of roof that can be used and to assess more fully the generic result of the low level of pollution, as well as the global sustainability of these cropping systems.

Possible solution of some essential zero problems in compositional data analysis

One of the tantalising remaining problems in compositional data analysis lies in how to deal with data sets in which there are components which are essential zeros. By an essential zero we mean a component which is truly zero, not something recorded as zero simply because the experimental design or the measuring instrument has not been sufficiently sensitive to detect a trace of the part. Such essential zeros occur in many compositional situations, such as household budget patterns, time budgets, palaeontological zonation studies, ecological abundance studies. Devices such as nonzero replacement and amalgamation are almost invariably ad hoc and unsuccessful in such situations. From consideration of such examples it seems sensible to build up a model in two stages, the first determining where the zeros will occur and the second how the unit available is distributed among the non-zero parts. In this paper we suggest two such models, an independent binomial conditional logistic normal model and a hierarchical dependent binomial conditional logistic normal model. The compositional data in such modelling consist of an incidence matrix and a conditional compositional matrix. Interesting statistical problems arise, such as the question of estimability of parameters, the nature of the computational process for the estimation of both the incidence and compositional parameters caused by the complexity of the subcompositional structure, the formation of meaningful hypotheses, and the devising of suitable testing methodology within a lattice of such essential zero-compositional hypotheses. The methodology is illustrated by application to both simulated and real compositional data

Compositional data analysis of archaeological glass: problems and possible solutions

Presentation in CODAWORK'03, session 4: Applications to archeometry

Exploration of geological variability and possible processes through the use of compositional data analysis: an example using scottish metamorphosed

Developments in the statistical analysis of compositional data over the last two decades have made possible a much deeper exploration of the nature of variability, and the possible processes associated with compositional data sets from many disciplines. In this paper we concentrate on geochemical data sets. First we explain how hypotheses of compositional variability may be formulated within the natural sample space, the unit simplex, including useful hypotheses of subcompositional discrimination and specific perturbational change. Then we develop through standard methodology, such as generalised likelihood ratio tests, statistical tools to allow the systematic investigation of a complete lattice of such hypotheses. Some of these tests are simple adaptations of existing multivariate tests but others require special construction. We comment on the use of graphical methods in compositional data analysis and on the ordination of specimens. The recent development of the concept of compositional processes is then explained together with the necessary tools for a staying- in-the-simplex approach, namely compositional singular value decompositions. All these statistical techniques are illustrated for a substantial compositional data set, consisting of 209 major-oxide and rare-element compositions of metamorphosed limestones from the Northeast and Central Highlands of Scotland. Finally we point out a number of unresolved problems in the statistical analysis of compositional processes

És possible una Universitat 2.0?

Conferència emmarcada dins el 2on Workshop Biblioteca UdG: La Universitat de Girona davant els reptes del nou Espai Europeu d'Educació Superior, on es reflexiona sobre el concepte d’Universitat 2.0. El conferenciant proporciona diferents claus del que entén que hauria de ser una Universitat 2.0, i les possibilitats que ofereix aquest concepte per a la Universitat de Girona

Maurras a Catalunya: un debat possible i necessari

Article en motiu del seminari "Maurras a Catalunya: elements per a un debat" organitzat pel Grup de Literatura Contemporània de l'Institut de Llengua i Cultura Catalanes de la Universitat els dies 4 i 5 de març

Pròxima promoció. Educar en la diversitat : és possible educar en la diversitat?.'Próxima promoción. Educar en la diversidad : ¿es posible educar en la diversidad?

Contiene bibliografía en la última página

Educació compensatòria centrada en la persona : una experiència possible d'atenció a la diversitat. 'Educación compensatoria centrada en la persona : una experiencia posible de atención a la diversidad'.

El Instituto de Santa Margalida escolariza alumnado procedente de los núcleos urbanos de Santa Margalida y Ariany y de la zona costera del municipio. Esta última está habitada por un número importante de familias de origen peninsular que, de forma permanente o temporal, trabajan en el sector turístico, el cual en los últimos años ha generado en la zona una importante oferta laboral. El centro ha vivido ciertos problemas con la escolarización de un determinado colectivo de alumnos en el primer ciclo de ESO, que manifiestan una actitud apática y de rechazo hacia el profesorado y todo lo que supone la escuela como educación formal, con problemas de comportamiento, bajo rendimiento académico y una elevada tasa de absentismo escolar, especialmente a partir de marzo y abril, debido a las oportunidades de ocupación e inserción laboral que la zona propicia. El artículo ofrece las pautas de intervención sobre 14 alumnos y los resultados de un programa de educación compensatoria, realmente centrado en el alumno. Se concluye con algunas preguntas sobre este tipo de experiencias, como el perfil de profesores requerido, las necesidades de formación permanente y las ventajas e inconvenientes de estas iniciativas.

Escoletes de Menorca : qu?? ho ha fet i ho fa possible?. 'Escuelas infantiles de Menorca : ??qu?? lo ha hecho y lo hace posible?''

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n. Incluye gr??ficas y tablas de datos

Un altre medi ambient és possible : per una nova cultura del medi ambient. 'Otro medio ambiente es posible : por una nueva cultura del medio ambiente'.

Resumen tomado parcialmente de la revista

Un altre programari és possible : l'experiència de l'escola Mata de Jonc. 'Otro software es posible : la experiencia de la escuela Mata de Jonc'.

La escuela Mata de Jonc (Palma de Mallorca, Illes Balears) se encuentra inmersa en el proceso de traslado entre el software de pago al software libre. El artículo resume la experiencia y comenta las dos ventajas de este cambio: supone un importante ahorro económico y permite contar con software legal y en catalán.

Els alumnes nouvinguts sense coneixements de llengua catalana a l'IES Berenguer d'Anoia. El nostre objectiu : una ràpida integració a les aules. La normalitat com més aviat possible. 'Los alumnos recién llegados sin conocimientos de lengua catalana en el IES Berenguer d'Anoia. Nuestro objetivo : una rápida integración en las aulas. La normalidad cuanto antes posible'.

La primera Jornada de intercambio de experiencias en torno al Plan de acogida lingüística y cultural, conocido como PALIC, tuvo lugar el 31 de marzo del 2003