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Genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 omicron sublineage BA.5.2.1 in Erbil/Iraq
Get PDFDue to several mutations in its genomic sequence, particularly in the spike protein region, the recently-discovered SARS-CoV-2 variant B.5.2.1 has alarmed health policy authorities worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) has labelled it "Omicron" and classified it as a worldwide variant of concern (VOC). Following the appearance of Omicron in Iraq, new cases were also detected and analyzed in Kurdistan regions. Two hundred patients were recruited in this study from Erbil/Iraq. The RNA genome samples were extracted, the qRT-PCR performed, and 10 samples were sequenced. The sample sequence was published (EPI ISL 15921492) in the GISAID international gene bank for COVID-19. When compared to the BA.1 Omicron sublineage, 17 new mutations and five deletions in the Omicron subvariant BA.5.2.1 sequence were detected. The spike region includes eight of these variations and one deletion. Overall, 30 substitutions were shared between those previously seen in the BA.1 sublineage and the newly-detected BA.5.2.1 Omicron subvariant. We detected eight new substitutions in our BA.5.2.1 subvariants (T112I, A27S, V213G, T376F, D405N, R408S, L452R, F486V), which were not mentioned previously, should be cause for concern and may be related to immune escape or viral oligomerization. Omicron might be more immune-escape-capable than the current VOCs/VOIs. However, the predicted mutational research shows no conclusive evidence that the Omicron variant may be more virulent or fatal than other variations, including Delta. The greater capacity for immunological evasion may cause the current increase in Omicron cases in Erbil/Iraq
“Forest is integral to life”: people-forest relations in the lower river region, the Gambia
Get PDFIntroduction: Forests play a crucial role in the lives of millions of people worldwide by providing material and non-material contributions. Despite forests’ paramount importance from ecological, economic, and cultural perspectives, the long-term relationship between forests and local communities living in their proximity is often an undervalued contribution to our understanding of local ecological knowledge systems and forest changes.
Methods: We studied the interrelationships between the Mandinka peoples and forests in an understudied area of West Africa, the Gambia’s Lower River Region (LRR). Through 35 semi-structured interviews, we documented the forests’ contributions to local Mandinka peoples and their perception of forest changes. We also used geographic information systems (GIS software) for remote sensing satellite imagery to establish a baseline for these complex connections and changes.
Results: This research revealed the crucial importance of the forest’s contributions to Mandinka communities and specifically to their psychological well-being. In addition, the interviewees revealed how ongoing socio-economic changes are affecting the human-forest relationship and possibly eroding the local ethnoforestry knowledge in the LRR of the Gambia. The most common forest contributions are those that provide material goods, serving as the driving force in connecting people with the forest, while non-material contributions are eroding due to complex socio-economic changes. Major socio-economic changes are also believed to drive the shift from dense forest to mixed forest and grassland.
Discussion: In line with the state of the art, the knowledge and perception of changes documented in this article underline the quintessential need to include local communities’ views in shaping forest management, in order to better fine-tune the strategies to safeguard biocultural diversity across forest areas
Simulation approach to electron transport phenomenon in graphene
Get PDFThis investigation was originally designed to verify that the tight-binding approach utilizes an amalgamation of estimated wave functions to compute the electrical band structure. Utilizing computational tools has become essential, especially for challenging and dull problems in physics. Computer programs, in general, once utilized in the approved manner, allow physical problems to be solved and explained rapidly and efficiently at the same time. The case then is to comprehend how to swap from the abstract equations to the computer program, i.e., codes. In this research, valid and numerical strategies are utilized to examine the electrical characteristics of 2D crystals through fluctuating geometries and magnetic fields. Certainty in the mathematical model is based upon those assessments of the two procedures utilizing the dispersal relationship and density of states. The numerical strategies become the importance as the examined systems goes into more complex to be investigated precisely. Throughout this study, it is confirmed that the tight-binding model utilizes a superposition of estimated wave functions to estimate the electrical band structure. This model was showed to a four-sided network and a hexagonal network to confirm the characteristics of electrons as they move over the graphene network. Particularly, this setup provides a way of investigating energy-reliant transport in graphene. The outcomes of this investigation are significant since the energy dependance of transport in mesoscopic graphene is the core of numerous odd transportation occurrences. Also, the conductance for the four-sided framework is considered utilizing the mathematical approaches and shows the accurate appearances for the quantum Hall effect
Effects of Steel Springs on the Flexural Strength of Normal Concrete Beams: A Numerical and Experimental Study
Get PDFIn this research study, the possibility of deployment of steel spring utilization to reinforce a concrete beam is investigated and compared with steel bars; this is done to enhance the flexural strength of the structural concrete beam. For this purpose, three specimens are prepared: a plain concrete beam, a reinforced concrete beam, and a spring-reinforced concrete beam. A point bending test is dedicated to calculating the failure strength of each specimen. ABAQUS program is being used to simulate the three test specimens with the same properties as the experimental test samples to verify the results. The results of the numerical simulations for the flexural stress and the plastic strain of each model are collected and compared with the experimental tests. The results manifested a particularly good verification for the experimental tests, and the spring-reinforced concrete beam displayed an excellent flexural strength that exceeded the flexural strength of the reinforced concrete beam. This indicates that the spring-reinforced concrete beam, according to the properties of the spring, is a promising endeavor for use in the construction industry
New insights of miRNA molecular mechanisms in breast cancer brain metastasis and therapeutic targets
Get PDFBrain metastases in breast cancer (BC) patients are often associated with a poor prognosis. Recent studies have uncovered the critical roles of miRNAs in the initiation and progression of BC brain metastasis, highlighting the disease's underlying molecular pathways. miRNA-181c, miRNA-10b, and miRNA-21, for example, are all overexpressed in BC patients. It has been shown that these three miRNAs help tumors grow and metastasize by targeting genes that control how cells work. On the other hand, miRNA-26b5p, miRNA-7, and miRNA-1013p are all downregulated in BC brain metastasis patients. They act as tumor suppressors by controlling the expression of genes related to cell adhesion, angiogenesis, and invasion. Therapeutic miRNA targeting has considerable promise in treating BC brain metastases. Several strategies have been proposed to modulate miRNA expression, including miRNA-Mimics, antagomirs, and small molecule inhibitors of miRNA biogenesis. This review discusses the aberrant expression of miRNAs and metastatic pathways that lead to the spread of BC cells to the brain. It also explores miRNA therapeutic target molecular mechanisms and BC brain metastasis challenges with advanced strategies. The targeting of certain miRNAs opens a new door for the development of novel therapeutic approaches for this devastating disease
Rethinking China: Perceptions from Africa. A survey of Nigeria University students
Get PDFThis article studies the sources from which Nigerian university students receive information about China. The awareness of the Nigerian youth about China's initiatives such as 'One Belt One Road' and 'Forum on China-Africa Cooperation' further discloses the perception of the students on the rise of China and its influence on global affairs. In addition, the study reveals how African students perceive China as a trade partner. The results indicate the internet and social media are major sources of awareness. Some students are somewhat aware of the Chinese initiatives, but others have never heard about these initiatives. The students think that China has influence in the World and African affairs and are neutral about the responsible behavior of China as a global power. Students are positive about the Chinese development model and are concerned about the influx of Chinese labor in Nigeria
Development and Isometry of Surfaces Galilean Space G3
Get PDFCurrently, the study of the geometry of semi-Euclidean spaces is an urgent task of geometry. In the singular parts of pseudo-Euclidean spaces, a geometry associated with a degenerate metric appears. A special case of this geometry is the geometry of Galileo. The basic concepts of the geometry of Galilean space are given in the monograph by A. Artykbaev. Here the differential geometry "in the small" is studied, the first and second fundamental forms of surfaces and geometric characteristics of surfaces are determined. The derivational equations of surfaces, analogs of the Peterson-Codazzi and Gauss formulas are calculated. This paper studies the development and isometry of surfaces in Galilean space. Moreover, the isometry of surfaces in Galilean space is divided into three types: semi-isometry, isometry and completely isometry. This separation is due to the degeneracy of the Galilean space metric. The existence of a development of a surface projecting uniquely onto a plane in general position is proved, as well as the conditions for isometric and completely isometric surfaces of Galilean space. We present the conditions associated with the analog of the Christoffel symbol, providing isometries of the surfaces of Galilean space. An example of isometric, but not completely isometric surfaces in G3 is given. The concept of surface development for Galilean space is generalized. A development of the surface is obtained, which is uniquely projected onto the plane of the general position. In addition, the Gaussian curvature of the surface has been shown to be completely defined by Christoffel symbols
Effect of Deficit Irrigation with Saline Water on Chemical Properties for Red Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitate L.) under Drip Irrigation
Get PDFOne potential management approach that can minimize water use with just a slight reduction in crop output is deficit irrigation. In addition, there is a dearth of research on how the semiarid environment of Kirkuk affects the Mineral Composition of green crops like red cabbage due to a combination of water shortage and water quality. Therefore, this study was initiated to unveil the combined effect of varying deficit irrigation levels (0.5, 0.75, 1, and 1.2 of full irrigation) and two types of water quality (fresh and saline water) on Total sugar, chlorophyll, and proline of red cabbage under drip irrigation with evaluating two types of(Gr, Turbo) emitters. The results indicated that there is a steady increase in Total sugar with an increase in the level of irrigation with saline water over the entire range of applied water. The highest proline content was achieved under the combined effect of saline water and GR emitter when the level of applied water at full irrigation was reduced by a factor of 0.5 (163.03 μmol/g). Furthermore, the highest value for chlorophyll content for Gr emitter under 1.2%IF with fresh water was (142 mg/100g). The drip irrigation system was evaluated at the beginning and middle of the experiment. The result was shown to outperform the GR emitter on the Turbo emitter in four qualities Standard Deviation of Discharges (Lh-1), Statistical Uniformity Coefficient Us(%), Coefficient of manufactured variation (CV%), and Design Emission Uniformity (EU%) which was (0.0605 Lh-1),(98.07 %),(0.01%) and (99.45%) respectively
Evaluation of Runoff Farming at Two Different Rainfall Zones of the Semiarid Climate of Erbil Province
Get PDFRainfed agriculture in arid and semiarid regions is risky due to low rainfall and uneven distribution. To improve crop productivity runoff water can be utilized as alternative source of available water. Two field experiments were conducted at Chalook and Byok to study the interactive effect of five levels of catchment cultivation area ratio (0,1,2,3 and 4) and two catchment slopes (5% and 10%) on wheat growth and yield,15 runoff plots were established at each site and for each slope. Lower part of each plot served as a cultivated area, with dimensions of 2.5 m x 3 m and kept nearly flat. Conversely the upper part of each plot served as scarified catchment, all of the same width of 2.5 m, but of different lengths to offer catchment cultivated area ratios of 0,1,2,3, and 4. Results showed a gradual increase in wheat grain yield and aboveground biomass with an increase in catchment to cultivated area ratio (CA:C) at both sites. However, the catchment slope produced a higher grain yield compared to 10% slope, but the difference was insignificant. The theoretical CA:C values compared to the maximum applied ratio suggest the possibility of further increase in grain yield with an increase beyond 4:1, particularly at Chalook site. Byok site outperformed the Chalook site due to increased water arability at the former site. Linear regression analysis revealed that CA:C merged as the most effecting factor affecting grain yield, followed by annual rainfall. Over 91% of variation in grain yield can be assigned to variations in CA:C, annual rainfall, and catchment slope
Impact of Crowded Sky on GNSS Positioning
Get PDFPresently, there is a huge number of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellites in orbit, and it is possible for users to have a clear view with a high number of satellites at a single epoch. This large number of satellites results in a significant improvement in satellite geometry, visibility, Dilution of Precision (DOP), and simultaneously, reduction of occupation time and sufficient time to fix the integer ambiguity. The static method is the most accurate method to establish geodetic networks using satellites, but the length of time required for the survey and the post-processing of the data may restrict its applicability. This paper investigated the impact of increasing number of satellites, regardless the type of the system, on occupation time and evaluating accuracy in static method with a 13 km baseline length. The observations were assessed and compared to the accuracy obtained from different satellite numbers in different periods. The results indicate that by increasing satellite’s number from 4 to 20, the occupation time reduces by 83% from 30 min. to 5 min., and position dilution of precision (PDOP) reduces from 5.30 to 1.4