scholarly journals Assessment of the Vulnerability to Agricultural Nitrate in Two Highly Diversified Environmental Settings

Environments ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Vigliotti ◽  
Gianluigi Busico ◽  
Daniela Ruberti
Keyword(s):  
Parametric Method ◽  
Hazard Index ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Groundwater Vulnerability ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Natural Setting ◽  
Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Anthropic Influence ◽  
Moderate Hazard

A significant rise of groundwater pollution has been registered worldwide, where nitrate has been recognized as the most widespread pollutant. In this context, the groundwater vulnerability assessment and more specifically the delineation of “Nitrate Vulnerable Zones” represents a reliable cost-effective tool for groundwater management. In this study, the Agricultural Nitrate Hazard Index (ANHI) method was applied to two case histories in southern Italy: the Lete River catchment and the eastern sector of the Campania Plain. The first area is characterized by agricultural activities and a low anthropic influence while the eastern part of the Campania Plain, around Caserta city, is strongly urbanized and developed on an extensive alluvial plain filled with volcaniclastic deposits. The parametric method applied suggests moderate hazard for the more natural setting highlighting how the intensive crop farming and livestock activities that characterized the area negatively influenced the results. For the eastern part of the Campania Plain, where a strong urbanization and widespread industrial crops are dominant, a low to very low hazard has been identified. The groundwater quality value, in contrast with the methodology results underlines the importance of further risk evaluations based on accurate aquifer characterization. A multiple year assessment based on land use change and climate variation could further highlights the difference between the study areas.

How the United Kingdom Controls Pharmaceutical Prices and Spending: Learning From Its Experience

2021 ◽  
pp. 002073142199709
Author(s):  
Marc A. Rodwin
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Market Prices ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Generic Market ◽  
Pharmaceutical Spending ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Government ◽  
Pharmaceutical Prices ◽  
Limit Access

To control costs and improve access, nations can adopt strategies employed in the United Kingdom to control pharmaceutical prices and spending. Current policy evolved from a system created in 1957 that allowed manufacturers to set launch prices, capped manufacturers’ rates of return, and later cut list prices. These policies did not effectively control spending and had limited effects on purchase prices. The United Kingdom currently controls pharmaceutical spending in 4 ways. (a) Since 1999, it has typically paid no more than is cost-effective. (b) Since 2017, for medicines that will have a significant budget impact, National Health Service England seeks discounts from cost-effective prices or seeks to limit access for 2 years to patients with the greatest need. (c) Since 2014, statutes and a voluntary scheme have required branded manufacturers to pay the government rebates to recoup the difference between the global pharmaceutical budget and actual spending. (d) For hospitals, generics and some patented drugs are procured through competitive bidding; community pharmacies are reimbursed through a system that provides an incentive to beat average generic market prices. These policies controlled the growth of spending, with the largest effects following budget controls in 2014. Changes since 2008 have reduced savings, first by paying more than is cost-effective for cancer drugs and then by applying higher cost-effectiveness thresholds for some drugs used to treat cancer and certain other drugs.

122 Bioactive Peptides for Enhancing Intestine Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 65-65
Author(s):  
Julang Li ◽  
Nadeem Akhtar ◽  
Celina Osakowicz ◽  
Lauren Fletcher ◽  
Karmin O ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Health ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Body Weight Loss ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Feed Ratio ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Intestinal Development ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Animal Trials

Abstract Intestinal disorders and colitis affect both animals and humans. The pathogenesis behind the inflammation is complex and not entirely understood. Furthermore, the significant rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria has emphasized an urgent need for alternative anti-infective therapies. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is one of the appealing alternative to antibiotics due to their antimicrobial activity, mode of actions, and potential role in tissue repair. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays an important role in intestinal proliferation and differentiation and thus promotes intestinal development. Using food grade microorganisms such as Lactococcus lactis and yeast as hosts, our laboratory has produced recombinant porcine protegrin-1 (PG-1), a pig originated antimicrobial peptide and EGF via fermentation. Oral administration of PG-1 reduced Citrobacter rodentium induced intestinal infection in mice. This was evidenced by reduced histopathological changes in the colon, prevention of body weight loss, milder clinical signs of disease, and ultimately more effective clearance of bacterial infection. On the other hand, animal trials using the recombinant EGF demonstrated that it enhances intestinal development and growth of early weaned pig fed with antibiotic-free diet. Moreover, piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherchia coli (E. coli) K88 showed similar beneficial responses to EGF as those fed diets with antibiotic in terms of improving gain to feed ratio and lowering oxidative stress. Taken together, our findings suggest the potential for cost-effective production and application of recombinant bioactive proteins as alternatives to antibiotics in animal health and production.

Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment Through a Modified DRASTI-LU Framework: Case Study of Saiss Basin in Morocco

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelhakim Lahjouj ◽  
Abdellah El Hmaidi ◽  
Ali Essahlaoui ◽  
M. J. B. Alam ◽  
Mohammed S. A. Siddiquee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vulnerability Assessment ◽  
Groundwater Vulnerability ◽  
Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment

scholarly journals Groundwater vulnerability assessment: from overlay methods to statistical methods in the Lombardy Plain area

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefania Stevenazzi ◽  
Marco Masetti ◽  
Giovanni Pietro Beretta
Keyword(s):  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Vulnerability Assessment ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Scientific Progress ◽  
Groundwater Vulnerability ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Plain Area ◽  
Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment ◽  
Vulnerability Maps

Groundwater is among the most important freshwater resources. Worldwide, aquifers are experiencing an increasing threat of pollution from urbanization, industrial development, agricultural activities and mining enterprise. Thus, practical actions, strategies and solutions to protect groundwater from these anthropogenic sources are widely required. The most efficient tool, which helps supporting land use planning, while protecting groundwater from contamination, is represented by groundwater vulnerability assessment. Over the years, several methods assessing groundwater vulnerability have been developed: overlay and index methods, statistical and process-based methods. All methods are means to synthesize complex hydrogeological information into a unique document, which is a groundwater vulnerability map, useable by planners, decision and policy makers, geoscientists and the public. Although it is not possible to identify an approach which could be the best one for all situations, the final product should always be scientific defensible, meaningful and reliable. Nevertheless, various methods may produce very different results at any given site. Thus, reasons for similarities and differences need to be deeply investigated. This study demonstrates the reliability and flexibility of a spatial statistical method to assess groundwater vulnerability to contamination at a regional scale. The Lombardy Plain case study is particularly interesting for its long history of groundwater monitoring (quality and quantity), availability of hydrogeological data, and combined presence of various anthropogenic sources of contamination. Recent updates of the regional water protection plan have raised the necessity of realizing more flexible, reliable and accurate groundwater vulnerability maps. A comparison of groundwater vulnerability maps obtained through different approaches and developed in a time span of several years has demonstrated the relevance of the continuous scientific progress, recognizing strengths and weaknesses of each research.

scholarly journals GROUNDWATER VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF SYLHET SADAR USING GIS

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Ashikur Rahman ◽  
Md. Jahir Alam
Keyword(s):  
Water Depth ◽  
Vulnerability Assessment ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Groundwater Vulnerability ◽  
Hazard Map ◽  
Index Method ◽  
Management Planning ◽  
Water Index ◽  
Index Approach ◽  
Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment

Groundwater has been treated as a vital water supply because of its comparatively low vulnerability to pollution compared to surface water. Due to the health and economic impacts of groundwater contamination, steps to measure groundwater vulnerability are necessary for sustainable groundwater protection and management planning. In this study, an attempt has been made to assess groundwater vulnerability using the overlay index method and to prepare a groundwater vulnerability map using Geographic Information System (GIS) of Sylhet Sadar, a northeastern region of Bangladesh. Also, for the water depth-wise vulnerability assessment, the Water index was generated to observe the effect on chemical concentration for the depth of water. By assigning weight to each pollutant map in the overlay index approach, a combined hazard map was successfully created. The combined hazard map shows a total of 16.04%, 41.36%, and 42.59% of the studied area located in a less, moderate, and severely vulnerable zone, respectively. The combined effect of the chemical concentrations of water gradually decreases with the increase in water depth. Therefore, the developed map can be used as a tool for the management to take initiatives for sustainable use of groundwater.

scholarly journals Groundwater vulnerability assessment and mapping in shallow groundwater

2021 ◽  
Vol 926 (1) ◽  
pp. 012047
Author(s):  
K Aribowo ◽  
W Wilopo ◽  
D H Barianto
Keyword(s):  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Unsaturated Zone ◽  
Shallow Groundwater ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Groundwater Vulnerability ◽  
Research Area ◽  
A Value ◽  
Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment ◽  
Vulnerability Map ◽  
Very High

Abstract The increasing population density can contaminate groundwater. So far, groundwater is still the primary source to fulfill clean water and drinking water in Muntilan, Salam, and Ngluwar Sub-District. Studies on groundwater vulnerability are essential to minimize the contamination risks as a piece of basic information for land use planning. This research aims to assess groundwater vulnerability in Muntilan, Salam, and Ngluwar Sub-District. The simple vertical vulnerability (SVV) method with GIS was selected to develop a groundwater vulnerability map. The parameters of this method consist of the type of soil/rock, the thickness of the water-unsaturated zone, and the recharge value. The results show that the research area can be divided into three vulnerability classes: very low, moderate, and high groundwater vulnerability. Very low groundwater vulnerability has a value of more than 70 with very high protection effectiveness. The class is distributed in Muntilan and Salam Sub-Districts. Moderate groundwater vulnerability has a value less than 35 to 65 with moderate protection effectiveness, and high groundwater vulnerability has a value ranging from 24 to 35 with low protection effectiveness. Both of the class is evenly distributed in Muntilan, Ngluwar and Salam Sub-Districts.

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