Open Access Areas Research Articles

Does the harvest of the natural populations of the floating seaweed Durvillaea incurvata (Surh) Macaya affect its dispersal potential?

Dispersal of floating seaweeds contributes to the connectivity of marine communities. Little is known about the harvest of natural populations by fishermen on the dispersal capacity of these species. Harvesting decreases the available biomass and the size of individuals. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that the availability of floating specimens will be lower at sites with the highest harvesting intensity compared to sites with low intensity harvesting. Using the floating seaweed Durvillaea incurvata as a model, the relationship between the harvest of its benthic populations and the strandings on adjacent beaches was examined. Surveys were carried out during summer and winter from 2021 to 2023 at sites along the coast of Chile (33°S - 42°S) with different management administrative strategies and seaweed harvesting intensity: (a) Marine Protected Areas (MPA, low level), (b) Territorial Use Rights for Fisheries (TURF, intermediate level), and (c) Open Access Areas (OAA, high level). Measurements of biomasses, size structure, reproductive stage, potential buoyancy and floating times (using attached Lepas spp. as proxy) of the specimens from benthic populations and strandings on adjacent beaches were made. Benthic biomasses and sizes of D. incurvata specimens were higher in MPA compared to TURF and OAA, which were consistent with strandings on nearby beaches. Benthic and stranded biomasses, densities, lengths and percentages of reproductive individuals were higher in winter compared to summer. The presence and sizes of Lepas spp. indicated short floating times of stranded individuals. Significant relationships between biomasses, densities, and lengths of benthic and stranded D. incurvata specimens were observed, according to harvest intensity levels and seasons. Our results suggest that the harvest of benthic populations can affect the dispersal potential of D. incurvata. Exploitation of natural populations of floating seaweeds should consider their dispersal capacity, which may be useful for the recovery of over-exploited areas.

Marine protected areas are a useful tool to protect coral reef fishes but not representative to conserve their functional role

Anthropogenic actions have direct and indirect impacts on natural systems, leading to significant alterations in marine ecosystems worldwide. One of the most notable problems is species loss, as the disappearance of species from an area can compromise ecological functions. This is at the core of a severe biodiversity crisis. To address and reverse these processes, marine protected areas (MPAs) have been utilized as a crucial tool to mitigate species loss, increase biomass, and serve as a fisheries management tool. However, there is a lack of information assessing MPAs from the perspective of their contribution to maintaining ecological functions. In recent decades, functional diversity (FD) indices have been widely used to assess ecosystem functioning. In this paper, we conducted an assessment using a global database of reef fish abundance to analyze the effect of No-Take Zones (NTZ) on the FD and “true” diversity (TD) indices of tropical reef fish assemblages in seven tropical biogeographic regions. We found a significant protective effect for some indices, although these responses were dependent on the bioregion. At the bioregional level, NTZs included lower numbers of species and functional entities than open access areas. Consequently, the functional richness protected within these zones partially represented the functional diversity in each biogeographic province. However, smaller-scale functional diversity indices responded to NTZ protection depending on the bioregion. Therefore, these results reinforce that the assessed NTZs are responsive to the protection of functional diversity, although they are not sufficient for safeguarding ecosystem functions in tropical reefs. This highlights the importance of expanding the number of protection entities worldwide with management strategies focused on coral reef fish functionality, as well as effective local/regional assessments. Thus, a new paradigm is necessary in the planning and creation of MPAs to safeguard ecosystem functions, with a priority given to the protection of ecosystem functions and habitats.

Artisanal fishers’ perceptions of two co-existing kelp resource management regimes in northern Chile

As fisheries management evolves and includes new measures, it is imperative to evaluate co-existing regimes. In Chile, two kelp fishery management policies were implemented sequentially over the last 20 years and currently co-exist. We analysed fishers’ perceptions regarding the performance of a territorial user rights policy and a regional management plan policy operating in what were historically open access areas along the coastline of two important kelp production regions in northern Chile. Interviews with Directorates of fisher associations were used to report key dimensions of both regimes, their problems, benefits, and proposals for improvement. A survey was used to assess artisanal fishers’ perceptions of the outcomes of the two management regimes studied: satisfaction, perceived success, and compliance. Trust, environmental attitude, and participation in decision-making associated to both regimes were also assessed. The results of the interviews show that the majority of association Directorates mentioned illegal harvesting by unregistered fishers as the most important problem of the regional management plan regime and suggest that the state needs to invest in law enforcement as a key issue for improvement. The survey results showed that, in general, the territorial user rights regime is perceived to have higher levels of compliance, success, and generates more satisfaction. Lessons from the different management regimes can provide important insights for improving the implementation of management plans to generate synergies between co-existing management regimes.

Multidimensional data analysis to guide the sustainability of a small-scale fishery affected by poaching

The substantial increase in poaching within the fisheries’ management areas (MA) system in central Chile is likely driven by an interplay of socio-economic factors. To assess this problem, the exploitation state of an important benthic resource in the MAs (i.e., keyhole limpet) was related to socio-economic drivers of the fishery. The potential drivers of poaching included the level of formal and informal enforcement and distance to surveillance authorities, a rebound effect of fishing effort displacement by MAs, wave exposure and land-based access to the MA, and alternative economic activities in the fishing village. A Bayesian-Belief Network approach was adopted to assess the effects of potential drivers of poaching on the exploitation state of limpets, assessed by the proportion of the catch that is below the minimum legal size and by the relative median size of limpets fished within the MAs in comparison with neighboring open access areas. Results showed the important role of socio-economic (e.g., alternative economic activities in the village) and context variables (e.g., fishing effort displacement or distance to surveillance authorities) as drivers of poaching in the study area. Scenario analysis explored variables that are susceptible to be managed, evidencing that an integrative ecological and socio-economic approach can offer solutions to the unsustainable exploitation of marine resources.

Assessment of Ecosystem Services and Environmental Degradation by Using Landscape Approach in The Riparian Area of Lake Rawapening

Lake Rawapening is a unique landscape that naturally provides provisioning, regulatory, cultural, and supporting ecosystem services. On the other side, Rawapening Lake is an open access area that is subject to be vulnerable to any economic activities that lead to environmental degradation. This study aims to identify the spatial distribution of ecosystem services provided in part of the riparian area of Rawapening Lake using a geomorphological approach with detailed scale mapping and identify environmental degradation that occurred in the area in two time periods, 2016 and 2020. Data analysis was carried out using Scoring and Pairwise Comparison techniques to produce Ecosystem Services Index and Ecosystem Services Composite Index values presented in a Spatio-temporal manner. The results of the analysis using the Geographic Information System (GIS) show that the dynamics of the landscape that occurred in 2016 and 2020 caused changes in the provision of ecosystem services in terms of the area. In these two periods, the Landscape Lake Rawapening had the highest Ecosystem Services Composite Index(IKJE). However, the threat of environmental degradation caused by anthropogenic activities is always lurking and can lead to a decrease in the quality and quantity of the provision of ecosystem services from the landscape. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a study on the physical and socio-economic characteristics of the study area to assist policymakers in formulating the determination of lake riparian area and zoning of related resource use.

Can the territorial use rights in fisheries (TURF) stabilize the landings of a highly variable benthic resource? Reexamining the fishery of Concholepas concholepas in North-Central Chile

The fishery of the muricid gastropod Concholepas concholepas is iconic in the southeast Pacific Ocean, since several studies on the species served as basis for changing from an open access regime to territorial user rights in fisheries (TURFs), in the form of management and exploitation areas for benthic resources. This predatory gastropod can be abundant in exposed rocky shores, yet its landings are highly variable in space and time. A few years after new management was implemented, TURF areas exhibited stabilized landings at the national level. However, we have no clear understanding of the outcomes of this management over time at national level versus individual area level. We estimated landings trends using long-term data (18 years) on landings of C. concholepas in most TURF areas of north-central Chile. These temporal trends were estimated by quantifying the landings slopes for each area and their individual deviations from the population level estimates (overall slope minus individual slope). We found that nearly 20% of areas stopped harvesting in 2010, most areas exhibited declining landings over time, and nearly as many areas exhibited slopes above and below the mean overall slope. The change in the traditional way of fishing, the increase in illegal fishing, and the lack of adequate knowledge about the larval cycle of the species may have driven the failure of the TURF areas for C. concholepas. Since fishing is prohibited in the remaining open access areas but is poorly controlled, we suggest ending this prohibition in open access areas and maintaining existing TURF areas to assess actual landings of C. concholepas in Chile. This change may improve the protection of the species.

Assessment of Exploitation Intensity of Commercial Species and Associated Benthic Communities, in Chilean Marine Management Areas of North Patagonia

The Aysén region of Chile (North Patagonia), has had limited studies on the effectiveness of management and exploitation areas of benthic resources, and performance relative to open access areas in this region has never been evaluated. We evaluated seven management areas (MAs) and five open access areas (OAAs) between 43.9°S and 45.2°S for exploitation intensity of three commercial species (Concholepas concholepas, Loxechinus albus, and Ameghinomya antiqua) together with characterization of the benthic community. Indicators based on size, density and weight were used to evaluate exploitation intensity of commercial species. Associated benthic communities were evaluated considering density, species composition, and community structure. We found a high species richness and a community structure with low variability between MAs and OAAs. Low densities and small sizes classes of C. concholepas in most of the areas indicated high exploitation intensity in both MAs and OAAs. In this context, a permanent ban to harvest C. concholepas within OAAs may need to be reevaluated since with no enforcement and monitoring, the exploitation status of this species remains unclear in these areas. L. albus in most areas were absent in the harvestable sizes, which could be indicating high exploitation intensity in both regimes. High densities and small sizes of C. concholepas and L. albus in some MAs, indicated a potential recruitment zones which bears further investigation. A. antiqua, showed better conditions than other commercial species evaluated, with no significant differences in densities and size-based indicators when comparing OAAs and MAs. Benthic communities were dominated numerically by the Echinoidea class in both MAs and OAAs, with L. albus, Arbacia dufresnii and Pseudechinus magellanicus being the dominant species. High densities of sea urchins co-occurring with low coverage of macroalgae found in MAs-Gala could indicate that a sea urchin barren was dominant during the study period. On the other hand, high densities of Cosmasterias lurida, a predatory sea star, in conjunction with low densities of C. concholepas in most of the studied areas suggested that a shift in predator roles is occurring. No differences were estimated in terms of fisheries indicators and benthic community structure across the two management regimes, suggesting the poor performance of MAs in Aysén region. Our data also support the need to improve monitoring of MAs especially with respect to associated benthic community incorporating a broader spatial scale.

Drivers of ecological effectiveness of marine protected areas: A meta-analytic approach from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (Brazil)

With the rapid global increase in the number and extent of marine protected areas (MPAs), there is a need for methods that enable an assessment of their actual contribution to biodiversity conservation. In Brazil, where MPAs have been designated to replenish biodiversity, there is a lack of regional-scale analysis of MPA impacts and the factors related to positive ecological change. This study aims to quantify the magnitude of the ecological effects of Brazilian MPAs and test whether some study and MPA characteristics (e.g., taxonomic group studied, exploitation level of species, MPA area, protection time, management effectiveness, level of connectedness, etc.) were underlying factors associated with their performance. We conducted a structured search in a database of scientific articles, selecting comparative studies of direct biodiversity metrics inside and outside MPAs offering different protection levels (i.e., fully- or partially-protected MPAs) or within MPAs with distinct zones. We then carried out a meta-analysis based on 424 observations found in 18 articles. Averaged across all studies, we found that MPAs had a 17% increase in the abundance of species, length of individuals, and community diversity. When compared to open-access areas, fully-protected MPAs increased biodiversity by 45%. However, MPAs offering partial protection had variable effects, ranging from significant positive to significant negative effects. MPA effects depended on the taxonomic group and exploitation level of species, with the strongest positive effects seen on exploited fish species and benthic invertebrates. Partially-protected MPAs that reported strong positive effects required long time of protection (>15years) and high level of connectivity. Conversely, fully-protected MPAs (i.e., no-take ones) could be effective even when small, under intense fishing pressure in their surroundings, and regardless of their level of connectivity. We used the Brazilian MPAs as a case study, but these results can contribute to a more comprehensive assessment of the association between ecological impacts of MPAs and drivers of conservation success, and offer key information to consolidate MPA networks that sustain biodiversity.

Unravelling Lessonia trabeculata management in coastal areas of the Atacama region of northern Chile through a DPSIR approach: Insights for sustainable plans

Subtidal Lessonia trabeculata is one of the primary kelp resources of northern Chile. It is an ecosystem engineer that provides habitat, shelter, and food for invertebrates and fish. This fishery has been developed by a collection of stranded algae carried out by legally registered fishers and illegal collectors in open-access areas and management and exploitation areas for benthic resources. Due to the current high demand on the international market, the collection of dead plants is supplemented by direct extraction. In response, a management plan has been implemented to regulate extraction efforts and institute annual quotas. The dynamics of the L. trabeculata fishery in the Atacama region over 20years were evaluated using the conceptual framework of the driver-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) approach. The fishing dynamics are strongly conditioned by price fluctuations, promoting the growth of fishing efforts (pressure) in response to economic indicators (driving forces). This often leads to a high volume of extractions of resources (impact) reflected in the increase in extractors and landings in spite of the establishment of quotas (responses), that generate intense pressure on local populations of algae and other commercially important fish and invertebrates (state). A lack of knowledge was detected regarding population aspects and its associated communities. Consequently, this kelp has been mismanaged without a specific focus on this species. Finally, the indicators included in the present DPSIR analysis enable a global understanding of the L. trabeculata fishery, and it should be considered as a basis for future studies and the implementation of resource management strategies.

Successful artificial reefs depend on getting the context right due to complex socio-bio-economic interactions

Artificial reefs (ARs) are one of the most popular means of supporting marine ecosystem conservation and coastal fisheries, particularly in developing countries. However, ARs generate complex socio-bio-economic interactions that require careful evaluation. This is particularly the case for ARs outside no-take zones, where fish might be subject to enhanced exploitation due to easier catchability. Here, we conducted an interdisciplinary study on how ARs impact fish and fishing yields, combining mathematical and sociological approaches. Both approaches converge to confirm that fishery yields decline when ARs are exploited as if they were open access areas. This situation typically occurs in areas with weak governance and/or high levels of illegal fishing activity, both of which are common in many developing countries. To avoid these adverse effects and their associated ecological consequences, we recommend prioritizing the onset of a long-term surveillance system against illegal fishing activities, and adapting design and location of the ARs based on both and local and academic knowledge, before the deployment of ARs.

Effects of marine protected areas under different management regimes in a hot spot of biodiversity and cumulative impacts from SW Atlantic

Marine protected areas (MPAs) represent a useful tool for resource management, as well as to conserve and/or restore biological communities. The level of protection is key factor influencing the marine biodiversity, where a more enforced protection is expected to drive positive outcomes. In 2008, a large MPAs network (∼11,380 km 2) was established in one of off the most populated and industrialized areas in the world (i.e., São Paulo State coast, southeast Brazil). Given many goods and services provided by marine ecosystems, this MPA network represents the most challenging marine conservation initiative in Brazil. Harboring​ areas with different socio-ecological contexts and management regimes, this MPA network provides a unique opportunity to investigate the effects of cumulative impacts. We contrasted the biomass and size structure of reef fish in three subtropical islands under different levels of enforcement. We analyzed the influence of variables as island size, benthic cover, depth, topographic complexity, wave exposure, and protection level on the biomass of reef fish assemblages. Protection level was the main attribute responsible to explain the high biomass of fish target species and small territorial herbivores. In sites sheltered from the waves, the biomass of groupers was ∼1600% higher within enforced area than that from open-access area. Beyond the idea of positive effects of enforcement on reef fish biomass and size, we add evidences that even under multiple stressors, the area-based management is still a strong tool to marine conservation.

Exploring the role of access regimes over an economically important intertidal kelp species

Achieving sustainable use of kelps is key for small-scale fishers’ livelihoods and biodiversity. During the last three decades, Chile has implemented different policy approaches to manage kelps. Unfortunately, assessments of the biological impacts of these management regimes have not received the attention they deserve. In this study, we explore biomass, density, size structure and holdfast diameter/stipe length relation of the kelp Lessonia spp., associated to a territorial user rights policy, which grant exclusive access to fishers, and a regional management plan policy which defines control rules in what were historically de facto open access areas. We compare these with marine protected areas where harvesting is banned, thus serving as a benchmark. The study was performed along the coast of two of the main kelp harvesting regions of Chile. The analyses, performed in two time periods, shows that biomass is greater inside areas managed through territorial user rights and in marine protected areas compared to areas where regional management plans have been implemented, which perform in a similar way to open access sites. Enforcement is a key driver of kelp response. Densities of recruits and juveniles are higher in areas where harvesting and gathering are allowed, whilst adult plants have higher density in marine protected areas. In all cases, kelps have become denser after eleven years. The holdfast diameter/stipe length relation provides an indicator of protection efficiency: stricter regulatory measures are related to larger holdfast diameters and shorter stipes. We conclude that, in general, territorial user rights policies and marine protected areas have contributed to the conservation of wild intertidal Lessonia populations. Results highlight the potential of the regional management plans policy to improve kelp management, but it will probably need important adjustments to enhance enforcement and compliance. In addition management innovations such as rotational harvest strategies could provide an important complement which should be further assessed.

The use of fishers’ knowledge to assess benthic resource abundance across management regimes in Chilean artisanal fisheries

Globally, marine fisheries remain largely unassessed, particularly small-scale fisheries in developing countries. Fishers’ knowledge has proven to be valuable to help fill gaps of information in otherwise unassessed fisheries. This study tested the reliability of fishers’ knowledge to estimate the abundance of two benthic resources, locos (Concholepas concholepas) and keyhole limpets (Fissurella spp.), across two management regimes, territorial user rights for fisheries (TURF) and open access areas (OAA), over ~500 km of coastline in central Chile. Fishers’ knowledge (FK) was quantified using systematic interviews and compared to direct assessments (DA). Additionally, resource abundance was compared between the fishing regimes, considering regions with different concentration of TURFs (and consequently different availability of OAAs). The results show that abundances estimated by the two methods were highly consistent for the most valuable resource (the loco) and quite reliable for the keyhole limpet (for 67% of the comparisons). Abundances of both resources were higher in TURFs than in OAAs, a pattern detected by both FK and DA. The results clearly show the potential of this approach to be applied for the Chilean benthic fisheries over large scales. Interestingly, the results also show significantly lower abundance of locos in OAAs than in TURFs at coves immersed in zones with low availability of open access fishing grounds, suggesting the influence of effort displacement after the implementation of TURFs. This ancillary result highlights the need for seascape management plans that consider the potential, unintended effects of TURFs on resources beyond their boundaries. These findings are of both local and global interest, supporting the use of FK to inform management in unassessed small-scale fisheries.

MPA network design based on graph theory and emergent properties of larval dispersal

Despite the recognised effectiveness of networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) as a biodiversity conservation instrument, MPA network design frequently disregards the importance of connectivity patterns. In the case of sedentary marine populations, connectivity stems not only from the stochastic nature of the physical environment that affects dispersal of early life stages, but also from the spawning stock attributes that affect reproductive output (e.g. passive eggs and larvae) and survivorship. Early life stages are virtually impossible to track in the ocean. Therefore, numerical ocean current simulations coupled with egg and larval Lagrangian transport models remain the most common approach for the assessment of marine larval connectivity. Inferred larval connectivity may differ depending on the type of connectivity considered; consequently, the prioritisation of sites for the conservation of marine populations might also differ. Here, we introduce a framework for evaluating and designing MPA networks based on the identification of connectivity hotspots using graph theoretic analysis. As a case study, we used a network of open-access areas and MPAs off Mallorca Island (Spain), and tested its effectiveness for the protection of the painted comber Serranus scriba. Outputs from network analysis were used to (1) identify critical areas for improving overall larval connectivity, (2) assess the impact of species’ biological parameters in network connectivity and (3) explore alternative MPA configurations to improve average network connectivity. Results demonstrate the potential of graph theory to identify non-trivial egg/larval dispersal patterns and emerging collective properties of the MPA network, which are relevant for increasing protection efficiency.

Evidence of illegal catch in the benthic artisanal fisheries of central Chile: patterns across species and management regimes

Non-compliance with fishing regulations is a widespread phenomenon in fisheries worldwide, jeopardizing the recovery of stocks and ecosystem services. There is an urgent need to fill the gaps in our understanding of the scale and nature of illegal fishing in artisanal fisheries, balancing the advances made in industrial fisheries. We explored patterns of fisher compliance with the existing minimum legal size (MLS) regulation in the small-scale benthic fisheries of central Chile. We focus on two of the most conspicuous species (loco Concholepas concholepas and keyhole limpets Fissurella spp.) and comparing two management regimes: management areas (MAs; local name for territorial use rights for fisheries) and open access areas (OAAs; no spatial entry restrictions). We also evaluated the effect of the spatial distribution of MAs, which determines the availability of OAAs on compliance. For both species, we measured the size of individuals in the catch in two consecutive years. We developed an index that accounts for the availability of open access areas per fisher. We found that a) the number of undersized individuals in the catch in OAAs is enormous, b) management regime influences both the median size and fraction of the undersized catch, and c) as the availability of OAAs per fisher decreases, illegal fishing increases, demonstrating the need to manage the levels of effort displacement in designing area-based instruments for management and conservation. Our findings also highlight the need to a) analyze the benefits of area-based instruments at the seascape scale, and b) develop and adapt instruments to prevent illegal fishing.

Drivers and trends in catch of benthic resources in Chilean TURFs and surrounding open access areas

Beginning in the 1990’s, Chile implemented an extensive Territorial User Rights for Fisheries (TURFs) network that now comprises nearly 1,000 TURFs. This network provides a rare opportunity to examine spatial and temporal trends in TURF use and impacts on surrounding open access areas (OAAs). In this analysis, landings of keyhole limpet (Fissurella spp.), kelp (Lessonia spp.) and red sea urchin (Loxechinus albus) were used to estimate catch-per-unit effort (CPUEs) and catch-per-unit area (CPUAs) indices inside and outside TURFs by fishing cove. For these species, CPUEs and CPUAs in 2015 were significantly higher inside TURFs. However, temporal trends analyzed with a linear mixed effects model indicate that CPUAs inside TURFs have been significantly decreasing since 2000 for keyhole limpet, red sea urchin and for loco (Concholepas concholepas), while in OAAs this measure only decreased for limpet. An elastic net regression was used to better explain catches in OAAs during 2015, including a variety of variables related to the characteristics and activity of proximal TURFs. Results indicate that exogenous factors unrelated to TURF management were the primary drivers of catches in OAAs during 2015 but that factors related to proximal TURFs appear to have a slight negative impact that grows over time. Collectively, these results indicate that while TURFs are associated with higher catch rates than surrounding OAAs, catch rates appear to be decreasing over time and, though limited, the impact of TURFs on surrounding OAAs may be negative. These findings suggest a need for a more nuanced and dynamic approach to spatial management on benthic resources in Chile.

Pola Tutupan, Penggunaan, Serta Tantangan Kebijakan Perlindungan Ekosistem Gambut di Kabupaten Bengkalis

Since the issuance of Government Rule No. 71/2014 jo. No. 57/2016, there has been a wide debate, because those rules may trigger other problems such as food security, social, economic, political, as well as peatland cultivation security. Considering this issue, this study aims to analyze challenges in implementing peat protection policies as textually arranged in Government Rule No. 71/2014 jo. No. 57/2016, in Bengkalis Regency. Overall, in order to discuss both of rule in form and rule in use aspects, this study was conducted using maps overlay technique and content analysis on Government Rule No. 71/2014 jo. No. 57/2016. Based on those approaches, this study shows that there are four challanges in implementing previously mentioned peat ecosystem protectetion policies in Bengkalis Regency, particularly in regard to the measurement of damaged peatland criteria, frictions between protection incentives and pressure on peatland conversion, significant economic contraction, up to the emergence of new open access areas that often be illegally occupied and worsening peatland existing conditions. This finding implies that the government as the regulator in the implementation of peat ecosystem protection policies should open a wider room for policy improvements, in order provide a more balanced consideration to three important aspects of sustainable development, which is not only limited to environmental sustainability, but also covering both of social and economic sustainability.

Drug resistance and plasmid profile of bacterial isolates from automated teller machine keypads in Benin city

The purpose of this study was to investigate the drug resistance and plasmid profile of bacterial isolates from automated teller machine (ATM) keypads in Benin City, Nigeria. Samples were collected from the keypads of ATMs situated in banking premises and open access areas using stratified random sampling method at 5 different locations. Isolated bacteria were characterized by extensive phenotypic and biochemical identification procedures. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern and plasmid profile of the isolates were carried out using standard methods. The bacteria isolated were: Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacteria sp., Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus pyogenes. Each isolate exhibited marked resistance to the antibiotics, with multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index > 0.2. Escherichia coli showed the highest resistance (MAR index, 1) while Micrococcus luteus exhibited the least resistance (MAR index, 0.5) to the antibiotics used. Plasmid profile of the isolates revealed the presence of plasmids in the isolates, with a reduction in antibiotic resistance after plasmid curing in some isolates. This indicated plasmid-mediated resistance among majority of the isolates. From the results obtained, it is pertinent therefore, to adopt proper measures aimed at preventing outbreak of diseases associated with these multi-drug resistant bacteria isolated from ATM keypads.
 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res.54(3), 231-240, 2019

Integrated system architecture for decision-making and urban planning in smart cities

Research and development of applications for smart cities are extremely relevant considering the various problems that population growth will bring to large urban centers in the next few years. Although research on cyber-physical systems, cloud computing, embedded devices, sensor and actuator networks, and participatory sensing, among other paradigms, is driving the growth of solutions, there are a lot of challenges that need to be addressed. Based on these observations, in this work, we present an integrated system architecture for decision-making support and urban planning by introducing its building blocks (termed components): sensing/actuation, local processing, communication, cloud platform, and application components. In the sensing/actuation component, we present the major relevant resources for data collection, identification devices, and actuators that can be used in smart city solutions. Sensing/actuation component is followed by the local processing component, which is responsible for processing, decision-making support, and control in local scale. The communication component, as the connection element among all these components, is presented with an emphasis on the open-access metropolitan area network and cellular networks. The cloud platform is the essential component for urban planning and integration with electronic governance legacy systems, and finally, the application component, in which the government administrator and users have access to public management tools, citizen services, and other urban planning resources.

Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Surgery: History and Evolution

In previous decades, extensive and disfiguring transfacial and/or transcranial approaches were used to reach the sellar and parasellar areas. However, these surgical routes were burdened by severe complications and high mortality rates. Recently, the development of endoscopic endonasal techniques has revolutionized the surgical strategies for approaching the sella and adjacent areas and increased the development of transsphenoidal surgery. With these techniques, surgeons have been able to overcome the visual limitations of the open surgical approaches and access areas previously hidden from view. After the contributions of the Pittsburgh duo, Carrau and Jho, pioneers of pure endoscopic surgery, our school began to implement this technique, introducing technical innovations and variations, describing the anatomical details and defining new routes, and playing a key role in its widespread clinical application.