Insulin therapy during Ramadan fast for Type 1 diabetes patients

Patients with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) are normally exempt from the Ramadan fast; however, some patients insist on following the fast, often without the approval of their physicians. The aim of this study is to provide patients with T1D, who insist on fasting, with the most appropriate insulin regimen during the month of Ramadan. Seventeen patients with T1D who insisted on fasting were studied. Prior to Ramadan, the intermediate insulin was changed to ultralente in all patients. The total dose of insulin given to fasting patients by the end of Ramadan (45.7 +/- 14.4 U/day) was less than the total dose of insulin given before fasting (52.8 +/- 13.1 U/day) p<0.05. The ultralente and regular insulin constituted 70 and 30%, respectively, of the total insulin dose by the end of Ramadan, divided equally between Suhur (before sunrise) and Iftar (after sunset). There was no change in the glycosylated hemoglobin before and after fasting. Patients were instructed to break their fast after any episode of hypoglycemia. There were no severe daytime hypoglycemia episodes. We recommend that patients with T1D wishing to fast be switched to long acting insulin such as ultralente. The total insulin dose should consist of around 85% of their initial insulin dose and it should be composed of around 70% ultralente and 30% rapid insulin, divided equally between Suhur and Iftar.

Biotin-responsive basal ganglia disease: neuroimaging features before and after treatment

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Biotin-responsive basal ganglia disease is an autosomal recessive neurometabolic disorder presenting with subacute encephalopathy that can cause death if left untreated. The purpose of this study is to assess the neuroimaging and clinical features of the disease before and after treatment with biotin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical, laboratory, and neuroimaging features of 15 genetically-proved Middle Eastern cases of biotin-responsive basal ganglia disease. Brain MR imaging was done at the onset of symptoms in all cases and within 2-8 weeks after biotin and thiamine therapy in 14 patients. The MR imaging datasets were analyzed according to lesion location, extent, and distribution.

RESULTS

Brain MR imaging showed bilateral lesions in the caudate nuclei with complete or partial involvement of the putamen and sparing of the globus pallidus in all cases. In 80%, discrete abnormal signals were observed in the mesencephalon, cerebral cortical-subcortical regions, and thalami. In 53%, when the disease was advanced, patchy deep white matter affection was found. The cerebellum was involved in 13.3%. The signal abnormality of the mesencephalon, cortex, and white matter disappeared after treatment whereas the caudate and putamen necrosis persisted in all patients, including those who became asymptomatic.

CONCLUSIONS

Biotin-responsive basal ganglia disease is a treatable underdiagnosed disease. It should be suspected in pediatric patients with unexplained encephalopathy whose brain MR imaging shows bilateral and symmetric lesions in the caudate heads and putamen, with or without involvement of mesencephalon, thalami, and cortical-subcortical regions, as the therapeutic trial of biotin and thiamine can be lifesaving.

Immunohistochemical analysis of expression and allelotype of mismatch repair genes (hMLH1 and hMSH2) in bladder cancer

Mutation of human homologues of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes in tumours has been shown to be associated with the phenomenon of microsatellite instability (MSI). Several studies have reported the occurrence of MSI in bladder cancer, but evidence of involvement of MMR genes in the pathogenesis of this cancer is still unclear. We therefore utilized quantitative immunohistochemical (IHC) image analysis and PCR-based allelotype analysis to determine hMLH1 and hMSH2 genes alteration in a cohort of Egyptian bladder cancer samples. IHC analysis of 24 TCC and 12 SCC revealed marked- intra and intertumour heterogeneity in the levels of expression of the two MMR proteins. One TCC lost MLH1 expression and one lost MSH2, (1/24, 4%), and one SCC lost MSH2 (1/12, 8%). A large proportion of analysed tumours revealed a percentage positivity of less than 50% for MLH1 and MSH2 expression (44% and 69%, respectively). Complete loss of heterozygosity in three dinucleotide repeats lying within, or in close proximity to, hMLH1 and hMSH2 was rare (2/57, (4%) for MLH1; and 1/55, (2%) for MSH2), however allelic imbalance was detected in 11/57 (hMLH1) and 10/55 (hMSH2) at any of the informative microsatellite loci. These alterations in structure and expression of DNA MMR genes suggest their possible involvement in the tumorigenesis and/or progression of bladder cancer.

Multifarious Indigenous Diazotrophic Rhizobacteria of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Rhizosphere and Their Effect on Plant Growth Promotion

A diverse group of rhizobacteria persists in the rhizospheric soil, on the surface of roots, or in association with rice plants. These bacteria colonize plant root systems, enhance plant growth and crop yield. Indigenous rhizobacteria are known to promote soil health, grain production quality and serve as sustainable bioinoculant. The present study was aimed to isolate, identify and characterize indigenous plant growth promoting (PGP) diazotrophic bacteria associated with the rhizosphere of rice fields from different areas of Jammu and Kashmir, India. A total of 15 bacteria were isolated and evaluated for various PGP traits, antagonistic activity against phytopathogens, production of hydrolytic enzymes and biofilm formation under in-vitro conditions. The majority of the isolated bacteria were Gram-negative. Out of 15 bacterial isolates, nine isolates produced IAA (12.24 ± 2.86 to 250.3 ± 1.15 μg/ml), 6 isolates exhibited phosphate solubilization activity (36.69 ± 1.63 to 312.4 ± 1.15 μg/ml), 7 isolates exhibited rock phosphate solubilization while 5 isolates solubilized zinc (10-18 mm), 7 isolates showed siderophore production, 8 isolates exhibited HCN production, 6 isolates exhibited aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity, 13 isolates exhibited cellulase activity, nine isolates exhibited amylase and lipase activity and six isolates exhibited chitinase activity. In addition, 5 isolates showed amplification with the nifH gene and showed a significant amount of nitrogenase activity in a range of 0.127-4.39 μmol C2H4/mg protein/h. Five isolates viz., IHK-1, IHK-3, IHK-13, IHK-15 and IHK-25 exhibited most PGP attributes and successfully limited the mycelial growth of Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum in-vitro. All the five bacterial isolates were identified based on morphological, biochemical and 16S rDNA gene sequencing study, as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Enterobacter sp., Bacillus sp., Ochrobactrum haematophilum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Rice plants developed from seeds inoculated with these PGP strains individually had considerably higher germination percentage, seed vigor index and total dry biomass when compared to control. These findings strongly imply that the PGP diazotrophic bacteria identified in this work could be employed as plant growth stimulators in rice.

[Primary infection with cytomegalovirus: An infectious cause of splenic infarction]

INTRODUCTION

Cytomegalovirus-associated thrombosis has been extensively reported in the medical literature, mainly in immune-compromised patients. However, the association with splenic infarcts has rarely been reported.

CASE REPORT

We report a 32-year-old Caucasian and immunocompetent woman who presented with a splenic infarction during a primary infection with CMV. The differential diagnostic ruled out embolic, hematologic, gastrointestinal and coagulation disorders. The outcome was favorable with symptomatic treatment.

CONCLUSION

A primary infection with CMV must be added to the diagnostic work-up in the presence of a febrile splenic infarction, especially when it is associated with a biological mononucleosis reaction.

Farmers’ perception of the quality of mobile-based extension services in egypt: A comparison between public and private provision

During the last 10 years, different initiatives have been implemented to provide mobile-based extension services for the agricultural sector in Egypt. The current study compared the quality of agricultural extension messages between public and private providers. A simple random sample of 120 farmers was selected representing 7% of the total farmers registered in the databases of Ministry of Agriculture (public services) and Shoura company (private services). Farmers assessed a sample of 10 messages delivered by both providers in terms of six indicators namely (1) access, (2) utilization, (3) timeliness, (4) trust, (5) satisfaction, and (6) sharing information with other farmers. The findings revealed the lack of access to messages by the farmers in the two services. However, more than 50% had utilized the majority of messages (in case of access). The study also showed significant differences between perception of farmers to quality attributes in public and private services (Access 6.77, 0.01; Utilization 8.44, 0.004; Timeliness 8.55, 0.002; Satisfaction 8.88, 0.001; information sharing 7.62, 0.009) except for trust (1.11, 0.4). Findings provide practical implications to support mobile-based extension services to enable sharing information and link farmers with other actors in the agricultural value chain.

Mobile-based advisory services for sustainable agriculture: Assessing farmers’ information behavior

Mobile-based advisory services have significant benefits, including access to agricultural information, knowledge sharing, meteorological information, marketing-related information, and financial services for smallholder farmers. This study aimed to assess farmers’ information behavior regarding mobile-based advisory services and how farmers with different characteristics and attitudes access and adopt information. Data were collected from 382 farmers in Dakhalia governorate, Egypt. The most frequently received information was related to best agricultural practices, weather forecasts, seed varieties and treatment, and water management. Cluster analysis revealed that 47% of the farmers had low information behavior. Seventy-one of the respondents had a favorable attitude toward information retrieval from mobile agricultural services. The information behavior groups of the farmers significantly differed in education, farm size, diversity of agricultural production, and attitude regarding trust and quality of the information provided. Information behavior among farmers has useful implications for policymakers in supporting the long-term benefits of mobile-based advisory services.

Are partnerships in nonprofit organizations being governed for sustainability? A partnering life cycle assessment

Goal 17 of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) attracted attention to the importance of partnerships between governments, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations (NPOs) for sustainable development. This paper aims to analyze the processes of establishing and operating the partnerships between NPOs and other actors in terms of governance. The best practices for partnership governance were examined according to the partnering life cycle framework. A simple random sample of 184 NPOs in six regions of Saudi Arabia was selected for data collection. These organizations were analyzed according to their governance practices in 937 partnerships established during 2016-2018. The findings showed that the organizations had strongly implemented the phases of building and scoping and managing and maintaining, while their governance practices regarding phases of reviewing and revising and sustaining outcomes ranged between moderate and low levels. The results also revealed significant differences between the overall implementation of the partnering life cycle practices and the NPO's year of establishment. It was concluded that analyzing the current situation of implementing the best practices of partnership governance is useful to explore the efficiency and effectiveness of partnerships between NPOs and other actors, as well as the existing policy gaps, so as to create and implement sustainable-oriented partnerships.

Effect of gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide-derived polysaccharides, glycolipids, and lipopolysaccharides on rabbit and human platelets in vitro

The in vitro effect of gram-negative bacterial LPS-derived polysaccharide (PS), glycolipid (GL), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was investigated both on rabbit and human platelets. Rabbit platelets aggregated when they were treated with either GL or LPS, but no aggregation occurred when PS was used. No aggregation occurred when human platelets were treated with LPS, PS, or GL. However, when either human or rabbit platelets were treated with LPS-antibody complexes (LPS-ab), aggregation took place. Guinea-pig serum inhibited the aggregation caused by LPS-ab, but had no effect on rabbit platelet aggregation caused by LPS or GL alone. The factor(s) in guinea-pig serum that inhibited aggregation was heat-stable. These results suggest that there may be two different mechanisms involved in rabbit platelet aggregation by endotoxin in vitro. Using human platelets, only one mechanism was observed.

Factors influencing farmers' satisfaction with the quality of agricultural extension services

Assessing farmers' satisfaction with the quality of agricultural-extension services is essential for developing extension programs that comply with farmers' needs and agroecological conditions. This study aimed to determine factors influencing farmers' satisfaction with extension services. Data were collected through a questionnaire from a random sample of 393 farmers in the Kafr El Sheikh governorate. Farmers assessed the quality of extension services by five main indicators: (1) availability, (2) accessibility, (3) diversity, (4) relevance, and (5) effectiveness. Descriptive statistics and a logistic-regression model were used to analyze the data. Results showed that farmers had lowly participated in the provided extension services. The accessibility of services was ranked first with regard to satisfaction, while diversity of services was the lowest-ranked quality attribute. Results also revealed that factors significantly influencing farmers' satisfaction included farm size, diversity of farming activities, annual income, and participation in extension services. Results provide practical implications for policy makers to support smallholder farmers by providing high-quality extension programs.

Factors influencing smallholder orange farmers for compliance with GobalGAP standards

The inability of farmers to comply with global good agricultural practices (GlobalGAP) standards has led to food safety issues harmful to human health and sustainable agriculture. This study aimed to assess the extent of GlobalGAP compliance among orange farmers and investigate barriers associated with compliance. Data were collected with structured questionnaires from 238 orange farmers. The findings showed that the farmers’ rate of adherence to the GlobalGAP standards was moderate (mean 3.58). Using factor analysis, the following four groups were identified as key barriers to compliance: personal and economic barriers, awareness and information barriers, institutional-support barriers, and infrastructure barriers. Institutional support barriers were deemed most important by farmers in compliance decisions (mean 4.29), followed by personal and economic barriers (mean 3.89). Therefore, a focus on the barriers faced by smallholder farmers would be crucial to improve their adoption of food safety standards. This can enhance the quality of agricultural commodities, customers’ safety, and the livelihood of smallholder farmers.

Comparative Chemical Profiles and Phytotoxic Activity of Essential Oils of Two Ecospecies of Pulicaria undulata (L.) C.A.Mey

The Asteraceae (Compositae) family is one of the largest angiosperm families that has a large number of aromatic species. Pulicaria undulata is a well-known medicinal plant that is used in the treatment of various diseases due to its essential oil (EO). The EO of both Saudi and Egyptian ecospecies were extracted via hydrodistillation, and the chemical compounds were identified by GC-MS analysis. The composition of the EOs of Saudi and Egyptian ecospecies, as well as other reported ecospecies, were chemometrically analyzed. Additionally, the phytotoxic activity of the extracted EOs was tested against the weeds Dactyloctenium aegyptium and Bidens pilosa. In total, 80 compounds were identified from both ecospecies, of which 61 were Saudi ecospecies, with a preponderance of β-pinene, isoshyobunone, 6-epi-shyobunol, α-pinene, and α-terpinolene. However, the Egyptian ecospecies attained a lower number (34 compounds), with spathulenol, hexahydrofarnesyl acetone, α-bisabolol, and τ--cadinol as the main compounds. The chemometric analysis revealed that the studied ecospecies and other reported species were different in their composition. This variation could be attributed to the difference in the environmental and climatic conditions. The EO of the Egyptian ecospecies showed more phytotoxic activity against D. aegyptium and B. pilosa than the Saudi ecospecies. This variation might be ascribed to the difference in their major constituents. Therefore, further study is recommended for the characterization of authentic materials of these compounds as allelochemicals against various weeds, either singular or in combination.

Do farmers perceive risks of fraudulent pesticides? Evidence from Saudi Arabia

The increasing number of fraudulent pesticides on the market not only constitutes a major threat to sustainable agriculture but can also have adverse consequences for the environment and human health. The purpose of this study is to assess farmers’ risk perception with regard to fraudulent pesticides and to establish the determinants of their perception. Data were collected through structured questionnaires from 370 farmers from the eastern region in Saudi Arabia. The findings showed that farmers had a high perception of physical, legal, social, and physiological risks of counterfeit pesticides, while they had a moderate perception of agri-environmental risks (M = 3.47, SD = 0.72) and economic risks (M = 3.52, SD = 1.11). Moreover, 73.5% of farmers reported that they had purchased fraudulent pesticides in the last three years. The results of the t-test revealed that the number of farmers who had purchased fraudulent pesticides was significantly higher than the number of farmers who had not purchased such pesticides regarding the perception of the majority of risks, except for physical risk. Multivariate regression analyses showed that age, farm size, farming experience, extension contact, and purchased fraudulent pesticides were significantly associated with risk perception. The findings suggest that awareness campaigns on recognizing fraudulent pesticides among farmers are needed, as well as policy measures, to combat counterfeiting in the agricultural sector in cooperation with other stakeholders.

Training needs of extension agents' regarding organic agriculture in Saudi Arabia

The purpose of this study was to investigate the needs of extension agents for training on organic agriculture (OA) in the Riyadh Region. Fifty-five percent (n = 69) of extension agents were selected to collect data through an electronic survey. Results indicated that extension agents in the Riyadh Region cited on job training as a main source for acquiring knowledge in OA. Agents expressed interest in receiving training in OA in general, OA marketing, and transitioning to OA. The most useful resources were field days at organic farms, OA training sessions at colleges, and attending OA trial plots. There were no differences in the level of interest in training; however, there were significant differences between individuals in terms of their experience in OA, job responsibility for providing information related to OA, and area of specialization in their job. This study recommends developing professional training programs based on the current knowledge of extension agents.

[Hyperkalemia induced by atenolol]

We report a 53-year-old woman with hyperkaliemia secondary to treatment with atenolol. The diagnosis of atenolol induced hyperkaliemia was obtained after excluding other causes of hyperkaliemia and normalization of potassium serum level following the discontinuation of this medication without any other modification (treatment or diet). Furthermore, when atenolol was again introduced, serum potassium level increased and normalized when atenol was definitively discontinued. The mechanism of hyperkaliemia we suspected is probably a reduction of potassium intracellular transfer.

Analysis of partnerships between agricultural cooperatives and development actors: A national survey in Saudi Arabia

The partnerships between agricultural cooperatives and development actors play a critical role in meeting development challenges and building cooperative sustainability. The objective of this study was to analyze the key characteristics of engagements established between agricultural cooperatives and other actors and determine their success level. An analytical framework was developed to highlight nine areas, namely partnership configuration, stakeholders, objectives of the partnerships, partnership types, partnership stages, communication methods, achieved outcomes, partnership evaluation, and partnership sustainability. The targets were all agricultural cooperatives building associations with other actors between 2016 and 2020 in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the study covered 69 partnerships founded by 32 agricultural cooperatives. The results revealed that the cooperatives involved in partnerships essentially provide farming inputs and equipment for their stakeholders and capacity building and training purposes. The public sector was the leading actor that collaborated with agricultural cooperatives in inter-sector partnerships. The findings also showed that 55.1% of the partnerships were “strategic partnerships” in cases of both independent value formation and integrative partnerships. By focusing on mapping the partnerships, this study presents beneficial information for policy-makers working on how agricultural cooperatives dealt with the other actors and the lessons gathered to build future sustainability collaborations.

3328Relationship between streptococcal infective endocarditis and pre-neoplastic colorectal lesions

Background

Colorectal cancer is associated with infective endocarditis (IE), due to specific gut pathogens like streptococcus Gallolyticus that use the tumor presence as a point of blood entry. However, the association between streptococcal IE and pre-cancerous lesions such as dysplastic adenomas is unknown.

Objectives

To determine the association with pre-neoplastic colorectal lesions and streptococcal IE.

Methods

Two hundred eighty consecutive patients with IE were included retrospectively in a protocol of clinical, microbiological and imaging follow-up, between January 2008 and December 2018. Pre-cancerous lesions were divided as high and low-grade dysplasia based on World Health Organization criteria. Colorectal cancer was defined as the presence of malignant cell beyond the muscularis mucosa.

Results

Fifty patients (18%) presented neoplastic or pre-neoplastic lesions, and 26 of them (52%) were colorectal: 10 (38%) colorectal cancer and 16 (62%) precancerous lesions (12% high degree (n=2); 88% low degree (n=14)). Both, colorectal cancer (20% vs 5%; p=0.03) and pre-neoplastic lesions (44% vs 3%; p<0.05) were associated with higher incidence of streptococcus Gallolyticus IE (Figure 1). Additionally, 42% (n=11) of colorectal lesions were diagnosed in the IE event. No significant differences were found about cardiac surgery and in-hospital mortality in these patients.

Figure 1. Relationship between S. Gallolyticus IE and colorectal lesions. (a) Statistical significance between colorectal cancer and S. Gallolyticus IE. (b) Statistical significance between pre-neoplastic colorectal lesions and S. Gallolyticus IE.

Conclusions

Pre-cancerous colorectal lesions are also associated with streptococcus Gallolyticus IE, even low-grade lesions. Hence, it is necessary to rule out occult neoplastic and also pre-neoplastic colorectal lesions with colonoscopy in these patients.

Correlation between aboveground vegetation composition and soil seed bank of Raudhat desert habitat: a case study of Raudhat Alkhafs, Saudi Arabia

Plant diversity in arid environments is very important for ecosystem function and services. Raudhat habitat is among the most important ecosystems in the arid regions which is characterized by its rich biodiversity and specific environmental conditions. The present study aims to characterize plant communities and soil seed banks of the Raudhat Alkhafs, northeast of Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. Vegetation composition was analyzed during the winter-spring and summer-fall seasons. Soil samples were collected from each site for seed bank analysis through seedling emergence techniques and for chemical and physical analyses. Eighty-three plant species were recorded (50.6% perennial and 49.4% annual plants). Among 30 plant families, Asteraceae, Poaceae, Brassicaceae, Boraginaceae, and Fabaceae were frequent (50.6%). Therophytes are distinguished as major (45.8%) because of their ability to tolerate arid environments, high reproduction rate, ecological flexibility, and genetic plasticity. Vegetation analysis showed three plant communities in the winter-spring season dominated by Plantago ciliata, Calotropis procera, and Heliotropium ramosissimum, while in the summer-fall season, Calotropis procera dominated one community, while two other plant communities were dominated by Heliotropium ramosissimum. During the winter-spring season, Heliotropium ramosissimum community revealed the highest species richness (Simpson index = 0.92) and evenness (Shannon-evenness = 0.83). These variations among the two seasons in the species composition can be ascribed to the climatic conditions. For plant communities identified during the winter-spring season, the soil analysis revealed significant variations in salinity, soil texture, water holding capacity, H2CO3, K, and Na contents. However, the communities identified in the summer-fall season showed significant variations in salinity, soil texture, and Cl, and Mg contents. Regarding the soil seed bank, 22 plant species were identified in the soil samples, mainly annuals. The density of the seed bank ranged from 156 to 1339 seeds/m2. Trigonella stellata Forssk. attained the highest number of seeds in the soil (1628 seeds/m2), followed by Plantago ciliata (1000 seeds/m2) and Poa annua (889 seeds/m2). About 45% of the plant species recorded in the present study were not identified in the soil seed bank earlier in Raudhat Alkhafs. The low correlation between the aboveground vegetation and the soil seed bank of the northern part of the studied region revealed the degradation of the habitat which could be due to overgrazing and anthropogenic activities. Based on the obtained results, the sites of AlKhafs-North need immediate restoration and rehabilitation to conserve this very important biodiversity site.

Rural Farmers' Cognition and Climate Change Adaptation Impact on Cash Crop Productivity: Evidence from a Recent Study

The world faces a once-in-a-century transformation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adversely affecting farmers' employment, production practices, and livelihood resilience. Meanwhile, climate change (CC) is a crucial issue limiting agricultural production worldwide. Farmers' lives, severely affected by extreme weather conditions, are resulting in the reduced production of major economic crops. The CC has drastically influenced the major agricultural sectors of Pakistan, leading to a significant decline in farmers' living standards and the overall economy. Climate-smart and eco-friendly agricultural practices can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and ameliorate agricultural productivity under extreme environmental conditions. This paper highlights farmers' autonomous CC adaptation strategies and their influence on cash crop (maize for this study) yield under prevailing circumstances. The current study used a simultaneous equation model to examine the different adaptation impacts on adapters and non-adapters. The survey results of 498 maize farmers in rural Pakistan revealed that growers were aware of the recent CC and had taken adequate adaptive measures to acclimatize to CC. Farmers' arable land area, awareness level, and information accessibility to CC are the most crucial factors that impart a significant role in their adaptation judgments. However, most growers have inadequate adaptation strategies, including improved irrigation and the utilization of extensive fertilizers and pesticides. Using a simultaneous equation model of endogenous switching regression, the study found that farmers not adapted to CC were negatively affecting maize productivity. Therefore, this study suggests that policymakers pay attention to the countermeasures farmers have not taken to mitigate the impact of CC. In addition, policymakers should deliver appropriate adaptation strategies to assist growers in coping with climate-related natural hazards and ensure farmers' livelihood security, rural revitalization, and sustainable agricultural development.

Adoption of on-farm feed safety practices among livestock farmers: Evidence from Saudi Arabia

Compliance with feed safety standards and practices on the farm promotes sustainable livestock production and can positively affect the environment and human health. This study aims to examine farmers' on-farm adoption of feed safety practices and determine the differences in adoption according to the socio-economic characteristics of farmers. An online survey was conducted to collect the study data. The study participants consisted of 442 livestock farmers in Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia. The study findings revealed that farmers highly adopted categories of feed purchasing (77.9 %) and feed mixing and distribution (75.05 %), whereas they were considered as a moderate level adoption regarding feed storing (70.9 %). The cluster analysis results showed two main patterns of adoption- "high adopters" and "moderate adopters"-based on the average level of adoption for 25 feed safety practices examined. The cluster of "high adopters" accounted for 59.9 % of the sample and had higher average adoption in all practices examined. The findings revealed that there are significant differences between the two segments of farmers, corresponding to gender, membership in livestock association, extension contact, raising sheep, and feeding system. This study proposes the regular monitoring of farms to ensure strict adherence to feed safety regulations, with the implementation of awareness and capacity development initiatives pertaining to feed safety concerns.

A Framework for Quantifying the Strength of Partnerships between Agricultural Cooperatives and Development Actors: A Case Study in Saudi Arabia

The issue of the agricultural cooperatives' sustainability in developing their businesses is gaining increasing prominence. Building partnerships between development actors and agricultural cooperatives has been considered an effective strategy for supporting financial capital and addressing sustainability issues collectively. Therefore, this study aimed to address the features and strengths of 33 partnerships established between the Beekeeping Cooperative Association in Al-Baha, Saudi Arabia, and other actors between 2016 and 2021. The analysis of the collaborations was based on six criteria: motivations, partnership planning, outputs, governance practices, outcomes, and sustainability of a partnership. Furthermore, we developed a weighted scoring model to control variable selection and submit the strength of each partnership. The findings indicated that most collaborations (45.5%) were signed with the private sector. Furthermore, the honey value chain development was the most frequent reason (69.7%) attracting the partners to engage in the partnerships. Some of the most critical environmental objectives targeted by the partnerships examined were enhancing bee habitat by the diversification of pasture species, management to increase the flowering period, and proper grazing management. All partners achieved their individual goals jointly in 54.5% of the partnerships analyzed. In terms of a partnership's strength, the findings also revealed that only three partnerships (9.1%) were characterized as strong partnerships. This study provides a better understanding of how agricultural cooperatives collaborate with other actors and a basis for assessing the strength of the partnerships. Such information is crucial for developing relevant policies to encourage cooperatives to engage in future sustainability partnerships.

Creek systems in restored coastal wetlands: Morphological evolution and design implications

Saltmarsh restoration such as managed realignment (MR) projects often include excavation of simplified tidal creek networks to improve drainage and marsh functioning, but their design is based on limited evidence. This paper compares the morphological evolution of creek networks in current MR projects in the UK with creek networks in natural saltmarshes, in order to provide improved guidance. The evolution of creek networks was monitored for 2-20 years post-breach at 10 MR sites across the UK by semi-automatically extracting 12 morphological creek parameters from lidar. The rates of creek evolution in MR sites are linked to the initial tidal, morphological and sedimentological conditions using principal component analysis, then compared with power law relationships of morphological equilibrium defined from 13 mature natural saltmarshes. MR creeks evolved into larger, more complex, better distributed systems, with a total creek length and volume statistically similar to their natural counterparts. However, the creek volume remains poorly distributed, with a mean distance between creeks ranging from 33 to 101 m versus 5-15 m for natural mature saltmarshes. MR creeks are also clustered around the breach area, leaving the marsh interior poorly drained. MR creek network morphologies remain strongly influenced by the initial creek template, as evidenced by unnaturally straight creeks inherited from former drainage ditches. A combination of external conditions (i.e., tidal range, sediment concentration in the wider estuary) and local conditions (i.e., site elevation, topographical heterogeneity, soil compaction) controls how easily creeks can form within MR sites. This in turn determines the amount of engineering effort required to help achieve reference site conditions. The end goal of creek design is to create MR sites that closely resemble reference site conditions, however the final design is also likely to be affected by a range of practical factors (e.g. engineering/cost) unique to each site and project.