Advise the UK government on which primary energy resources would be best to develop over the next 20 years

Energy is a fundamental part of our lives; however, can we continue to rely on fossil fuels? By 2030 global energy demand will be 40% higher and there are also growing concerns over increased greenhouse gas emissions and the resultant warming of our planet which causes us to ask questions about whether our current energy supply is truly sustainable. The UK is running out of energy, without massive investment in new power plants there will be regular black outs in 10 years. There are several factors to consider when evaluating different primary energy resources; these include economic, environmental, political and social implications. However, the most important factors to consider would be economic viability (which is particularly significant due to the UK’s current economic situation) and environmental sustainability. In this essay I will be looking at these factors in order to try and come up with the most sensible solution to the growing energy problem in our country and therefore what primary energy resource should be developed to solve it.Government Regulation on Media in America Natural Gas Natural gas is a major source of electricity generation through the use of gas turbines and steam turbines. It burns more cleanly than other hydrocarbon fuels, such as oil and coal, and it also produces less carbon dioxide. For an equivalent amount of heat, burning natural gas produces about 30% less carbon dioxide than burning petroleum and about 45% less than burning coal. Gas from the North Sea has provided Britain with a regular supply since the mid 1960s when the first discoveries were made. However, UK supplies from the North peaked in 1999, since when production has fallen by around half (see graph to the right). The trade secretary says that the UK is now a net importer of gas – this growing dependence on imports means increasing vulnerability to rising prices and instability in gas-producing regions. Also the CO2 emissions are still significant so you can’t consider this energy resource as completely ‘clean’. Gas fracking in the UK is a very contro versial issue, especially after the recent earthquakes at test drilling sites near Blackpool. Coal 33% of our current energy sources come from coal; it is well established, cheap and reliable. However economically viable UK coal will run out in 10-15 years and is already expensive to mine. Half the coal used in the UK is now imported. The huge environmental implications involved with coal also remain to be a concern – there are high emissions of CO2 and SO2 (which causes acid rain.) Earlier this year the government invested  £1 billion in cleaner technologies, in particular carbon capture technologies which prevent CO2 from escaping into the atmosphere. â€Å"The potential rewards from carbon capture and storage are immense: a technology that can de-carbonise coal and gas-fired power stations and large industrial emitters, allowing them to play a crucial part in the UK's low carbon future† says Ed Davey, Energy and Climate Change Secretary. However this still remains to be a controversial strategy as some say that carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is in i ts infancy and does not work yet. Nuclear Power Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity – it provides about 20% of the UK’s energy, utilising 16 operational nuclear reactors at nine plants. Nuclear power is the primary source of electric power in France; 76% of France’s electricity comes from nuclear power, the highest percentage in the world. France's nuclear power industry has been called â€Å"a success story† that has put the nation â€Å"ahead of the world† in terms of providing cheap, CO2-free energy. The main positive environmental implication is that it creates minimal CO2 emissions after construction and therefore it isn’t contributing to global warming however this shouldn’t indicate that it is environmentally friendly; there are high levels of radioactive waste involved and the Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011) incidents raise concern over nuclear disasters. After the 2011 Fukushima incident, the head of France's nuclear safety agency said that France needs to upgrade the protection of vital functions in all its nuclear reactors to avoid a disaster in the event of a natural calamity, which will inevitably increase the cost of electricity. There are further negative economic implications as there are high costs of building and decommissioning reactors. Planning and building a power station takes at least 10 years so this will not help meet Kyoto agreements. However a positive economic implication is that Nuclear energy is not as vulnerable to fuel prices fluctuations as oil and gas. There are several pros and cons to nuclear power which makes it a controversial matter; all of the above points would have to be considered if this resource would be developed over the next 20 years. Hydropower This is the most widely used form of renewable energy, accounting for 16 percent of global electricity consumption but just over 2% of the UK’s current consumption. Natural flow hydro is reliant on rainfall and vulnerable to drought which is ideal for the UK. There are no CO2 emissions involved and no vulnerability to fuel prices or political instability and is very cheap once the dam has been built. In theory this sounds like the ideal option for the UK to develop over the next 20 years however in practice there are several negative implications involved. For instance, hydropower projects on mega dams in China have caused species extinction and serious water pollution issues. The three gorges dam in China has had many negative impacts; huge areas of land has been flooded resulting in a large scale relocation of people, villages etc. This case study indicates that a large scale hydropower system within the UK would not be completely sustainable. The Three Gorges Dam Oil Oil only accounts for 1.2% of the UK’s energy consumption and although it is a reliable technology and well established it has many negative implications with it. It is a finite stock resource – many oilfields are depleting; meaning production has peaked and prices will rise (price instability). This has also led to searching for unconventional reserves of oil e.g. in the Arctic. There could be 16 billion barrels of oil in Alaska and big oil TNCs are keen to extract it from this fragile wilderness which causes many harsh environmental impacts. The oil industry has a large dependence on politically unstable regions which causes many problems; the recent Arab spring conflict in Libya meant there were no exports of oil from this major producer. As well as creating a lot of CO2 emissions which contributes to global warming a major environmental implication is oil spills; the deep water horizon oil spill disaster caused extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats and to the Gulfs fishing and tourism industry. Biofuels Biofuels are crops or organic matter such as agricultural wastes which can be used as fuels. They are defined as renewable because they are based upon plants which have trapped the sun’s energy during photosynthesis and converted it into chemical energy. In the UK it accounts for 0.6% of energy consumption – there are only a few facilities burning Biofuels such as waste wood products and straw that are already operating. Energy crops could be grown in the UK, but some will not be cost effective unless yields improve. These energy costs are considered to be carbon neutral because carbon released when crops are burned is balanced by carbon absorbed from the atmosphere during growth. One of the main issues concerned with Biofuels is that it uses up a lot of land which could be used for other things such as growing crops – there is a link between the spread of Biofuels across the world and rising food prices. Brazil is considered to have the world's first sustainable Biofuels economy and is the Biofuel industry leader; the UK could learn a lot from Brazil’s 37-year-old ethanol fuel program which is based on the most efficient agricultural technology for sugarcane cultivation in the world. This program has led to there no longer being any light vehicles in Brazil running on pure gasoline which has huge environmental benefits. However, again Biofuels cannot be considered completely environmentally friendly as you need to take into account the direct and indirect effect of land use changes; Brazil and other developing countries convert land in undisturbed ecosystems, such as rainforests, savannas, or grasslands to Biofuel production. Some experts call bioethanol â€Å"deforestation diesel†. Wind Wind is a key renewable resource that is not vulnerable to fuel price fluctuations. Turbines are emission free and quick to build, with the costs of building them decreasing. The UK is very suited to wind farms – some say that the UK has the best wind resources in Europe. The UK is ranked as the world’s eighth largest producer of wind power; at the beginning of March 2012 the installed capacity of wind power in the United Kingdom was 6,580 megawatts with 333 operational wind farms and 3,506 wind turbines. However, even though it is a leading producer, wind power only accounts for 0.5% of our energy consumption therefore there is a large amount of room for development. There are several issues with this source of energy to be considered; it uses up a lot of land which inevitably leads to NIMBYISM issues – there is local opposition and concerns about the noise pollution and the impact on the landscape. This energy source is also intermittent as wind levels fluctuat e. Solar Solar is also a key free and renewable energy source. It can generate electricity from photovoltaic cells, be used to heat water directly, or be maximised by good building design. Spain is one of the most advanced countries in the development of solar energy however it is one of the European countries with the most hours of sunshine. This suggests that this source of energy would not be right for the UK as the UK sunshine is unreliable and limited. Solar power is also confined to daylight hours unless photovoltaic cells are used to store power in batteries. The solar power industry within the UK is developing however the potential may not be big enough for it to be developed further in the UK in my opinion. Wave and Tidal This has large potential in some parts of the UK and is a key renewable resource. However there are large development costs and it is still in the research stage with technology not being completely developed yet. There are also environmental issues involved with wave and tidal power; the barrier will act as a physical barrier to fish movements to spawning grounds etc. The wave and tidal barriers will also detract from the visual beauty of the coastline. Conclusion In this essay I have evaluated the pros and cons of several forms of primary energy which have the potential to be developed within the UK over the next 20 years. I have considered the environmental, political, social and economic implications of each in order to try and come up with the most sustainable option for the UK’s future. Forms of renewable energy seem to be the most obvious choice to be developed in the UK with the ever increasing concerns over global warming and climate change. The environmental impacts involved with using natural gas, coal, nuclear energy and oil all seem to be too big for them to be considered. The political impacts concerned with oil in particular is a strong indication of an energy resource that should be avoided by the UK; oil is already making a small and declining contribution to electricity generation in our country. With the focus being, in my opinion, on renewable energy it leaves the controversial decision over what particular primary energy source should be developed. At first glance, maximising the potential of hydropower seems to be the most sensible option as this is already having the largest contribution to our energy consumption out of all the renewables. However, much of the UK’s hydropower potential has already been exploited with large scale future development unlikely. I also believe that solar power isn’t the right renewable energy to go for as the UK’s climate is simply not suitable enough for it to have a large impact on our growing energy consumption. Wave and tidal energy does however have large potential in the UK however I am worried that due to its early stage in development it would need massive investment for it to reach its potential; this I believe would not be economically viable in the UK considering our current economic climate. This leaves me with wind power. I believe that this should be the energy resource that should be further developed over the next 20 years for several reasons; it is currently the fastest growing renewable in the UK and there is already heavy government backing to support it. There are little environmental impacts to be considered and with costs falling it is also economically viable. NIMBYISM objections can also be solved with the development of off-shore wind farms further out to sea, for example the world's biggest offshore wind farm off Kent with the 100 turbines being expected to generate enough electricity to power 200,000 homes. The success of this particular development will in my opinion become a catalyst for further development of more wind farms in the UK and will hopefully help solve the growing energy problem in our country.

Redken vs Wen

Staci Pritchett Eng 101-011 03/05/13 Try This Out Homework Assignment Redken products and Wen hair care system have some similarities . The both have products aimed for colored, oily, or dry hair. Redken is different from Wen because all of its hair cleaning products have sulfate in them ,whereas , Wen is sulfate free. Wen is different from Redken because it is a cleaning conditioner . Redken does not have any of their cleaning products as a cleansing conditioner.Redken has been a well known hair care company for the past fifty years . This hair care line has developed several products lines like the moisturing, fresh curls, and get it pump volumizing systems. Wen is a fairly new hair care line that was developed seventeen years ago. Wen has only a few products in it hair care line like the sweet almond mint, lavender, and pomegranate cleaning conditioner. Wen also only has one styling product and deep conditioner. Redken and Wen are both hair care lines.They have a cleansing system, deep conditioning, and styling products essay writer online. Redken and Wen hair care companies have both been around for many years. Not a lot of people know that Redken hair care was invented by an actress and her hairstylist. Wen was invented by a hairstylist that did hair for many years but was never happy with using salon products cause his clients hair still looked damaged and dry. So he decided to develop his own hair care line for his clients but eventually went worldwide with his products.

Bangus Production

FISHPOND ENGINEERING 1. INTRODUCTION Fishpond Engineering is the science of planning, designing and constructing ponds including water control structures. Although not entirely new in the Fish Farm industry, it has gained international acceptance and plays an important role for the efficiency of the farm management as well as in attaining higher farm production. Fishpond Engineering takes into consideration most especially the physical structures and economy of construction based on the proper engineering procedure and application. . SITE SELECTION AND EVALUATION OF EXISTING AREAS 2. 1 Water Supply Water supply is the first and most important factor to consider in the suitability of a fishpond site. Usually, water supply comes from a river, a creek or from the sea. It must meet the quality and quantity requirement of the pond system throughout the year. Water quality is affected by the physical, the chemical, and the biological parameters. Such parameters are affected by the 1) by-products and wastes resulting from urbanization, 2) agricultural pollutants such as pesticides and fertilizers, 3) industrial wastes from pulp mills, sugar, oil refineries, and textile plants, 4) radio-active wastes, 5) oil pollution arising navigational activities, uncontrolled spillage, and oil exploration. Some of these parameters are discussed in detail under fishpond management. Poor quality water sometimes causes the fouling of gates, screens or metal pipes. This happens when heavy dredging is being conducted in an area. Heavy dredging increases turbidity and causes the release of organic substances embedded in the soil. Once these organic substances are released, they use up oxygen causing high biological oxygen demand (BOD). Higher BOD causes oxygen depletion which in turn makes the water foul. Similar conditions also occur during floods. Water supply in tide-fed farms must be adequate especially during some months of the year when the height of high water is at minimum. This problem can be solved by proper gate design and by the use of pumps. The rate of volume flow of nearby tidal stream needs also to be considered; measurement is made during the dry stream flow and during floods. The data obtained give the developer the minimum and maximum rates of discharge. These are important requirements in fish farm design. For details, refer to Annex I. 2. 2 Tidal Characteristic and Ground Elevation The suitability of a tide-fed area for a â€Å"bangus† fishpond project depends on the relationship between the tidal characteristic of the area and its ground elevation. The only free source of energy that could be tapped for flooding a brackishwater coastal pond is tidal energy which is available once or twice a day depending on geographical location. Five reference stations in the Philippines exhibit five peculiarly different patterns during some months of the year. Figure 1 shows in a graphical form the relationship of natural ground elevation to tidal characteristic. Tables 1 and 2 show such relationships as they are applicable to the six stations of reference. [pic] Figure 1 – Suitability of Proposed Fishpond Site Based on Tidal Characteristic and Ground Elevation. |LOCALITY |Elevations in Meters Above Mean Lower Low H20 | | |Mean High Water (MHW) |Mean Sea Level (MSL) |Mean Low Water (MLW) | |Pier 13, South Harbor, Manila |0. 872 |0. 479 |0. 104 | |Pier 2, Cebu City |1. 50 |0. 722 |0. 183 | |Legaspi Port, Legaspi City |1. 329 |0. 744 |0. 165 | |Sta. Ana Port Davao City |1. 405 |0. 753 |0. 101 | |Port of Poro, San Fernando, La Union |- |0. 372 |- | |Jolo Wharf Jolo, Sulu |0. 631 |0. 38 |0. 034 | Table 1. List of Primary Tide Stations and Datum Planes |   |Highest |Lowest |Absolute |Normal daily fluctuation |R E M A R K S | | |recorded tide |recorded tide|annual range |low/high(range) (m) | | | |(m) |(m) |(m) | | | |PHILIPPINES |1. 4 |(-)0. 21 |1. 25 |(-)0. 03/0. 61(0. 64) |Tidal fluctuation too | |San Fernando, La | | | | |narrow for proper | |Union | | | | |fishpond management | |Manila City |1. 46 |(-)0. 34 |1. 8 |0. 14/1. 05(0. 1) |T idal fluctuation | | | | | | |slightly narrow for | | | | | | |proper fishpond | | | | | | |management | |Legaspi City |1. 83 |(-)0. 4 |2. 23 |1. 09/1. 40(1. 9) |Tidal fluctuation | | | | | | |favorable for proper | | | | | | |fishpond management | |Cebu City |1. 98 |(-)0. 4 |2. 38 |(-)0. 03/1. 49(1. 52) |-do- | |Davao City |1. 98 |(-)0. 49 |2. 47 |(-)0. 03/1. 77(1. 80) |-do- | |Jolo, Sulu |1. 19 |(-)0. 12 |1. 31 |(-)0. 03/0. 98(1. 1) |Tidal fluctuation | | | | | | |slightly narrow for | | | | | | |proper fishpond | | | | | | |management | Table 2. Suitability of Six Tidal Stations of Reference for Fish Farms Areas reached only by the high spring tides should be ruled out as it is costly to move large quantities of soil during the process of excavation. There is that other problem of where to place the excess materials. While these can be solved by constructing high and wide perimeter dikes, putting up more dikes will create narrow compartments resulting in less area intended for fish production. Low areas on the other hand will require higher and more formidable dikes which may mean that earth will have to be moved long distances. The pond bottom should not be so low that drainage will be a problem. The best elevation for a pond bottom therefore, would at least be 0. 2 meter from the datum plane or at an elevation where you can maintain at least 0. meter depth of water inside a pond during ordinary tides. This index should satisfy the requirements of both fish and natural fish food. 2. 2. 1 Tides The attractive forces of both the moon and the sun on the earth surface which changes according to the position of the two planets bring about the occurrence of tides. Tides recur with great regularity and uniformity, although tidal charac teristic vary in different areas all over the world. The principal variations are in the frequency of fluctuation and in the time and height of high and low waters. When the sun, the moon and the earth are in a straight line, greater tidal amplitudes are produced. These are called spring tides. Tides of smaller amplitudes are produced when the sun and the moon form the extremes of a right triangle with the earth at the apex. These are called neap tides. When high and low waters occur twice a day it is called a semi-diurnal tide. When the high and the low occur once a day it is called a diurnal tide. The moon passes through a given meridian at a mean interval of 24 hours and 50 minutes. We call this interval one lunar day. Observations reveal that the mean interval between two successive high (or low) waters is 12 hours and 25 minutes. Thus, if there is a high water at 11:00 A. M. today, the next high water will take place 12 hours and 25 minutes later, i. e. , 11:25 P. M. and the next will be at 11:50 A. M. of the following day. Each day the time of tide changes an average of 50 minutes. The difference in the sea water level between successive high and low waters is called the range. Generally, the range becomes maximum during the new and full moon and minimum during the first and last quarter of the moon. The difference in the height between the mean higher high and the mean lower low waters is called the diurnal range. The difference in the tide intervals observed in the morning and afternoon is called diurnal inequality. At Jolo, for instance, the inequality is mainly in the high waters while at Cebu and Manila it is in the low waters as well as in the high waters. The average height of all the lower of low waters is the mean lower low (MLLW), or (0. 00) elevations. This is the datum plane of reference for land elevation of fish farms. Prediction of tides for several places throughout the Philippines can be obtained from Tide and Current Tables published annually by the Bureau of Coast and Geodetic Survey (BCGS). These tables give the time and height of high and low water. The actual tidal fluctuation on the farm however, deviates to some extent from that obtained from the table. The deviation is corrected by observing the time and height of tidal fluctuation at the river adjacent to the farm, and from this, the ratio of the tidal range can be computed. From the corrected data obtained, bench marks scattered in strategic places can be established. These bench marks will serve later on as starting point in determining elevations of a particular area. 2. 2. 2 Tide prediction There are six tide stations in the Philippines, namely: San Fernando, Manila, Legaspi, Cebu, Jolo and Davao stations. Reference stations for other places are listed under the â€Å"Tidal Differences† and â€Å"Constants† of the Tide and Current Tables. The predicted time and height of high and low waters each day for the six tide stations can be read directly from the table. Tide predictions for other places are obtained by applying tidal differences and ratios to the daily predictions. Tidal differences and ratios are also found in the Tide and Current Tables. Let us take for example, the tidal predictions for Iloilo on 23 Sept. 1979. Looking through the tidal differences and constants of the Tide Tables, you will find that reference station for Iloilo is Cebu. The predicted time and height of tides for Cebu obtained from the tide tables on 23 Sept. 1979 are as follows: |High |Low            | |Time |: |Height |Time |: |Height | |0004 |: |1. 3 m |0606 |: |0. 14 m | |1216 |   |1. 52 m |1822 |   |0. 18 m | (The heights are in meters and reckoned from mean lower low water (MLLW); 0000 is midnight and 1200 is noon). Again, from the table on Tidal Differences and Constants, the corrections on the time and height of high and low waters for Iloilo are as follows: |Time |Height of High Water |Height of Low Water | |+ 0 hr. 05 min. |+ 0. 09 |+ 0. 3 | Thus, the corrected time and heights of high and low waters for Iloilo are: |High |Low            | |Tim e |: |Height |Time |: |Height | |0009 |: |1. 52 m |0611 |: |0. 17 m | |1221 |: |1. 61 m |1827 |: |0. 21 m | 2. 2. 3 Height of tide at any given time The height of the tide at any given time of the day may be determined graphically by plotting the tide curve. This can be done if one needs to know the height of the tide at a certain time. The procedure is as follows: On a cross-section paper, plot the high (H) and the low (L) water points between which the given time lines (see Fig. 2). Join H and L by a straight line and divide it into four equal parts. Name the points as Q1, M and Q2 with M as the center point. Locate point P1 vertically above Q1 and P2 vertically below Q2 at a distance equal to one tenth of the range of the tide. Draw a sine curve through points H, P1, M, P2 and L. This curve closely approximates the actual tide curve, and heights for any time may be readily scaled from it. Figure 2 shows the curve on 23 Sept. 1979 for Iloilo. H is 1. 61 m at 12:21 hr and L is 0. 21 m at 18:27 hr. Since the range is 1. 40 m, P1 is located 0. 14 units above Q1 and P2 is located 0. 14 units below Q2. The height of the tide at 14:30 hr is given by point T to be 1. 22 m. [pic] Figure 2. Height of Tide at any Given Time for Iloilo on 23 Sept. 1979. 2. 3 Soil Properties Most of our fishponds are constructed on tidal lands consisting of alluvial soils which are adjacent to rivers or creeks near the coastal shores and estuaries at or near sea level elevation. If you pick up a handful of soil and examine it closely, you will find that it is made up of mineral and organic particles of varying sizes. The mineral particles are the clay, silt, and sand while the organic particles are plant and animal matter at various stages of decomposition. Soils are assigned with textural classes depending on their relative proportion of sand, silt and clay. Each textural class exhibits varying colors which are based on their chemical composition, amount of organic matter and the degree of decomposition. U. S. Department of Agriculture Classification System has classified soil as: |GENERAL TERMS | |Common Names |Texture |Basic Soil Textural Class Names | |1. |Sandy Soils |Coarse |Sandy | | | | |Sandy Loam | |2. Loamy Soils |Moderately Coarse |Sandy Loam | | | | |Fine sandy Loam | | | |Medium |Very fine Sandy Loam | | | |Moderately fine |Loam | | | | |Silty Loam | | | | |Silt | |3. |Clayey Soils |Fine |Sandy Clay |Clay Loam | | | | |Silty Clay |Sandy Clay Loam | | | | |Clay |Silty Clay Loam | Many properties of soil, which are related to its texture, determine how well suited it is for fishpond purposes. A sandy loam, for instance, is more porous than silty loam and the latter will hold more nutrients than the former. Clay or sandy clay may be the best for dike construction but not as good as clay loam or silty clay loam in terms of growing natural food. So, in general, finer textured soils are superior for fishpond purposes because of their good water retention properties. Each soil texture exhibits different workability as soil construction material. Studies conducted show that clayey soil is preferred for diking purposes. Suitability of a soil class as dike material decreases with decreasing percentage of clay present in the mixture (see Table 3). CLASS |RELATIVE CHARACTERISTIC |COMPACTION CHARACTERISTIC |SUITABILITY FOR DIKE | | | | |MATERIAL | | |PERMEABILITY |COMPRESSIBILITY | | | |Clay |impervious |medium |fair to good |excellent | |Sandy clay |impervious |low |good |good | |Loamy |semi-pervious |high |fair to very |fair | | |to | | | | | |impervious |high |poor | | |Silty |se mi-pervious to |medium to |good to very |poor | | |impervious |high |poor | | |Sandy |pervious |negligible |good |poor | |Peaty |- |- |- |very poor | Table 3. Relationship of Soil Classes and Suitability for dike material Sediments are a dominant and observable characteristic in lower areas of brackishwater swamplands. Field observations and laboratory analysis of soil samples taken reveal that the majority have a thick layer of loose organic sediments which make them unsuitable for fishpond development and other infrastructures. Engineering and other technical considerations indicate that areas having this type of soil are rather difficult to develop because it is directly related to future land development problems such as (1) subsidence and related flood hazards, (2) unavailability of stable and indigenous soil materials for diking, and (3) unavailability of land with adequate load bearing capacity for future infrastructures such as buildings for storage and production facilities. Areas dominated by organic and undecomposed sediments are expected to experience considerable subsidence which eventually result to loss in effective elevation of the land after development as a result of drainage or controlled water table. Since elevation of most tidal lands converted to brackishwater fishponds are generally one meter above MLLW, any future loss of elevation due to subsidence shall predispose the area to severe drainage and flooding problems due to blocking effect of seawater during high tides. Organic and undecomposed sediments are not a good foundation for dikes nor for diking material. Fishpond areas dominated by this type of soil will mean that there is an inadequacy of indigenous soil materials for diking or filling of lower areas. In the absence of good soil materials, the site under consideration will require importing of soils from the adjoining areas which will make the system of development a very expensive process, or considerable excavation for diking will cause (1) unnecessary exposure of acid organic layers, (2) difficulty in leveling, (3) high cost of dike maintenance and (4) technical problems on seepage losses which will cause difficulty in maintaining water levels in the pond. 2. 3. 1 Field method for identification of soil texture Sand – Soil has granular appearance. It is free-flowing when in a dry state. A handful of air-dry soil when pressed will fall apart when released. It will form a ball which will crumble when lightly touched. It cannot be ribboned between thumb and finger when moist. Sandy Loam – Essentially a granular soil with sufficient silt and clay to make it somewhat coherent. Sand characteristic predominate. It forms a ball which readily falls apart when lightly touch ed when air-dry. It forms a ball which bears careful handling without breaking. It cannot be ribboned. Loam – A uniform mixture of sand, silt, and clay. Grading of sand fraction is quite uniform from coarse to fine. It is soft and has somewhat gritty feel, yet is fairly smooth and slightly plastic. When squeezed in hand and pressure is released, it will form a ball which can be handled freely without breaking. It cannot be ribboned between thumb and finger when moist. Silty Loam – It contains a moderate amount of finer grades of sand and only a small amount of clay; over half of the particles are silt. When dry, it may appear quite cloddy; it can be readily broken and pulverized to a powder. When air-dry, it forms a ball which can be freely handled. When wet, soil runs together and puddles. It will not ribbon but has a broken appearance; it feels smooth and may be slightly plastic. Silt – It contains over 80% of silt particles with very little fine sand and clay. When dry, it may be cloddy; it is readily pulverized to powder with a soft flour-like feel. When air-dry, it forms a ball which can be handled without breaking. When moist, it forms a cast which can freely be handled. When wet, it readily puddles. It has a tendency to ribbon with a broken appearance; it feels smooth. Clay Loam – Fine texture soils break into lumps when dry. It contains more clay than silt loam. It resembles clay in a dry condition. Identification is made on physical behaviour of moist soil. When air-dry, it forms a ball which can be freely handled without breaking. It can be worked into a dense mass. It forms a thin ribbon which readily breaks. Clay – Fine texture soils break into very hard lumps when dry. It is difficult to pulverize into a soft flour-like powder when dry. Identification is based on cohesive properties of the moist soil. When air-dry, it forms long thin flexible ribbons. It can be worked into a dense compact mass. It has considerable plasticity, and can be moulded. Organic Soil – Identification is based on its high organic content. Much consists of thoroughly decomposed organic materials with considerable amount of mineral soil finely divided with some fibrous remains. When considerable fibrous material is present, it may be classified as peat. Soil color ranges from brown to black. It has high shrinkage upon drying. 2. 4 Studies of Watershed and Flood Hazard 2. 4. 1 Watershed A watershed is a ridge of high land draining into a river, river system or body of water. It is the region facing or sloping towards the lower lands and is the source of run-off water. The bigger the area of the watershed, the greater the volume of run-off water that will drain to the rivers, creeks, swamps, lakes or ocean. Precipitation from a watershed does not totally drain down as run-off water. A portion of the total rainfall moving down the watershed's surface is used by the vegetation and becomes a part of the deep ground water supply or seeps slowly to a stream and to the sea. The factor affecting the run-off may be divided into factors associated with the watershed. Precipitation factors include rainfall duration, intensity and distribution of rainfall in the area. Watershed factors affecting run-off include size and shape of watershed, retention of the watershed, topography and geology of the watershed. The volume of run-off from a watershed may be expressed as the average depth of water that would cover the entire watershed. The depth is usually expressed in centimeters. One day or 24-hours rainfall depth is used for estimating peak discharge rate, thus: Volume of Flood Run-off (Q) [pic]+ S1 Engineering Field Manual For Conservation Practices, 1969, pp 2–5 to 2–6 |where |Q |= |accumulated volume of run-off in centimeters depth over the drainage area | | |P |= |accumulated rainfall in cm depth over the drainage area | | |Ia |= |initial obstruction including surface storage, interception by vegetation and | | | | |infiltration prior to run-off in cm depth over the drainage area | | |s |= |potential maximum retention of water by the soil equivalent in cm depth over the | | | | |drainage area | 2. 4. 2 Flood hazard Floods are common in the Philippines due to overflowing of rivers triggered by typhoons and the southwest monsoon rain prevailing over the islands during the rainy season. Overflow of the rivers is largely attributable to the bad channel characteristic such as steep slopes as well as meandering at the lower reach of the river. The network of the tidal streams in some delta areas has been rendered ineffective in conveying the flood-water to the sea due to fishpond construction. Flooding is common in this country and is considered the most destructive enemy of the fishpond industry. The floods of 1972 and 1974 greatly affected the fishpond industry in Central Luzon causing damage amounting to millions of pesos. Because of the floods, fishponds became idle during the time necessary for operators to make repairs and improvements. Floods cannot be controlled, but what is important is to know how a fishpond can be free to some extent from flood hazard. In order to prevent frequent flooding, it is necessary to know the weather conditions in the area where the fishpond project is located. The highest flood occuring in an area can be determined by proper gathering of information. In big rivers, the Ministry of Public Works (MPW) records the height of flood waters during rainy seasons. However, in areas where the MPW has no record, the best way is by gathering information from the people who have stayed in the area for many years. The size of the creek, river and drainage canal should also be determined to find out whether it can accommodate the run-off water or flood water that drains in the area once the fishpond project is developed. Records of the highest flood in the site, especially during high tide, is very important. It will be the basis in providing allowance for the drainage of flood water coming from the watershed. 2. 5 Climatic Conditions Climate has been described in terms of distribution of rainfall recorded in a locality during the different months of the year. In the Philippines, it is classified into four climatic zones preferably called weather types, namely: |Type I |- |Two pronounced seasons; dry from November to April and wet uring the rest of the year. | |Type II |- |No dry season with very pronounced maximum rainfall from November to January. | |Type III |- |Season not very pronounced; relatively dry from November to April and wet during the | | | |rest of the year. | |Type IV |- |Rainfa ll more or less evenly distributed throughout the year. | The elements that make up the climate of a region are the same as those that make up the weather, the distinction being one mainly of time. But the elements that concern most fishpond operators are the rainfall, temperature and the prevailing wind direction because they greatly affect fish production directly or indirectly. Data on rainfall and wind direction are very necessary in planning the layout and design of pond system. Knowing past rainfall records, you can more or less decide whether it will be necessary to include a drainage canal in the layout, and how large it will be when constructed. Knowing past rainfall records will also be necessary in computing the height of the secondary and tertiary dikes. Wind on the other hand, plays a role in fishpond design. Strong wind generates wave actions that destroy sides of the dike. This causes great expense in the construction and maintenance. However, this problem can be minimized with proper planning and design. For instance, longer pond dimension should be positioned somewhat parallel to the direction of the prevailing wind (see Fig. 3). This will lessen the side length of the dike exposed to wave action. This orientation of pond compartments will also have some advantageous effects in the management aspect. [pic] Figure 3. Layout of Pond Compartments Oriented to the Prevailing Wind Direction Nearly every location is subject to what is called the prevailing wind, or the wind blowing in one direction for a major portion of the year. Monsoons are prevailing winds which are seasonal, blowing from one direction over part of the year and from the opposite direction over the remaining part of the year. Trade winds, which generally come from the east, prevail during the rest of the year when the monsoons are weak. [pic] Figure 4. Wind Directions Wave action in ponds is caused by wind blowing across the surface. One cannot totally control wave action in ponds although it can be minimized. In typhoon belt areas or in areas where a strong wind blows predominantly, it is better to include wind breakers in planning the layout of ponds. 2. 6 Type and Density of Vegetation Mangrove swamps occur in abundance on tidal zones along the coasts of the Philippines which are being converted into fishponds for fish production, but not all mangrove swamps are suitable for fishpond purposes. Some are elevated and are not economically feasible for development; others have too low an elevation to develop. The distribution of mangrove species in tropical estuaries depend primarily on the land elevation, soil types, water salinity and current. It has been observed that â€Å"api-api† and â€Å"pagat-pat† trees (Avicennia) abound in elevated areas while â€Å"bakawan† trees (Rhizophora) are mostly found in low areas. It has also been observed that nipa and high tannin trees have a long-lasting low pH effect on newly constructed ponds. Presence of certain shrubs and ferns indicate the elevation and frequency of tide water overrunning the area. Certain aquatic plants such as water lily, eel grass and chara sp. indicate low water salinities. The type and density of vegetation, the size, wood density and root system of individual trees greatly affect the method of clearing, procedure of farm development and construction cost. Thickly vegetated areas, for instance, will take a long time to clear of stumps. Density of vegetation is classified according to kind, size and quantity per unit area. This is done to determine the cost of land clearing and uprooting of stumps. One method used is by random sampling. The process requires at least five or more samples taken at random, regardless of size, and vegetation is classified according to kind, size and number. Then the findings are tabulated and the average of the samples is determined. However, vegetation of less than 3 cm in diameter is not included. The total vegetation of the area is determined as follows: [pic] |Station |NIPA |BAKAWAN |API-API |LIPATA |BIRIBID | |(20? 20) | | | | | | | |No|Av|No. | | |. |e. | | | | |Si| | | | |ze| | | |b |= |line GD | | |h |= |height or distance | The total area of the irregular figure is equal to the sum of A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5. Example: Find the area of an irregular figure shown in Figure 13 using the triangulation method. Solution: [pic] [pic] b. Trapezoidal Rule [pic] Figure 14. Area Determination Using the Trapezoidal Rule If a field is bounded on one side by a straight line and on the other by a curved boundary, the area may be computed by the use of the trapezoidal rule. Along a straight line AB, Fig. 14, perpendicular offsets are drawn and measured at regular intervals. The area is then computed using the following formula: [pic] Where: |ho, hn |= |length of end offsets | |Sh |= |sum of offsets (except end offsets) | |d |= |distance between offsets | Example: In Fig. 4, if the offsets from a straight line AB to the curved boundary DC are 35, 25, 30, 40, and 10, and are at equal distance of 30, what is the included area between the curved boundary and the straight line? Solution: |Area ABCD |= |[pic] | | |= | | | |= |117. 5 ? 30 | | |= |3,525 sq. m. | 3. 2. 3 Laying out right angles and parallel lin es a. Laying out right angles. For instance it is required to lay out the center line of dike B (see Fig. 15) perpendicular to that of dike A using a tape. A simple corollary on the right triangle states that a triangle whose sides are in proportion of 3, 4, and 5 is a right triangle, the longest side being the hypotenuse. In the figure, point C is the intersection of the two dike centerlines. One man holds the zero end of the tape at C and 30 m is measured towards B. Again from C, measure 40 m distance towards A and then from A' measure a distance of 50 meters towards B'. Line CB' should intersect line A' B'. Therefore, line CB is formed perpendicular to line CA. It is always desirable to check the distances to be sure that no mistake has been made. [pic] Figure 15. Laying Out Right Angles b. Laying out parallel lines. In Figure 16, CD is to be run parallel to AB. From line AB erect perpendicular lines EF and GH in the same manner described in the previous discussion. Measure equal distances of EF and GH from line AB and the line formed through points C' and D' is the required parallel. [pic] Figure 16. Laying Out Parallel Lines 3. 3 Topographic Survey 3. 3. 1 Explanation of common terms a. Bench Mark (BM). A bench mark is a point of known elevation of a permanent nature. A bench mark may be established on wooden stakes set near a construction project or by nails driven on trees or stumps of trees. Nails set on trees should be near the ground line where they will remain on the stump if the tree will be cut and removed. Procedure on setting up a bench mark is attached as Annex 4. It is a good idea to mark the nail with paint and ring the tree above and below also in case a chain saw is used to cut down the tree. The Philippines Bureau of Coast and Geodetic Survey has established bench marks in nearly all cities and at scattered points. They are generally bronze caps securely set on stones or in concrete with elevations referenced to mean sea level (MSL). The purpose of these bench marks is to provide control points for topographic mapping. b. Turning Point (TP). A turning point is a point where the elevation is determined for the purpose of traverse, but which is no longer needed after necessary readings have been taken. A turning point should be located on a firm object whose elevation will not change during the process of moving the instrument set up. A small stone, fence post, temporary stake driven into the ground is good enough for this purpose. c. Backsight (BS). Backsight is a rod reading taken on a point of known elevation. It is the first reading taken on a bench mark or turning point immediately after the initial or new set-up. d. Foresight (FS). Foresight is a rod reading taken on any point on which an elevation is to be determined. Only one backsight is taken during each set-up; all other rod readings are foresights. e. Height of Instrument (HI). Height of instrument is the elevation of the line of sight above the reference datum plane (MLLW). It is determined by adding the backsight rod reading to the known elevation of the point on which the backsight was taken. 3. 3. 2 Transit-stadia method of topographic survey The following describes the procedure of determining ground elevations using the engineer's level with a horizontal circle and stadia rod. A transit may be substituted for the level if care is exercised in leveling the telescope. It is assumed that a bench mark with known elevation has been established. a. Establish your position from a point of known location on the map. In Figure 17, point B is â€Å"tied† to a point of known location on the map, such as corner monument C of the area. This is done by sighting the instrument at C and noting down the azimuth and distance of line BC. The distance of B from C is determined by the stadia-method discussed under area survey. [pic] Figure 17. Establishing Position from a Point of Known Location on the Map b. Take a rod reading on the nearest bench mark (BM), as shown in Figure 18, previously installed for such purpose. This reading is called the backsight (BS), the rod being on a point of known elevation. The height of the instrument (HI) is then found by adding the elevation of the bench mark (Elev. ) and backsight (BS), thus: H. I. = Elev. + B. S. [pic] Figure 18. Transit-stadia Method of Topographic Survey c. The telescope is sighted to point D, or any other points desired, and take the rod reading. The reading is called the foresight (F. S. ), the rod being on a point of known elevation. Ground elevation of point D is then determined by subtracting the foresight (F. S. ), from the height of the instrument (H. I. ), thus: Elevation = H. I. – F. S. d. Similar procedure is used in determining the ground elevation of several points which are within sight from the instrument at point B. The azimuth and distance of all the points sighted from point B are read and recorded in the sample field notes such as shown in Figure 19. |Sta. |Sta. |B. S. | |Occ. |Obs. | |HAT |= |Highest Astronomical Tide | |GS |= |Elevation of the ground Surface | |MF |= |Maximum Flood level | |FB |= |Allowance for Free Board | |%S |= |Percent Shrinkage and settlement | 1. The design height of a secondary dike is calculated using the following formula: [pic] Where: Hs |= |Height of the secondary dike | |HST |= |Highest Spring Tide | |GS |= |Elevation of the ground Surface | |MR |= |Maximum Rainfall within 24 hours | |FB |= |Allowance for Freeboard | |%S |= |Percent Shrinkage and settlement | 2. The design height of a tertiary dike is calculated using the following formula: [pic] Where: Ht |= |Height of the tertiary dike | |DWL |= |Desired Water Level | |GS |= |Elevation of the ground Surface | |MR |= |Maximum Rainfall within 24 hours | |FB |= |Allowance for Freeboard | |%S |= |Percent Shrinkage and settlement | [pic] Figure 28. Design of Different Dikes 4. 3. 3 Canals. About one to two percent of the total farm area is used in the canal system. The main water supply canal starts from the main gate and usually traverses the central portion of the fishfarm. The canal bed should not be lower than, but rather sloping towards, the floor elevation of the main gate. Generally, the canal bed is given a slope of 1/1500 or one meter difference in elevation for a horizontal distance of 1,500 m. A one meter opening main gate will have a canal bed at least 3. m. wide. This width is enough to supply a 10–15 hectares fishpond system considering that the canal dikes have a ratio of 1:1 slope. Secondary water supply canals are constructed in portions of the farm which cannot be reached by the main canal. It starts from the main canal and traverses the inner portion of the fishpond. It is usually constructed in large fishpond areas and smaller than the main canal. Generally, secondary supply canal has a bed width of 2. 0 m. A tertiary canal is usually constructed to supply water in the nursery and transition ponds. Because of the small size, it is sometimes said to be a part of the nursery pond system. Some fish culturists modify the tertiary canal as a catching pond. This usually happens when the designed tertiary canal is short, Generally, a tertiary canal has a bed width of 1. 0–1. 5 m. A diversion canal, when necessary, is also constructed to protect the farm from being flooded with run-off water coming from the watershed. It must be strategically located so that run-off will empty on an established disposal area, natural outlets or prepared individual outlets. It should have the capacity to carry at least the peak run-off from the contributing watershed for a 10-year frequency storm. The slope of the diversion canal should be in such a way that water flows towards the drainage area. A drainage canal is constructed when there is a need to have a separate canal for draining rearing ponds. This is to improve water management in the pond system. It is usually located at the other side of the pond, parallel to the supply canal. A drainage canal is recommended in intensive culture, especially of shrimps. [pic] Figure 29. Design of Different Canals 5. PROJECT COST AND PROGRAMMING The worst error a prospective fishfarm operator can make is to develop an area without project cost estimates and a programme of development. Development money is wasted, and management of the area may be difficult or impossible. Poor planning is the major cause of project failure and even leads to personal bankruptcy. It is very necessary that preparation of the project cost estimates as well as programme of development be done before any construction is started. It is important to know approximately how much will be spent to finish the whole project. It is better that one knows how and when the project will be constructed and completed. The importance of the project cost estimates and programme of development should not be underestimated. 5. 1 Project Cost EStimates The cost of development can be estimated based on the 1) data gathered in the area, 2) proposed layout plan, and 3) design and specification of the physical structures and other facilities. 5. 1. 1 Pre-development estimates a. For the preparation of Feasibility Study. Whether the fishpond operator will apply for a loan in the Bank or he will use his own money to finance the development of a fishpond project, a feasibility study of the area is needed. The feasibility study will be his guide in the development and management of the project. All activities such as the development, management and economic aspects are embodied in the feasibility study. It is a specialized work by engineers, aquaculturist and an economist having special knowledge in fishfarming industry. Usually, for the preparation of the feasibility study, the group charges about 2% to 10% of the total estimated cost of development. b. For the Survey of the Area. An area survey includes a topographic survey, and re-location survey. Whether the area is owned by a private individual or by the government, an area survey by a licensed Geodetic Engineer is very important for the proper location and boundary of the land. It is one of the requirements in the application for a 25-year Fishpond Lease Agreement in the BFAR and also in the application for a loan in the Bank. It must be duly approved by the Bureau of Lands. A topographic survey is necessary in the planning and development of the project. A re-location survey must be conducted to check the validity of the approved plan as well as to avoid conflict in the future. An area and topographic survey done by a Geodetic Engineer will cost about [pic]400. 00 for the first hectare or a fraction thereof and [pic]50. 00 per hectare for the succeeding hectarages. Re-location survey is cheaper than the area and topographic survey. c. For the Construction of a Temporary Shelter. Experienced fishpond laborers generally do not live in the locality. To be more effective they need to have a place to stay during the construction activities. For the construction of a shelter house made of light material, assume a cost of [pic]300. 00/sq. m. of shelter. This includes materials and labor costs. d. For the Construction of Transport Facilities. Flatboats will be needed in the transport of mudblocks. A banca may be used in going to the site. Cost of construction varies from locality to locality. A flatboat with dimensions of 8†² ? 4†² ? 14†³ will cost around [pic]500. 00. A small banca will cost around [pic]600. 00. e. For Representation and Transportation Expenses. This item is not included in the cost of development of a fishpond project. However, it appears that a big amount is being incurred in representation and transportation expenses before the project is started. Example of expenditures are follow-ups of survey plan of the area, FLA application and bank loan. Other expenses are incurred in canvassing of supplies and materials, survey of manpower requirement and equipment needed in the development of a project. Representation and transportation expenses cover about 10–20 percent of pre-development cost. 5. 1. 2 Development Proper. a. For the Clearing of the Whole Area. Clearing the area of vegetation can be divided into three categories, namely: 1) cutting and chopping, 2) Falling and burning, and 3) uprooting and removal of stumps and logs. Generally, cutting and chopping costs about [pic]500. 00 per hectare; piling and burning costs about [pic]300. 00 per hectare; and for the uprooting of stumps and removal of logs, costs depend on their size and number per unit area. A hectare pond, for instance, having 200 stumps of size below 15 cm. in diameter will cost about [pic]800. 00. Stumps numbering 50 pieces with diameter over than 15 cm. will cost about [pic]1,000. 00 per hectare. Cost for the clearing depends upon the prevailing price in the locality. b. For the Construction and Installation of Gates. Cost of construction and installation of a gate can be calculated based on its design and specification proposed in the area. The two kinds of gate commonly constructed in fishponds ( concrete and wood) will be discussed separately. 1. Estimating the cost of construction and installation of a concrete gate: a. Based on the plan of a concrete gate, determine the area and volume of the walls, wings, floor, bridges, toes, aprons and cut walls and compute for the total volume using the following formula: A = L ? W V = A ? t VT = V = V1 + V2 + V3 + †¦ Where: A |= |Area |L |= |Length | |V |= |Volume |W |= |Width | |VT |= |Total volume |t |= |thickness | Determine the number of bags of cement, and the volume of gravel and sand by multiplying the total volume with the factors precomputed for a Class A mixture plus 10% allowance for wastage, thus: |No. of bag cemen t |= |(VT ? 7. 85) + 10% | |Volume of Gravel |= |(VT ? 0. 88) + 10% | |Volume of Sand |= |(VT ? 0. 44) + 10% | Class A mixture has a proportion of 1:2:4, that is one part of cement for every two parts of fine aggregate (sand) and four parts of coarse aggregate (gravel). b. Every square meter of a concrete gate uses 6. 0 m. long of reinforcement bar placed at an interval of 0. 25 m. both ways on center. This is equivalent to 1 ? bars at a standard length of 20 feet per bar. The floor and toes use the same size of bar, thus: No. of reinforcement bar = (Af + 4t) ? 1. 5 Where: Af = Area of the floor At = Area of the toes The walls, wings, etc. use two different sizes of reinforcement bar, thus: [pic] Where: Aw = Area of the walls Ax = Area of the wings An = other areas c. Find the total area of a concrete gate by adding all the areas mentioned in (a). Calculate the weight of tie wire no. 6 by multiplying the total area with a standard value per sq. m. of concrete, thus: Weight (kg) = AT ? 0. 3 Kg/sq. m. d. Calculate the volume of boulders needed by multiplying the area of the flooring with the th ickness of fill. e. Form lumber can be calculated by multiplying the area of walls, wings and bridges by 2. Plywood can also be used as form. Since lumber measurement is still in feet it should be converted into meter, (see conversion table). Use 2†³ ? 3†³ wood for form support. f. Bamboo puno could be calculated from the area of the flooring. A square meter of flooring will require more or less 20 puno staked at an interval of 0. 5 m. both ways on center. This, however, depends upon the hardness of the floor foundation. g. Screens and slabs are calculated based on the design of the concrete gate. h. Assorted nails are calculated based on the thickness of the form lumber used. i. Labor cost is 35–40% of total material cost. However, close estimates can be computed by determining the cost of labor for the construction and removal of temporary earth dike, excavation of the foundation, staking of bamboo puno, placing of boulders and gravel, construction of forms, concr eting of the gate and others. 2. Estimating the cost of construction and installation of a wooden gate. a. Based on the plan of a wooden gate, determine the size and number of lumber for the sidings and flooring. Compute for the total board feet using the following formula: [pic] Where: |L |= |Length of lumber in inches | |W |= |Width of lumber in inches | |t |= |thickness of lumber in inches | b. Based on the design and specification of the pillars and braces, compute for the total board feet using again the above formula. c. Determine the size and number of lumber needed for slabs and screen frames and compute the total board feet. d. Calculate the assorted nails (bronze) based on the lumber used. e. Calculate the coal tar requirement in gallons. f. Calculate the cost of nylon and bamboo screens. g. Calculate the labor cost at 30–40% of the material cost or calculate in detail according to the labor requirement. Calculation includes the construction, painting and installation of the wooden gate and excavation of the floor foundation. c. For the Construction of the Proposed Dikes. Dikes constructed in fishponds vary in sizes. Bigger dikes are, of course, more costly to construct than smaller dikes. In other words, the perimeter or main dike will expend more than the secondary or tertiary dikes. The cost of construction is calculated based on the volume of soil filled and generally it costs [pic]6. 00 per cubic meter. Labor cost, however, depends on the prevailing price in the locality. Transport distance of soil material to the dike is also considered in calculating the cost of construction. Long transport distance decreases individual output per day and thus will increase construction cost. Working eight hours a day, one skilled worker can finish diking, using one flat boat, based on the following distances: |10 – 100 meter distance |6 – 7 cu. m. /day | |101 – 300 meter distance |5 – 6 cu. m. day | |301 – 500 meter distance |4 – 5 cu. m. /day | d. For the Excavation and Leveling of Ponds. Cost for excavation depends upon the volume of soil left inside the pond after the dikes have been constructed. Considering that some soils have been excavated for diking purposes, only about 60% is left for excavation. Generally, escavation co sts about [pic]2. 00 per cu. m. depending upon the prevailing labor cost in the locality. After excavation, leveling of the pond bottoms follows. This involves the cut-and-fill method (excavation and dumping to low portions). Generally, leveling costs about [pic]2,000. 00 per hectare. e. For the Construction of Facilities. Facilities include the caretaker's house, working shed, bodega, chilling tanks, etc. For proper estimates there should be a simple plan of the facilities. However, rough estimates can be made based on the floor area of a house to be constructed. For a house made of light materials, assume a cost of [pic]400. 00 per sq. m. floor area; and for concrete structures, assume [pic]1,000. 00 per sq. m. All assumed costs include materials and labor based on 1979 price of materials. f. For the Purchase of Equipment. A fishpond project cannot be operated without equipment. Examples are fish nets, digging blades, shovels, scoop nets, bolos, etc. These items should be included as part of the total development cost. Such equipment should be listed and calculated. g. Contingencies. There should be a contingency fund for unforeseen expenditures, increase of prices and other materials not included in the above calculations. Assume 10% of the above costs for contingencies. 5. 1. 3 Cost estimate For the purpose of determining the cost of developing a new brackishwater fishfarm project, a typical example of a 50-hectare fishpond project applied to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for a 25-year Fishpond Lease Agreement is presented below. |I. Pre-Development |   | | |1. |For the preparation of feasibility study |[pic]1,000. 00 | | |2. |Re-location of boundaries |2,000. 00 | | |3. |For the construction of temporary shelter for laborers (light materials) |4,000. 00 | | |4. |For the construction of flatboats, 5 units at [pic]500. 00/unit |2,500. 00 | | |5. |For the purchase of small banca, 1 unit at [pic]600. 00 |600. 00 | | |6. For representation and transportation expenses |3,000. 00 | | |Sub-total |[pic]13,100. 00 | |II. |Development Proper |   | | |1. |Clearing of the area at [pic]600. 00/ha. (cutting, chopping, burning & removal of logs |[pic]30,000. 00 | | |2. |Construction of dikes (filling, compacting and shaping by manual labor) |   | | | |a. |Main dike along bay and river 1,920 linear meters, 6. 0 m base, 2. 0 m crown and 2. 25 m|103,680. 00 | | | | |height or a total of 17,280 cum. at [pic]6. 00/cu. | | | | |b. |Main dike along upland, 840 linear meters, 5. 5 m base, 2. 0 m crown, and 2. 0 m height |37,800. 00 | | | | |or a total of 6,300 cu. m at [pic]6. 00/cu. m | | | | |c. |Main canal dike, 980 linear meters, 5. 0 m base, 2. 0 m crown, and 1. 8 m height, or a |33,957. 00 | | | | |total of 6,174 cu. m. at [pic]5. 50/cu. m | | | | |d. |Secondary dike, 2,540 linear meters, 4. 0 m base, 1. 0 m crown & 1. 5 m heig ht or a |52,387. 50 | | | | |total of 9,525 cu. at [pic]5. 50 per cu. m | | | | |e. |Secondary canal dike, 400 linear meters, 4. 0 m base, 1. 5 m crown and 1. 4 m height, or|8,470. 00 | | | | |a total of 1,540 cu. m at [pic]5. 50 per cu. m | | | | |f. |Tertiary canal dike, 240 linear meters, 3. 5 m base, 1. 5 m crown and 1. 2 m height or a|3,600. 00 | | | | |total of 720 cu. m at [pic]5. 00 per cu. m | | | | |g. |Tertiary dike, 700 linear meters, 3. 0 m base, 1. 0 m crown and 1. m height or a total|7,000. 00 | | | | |of 1,400 cu. m at [pic]5. 00 per cu. m | | | |3. |Construction and installation of gates |   | | | |a. |Main double opening concrete gate, 2 units at [pic]20,000/unit including labor cost |40,000. 00 | | | |b. |Construction and installation of 10 units secondary wooden gates at [pic]3,000. 00 per|30,000. 00 | | | | |unit | | | | |c. Construction and installation of 15 units tertiary wooden gates at [pic]1,500/unit |22,500. 00 | | |4. |Excavation and levelling of pond bottoms (cut-and-fill) |   | | | |a. |Nursery Pond, 1. 5 ha at [pic]2,000/hectare |3,000. 00 | | | |b. |Transition Pond, 4. 0 ha at [pic]2,000/ha |8,000. 00 | | | |c. |Formation Pond, 8. 0 ha at [pic]2,000/ha |16,000. 00 | | | |d. |Rearing Pond, 32. 0 ha at [pic]2,000/ha |64,000. 00 | | |5. Uprooting and removal of stumps at [pic]600/ha |30,000. 00 | | |6. |For the construction of facilities |   | | | |a. |Caretaker's Hut made of light materials, 2 units at [pic]6,000/unit |12,000. 00 | | | |b. |Bodega, made of light materials for inputs and equipment, 1 unit |5,000. 00 | | | |c. |Chilling tank with shed, made of light materials |3,000. 00 | | |7. |For the purchase of equipment |   | | | |a. Nets for harvesting |3,000. 00 | | | |b. |Digging blades and carpentry tools |1,000. 00 | | | |c. |Containers |2,000. 00 | | |8. |Contingencies (10% of cost) |52,350. 05 | | |Sub-total |[pic]562,750. 55 | | |T O T A L |[pic]575,850. 55 | ESTIMATED COST FOR ONE UNIT DOUBLE OPENING MAIN CONCRETE GATE |I. Cost of Materials | | |   | |Quantity |Unit Price |Amount | | |1. |Cement |140 bags |[pic]24. 00/bag |[pic]3,360. 00 | | |2. |Sand |10 cu. m. |60. 00/cu. m |600. 00 | | |3. |Gravel |20 cu. m |80. 00/cu. m |1,600. 00 | | |4. |Boulders |8 cu. m |50. 00/cu. m |400. 00 | | |5. Reinforcement Bar | | | |a) ? ? ? 20†² |80 pcs |22. 00/pc |1,760. 00 | | | |b) ? 3/8 ? 20†² |35 pcs |12. 00/pc |420. 00 | | |6. |Plywood form |49 pcs |48. 00/pc |2,352. 00 | | | |(? ? 4†² ? 8†³) | | | | | |7. |Lumber (S4S) | | | |a) 2†³ ? 2†³ ? 12†² |30 pcs |3. 0/bd. ft |360. 00 | | | |b) 2†³ ? 3†³ ? 12†² |16 pcs |3. 00/bd. ft |288. 00 | | | |c) 1†³ ? 2†³ ? 12†² |10 pcs |3. 00/bd. ft |60. 00 | | | |d) 1†³ ? 12†³ ? 12†² |6 pcs |3. 00/bd. ft |216. 00 | | |8. |Assorted Nails |10 kgs |7. 50/kg |75. 00 | | |9. |G. I. Wire #16 |20 kgs |8. 00/kg |160. 00 | | |10. Bamboo Puno |400 pcs |4. 00/pc |1,600. 00 | | |Sub-tot al |[pic]13,251. 00 | |II. |Labor (40% of material cost) |5,300. 00 | |III. |Contingencies (10% of material cost) |1,325. 00 | | |T O T A L |[pic]19,876. 00 | | |say |[pic]20,000. 00 | ESTIMATED COST FOR ONE UNIT SECONDARY WOODEN GATE |I. Cost of Materials | | |   |   |Description |Quantity |Unit Price |Amount | | |1. |Ply Board |1†³? 10†³? 14†² |34 pcs. |[pic]3. 00/bd. ft|[pic]1,190. 00| | | | | | |. | | | | | |1†³? 10†³? 8†² |3 pcs. |3. 00/bd. ft. |60. 00 | | |2. |Slabs |1†³? 12†³? 14†² |2 pcs. |3. 00/bd. ft. |84. 00 | | |3. |Pillars and   Braces |2†³? 3†³? 10†² |4 pcs. 3. 00/bd. ft. |60. 00 | | | | |2†³? 3†³? 8†² |7 pcs. |3. 00/bd. ft. |84. 00 | | | | |2†³? 3†³? 14†² |2 pcs. |3. 00/bd. ft. |42. 00 | | | | |3†³? 4†³? 10†² |12 pcs. |3. 00/bd. ft. |360. 00 | | |4. |Screen Frames |2†³? 3†³? 16†² |2 pcs. |3. 00/bd. ft. |48. 00

Compression test Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Compression test - Essay Example he lateral forces acting on the can ultimately act on a single line, which is, takes a rectangular shape and is relatively small in area, thus the quick crumbling. Once the yield point, or yield stress, has been reached, the crumbling requires less force for continued deformation, thus the dip in the force used. When the compressive load is directed onto the tops of the soda can, the compressive force acts on the wholesome vertical wall of the can, thus distributing the force equally. By distributing the forces subjected to the can equally as opposed to a single point in the side-crushing test, the can has more resistance to the compressive forces. Since the can is hollow, it exhibits characters that are varied as opposed to the side crushing. From the graph, when the forces supplied reach the yield point, there is a drop in the required forces (Voland, 2003, p. 192), but the crumble suddenly strengthens the can as it is compressed, and gets compacted. The can requires a lot more force to continue the deformation, thus the curve that gets a positive gradient as opposed to a continued drop. The changes are not uniform since the compacting assumes various strengths with continued compacting, until the ultimate load is reached. The forces show that the can takes of fragile characteristics as o pposed to ductile traits in the compression tests, since the graph changes are sudden as opposed to the curved changes a ductile object displays. The relationship between the force and the standard travel (deformation) is proportional, though there exists a constant since the change does not begin at the origin for both

Accounting Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Accounting - Research Paper Example paration of Financial Statement and consistent with this, it is essential for firms to reveal separately in the statement of income for the record of the inventories which has been small persistence thing. Additionally, this rule also demands for sufficient data which influences the important measures with that data which can additional support in accepting a situation. The risk of not including the inventory write-down in the financial statement is that the investors may over-anticipate income firmness and thus lead to decisions that may create strong unethical situations. Beside this, such condition can direct towards many ethical and financial problems for example excessive manager’s payments, concealment fraud penalties, losing investors self-assurance in organization with loosing value of brand in addition to goodwill. Accountants who do not consider complete according standards while making financial statement, are not only breaching the according standards but also are breaching the trust and ethics which is considered as inevitable in the â€Å"professional behavior† (Little, 2008, p. vii) of the people. As being element of Practicing Business, it is suggested that CEO and CFO of the business should think such influence of the â€Å"Internal Revenue Service† (Internal Revenue Service Data Book, no date, p. 32). This IRM gives an outline and common knowledge of GAOs annual Financial Statement Audit of the â€Å"Internal Revenue Service† (Internal Revenue Service Data Book, no date, p. 32) (IRS). As the country’s tax collector, the IRS has the liability of collecting taxes, enforcing the nation’s tax laws and processing tax return. The GAO performs annually audits of the financial statements of IRS in keeping the CFO Act of 1990, as extended by the â€Å"Government Management Reform Act of 1994† (Guthrie et al., 2005, p. 357) Appropriate to this Act, the General Accounting Office (GAO) opines on the fiscal statements of the IRS in the report financial

Electoral college Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Electoral college - Essay Example The amendment provides room for the electoral process in case the electors failed to choose the president by majority. Each state had a number of electors that were same as the number of the state representatives in the upper and lower houses of the legislature. In 1969, the District of Columbia gets for the first time number of elector equal to the least populous state elector’s by the 23rd Amendment. The electors person's choice is from the states they represent by a populous vote that translates to the presidential candidate they favor in the end. There have been many attempts to change the system, but none has been useful. The states organize the elector’s elections where congress determines the dates. Some of the attempts that have been successful include Nebraska and Maine give two votes to the overall winner in the states and one vote for congressional district winner. The system of the presidential election termed as Electoral College system establishment is in the year 1804 after the 12th amendment of article II of the constitution. The main factors that influenced the creation of the system were to ensure that each state gets a fair say in who is their president. The electors were the rich land owners of the time and had to be white. To create a solution should any of the candidates fail to get a win of 270 populous elector’s votes. This scenario arises when the electors who pledge to vote for a given candidate vote otherwise as they are not bound to their promise by the constitution. The House of Representatives resolves this stalemate. The pros of the system include it enhances national cohesion in the country and ensures that distributing the populous president decision all over the country. The system also ensures that there is political stability by enhancing the two political party system (Bickel. 56). The people against the system argue that the system provides a leeway for a candidate to win the nationwide election and los e the electoral vote. The critics justify their argument by the events that happened in the year 2000 when republican George Bush lost the populous vote and went ahead to win the electoral vote. His opponent Al Gore won the populous vote but, lost the electoral vote. In the end Bush, become the president. The critics say the system gives a leeway to election of a minority leader. They argue President George W. Bush was a minority leader but went ahead to gevern the country four those four years. This leader will not protray the Nation's free will as a few individuals that have a free will on whom to elect into office elected him into office. The minority leader increases the risk of dividing the nation into half. Most of the people will not have faith into his leadership regime. This may trigger mass protest and derail the economy of the nation. Critics point to the possibility that the Electoral College discouraging voter turnout in many states. Critics’ argue since the coll ege has the mandate to elect the president then, the voters may after all leave the decision to the college and boy court elections. This will be a big setback in democracy as people will feel to be denied their constitutional mandate to elect the leader of their choice. Many republicans in the current states where they rule are aiming to change Electoral College

Hardware Replacement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hardware Replacement - Essay Example This essay outlines if it is necessary for a firm to upgrade hardware. To do it in order to accommodate a new software system is a rather radical change that must be thought thoroughly beforehand. It is good to evaluate the risks first and the benefits and disadvantages of all the alternatives in order to weigh the options appropriately. Employ or designate people who are knowledgeable in the ins and outs of the new system and put into place a clear and specific timeline for the completion of the project. Finally, there should be sufficient resources and information for the employees affected by such change since, overall, the success of the business venture is dependent on how the end-users will respond to the change. The five variables of project management such as scope, time, cost, quality and risk will need to be evaluated thoroughly. If the CRM is to be implemented in the corporate offices, it has to be defined on how the new software is targeted to be used and up to what exten t. The target users of the new system will have to be distinct. The boundaries need to be defined in order to make sure that the project will not go beyond its target use or users. No unnecessary training or resources will be wasted to those that will not be affected by the change. Time-frame has to be defined as well. By changing the current equipment or hardware being used, factors such as how long it will take for the current equipment to be replaced with new equipment and before it will be fully functional must be taken into consideration

Research Critique of a Quantitative Design Paper - 1

Critique of a Quantitative Design - Research Paper Example The research paper focuses on the educational degrees which are acquired by nurses and also reflects their performance and job satisfaction ratio. In the literature review, researchers have tried to relate an impact of education in job satisfaction which does not seem to be the only reason for the contribution to acquiring job satisfaction. The performance of an individual plays an important role in career retention because employees have to justify their education through their performances. The researchers have also tried to relate the reasons of a higher turnover rate with low job satisfaction, which is also considered as an incomplete reason for its justifications. Poor performance and inability to follow ethical guidelines are also the reason for a higher turnover rate. The study had been focused on the educational degrees which are acquired by nurses. They are either Associate’s Degree (AD) or Bachelor’s in Science degree (BS) followed by specialization. The resea rcher did not mention any previous studies that focused on the degree programs and their satisfaction in their respective jobs. This would have given the ratio of degree holders that can retain their job and become the source for job satisfaction. The hypothesis that has been assumed by the researcher contains an assumption that a BS degree would result in job satisfaction of a person and an AD degree would result in better career retention. There are other factors that could result in the increase in job satisfaction and career retention.

French culture 1800-1900 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

French culture 1800-1900 - Essay Example He is accredited as the founder of the impressionist movement. He is considered to be one of the most important artists in history; his contributions to art are still being viewed until today. Claude Monet’s work was showing more about the light hence he would paint subjects under different light conditions over and over as he was trying to understand the qualities of light in the natural world (Discover France 1). Claude Monet’s painting impression sunrise earned the group the title impressionists as some critics thought the group paintings were unfinished impressions. Claude Monet used various styles so that his paintings would look more alive hence to add life in his paintings which include; light, water, landscapes, water lilies and young woman with a little boy. Claude Monet used water as it had great mirrors for reflecting the trees, boats and sky. He used any type of water from oceans, rivers, lakes, or pounds. He also used light as he wanted to capture the fundamental nature of light. Claude paid more attention to how the light would strike his subject than the subject itself. In his use of landscape, if there were people seen in the scene they were often considered as mere shadows. Claude Monet spent almost twenty years painting water lilies in numerous colors, positions and styles. In his early paintings his favorites were that of a young woman with a little boy. The young wom an was his wife Camille and the little boy Jean was their son. Claude Monet loved light very much as he believed light equaled color and he always sought to add luminescence to the paintings so as to give them some of the life. He observed them by using pure spots of different colors side by side as a replacement for the gradations of the same color. These broken colors merged at a distance but they took a vibrancy not obtained by the use of hues and shades of the same color. His shadows were constructed with complementary colors of the objects in the

Reading Review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reading Review - Assignment Example Theses artists perceived revolutionary leftist politics as the sole hope against abuse and violence. They therefore placed hope in political art as opportunities to bring change. To communicate to masses of people, the artists organized realism, a style that most people preferred and understood (Barber 31). Some artists such as Diego Rivera used their art to protest social ills. In 1950, Rivera created an artistically huge, multi-layered mural in Mexico City. He drew his ideas from the early colonial manuscripts, Pre-Columbian sculpture, and historical accounts to compose idealistic portraits of utopian Indian traditions, on-going resistance to the dominant Spaniards, and radical assault on imperialist vices. Rivera’s use of new technologies in art was used to protest social evils and had clear appeal to leftist politics, an appeal that expanded to the U.S during the age of depression. Most of researches from art works indicate that femininity failed to fulfill most of the requirements of traditional art history. In the 19th century, these practical limitations did not affect women as much, but in the early years of the 20th century, women were gradually marginalized from paintings. Women, whose reputed powers were in intuition and emotions as opposed to reason were perceived as incapable of delivering symbolic and intellectual arts properly. History art depends on a clear creation of articulated texts, where texts are clearly employed to meet discursive objectives. Similarly, the temperaments needed of a history artist begun to be gendered as â€Å"masculine† thus implying that none of the women artists would have the frame of mind essential to create significant historical art. Since art displayed and needed judgment and imagination; a couple of components of reason, they were traditionally associated with masculinity. A notion came

Voluntary assumption of liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Voluntary assumption of liability - Essay Example Nonetheless, such acts fail the English legal system’s interpretation of what constitutes justice, fairness and equity, in contracts. Edwards, Edwards, and Wells (2011) argued that an application of a ‘genuine’ assumption of liability as the premise upon which extra-contractual risks are based can repair the damages resulting from the injustice. Sykes (2012) pointed out that this effectively circumvents the legal challenges arising from the wider interpretation of a binding contract.The second legal hurdle relates to the fairly wide confines within which a binding contract falls (Gruidl, 2008). In Tort, however, Best and Barnes (2007) averred that numerous limitations face the English judicial system. For instance, time constraints in the acquisition of claims, narrowly explained vicarious liability, and the amount of damages may hinder the handling of claims in a fair manner, especially claims stemming from direct business between two parties in cases where a bin ding contract cannot be implied. In such situations, the generous provisions guiding the establishment of contracts do not apply (Horrigan, 2012).Lastly, a party may use the idea of assumption of liability to claim liability for issues that were part of a contract (Sykes, 2012).   In fact, the doctrine of assumption of responsibility was introduced into English law to settle extra-contractual liability arising from â€Å"non-intentional† injury other than physical injury to any individual party. These include; psychological injury, economic damages and nervous shock.... Lastly, a party may use the idea of assumption of liability to claim liability for issues that were part of a contract (Sykes, 2012). In fact, the doctrine of assumption of responsibility was introduced into English law to settle extra-contractual liability arising from â€Å"non-intentional† injury other than physical injury to any individual party. These include; psychological injury, economic damages and nervous shock (Edwards, Edwards, and Wells, 2011; Horrigan, 2012). Difficulty in compensation Best and Barnes (2007) suggested that these kinds of injury are hard to remedy. In effect, the defendant and the wider society would find it hard to withstand the losses. But, the researchers added that a blanket refusal of liability is unacceptable. Therefore, English law was created to provide grounds for a new platform for the application of logical, narrow responsibility in tort, for such damages. Harpwood (2008) contend that such provisions of English law seek means of narrowi ng the application of responsibility in negligence which, hitherto would only be proved by foreseeable injury. In English legal system the concept of assumption of liability is today clearly employed separately within the province the Duty of Care in Negligence (Horrigan, 2012). Additionally, the idea is slowly being outmoded by the three-fold-test under the Duty of Care, and the slow evolution of the key facets of the common law, which focus on expanding liability. Rights of Third Parties Act 1999 Gruidl (2008) noted the significance of the Rights of Third Parties Act 1999, which expanded the infamous narrow understanding of contract and the liabilities that may arise thereof under English law. The new legislation repealed the

Tribes in India Essay Example for Free

Tribes in India Essay India is the home to large number of indigenous people, who are still untouched by the lifestyle of the modern world. With more than 84.4 million, India has the largest population of the tribal people in the world. These tribal people also known as the adivasis are the poorest in the country, who are still dependent on haunting , agriculture and fishing. Some of the major tribal groups in India include Gonds, Santhals, Khasis, Angamis, Bhils, Bhutias and Great Andamanese. All these tribal people have their own culture, tradition, language and lifestyle. This enables the tourist to get an insight into many different cultures at the same time on the tribal tour to India. Santhal tribes Santhals are the third largest tribe in India. They are mostly found in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and Assam. They belong to the pre- Aryan period and have been the great fighters from the time of Britishers. Munda Munda tribe mainly inhabit in the region of Jharkhand, although they are well spread in the states of West Bengal, Chhatisgarh, Orissa and Bihar. Munda generally means headman of the village. Hunting is the main occupation of the Mundas tribe. Khasi Khasi tribe is mainly found in the Khasi Jaintia hills in Meghalaya and in the states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir. They forms the large part of the population in the state of Meghalaya Angami Angami tribe belongs to the extreme north eastern part of the country, in the state of Nagaland. The total population of the Angamis is around 12 million. They are quite popular their woodcraft and artwork. Sekrenyi is the main festival celebrated among the Angamis in Nagaland. Bhils Bhils are popularly known as the bow men of Rajasthan. They are the most widely distributed tribal groups in India. They forms the largest tribe of the whole South Asia. Bhils are mainly divided into two main groups the  central or pure bills and eastern or Rajput Bhils. Bhutia Bhutia tribes are of the Tibetan origin. They migrated to Sikkim around 16th century. In the northern part of the Sikkim they are known as the Lachenpas and Lachungpas. Bhutias forms 14% of the total population of Sikkim. Losar and Losoong are the main festivals celebrated tribe.

Motor Neurone Disease Health And Social Care Essay

Motor Neurone Disease Health And Social Care Essay sensory neuron and motor neuron. Sensory neuron brings the signal from the target organ to brain in the form of electrical impulses and motor neuron has just the opposite function i.e. it brings the impulses from brain to target organ to respond against the particular stimulus. In MND these motor neurons are get affected that control voluntary muscle including speaking, walking, breathing, sawalloing and general movement of body. Skeletal muscle are innervated by a group of neurons (lower motor neuron) located in the ventral horn of spinal cord which projectout the ventral roots to the muscle cells. These nerve are innervated by corticospinal tract or upper motor neuron that project from motor cortex of brain. In microscopic pathology there is degeneration of ventral horn of spinal cord as well as atrophy of ventral roots. Introduction: Motor neuron disease (MND) are the group of neurological disorder. It affects the motor neurons. Motor neurons have main function in bringing the signal in form of impulses from brain to the effectors organs (target organ) and in this way control the voluntary activity like walking, speaking, swallowing and other general movements. A French neurologist, Jean Martin Charcot, first suggested club together all conditions that affect the lateral horn of spinal cord in 1869. The other common name for MND are- ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), progressive muscular atrophy (PLS). The cause of MND is sporadic. Genetic factor and environmental factor are responsible for it up to some extent. The motor system mainly consist of four parts: pyramidal system, basal ganglia, cerebellum and neuromuscular system. The lesion in any of them can lead to neurodegenerative disease. There may be several reason associated with lesion like intracellular hemorrhage, stroke etc. There is not much scope available for treatment of this disease permanently. Medical science still does not have any effective and permanent cure. Here I am trying to use stem cell technology approach for the treatment of this disease. As stem cells are the master cells of human body and can have capacity to derive all kind of cells. Because of its versatile nature, these cell can generate the motor neuron cells which get degenerated in MND. Here some stem cells cell approach is being consider and technique involved for its treatment are neural stem cell approach, the delivery of stem cells into multiple site and affected area, induced pluripotent cells approach, glial restricted precursor approach, cell therapy approach etc. The motor system: The motor system consist of: Pyramidal system (upper motor neuron) The basal ganglia (extrapyramidal system) The cerebellum Neuromuscular system The normal motor pathway contain upper motor neuron that synapse in the brainstem and spinal cord with lower motor neuron. The nerve cell bodies of of upper motor neuron (UMNs) lie in the precentral gyrus of the cerebral cortex and in several brainstem nuclei, their axon synapse with motor nuclei in brainstem (cranial nerve nuclei) and the spinal cord (peripheral nerve). Lower motor neuron (LMNs) have their cell bodies in the anterior horn (AHC); their axon transmit impulse through their anterior root into peripheral nerve terminating at neuromascular [junction Rosa-Eva Huettl et al, Feb 2011]. Skeletal cells which are voluntary in nature are innervated by group of neurons (LMNs) which are located in the ventral horn of spinal cord and these nerve cells are innervated by corticospinal tract(UMN) which project from motor cortex of brain. Three kinds of motor pathways impringe on the anterior horn cells ; the corticospinal tract, the basal ganglia system, and the cerebellar system. These are additional pathway originating in brainstem that mediate flexor and extensor tone in limb movement and posture most notable in coma. All these higher motor pathways affect movement through the LMNs- so called the final common pathway. C:UsersGUDDU-SUDDUDesktoppari2.gif Fig 1: representation of motor cortex and internal capsule. The principal motor pathway (pyramidal tract) is depicated. The movement whether initiated voluntarily in the cortex, automatically in the basal ganglia or reflexly in the sensory receptors, must ultimately be translated into action via anterior horn cells. A lesion in any of the above mentioned area will affect movement or reflex activity. The three principal motor pathway are: The corticospinal (pyramidal) tract: the cortiocospinal (pyramidal) tracts mediate voluntary movement and integrate skilled, complicated, or delicate movement of selected muscular actions and inhibit others. They also carry impulses that inhibit tone, hence, their lesion results in hypertonia. The corticospinal fibres originate in the cerebral cortex (precentral mortex cortex) pass through corona radiata and condense in the internal capsule, pass through its posterior limb and travel own through mid brain, pons and comes down into lower medulla, where they form an anatomical structure resembling a pyramid. There most of the fibres cross to the opposite or contralateral side of the medualla, pass downwards and synapse with the anterior horn cells or with internuncial neurons. Tracts synapsing in the brainstem with motor nuclei of the cranial nerves are termed corticobullar fibres (tract). The basal ganglia system: it included motor pathways between the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, brain stem and spinal cord. It controls tone, posture and body movement especially gross automatic movement such as walking. The cerebellum: it receives both sensory and motor inputs and controls the co-ordinates the motor activity, maintains equilibrium and control posture. Body part representation in motor cortex and internal capsule: The body part are represented in contraleteral hemisphere in a characteristic fashion i.e. lower limb occupies upper position, face occupied lower most, arm and trunk occupy a large area. Similarly, the parts of the body capable of performing delicate movements have largest cortical representation. In internal capsule, the representation of the part is reserved. The upper limbs, trunk and lower limbs occupy upper middle and lower parts of posterior limb of the internal capsule. Change in the posture and alteration in the tone of many muscles requires for the movement of body. Some quite distant from the part being moved. The motor system consist of hierarchy of control mechanism that maintain body posture, baseline, muscle tone upon which a specific movement is superimposed. The lowest order of the hierarchy lies in the gray matter of spinal cord which control the muscle tone in response to stretch and the reflex withdrawl to noxious stimuli. Above the spinal cord, circuits between basal ganglia and motor cortex constitute the extrapyramidal system which control background muscle tone and body posture and gate the initiation of movement. Cause of MND and symptoms associated with it: Almost 90% of MND cases are sporadic [Leyanx Xu et al, April 2009] i.e. the patient have not family record of this disease. Genetic factors and environmental factor is important in determing individuals sucettibility. Some genes linked to ALS are: Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase SOD1, ALS2, NEFH, SETX and vesicle associated with protein B (VAPB). SOD1 mutation is responsible for about 20% of the MND case among in a family. The main product of SOD1 gene is superoxide dismutase enzyme. It act as a free radical scavenger and function as to reduce the oxidative stress of cells throughout body [Gurney ME et al, April 1997] . Till now about more than 100 different kinds of mutation in SOD1 gene have been found, which account for development of MND and its some other forms as well (ALSOD database). AV4 is the most commonly mutation occurring in North America and occur in up to 50% of SOD1 cases. In such a way different region and countries have different mutation which directly or indirectly affect SOD1 gene. For instance, in Japan the most common mutation is H46R. D90A mutation is associated with the slow progression of ALS is found in the people of Scandinavian [Gurney ME et al, April 1997]. As SOD1 gene is involved in the reduction of oxidative stress so its mutation confers a gain in toxic and affect the nerve cells. Rather than this aspect lesion in various parts of the motor system produce distructive pattern of motor deficit. These can induce negative symptoms of weakness, lack of coordination, lack of stability and stiffness or positive symptoms such as tremor, dystonia, chorea, athetosis, hemiballism, tics and myoclonus. When the lower limbs are affected, characteristic pattern of gait disorder may result. Lower motor neuron lesion: It consist of anterior horn cells, nerve roots, peripheral nerves and myoneural junctions. Groups of muscle fibres innervated by single anterior horn cells (LMN) from a motor unit, hence, it will cause loss of function of these motor unit and muscle fibres innervated by them result into weakness, flaccid, paralysis, atrophy and wasting the muscles and these muscle fibres depolorise spontaneously producing fibrillation. Sign and symptoms of lower neuron lesion: Weakness or loss of movement. Decrease tone (hypotonia-flaccid paralysis). Loss of tendon and superficial reflexes. Wasting of muscle leading to atrophy. Fasciculation. Trophic change in skin and nail in neutropathies. Contractures of muscle. Upper motor neuron lesions: The corticospinal tract (UMM) extended from the cortex to spinal cord, when damaged or destroyed, its function are reduced or lost below the level of lesion. When UMNs are damaged above the crossover of tract in medulla, motor impairment develops on opposite or contralateral side. In damage below the crossover, motor impairment occur on same or ipsilateral side of body. A UMN lesion manifests clinically: Weakness of limb or limbs. Brisk tendon stretch reflexes and loss of superficial reflexs. Hypertonia i.e. spastic increase in tone greater in the extensors of lower limb and flexors of upper limb which is a characteristic pattern of hemiplegia. Extensor plantar responses. The weakness is more pronounced in extensors of upper limbs and flexors of lower limb. Little or no wasting of muscles. Extrapyramidal lesions: Disease of basal ganglia or extrapyramidal system does not cause paralysis but produce an increase in tone, disturbance in posture and gait, a slowness or lack of spontaneous and automatic movement termed bradykinesia, and a variety of involuntary movements. Cerebellar lesions: it leads to: Lack of coordination on the same side of body. The initial part of movement is normal but as target is approached and accuracy of movement deteriorates resulting in intention termor. Impairment of gait, equilibrium and postures. Lesions involving the cerebellar hemisphere lead to ataxic gait; while involvement of central vermis leads to truncal ataxia (patient has difficulty in sitting up, or standing). Decrease in muscle tone due to involvement of red nucleus. Paralysis is not a feature of cerebellar disease. Except all these stroke is also one of the commonest cause for motor neuron disorder. Diagnosis: Clinical diagnosis established by neurologist on the basis of neurological examination. Investigation such as blood test, EMG (electromyography), MRI (magnetic resonance image) and sometime genetic testing to diagnose the disease. The other way to diagnose the disease is by concentrating on symptoms and body condition. Treatment: Riluzole is the only drug that affect the course of disease [Theiss RD, et al, mar 2011]. This drug function by blocking the effect of neurotransmitter glutamine and is extend the life spain of an an ALS patient by only few months. Still there is no total cure of MND. The other treatment is being used are acute stroke management, as stroke is one of commonest cause of development of this disease. Stem cell approach for treatment of motor neuron disease: As mention above the main cause of this disease is degeneration of motor neurons. So application of stem cell technology in the generation of motor neuron can be very useful technique to treat this disease. Stem cells are the master cells of the human body. Because of versatile nature, stem cells have potential to repair or replace the degenerated cells. There are many issue which are important to be consider if we translate the current knowledge of stem cell into the treatment of neurodegenerative disease. First of all the clinically competitive and risk to the patient acceptable is necessary to be define. One of the important issue is that the proliferation and differentiation are difficult to control. Animal model may not fully predict their toxicity and risk involve for development of tumor formation after implantation [ Olle lindvall et al,4 jan 2010]. The disease pathology has to be determine that which cell be generating from stem cells. Different cells will be needed for different disease in replacement therapy. Prior to the clinical application, it must be demonstrated in animal model that stem cell based approach induce substantial improvement of function deficits that resemble the debilitating symptoms in patient. It is also important to determine biological mechanism involved the observed effect of stem cell treatment in animal model. Motor neuron cell has been developed invitro from different stem cells sources including mouse and human stem cells [Roy et al, year 2005]. Neural stem cells (NSCs) has been derived from fetal rat spinal cord [Lee H, et al. year 2007] and human forebrain and some other cells like iPS cells. These stem cell derived motor neuron precursors and neuroblast inviro. The motor neuron have extended axon to ventral roots. After transplanting into spinal cord of adult rabbit having the motor degeneration problem, form the neuromascular junction and it give rise to partial recovery from paralysis. after transplantation into the affected area of adult mice and maturation, the stem cells derived motor neuron and attend muscular atrophy. C:UsersGUDDU-SUDDUDesktoppari.jpeg Fig 2 : stem cell based therapeutic approach for motor neuron disease (ALS). ALS leads to degeneration of motor neuron in the cerebral cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. The stem cell based approach can be induce neuroprotector or dampen detrimental inflammation by implanting stem releasing growth hormone. Finally stem cells derived spinal motor neuron precursor or neuroblast could be transplanted into damaged area to replace damaged or dead neurons. [ Olle lindvall et al,4 jan 2010] Still this approach has not been successful totally to cure MND in case of human. There a several experiment hurdle which must have to overcome so that the cell replacement therapy to become successful. To achieve this goal we must know the specificity of the cell target, homing and special markers. The stem cell must be delivered at multiple site along the spinal cord . the upper motor neuron formed must be innervates to the lower motor neurons the other important aspect is that differential of spinal motor neurons can be directed to the correct cervical, thoracis or lumber phenotype and finally cell project at axial or limb muscles . The central motor neuron like corticospinal neuron also can be replaced which gate degenerated in motor neuron disease. The life Spain of new motor neuron generated should be appropriate. It should also be determine weather the environment in the spinal cord of patient with ALS, which hostile to motor neuron, can be altered [ Olle lindvall et al,4 jan 2010]. The genetical factor is one of the important factor to be consider. The person having ALS carrying genetic mutation in the glial cell so modification of the microglial cell or astrocyte for long term survival of transplanted motor neuron. Stem cell transplantation to counteract motor neuron loss by releasing neurotrophic molecules or modifying the inflammatory environment, play a major role in disease progression. It is more near term clinical goal for ALS [ Olle lindvall et al,4 jan 2010]. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells approach: Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell as indicated above in the previous section, can be one of the important approach to treat motor neuron disease. These iPS cells are derived from epigenetic reprogramming of somatic cells through the exogenous expression of transcription factor. These iPS cells are also having the characteristic property like to that of embryonic stem cells and hence can have the major impact on disease like neurodegenerative disorder and regenerative medicine. These iPS cells are also self renew and retain potential to be differentiated into all cell type of body [Evangelos kiskins et al]. The another approach to treat MND is directed differentiation of human induced pluripotent (iPS) cell to functional neural phenotype is unknown. Human embryonic stem cells, specified to neural lineage, this cell could be differentiated to form motor neuron with similar efficiency [S karumbayaram et al, July 2010]. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is also one of the common type of neurological disorder leading to infant mortality. This cause selective loss of lower motor neurons which finally result into muscle weakness, paralysis and often death. In this iPS cells were used. iPS cells were taken from skin fibroblast from the child with SMA. These cells expanded robustly in culture, maintained the disease genotype and generate motor neuron that showed selective deficits compared to those derived from childs unaffected mother. This was very essential in many other aspects like it can be used to model the specific pathology seen in a genetically inherited disease, study disease mechanism, screen drug compounds and develop new therapies [Allison D Elbert et al, 15 jan 2009]. Recently human neural stem cells (NSC) graft ameliorate MND in SOD1 transgenic model [Leyan Xu et al, April 2009]. One of the important stem cell approach for treatment of MND is that stem cells derived motor neuron may not survive when exposed to the harsh microenvironment in spinal cord of ALS. Rather than this stem cell may be used for studying glia- mediated toxic mechanism and other therapies in ALS [Jason R Thonhoff et al, June 2008]. Cell therapy may be a promising new treatment for MND. Recently it has been shown a single low dose (106 cells) of mononuclear human umbical cord blood cells administrating intravenously to mice delayed symptoms progression and modestly prolong life span [Svitana Garbuzova Davis et al, 17 June 2010]. Conclusion: Motor neuron disease is due to degeneration of motor neurons. The reason associated with it may be several like genetic factor, environmental factor etc. lesion in the parts of motor system is also one of the important cause of motor neuron disease. Although still there is no permanent cure of this disease. Medical science is concentrating on controlling the factors which are responsible for account of this disease to cure this disease like stroke is one of the common cause for MND so medical science is concentrating to overcome this stroke. Except this, medical science is also concentrating on lesion cure this disease. The main problem with medical science is that it is unable to activate the degenerated cell. Once the cell is dead or degenerate is impossible to make active. The only possible way is replacement of those degenerative and dead cells. Studies are being done to replicate the function of the neuron in term of MEMS (microelectromechanicalsystem) which can be used to replicate the degenerated neurons with these MEMS based microdevices. Apart from all these aspect according to me, stem cell technology approach is the best way to cure this disease. Because the cell which gets degenerated are being replaced here by the new cells produced by stem cells. So the biological environment is being maintained and the normal physiology can be retained by development of same cells which gets degenerated. Still this approach is not being successful because of the experimental hurdle. There is need of more study specially in specificity of the cell target, homing and special markers so that the transplantation is appropriate and it produce the degenerated cells. The various clinical trials are in progress in USA and hopefully as in other animal models it will be also work on human.