Academic literature on the topic 'Live-holding'

The joint EDBT/ICDT conference (International Conference on Extending Database Technology / International Conference on Database Theory) is a well established conference series on data management, with annual meetings in the second half of March that attract 250 to 300 delegates. Three weeks before EDBT/ICDT 2020 was planned to take place in Copenhagen, the rapidly developing Covid-19 pandemic led to the decision to cancel the face-to-face event. In the interest of the research community, it was decided to move the conference online while trying to preserve as much of the real-life experience as possible. As far as we know, we are one of the first conferences that moved to a fully synchronous online experience due to the COVID- 19 outbreak. By fully synchronous, we mean that participants jointly listened to presentations, had live Q&A, and attended other live events associated with the conference. In this report, we share our decisions, experiences, and lessons learned.

Eight species of spiny lobster (six littoral and two deep-sea) and two species of slipper lobster constitute the lobster fishery of India. Lobster landings fluctuate around 2000–3000 t annually. High export demand for Indian spiny lobsters has resulted in regular and organized exploitation, both inshore and offshore. Almost the entire quantity of lobsters landed in India is exported in frozen, cooked or live form. Export of live lobsters, which realize the maximum unit price, has increased from 22 t in 1994 to 97 t in 1996. Live transport of spiny lobsters has advanced from just keeping them alive for a few hours in moist intertidal beach sand to the most sophisticated packing in insulated boxes. The process involves holding the lobsters at the landing centre and at the city of export. The entire exercise lasts about seven days, during which period the lobsters are packed twice, each time keeping them out of water for not less than 20 h. In the holding centres, the lobsters are often kept at high densities, with the resulting build-up of nitrogenous wastes and depletion of dissolved oxygen leading to mortalities. Average mortality is up to 6.5% during live transport.

On December 7,1999, a divided Oklahoma Supreme Court held in Nealis v. Baird that a claim may be brought under Oklahoma's wrongful death statute on behalf of a nonviable fetus born alive. The decision represents a departure from the traditional notion that “viability”—the ability of a fetus to sustain life outside the womb with or without medical assistance—is the standard for wrongful death recovery. In replacing the “viability” standard with a “live birth” standard, the majority maintained that live birth is the “unassailable point at which legal rights must be said to attach to the human person. “ By holding a nonviable fetus a legal “person” for the purpose of a wrongful death claim, the court's decision emphasizes the limited application of the United States Supreme Court's holding in Roe v. Wade that a fetus is not a person for the purposes of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Abstract. Strategies for quantifying heat loss of broilers on live-haul trailers would be beneficial, particularly under conditions of environmental extremes. We have developed an electronic chicken (a self-contained, temperature-controlled heat source) to simulate the sensible heat loss of a live broiler during the transit and holding periods in commercial live-haul trips. The simulated electronic chicken is an aluminum box, having surface area equivalent to a 2.3 to 2.8 kg broiler chicken (0.13 m2), with a thermostatically controlled power source to maintain the internal temperature at 41°C (typical broiler core body temperature). Different cover materials were tested to identify an appropriate cover that resulted in measured values of electronic chicken heat production being similar to published values of sensible heat production for broilers. A double layer of fleece fabric provided a reasonable match. The sensible heat loss of the electronic chickens exhibited positive correlation with exposed wind, and a positive correlation with temperature gradient between internal and external environment. Wetting the fabric cover of electronic chickens only slightly increased heat loss as compared to the dry fabric cover. Wet fabric cover experienced lower heat loss than that expected from the wetted surface of a live chicken, therefore heat loss under the wet scenario would be underestimated. Electronic chickens were installed in modules on trailers with live chickens during commercial live-haul process under various environmental conditions and different management practices. Measured heat losses from electronic chickens were in the range of 8.2 to 20.3 W with outside temperature of -17°C to 3.0°C in winter, and 4.5 to 6.7 W with 28°C to 34°C in summer. Based on literature-reported sensible heat loss under thermoneutrality, it was determined that the measured air temperature inside the live-haul modules on the trailer in the range of 11°C to 25.1°C during transit (outdoor temperature range of 1.7°C to 22.2°C) and 5.3°C to 21.7°C during holding (outdoor temperature range of -9.1°C to 19.8°C) would allow the live chickens to regulate heat by their metabolism and stay comfortable. For the holding period, the winter trips were mostly in the zone of thermal comfort. In summers, hyperthermic conditions were possible during transit, although additional cooling due to surface wetting of birds as a result of misting (on the farm prior to beginning the transit) could have been beneficial but not detectable by electronic chickens. The electronic chickens can be used effectively as a model to evaluate and identify conditions that cause thermal stress conditions during live-haul conditions and to design systems and strategies to alleviate that stress. Keywords: Broiler transport, Physiological stress, Thermal micro-environment, Thermoneutral zone.

The western rock lobster (WRL), Panulirus cygnus is a decapod crustacean which is found in abundance in the coastal waters of Western Australia and which supports a major fishery of economic importance for the State, with an annual harvest ranging between 10-12 million kilograms. The growth of the existing markets in Asia for live exports and the competition exerted by other countries marketing spiny lobsters prompted the need for the Industry to assess and develop post-harvest handling procedures likely to contribute to an improved quality of live product. The physiological responses of P. cygnus to handling and transportation were virtually unexplored.The objectives of this project were, (i) to generate information with regard to the biological phenomena underlying morbidity and mortality of lobsters during live export shipments, (ii) to investigate the physiological responses of P. cygnus to the post-harvest handling practices currently used by the WRL industry in their five export program and, (iii) to identify protocols by which post-harvest handling techniques could be modified to reduce the occurrence of morbidity and mortality during five export.These objectives were achieved through, (i) a field survey conducted during the course of the 1992/93 fishing season, investigating the relative influence of environmental factors and processing techniques on the incidence of lobster morbidity+mortality during simulated live shipments and, (ii) a series of field experiments that monitored the physiological responses elicited by lobsters to post-harvest handling procedures and simulated live shipment conditions.From the field survey, it appeared that the rate of morbidity+mortality experienced in simulated live shipments, within the three processing units surveyed, averaged 5.22 +/- 0.63 %, with a highly significant difference (p [less than] 0.001) between the processing units. Scrutiny of the data revealed a major influence of two factors directly related to post-harvest handling procedures: a) the time spent under normal commercial conditions in packaging export cartons and, b) the ambient temperature within the export cartons. Following 30-36 hrs in packaging, the percent mortality increased twofold, from 5.2 +/- 0.0 % recorded following 20 - 24 hrs to 10.4 +/- 2.3%. With regard to the ambient temperature within the export carton, temperatures between 17.5 and 20.0 degrees celsius appear to be optimal for P. cygnus survival while temperatures above 20.0 degrees celsius induce significantly greater morbidity and mortality.A number of factors were identified as having a potential influence on lobster physiological responses to post-harvest handling conditions:a)Immediately after harvesting, lobsters are subjected to a range of transport environment options, according to their origins: i.e., (i) direct delivery from fishing vessels by local fishermen to the processing facility, (ii) onshore transportation by truck from coastal depots and, (iii) transport in baskets on board carrier-boats from the Houtman Abrolhos Islands.b) After delivery, lobsters are subjected to sorting and grading procedures, with a concomitant exposure to air and disturbance.c) Recovery in holding tanks is usually allowed for a period ranging between 24 to 72 hours.d) Prior to being packed in export cartons, lobsters are subjected to a short period (30 sec to 3 min) of immersion in chilled water (8 - 12 degrees celsius), the procedure varying from one processor to the other.e) During subsequent periods of transit in export cartons, (up to 48 hrs) lobsters are subjected to aerial exposure and fluctuating ambient temperature.A comparison of the physiological profiles of lobsters from different origins revealed significant differences, with respect to a range of physiological variables. On the basis of visual estimates of health status, lobsters from the "local" origin exhibited a consistently superior condition, when compared to "coastal" and "carrier-boat" animals. The examination of physiological variables revealed consistent trends reflecting the visual assessments. "Local" lobsters exhibited significantly lower levels in anaerobic metabolic waste concentrations, with the haemolymph lactate titre between 2.77 +/- 0.19 and 4.33 +/- 0.56 mmol L(subscript)-1, compared with the other groups, between 5.23 +/- 0.24 and 8.86 +/- 1.29 mmol L(subscript)-1. A 250 to 300% increase in haemolymph ammonia concentration was observed between "coastal" and "carrier-boat" groups and the "local" lobsters, at 0.32 +/- 0.02 mmol L(subscript)-1. Significantly higher pH values were recorded for the "local" group, at 7.72 +/- 0.04, compared with values below 7.64 +/- 0.04 for the other groups. "Local" lobsters recorded 8 to 15 times less circulating glucose, at 0.11 +/- 0.03 mmol L(subscript)-1, having 50% more ATP in their muscle tissues, at 6.07 +/- 0.15 mu mol g(subscript)-1 and 250% more arginine phosphate, at 6.56 +/- 0.72 mu mol g(subscript)-1.An assessment of the efficiency of the industry sorting procedures revealed differences between selected and rejected animals with regard to the ATP and arginine phosphate concentrations in their muscle tissues with, as a common trend for both variables, selected animals recorded higher values. Significant differences were identified within the "local" group of lobsters, with selected animals recording 40% more ATP, at 6.92 +/- 0.63 mu mol g(subscript)-1 and 30 % more arginine phosphate, at 7.77 +/- 1.01 mu mol g(subscript)-1.A monitoring of the physiological profiles of lobsters subjected to extended (up to 8 hours) periods of onshore transportation in trucks revealed a significant reduction in their health status. A consistent and almost linear fall in the concentration of total adenylate (35%), to 5.46 +/- 0.50 mu mol g(subscript)-1 and phosphagen reserve (70%),to 2.77 +/- 0.26 mu mol g(subscript)-1, were recorded throughout the 8 hour period. For up to 6 hours the concentration of lactate in the leg muscle tissues increased by 0.95 mu mol g(subscript)-1 h(subscript)-1 and then by 4.7 mu mol g(subscript)-1 h(subscript)-1,to reach 20.57 +/- 1.61 mu mol g(subscript)-1 after 8 hours. Haemolymph glucose and ammonia titres recorded a 3.5 fold increase over the first 6 hours, to reach 2.14 +/- 0.54 and 1.17 +/- 0.16 mmol L(subscript)-1, respectively, the last period (6 to 8 hours) being characterised by a 1.6 and 1.9 fold decrease in concentration. Lobsters were able to maintain their haemolymph pH close to 7.77 during the first four hours, with a concomitant rise in haemolymph calcium concentration. From the results, it appeared that, under current industry procedures, extending the period during which lobsters are transported in spray trucks to more than 6 hours is conducive of altered physiological status.An assessment of the effects of short periods (up to 60 min) of aerial exposure and disturbance revealed significant changes in the physiological profiles of lobsters. When exposed to air, lobsters exhibited a significant fall in haemolymph pH, a rise in lactate concentration, and a depletion in energy reserves. Lobsters left undisturbed were able to buffer an incipient acidosis for up to 40 min (7.78 +/- 0.03), after which a decline in pH was recorded to reach 7.71 +/- 0.02. Conversely, disturbed animals experienced an uncompensated acidosis and a decrease by 0.7 of a unit over a 60 minute period. Similarly, undisturbed lobsters did not demonstrate behavioural signs of stress while disturbed animals exhibited dramatically diminished responses to handling after 60 min of exposure. Both disturbed and undisturbed animals recorded a decline in ATP/ADP, to reach after 40 min, 8.31 +/- 0.77 and 5.05 +/- 0.45, respectively, compared to 13.18 +/- 1.69 (control). During the last period (40 to 60 min), the undisturbed animals recorded a 40 % decrease in ATP concentration, to reach 4.42 +/- 0.16 mu mol g(subscript)-1, while a 53% decline was recorded in the disturbed group, to 3.59 +/- 0.41 mu mol g(subscript)-1. During aerial exposure, the phosphagen reserve recorded a 55% decrease in the disturbed animals, at 4.82 +/- 1.37 mu mol g(subscript)-1, compared to 20% in the undisturbed group, at 8.64 +/- 0.87 mu mol g(subscript)-1. A 100% increase in lactate ion concentration was recorded in the muscle tissues of disturbed animals to reach 5.53 +/- 0.49 mu mol g(subscript)-1, compared to a 15% increase in the undisturbed group, at 2.83 +/- 0.29 mu mol g(subscript)-1.The monitoring of the physiological profiles of lobsters during extended periods (up to 72 hrs) of recovery in holding tanks revealed significant shifts in their physiological profiles and that a return to a steady state occurred only after 8 to 48 hours following re-immersion, according to the environmental conditions and the origin of the animals. Resting levels were identified after 24 hours for the haemolymph pH (close to 8.00), for the concentration in lactate, ions in the muscle tissues (2.00 to 3.00 mu mol g(subscript)-1 for the haemolymph glucose titre (0.30 to 0.60 mmol L(subscript)-1), for the haemolymph ammonia titre (close to 0.25 mmol L(subscript)-1), for ATP (6.50 to 7.70 mu mol g(subscript)-1), and for the phosphagen reserve (12.2 to 16.70 mu mol g(subscript)-1). Longer periods ([greater than]/= 48 hrs) were required for full recovery to occur when lobsters were stored at high stocking density and when lobsters were not isolated from their artificial environment. Extending the recovery period to 72 hrs resulted in slight changes in the physiological profiles of lobsters, with a 20 % decline in ATP/ADP, a 10% decrease in phosphagen concentration in the muscle tissues of the lobsters and subdued behavioural responses for those lobsters held at higher stocking densities.No attempt was made in the present study to establish the resting levels for the physiological variables surveyed. In a number of experiments, "control" groups have been studied and used as reference points to monitor changes accompanying exposure to a range of environmental conditions. The data pertaining to these different groups revealed a variability for most of the variables surveyed, suggesting that it would be hazardous to assume that these animals were undisturbed and to state with confidence that the values recorded for the variables surveyed would represent resting levels.The physiological responses of lobsters subjected to chilling procedures was investigated and significant physiological changes were identified. Short chilling procedures (3 and 6 min) were conducive of a dramatic reduction of the behavioural responses to handling, a reduction in pH values ranging between 0.13 and 0.24 of a unit, a rise in haemolymph lactate concentration by 1 to 2.6 mmol L(subscript)-1, a 20 to 100% increase in haemolymph glucose titre, a 35 to 75% decrease in phosphagen concentration. Extending the chilling period for up to 24 hrs resulted in a progressive return to control levels for most of the physiological variables surveyed. However, physiological signs of disturbance remained perceptible between 2 to 15 hours, as demonstrated by elevated lactate concentrations, lowered ATP and AP concentrations and lowered ATP/ADP values.Lobster body core temperature (CBT) reduction resulting from immersion in chilled water suggested that limited cooling effects were achieved by using the standard chilling procedures currently used by the WRL industry. Using "A" size lobsters (395 - 453 gr), a reduction of the CBT by 0.5 to 0.8 degrees celsius was recorded after 1 and 3 min immersion in 12 degrees celsius water, highlighting the limited low temperature effect exerted by these procedures in lowering the overall temperature of the mass of the product to be packed into export cartons.A study of the general physiological responses of lobsters to simulated live transport conditions in export cartons was conducted, investigating the effects of the period spent by the animals in export cartons, the effects of environmental temperature and the impact of chilling regimes. No attempt was made to duplicate exactly the conditions of cartons shipped overseas, that is carted by trucks to the airport and then transported by air to foreign markets. This study revealed that during the first 4 hours of transit, the animals exhibited physiological changes probably related to delayed responses to handling, disturbance and chilling procedures, as demonstrated by a decline in pH (0.1 to 0.3 of a unit), a rise in haemolymph ammonia (0.5 to 1 mmol L(subscript)-1) and glucose (0.5 mmol L(subscript)-1) titres, an increase in muscle lactate concentration (0.5 to 1 mu mol g(subscript)-1, a decrease in ATP concentration (1.5 mu mol g(subscript)-1, and a partial replenishment of the phosphagen reserve. These changes were less pronounced for those lobsters which underwent intermediate (30 min) chilling treatments.The subsequent periods (to 48 hours) were characterised, for all the treatments, by a rise in lactate concentration in the muscle tissues, this response being delayed for those lobsters which underwent a "6 min" or "30 min" chilling treatment. The data suggested that moderate changes in haemolymph lactate titre resulted from the increase in muscle lactate concentration, up to values ranging between 6 and 8 mu mol g(subscript)-1, beyond which levels, haemolymph lactate rose dramatically, to reach values up to 19.98 mmol L(subscript)-1. The ATP concentration remained relatively constant up to 18 - 26 hours, after which a steep decline was recorded to reach values below or close to 4 mu mol g(subscript)-1 after 42 hours, suggesting that the adenylate pool was maintained, probably through aerobic and anaerobic pathways of energy generation and by the "buffering" role played by the phosphagen reserve. After 24 to 36 hours, all the lobsters exhibited signs of energy depletion, as demonstrated by the changes in ATP/ADP ratio. A concomitant increase in lactate ion concentration and a decrease in haemolymph glucose titre was recorded, suggesting that anaerobic metabolism had become the major component of energy production. Simultaneously, a marked increase in the internal carton temperature was identified, which probably induced an increase in the metabolic rate of the lobsters. This "temperature effect" was delayed for up to 32-38 hrs transit, for those lobsters which underwent intermediate (30 min) and extended (24 hrs) chilling treatments. The changes in haemolymph pH and calcium titre suggest that the initial decline in pH identified at the completion of the first 4 hours of transit was, at least partially, compensated after 26 - 32 hours. A 30 to 40% increase in haemolymph calcium titre was recorded after 4 hours of transit, suggesting that bicarbonate ions were released in order to buffer the pH of the haemolymph. However, a decrease in pH (0.1 to 0.3 of a unit) was recorded during the subsequent periods suggesting that the bicarbonate buffering capacity did not suffice to match the recorded massive rise in lactate titre.By extending the duration of the chilling procedures and by using refrigerated material (wood-shaving fillers, ice-bottles), lower temperatures were achieved inside the packaging cartons and these were maintained for longer periods of transit (up to 20 hours), delaying the effect of the external environment on the temperature changes recorded inside the cartons and the concomitant metabolic responses of the animals. This effect was also achieved by maintaining the cartons in controlled temperature environments ([less than] 20 degrees celsius) and, to a lesser extent, by improving the insulation capacity of the polystyrene cartons.This study constitutes an overview of the physiological responses of Panulirus cygnus to post-harvest handling procedures currently used by the WRL industry. It revealed that an improved return for the Industry could be achieved by reducing the debilitating effects exerted on the lobsters by handling, exposure to air and elevated environmental temperature. It provides direction for future research, aimed at improving the quality and hence, the financial return in the live export of WRL.

The western rock lobster (WRL), Panulirus cygnus is a decapod crustacean which is found in abundance in the coastal waters of Western Australia and which supports a major fishery of economic importance for the State, with an annual harvest ranging between 10-12 million kilograms. The growth of the existing markets in Asia for live exports and the competition exerted by other countries marketing spiny lobsters prompted the need for the Industry to assess and develop post-harvest handling procedures likely to contribute to an improved quality of live product. The physiological responses of P. cygnus to handling and transportation were virtually unexplored.The objectives of this project were, (i) to generate information with regard to the biological phenomena underlying morbidity and mortality of lobsters during live export shipments, (ii) to investigate the physiological responses of P. cygnus to the post-harvest handling practices currently used by the WRL industry in their five export program and, (iii) to identify protocols by which post-harvest handling techniques could be modified to reduce the occurrence of morbidity and mortality during five export.These objectives were achieved through, (i) a field survey conducted during the course of the 1992/93 fishing season, investigating the relative influence of environmental factors and processing techniques on the incidence of lobster morbidity+mortality during simulated live shipments and, (ii) a series of field experiments that monitored the physiological responses elicited by lobsters to post-harvest handling procedures and simulated live shipment conditions.From the field survey, it appeared that the rate of morbidity+mortality experienced in simulated live shipments, within the three processing units surveyed, averaged 5.22 +/- 0.63 %, with a highly significant difference (p [less than] 0.001) between the ++
processing units. Scrutiny of the data revealed a major influence of two factors directly related to post-harvest handling procedures: a) the time spent under normal commercial conditions in packaging export cartons and, b) the ambient temperature within the export cartons. Following 30-36 hrs in packaging, the percent mortality increased twofold, from 5.2 +/- 0.0 % recorded following 20 - 24 hrs to 10.4 +/- 2.3%. With regard to the ambient temperature within the export carton, temperatures between 17.5 and 20.0 degrees celsius appear to be optimal for P. cygnus survival while temperatures above 20.0 degrees celsius induce significantly greater morbidity and mortality.A number of factors were identified as having a potential influence on lobster physiological responses to post-harvest handling conditions:a)Immediately after harvesting, lobsters are subjected to a range of transport environment options, according to their origins: i.e., (i) direct delivery from fishing vessels by local fishermen to the processing facility, (ii) onshore transportation by truck from coastal depots and, (iii) transport in baskets on board carrier-boats from the Houtman Abrolhos Islands.b) After delivery, lobsters are subjected to sorting and grading procedures, with a concomitant exposure to air and disturbance.c) Recovery in holding tanks is usually allowed for a period ranging between 24 to 72 hours.d) Prior to being packed in export cartons, lobsters are subjected to a short period (30 sec to 3 min) of immersion in chilled water (8 - 12 degrees celsius), the procedure varying from one processor to the other.e) During subsequent periods of transit in export cartons, (up to 48 hrs) lobsters are subjected to aerial exposure and fluctuating ambient temperature.A comparison of the physiological profiles of lobsters from different origins revealed significant differences, with respect to a ++
range of physiological variables. On the basis of visual estimates of health status, lobsters from the "local" origin exhibited a consistently superior condition, when compared to "coastal" and "carrier-boat" animals. The examination of physiological variables revealed consistent trends reflecting the visual assessments. "Local" lobsters exhibited significantly lower levels in anaerobic metabolic waste concentrations, with the haemolymph lactate titre between 2.77 +/- 0.19 and 4.33 +/- 0.56 mmol L(subscript)-1, compared with the other groups, between 5.23 +/- 0.24 and 8.86 +/- 1.29 mmol L(subscript)-1. A 250 to 300% increase in haemolymph ammonia concentration was observed between "coastal" and "carrier-boat" groups and the "local" lobsters, at 0.32 +/- 0.02 mmol L(subscript)-1. Significantly higher pH values were recorded for the "local" group, at 7.72 +/- 0.04, compared with values below 7.64 +/- 0.04 for the other groups. "Local" lobsters recorded 8 to 15 times less circulating glucose, at 0.11 +/- 0.03 mmol L(subscript)-1, having 50% more ATP in their muscle tissues, at 6.07 +/- 0.15 mu mol g(subscript)-1 and 250% more arginine phosphate, at 6.56 +/- 0.72 mu mol g(subscript)-1.An assessment of the efficiency of the industry sorting procedures revealed differences between selected and rejected animals with regard to the ATP and arginine phosphate concentrations in their muscle tissues with, as a common trend for both variables, selected animals recorded higher values. Significant differences were identified within the "local" group of lobsters, with selected animals recording 40% more ATP, at 6.92 +/- 0.63 mu mol g(subscript)-1 and 30 % more arginine phosphate, at 7.77 +/- 1.01 mu mol g(subscript)-1.A monitoring of the physiological profiles of lobsters subjected to extended (up to 8 hours) periods of onshore transportation in trucks revealed a significant ++
reduction in their health status. A consistent and almost linear fall in the concentration of total adenylate (35%), to 5.46 +/- 0.50 mu mol g(subscript)-1 and phosphagen reserve (70%),to 2.77 +/- 0.26 mu mol g(subscript)-1, were recorded throughout the 8 hour period. For up to 6 hours the concentration of lactate in the leg muscle tissues increased by 0.95 mu mol g(subscript)-1 h(subscript)-1 and then by 4.7 mu mol g(subscript)-1 h(subscript)-1,to reach 20.57 +/- 1.61 mu mol g(subscript)-1 after 8 hours. Haemolymph glucose and ammonia titres recorded a 3.5 fold increase over the first 6 hours, to reach 2.14 +/- 0.54 and 1.17 +/- 0.16 mmol L(subscript)-1, respectively, the last period (6 to 8 hours) being characterised by a 1.6 and 1.9 fold decrease in concentration. Lobsters were able to maintain their haemolymph pH close to 7.77 during the first four hours, with a concomitant rise in haemolymph calcium concentration. From the results, it appeared that, under current industry procedures, extending the period during which lobsters are transported in spray trucks to more than 6 hours is conducive of altered physiological status.An assessment of the effects of short periods (up to 60 min) of aerial exposure and disturbance revealed significant changes in the physiological profiles of lobsters. When exposed to air, lobsters exhibited a significant fall in haemolymph pH, a rise in lactate concentration, and a depletion in energy reserves. Lobsters left undisturbed were able to buffer an incipient acidosis for up to 40 min (7.78 +/- 0.03), after which a decline in pH was recorded to reach 7.71 +/- 0.02. Conversely, disturbed animals experienced an uncompensated acidosis and a decrease by 0.7 of a unit over a 60 minute period. Similarly, undisturbed lobsters did not demonstrate behavioural signs of stress while disturbed animals exhibited dramatically diminished responses ++
to handling after 60 min of exposure. Both disturbed and undisturbed animals recorded a decline in ATP/ADP, to reach after 40 min, 8.31 +/- 0.77 and 5.05 +/- 0.45, respectively, compared to 13.18 +/- 1.69 (control). During the last period (40 to 60 min), the undisturbed animals recorded a 40 % decrease in ATP concentration, to reach 4.42 +/- 0.16 mu mol g(subscript)-1, while a 53% decline was recorded in the disturbed group, to 3.59 +/- 0.41 mu mol g(subscript)-1. During aerial exposure, the phosphagen reserve recorded a 55% decrease in the disturbed animals, at 4.82 +/- 1.37 mu mol g(subscript)-1, compared to 20% in the undisturbed group, at 8.64 +/- 0.87 mu mol g(subscript)-1. A 100% increase in lactate ion concentration was recorded in the muscle tissues of disturbed animals to reach 5.53 +/- 0.49 mu mol g(subscript)-1, compared to a 15% increase in the undisturbed group, at 2.83 +/- 0.29 mu mol g(subscript)-1.The monitoring of the physiological profiles of lobsters during extended periods (up to 72 hrs) of recovery in holding tanks revealed significant shifts in their physiological profiles and that a return to a steady state occurred only after 8 to 48 hours following re-immersion, according to the environmental conditions and the origin of the animals. Resting levels were identified after 24 hours for the haemolymph pH (close to 8.00), for the concentration in lactate, ions in the muscle tissues (2.00 to 3.00 mu mol g(subscript)-1 for the haemolymph glucose titre (0.30 to 0.60 mmol L(subscript)-1), for the haemolymph ammonia titre (close to 0.25 mmol L(subscript)-1), for ATP (6.50 to 7.70 mu mol g(subscript)-1), and for the phosphagen reserve (12.2 to 16.70 mu mol g(subscript)-1). Longer periods ([greater than]/= 48 hrs) were required for full recovery to occur when lobsters were stored at high stocking density and when lobsters were not isolated from their ++
artificial environment. Extending the recovery period to 72 hrs resulted in slight changes in the physiological profiles of lobsters, with a 20 % decline in ATP/ADP, a 10% decrease in phosphagen concentration in the muscle tissues of the lobsters and subdued behavioural responses for those lobsters held at higher stocking densities.No attempt was made in the present study to establish the resting levels for the physiological variables surveyed. In a number of experiments, "control" groups have been studied and used as reference points to monitor changes accompanying exposure to a range of environmental conditions. The data pertaining to these different groups revealed a variability for most of the variables surveyed, suggesting that it would be hazardous to assume that these animals were undisturbed and to state with confidence that the values recorded for the variables surveyed would represent resting levels.The physiological responses of lobsters subjected to chilling procedures was investigated and significant physiological changes were identified. Short chilling procedures (3 and 6 min) were conducive of a dramatic reduction of the behavioural responses to handling, a reduction in pH values ranging between 0.13 and 0.24 of a unit, a rise in haemolymph lactate concentration by 1 to 2.6 mmol L(subscript)-1, a 20 to 100% increase in haemolymph glucose titre, a 35 to 75% decrease in phosphagen concentration. Extending the chilling period for up to 24 hrs resulted in a progressive return to control levels for most of the physiological variables surveyed. However, physiological signs of disturbance remained perceptible between 2 to 15 hours, as demonstrated by elevated lactate concentrations, lowered ATP and AP concentrations and lowered ATP/ADP values.Lobster body core temperature (CBT) reduction resulting from immersion in chilled water suggested that limited cooling ++
effects were achieved by using the standard chilling procedures currently used by the WRL industry. Using "A" size lobsters (395 - 453 gr), a reduction of the CBT by 0.5 to 0.8 degrees celsius was recorded after 1 and 3 min immersion in 12 degrees celsius water, highlighting the limited low temperature effect exerted by these procedures in lowering the overall temperature of the mass of the product to be packed into export cartons.A study of the general physiological responses of lobsters to simulated live transport conditions in export cartons was conducted, investigating the effects of the period spent by the animals in export cartons, the effects of environmental temperature and the impact of chilling regimes. No attempt was made to duplicate exactly the conditions of cartons shipped overseas, that is carted by trucks to the airport and then transported by air to foreign markets. This study revealed that during the first 4 hours of transit, the animals exhibited physiological changes probably related to delayed responses to handling, disturbance and chilling procedures, as demonstrated by a decline in pH (0.1 to 0.3 of a unit), a rise in haemolymph ammonia (0.5 to 1 mmol L(subscript)-1) and glucose (0.5 mmol L(subscript)-1) titres, an increase in muscle lactate concentration (0.5 to 1 mu mol g(subscript)-1, a decrease in ATP concentration (1.5 mu mol g(subscript)-1, and a partial replenishment of the phosphagen reserve. These changes were less pronounced for those lobsters which underwent intermediate (30 min) chilling treatments.The subsequent periods (to 48 hours) were characterised, for all the treatments, by a rise in lactate concentration in the muscle tissues, this response being delayed for those lobsters which underwent a "6 min" or "30 min" chilling treatment. The data suggested that moderate changes in haemolymph lactate titre resulted from the increase ++
in muscle lactate concentration, up to values ranging between 6 and 8 mu mol g(subscript)-1, beyond which levels, haemolymph lactate rose dramatically, to reach values up to 19.98 mmol L(subscript)-1. The ATP concentration remained relatively constant up to 18 - 26 hours, after which a steep decline was recorded to reach values below or close to 4 mu mol g(subscript)-1 after 42 hours, suggesting that the adenylate pool was maintained, probably through aerobic and anaerobic pathways of energy generation and by the "buffering" role played by the phosphagen reserve. After 24 to 36 hours, all the lobsters exhibited signs of energy depletion, as demonstrated by the changes in ATP/ADP ratio. A concomitant increase in lactate ion concentration and a decrease in haemolymph glucose titre was recorded, suggesting that anaerobic metabolism had become the major component of energy production. Simultaneously, a marked increase in the internal carton temperature was identified, which probably induced an increase in the metabolic rate of the lobsters. This "temperature effect" was delayed for up to 32-38 hrs transit, for those lobsters which underwent intermediate (30 min) and extended (24 hrs) chilling treatments. The changes in haemolymph pH and calcium titre suggest that the initial decline in pH identified at the completion of the first 4 hours of transit was, at least partially, compensated after 26 - 32 hours. A 30 to 40% increase in haemolymph calcium titre was recorded after 4 hours of transit, suggesting that bicarbonate ions were released in order to buffer the pH of the haemolymph. However, a decrease in pH (0.1 to 0.3 of a unit) was recorded during the subsequent periods suggesting that the bicarbonate buffering capacity did not suffice to match the recorded massive rise in lactate titre.By extending the duration of the chilling procedures and by using refrigerated ++
material (wood-shaving fillers, ice-bottles), lower temperatures were achieved inside the packaging cartons and these were maintained for longer periods of transit (up to 20 hours), delaying the effect of the external environment on the temperature changes recorded inside the cartons and the concomitant metabolic responses of the animals. This effect was also achieved by maintaining the cartons in controlled temperature environments ([less than] 20 degrees celsius) and, to a lesser extent, by improving the insulation capacity of the polystyrene cartons.This study constitutes an overview of the physiological responses of Panulirus cygnus to post-harvest handling procedures currently used by the WRL industry. It revealed that an improved return for the Industry could be achieved by reducing the debilitating effects exerted on the lobsters by handling, exposure to air and elevated environmental temperature. It provides direction for future research, aimed at improving the quality and hence, the financial return in the live export of WRL.

This is a study conducted at, and for, the National Museum of History in Stockholm. The aim of the study was to confirm or disconfirm the hypothesis that visitors in a traditional museum environment might not take part in interactivity in an interactive exhibition. And if they do the visitors might skip the texts and objects on display. To answer this and other questions a multiple method was used. Both non participant observations and exit interviews were conducted. After a description of the interactive exhibits, theory of knowledge and learning is presented before the gathered data is presented. All together 443 visitors were observed. In the observations the visitors were timed on how much time they spent in the room, the time spent on the interactivity, texts and objects. In the 40 interviews information about visitors’ participation in the interactivity was gathered. What interactivity the visitor found easiest, hardest, funniest and most boring.The result did not confirm the hypothesis. All kinds of visitors, children and adults, participated in the interactivities. The visitors took part in the texts and objects and the interactive exhibits.

Tail fan necrosis (TFN) is a disease that affects southern rock lobsters during live-holding. The damage to affected tail fan uropods is seen as a major constraint in the development of a live-holding industry. A previous study has demonstrated that various Vibrio species are associated with diseased tissue (May, 2002. B.Sc. Honours Thesis, University of Adelaide). However, that study was restricted to an examination of TFN lesions that formed 8 weeks post infection for lobsters held under optimal growth conditions. Although damage to tail fan tissue by instruments contaminated by organisms isolated from TFN affected tissue was shown to result in formation of TFN-like lesions, the microbial community of lesions associated with TFN over time in terms of both the cultivable and non-cultivable communities was not identified. The extent of damage to tail fan tissue by bacteria and the response of lobster immune cells to infection was also not determined. Furthermore, the presence of potentially pathogenic Vibrio spp. within the diseased tissue was identified as a potential public health risk, particularly in food preparation facilities where live lobsters are handled. The work described in this thesis specifically examined the development and effect of TFN on the overall health of affected lobsters, as well a confirmation that the Vibrio spp. involved in establishment of TFN may represent a public health risk. To answer these questions, a larger infection trial was set up. Uropod tissue of groups of lobsters were intentionally damaged with sterile instruments or instruments contaminated with a Vibrio spp. isolated from a TFN lesion. The lobsters were maintained in controlled environment aquaria and uropod tissue samples taken and subjected to microbiological, microscopic and molecular analysis. Microscopic analysis of developing lesions demonstrated that several morphologically different bacterial cell types colonise the surface of TFN lesions. Bacteria involved in infection are essentially restricted to the surface of the lesions, but where significant damage to the uropod tissue occurs, these bacteria may invade the damaged tissue and penetrate deeper underlying tissue. Infection of tail fan tissue results in inflammation and concomitant loss of internal structure of the carapace and deposition of fibrous material within the soft tissue underlying the chitinous exoskeleton. In cases of severe inflammation, a central core develops within the fibrous tissue consisting of a number of cell types, including hyaline cells, granulocytes and fibrocytes. However, there was no evidence of deep bacterial invasion into the underlying inflamed tissue. Viable counts and identification of the bacteria associated with the diseased tissue demonstrated that the bacterial population of TFN lesions is dominated by Vibrio species. Whilst there was no significant increase (P < 0.05) in the total viable bacterial counts associated with the diseased tissue compared with healthy tail fan tissue, Vibrio species were isolated more frequently from tissue samples from uropods subjected to simultaneous damage and infection. 8% of bacterial isolates recovered from lesions were identified as V. vulnificus and 27% of isolates were identified as V. parahemolyticus. Isolates of V. vulnificus displayed colony morphology consistent with pathogenic strains. Similarly, all isolates of V. parahaemolyticus were tdh negative, but 41% were trh positive. The majority of these species were able to express cytolysins capable of lysing CHO cells. This data indicated that vibrios responsible for establishment of TFN may have potential to cause human infections and therefore lobsters with TFN lesions should be regarded as a potential health risk to consumers. The majority of isolates of Vibrio spp. recovered from infected tissue expressed extracellular lipase and/or chitinase, and this indicated that these enzymes may enable Vibrio spp. to induce TFN in damaged tail fan tissue. The predominance of Vibrio spp. associated with lesions was confirmed by analysis of amplicons representative of genes encoding 16S rRNA prepared from lesion tissue DNA extracts. This was achieved by sequencing randomly selected clones of amplicons and by use of Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis to separate amplicons according to nucleotide sequence diversity. Unlike other crustacean shell diseases, TFN does not induce changes in serum protein levels, lead to significant bacteraemia or changes in the circulating haemocyte population. Furthermore, TFN has apparently little effect on the overall health of affected lobsters. This observation may explain the lack of mortality associated with this disease. Only a non-specific activation of lobster phenoloxidase in response to TFN was observed and only limited activation of phagocytosis of Vibrio spp. in vitro could be demonstrated. This data suggested that the lobster immune system is unable to respond to infection and may explain why the bacteria are able to induce persistent infection resulting in formation of TFN lesions. Nevertheless, localised melanisation surrounding the wound site induced by carapace degradation products is able to restrict bacterial invasion into the haemolymph. The impact of TFN on appearance and consumer acceptance is dependent on the extent of damage caused by TFN. Minor lesions are resolved during moulting, whereas more severe lesions are maintained across more than one moult cycle.
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, 2008.

Is an actor performing live if that actor is out of sight in the wings and appears on stage as a computer-mediated representation? Is co-presence with such a mediated embodiment problematic for the performer? This project seeks to explore the use of digital media elements, from the perspective of the actor, in the collaborative process of devising, designing, rehearsing and performing a Shakespearian theatre production. It raises issues of the creative possibilities that applications of new technologies afford and of a changing perception of the nature of liveness. Can digital media techniques usefully enhance the liveness of performance and extend the audience’s experience of the production? Specifically, can it augment their perception of themselves, mirrored on stage? Exploring the usefulness of digital media techniques takes a theatre practitioner into the intermedial, liminal spaces where the two fields converge. These are spaces of possibility where new ways of working might emerge. This thesis is presented primarily as an experimental performance and is contextualised by this exegesis with its written and DVD components.

Long wait lists for services and a dearth of people willing to work as caregivers ensure that many people, particularly with intellectual disabilities, continue to live with their aging parents. Informed by a personal narrative of a successful future for a person with intellectual disabilities, this chapter proposes three components that are essential for success. Adults with disabilities can benefit from establishing a life outside their parents’ home. They also need place to work and inclusion in the community. The communities created by L’Arche and the Brothers of Charity, where caregivers live and work together with people with intellectual disabilities, provide one model for care. The extent of current need makes it impossible to provide this for everyone, but some of the lessons learned from “living with” people with disabilities can perhaps be carried over into existing group homes or even institutional care settings.

A pathbreaking work on judicial accountability and independence. The work is remarkable for its extraordinary erudition as well as its straightforwardness. The author has the exemplary courage to speak the truth. He has not spared anyone holding everyone to account. He refuses to treat the judiciary as the holy cow and explains how the independence and accountability of judges are complimentary and complementary to each other. He holds judges accountable both for their conduct as well as for their judgements which are extra-legal. He questions judicial delays which frustrate justice under a design. If his suggestions are followed, delays will be a thing of the past. Lawyers are totally mercenary defending the indefensible in the name of right to defend, and they try to bury justice forgetting their role as the officers of the court. He has also presented beautifully how the law changes colour with the status of the party making a mockery of the right to equality. The author bemoans that judges live in the bygone days with all the trappings of colonial power reflected in the way they are addressed ‘My Lord’.

Urban health is the study of the health of urban populations. More than half the world’s population is now living in urban areas, and two-thirds of the world’s population will live in cities by 2030. This means that characteristics of cities—including, for example, features of the built environment—are shared by a large proportion of the global population. These characteristics ultimately shape how most of us think, feel, and behave; they shape what we eat and drink; and, inevitably, they shape our health. The ubiquity of urban exposures suggests that a full understanding of the features of urban environments that affect health—and how they do so—can unlock the potential for approaches to prevent disease, promote health, and make a substantial impact on the health of urban populations. Studying urban health therefore requires an appreciation both of the urban exposures themselves and the approaches that can inform scholarship in the field. This book combines these with case studies that illuminate the progression of health in cities, aiming to capture the current state of the field while also pushing the field, through holding a mirror to itself, to consider its next decade.

AbstractA longstanding belief commonly mentioned in support of human exceptionalism is that our species is distinct from others in using symbols (a word I use here, as it is in the social sciences, to describe anything with a socially shared meaning that isn’t obvious). Countering the assumption that symbols are a distinct category that's unique to humans, I propose that they be properly recognized as operating in concert with an impressive number and diversity of less widely meaningful, or outright meaningless, social markers. This chapter critiques the views on symbolism in our species often expressed by sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, archaeologists, and biologists. I consider how symbolism could have evolved from behaviors of non-human animals, some of which live in societies bound together by more superficial “markers” of identity that do not convey any more profound significance. Such markers, considered broadly, can be essential in holding societies together.

During the COVID-19 pandemic and the perennial social pandemic of whiteness, many white Christian American men defied state and federal law, and common sense, by refusing to wear masks and by holding worship services. While such defiance is neither new nor sporadic, the pandemic offers revealing clarity to a white Christian American sensibility here considered as to “live and let die.” This chapter works to historicize and contextualize this defiance by turning to two contemporary expressions in the age of COVID-19. One involves Georgia governor Brian Kemp’s public dispute with Atlanta mayor Keisha Bottoms over mask mandates. The second examines California-based Dominionist Christian missionary Sean Feucht and his defiant hosting of mass Christian worship services. These postures toward the world have roots in a white Western cultural heritage organized around the denial of death, and in white Christian American economic and existential tactics of a specific frontier faith in race.

This introductory chapter provides an overview of the proposed new right to secession. In this new right to secession, groups of people may form a new state by holding a referendum on part of an existing state's territory. If the group wins the vote, the existing state must negotiate independence in good faith. The group's members do not need to share ethnicity, language, or culture; they just have to live in the same place. One might think this is a terrible idea—a formula for chaos, instability, and violence—and one can already think of many objections. Surely the current rule—a legal and political system of states with fixed borders—is a much safer and better way to organize the planet and the people living on it. This book considers why this intuition about fixed borders—which is the conventional wisdom and the commonest sense, even though borders have only been fixed since 1945—may well be wrong, why the objections to secession prove less obvious than they seem, and why it is actually very hard to be so sure that the rule people have now does what people think it does. The chapter then looks at the international order established at the end of the Second World War, which has confined questions about the shape of states—and changes to their shape—to a very limited space.

In the design of girder-deck bridge systems, it is necessary to determine the cross-sectional distribution of live loads between the different beams that make up the cross section of the deck. This article introduces a novel method that allows calculating the cross-sectional distribution of live loads on beam decks by applying a matrix formulation that reduces the structural problem to 2 degrees of freedom for each beam: the deflection and the rotation of the deck slab at the center of the beam’s span. To demonstrate the proposed method, the procedures are given through three different examples by applying loads to a bridge model. Deflection, bending moment, and shear force of the bridge girders are calculated and discussed through the given examples. The use of the proposed novel method of analysis will result in significant savings in material resources and computing time and contributes in the minimization of total costs, and it contributes in the smart modeling process for girder bridge behavior analysis allowing to feed a bridge digital twin (DT) model based on Inverse Modeling holding the latest updated information provided by distributed sensors. The presented methodology contributes also to speed up real-time decision support system (DSS) demands.

The cultural histories of the coastal margins that shape Seatangled point to new, and sometimes revived, understandings of what it means to live by the sea, even as the chemistry of the oceans changes before us. It may be then that a turn towards the coast is a turn also towards a more sustainable, and a smaller-scale, sense of community, capable at the same time of holding the planet in view. If the sea has recently been more remote from the immediate experience of everyday life than it was a century ago, the representation of its tidal margins remains a rich resource for images of self, sovereignty and the blurred boundaries between reality and the imagination, one example of which the conclusion studies is Sean Scully’s exhibition Sea Star, at the National Gallery in London.

Abstract This chapter talks about how many LGBTQ people falsely learn from an early age, based on their lived experience, that they do not have the right to stand up to stigma or to stand up for their needs or wants. It emphasizes the recognition of how patients might be “silencing” themselves around others because they expect to experience stigma. It also demonstrates how patients can communicate their needs and wants rather than holding themselves back, and how patients can be their most effective self in social situations. The chapter mentions the difficulties in changing emotional behaviors as change involves facing the difficult emotions that come along with emotional behaviors. Many LGBTQ people feel isolated, guilty, and ashamed because they live in a society that invalidates their experiences and denies them some of the same rights and respect that others get.

To apply these key concepts in life and society, the Daode jing proposes guidelines and concrete virtues. The first is nonaction or noninterference, a way of doing things that moves with the flow and does not create a forceful impact—in stark contrast to the world full of force, violence, and interfering activities. The root cause of this, moreover, is a mental attitude of greed and desire, causing people to live in extravagant luxury while exploiting others. The main countermeasure is sufficiency, “knowing when it is enough,” a virtue closely related to humility, simplicity, and noncompetition, key qualities necessary for social and political leadership. To achieve this mental state, the text proposes cultivation practices of shutting the doors and holding on to oneness, leading to a state of clarity and stillness. This, in turn, is the central focus of the sage, the ideal human being and close representative of Dao.

Fake news is the word making more talk these days be it election, COVID 19 pandemic, or any social unrest. Many social websites have started to fact check the news or articles posted on their websites. The reason being these fake news creates confusion, chaos, misleading the community and society. In this cyber era, citizen journalism is happening more where citizens do the collection, reporting, dissemination, and analyse news or information. This means anyone can publish news on the social websites and lead to unreliable information from the readers' points of view as well. In order to make every nation or country safe place to live by holding a fair and square election, to stop spreading hatred on race, religion, caste, creed, also to have reliable information about COVID 19, and finally from any social unrest, we need to keep a tab on fake news. This chapter presents a way to detect fake news using deep learning technique and natural language processing.

Abstract According to moderate conservatives, private property is a primary political value. It provides the resources we all need to stay alive and pursue however we want to live. The justification of private property is controversial. Attempted justifications are based on self-interest, entitlement, and utility. Each recognizes an important component of the justification holding private property, but each in itself is too simple. Each is based on a principle, theory, or an ideal, but each has been reasonably contested by critics. Moderate conservatives propose a new justification of private property. It accepts the relevance of self-interest, entitlement, and utility, but regards each as necessary but not sufficient for its justification. The complex justification proposed by moderate conservatives relies on the conventional terms of cooperation that have passed the test of time in the history of the American political system. This justification is context-dependent, conditional, and recognizes that terms of cooperation slowly change and must be flexible.

Indigenous peoples are widely recognized as holding insights or lessons about how the rest of humanity can live sustainably or resiliently. Yet it is rarely acknowledged in many literatures that for Indigenous peoples living in the context of settler states such as the U.S. or New Zealand, our own efforts to sustain our peoples rest heavily on our capacities to resist settler colonial oppression. Indigenous planning refers to a set of concepts and practices through which many Indigenous peoples reflect critically on sustainability to derive lessons about what actions reinforce Indigenous self-determination and resist settler colonial oppression. The work of the Sustainable Development Institute of the College of Menominee Nation (SDI) is one case of Indigenous planning. In the context of SDI, we discuss Indigenous planning as a process of interpreting lessons from our own pasts and making practical plans for staging our own futures. If there are such things as Indigenous sustainability lessons for Indigenous peoples, they must be reliable planning concepts and processes we can use to support our continuance in the face of ongoing settler colonial oppression.

Abstract In the UAE, an Operator needed to perform a completion change out in a gas well, where the existing completion has been installed for over 30 years. Logging operations had revealed several leaks point in the production tubing due to corrosion. To rectify the situation, a Hydraulic Workover (HWO) Unit was proposed integrating a punch ram in the Blowout Preventer (BOP) Configuration to manage the bleed off of potential pressure trapped between the isolated sections of the completion at surface. This document describes how the highly corroded completion tubing with eleven retrievable plugs set in a live gas well was recovered. The HWO Unit was modified so that one of the cavities in the BOP stack was dressed with customized punch rams for five inch pipe, with the objective of allowing control of any potential leaks due to plug failure. The pressure relief operation could then be completed by means of punching the tubing in the controlled environment that a Stripping BOP Stack provides. This paper compiles the details of the BOP configuration and operating procedures to recover the completion by stripping out of the well and operating the punch rams with the snubbing unit. This includes the pre-job preparation required for a successful operation and the overall design with where to locate the collars and plugs for an accurate punch, and how to confirm that the plugs are holding the pressure to continue retrieving the next completion section. In the end, a safe operation was completed with zero incidents or down time allowing the intervention to continue to the next stage of recompleting the well and putting it back to production. The customer was able to get the well back to production with an alternative solution to what was initially considered, representing a significant cost and time saving.

The establishment of physic gardens (gardens particularly focused on plants with medicinal properties) dates back to the middle of the 16th century and generally had strong links with university medical schools (Bennett, 2014). Wyse Jackson in 1999 described botanic gardens as ‘institutions holding documented collections of living plants for the purposes of scientific research, conservation, display and education’. In 2014, Bennet described the role of botanic gardens in university education as akin to learning in Paradise. By 2050 it is predicted that almost two thirds of the world’s population will live in an urban environment. This may have a huge impact on our ability to both experience and understand the natural world. Plants have a massive impact on the earth’s environment. This paper focuses on learning beyond the classroom in botanic & physic gardens and in industry settings using the annual Applied Plant Biology fieldcourse in UCC as a case study. The Applied Plant Biology residential fieldcourse has been running for the past five years (started in 2014) and takes place around Easter each year. I am the coordinator. It is a 5 day residential course for 3rd year Plant Science students. The learning outcomes of the fieldtrip state that; students should be able to discuss recent developments in industrial plant science research (facilitated in part by visits to a multinational (Syngenta) and smaller family owned companies (Tozers)); be able to explain worldwide plant conservation approaches and plant biodiversity in the context of different plant ecosystems and anthropogenic environmental impacts through engagement with such centers of excellence as Kew Botanic Gardens in London, Kew’s Millenium Seedbank Wakehurst in Sussex and the Chelsea Physic Garden in central London.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the social restriction measures that ensued have had a decisive impact on museum activities over the past two years. Research by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) indicates that about 95% of worldwide museums were closed between April and May 2020, a figure that falls to 27% in the same period in 2021. Given this scenario, there has been a notable increase in digital communications and activities of these institutions, either by making collections and exhibitions available online, managing social media, holding live events and teaching programs or by producing newsletters and podcasts. While such surveys are essential, it is also necessary to complement them with qualitative research into the ways in which these activities are being carried out. This paper will examine how a specific kind of digital activity is being developed by the museum sector, namely, the virtual exhibitions. Characterized mainly by the three-dimensionality and the immersion of the interactor, these virtual exhibition spaces carry with them both the complexity that constitutes the idea of a virtual museum and the structural deficiencies that affect cultural institutions and, in particular, their sectors of Information and Communication Technology (ICTs). Thus, two criteria were chosen to characterize these exhibits, namely, the technologies commonly used in their conception and the relationship they establish or do not establish with a tangible space. To this end, recent cases of spaces built through the use of 360º photography and 3D modeling have been selected and analyzed as to highlight the distinctive features of these technologies and how they instantiate different relationships between elements of the digital and the tangible. This analysis bring into consideration specific elements of these exhibitions, such as their interfaces and the modes of displacement and visualization they allow, the quality of the reproduction of the artworks and the possibility of accessing complementary information and media about them, the multiplicity of the points of view, their compatibility with certain devices, among others. Finally, we will reflect on the way in which these virtual exhibitions replicate, augment or dismiss physical spaces for their conception. Instead of the usual opposition between virtual and actual, such spaces express the possibility of complementation between elements restricted to the tangible or the digital - complementation, needless to say, that does not always take place. Thus, virtual exhibitions are important vectors to reflect on the advantages and difficulties that digital technologies pose for the museum sector.