The bloom forming dinoflagellate, Ceratium furca, has been linked with coastal eutrophication worldwide in tropical and subtropical locations. During the summer of 2007, an unusual 6-month long bloom of C. furca was o...The bloom forming dinoflagellate, Ceratium furca, has been linked with coastal eutrophication worldwide in tropical and subtropical locations. During the summer of 2007, an unusual 6-month long bloom of C. furca was observed in Pago Pago Harbor, Tutuila Island, American Samoa. Incidents of dinoflagellate blooms in this area have not been previously reported. The bloom was first reported in May and dissipated in November 2007. In February-March 2009, a similar C. furca bloom was observed. During both blooms, no fish mortality events were reported. Maximum cell counts were observed on September 20, 2007 at 9 200 cell/mL. At this time, total nitrogen was measured at 1.2 mg/L while total phosphate was below detection limits. Changes in land use practices may have been the primary driver of these blooms. Intense fertilization of athletic fields coupled with ineffective management strategies is hypothesized to have a direct link to the increase in nutrients found in the Pago Pago Harbor and may have been the trigger for the initialization of these blooms. During 2008, the fields were not used due to an infestation of the fire ant, Solenopsis geminata. Once controlled, the fields were opened again in 2009 and fertilizers were applied in January, a month before the bloom was observed.展开更多
The Samoa Islands were struck by the September 2009 earthquake of Mw 8.1. We study the effect on the land level by means of GPS monitoring and on ocean level by tide-gauge records. This allows us to present a new pict...The Samoa Islands were struck by the September 2009 earthquake of Mw 8.1. We study the effect on the land level by means of GPS monitoring and on ocean level by tide-gauge records. This allows us to present a new picture of the interaction of crustal movements, gravitational adjustment and sea level changes. The land level exhibits a co-seismic uplift followed by a post-seismic crustal subsidence. The ocean level records a fall, significantly larger than the uplift and delayed by several months, followed by a significant rise, by far exceeding the crustal subsidence and delayed by several months. This indicates a significant contribution from changes in gravity (geoidal eustasy), besides relative sea level changes due to crustal movements. High amplitude, and high frequency changes in tidal range provide evidence of changes in gravity and geoidal eustasy.展开更多
Diarrheal diseases have been known to cause death in many children below the age of five years,and rotavirus infection represents a major health problem in the world today,particularly in developing countries.The rece...Diarrheal diseases have been known to cause death in many children below the age of five years,and rotavirus infection represents a major health problem in the world today,particularly in developing countries.The recent outbreak of rotavirus gastroenteritis in Samoa led to the introduction of her debut national immunization program on rotavirus vaccination for infants.Despite the introduction of anti-viral and anti-emetic drugs as of the containment approaches towards the virus,risk factors,preventive measures and public health preparedness against rotavirus infection are poorly understood in Samoa.This review aims to use available evidence on rotavirus literature to elucidate and map preventive strategies for the recently emerged rotavirus infections in Samoa.We conducted a search strategy using online medical literature databases and retrieval systems.A designated set of keywords such as rotavirus,gastroenteritis,outbreak,risk factors,containment measures,vaccination and Samoa were inserted in electronic databases to retrieve articles.The databases included Pub Med,Google Scholar,MEDLINE,Scinapse,and EBSCO host.Findings from this review addressed the impact of rotavirus infection,associated threats and other preventive measures.Introducing useful health frameworks in pursuing possible methods such as improved water quality,exclusive breast feeding,improved laboratory diagnostics and outbreak surveillance,may be essential in addressing alternate approaches towards containment of the disease in Samoa and other Pacific Island Countries and Territories.展开更多
The contamination of heavy metals in various environmental matrices is a major concern to many researchers and requires attention due to their detrimental impacts on the environment and humans as well. This research w...The contamination of heavy metals in various environmental matrices is a major concern to many researchers and requires attention due to their detrimental impacts on the environment and humans as well. This research was carried out to investigate heavy metal levels in soils of some selected sites along the Vaisigano river in Upolu, Samoa. The soil samples were also analysed for physicochemical parameters such as pH, Electrical Conductivity, Moisture Factor, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), Organic Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Soil texture. The mean concentrations of heavy metals at the Lelata site were 0.19 ± 0.05 mg/kg (Pb), 0.37 ± 0.45 mg/kg (Mn), 0.15 ± 0.02 mg/kg (Zn) and 0.56 ± 0.42 mg/kg (Cu). The mean concentrations of heavy metals at the Alaoa site were 0.13 ± 0.03 mg/kg (Pb), 0.42 ± 0.51 mg/kg (Mn), 0.16 ± 0.03 mg/kg (Zn) and 0.45 ± 0.43 mg/kg (Cu). The heavy metal concentrations from both sites were lower than the permissible levels given by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Geo-accumulation pollution index (I(geo)) of heavy metals in the Lelata site was Cu > Mn > Pb > Zn and from the Alaoa site was Cu > Pb > Zn > Mn.展开更多
The study involved analysis of rainwater samples at four sites on Upolu Island, Samoa from November 2019 to April 2020. A total of 48 rainwater samples were analysed in order to determine the major cations (Na<sup&...The study involved analysis of rainwater samples at four sites on Upolu Island, Samoa from November 2019 to April 2020. A total of 48 rainwater samples were analysed in order to determine the major cations (Na<sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, Mg</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, Ca</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, K</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) and anions (Cl</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#f7f7f7;"=""><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;"=""><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#f7f7f7;"=""><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;"=""><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, "font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#FFFFFF;">-</span></span></span></span></span></span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, <img src="Edit_846cdb89-0dcc-45e6-a692-949192768c16.bmp" alt="" />, <img src="Edit_482cb571-8668-4606-af63-0804396c042d.bmp" alt="" /> </span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) in wet precipitation from the four sites. The average pH of the rainwater was 6.89, perhaps due to neutralization. Only 50% of the rain samples had a pH above 5.6. This shows strong inputs of alkaline species to rainwater samples in some sites. The average pH of samples higher than 5.6 is due to high loadings of sodium ions. The rainwater samples are dominated by Na</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, Ca</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, Mg</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, Cl</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:10px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;"="">- </span></span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">and <img src="Edit_2c8a837e-c0f1-4a86-8d66-360dfc9d5fe1.bmp" alt="" /></span></span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. The principal cations and anions, in decreasing order, are Na</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> > Mg</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> > Ca</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> > K</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> and Cl</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:10px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;"="">- </span></span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">> <img src="Edit_275563f4-8d8d-4528-8c70-873dfbc7c7df.bmp" alt="" /></span></span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">> <img src="Edit_768170ab-6186-437d-90f7-dea3e2d2ff60.bmp" alt="" /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. The correlation study and the comparison of major ion composition with other sites revealed that rainwater ion composition is strongly influenced by marine sources rather than anthropogenic and terrestrial sources.</span></span></span>展开更多
This study investigates the temporal and spatial variations of phosphate concentrations in riverine systems,highlighting their relationship with precipitation patterns and temperature.Monthly climate data reveal disti...This study investigates the temporal and spatial variations of phosphate concentrations in riverine systems,highlighting their relationship with precipitation patterns and temperature.Monthly climate data reveal distinct wet and dry seasons,with precipitation peaking in December and January at over 450 mm and 525 mm,respectively,and reaching its lowest levels in June and July at approximately 75 mm.Maximum and minimum temperatures remain stable,averaging 30℃ and 25℃,respectively.Phosphate concentrations follow a seasonal pattern,with low levels(1.0-1.3 mg/L)recorded from July to November.Peaks occur in December(3.50±0.63 mg/L)and June(4.00±1.34 mg/L),coinciding with periods of heavy rainfall.Increased precipitation likely contributes to runoff from agricultural and residential areas,introducing higher phosphate loads into water bodies.Site-specific analysis reveals statistically significant differences(p<0.05),in phosphate levels,influenced by land use,vegetation cover,and human activities.The lower stream,subject to cumulative upstream runoff,exhibits the highest variability,while the upper stream shows reduced concentrations due to minimal human interference and better vegetation cover.This study provides critical insights into the interplay between climatic variables and nutrient dynamics,offering valuable implications for water quality management and the preservation of aquatic ecosystems in Samoa.展开更多
Cloud environments are essential for modern computing,but are increasingly vulnerable to Side-Channel Attacks(SCAs),which exploit indirect information to compromise sensitive data.To address this critical challenge,we...Cloud environments are essential for modern computing,but are increasingly vulnerable to Side-Channel Attacks(SCAs),which exploit indirect information to compromise sensitive data.To address this critical challenge,we propose SecureCons Framework(SCF),a novel consensus-based cryptographic framework designed to enhance resilience against SCAs in cloud environments.SCF integrates a dual-layer approach combining lightweight cryptographic algorithms with a blockchain-inspired consensus mechanism to secure data exchanges and thwart potential side-channel exploits.The framework includes adaptive anomaly detection models,cryptographic obfuscation techniques,and real-time monitoring to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities proactively.Experimental evaluations demonstrate the framework's robustness,achieving over 95%resilience against advanced SCAs with minimal computational overhead.SCF provides a scalable,secure,and efficient solution,setting a new benchmark for side-channel attack mitigation in cloud ecosystems.展开更多
基金Supported partially by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Grant (No. CRIS 0185945),USDA Region 9 Water Quality Coordination Grant (to DV)NOAA Base Funds (SM)
文摘The bloom forming dinoflagellate, Ceratium furca, has been linked with coastal eutrophication worldwide in tropical and subtropical locations. During the summer of 2007, an unusual 6-month long bloom of C. furca was observed in Pago Pago Harbor, Tutuila Island, American Samoa. Incidents of dinoflagellate blooms in this area have not been previously reported. The bloom was first reported in May and dissipated in November 2007. In February-March 2009, a similar C. furca bloom was observed. During both blooms, no fish mortality events were reported. Maximum cell counts were observed on September 20, 2007 at 9 200 cell/mL. At this time, total nitrogen was measured at 1.2 mg/L while total phosphate was below detection limits. Changes in land use practices may have been the primary driver of these blooms. Intense fertilization of athletic fields coupled with ineffective management strategies is hypothesized to have a direct link to the increase in nutrients found in the Pago Pago Harbor and may have been the trigger for the initialization of these blooms. During 2008, the fields were not used due to an infestation of the fire ant, Solenopsis geminata. Once controlled, the fields were opened again in 2009 and fertilizers were applied in January, a month before the bloom was observed.
文摘The Samoa Islands were struck by the September 2009 earthquake of Mw 8.1. We study the effect on the land level by means of GPS monitoring and on ocean level by tide-gauge records. This allows us to present a new picture of the interaction of crustal movements, gravitational adjustment and sea level changes. The land level exhibits a co-seismic uplift followed by a post-seismic crustal subsidence. The ocean level records a fall, significantly larger than the uplift and delayed by several months, followed by a significant rise, by far exceeding the crustal subsidence and delayed by several months. This indicates a significant contribution from changes in gravity (geoidal eustasy), besides relative sea level changes due to crustal movements. High amplitude, and high frequency changes in tidal range provide evidence of changes in gravity and geoidal eustasy.
文摘Diarrheal diseases have been known to cause death in many children below the age of five years,and rotavirus infection represents a major health problem in the world today,particularly in developing countries.The recent outbreak of rotavirus gastroenteritis in Samoa led to the introduction of her debut national immunization program on rotavirus vaccination for infants.Despite the introduction of anti-viral and anti-emetic drugs as of the containment approaches towards the virus,risk factors,preventive measures and public health preparedness against rotavirus infection are poorly understood in Samoa.This review aims to use available evidence on rotavirus literature to elucidate and map preventive strategies for the recently emerged rotavirus infections in Samoa.We conducted a search strategy using online medical literature databases and retrieval systems.A designated set of keywords such as rotavirus,gastroenteritis,outbreak,risk factors,containment measures,vaccination and Samoa were inserted in electronic databases to retrieve articles.The databases included Pub Med,Google Scholar,MEDLINE,Scinapse,and EBSCO host.Findings from this review addressed the impact of rotavirus infection,associated threats and other preventive measures.Introducing useful health frameworks in pursuing possible methods such as improved water quality,exclusive breast feeding,improved laboratory diagnostics and outbreak surveillance,may be essential in addressing alternate approaches towards containment of the disease in Samoa and other Pacific Island Countries and Territories.
文摘The contamination of heavy metals in various environmental matrices is a major concern to many researchers and requires attention due to their detrimental impacts on the environment and humans as well. This research was carried out to investigate heavy metal levels in soils of some selected sites along the Vaisigano river in Upolu, Samoa. The soil samples were also analysed for physicochemical parameters such as pH, Electrical Conductivity, Moisture Factor, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), Organic Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Soil texture. The mean concentrations of heavy metals at the Lelata site were 0.19 ± 0.05 mg/kg (Pb), 0.37 ± 0.45 mg/kg (Mn), 0.15 ± 0.02 mg/kg (Zn) and 0.56 ± 0.42 mg/kg (Cu). The mean concentrations of heavy metals at the Alaoa site were 0.13 ± 0.03 mg/kg (Pb), 0.42 ± 0.51 mg/kg (Mn), 0.16 ± 0.03 mg/kg (Zn) and 0.45 ± 0.43 mg/kg (Cu). The heavy metal concentrations from both sites were lower than the permissible levels given by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Geo-accumulation pollution index (I(geo)) of heavy metals in the Lelata site was Cu > Mn > Pb > Zn and from the Alaoa site was Cu > Pb > Zn > Mn.
文摘The study involved analysis of rainwater samples at four sites on Upolu Island, Samoa from November 2019 to April 2020. A total of 48 rainwater samples were analysed in order to determine the major cations (Na<sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, Mg</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, Ca</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, K</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) and anions (Cl</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#f7f7f7;"=""><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;"=""><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#f7f7f7;"=""><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;"=""><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, "font-size:16px;white-space:normal;background-color:#FFFFFF;">-</span></span></span></span></span></span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, <img src="Edit_846cdb89-0dcc-45e6-a692-949192768c16.bmp" alt="" />, <img src="Edit_482cb571-8668-4606-af63-0804396c042d.bmp" alt="" /> </span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">) in wet precipitation from the four sites. The average pH of the rainwater was 6.89, perhaps due to neutralization. Only 50% of the rain samples had a pH above 5.6. This shows strong inputs of alkaline species to rainwater samples in some sites. The average pH of samples higher than 5.6 is due to high loadings of sodium ions. The rainwater samples are dominated by Na</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, Ca</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, Mg</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">, Cl</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:10px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;"="">- </span></span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">and <img src="Edit_2c8a837e-c0f1-4a86-8d66-360dfc9d5fe1.bmp" alt="" /></span></span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. The principal cations and anions, in decreasing order, are Na</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> > Mg</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> > Ca</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> > K</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">+</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> and Cl</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="color:#4F4F4F;font-family:-apple-system, " font-size:10px;white-space:normal;background-color:#ffffff;"="">- </span></span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">> <img src="Edit_275563f4-8d8d-4528-8c70-873dfbc7c7df.bmp" alt="" /></span></span></span></span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">> <img src="Edit_768170ab-6186-437d-90f7-dea3e2d2ff60.bmp" alt="" /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. The correlation study and the comparison of major ion composition with other sites revealed that rainwater ion composition is strongly influenced by marine sources rather than anthropogenic and terrestrial sources.</span></span></span>
文摘This study investigates the temporal and spatial variations of phosphate concentrations in riverine systems,highlighting their relationship with precipitation patterns and temperature.Monthly climate data reveal distinct wet and dry seasons,with precipitation peaking in December and January at over 450 mm and 525 mm,respectively,and reaching its lowest levels in June and July at approximately 75 mm.Maximum and minimum temperatures remain stable,averaging 30℃ and 25℃,respectively.Phosphate concentrations follow a seasonal pattern,with low levels(1.0-1.3 mg/L)recorded from July to November.Peaks occur in December(3.50±0.63 mg/L)and June(4.00±1.34 mg/L),coinciding with periods of heavy rainfall.Increased precipitation likely contributes to runoff from agricultural and residential areas,introducing higher phosphate loads into water bodies.Site-specific analysis reveals statistically significant differences(p<0.05),in phosphate levels,influenced by land use,vegetation cover,and human activities.The lower stream,subject to cumulative upstream runoff,exhibits the highest variability,while the upper stream shows reduced concentrations due to minimal human interference and better vegetation cover.This study provides critical insights into the interplay between climatic variables and nutrient dynamics,offering valuable implications for water quality management and the preservation of aquatic ecosystems in Samoa.
文摘Cloud environments are essential for modern computing,but are increasingly vulnerable to Side-Channel Attacks(SCAs),which exploit indirect information to compromise sensitive data.To address this critical challenge,we propose SecureCons Framework(SCF),a novel consensus-based cryptographic framework designed to enhance resilience against SCAs in cloud environments.SCF integrates a dual-layer approach combining lightweight cryptographic algorithms with a blockchain-inspired consensus mechanism to secure data exchanges and thwart potential side-channel exploits.The framework includes adaptive anomaly detection models,cryptographic obfuscation techniques,and real-time monitoring to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities proactively.Experimental evaluations demonstrate the framework's robustness,achieving over 95%resilience against advanced SCAs with minimal computational overhead.SCF provides a scalable,secure,and efficient solution,setting a new benchmark for side-channel attack mitigation in cloud ecosystems.
