Latest news with #Cameron
Mint
3 days ago
- Science
- Mint
Scientists Stumble Upon Way to Reduce Cow Dung Methane Emissions
(Bloomberg) -- Twice a day at milking parlors all over New Zealand, the world's biggest dairy exporter, sheds are hosed down to wash away cow dung into large manmade ponds. In an attempt to recycle the water in the lagoons, two local scientists — Keith Cameron and Hong Di — began testing the addition of polyferric sulfate, a chemical that's been widely used in wastewater treatment to separate liquids from solids. The process worked, but that didn't prove to be their most interesting finding. When the pair of soil and physical sciences professors at Lincoln University ran checks to monitor for any impact on greenhouse gas emissions, they made a startling observation: Methane emissions from the wastewater had decreased by more than 90%. 'The whole course of our research program changed overnight,' said Cameron, who has retired from teaching and spent the last four years researching and developing the treatment. Di said manure accounts for roughly 10% of livestock methane emissions, a greenhouse gas that's more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Large industrial farms often collect and store waste in giant sealed tanks known as anaerobic digesters that capture methane. Those digesters can cost millions of dollars, though, and curtailing the pollution on smaller farms has remained challenging. But Cameron and Di may have unwittingly found something that works. By introducing polyferric sulfate into the lagoons, the scientists tipped the scale in favor of sulfate-reducing microorganisms, allowing them to outcompete methanogens —which generate methane, are plentiful in cow poop and grow considerably in effluent ponds — for food. The result was a sharp drop in a powerful greenhouse gas that farmers have been trying to tame for years. The innovation — developed under the name EcoPond — is being rolled out across 250 farms associated with Fonterra Co-operative Group and Synlait Milk Ltd. through a pilot program. Dairy giant Fonterra, New Zealand's largest company that's owned and supplied by thousands of farming families, says the treatment can help it toward a goal of cutting on-farm emissions intensity 30% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. Food systems, which encompass everything from growing and processing food to consuming it or throwing it away, account for about a third of humanity's greenhouse gas emissions. Much of that footprint is linked to livestock farming, a major source of methane. Tackling those emissions has proven difficult because there are few solutions to the biological processes that generate the gas. For example, to address methane released by animals like cows and sheep, scientists are developing burp-catching masks, seaweed-based supplements and vaccines. So far, none of those solutions have had a major impact. Cameron and Di's innovation is part of an emerging field of scientific work that's focused on cutting the emissions from manure. The methane captured by digesters used on some large farms can then be used to generate heat, electricity or fuel. But in New Zealand, where livestock spend most of their time at pasture and herd sizes are smaller, the amount of manure generated indoors typically isn't enough to warrant a digester. To treat a lagoon full of cow poop, the mixture is sucked into a pump on a truck and run through a manifold where it is mixed with polyferric sulfate and sulfuric acid. After treatment, the slurry is deposited back in the lagoon. The process typically takes a few hours and is repeated every six to eight weeks. Agnition, the unit of farmers collective Ravensdown that's seeking to commercialize the process, is still determining how much it will cost. The group declined to provide estimates. Funding for the Fonterra pilot comes from the collective and through programs backed by Mars Inc. and Nestle SA. 'It's likely to be affordable for farmers, particularly if they're dairy and their cooperative is supporting them to reduce methane,' said Mike Manning, Ravensdown's chief science officer. The treatment has the potential to reduce New Zealand's individual dairy farm emissions by between 7% and 9%, according to Cameron. Agriculture is a cornerstone of the nation's economy and accounts for about 80% of its exports and more than half of its total greenhouse gas emissions. While the initial pilot is focused on farms raising cows, the approach has 'broad applicability across various methanogenic environments — such as rice paddies, wetlands and similar systems,' said Marcelo Mena, chief executive officer at the Global Methane Hub, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing the greenhouse gas, and which isn't involved in the New Zealand project. Mena is also a professor of biochemical engineering at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso in Chile. One drawback to using polyferric sulfate and other materials to inhibit methanogens in manure is that the approach can impact soil and water quality and disrupt microbial ecosystems, said Zhidan Liu, a professor of agricultural engineering at China Agricultural University in Beijing. There was no significant difference on pasture yield or soil condition over a four-year trial in which Cameron and Di compared effluent treated with polyferric sulfate and untreated plots, according to a 2023 study. The treatment developed by Cameron and Di is a welcome relief for farmers under pressure to reduce their emissions but with limited opportunities to do so, said Stuart Taylor, the general manager of farming at Craigmore, a farming, horticulture and forestry business. 'The New Zealand agricultural community realizes they have a role to play in reducing their greenhouse gases,' said Taylor. 'They've been screaming out for technologies to support them.' --With assistance from Tom Redmond. More stories like this are available on
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Ipid 14 000 case backlog sparks concern for police committee
Parliament's police committee urges Ipid to fix its massive backlog and staff shortages, warning that victims of police misconduct are left without justice. A backlog of more than 14 000 Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) cases was carried over to this financial year, raising concerns for the portfolio committee on police. The committee said the backlog of 14 469 cases hampers Ipid's ability to fulfil its mandate effectively. It called for urgent strategies to remedy the concern. 'Ipid plays a critical role in ensuring accountability from the South African Police Service (Saps), and the backlog directly undermines this drive,' said Ian Cameron, the chairperson of the committee. Ipid struggles with 14 000-case backlog 'While the committee has noted various interventions to clear the backlog, the reality is that victims of police abuse of authority remain without recourse.' This comes after the committee met with both Ipid and the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) on Thursday to discuss the revised annual performance plan and strategic plan. The committee welcomed the R126.3 million additional funding over the medium term and hopes it will significantly contribute to reducing the case backlog. ALSO READ: Police officers charged with serious crimes remain on active duty It is, however, worried that the additional funding, without clear plans to address some of the internal systematic challenges, will not solve the issue. A significant obstacle to the Ipid is the disproportionately high case-per-investigator ratio, the committee said. It noted that a nominal staff increase—from 387 in the 2025-26 fiscal year to 421 in 2027-28 — will not sufficiently address the issue. 'In the context of the increasing cases reported to Ipid, it is necessary to ensure that the directorate is adequately capacitated to increasing demand,' the committee said. Plans to introduce digital case management system The portfolio committee on police acknowledged that the directorate plans to introduce a new digital case management system to help the organisation monitor cases more effectively and improve victim tracking and communication. It has, however, urged Ipid to effectively implement the plans, as a functional system may positively impact the backlog. The committee added that it was also concerned about the implementation of recommendations made by Ipid to the Saps. It stated that Thursday's meeting highlighted a trend of Saps seemingly ignoring strong recommendations made by the directorate. ALSO READ: Fatal shooting at Limpopo mine: Fraud suspect dies after trying to disarm officer 'This phenomenon erodes the effectiveness of Ipid and its mandate, and the committee resolved that there is a need for a laser focus on the rate of implementation of the recommendations,' Cameron said. The committee also expressed agreement with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu that Saps members must improve their conduct. 'The bottom line is that there is no place in the Saps for rogue police officers who engage in criminal activity. While the Ipid provides the necessary checks and balances, the Saps members must always be fit and proper for the service they must render to the people,' Cameron said. PSiRA's plans to implement digital strategy In terms of PSiRA, the committee acknowledged the plan to implement a digital strategy that will ensure a smooth user interaction process. The committee also welcomed the intention to increase PSiRA's footprint to make sure that private security companies in Limpopo, Northern Cape, and North West are able to access its services more easily. 'The committee has always emphasised the importance of the private security industry in efforts to combat crime in the country,' it said. NOW READ: Police sergeant abuses power, gets 20 years for raping victim inside police station
IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Ipid drowning in cases as accountability slips
The Portfolio Committee on Police has raised urgent alarms regarding the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), which is grappling with a staggering backlog of 14,469 cases. Image: SAPS The Portfolio Committee on Police has raised urgent alarms regarding the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), which is grappling with a staggering backlog of 14,469 cases. The number, carried over to the current financial year, poses significant challenges to IPID's ability to uphold its mandate of ensuring accountability within the South African Police Service (SAPS). During a recent meeting that included discussions with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA), the committee emphasised the critical role IPID plays in monitoring police conduct. According to Ian Cameron, the Chairperson of the committee, the backlog directly undermines this drive. "While there have been various interventions aiming to alleviate the case load, the reality is that victims of police abuse of authority remain without recourse," he said. The situation is compounded by limited resources, despite the committee welcoming an additional R126.3 million in funding over the medium term. Although this financial boost is seen as a positive step towards alleviating the backlog, concerns remain that without a strategic plan to address underlying systemic challenges, the issue will persist. 'The nominal increase of employees from 387 to 421 by the 2027/28 financial year is insufficient given the high case per investigator ratio,' stresses Cameron. The increasing number of reported cases necessitates that IPID enhances its capacity to meet growing demands. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading While the committee acknowledges the introduction of a new digital case management system, aimed at improving tracking and communication with victims, there is a pressing need for effective implementation. A functional system could play a vital role in alleviating the burden of the backlog and ensuring timely responses to victims' grievances. In a positive development, the establishment of internal investigation, forensic services, quality assurance, and research units within IPID has been welcomed. This should equip the directorate with the necessary skills to tackle complex cases of reported corruption. However, the committee's concerns extend beyond operational challenges to the execution of IPID's recommendations by SAPS. A persistent issue highlighted in the meeting is the apparent disregard by SAPS for strong recommendations made by IPID. Cameron pointed out that this trend jeopardises the effectiveness of IPID, stating, 'There is a need for a laser focus on the rate of implementation of the recommendations.' In tandem with addressing these critical oversight issues, the committee has reiterated the importance of upholding appropriate conduct among SAPS members. Cameron stated, 'The bottom line is that there is no place in the SAPS for rogue police officers who engage in criminal activity.' He reinforced the necessity for SAPS members to remain fit and proper for the services they must deliver to the public. On the other side of the security landscape, PSiRA is also under scrutiny. The committee has recognised its plans for implementing a digital strategy that aims to streamline interactions with users. The ability to verify the training of private security officers via this digital platform is seen as a significant leap forward.
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Health
- Business Insider
I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer at 31 despite being fit and healthy. Doctors brushed off my concerns as pregnancy symptoms.
Jenna Scott was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer aged 31 despite being fit and healthy. Misdiagnosed symptoms during pregnancy delayed her cancer diagnosis, complicating treatment. She expects to undergo treatment for the rest of her life to keep the cancer at bay. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jenna Scott a 39-year-old Chief Operating Officer in Peach Tree Corners, Georgia. The following has been edited for length and clarity. For the first three decades of my life, everything was great. I was a cheerleader in middle school and college, where I met my husband. We got married in 2015 and our friends would say we were living a fairytale. I got pregnant with our son, Cameron, that year and I thought, "Oh, how could life get any better?" But in 2017, at the age of 31, I was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer. The doctor said my symptoms were related to my pregnancy My symptoms started when I was around seven or eight months pregnant. I told my obstetrician I had really bad abdominal cramping and rectal and vaginal bleeding, but he said not to worry because they were pregnancy symptoms. It was my first pregnancy so I thought: "This is what pregnancy is like, I can handle it, I'm tough." My abdominal pain didn't go away after I gave birth and my obstetrician put it down to the C-section. Cameron was my main concern. I was always tired, too, but didn't want to complain. I saw a doctor who gave me some IBS pills and said he'd refer me to a GI specialist if they didn't work. They didn't, so he sent me to a GI specialist who told me: "Why are you in my office? You're way too young." On June 29, 2017, just over a year after Cameron was born, I had a colonoscopy and woke up to four nurses, my doctor, and my husband in the room. The doctor told me: We found cancer. Cancer doesn't run in my family and I didn't understand how it could have happened to me at 31. Stage four cancer changed everything I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. The oncologist said they couldn't see the cancer that well on the CT scan because I had so much muscle and so little fat. It didn't make sense and I shut down. My husband and mom were more emotional than me. After that appointment, we collected my son from day care and I just held him. He'd just turned one: how could I process the thought that he might not know me? Life quickly became full of doctors' appointments and scans, and my employer took away my larger projects so I could focus on my health. I had worked hard to get them so it felt unfair but in hindsight, they were right. I started chemo on August 9. It took eight hours every other week at the hospital, then a 46-hour drip at home with a portable pack. I had insomnia, hallucinations, and anxiety. I would look at the baby monitor and see one of my coworkers in my son's crib, or tarantulas crawling across my hands. I had 11 months of chemo, stopped for a few months, then was told it had spread to my colon, liver, and lungs, so I started another 11 months of treatments and surgeries. By 2021, I was on a lower "maintenance" chemo dose to keep the cancer at bay. I would take six chemo pills every day, alongside various others, which made me very sick and kept me at home when I wanted to be present for my son. One day I decided I just didn't want to do it anymore and my doctor said I could stop for a while. But by Christmas 2022, the cancer was in my lymph nodes. I waited until the new year to start treatment so I could have my storybook Christmas. Even with insurance, medical bills were a nightmare I had to pay a lot out of pocket that first year before my insurance provider could reimburse me, including $500 upfront for the colonoscopy. That was a lot alongside expenses like our mortgage and day care costs. My husband's insurance plan was really good but I started having issues a couple of years in when appointments were back-to-back and I was racking up bills of about $3,000 a month. The hospital kept calling me for payments and we considered selling our house and moving in with our parents. Eventually, my husband's friends encouraged him to set up a GoFundMe page, which raised $17,000 in just a few hours while I was having surgery, and $30,000 in 17 days. I felt betrayed at first, but my mom helped me see it as a blessing. My son looks out for me Seeing my son grow up has been keeping me together this whole time. We've been reading kids' books about cancer and emotions to Cameron for years and he's starting to understand what's happening. Once he asked me, "Mommy, can you die from cancer?" and I froze. I didn't know what to say. He cries at night about it, holds me, and tells me he doesn't want me to leave. But he takes good care of me. When my hair was longer, he used to put it in a ponytail for me and put chapstick on my lips. Today, my cancer status is "non-detectable." I have chemo every four weeks and expect to be on this maintenance regime indefinitely, an idea I struggled to cope with at first. I work full time, which is hard as I've had a lot of side effects. I've passed out a few times, my body overheats so badly I have to take off all my clothes, I feel like I have to vomit but my body won't do it, and I barely sleep for days at a time. This is my life now. I try to stay busy to take my mind off the tough treatments. When I have chemo on Fridays and Cameron, who's now nearly nine, has a baseball game on Saturday morning, I'm there with my portable pack just doing everything that I can, even though I feel tired and nauseous and vomit a lot. And I'm so grateful to our family and friends who still come over to cook and clean for us after eight years. But because the cancer treatment side effects are cumulative, having a happy life is really hard. I'm hoping I have a long life ahead of me, but I don't want to be on this treatment forever and am perpetually crossing my fingers that science can discover new treatments. I've realized the things I used to stress about are completely manageable and I have so many blessings. I tell everybody that life is good, it's just how you look at it. I want young people to understand that they're not untouchable. You need to get regular check-ups and advocate for yourself.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Tyler Cameron speaks out about Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell's breakup; says, "They had to do it"
Tyler Cameron is providing some commentary on the news-making breakup of his good friend, Matt James, and his ex-girlfriend Rachael Kirkconnell. On The Viall Files podcast, appearing on June 18, host Nick Viall questioned Cameron about how the ex-Bachelor has been since the very public breakup. "He's good, he's good," reassured Cameron, 32, keeping his tone light and upbeat. Matt James, 33, had ignited a whirlwind of chatter in January when he publicly broke up with Kirkconnell, 28, in an Instagram post. The breakup announcement went viral — and made waves — shortly after Kirkconnell shared on a Call Her Daddy podcast appearance that she had been "blindsided" by the way James broke up with her. Viall, who is 44, told on his podcast that he then reached out to James after that, wanting to hear his side of the story, but never heard back. Cameron replied to that by insinuating that James is consciously choosing to remain silent. "I think for him the best thing to do is like let it die, and be done with it, you know," he said. Cameron's girlfriend, Tate Madden, who was also on the podcast episode, chimed in with her own opinion, saying, "I think he knows and probably regrets… Decisions were made." Without going too far into the details, Cameron appeared to be in favor of the breakdown being needed for both of them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo "Everyone, you saw the interviews and stuff," he said, seeming to refer to Kirkconnell's podcast remarks. "Both of them needed to be broken up and they needed to move on and they needed to make it work at the end of the day. Whereas Matt James has not made additional public statement since announcing his breakup, it is evident from Cameron's words that the ex-Bachelor lead is moving on in peace — even if the rest of the world is curious about things. As the dust begins to settle, it appears James and Kirkconnell are both on personal paths of healing and self-discovery, and their friends have their backs as they move forward without the relationship.
