Land management (specifically controlled heather burning) as a factor controlling carbon loss from upland peat soils

Peatlands contain a significant proportion of the worlds’ total soil carbon, and are commonly assumed to serve as carbon sinks. There is however increasing evidence of carbon loss from peat soils, and DOC concentrations in UK rivers have increased markedly over the past three decades. Numerous drivers for increasing DOC release have been proposed but to date the potential role of land management has not been fully explored. This study examines the potential effects of land management on DOC production and release from upland peat for a series of catchments in the South Pennines and North Yorkshire Moors. Spatial variability in drainage DOC concentration was examined in 50 small headwater catchments (<3 km 2 ) and nine reservoir catchments (1.5-21 km 2 ). A subset of the reservoir catchments was further examined through time to establish any relationship between land management and DOC. Of the factors assessed, representing all combinations of soil type and land use, the proportion of new vegetation burn on blanket peat was consistently identified as the most significant predictor of spatial variation in DOC concentration. Significant relationships were identified between both temperature and sulphate deposition and longer-term DOC concentrations, but no interaction or cumulative effect of these two factors was shown. In contrast, the area of new burn on blanket peat explains more than twice the degree of variance in DOC over the same period. For catchments where no change in the area of new burn was determined, drainage DOC increases were minimal. This study demonstrates that land management activities are important landscape-scale drivers of DOC concentration. Exposed peat surface following burning may be altering peat hydrology and improving conditions for microbial activity and enhanced DOC production. Land management therefore has significant consequence for water utilities facing increased costs of treatment and also for the conservation of blanket bog and blanket peat ecosystems currently managed by fire.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Mapping heterogeneous buried archaeological features using multisensor data from unmanned aerial vehicles

There is a long history of the use of aerial imagery for archaeological research, but the application of multisensor image data has only recently been facilitated by the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Two archaeological sites in the East Midlands U.K. that differ in age and topography were selected for survey using multisensor imaging from a fixed-wing UAV. The aim of this study was to determine optimum methodology for the use of UAVs in examining archaeological sites that have no obvious surface features and examine issues of ground control target design, thermal effects, image processing and advanced filtration. The information derived from the range of sensors used in this study enabled interpretation of buried archaeology at both sites. For any archaeological survey using UAVs, the acquisition of visible colour (RGB), multispectral, and thermal imagery as a minimum are advised, as no single technique is sufficient to attempt to reveal the maximum amount of potential information

Clinical Use and Therapeutic Potential of IVIG/SCIG, Plasma-Derived IgA or IgM, and Other Alternative Immunoglobulin Preparations

Intravenous and subcutaneous immunoglobulin preparations, consisting of IgG class antibodies, are increasingly used to treat a broad range of pathological conditions, including humoral immune deficiencies, as well as acute and chronic inflammatory or autoimmune disorders. A plethora of Fab- or Fc-mediated immune regulatory mechanisms has been described that might act separately or in concert, depending on pathogenesis or stage of clinical condition. Attempts have been undertaken to improve the efficacy of polyclonal IgG preparations, including the identification of relevant subfractions, mild chemical modification of molecules, or modification of carbohydrate side chains. Furthermore, plasma-derived IgA or IgM preparations may exhibit characteristics that might be exploited therapeutically. The need for improved treatment strategies without increase in plasma demand is a goal and might be achieved by more optimal use of plasma-derived proteins, including the IgA and the IgM fractions. This article provides an overview on the current knowledge and future strategies to improve the efficacy of regular IgG preparations and discusses the potential of human plasma-derived IgA, IgM, and preparations composed of mixtures of IgG, IgA, and IgM

The state of play of blockchain technology in the financial services sector: A systematic literature review

The modern trends of digitalization have completely transformed and reshaped business practices, whole businesses, and even a number of industries. Blockchain technology is believed to be the latest advancement in industries such as the financial sector, where trust is of prime significance. Blockchain technology is a decentralized and coded security system which provides the capability for new digital services and platforms to be created through this emerging technology. This research presents a systematic review of scholarly articles on blockchain technology in the financial sector. We commenced by considering 227 articles and subsequently filtered this list down to 87 articles. From this, we present a classification framework that has three dimensions: blockchain-enabled financial benefits, challenges, and functionality. This research identifies implications for future research and practice within the blockchain paradigm