Évaluation d'un modèle des zones de pâturages et de prairies naturelles

Une grande quantité d'eau est perdue dans les zones de pâturage et prairies naturelles du fait de la présence dans ces régions de plantes à forte transpiration. La gestion du couvert végétal et des bassins versants a été proposée comme moyen pour augmenter la disponibilité des ressources en eau. Des efforts accrûs ont été consacrés au développement de pratiques de gestion et d'outils pour évaluer le potentiel d'augmentation de la ressource en eau. La modélisation hydrologique joue un rôle clé dans ces efforts. Un des outils les plus complets pour la modélisation dans les zones de pâturage et prairies naturelles est le modèle SPUR. Il s'agit d'un modèle de bassin versant, spatialement semi-distribué. Le modèle est constitué de cinq modules principaux qui incluent les aspects suivants: climat, hydrologie, plantes, animaux et économie. La composante hydrologique du modèle prend en compte à un pas de temps journalier les phénomènes de ruissellement, évapotranspiration, percolation et écoulement latéral. Le ruissellement est calculé à partir du numéro de courbe qui dépend du couvert végétal, des pratiques culturales, ainsi que des conditions hydrologiques. Cependant l'utilisation par le modèle de la méthode du numéro de courbe pour déterminer le ruissellement pose de sérieux problèmes quant à l'efficacité du modèle. Dans notre recherche, nous avons substitué la méthode des numéros de courbe par l'équation de Green et Ampt. Un avantage majeur de cette approche est l'utilisation de l'intensité de la pluie comme variable de forçage au lieu de la pluie journalière. De plus, cette équation d'infiltration utilise des paramètres physiques comme la conductivité hydraulique à saturation. L'objectif de cet article est de présenter les performances du modèle SPUR original et modifié sur trois types de couvert végétal : sol nu, sol enherbé et buissons.Trois années de mesures collectées sur le bassin versant de Throckmorton (Texas, Etats Unis d'Amérique) ont été utilisées pour la calibration et la validation des modèles. Les performances des modèles ont été évaluées en utilisant le coefficient d'efficience de Nash et Sutcliff. Le calage a porté sur la première année de mesure. Pour le modèle original, le calage a consisté à ajuster les numéros de courbe de manière à optimiser l'efficience. Pour le modèle modifié, il n'a été procédé à aucun calage. Les valeurs de conductivité hydraulique à saturation ont été estimées en utilisant des équations de pédotransfert en se basant sur les propriétés texturales et structurales des sols. L'introduction dans le modèle SPUR de l'équation de Green et Ampt a considérablement amélioré la performance du modèle pour la prévision du ruissellement sur tous les sites. L'efficience moyenne pour les prévisions du ruissellement mensuel sur sol nu est de 0.16, alors que celle ci est négative pour le modèle original (-0.11). Pour les sites enherbés l'efficience du modèle modifié est de 0.48 alors qu'elle est négative pour le modèle original. L'utilisation du numéro de courbe a résulté en une surestimation systématique du ruissellement sur tous les sites. De manière générale, le modèle original et le modèle modifié présentent de meilleures performances sur les sites non nus. Ceci est dû au fait que les deux modèles sous-estiment de manière significative l'évaporation sur les sols nus. Un des désavantages des deux modèles est en effet de limiter l'évaporation aux premiers 15 cm du sol. L'introduction de l'équation de Green et Ampt a amélioré les performances du modèle pour la prévision du ruissellement aussi bien à l'échelle mensuelle qu'annuelle. De plus, le modèle modifié est sensible au type d'occupation du sol et est donc adapté comme outil pour l'analyse de scénario en vue de préserver les ressources en eau.Une analyse de sensibilité a été conduite afin d'évaluer l'impact des paramètres d'entrée sur les sorties des deux modèles. L'analyse de sensibilité a consisté à modifier systématiquement les paramètres d'entrée de plus ou moins 10%. Pour le modèle original, l'analyse a porté sur l'influence du numéro de courbe, et pour le modèle modifié celle ci a porté sur l'étude de l'impact lié aux paramètres utilisés pour calculer la conductivité hydraulique à saturation. Concernant le modèle original, une augmentation du numéro de courbe de 10% entraîne une augmentation du ruissellement de 120% pour le sol nu, et aux alentours de 100% pour les autres sites. L'impact de ces variations sur l'évaporanspiration est minimal, avec une variation maximale de 16% pour le sol nu. Concernant le modèle modifié, la teneur du sol en sable est le paramètre ayant la plus grande influence sur la quantité d'eau ruisselée pour le sol nu. Par contre, pour les lysimètres ayant un couvert végétal, le pourcentage de sol couvert par la canopée est le factor majeur contrôlant la quantité d'eau ruisselée. Les paramètres liés au couvert végétal ont un plus grand impact sur le ruissellement que les paramètres liés aux propriétés intrinsèques du sol.Globalement l'introduction de l'équation de Green et Ampt a amélioré les capacités prédictives du modèle. Outre le fait que le modèle modifié ne nécessite pas un calage particulier pour la détermination des paramètres de transfert de l'eau dans le sol, il se base sur l'intensité de la pluie pour la détermination du ruissellement. Il a été montré que le modèle modifié est sensible aux changements de type d'occupation du sol. Il peut donc être donc utilisé comme outil pour évaluer l'impact de différents scénarios d'occupation du sol sur les ressources en eau dans les zones de pâturage et prairies naturelles. Toutefois, des améliorations, telles que l'introduction de l'impact du développement de fissures sur l'infiltration (écoulement préférentiel) ainsi que sur le phénomène d'évaporation devraient être prises en compte afin d'améliorer les prévisions du bilan hydrologiques, notamment sur sol nu.A large amount of water is lost on rangelands due to the conditions of the watersheds, specifically due to the presence of plant species with a high transpiration rate. Vegetation manipulation and watershed management have been proposed as means to increase water yield. Increasing efforts have focused on developing management practices and tools to evaluate the potential for increased water yield. Hydrologic modeling plays a key role in these efforts, and one the most comprehensive tools for simulating rangelands is the SPUR model. However, some limitations seem arise from the use of the SCS curve number method for simulating the runoff/infiltration process. In this project, the SCS curve number method was replaced by the Green and Ampt infiltration equation. One of the major advantages of the approach is that it relies on rainfall intensity rather than on daily rainfall, and it uses physical parameters such as the saturated hydraulic conductivity. The original and the modified SPUR models were tested for three different covers: bare, grass and mesquite. The use of the Green and Ampt infiltration equations improved model prediction of surface runoff. Furthermore, the model was shown to be sensitive to vegetation manipulation, and could be used as a water resources management tool

Growth hormone secretory in healthy aged women and men of Tunisian population

With aging, men and women experience multiple hormonal changes, and in particular the activity of the growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) axis. This perturbation may be involved inaggravations of numerous abnormalities. In 64 healthy elderly, we determined the concentrations of GH in both sexes and its correlation with thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), the descriptive data, BMI,electrolytic assessment and some biochemical parameters. Collected data suggest that there was an age-dependent decrease in GH secretion. For TSH, there was a slight increase. The simple regressionanalysis revealed non-significant direct relation between these two hormones. We also found that BMI values were inversely related to the serum concentrations of these hormones. For the lipid metabolism,the positively correlated relation only exists between GH and total-cholesterol, on one hand, and between GH and LDL-cholesterol, on the other. For the other parameters such as glucose and triglycerides as well as HDL-cholesterol, this relation does not exist. For the BMI, this index shows a positively correlated relation with glucose and triglycerides. The electrolytic assessment shows that inmen, phosphorus was positively related to GH. In women, calcium and sodium were positively related to GH. Aging was found to be associated with decreased morning serum GH levels and slightly increased TSH levels in healthy elderly Tunisian population. Reduction of the GH-IGF-I axis in the elderly has important clinical implications. Indeed, this deficiency in GH could contribute to the decline of various functions associated with normal aging

Numerical simulation of the force generated by a superelastic NiTi orthodontic archwire during tooth alignment phase: comparison between different constitutive models

International audienceNickel Titanium (NiTi) Superelastic (SE) Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) are widely considered for applications that need high reversible strain or high recovery forces. In particular, the SE SMAs present a high interest for biomedical applications such as endodontic and orthodontic apparatus. They are available in a large variety of archwires exerting continuum forces to ensure the dental displacement. The purpose of this study is to report the clinical implications of NiTi SE wires for dental treatment in a given configuration. Three main constitutive models of the literature (Lagoudas and Boyd 1996 Int. J. Plast. 12 805–842, Auricchio and Petrini 2004 Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng . 61 807–836 and Chemisky et al 2011 Mech. Mater . 68 361–376) are considered for the finite element (FE) numerical simulations of the SMA archwires response. Tensile tests had been carried out in order to identify the material parameters of these constitutive models. The FE numerical study allowed to predict the dental displacement and its corresponding orthodontic force level exerted by the wire in similar conditions to those in the oral environment. This work allows to predict the orthodontic generated load by a NiTi SE archwire with a 0.64 × 0.46 mm 2 rectangular cross section under prescribed thermomechanical conditions. The effect of the temperature and the alveolar bone stiffness on the orthodontic load level and the tooth displacement degree has been investigated. The performed numerical simulations demonstrate that the orthodontic load is sensitive to the displacement magnitude, to the tooth stiffness and to the temperature variations. The obtained forces applied continuously and at a constant level are within the acceptable orthodontic force level range. Some directives are therefore provided to help orthodontists to select the optimal archwire

Chloroformic and Methanolic Extracts of Olea europaea L. Leaves Present Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Activities

Olea europaea L. is used in traditional medicine in the Mediterranean areas. Its natural products are used in the treatment of different disorders, like fighting fever and some infectious diseases such as malaria, the treatment of arrhythmia, and relief of intestinal spasms. The aim of the current study is to investigate the possible anti-inflammatory and anatinociceptive effects of methanol and chloroformic extracts prepared from leaves of Olea europaea L. The anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of the different extracts of Olea europaea leaves were assessed after intraperitoneal administration into rats and mice, using the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in rats to test the anti-inflammatory effect and the acetic acid-induced writhing in mice to test the analgesic effect. The chloroformic and methanolic leaves extracts, studied at the doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg (Body Weight: BW), exhibited significant dose-dependent anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that Olea europaea leaves extracts have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects

Simplicity versus complexity in modelling groundwater recharge in Chalk catchments

Models of varying complexity are available to provide estimates of recharge in headwater Chalk catchments. Some measure of how estimates vary between different models can help guide the choice of model for a particular application. This paper compares recharge estimates derived from four models employing input data at varying spatial resolutions for a Chalk headwater catchment (River Pang, UK) over a four-year period (1992-1995) that includes a range of climatic conditions. One model was validated against river flow data to provide a measure of their relative performance. Each model gave similar total recharge for the crucial winter recharge period when evaporation is low. However, the simple models produced relatively lower estimates of the summer and early autumn recharge due to the way in which processes governing recharge especially evaporation and infiltration are represented. The relative uniformity of land use, soil types and rainfall across headwater, drift-free Chalk catchments suggests that complex, distributed models offer limited benefits for recharge estimates at the catchment scale compared to simple models. Nonetheless, distributed models would be justified for studies where the pattern and amount of recharge need to be known in greater detail and to provide more reliable estimates of recharge during years with low rainfall.</p> <p style='line-height: 20px;'><b>Keywords:</b> Chalk, modelling, groundwater recharge</p

Engineering visible light emitting point defects in Zr-implanted polycrystalline AlN films

We have investigated the impact of thermal annealing gaseous atmosphere of argon, nitrogen, and forming gas on the structural and optical properties of thin polycrystalline AlN films subjected to high-energy zirconium ions implantation. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy measurements show that the structural and morphological properties of the Zr-implanted AlN films depend on the annealing gaseous environment. Post-implantation annealing under argon atmosphere yields the lowest structured surface roughness with increased grain size. Photoluminescence spectroscopy revealed multiple point defects and defect complexes related emission bands in the visible range. A series of absorption bands have been observed using photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy. The origin of the emission or absorption bands is identified and attributed to various types of point defects and defect complexes, theoretically reported for AlN. New emission and absorption peaks at 1.7eV (730nm) and 2.6eV (466nm), respectively, have been identified and attributed to the (ZrAl–VN)0 defect complexes

The European Nitrogen Problem in a Global Perspective

Nature of the problem (science/management/policy): Reactive nitrogen has both positive and negative effects on ecosystem and human health. Reactive nitrogen is formed through the use of fossil fuels releasing large amounts of nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere and through the production of ammonia by the Haber-Bosch process and using it in agriculture to increase our food, feed and fuel production. While the use of nitrogen as a fertilizer has brought enormous benefits, losses of fertilizer nitrogen and combustion nitrogen to the environment lead to many side effects on human health, ecosystem health, biodiversity and climate. Approaches: The European nitrogen problem is placed in a global perspective, showing the European nitrogen fixation, transport and environmental impacts compared to different regions of the globe. Key findings/state of knowledge: An overview is provided of the nitrogen issues and challenges in Europe and places them in a broader global context. Europe is one of the leading producers of reactive nitrogen, but it is also the first region in the world where the issue was recognized and in some parts of Europe the reactive nitrogen losses to the environment started to decrease. There is a clear policy on reducing nitrogen oxide emissions that led to reductions by implementation of end of pipe technology. Fertilizer production and use decreased in Europe in the early 1990s, in particular, due to the economic recession in the Eastern part of Europe. Currently, the fertilizer use in EU25 is about 12 Mton, which is 4 Mton lower than in the 1980s and gradually increasing. The nitrogen use efficiency of nitrogen in the EU, defined as the net output of N in products divided by the net input is about 36%. This is lower than the world average (50%) as fertilization rates are much higher. Major uncertainties/challenges: The effects related to losses of nitrogen in Europe include the exceedance of critical loads and the resulting biodiversity loss, ground water pollution and eutrophication of ecosystems; eutrophication of open waters and coastal areas resulting in algae blooms and fish kills; increased levels of NOx and aerosols in the atmosphere resulting in human health impacts and climate change; and the increased emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide resulting in climate change. Nitrogen also affects the biogeochemical cycles of other components such as carbon. Recommendations (research/policy): The complexity of multi-pollutant ¿ multiple-effect interactions is a major hurdle to improving public awareness.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Investigation of CuIn1-xGaxSe2 thin films co-evaporated from two metal sources for photovoltaic solar cells

 CuIn1-xGaxSe2 (CIGS) thin films were grown by co-evaporation using two sources for the metal elements (Cu, Ga and In). A Mo coated soda lime glass substrates heated at 500 °C was used for the deposition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirm that these films are polycrystalline with a chalcopyrite structure and showed homogeneous grain size estimate about 25 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was performed to analyse the binding energy values of Ga3d and O1s onto CIGSe layers. The conductivity measurements in the temperature range of 40-400 K were carried out for 0.05≤ x ≤ 0.23. The effect of grain boundary scattering on the electrical transport played an important role in describing the transport processes in these films. The bowing factor is discussed taking into account the deposition techniques of CIGS films. It has been noticed that the open circuit voltage (Voc) is influenced by Ga content and the energy gap value of the absorber CIGS thin layers and yielded a poor efficiency of solar cells

The hillslope length impact on SWAT streamflow prediction in large basins

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of hillslope length on Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) streamflow predictions in large basins using three methods for hillslope length calculation (the SWAT method, L1; a 3D analysis method, L2; a constant value, L3) combined with two DEMs (pixel size of 25 and 100 m), for a total of six DEML configurations that were tested in the Upper Danube (132000 km(2)). The delineation of subbasins and HRUs were kept unchanged in all configurations, thus isolating the DEM impact on streamflow from that of subbasins delineation. The configurations were independently calibrated in 98 gauged stations located in headwater subbasins (period 1995 similar to 2006), and validated in 150 gauged stations (period 1995 similar to 2009). The analysis of streamflow prediction was extended to its components (surface runoff, lateral flow and baseflow) using performance criteria and residual analysis, and the comparison of different components of water yield was pursued. Calibration and validation showed that all configurations simulated monthly streamflow acceptably (PBIAS < 25% for more than 70% of 150 gauged stations). DEM pixel size had negligible effect of streamflow and its components. The default hillslope length (L1) resulted in large overestimations of lateral flow. L2 resulted in the best performance as well as L3 method. Given that L2 method takes into account the topographic convergence of flow, the configuration of DEM100 and L2 is recommended for SWAT application in large basins in order to obtain reliable streamflow predictions