Apparent losses due to domestic water meter under-registration in South Africa

This study investigated the extent of apparent losses due to water meter under-registration in South Africa. This was done by first estimating the under-registration of new meters due to on-site leakage, and then the  additional under-registration due to meter aging. The extent and flow distributions of on-site leakage were  determined through field studies in Cape Town, Mangaung and Johannesburg, by measuring the flow through  new water meters when no legitimate consumption occurred on the property. The results were used in  combination with the accuracy curves of new meters to estimate meter underregistration. The eThekwini meter replacement database was used to estimate the effect of meter age on meter accuracy. By combining these results with the average age of meters in South Africa, estimated from the National Water Demand Archive, it was possible to estimate the average meter under-registration due to meter aging. The study  concluded that apparent losses due to water meter under-registration are around 5% of consumption for  domestic consumers

Error analysis of the thermal cell for soil thermal conductivity measurement

Soil thermal conductivity is an important factor in the design of energy foundations and other ground heat exchanger systems. Laboratory tests in a thermal cell are often used to determine the thermal conductivity of soil specimens. Two interpretation methods have been suggested. Analysis can be based on the assumption of one-directional heat flow and the thermal conductivity calculated using Fourier's law. Alternatively the lumped capacitance method can be employed, using results generated as a specimen cools. In this study, six samples of London Clay were tested using a thermal cell. A finite-element model of the tests was then used to determine the validity of the assumptions made in analysis. The model showed substantial heat loss through the sides of the specimens, which would have a significant impact on the calculated thermal conductivity. The conditions required for the lumped capacitance method to be valid were also found not to be met. Consequently neither analysis method is recommended. A better approach would be to pursue apparatus with fewer heat losses or transient testing techniques

T-cell responses in oiled guillemots and swans in a rehabilitation setting

This article has been accepted for publication in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. The final version can be accessed from the link below.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Aquatic birds are commonly affected by oil spills. Despite rehabilitation efforts, the majority of rehabilitated common guillemots (Uria aalge) do not survive, whereas mute swans (Cygnus olor) tend to have higher post-release survival. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in crude oil and diesel are immunotoxic in birds affecting cell-mediated responses to immunogens. Because it is a target of PAH toxicity, T-lymphocyte response to controlled mitogen administration (phytohemagglutinnin test) was investigated in a scoping study as a potentially useful minimally invasive in vivo test of cell-mediated immunity. The test was performed on 69 mute swans and 31 common guillemots stranded on the Norfolk and Lincolnshire coastline and inland waterways in England (UK)either due to injury or to contamination with crude or diesel oil. T-lymphocyte response was significantly decreased in swans with greater oil scores. T-lymphocyte responses were also decreased in guillemots, but this finding was not statistically significant

Felix Alexandrovich Berezin and his work

This is a survey of Berezin's work focused on three topics: representation theory, general concept of quantization, and supermathematics.Comment: LaTeX, 27 page

FORMULATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLOXAMER 407 (R): THERMOREVERSIBLE GEL CONTAINING POLYMERIC MICROPARTICLES AND HYALURONIC ACID

The influence of the composition and preparation method on the sol-gel transition temperature (Tsol-gel) and rheological response of poloxamer-based formulations was determined. Manual and more complex mechanical stirring were found to provide similar results. In addition, a linear dependence of Tsol-gel on the poloxamer content was observed in the range of concentrations analyzed, and a Poloxamer 407® concentration of 18% was selected. The addition of hyaluronic acid did not lead to significant changes in the Tsol-gel values. In contrast, the addition of microparticles caused a reduction in Tsol-gel without a significant reduction in gel strength, and pseudoplastic characteristics were observed, indicating that a thermoreversible gel was obtained with a rheology suitable for application in the treatment of burn wounds

Guidance for better governance towards a sustainable, participatory and inclusive wild meat sector.

Agenda item 4 at the twenty-first meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) established under Article 25 of the Convention will be held in Montreal, Canada, at the Palais des Congrès, from 11 to 14 December 2017

Bushmeat, human impacts and human health in tropical rainforests: The ebola virus case

Viande de brousse, impacts anthropiques et santé humaine dans les forêts tropicales humides : le cas du virus Ebola At a time when more than 5million tonnes of bush meat are harvested annually from tropical forests, and which account for a significant, but unrecorded, share of the gross domestic product of many forest countries, decision makers are encouraged, within conservation and food security policies, to understand the role that wildlife can play in the conservation of ecosystem services. In this article, we present an analysis of the problem, describing the role played by bush meat in human diets, and the health risks linked to the consumption of bush meat, in particular with regard to Ebola disease. The aim is to provide insights on the direction of possible strategies to manage the use of wildlife while meeting the needs of local populations and reducing risks to human health

Depredatory impact of free-roaming dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) on Mediterranean deer in southern Spain: implications for the human-wolf conflict.

Feral dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are efficient wild ungulate hunters in many parts of the world. This has not been confirmed in Mediterranean ecosystems. However, if feral dogs can predate upon wild Mediterranean ungulates, they can also do so upon livestock. Therefore, to more realistically understand human-wolf conflict in areas where wolves and feral dogs overlap, the possible role of the latter taking domestic prey should be considered. . During a 6-month study period, we carried out daily observations of a pack of medium-sized dogs, where they were the only large-bodied carnivore capable of killing ungulates, in a fenced estate in southern Spain. The estate contained sizeable populations of red deer, fallow deer and mouflons, but no livestock. We described feral dog predation patterns and depredatory impact. We found that dogs predated upon a total of 57 ungulates killed; fallow deer (47%) red deer (37%), and mouflon (16%). Red deer adults were the least frequent prey, but dogs killed significantly more females and fawns of red and fallow deer. Mouflons were attacked indistinctly. Our results suggest that dogs in our study exhibited a kill pattern similar to Iberian wolves. Therefore, in areas where wolves and feral dogs coexist, a significant proportion of livestock predation could be falsely attributed to the wild canid. In addition, the presence of feral dogs may be a cause of risk in big game hunting estates