The natural capital of temporary rivers: characterising the value of dynamic aquatic-terrestrial habitats. Valuing Nature Natural Capital Synthesis Reports, VNP12

Temporary rivers naturally transition between flowing, pool and dry states, creating aquatic–terrestrial habitat mosaics that change in space and time. These dynamic habitats are common in the UK's cool, wet climate. Here, they take many forms, from headwater streams that may dominate networks in remote uplands, to winterbourne rivers crossing the chalk of south England. We examine published and unpublished sources to provide an evidence-informed characterisation of the natural assets in temporary rivers

On the modelling of infilled RC frames through strut models

Infill panels largely affect the seismic response of framed constructions. The wide variety in their mechanical and geometrical features has produced many different models and assumptions in their analytical representation. In this paper the simplest and most diffuse analytical approach, based on the introduction of equivalent struts, has been checked. An overview is presented, focusing on the strut dimensions, strength and number. Two case-studies, taken by two different experimental campaigns, have been considered and reproduced. The obtained results have been compared to the experimental ones, and some parameters have been checked for selecting the model to use for analysis

The potential benefits of on-farm mitigation scenarios for reducing multiple pollutant loadings in prioritised agri-environment areas across England

The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) via project LM0304

Evaluation of differences in ultraviolet exposure during weekend and weekday activities

The weekday UV exposures to anatomical sites were evaluated for outdoor workers, home workers, adolescents, indoor workers, school staff, and students, in south-east Queensland, Australia. Additionally, the UV exposures on the weekends of school staff, school students, indoor workers and outdoor workers were evaluated. The weekday exposures per day ranged from 1.0 to 11.0 SED for winter to summer respectively. During spring, the ratios of the personal exposures divided by the ambient exposures on the weekend to the personal exposures divided by the ambient exposures on the weekdays to the neck, hand and left arm were at least 3.4, 2.0 and 0.67 for the indoor workers, school staff and students and outdoor workers respectively. The same ratios for the erythemal UV exposures over the year, estimated from the exposures on four days in each of the four seasons, were at least 2.3 for the school staff and at least 1.3 for the 13 to 19 year old school students. These results reinforce the importance of targeting prevention programs to both weekend and weekday exposures

L'importance écologique des niveaux de phosphore dans les rivières en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles, faisant particulièrement référence à la gestion des apports de sources diffuses

En Europe comme ailleurs on s'inquiète des niveaux de phosphore de plus en plus élevés rencontrés dans les rivières, et auxquels on associe le développement excessif d'algues et de macrophytes avec des effets indirects sur la faune aquatique. Les résultats proviennent d’une analyse majeure des données du suivi des rivières en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles, indiquant de grandes différences spatiales dans les concentrations en phosphore ambiant liées à l’importance de l'urbanisation, à l’intensité de l’occupation des sols et à la géologie/pédologie sous-jacentes. Les répercussions écologiques des niveaux ambiants sont examinées, indiquant le besoin de protéger les rivières oligotrophiques et mésotrophiques (principalement dans le nord et l'ouest ) de l’augmentation des apports en phosphore. Les concentrations ambiantes dans la plupart des rivières coulant en plaine ont atteint des valeurs supérieures au seuil qui pourrait limiter le développement végétal ; des réductions considérables des charges sont nécessaires dans plusieurs de ces rivières avant que des améliorations de la qualité écologique ne puissent être observés. L'importance des charges provenant de sources diffuses sur les niveaux de phosphore présents dans les rivières est considérée du point de vue écologique, ainsi que des moyens de contrôle éventuels.Mainstone C. P., Ashley S., Gunby A., Parr W. L'importance écologique des niveaux de phosphore dans les rivières en Angleterre et au Pays de Galles, faisant particulièrement référence à la gestion des apports de sources diffuses. In: L'eau, l'homme et la nature. 24èmes journées de l'hydraulique. Congrès de la Société Hydrotechnique de France. Paris, 18-19-20 septembre 1996. 1996

Corneal topography and myopia: A cross-sectional study

PURPOSE: Central corneal curvature is known to vary with refractive error, but the relation between corneal topography and ametropia is less clear. The current study was conducted to determine whether a relation exists between corneal asphericity and myopia. Associations between corneal asphericity and each of the components of refraction also were examined. METHODS: Corneal asphericity and apical radius of curvature were determined for 113 eyes (spherical equivalent refractive error +0.25 diopter [D] to -9.88 D) by fitting a conicoid equation to videokeratoscopic data. Computerized videokeratoscopic images were recorded using a Topographic Modeling System. Keratometry also was performed on each eye. Anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, vitreous chamber depth, and axial length were measured with a hand-held biometric ruler. RESULTS: A low but statistically significant positive correlation was found between corneal asphericity (Q) and spherical equivalent refractive error (r = 0.275, P < 0.01). Significant relations also were observed between Q and vitreous chamber depth (r = 0.17, P < 0.1) and between Q and axial length (r = 0.24, P < 0.05). The association between Q and corneal radius of curvature was found not to be significant. Eyes with higher levels of myopia had steeper central corneal curvatures, deeper anterior and vitreous chambers, and greater axial lengths. CONCLUSIONS: A tendency for the cornea to flatten less rapidly in the periphery with increasing myopia was shown. Decreased peripheral corneal flattening also was observed in association with increasing vitreous chamber depth and increasing axial length. These findings have implications for refractive surgery outcomes, schematic eye modeling, contact lens design, and ocular aberration analysis