Innovation or Inundation: The Political Economy of Sea Level Rise in the San Francisco Bay Area

Sea levels are rising around the world due to climate change and the rise in greenhouse gas emissions causing an environmental climate crisis. This thesis paper analyzes how sea level rise is affecting the San Francisco Bay Area. It walks through the geographical factors contribute to more severe impacts of sea level rise, potential adaptation strategies, and discusses the economic impacts and political challenges of protecting communities from sea level rise

Environmental consequences of large infrastructures : role of integrated estuarine planning

For large infrastructure projects there is a need to demonstrate how a holistic approach to environmental management could be achieved by combining Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), which are a widespread environmental management tool, to an ISO-standard risk assessment and risk management method (Bow Tie analysis). This study addresses the environmental consequences that may occur with the proposed addition of a large cruise terminal to the Humber Estuary, as well as the increased challenges brought to the local government. The possible environmental and socioeconomic consequences were derived from existing research to current port developments and were then inputted into an ‘EIA Calculator’ to provide data on the significance of the effects. Following this, a Bow Tie analysis was conducted to identify how possible prevention, mitigation and compensation measures can be used to avoid, minimise or restore such effects. Finally, a post EIA was produced to determine how effective the management measures were. It was found that the measures highlighted within the Bow Tie analysis significantly reduced the environmental consequences incurred during the proposed cruise terminals lifespan. Bow Tie analysis not only allowed the investigation of the potential environmental consequences of the cruise terminal, but also the economic and social challenges brought to the existing governance. The results showed that with effective strategic management practices in place, Hull City Council would be able to maintain the possible challenges presented with the project. It is concluded that when Bow Tie analysis is combined with other approaches, it can be an effective ecological tool, forming a holistic approach to environmental management

THE EFFECTS OF FEEDING PULSE-BASED, GRAIN-FREE, DIETS ON DIGESTIBILITY, GLYCEMIC RESPONSE, AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH IN DOMESTIC DOGS

The following thesis will focus on the effects of feeding pulse-based, grain-free, diets on digestibility, glycemic response, and cardiovascular health in dogs. In July of 2018, the United States Food and Drug Administration reported a link between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs. Despite this, there is no definitive evidence confirming or demonstrating that grain-free diets are unsafe to feed to dogs. Due to this statement, there is currently major controversy surrounding whether or not pet owners should be feeding grain-free diets to dogs. The first study conducted was a 7-day short-term feeding trial that involved six different experimental diets. All diets were formulated to include 20% available carbohydrate using either rice (grain-containing) or pulse flours from either smooth pea, fava bean, red lentil, or wrinkled pea varieties (4140-3 or Amigold). It was hypothesized that dog diets with higher levels of dietary fiber would produce a lowered glycemic response due to decreased rates of digestion and lowered bioavailability of macronutrients, as well as increased fecal bile salt excretion. This in turn was hypothesized to produce lowered plasma concentrations of cystine, cysteine, methionine, and taurine. This study demonstrated that pulse-based diets have the potential to reduce postprandial glucose response, which is beneficial for dogs. After 7-days of feeding each diet, there was a trend of reduced fasted plasma taurine levels in the dogs consuming pulse-based diets, with exception to the lentil diet. However, all plasma taurine levels remained within normal limits. Decreased apparent total tract digestibility of macronutrients and amino acids were also observed and associated with increasing levels of both amylose and dietary fiber, however, a specific causative agent for this could not be determined due to the nature of this study. Surprisingly, increases in dietary fiber within the diets led to decreased fecal bile acid excretion. The second study was a longer 28-day feeding study, that tested the pulse-based diets with the highest and lowest levels of amylose from study one and compared them to an experimental rice-based diet and a commercial grain-containing diet. For the second study, it was hypothesized that dogs fed pulse-based, grain-free diets for 28 days would cause decreased apparent total tract digestibility of macronutrients, increased fecal bile acid excretion, and decreased plasma levels of cystine, cysteine, methionine, and taurine, resulting in sub-clinical cardiac or blood changes indicative of early stages of DCM. After conducting echocardiography, it was observed that the high amylose wrinkled pea (Amigold) diet in study two increased left ventricular size and volume, as well as increased plasma levels of NT-ProBnP, in a sub-clinical manner that was reversible. These cardiac changes representative of early-stage DCM are possibly associated with the increased level of amylose within the wrinkled pea (Amigold) diet. The second study confirmed from study one that grain-free diets did not cause plasma taurine levels to fall below normal limits. After consuming all diets (both grain-containing and grain-free), plasma levels of taurine were unchanged and remained within normal limits. In contrast, all grain-containing and grain-free diets caused reduced plasma methionine levels. Similar to study one, apparent total tract digestibility of macronutrients and amino acids, excluding taurine, was reduced when the dogs consumed the pulse-based diets possibly due to higher levels of fiber. Both studies showed pulse-containing diets decreased fecal bile acid excretions. Overall, slight DCM-like changes from the wrinkled pea diet, but not the lentil diet, demonstrated that not all grain-free diets can be treated the same. In addition to this, if diet-induced DCM-like changes are in fact associated with increased levels of dietary amylose, this could pose an issue to both grain-free and grain-containing diets. This complicates the original claim made by the FDA regarding grain-free diets, as diet-induced DCM in dogs may not be exclusively associated with grain-free diets

An investigation of the mechanics of oil migration from the source beds to the reservoir beds

The study of the migration and accumulation of petroleum has very naturally been analytic, with the result that we have had a variety of studies of its several features. the generation of petroleum, its migration and its accumulation in reservoir rocks is not a rapid process which may be accomplished and terminated in a comparatively short time, but one of long and almost continuous operation from the time of its inception. In this study the author is not attempting to formulate a new theory for the movement of oil from its point of origin to its final point of accumulation into pools of commercial size. Rather he is attempting to segregate and then string together some of the essential elements involved in the mechanics of oil movements. The material presented in this paper has not been gotten from laboratory for field observation, but from a critical study of the literature on the subject discussed --Introduction, page 3

Syria: adjusting to the new world order

The advent of the New World Order has challenged Syria's role in the Middle East. Traditionally viewed as a pariah state, and a Soviet satellite, Syria's future looked uncertain. Syria, however, has been able to accommodate the transformation in the world order. The New World Order amounted to a redistribution of global power. The transmutation of Soviet power towards the US culminated in a unipolar world order. The withdrawal of Soviet support through the advent of the New World Order threatened Syria's quest for regional hegemony. Existing in a state of anarchy, the co-ordinates of Syria's foreign policy have been founded upon the principles of self-help, national security, and national interest. These principles have found their expression through Syria's intractable struggle with Israel. Syrian foreign policy has been determined by two factors: primarily, by the international political system, and secondarily, by the influence of domestic politics. Omni balancing provides an explanatory model for foreign policy behaviour that bridges the divide between the determinants of the international political system and the influences of the domestic arena. Following a rational policy, the Syrian state was compelled to realign with the US- led world order, in order to pursue regional hegemony. It was able to display its accommodation of the New World Order by joining the US-led coalition forces in the liberation of Kuwait in 1990/1991. Syria's adjustment to the New World Order was rewarded with a place in the post-war regional order, and a central role in the Madrid Peace Conference

Évolution géomorphologique du glissement de terrain et du marais littoral de Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive, Charlevoix, Québec

À Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive, un marais intertidal d'une superficie de 8,33 km2 s'étend du côté ouest d'un promontoire qui s'avance dans les eaux de l'estuaire du Saint-Laurent. Ce promontoire est en fait la langue de fluage d'un glissement de terrain qui, comme l'indiquent les données historiques, fut déclenché par un important tremblement de terre en 1663. L'avancée soudaine de cette coulée a créé une anse abritée, instaurant ainsi des conditions favorables à la sédimentation vaseuse. Une coupe dans la micro-falaise, à la marge inférieure du marais supérieur, montre que plus de 2 m de vase se sont accumulés à cet endroit par-dessus des dépôts glissés. Le taux de sédimentation local était de 2,7 à 7 fois supérieur à ce qui a été mesuré dans les autres marais de l'estuaire du Saint-Laurent. Malgré de grandes imprécisions, huit datations au 14C corroborent de façon générale la date du glissement de terrain. La marge du marais supérieur et la falaise au front de la langue de fluage ont reculé au cours des 25 dernières années à des taux respectifs de 1,2 m/an et de 0,9 m an.A 8.33 km2 tidal marsh extends on the western side of a promontory in the St. Lawrence Estuary. This promontory is the debris flow from a large landslide that, as suggested from historical data, was triggered by an important earthquake in 1663. The advance of the debris flow suddenly created a sheltered embayment favorable to accelerated mud sedimentation. A section in the microcliff at the edge of the upper marsh shows that over 2 m of mud accumulated over slide material indicating a sedimentation rate 2.7 to 7 times higher at this site than in other marshes along the St. Lawrence Estuary. Despite large imprécisions, eight 14C dates generally corroborate the historical age of the landslide. The lower edge of the upper marsh and the cliff at the edge of the debris flow have been eroded during the last 25 years and have recessed at rates of 1.2 m/y and 0.9 m/y respectively.Bei Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive erstreckt sich eine Gezeitenmarsch von 8,33 km2 Grosse an der Westseite eines Vorsprungs, der in die Gezeitenmùndung des Sank-Lorenz-Stroms ragt. Bei diesem Vorsprung handelt es sich urn den Schuttfluss eines Erdrutsches, der den historischen Daten zufolge durch ein bedeutendes Erdbeben 1663 ausgelôst wurde. Durch das plôtzliche Vorrucken dieses Ergusses wurde eine geschutzte Bucht geschaffen und damit gunstige Bedingungen fur die Schlamm-Sedimentablagerung. Ein Schnitt in die Mikro-Steilkuste am unteren Rand der hôheren Marsch zeigt, dass uber zwei Meter Schlamm sich an dieser Stelle uber den Ablagerungen angesammelt haben. Der Grad der ôrtlichen Sedimentablagerung war 2,7 bis 7 mal hôher als der in anderen Marschen der Sankt-Lorenz-Gezeitenmundung gemessene. Trotz bedeutender Ungenauigkeiten bestâtigen acht '4C-Datierungen im allgemeinen das Datum des Erdrutsches. Der Rand der hôheren Marsch und die Steilkuste an der Vorderseite des Schuttflusses sind im Laufe der letzten 25 Jahre urn jeweils 1,2m/Jahr und 0,9m Jahr zuruckgewichen

An Overview of the Change Management Process and Examples of Software to Help Organizations Effectively Manage Change

Every organization undergoes change on a continual basis and must understand how to manage the change process. This article overviews change management and discusses software packages and other tools that can help organizations manage the inevitable changes which occur frequently. It also examines risks and control objectives associated with change. It concludes that organizations often overlook proper change management techniques and can benefit by the ideas discussed in this article