Characteristics of direct human impacts on the rivers Karun and Dez in lowland south-west Iran and their interactions with earth surface movements

Two of the primary external factors influencing the variability of major river systems, over river reach scales, are human activities and tectonics. Based on the rivers Karun and Dez in south-west Iran, this paper presents an analysis of the geomorphological responses of these major rivers to ancient human modifications and tectonics. Direct human modifications can be distinguished by both modern constructions and ancient remnants of former constructions that can leave a subtle legacy in a suite of river characteristics. For example, the ruins of major dams are characterised by a legacy of channel widening to 100's up to c. 1000 m within upstream zones that can stretch to channel distances of many kilometres upstream of former dam sites, whilst the legacy of major, ancient, anthropogenic river channel straightening can also be distinguished by very low channel sinuosities over long lengths of the river course. Tectonic movements in the region are mainly associated with young and emerging folds with NW–SE and N–S trends and with a long structural lineament oriented E–W. These earth surface movements can be shown to interact with both modern and ancient human impacts over similar timescales, with the types of modification and earth surface motion being distinguishable. This paper examines the geomorphological evidence and outlines the processes involved in the evolution of these interactions through time. The analysis shows how interactions between earth surface movements and major dams are slight, especially after ancient dam collapse. By contrast, interactions between earth surface movements and major anthropogenic river channel straightening are shown to be a key factor in the persistence of long, near-straight river courses. Additionally, it is suggested that artificial river development, with very limited river channel lateral migration, may promote incision across an active fold at unusually long distances from the fold “core” and may promote markedly increased sinuosity across a structural lineament

Structural properties of crumpled cream layers

The cream layer is a complex heterogeneous material of biological origin which forms spontaneously at the air-milk interface. Here, it is studied the crumpling of a single cream layer packing under its own weight at room temperature in three-dimensional space. The structure obtained in these circumstances has low volume fraction and anomalous fractal dimensions. Direct means and noninvasive NMR imaging technique are used to investigate the internal and external structure of these systems.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted in J. Phys. D: Appl. Phy

Morphodynamic models used to study the impact of offshore aggregate extraction:A review

http://www.cerf-jcr.org/images/stories/17127-4%20idier%20web%20only.pdfInternational audienceThis review highlights three morphodynamics modelling approaches, used for offshore marine aggregate extraction impact assessment. These approaches are based upon examples of (1) full process-based models; (2) idealised processbased models; and (3) conceptual models. Illustrated also is the way in which these models, applied for extractions on flat bed or sandbanks, can complement each other, towards the estimation of Coastal State Indicators (CSIs). This review leads to the conclusion that, for an optimal environment assessment, there are two main approaches: (1) either combine and couple the models, in order to simulate the full morphodynamics of the system over a long time-scale, taking into account also short-term events, or (2) use a set of existing models, knowing precisely their applicability to the CSI's and the reliability of their predictions, rather than using only the best model, available presently

Influence of Shear Flow on the Crystallization of Organic Melt Emulsions – A Rheo‐Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Investigation

There is a need to better understand the influence of shear flow on the crystallization of a molten oil phase in an oil/water emulsion due to its high relevance for industrial processes. The present study focuses on the influence of laminar shear flow on the crystallization kinetics of polydisperse n ‐hexadecane‐in‐water emulsions. The investigation was carried out by rheo‐nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in a Taylor‐Couette geometry. An accelerating impact of the shear rate on the overall crystallization kinetics was verified. This effect stems from an increase of the collision frequency of already crystallized droplets with not yet crystallized droplets. Nevertheless, the collision efficiency decreased with higher shear rate

Soil Settlement and Uplift Damage to Architectural Heritage Structures in Belgium: Country-Scale Results from an InSAR-Based Analysis

Soil movement may be induced by a wide variety of natural and anthropogenic causes, which are detectable in the local scale, but may influence the movement of the soil over vast geographical expanses. Space borne interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) measurements of ground movement provide a method for the remote sensing of soil settlement and uplift over wide geographic areas. Based on this settlement and uplift evaluation, the assessment of the potential damage to architectural heritage structures is possible. In this paper an interdisciplinary monitoring and analysis method is presented that processes satellite, cadastral, patrimonial and building geometry data, used for the calculation of settlement and uplift damage to architectural heritage structures in Belgium. It uses processed InSAR data for the determination of the soil movement profile around each case study, of which the typology is determined from patrimonial information databases and the geometry is calculated from digital elevation models. The impact on the historic structures is calculated from the determined soil movement profile based on various soilstructure interaction models for buildings. The resulting damage is presented in terms of a numerical index illustrating its severity according to different criteria. In this way the potential soil movement damage is quantified in a large number of buildings in an easily interpretable and user-friendly fashion. The processing of InSAR data collected over the previous 3 decades allows the determination of the progress of settlement- and uplift-induced damage in this time period. With the integration of newly acquired and more accurate data, the methodology will continue to produce results in the coming years, both for the evaluation of soil settlement and uplift in Belgium as for introducing related damage risk data for existing architectural heritage buildings. Results of the analysis chain are presented in terms of potential current damage for selected areas and buildings

Is there a special mechanism behind the changes in somatic cell and polymorphonuclear leukocyte counts, and composition of milk after a single prolonged milking interval in cows?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A single prolonged milking interval (PMI) e.g. after a technical stop in an automated milking system is of concern for the producer since it is associated with a short-lasting increase in milk somatic cell count (SCC), which is a major quality criterion used at the dairy plants. The content of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and how the milk quality is influenced has not been much investigated. The SCC peak occurs without any obvious antigen challenge, possibly indicating a different leukocyte attraction mechanism after a PMI than we see during mastitis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Composite cow milk samples were taken at the milkings twice daily during 7 days before and 5 days after a PMI of 24 h. Milk was analyzed for SCC, PMN, fat, protein and lactose, and at some occasions also casein and free fatty acids (FFA).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the PMI the proportion of milk PMN increased sharply in spite of marginally increased SCC. The peak SCC was not observed until the second milking after the PMI, in the afternoon day 1. However, the peak SCC value in <it>morning </it>milk did not occur until one day later, concomitantly with a <it>decrease </it>in the proportion of PMN. After declining, SCC still remained elevated while PMN proportion was decreased throughout the study as was also the milk yield, after the first accumulation of milk during the PMI. Milk composition was changed the day after the PMI, (increased fat and protein content; decreased lactose, whey protein and FFA content) but the changes in the following days were not consistent except for lactose that remained decreased the rest of the study.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The PMI resulted in increased SCC and proportion of PMN. Additionally, it gave rise to minor alterations in the milk composition in the following milkings but no adverse effect on milk quality was observed. The recruitment of PMN, which was further enhanced the first day <it>after </it>the PMI, appeared to be independent of milk volume or accumulation of milk per se. Hence, we suggest that there is a special immunophysiological/chemoattractant background to the increased migration of leukocytes into the milk compartment observed during and after the PMI.</p

Does rearing laying hens in aviaries adversely affect long-term welfare following transfer to furnished cages?

This study tests the hypothesis that hens that are reared in aviaries but produce in furnished cages experience poorer welfare in production than hens reared in caged systems. This hypothesis is based on the suggestion that the spatial restriction associated with the transfer from aviaries to cages results in frustration or stress for the aviary reared birds. To assess the difference in welfare between aviary and cage reared hens in production, non-beak trimmed white leghorn birds from both rearing backgrounds were filmed at a commercial farm that used furnished cage housing. The videos were taken at 19 and 21 weeks of age, following the birds' transition to the production environment at 16 weeks. Videos were analysed in terms of the performance of aversion-related behaviour in undisturbed birds, comfort behaviour in undisturbed birds, and alert behaviour directed to a novel object in the home cage. A decrease in the performance of the former behaviour and increase in the performance of the latter two behaviours indicates improved welfare. The results showed that aviary reared birds performed more alert behaviour near to the object than did cage reared birds at 19 but not at 21 weeks of age (P = 0.03). Blood glucose concentrations did not differ between the treatments (P>0.10). There was a significant difference in mortality between treatments (P = 0.000), with more death in aviary reared birds (5.52%) compared to cage birds (2.48%). The higher mortality of aviary-reared birds indicates a negative effect of aviary rearing on bird welfare, whereas the higher duration of alert behavior suggests a positive effect of aviary rearing