Design and Operation of Gravity or Surface Systems (Chapter 13)

Surface irrigation uses open channel flow to spread water over a field. The driving force in such systems is gravity and hence the alternate term, gravity flooding. Once distributed over the surface of the field and after it has entered the soil, water is often redistributed by forces other than gravity. Surface irrigation systems generally require a smaller initial investment than do other types of irrigation systems. However, this is not always the case, especially if extensive land forming is needed for an efficient system. In fact, the need for extensive land forming is one of the main reasons why other types of irrigation systems have been developed

Extended Gari-Krumpelmann model fits to nucleon electromagnetic form factors

Nucleon electromagnetic form factor data (including recent data) is fitted with models that respect the confinement and asymptotic freedom properties of QCD. Gari-Krumpelmann (GK) type models, which include the major vector meson pole contributions and at high momentum transfer conform to the predictions of perturbative QCD, are combined with Hohler-Pietarinen (HP) models, which also include the width of the rho meson and the addition of higher mass vector meson exchanges, but do not evolve into the explicit form of PQCD at high momentum transfer. Different parameterizations of the GK model's hadronic form factors, the effect of including the width of the rho meson and the addition of the next (in mass) isospin 1 vector meson are considered. The quality of fit and the consistency of the parameters select three of the combined HP/GK type models. Projections are made to the higher momentum transfers which are relevant to electron-deuteron experiments. The projections vary little for the preferred models, removing much of the ambiguity in electron-nucleus scattering predictions.Comment: 18pp, 7 figures, using RevTeX with BoxedEPS macros; 1 new figure, minor textual changes; email correspondence to [email protected]

Effect of recent R_p and R_n measurements on extended Gari-Krumpelmann model fits to nucleon electromagnetic form factors

The Gari-Krumpelmann (GK) models of nucleon electromagnetic form factors, in which the rho, omega, and phi vector meson pole contributions evolve at high momentum transfer to conform to the predictions of perturbative QCD (pQCD), was recently extended to include the width of the rho meson by substituting the result of dispersion relations for the pole and the addition of rho' (1450) isovector vector meson pole. This extended model was shown to produce a good overall fit to all the available nucleon electromagnetic form factor (emff) data. Since then new polarization data shows that the electric to magnetic ratios R_p and R_n obtained are not consistent with the older G_{Ep} and G_{En} data in their range of momentum transfer. The model is further extended to include the omega' (1419) isoscalar vector meson pole. It is found that while this GKex cannot simultaneously fit the new R_p and the old G_{En} data, it can fit the new R_p and R_n well simultaneously. An excellent fit to all the remaining data is obtained when the inconsistent G_{Ep} and G_{En} is omitted. The model predictions are shown up to momentum transfer squared, Q^2, of 8 GeV^2/c^2.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, using RevTeX4; email correspondence to [email protected] ; minor typos corrected, figures added, conclusions extende

An overview of research activities and achievement in Geotechnics from the Scottish Universities Geotechnics Network (SUGN)

ABSTRACT: Design of geotechnical systems is often challenging as it requires the understanding of complex soil behaviour and its influence on field-scale performance of geo-structures. To advance the scientific knowledge and the technological development in geotechnical engineering, a Scottish academic community, named Scottish Universities Geotechnics Network (SUGN), was established in 2001, composing of eight higher education institutions. The network gathers geotechnics researchers, including experimentalists as well as centrifuge, constitutive, and numerical modellers, to generate multiple synergies for building larger collaboration and wider research dissemination in and beyond Scotland. The paper will highlight the research excellence and leading work undertaken in SUGN emphasising some of the contribution to the geotechnical research community and some of the significant research outcomes. RÉSUMÉ: Conception de systèmes géotechniques est souvent difficile car elle nécessite la compréhension du comportement des sols complexes et son influence sur la performance échelle du champ de géo-structures. Pour faire avancer la connaissance scientifique et le développement technologique en ingénierie géotechnique, une communauté universitaire écossais, nommé écossais universités Géotechnique réseau (SUGN), a été créé en 2001, la composition des huit établissements d'enseignement supérieur. Le réseau réunit géotechnique chercheurs, y compris les expérimentateurs ainsi que centrifugeuse, constitutif, et les modélisateurs numériques, de générer des synergies multiples pour la construction de plus grande collaboration et une plus large diffusion de la recherche en Ecosse et au-delà. Le document mettra l'accent sur l'excellence de la recherche et de diriger le travail entrepris dans SUGN soulignant certains de la contribution à la communauté de recherche en géotechnique et certains des résultats importants de la recherche

Active Brownian Particles. From Individual to Collective Stochastic Dynamics

We review theoretical models of individual motility as well as collective dynamics and pattern formation of active particles. We focus on simple models of active dynamics with a particular emphasis on nonlinear and stochastic dynamics of such self-propelled entities in the framework of statistical mechanics. Examples of such active units in complex physico-chemical and biological systems are chemically powered nano-rods, localized patterns in reaction-diffusion system, motile cells or macroscopic animals. Based on the description of individual motion of point-like active particles by stochastic differential equations, we discuss different velocity-dependent friction functions, the impact of various types of fluctuations and calculate characteristic observables such as stationary velocity distributions or diffusion coefficients. Finally, we consider not only the free and confined individual active dynamics but also different types of interaction between active particles. The resulting collective dynamical behavior of large assemblies and aggregates of active units is discussed and an overview over some recent results on spatiotemporal pattern formation in such systems is given.Comment: 161 pages, Review, Eur Phys J Special-Topics, accepte

The effects of caloric restriction on adipose tissue and metabolic health are sex- and age-dependent

Caloric restriction (CR) is a nutritional intervention that reduces the risk of age-related diseases in numerous species, including humans. CR's metabolic effects, including decreased fat mass and improved insulin sensitivity, play an important role in its broader health benefits. However, the extent and basis of sex differences in CR's health benefits are unknown. We found that 30% CR in young (3-month-old) male mice decreased fat mass and improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, whereas these effects were blunted or absent in young female mice. Females' resistance to fat and weight loss was associated with decreased lipolysis, lower systemic energy expenditure and fatty acid oxidation, and increased postprandial lipogenesis compared to males. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) showed that peripheral glucose uptake was comparable between sexes. Instead, the sex differences in glucose homeostasis were associated with altered hepatic ceramide content and substrate metabolism: compared to CR males, CR females had lower TCA cycle activity but higher blood ketone concentrations, a marker of hepatic acetyl-CoA content. This suggests that males use hepatic acetyl-CoA for the TCA cycle whereas in females it accumulates, thereby stimulating gluconeogenesis and limiting hypoglycaemia during CR. In aged mice (18-months old), when females are anoestrus, CR decreased fat mass and improved glucose homeostasis to a similar extent in both sexes. Finally, in a cohort of overweight and obese humans CR-induced fat loss was also sex- and age-dependent: younger females (<45 years) resisted fat loss compared to younger males while in older subjects (>45 years) this sex difference was absent. Collectively, these studies identify age-dependent sex differences in the metabolic effects of CR and highlight adipose tissue, the liver and oestrogen as key determinants of CR's metabolic benefits. These findings have important implications for understanding the interplay between diet and health and for maximising the benefits of CR in humans

Densidade, tamanho e distribuição estomática em 35 espécies de árvores na Amazônia Central

Stomata are turgor-operated valves that control water loss and CO2 uptake during photosynthesis, and thereby water relation and plant biomass accumulation is closely related to stomatal functioning. The aims of this work were to document how stomata are distributed on the leaf surface and to determine if there is any significant variation in stomatal characteristics among Amazonian tree species, and finally to study the relationship between stomatal density (S D) and tree height. Thirty five trees (>17 m tall) of different species were selected. Stomatal type, density (S D), size (S S) and stomatal distribution on the leaf surface were determined using nail polish imprints taken from both leaf surfaces. Irrespective of tree species, stomata were located only on the abaxial surface (hypostomaty), with large variation in both S D and S S among species. S D ranged from 110 mm-2 in Neea altissima to 846 mm-2 in Qualea acuminata. However, in most species S D ranges between 271 and 543 mm-2, with a negative relationship between S D and S S. We also found a positive relationship between S D and tree height (r² = 0.14, p 17 m de altura) de diferentes espécies foram selecionadas. Tipo de complexo estomático, S D, tamanho (S S) e distribuição na superfície foliar foram determinados utilizando impressões de ambas as superfícies foliares com esmalte incolor. Independente da espécie, os estômatos foram encontrados apenas na superfície abaxial (hipoestomatia) com ampla variação na S D e no S S entre espécies. A densidade estomática variou de 110 mm-2 em Neea altissima a 846 mm-2 em Qualea acuminata. Entretanto, a maioria das espécies apresentou S D entre 271 e 543 mm-2, com uma relação negativa entre S D e S S. Observou-se uma relação positiva entre S D e altura arbórea (r² = 0.14, p < 0.01), não havendo relação entre S D e espessura foliar. Os tipos estomáticos mais comuns foram: anomocíticos (37%), seguidos de paracíticos (26%) e anisocíticos (11%). Concluiu-se que em espécies da Amazônia, a distribuição de estômatos na superfície foliar está mais relacionada a fatores genéticos de cada espécie do que a variações ambientais. Entretanto, S D é fortemente influenciada por fatores ambientais concernentes à altura da árvore