Deconvolution of Well Test Data from the E-M Gas Condensate Field (South Africa)

Imperial Users onl

Disproportions in the investment sphere and spatial-economic imbalance in Russia: a political-economic analysis

Since the beginning of the twentieth century processes of centralization of economic and political power into the hands of the 'nomenklatura' have been taking place in Russia while in the Western capitalist countries the process of decentralization of power has accompanied economic development. The centralization of power during the Soviet period led to the deformation of horizontal and the strengthening of vertical relations, which today still determines the imbalanced economic development of Russia. One of the main characteristics of the deformation processes that have been taking place in the economy is the redistribution of investment resources in favour of the largest economic and political centers in Russia. The aim of this research is to show which of the following features are the main indicators of centralization of investment resources: The formation of polarized structure of society (very small stratum of middle-class representatives), the formation of extremely imbalanced banking sector: Moscow financial-industrial groups play the key role, while the regional financial institutions are very weak, Development of Russian regions is primarily local, not global. The centralization of investment resources and the formation of elites are interrelated processes. That is why in our research we pay much attention to the processes of emergence and development of central and regional elites. These processes have greatly influenced the deformation of economic structure, disturbances in the process of redistribution of private ownership (the so-called process of 'nomenklatura privatization'), and in investment processes. The clan-corporate structures formed on federal and regional levels prevent Westernized market transformation. It is therefore necessary that the economy reorganizations should be taken simultaneously with the change in the hierarchic structures of political power. For a more even and better targeted distribute of investment resources and to counter spatial-economic imbalances, it is necessary to eliminate the old system of branch and regional clan-corporative structures.

Social-economical situational concept

Modern geography considers the elements of space in their complicated interaction. All types of space are overlapped, forming zones with different degree of stability (social-economical situations - SES). SES with different scales always follow a society's life and under certain conditions are able to alter its spatial configuration. There exist two concepts to explain the processes of spatial-temporal localization of geosituations (Thisse,1996): the equilibrium concept and the external concept. Social-economical space is formed in the struggle of this contrary factors. The geosituational conception (SES), which we suggest, explains the spatial-temporal structure by means of the analysis of socio-ecologo-economical situations. The situations are movable formations. They are easy for alterations than stable geosystems. Thus the geosituational concept is the governing aspect of the environment modelling. The analysis of socio-ecologo-economical situations may be a primary weighty reason to make governing decision.

Patrons de diversité et de distribution des lichens et des bryophytes le long d'un gradient d'altitude tempéré à boréal

Abstract : Community ecology seeks to explain the patterns of diversity and distribution of organisms relating to their environment and interactions with one another. These questions are of particular importance as studies indicate that these patterns may be changing for many species faced with global climate change and other environmental changes. Arboreal lichens and bryophytes play an important role in the ecology of forests; however, compared to other taxa these organisms are less studied, even though their unique physiology suggests that they may respond differently to environmental changes in comparison to other taxa. Furthermore, understanding the mechanisms behind distribution limits is of particular importance for mountaintop lichens as there is concern that global climate change may reduce suitable habitat for these species in the future. My thesis research asks fundamental ecological questions about an understudied group of organisms, helping to fill knowledge gaps about the diversity, composition, and distribution of arboreal lichens and bryophytes in the eastern temperate and boreal forests of North America. The guiding questions in this study were as follows: (i) What patterns and processes are involved in community assembly along elevation gradients? (ii) How do environmental factors or dispersal limitation determine the limits of species distributions/ranges? Chapters 2 and 3 quantify the taxonomic and functional patterns of arboreal bryophyte and macrolichen communities (i) along an elevation gradient associated with macroclimatic changes in temperature and air relative humidity (ii) and along the lateral tree bole gradients associated with microclimatic changes in bark surface temperature and moisture content. Predictions are tested based on hypotheses of deterministic vs. stochastic determinants of community assembly. For these chapters, I conducted inventories of lichens and bryophytes on the boles of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea) along an elevation gradient at Parc national du Mont-Mégantic. Chapter 4 is an experimental approach to address whether the high elevation distribution of the Ghost Antler Lichen (Pseudevernia cladonia) is determined by niche or dispersal limitations. Here, I conducted a transplant experiment, moving individuals of the Ghost Antler Lichen into sites within, at the edge, and beyond its distribution. Finally, Chapter 5 reports on some rare and interesting species observed during this study. I found that for lichens on firs, taxonomic and functional community patterns appear more sensitive to macro-scale climatic patterns associated with the elevation gradient than with micro-scale variation around tree boles. In contrast, for bryophytes and lichens on maples, tree inclination and the lateral gradient had a stronger effect (Chapters 2 and 3). Experimental results showed that the Ghost Antler Lichen appears to be niche limited along the elevation gradient (Chapter 4), with poor survival and growth beyond its lower elevation distribution limit. Finally, several observations of rare and interesting species suggest that Parc national du Mont-Mégantic is an important regional refuge for cryptogams (Chapter 5). Overall, my research provides strong evidence that considering large- and small-scale environmental gradients are important to understanding taxonomic and functional patterns of arboreal cryptogam communities, and that these communities are likely sensitive to climatic changes.L'écologie des communautés cherche à expliquer les patrons de diversité et de distribution des organismes en relation avec leur environnement et leurs interactions les uns avec les autres. Ces questions revêtent une importance particulière car des études indiquent que ces patrons pourraient être en train de changer pour de nombreuses espèces en raison des changements climatiques mondiaux et d'autres modifications environnementales. Les lichens et les bryophytes arboricoles jouent un rôle important dans l'écologie des forêts ; cependant, par rapport à d'autres taxons, ces organismes sont moins étudiés, même si leur physiologie unique suggère qu'ils peuvent réagir différemment aux changements environnementaux. En outre, la compréhension des mécanismes à l'origine des limites de distribution est particulièrement importante pour les lichens de sommet de montagne, car on craint que les changements climatiques ne réduisent l'habitat approprié pour ces espèces à l'avenir. Ma thèse pose des questions écologiques fondamentales sur un groupe d'organismes peu étudié, contribuant à combler les déficits de connaissances sur la diversité, la composition et la distribution des lichens et bryophytes arboricoles dans les forêts tempérées et boréales de l'est de l'Amérique du Nord. Les questions directrices de cette étude étaient les suivantes : (i) Quels sont les patrons et les processus impliqués dans l'assemblage des communautés le long des gradients d'altitude ? (ii) Comment les facteurs environnementaux ou la limitation de la dispersion déterminent-ils les limites de la distribution et de l'aire de répartition des espèces ? Les chapitres 2 et 3 quantifient les patrons taxonomiques et fonctionnels des communautés arboricoles de bryophytes et de macrolichens (i) le long d'un gradient d'altitude associé à des changements macroclimatiques de température et d'humidité relative de l'air (ii) et le long des gradients latéraux des troncs d'arbres associés à des changements microclimatiques de température et de teneur en humidité de la surface de l'écorce. Les prédictions sont testées sur la base d'hypothèses de déterminants déterministes vs. stochastiques de l'assemblage des communautés. Pour ces chapitres, j'ai effectué des inventaires de lichens et de bryophytes sur les troncs d'arbres d'érable à sucre (Acer saccharum) et de sapin baumier (Abies balsamea) le long d'un gradient d'altitude au Parc national du Mont-Mégantic. Le chapitre 4 adopte une approche expérimentale pour déterminer si la distribution en haute altitude du lichen du bois fantôme (Pseudevernia cladonia) est déterminée par des limitations de niche ou de dispersion. J'ai mené une expérience de transplantation en déplaçant des individus du lichen des bois fantômes dans des sites à l'intérieur de sa distribution, à la limite et au-delà de sa distribution. Enfin, le chapitre 5 présente quelques espèces rares et intéressantes observées au cours de cette étude. J'ai constaté que, pour les lichens sur les sapins, les patrons de communautés taxonomiques et fonctionnelles semblent plus sensibles aux patrons climatiques à macro-échelle associés au gradient d'altitude qu'aux variations à micro-échelle autour des troncs d'arbres. En revanche, pour les bryophytes et les lichens sur les érables, l'inclinaison de l'arbre et le gradient latéral ont un effet plus important (chapitres 2 et 3). Les résultats expérimentaux ont montré que le lichen des bois fantômes semble avoir une niche limitée le long du gradient d'altitude (chapitre 4), avec une survie et une croissance faible au-delà de sa limite de distribution à basse altitude. Enfin, plusieurs observations d'espèces rares et intéressantes suggèrent que le parc national du Mont-Mégantic est un important refuge régional pour les cryptogames (chapitre 5). Dans l'ensemble, ma recherche fournit des évidences solides que la prise en compte des gradients environnementaux à grande et à petite échelle est importante pour comprendre les patrons taxonomiques et fonctionnels des communautés de cryptogames arboricoles, et que ces communautés sont probablement sensibles aux changements climatiques

A Multi-Criteria Analysis of Russian International and Interregional Logistics Centers

The continuous increase of marketization of the production and consumption sectors of the Russian economy requires developing logistics and distribution systems at multiple territorial scales: international, interregional, and local. Territorial organization of logistics centers is becoming an important part of Russian logistics development and increasing economic growth. The purpose of this paper is to empirically determine the optimal location of logistics centers to ensure effective international and interregional trade flows. Using 39 variables in a multi-criteria analysis of the Russian regions, including various geopolitical, economic geographical, macroeconomic, and technological criteria, this paper finds that the level of integration in the Republic of Tatarstan is much higher than the ratings of the other two Volga regions. The conclusion is that the Republic of Tatarstan has significant competitive advantages to construct an international and interregional logistics center on its territory.

Perioden mit Smileys. Zum Verhältnis von Emoticons und Interpunktion

This study deals with smileys/emoticons which are frequently used in e-mails, chats and other modern types of text. The use of these signs is analyzed from the viewpoint of the theory of writing; special attention is paid to the question of the relationship of these signs to (German) punctuation. For this purpose, smileys and traditional punctuation are compared under various aspects (emotionality, irony, structuring of text). Another component of this study is a discussion of reflections on the use of smileys found in the pertinent literature and in internet forums. It is shown that the “system of smileys” shares several common features with the older theory of punctuation and can therefore be regarded as a (rudimentary) system of punctuation in a nascent state

Simulated plume development and decommissioning using the breakthrough curves of five cations

The primary objective of this research was to investigate multicomponent transport of five major cations, Ca2+, Mg2+, NH4+, K+ and Na+, in laboratory soil columns. The soil columns were packed with soils from two different sites and were equilibrated with fresh groundwater from each respective site. Experimental data was obtained by flushing a simulated contaminant through the soil columns. The soil columns were then flushed with fresh groundwater to simulate decommissioning activities. The breakthrough data and soil exchange capacities obtained from both tests were used to identify key processes affecting the transport of the geochemical species. During the simulated contaminant flushing stage, NH4+ and K+ replaced Ca2+ and Mg2+ on the soil exchange sites. Breakthrough of NH4+ was attenuated by factors of 3.2 and 6 for Sites 1 and 2 soils, respectively. Breakthrough of K+ was attenuated by factors of 3.2 and 5.4 for Sites 1 and 2 soils, respectively. Generally, ions with higher valency will exchange for those of lower valency, but in this case the majority of the ions (NH4+ and K+) in the solution has a lower valency and will exchange with those of higher valency by mass action. Ca2+ was the first to be replaced, followed by Mg2+ once the ionic strength of the solution increased. The displacement of calcium and magnesium created a concentration pulse of these cations that coincides with the chloride breakthrough curve. Calcium and magnesium concentrations reached up to approximately 275% and 2000%, respectively, higher than the freshwater originally in the column. During the freshwater flushing stage, freshwater infiltrated the soil columns to assess the permanency of contaminant attenuation and to identify the geochemical mechanisms of contaminant release. Concentrations of NH4+ and K+ declined quickly. Ninety-five percent of attenuated NH4+ was released by the soil. Therefore, the attenuation of NH4+ is reversible but this occurs over several pore volumes at concentrations lower than those in the simulated contaminant and therefore would not result in a mass loading to the environment. Cation exchange was identified as the mechanism responsible for the release of the adsorbed ammonium and potassium into the soil pore water

Strategies for the recovery of active proteins through refolding of bacterial inclusion body proteins

Recent advances in generating active proteins through refolding of bacterial inclusion body proteins are summarized in conjunction with a short overview on inclusion body isolation and solubilization procedures. In particular, the pros and cons of well-established robust refolding techniques such as direct dilution as well as less common ones such as diafiltration or chromatographic processes including size exclusion chromatography, matrix- or affinity-based techniques and hydrophobic interaction chromatography are discussed. Moreover, the effect of physical variables (temperature and pressure) as well as the presence of buffer additives on the refolding process is elucidated. In particular, the impact of protein stabilizing or destabilizing low- and high-molecular weight additives as well as micellar and liposomal systems on protein refolding is illustrated. Also, techniques mimicking the principles encountered during in vivo folding such as processes based on natural and artificial chaperones and propeptide-assisted protein refolding are presented. Moreover, the special requirements for the generation of disulfide bonded proteins and the specific problems and solutions, which arise during process integration are discussed. Finally, the different strategies are examined regarding their applicability for large-scale production processes or high-throughput screening procedures

Sediment transport in pressure pipes

Sewage pumping stations (PS) with flow control increase the risk of sediment formation inside the pressure pipe due to reduced flow velocitys. The transport of solids was investigated for a PS in northern Germany by means of laboratory tests (sedimentation & erosion), an online total suspended solids measurement and a 1D sediment transport simulation. The results have shown very slow settling processes and extremely low critical bed shear stresses for remobilization. Finally, the present work demonstrated that safe operation of the sewer system and energy-efficient pump control are compatible.Abwasserpumpstationen mit Durchflussregelung erhöhen das Risiko der Ablagerungsbildung in der Druckleitung aufgrund reduzierter Fließgeschwindigkeit. Für eine Pumpstation in Norddeutschland wurde mit Hilfe von Laborversuchen (Sedimentation, Erosion), einer Online-Feststoffmessung und einer 1D-Sedimenttransportsimulation das Feststofftransportverhalten untersucht. Es zeigten sich sehr langsame Sedimentationsvorgänge und extrem niedrige Erosionsschubspannungen. Schließlich konnte gezeigt werden, dass ein sicherer Betrieb der Druckleitung und eine energieeffiziente Pumpensteuerung vereinbar sind