Ecological sensitivity of the Persian Gulf coastal region (Case study: Bushehr province)

Coastal area sensitivity evaluation is in fact, the evaluation of an extraordinary ecological rich region. This study has been based on established criteria and values. The aim of this sensitivity evaluation has been to give objectivity to the Bushehr Province coastline region, so as to be able to pinpoint areas requiring ecological protection. With this objective, initially, the boundaries of the area under evaluation were first established, based on the findings of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management plan (ICZM). Then, based on these parameters and bygeo-referencing photo mosaic Land Sat Satellite images (2003) and IRS’ (2004) were taken and basic maps of two influential areas were evaluated within the above mentioned limits which included the coastal village boundaries. The coastal line of the area being evaluated (set back line) was 673.62 kms comprising an area of 384,810hectares. In this research the blueprint of a linear mathematical model was planned according to the Analytic Hierarchy Process method backed by the Arc-GIS Software program. In this model the value of influencing sensitivity factors were not applied in the same manner but by determining weight coefficients, the value and importance of each factor was determined according to the amount of sensitivity inflicted on the specified environment. In total, in the area under consideration, about 30 percent were defined as very high sensitivity areas

Nanoclay Performance on Resistance of Clay under Freezing Cycles

This study aims to investigate effect of nanoclay on resistance of the exposed clay soils in freezing in vitro conditions. The clay sample was selected from the considered land. Then they were mixed on water in 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 6 percents as well as without nanoclay. There were prepared cylinders with 3.81 cm diameter and 7.62 cm height, which they have been placed in conditions without freezing, one cycle, two cycles and three cycles of freezing. Then they were tested under uniaxial experiment. Then they were analyzed by SPSS software. The results show that adding nanoclay with 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 6 percents will reduce soil strength during freezing cycles. It can be occurred because adding nanoclay will result to increase special surface of the samples; consequently, increasing electrical load increases water absorption, which it can be partly cause of non-effective increasing nanoclay in soil resistance. There is also a significant difference between pressure strength of soils with lower humidity and those with higher humidity. It confirms that increasing humidity decreases strength level, which increasing water absorption of samples by nanoclay is reason of decreasing strength. There is an inverse significant relationship between increasing nano and soil water absorption, which its reason may be that adding nanoclay because of increasing samples special surface and consequently, increasing electricity load will increase water absorption and samples’ plasticity. It can be expected that samples’ permeability will decline by increasing their plasticity. There is also a significant relationship between increasing nano and soil liquid and doughiness limit that its reason can be increasing rate of water absorption in samples due to presence of nanoclay.© JASEMKeywords: Nanoclay, Resistance, Freezing, Sample, Uniaxia

Presentation of Coastal Environmental Management Plan by using SWOT/AHP methods

The provision of environment management plan and formulating the environmental strategies of coastal regions are the most essential measures required for the integrated management of coastal regions. For this purpose, this research has been conducted using two goal-oriented and problem-oriented approaches in order to determine the planning perspective and problems approach in order to determine bottlenecks respectively. At first, the vision, mission, and objective of developing the environmental management of the eastern coasts of Mazandaran by SWOT (Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats) method have been determined. Thereafter, with using of analytic hierarchical process (AHP) method and EC (Expert chose) software have been applied to prioritize the strategies. At last, the environmental plan and projects of this region was provided based on the objectives. According to this research, the macro-strategies of SO, WO, ST, and WT have been identified in the said order as the priorities of the environmental planning of the region. The SO strategies including the protection of aquatics, integrated management of rivers and surface waters, and the development of coastal tourism as well as the most prioritized one, which is the optimal management of environment and sensitive ecosystems of coastal regions have been studied. In general, in this research 18 environmental strategies classified into four strategic classes have been defined. According to the six objectives, 10 plan, and 16 projects have been defined for the environmental management plan of the eastern coasts of Mazandaran Province

Ecological Sensitivity Of The Persian Gulf Coastal Region (case Study: Bushehr Province)

Coastal area sensitivity evaluation is in fact, the evaluation of an extraordinary ecological rich region. This study has been based on established criteria and values. The aim of this sensitivity evaluation has been to give objectivity to the Bushehr Province coastline region, so as to be able to pinpoint areas requiring ecological protection. With this objective, initially, the boundaries of the area under evaluation were first established, based on the findings of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management plan (ICZM). Then, based on these parameters and by geo-referencing photo mosaic Land Sat Satellite images (2003) and IRS\u2019 (2004) were taken and basic maps of two influential areas were evaluated within the above mentioned limits which included the coastal village boundaries. The coastal line of the area being evaluated (set back line) was 673.62 kms comprising an area of 384,810 hectares. In this research the blueprint of a linear mathematical model was planned according to the Analytic Hierarchy Process method backed by the Arc-GIS Software program. In this model the value of influencing sensitivity factors were not applied in the same manner but by determining weight coefficients, the value and importance of each factor was determined according to the amount of sensitivity inflicted on the specified environment. In total, in the area under consideration, about 30 percent were defined as very high sensitivity areas

Evaluation of the Ecological Sensitivity in the Northern Coastal Area Of the Persian Gulf

Coastal Area Sensitivity Evaluation is in fact, the evaluation of an extraordinary ecological rich region. This study has been based on established criteria and values. The aim of this sensitivity evaluation has been to give objectivity to the Bushehr Province coastline region, so as to be able to pinpoint areas requiring ecological protection. With this objective, initially, the boundaries of the area under evaluation were first established, based on the findings of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan. Then, based on these parameters and by geo-referencing photo mosaic Land Sat Satellite images (2003) and IRS\u2019 (2004) were taken and basic maps of two influential areas were evaluated within the above mentioned limits which included the coastal village boundaries. The coastal line of the area being evaluated (set back line) was 673.62 kms comprising an area of 384,810 hectares. In this research the blueprint of a linear mathematical model was planned according to the Analytic Hierarchy Process method backed by the ArcGIS Software program. In this model the value of influencing sensitivity factors were not applied in the same manner but by determining weight coefficients, the value and importance of each factor was determined according to the amount of sensitivity inflicted on the specified environment. In total, in the area under consideration, about 30 percent were defined as very high sensitivity areas

The influence of particle surface roughness on elastic stiffness and dynamic response

Discrete-element method (DEM) simulations of planar wave propagation are used to examine the effect of particle surface roughness on the stiffness and dynamic response of granular materials. A new contact model that considers particle surface roughness is implemented in the DEM simulations. Face-centred cubic lattice packings and random configurations are used; uniform spheres are considered in both cases to isolate fabric and contact model effects from inertia effects. For the range of values considered here surface roughness caused a significant reduction in stiffness, particularly at lower confining stresses. The simulations confirm that surface roughness effects can at least partially explain the value of the exponent in the relationship between stiffness and mean confining stress for an assembly of spherical particles. Frequency domain analyses showed that the maximum frequency transmitted through the sample is reduced when surface roughness is considered. The assumption of homogeneity of stress and contacts in analytical micromechanical models is shown to lead to an overestimation of stiffness

Age-related variations in corneal biomechanical properties

Purpose To determine age-related changes in corneal viscoelastic properties in healthy individuals. Methods This observational cross-sectional study was performed at the Department of Ophthalmology, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran and included 302 healthy individuals in 6 age decades (range: 10�69 years). After complete ocular examination, corneal viscoelastic properties were measured by ocular response analyzer and central corneal thickness (CCT) by an ultrasonic pachymeter. Our main outcome measures were corneal viscoelastic properties in different age groups. Results Corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) showed a significant negative correlation with age (P < 0.001 for both, r = �0.353 and r = �0.246, respectively). Female gender had significantly higher CH (P = 0.017) and CRF (P = 0.019). CH and CRF were significantly correlated (P < 0.001, r = 0.821). CCT showed a biphasic pattern with significantly higher thicknesses before 20 and after 50 years of age. CH and CRF were significantly correlated with CCT (P < 0.001 for both, r = 0.21 and r = 0.26, respectively) and intraocular pressure (IOP) (P < 0.001 for both, r = �0.474 and r = 0.598, respectively). Corneal-compensated IOP (IOPcc) was significantly higher after age 40 compared to age group <20 (p < 0.045). Goldmann-correlated IOP (IOPg) was significantly correlated with CCT (P = 0.001, r = 0.193), while IOPcc showed no correlation with CCT (P = 0.265, r = 0.062). CH was significantly higher in hyperopic eyes compared to emmetropic eyes (P = 0.009) and myopic eye (P < 0.001). Conclusions In this study, there was a decrease in CH and CRF with an increase in age. Hyperopia and female gender are associated with higher CH and CRF. CCT is higher toward the extremes of life and is significantly correlated with CH and CRF. © 2016 Iranian Society of Ophthalmolog

Age-related variations in corneal biomechanical properties

Purpose To determine age-related changes in corneal viscoelastic properties in healthy individuals. Methods This observational cross-sectional study was performed at the Department of Ophthalmology, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran and included 302 healthy individuals in 6 age decades (range: 10�69 years). After complete ocular examination, corneal viscoelastic properties were measured by ocular response analyzer and central corneal thickness (CCT) by an ultrasonic pachymeter. Our main outcome measures were corneal viscoelastic properties in different age groups. Results Corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) showed a significant negative correlation with age (P < 0.001 for both, r = �0.353 and r = �0.246, respectively). Female gender had significantly higher CH (P = 0.017) and CRF (P = 0.019). CH and CRF were significantly correlated (P < 0.001, r = 0.821). CCT showed a biphasic pattern with significantly higher thicknesses before 20 and after 50 years of age. CH and CRF were significantly correlated with CCT (P < 0.001 for both, r = 0.21 and r = 0.26, respectively) and intraocular pressure (IOP) (P < 0.001 for both, r = �0.474 and r = 0.598, respectively). Corneal-compensated IOP (IOPcc) was significantly higher after age 40 compared to age group <20 (p < 0.045). Goldmann-correlated IOP (IOPg) was significantly correlated with CCT (P = 0.001, r = 0.193), while IOPcc showed no correlation with CCT (P = 0.265, r = 0.062). CH was significantly higher in hyperopic eyes compared to emmetropic eyes (P = 0.009) and myopic eye (P < 0.001). Conclusions In this study, there was a decrease in CH and CRF with an increase in age. Hyperopia and female gender are associated with higher CH and CRF. CCT is higher toward the extremes of life and is significantly correlated with CH and CRF. © 2016 Iranian Society of Ophthalmolog

Internal states of model isotropic granular packings. III. Elastic properties

In this third and final paper of a series, elastic properties of numerically simulated isotropic packings of spherical beads assembled by different procedures and subjected to a varying confining pressure P are investigated. In addition P, which determines the stiffness of contacts by Hertz's law, elastic moduli are chiefly sensitive to the coordination number, the possible values of which are not necessarily correlated with the density. Comparisons of numerical and experimental results for glass beads in the 10kPa-10MPa range reveal similar differences between dry samples compacted by vibrations and lubricated packings. The greater stiffness of the latter, in spite of their lower density, can hence be attributed to a larger coordination number. Voigt and Reuss bounds bracket bulk modulus B accurately, but simple estimation schemes fail for shear modulus G, especially in poorly coordinated configurations under low P. Tenuous, fragile networks respond differently to changes in load direction, as compared to load intensity. The shear modulus, in poorly coordinated packings, tends to vary proportionally to the degree of force indeterminacy per unit volume. The elastic range extends to small strain intervals, in agreement with experimental observations. The origins of nonelastic response are discussed. We conclude that elastic moduli provide access to mechanically important information about coordination numbers, which escape direct measurement techniques, and indicate further perspectives.Comment: Published in Physical Review E 25 page

Usefulness of molecular biology performed with formaldehyde-fixed paraffin embedded tissue for the diagnosis of combined pulmonary invasive mucormycosis and aspergillosis in an immunocompromised patient

Immunocompromised patients who develop invasive filamentous mycotic infections can be efficiently treated if rapid identification of the causative fungus is obtained. We report a case of fatal necrotic pneumonia caused by combined pulmonary invasive mucormycosis and aspergillosis in a 66 year-old renal transplant recipient. Aspergillus was first identified during the course of the disease by cytological examination and culture (A. fumigatus) of bronchoalveolar fluid. Hyphae of Mucorales (Rhizopus microsporus) were subsequently identified by culture of a tissue specimen taken from the left inferior pulmonary lobe, which was surgically resected two days before the patient died. Histological analysis of the lung parenchyma showed the association of two different filamentous mycoses for which the morphological features were evocative of aspergillosis and mucormycosis. However, the definitive identification of the associative infection was made by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) performed on deparaffinized tissue sections using specific primers for aspergillosis and mucormycosis. This case demonstrates that discrepancies between histological, cytological and mycological analyses can occur in cases of combined mycotic infection. In this regard, it shows that PCR on selected paraffin blocks is a very powerful method for making or confirming the association of different filamentous mycoses and that this method should be made available to pathology laboratories