The future health and productivity of tree species in the northern hardwood forest of eastern North America are uncertain considering changes in climate and pollution loading there.To better understand the trajectory ...The future health and productivity of tree species in the northern hardwood forest of eastern North America are uncertain considering changes in climate and pollution loading there.To better understand the trajectory of the northern hardwood forest,we studied the growth of three tree species emblematic of it:sugar maple(Acer saccharum Marsh),American beech(Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.),and yellow birch(Betula alleghaniensis Britton),plus a fourth species,red maple(Acer rubrum L.),whose abundance has increased in the region.We also analyzed the link between growth and several factors for690 trees in 45 plots throughout Vermont,USA:tree age and size,site elevation,and climate and acid deposition variables.Throughout their chronologies(1945-2014),all four species exhibited increasing growth followed by plateaued growth indicative of a maturing forest.For all species,summer moisture was positively correlated with growth,summer temperature was negatively associated with growth,and winter moisture or snow were positively correlated with growth.This last association was expected for sugar maple.However,our data suggest that winter snowpack may be more broadly relevant in sustaining tree growth in a region where snow has historically insulated the soil from freezing that can damage roots and lead to reduced aboveground growth.Measures of pollution deposition were also correlated with growth for all species except American beech—a species with documented tolerance to pollutant inputs.Of the four species studied,red maple had the fewest associations with environmental variables,which suggests that it may be less susceptible to growth reductions as the climate changes.展开更多
Foot ulcers are common in diabetic patients,have a cumulative lifetime incidence rate as high as 25%and frequently become infected.The spread of infection to soft tissue and bone is a major causal factor for lowerlimb...Foot ulcers are common in diabetic patients,have a cumulative lifetime incidence rate as high as 25%and frequently become infected.The spread of infection to soft tissue and bone is a major causal factor for lowerlimb amputation.For this reason,early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential,including treatment which is both local(of the foot)and systemic(metabolic),and this requires coordination by a multidisciplinary team.Optimal treatment also often involves extensive surgical debridement and management of the wound base,effective antibiotic therapy,consideration for revascularization and correction of metabolic abnormalities such as hyperglycemia.This article focuses on diagnosis and management of diabetic foot infections in the light of recently published data in order to help clinicians in identification,assessment and antibiotic therapy of diabetic foot infections.展开更多
Horseshoe crab juveniles have been recorded from sand and sandy-mud nursery beaches at Pak Nai (western New Territories), San Tau and Shui Hau (Lantau Island), Hong Kong. In order to provide a better understanding of ...Horseshoe crab juveniles have been recorded from sand and sandy-mud nursery beaches at Pak Nai (western New Territories), San Tau and Shui Hau (Lantau Island), Hong Kong. In order to provide a better understanding of these beaches and to identify those plausible factors which have made them preferred by spawning horseshoe crabs, environmental parameters, including temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen content of the water, and particle size distribution and organic matter content of the sediments at the three sites, were determined and compared. The hydrographic and sediment data obtained for the three study sites have revealed some common environmental features. The three nursery beaches are relatively remote, and far (in Hong Kong terms) from urbanized and densely populated areas. The beaches are generally well sheltered from strong wave action and inundated regularly by estuarine waters. Horseshoe crab adults tend to select these beaches for spawning as their protected features ensures the laid eggs are less likely to be washed out of the sand, and hatched juveniles can feed on the meiofauna and grow. Sediments of the three beaches largely comprise medium-sized sand particles and are moderately sorted, suggesting medium porosity and good water permeability. Such a sand type, with the generally high oxygen levels in incursing waters, may help create a well-oxygenated micro-environment for the normal development of horseshoe crab eggs, larvae and juveniles. Lantau Island beaches at San Tau and Shui Hau are relatively free from organic pollution, as reflected in generally high dissolved oxygen level, and low BOD 5 and ammonia nitrogen values. Pak Nai is, however, more polluted.展开更多
Glass-ceramics are often used as sealants in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). But interfacing components, such as ferritic stainless steel and YSZ electrolyte, may vary in their requirements regarding sealing properties...Glass-ceramics are often used as sealants in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). But interfacing components, such as ferritic stainless steel and YSZ electrolyte, may vary in their requirements regarding sealing properties, especially in terms of thermal expansion. A bilayered glass-ceramic system was developed to overcome the mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between ferritic steel and YSZ. Therefore, two different glass-ceramics with slightly different CTEs were developed, one with good bonding characteristics to the ferritic steel and the other to the YSZ electrolyte. Steel and electrolyte components were coated with a layer of their corresponding glass sealant paste and heated up to form a sandwich sample. During the heat treatment of the sealing process, the glasses are crystallized into glass-ceramics. The resulting interface between the two glass-ceramics is of special interest. Cross-sections of the sandwich samples were cut, polished and investigated using SEM. The glass-ceramics show continuous, gap-free layers and excellent bonding to both steel and YSZ. Energy release rates are measured for single and bilayered glass sealants by mechanical testing. The designed bilayered glass-ceramics fulfill the special requirements of ferritic steel and YSZ. They show excellent potential to become a new outstanding sealant for SOFCs.展开更多
The article describes a generic implementation process for risk management that integrates the risk management framework and process described in ISO 31000.According to the process the organizations are able to effect...The article describes a generic implementation process for risk management that integrates the risk management framework and process described in ISO 31000.According to the process the organizations are able to effectively implement risk management ISO 31000,adapted to their unique circumstances.展开更多
The sustainability of a city depends on the effective and efficient management of its solid waste. Waste recycling channels mainly process glass bottles for direct reuse. Some of these sectors carry out the crushing a...The sustainability of a city depends on the effective and efficient management of its solid waste. Waste recycling channels mainly process glass bottles for direct reuse. Some of these sectors carry out the crushing and grinding of end-of-life glass waste for use in civil engineering without the identification in terms of building materials being clearly established. The present study therefore aims to determine the physical and chemical characteristics of glass powders and sands resulting from the crushing and grinding of glass waste from Grand Lomé in Togo in order to consider their granular potential. Samples of sand and glass powder from the crushing and grinding of white, brown and green glass were subjected to characterization tests in the laboratory followed by analysis of the granular parameters and their modeling by Weibull’s law. The results show that the powder and the glass sand contain a high proportion of silica (SiO<sub>2</sub>) ranging from 69.11% to 70.18% and a low proportion of alumina (Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) (less than 0.07) and iron (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) (lower to 1.09). These three materials have tight and male graded grain sizes (Cu Cc omogeneous (k < 2.89). The absolute density (2 dab < 3) and the fineness modulus (Mf 2.1) make these materials probable aggregates for plaster and coating mortars. Nevertheless, an in-depth study will be made to determine a suitable formula.展开更多
This study explores how dust from the Ekati Diamond Mine potentially affects the availability and quality of forage on the seasonal range of the Bathurst caribou herd. Understanding the effects of dust as a source of ...This study explores how dust from the Ekati Diamond Mine potentially affects the availability and quality of forage on the seasonal range of the Bathurst caribou herd. Understanding the effects of dust as a source of disturbance is important because the Bathurst caribou population has declined by 93% since the middle 1980s and there are reports that caribou in general may avoid mining projects. There are several challenges for quantifying dust impacts: 1) Natural variations (e.g., topography, natural disturbance, and soil pH) may also impact forage availability and quality for caribou. To minimize their masking effect, we stratified survey sites into seven land cover classes and selected the most populous class (i.e., the dwarf shrub) for assessing the impact. 2) Within class variation (e.g., the proportion of area covered by rocks where vascular plants and lichen do not grow) can further skew the analysis. We eliminated this problem by examining only the area not covered by rocks. 3) Coarse and fine suspended particulates have different spatial coverages, chemical compositions, and pH values. Consequently, their impacts on caribou forage can be different. To distinguish their impacts, we sampled two areas: transects from the Misery Haul Road that has been in active use vs. those from a rarely used spur road outside the Misery Camp. We sampled percent vegetation cover, soil pH, and dust on leaves along these transects during the summers of 2015 and 2016. Our results indicated that the amount of dust on leaves in a zone of ~1000 m from the Misery Haul Road was 3 - 9 times than that of background sites. The zone of reduced lichen percent cover was also about 1000 m. In contrast, these road dust-induced changes in caribou forage were not observed for the dust-free transect from the spur road.展开更多
The objective of this study is to determine the influence of the surrounding soils on the granular properties of the silty sands of Togo and on the resistance of the mortars. Sand compositions are made by substituting...The objective of this study is to determine the influence of the surrounding soils on the granular properties of the silty sands of Togo and on the resistance of the mortars. Sand compositions are made by substituting silty sands with clay soil, vegetal soil, lateritic soil or fine elements (<0.08 mm) which are the surrounding land polluting the sands in Togo. After identification tests, the mixtures were used to prepare test specimens of mortar which are subjected to bending and compression. It appears that additions of clay and plastic soils (ES = 0, VBM > 0.53 and IP > 19) from 10% to 35% cause drops in resistance of mortars from 7% to 96%;this loss is 8% to 70% for the rates of addition of less clayey soil (ES = 33, VBM = 0.40 and IP = 0) at rates of 10% to 100%. As for fine powdery soils (ES = 56.53 and VBM = 0.25), they have virtually no influence on resistance (loss of less than 3% for rates of 100%). Construction stakeholders thus have a decision-making tool for the choice of silty sand extraction zones according to the surrounding land and the quality of the desired concrete.展开更多
基金supported by the USDA Forest Service,Northern Research Station and the USDA McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Program at the University of Vermont。
文摘The future health and productivity of tree species in the northern hardwood forest of eastern North America are uncertain considering changes in climate and pollution loading there.To better understand the trajectory of the northern hardwood forest,we studied the growth of three tree species emblematic of it:sugar maple(Acer saccharum Marsh),American beech(Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.),and yellow birch(Betula alleghaniensis Britton),plus a fourth species,red maple(Acer rubrum L.),whose abundance has increased in the region.We also analyzed the link between growth and several factors for690 trees in 45 plots throughout Vermont,USA:tree age and size,site elevation,and climate and acid deposition variables.Throughout their chronologies(1945-2014),all four species exhibited increasing growth followed by plateaued growth indicative of a maturing forest.For all species,summer moisture was positively correlated with growth,summer temperature was negatively associated with growth,and winter moisture or snow were positively correlated with growth.This last association was expected for sugar maple.However,our data suggest that winter snowpack may be more broadly relevant in sustaining tree growth in a region where snow has historically insulated the soil from freezing that can damage roots and lead to reduced aboveground growth.Measures of pollution deposition were also correlated with growth for all species except American beech—a species with documented tolerance to pollutant inputs.Of the four species studied,red maple had the fewest associations with environmental variables,which suggests that it may be less susceptible to growth reductions as the climate changes.
基金Supported by Institut National de la SantéEt de la Recherche Médicale,the French Speaking Association for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases(ALFEDIAM grant)the University of Montpellier 1,the Languedoc-Roussillon Area(Chercheur d'avenir Grant) and the City of Nmes
文摘Foot ulcers are common in diabetic patients,have a cumulative lifetime incidence rate as high as 25%and frequently become infected.The spread of infection to soft tissue and bone is a major causal factor for lowerlimb amputation.For this reason,early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential,including treatment which is both local(of the foot)and systemic(metabolic),and this requires coordination by a multidisciplinary team.Optimal treatment also often involves extensive surgical debridement and management of the wound base,effective antibiotic therapy,consideration for revascularization and correction of metabolic abnormalities such as hyperglycemia.This article focuses on diagnosis and management of diabetic foot infections in the light of recently published data in order to help clinicians in identification,assessment and antibiotic therapy of diabetic foot infections.
文摘Horseshoe crab juveniles have been recorded from sand and sandy-mud nursery beaches at Pak Nai (western New Territories), San Tau and Shui Hau (Lantau Island), Hong Kong. In order to provide a better understanding of these beaches and to identify those plausible factors which have made them preferred by spawning horseshoe crabs, environmental parameters, including temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen content of the water, and particle size distribution and organic matter content of the sediments at the three sites, were determined and compared. The hydrographic and sediment data obtained for the three study sites have revealed some common environmental features. The three nursery beaches are relatively remote, and far (in Hong Kong terms) from urbanized and densely populated areas. The beaches are generally well sheltered from strong wave action and inundated regularly by estuarine waters. Horseshoe crab adults tend to select these beaches for spawning as their protected features ensures the laid eggs are less likely to be washed out of the sand, and hatched juveniles can feed on the meiofauna and grow. Sediments of the three beaches largely comprise medium-sized sand particles and are moderately sorted, suggesting medium porosity and good water permeability. Such a sand type, with the generally high oxygen levels in incursing waters, may help create a well-oxygenated micro-environment for the normal development of horseshoe crab eggs, larvae and juveniles. Lantau Island beaches at San Tau and Shui Hau are relatively free from organic pollution, as reflected in generally high dissolved oxygen level, and low BOD 5 and ammonia nitrogen values. Pak Nai is, however, more polluted.
文摘Glass-ceramics are often used as sealants in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). But interfacing components, such as ferritic stainless steel and YSZ electrolyte, may vary in their requirements regarding sealing properties, especially in terms of thermal expansion. A bilayered glass-ceramic system was developed to overcome the mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between ferritic steel and YSZ. Therefore, two different glass-ceramics with slightly different CTEs were developed, one with good bonding characteristics to the ferritic steel and the other to the YSZ electrolyte. Steel and electrolyte components were coated with a layer of their corresponding glass sealant paste and heated up to form a sandwich sample. During the heat treatment of the sealing process, the glasses are crystallized into glass-ceramics. The resulting interface between the two glass-ceramics is of special interest. Cross-sections of the sandwich samples were cut, polished and investigated using SEM. The glass-ceramics show continuous, gap-free layers and excellent bonding to both steel and YSZ. Energy release rates are measured for single and bilayered glass sealants by mechanical testing. The designed bilayered glass-ceramics fulfill the special requirements of ferritic steel and YSZ. They show excellent potential to become a new outstanding sealant for SOFCs.
文摘The article describes a generic implementation process for risk management that integrates the risk management framework and process described in ISO 31000.According to the process the organizations are able to effectively implement risk management ISO 31000,adapted to their unique circumstances.
文摘The sustainability of a city depends on the effective and efficient management of its solid waste. Waste recycling channels mainly process glass bottles for direct reuse. Some of these sectors carry out the crushing and grinding of end-of-life glass waste for use in civil engineering without the identification in terms of building materials being clearly established. The present study therefore aims to determine the physical and chemical characteristics of glass powders and sands resulting from the crushing and grinding of glass waste from Grand Lomé in Togo in order to consider their granular potential. Samples of sand and glass powder from the crushing and grinding of white, brown and green glass were subjected to characterization tests in the laboratory followed by analysis of the granular parameters and their modeling by Weibull’s law. The results show that the powder and the glass sand contain a high proportion of silica (SiO<sub>2</sub>) ranging from 69.11% to 70.18% and a low proportion of alumina (Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) (less than 0.07) and iron (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) (lower to 1.09). These three materials have tight and male graded grain sizes (Cu Cc omogeneous (k < 2.89). The absolute density (2 dab < 3) and the fineness modulus (Mf 2.1) make these materials probable aggregates for plaster and coating mortars. Nevertheless, an in-depth study will be made to determine a suitable formula.
文摘This study explores how dust from the Ekati Diamond Mine potentially affects the availability and quality of forage on the seasonal range of the Bathurst caribou herd. Understanding the effects of dust as a source of disturbance is important because the Bathurst caribou population has declined by 93% since the middle 1980s and there are reports that caribou in general may avoid mining projects. There are several challenges for quantifying dust impacts: 1) Natural variations (e.g., topography, natural disturbance, and soil pH) may also impact forage availability and quality for caribou. To minimize their masking effect, we stratified survey sites into seven land cover classes and selected the most populous class (i.e., the dwarf shrub) for assessing the impact. 2) Within class variation (e.g., the proportion of area covered by rocks where vascular plants and lichen do not grow) can further skew the analysis. We eliminated this problem by examining only the area not covered by rocks. 3) Coarse and fine suspended particulates have different spatial coverages, chemical compositions, and pH values. Consequently, their impacts on caribou forage can be different. To distinguish their impacts, we sampled two areas: transects from the Misery Haul Road that has been in active use vs. those from a rarely used spur road outside the Misery Camp. We sampled percent vegetation cover, soil pH, and dust on leaves along these transects during the summers of 2015 and 2016. Our results indicated that the amount of dust on leaves in a zone of ~1000 m from the Misery Haul Road was 3 - 9 times than that of background sites. The zone of reduced lichen percent cover was also about 1000 m. In contrast, these road dust-induced changes in caribou forage were not observed for the dust-free transect from the spur road.
文摘The objective of this study is to determine the influence of the surrounding soils on the granular properties of the silty sands of Togo and on the resistance of the mortars. Sand compositions are made by substituting silty sands with clay soil, vegetal soil, lateritic soil or fine elements (<0.08 mm) which are the surrounding land polluting the sands in Togo. After identification tests, the mixtures were used to prepare test specimens of mortar which are subjected to bending and compression. It appears that additions of clay and plastic soils (ES = 0, VBM > 0.53 and IP > 19) from 10% to 35% cause drops in resistance of mortars from 7% to 96%;this loss is 8% to 70% for the rates of addition of less clayey soil (ES = 33, VBM = 0.40 and IP = 0) at rates of 10% to 100%. As for fine powdery soils (ES = 56.53 and VBM = 0.25), they have virtually no influence on resistance (loss of less than 3% for rates of 100%). Construction stakeholders thus have a decision-making tool for the choice of silty sand extraction zones according to the surrounding land and the quality of the desired concrete.
