Excess Water (excess + water)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Characteristics of soil moisture in permafrost observed in East Siberian taiga with stable isotopes of water

HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 6 2003
A. Sugimoto
Abstract Soil moisture and its isotopic composition were observed at Spasskaya Pad experimental forest near Yakutsk, Russia, during summer in 1998, 1999, and 2000. The amount of soil water (plus ice) was estimated from volumetric soil water content obtained with time domain reflectometry. Soil moisture and its ,18O showed large interannual variation depending on the amount of summer rainfall. The soil water ,18O decreased with soil moisture during a dry summer (1998), indicating that ice meltwater from a deeper soil layer was transported upward. On the other hand, during a wet summer (1999), the ,18O of soil water increased due to percolation of summer rain with high ,18O values. Infiltration after spring snowmelt can be traced down to 15 cm by the increase in the amount of soil water and decrease in the ,18O because of the low ,18O of deposited snow. About half of the snow water equivalent (about 50 mm) recharged the surface soil. The pulse of the snow meltwater was, however, less important than the amount of summer rainfall for intra-annual variation of soil moisture. Excess water at the time just before soil freezing, which is controlled by the amount of summer rainfall, was stored as ice during winter. This water storage stabilizes the rate of evapotranspiration. Soil water stored in the upper part of the active layer (surface to about 120 cm) can be a water source for transpiration in the following summer. On the other hand, once water was stored in the lower part of the active layer (deeper than about 120 cm), it would not be used by plants in the following summer, because the lower part of the active layer thaws in late summer after the plant growing season is over. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Locomotory and feeding effectors of the tornaria larva of Balanoglossus biminiensis

ACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 2 2001
T. C. Lacalli
Abstract Lacalli, T. C. and Gilmour, T. H. J. 2001. Locomotory and feeding effectors of the tornaria larva of Balanoglossus biminiensis. ,Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 82: 117,126 The tornaria ciliary bands and oesophagus were examined ultrastructurally to identify the neural components that control larval behaviour. The circumoral ciliary band is known to be innervated in part by fibres from the apical plate and adoral nerve centres. Within the band itself, however, the only neurones we could find were multipolar cells, an unusual cell type with apical processes that traverse the surface of the band. Similar cells occur in the circumoral bands of echinoderm larvae. The tornaria telotroch has a much larger nerve, but no neurones were found either in the band or nearby, so the source of the fibres in the telotroch nerve remains unknown. In addition to having different innervation, the two bands also respond differently to cholinergic agonists, which elicit telotroch arrests but have no visible effect on the circumoral band. The oesophagus has a well-developed musculature and an extensive nerve plexus. During feeding, the oesophagus repeatedly contracts, forcing excess water out along two lateral channels prior to swallowing. These channels are also sites of gill slit formation, so there is evidently a continuity between the water bypass mechanism of the larva and that of the postmetamorphic juvenile. [source]


Thermal behaviour of cubic phases rich in 1-monooleoyl- rac -glycerol in the ternary system

FEBS JOURNAL, Issue 1 2003
- d -glucoside/water, 1-monooleoyl- rac -glycerol/n -octyl-
Using synchrotron X-ray diffraction the thermal behaviour was studied of the cubic phases in the 1-monooleoyl- rac -glycerol (MO)/n -octyl-,- d -glucopyranoside (OG)/2H2O system with 58 or 45 wt % MO concentration and varying OG/2H2O contents. These MO contents correspond to a Pn3m cubic single-phase or a Pn3m cubic phase in excess water on the binary MO/water axis of the ternary phase diagram. The cubic liquid crystalline phases are stable with small fractions of OG, while higher OG concentrations trigger a cubic-to-lamellar phase transition. Moreover, with increasing OG concentration the initial Pn3m structure is completely converted to an Ia3d structure prior to the L, phase being formed. Upon heating this effect is reversed, resulting in an Ia3d -to- Pn3m phase transition. For some samples additional peaks were observed in the diffractograms upon heating, resulting from the metastability notoriously shown by bicontinuous cubic phases. This judgement is supported by the fact that upon cooling these peaks were absent. Remarkably, both the Ia3d and the Pn3m cubic structures could be in equilibrium with excess water in this ternary system. A comparison is made with previous results on n -dodecyl-,- d -maltoside (DM), showing that cubic phases with OG have higher thermal and compositional stability than with DM. [source]


Opportunities for manipulating catchment water balance by changing vegetation type on a topographic sequence: a simulation study

HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 6 2008
Enli Wang
Abstract This simulation study explores opportunities to reduce catchment deep drainage through better matching land use with soil and topography, including the ,harvesting' (evapotranspiration) of excess water running on to lower land units. A farming system simulator was coupled with a catchment hydrological framework to enable analysis of climate variability and 11 different land-use options as they impact the catchment water balance. These land-use options were arranged in different configurations down a sequence of three hydrologically interconnected slope units (uphill, mid-slope and valley floor land units) in a subcatchment of Simmons Creek, southern New South Wales, Australia. With annual crops, the valley floor land units were predicted to receive 187 mm year,1 of run-on water in addition to annual rainfall in 1 in 10 years, and in excess of 94 mm year,1 in 1 in 4 years. In this valley floor position, predicted drainage averaged approximately 110 mm year,1 under annual crops and pastures, whereas permanent tree cover or perennial lucerne was predicted to reduce drainage by up to 99%. The planting of trees or lucerne on the valley floor units could ,harvest' run-on water, reducing drainage for the whole subcatchment with proportionately small reduction in land areas cropped. Upslope land units, even though often having shallower soil, will not necessarily be the most effective locations to plant perennial vegetation for the purposes of recharge reduction. Water harvesting opportunities are site specific, dependent on the amounts and frequency of flows of water to lower landscape units, the amounts and frequency of deep drainage on the different land units, the relative areas of the different land units, and interactions with land use in the different slope positions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Changes in total carotenoid content at different stages of traditional processing of yellow-fleshed cassava genotypes

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 12 2009
Busie Maziya-Dixon
Abstract The changes in content of total carotenoid at each stage of processing cassava storage roots were investigated with three improved yellow-fleshed cassava varieties (TMS 94/0006, TMS 01/1235 and TMS 01/1371) grown in 2005/2006 in a randomised complete block design with two replications at Ibadan, Nigeria. When the cassava roots were grated to a mash, results obtained indicate that there was a significant reduction in total carotenoid content for all the genotypes. The reduction was highest for TMS 01/1235 (1.20 ,g g,1), intermediate for TMS 01/1371 (0.78 ,g g,1) and least for TMS 94/0006 (0.35 ,g g,1). In most cases, we observed higher total carotenoid concentration, especially when the intermediate step involved pressing to remove excess water, and during roasting compared with the initial concentration in the raw cassava storage roots. In conclusion, grating, drying and cooking to a paste resulted in reduction of total carotenoid content, while roasting and pressing resulted in higher carotenoid concentration. A change in total carotenoid content during processing depends on variety, processing method, especially unit operation and the initial total carotenoid content of the variety. [source]


STUDY OF SAGO STARCH (METROXYLON SAGU) GELATINIZATION BY DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY

JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESSING AND PRESERVATION, Issue 2 2001
YAAKOB B. CHE MAN
Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), at various heating rates (1,30C/min) and water:starch ratios (0.1:1,4:1), was used to study gelatinization phenomena of sago starch. The results showed that the gelatinization temperature and enthalpy (, H) of starches in excess water were 60,77C and 15.5,15.8 J/g, respectively. , H of gelatinization remained substantially the same at excess water contents, but decreased significantly beyond a water:starch ratio of 1.3:1. A single endothermic transition (G) that transformed into a double endotherm (G and M1) and only M1 occurred, respectively, at excess, intermediate and limited water contents. At 50% water content, evidence of the M1 endotherm was observed, and 85C represented the effective conclusion temperature (Tm) at the end of melting for sago starch. The experimental data were treated thermody-namically by applying an equation describing phase transitions of semi-crystalline polymers. The calculated value for the melting point of the undiluted polymer (Tm) was 432 K (R2= 0.96). [source]


Optimal design of azeotropic batch distillation

AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2006
M. C. Mussati
Abstract This study explores integrating models with different degrees of detail for optimizing azeotropic batch distillation systems. A detailed dynamic model is used from outside the optimization program both to verify feasibility of the design and to update the parameters needed by the optimization model. The updated parameters are the constant relative volatilities between pseudo-components, used in a binary Fenske,Underwood,Gilliland-type model. The approach was used to optimize the design of a batch process for the recovery of spent isopropyl alcohol, which works cyclically to separate the excess water, satisfying an environmentally acceptable specification, and using cyclohexane as entrainer, which in turn is recovered in the same process and recycled. The approach permitted optimizing the batch sizes, number of separation stages, the reflux ratios of a piecewise constant multilevel reflux policy, the extent of each separation, and the size of the intermediate cuts to be recycled, with affordable computation and problem setup times. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006 [source]


Chemically Bonded Phosphate Ceramics: II, Warm-Temperature Process for Alumina Ceramics

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 11 2003
Arun S. Wagh
This is the second of three papers on a dissolution model that describes the formation of chemically bonded phosphate ceramics. In this paper, we discuss the kinetics of formation of aluminum phosphate ceramics between 100° and 150°C. Using basic thermodynamic formulations, we calculated the temperatures of maximum solubility of alumina and its hydrated phases and predicted the temperatures of formation of ceramics. Differential thermal and X-ray diffraction analyses on samples made in the laboratory confirm these temperatures. The resulting ceramics of alumina bonded with aluminum phosphate (berlinite) show a high compressive strength of 16 000 psi. We have concluded that rapid evaporation of excess water in the slurry generates porosity in the ceramics, and that better processing methods are needed. A consolidation model is presented that describes the microstructure of the ceramic. It predicts that a very small amount of alumina must be converted to form the bonding phase; hence, the product is mostly alumina with a thin coating of berlinite on the surface of alumina particles. [source]


A rain water infiltration model with unilateral boundary condition: qualitative analysis and numerical simulations

MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE APPLIED SCIENCES, Issue 17 2006
I. Borsi
Abstract We present a rigorous mathematical treatment of a model describing rain water infiltration through the vadose zone in case of runoff of the excess water. The main feature of the mathematical problem emerging from the model lies on the boundary condition on the ground surface which is in the form of a unilateral constraint. Existence and uniqueness of a weak solution is proved under general assumptions. We present also the results of a numerical study comparing the proposed model with other models which approach in a different way the rain water infiltration problem. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Hydration and health: a review

NUTRITION BULLETIN, Issue 1 2010
B. Benelam
Summary Water is essential for life and maintaining optimal levels of hydration is important for humans to function well. Water makes up a large proportion of our body weight (60% on average), distributed between the intracellular (inside cells) and extracellular (water in the blood and in between cells) compartments. Water is the major component of body fluids, such as blood, synovial fluid (fluid in the joints), saliva and urine, which perform vital functions in the body. The concentration of solutes (osmolality) in body fluids is closely controlled, and even very small changes in osmolality trigger a physiological response; either to increase body water by reducing urinary output and stimulating thirst; or to excrete excess water as urine. Generally, body water is maintained within narrow limits. However, if water losses are not sufficiently replaced, dehydration occurs. Extreme dehydration is very serious and can be fatal. More mild dehydration (about 2% loss of body weight) can result in headaches, fatigue and reduced physical and mental performance. It is also possible to consume too much water and in rare cases this can result in hyponatraemia (low levels of sodium in the blood). We can get water from almost all drinks and from some foods in the diet. Food provides about 20% on average and this could vary widely depending on the types of food chosen. We also get water from all the drinks we consume, with the exception of stronger alcoholic drinks like wines and spirits. All these can contribute to dietary water, but also have other effects on health both positive and negative. The major concerns with regards to beverages are their energy content and their effect on dental health. With obesity levels continuing to increase it is important for many in the population to control their energy intake, and drinks as well as foods must be considered for their energy content. With regards to dental health, there are two concerns; dental caries and dental erosion. Dental caries are caused by a reduction in pH due to bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates, and so the frequency of consumption of drinks containing sugars is a concern for risk of caries. Dental erosion occurs at a lower pH and is caused by the consumption of acidic foods and drinks, in particular, citrus juices and soft drinks containing acids. Individual water needs vary widely depending on many factors including body size and composition, the environment and levels of physical activity. Thus it is very difficult to make generic recommendations about the amount of water to consume. The FSA currently recommends drinking about 1.2 litres per day (about 6,8 glasses). [source]


Protective role of aquaporin-4 water channels after contusion spinal cord injury

ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 6 2010
Atsushi Kimura MD
Objective Spinal cord injury (SCI) is accompanied by disruption of the blood-spinal cord barrier and subsequent extravasation of fluid and proteins, which results in edema (increased water content) at the site of injury. However, the mechanisms that control edema and the extent to which edema impacts outcome after SCI are not well elucidated. Methods Here, we examined the role of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels after experimental contusion injury in mice, a clinically relevant animal model of SCI. Results Mice lacking AQP4 (AQP4,/, mice) exhibited significantly impaired locomotor function and prolonged bladder dysfunction compared with wild-type (WT) littermates after contusion SCI. Consistent with a greater extent of functional deterioration, AQP4,/, mice showed greater neuronal loss and demyelination, with prominent cyst formation, which is generally absent in mouse SCI. The extent of spinal cord edema, as expressed by percentage water content, was persistently increased above control levels in AQP4,/, mice but not WT mice at 14 and 28 days after injury. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that blood vessels in the vicinity of the lesion core had incomplete barrier function because of sparse tight junctions. Interpretation These results suggest that AQP4 plays a protective role after contusion SCI by facilitating the clearance of excess water, and that targeting edema after SCI may be a novel therapeutic strategy. ANN NEUROL 2010;67:794,801 [source]