Substrate-borne vibration for locating mates, predators and prey is widespread in the animal kingdown. Antlion larvae dig funnel-shaped traps to catch ants and they are totally immersed in dry sand. We used a playback setup reproducing an ant walking on sand to clearly demonstrate that antlions use sand-borne vibrations to locate their prey. Half the tested animals moved towards the stimulus so...

Background: Various environmental factors can induce or exaggerate hand eczema. Objective: Evaluation of patch test results in hand eczema patients. Patients and Methods: In this descriptive study 100 patients with hand eczema referred to Loghman Hakim and Booali Hospital in Tehran underwent patch testing with 23 allergens obtained from Hermal company. Results: 240 positive reactions observed i...

A laboratory-based methodology to launch cylindrical sand slugs at high velocities is developed. The methodology generates well-characterised soil ejecta without the need for detonation of an explosive; this laboratory-based tool thereby allows for the experimental investigation of the soil-structure events. The experimental set-up comprises a launcher with a cylindrical cavity and a piston to ...

Within areas of the Chihuahuan Desert dominated by honey mesquite bushes (Prosopis glandulosa), soil erosion causes open eroded patches and the formation of large coppice dunes. The airflow patterns around the dunes and through the open areas are correlated with sand flux and erosion. This study uses wind velocity simulations from the Quick Urban and Industrial Complex (QUIC) model in combinati...

Budding is a good method of propagation in the Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.)., However, success of budding is low due to higher root pressure as well as the presence of phenolic compounds in the xylem sap. This study was conducted to compare various budding methods and cut below budding union on two and three-year-old Persian walnut under field conditions. The experiment was conducted based...

Phlebotomine sand flies transmit Leishmania, phlebo-viruses and Bartonella to humans. A prominent gap in our knowledge of sand fly biology remains the ecology of their immature stages. Sand flies, unlike mosquitoes do not breed in water and only small numbers of larvae have been recovered from diverse habitats that provide stable temperatures, high humidity and decaying organic matter. We descr...

In this paper, we summarize the recent advances on the electrification of wind-blown sand. Some of the outstanding questions, such as the interpretation of the electrification of wind-blown sand, measurements on and models of the features of the wind-blown sand E-fields, as well as their effect on the wind-blown sand flux and electromagnetic wave propagation, are reviewed. We end by highlightin...

The behavior of sand crushing will appear when the confining pressure is up to a certain value, which results in disappearing of the positive dilatancy of sand. Adopting a new hardening parameter with the crushing stress, an elastoplastic constitutive model considering sand crushing is proposed. Comparing the conventional triaxial compression test results with the model prediction, it shows tha...

air cooled blast furnace slag is a by product made of gradually air cooled molten blast furnace slag, and is often stored in stockpiles near the iron mills and usually occupy a wide area around the iron mills. from this perspective the further use of these materials can have its own merits. air cooled blast furnace slag can be used in asphalt mixtures because of their proper frictional properti...