Phase-sensitively amplified wavelength-division multiplexed optical transmission systems

The throughput and reach in fiber-optic communication links are limited by in-line optical amplifier noise and the Kerr nonlinearity in the optical transmission fiber. Phase-sensitive amplifiers (PSAs) are capable of amplifying signals without adding excess noise and mitigating the impairments caused by the Kerr nonlinearity. However, the effectiveness of Kerr nonlinearity mitigation depends on the dispersion pre-compensation in each span. This paper investigates dense wavelength-division multiplexed PSA-amplified links using joint processing with a less complex digital domain Volterra nonlinear equalizer at the receiver. Both numerically and with experiments, it is shown that this significantly reduces the impact of the dispersion pre-compensation in each span. Also, with simulations, a substantial improvement in transmission reach is demonstrated for PSA links

Solid-State Dynamics of Uranyl Polyoxometalates

Understanding fundamental uranyl polyoxometalate (POM) chemistry in solution and the solid state is the first step to defining its future role in the development of new actinide materials and separation processes that are vital to every step of the nuclear fuel cycle. Many solid-state geometries of uranyl POMs have been described, but we are only beginning to understand their chemical behavior, which thus far includes the role of templates in their self-assembly, and the dynamics of encapsulated species in solution. This study provides unprecedented detail into the exchange dynamics of the encapsulated species in the solid state through Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (MAS NMR) spectroscopy. Although it was previously recognized that capsule-like molybdate and uranyl POMs exchange encapsulated species when dissolved in water, analogous exchange in the solid state has not been documented, or even considered. Here, we observe the extremely high rate of transport of Li⁺ and aqua species across the uranyl shell in the solid state, a process that is affected by both temperature and pore blocking by larger species. These results highlight the untapped potential of emergent f-block element materials and vesicle-like POMs.Keywords: polyoxometalate, solid-state NMR, uranyl, proton MAS NMR, ion-exchang

Inseguridad de ebastina: ¿interacción con barnidipino

Mujer de 46 años que, en julio de 2007, refiere haber observado desde hace 3 meses “una disminución en el número de veces que orina al día”. Se le ofrece el servicio de seguimiento farmacoterapéutico, que acepta. La paciente está siendo tratada por una hipertensión arterial (HTA) con Fortzaar® (losartan/hidroclorotiazida) desde hace años y con Libradin® (barnidipino) desde mayo de ese mismo año. También utiliza desde hace años Ebastel Forte Flas® (ebastina) durante la primavera para tratar su alergia y Ventolín® inhalador (salbutamol) para los brotes asmáticos en esa época. Por otro lado, emplea desde hace años Daflon® (diosmina/hesperidina) para tratar un problema de “circulación”, Condrosan ® (condroitin sulfato) para la artrosis, Optovite B12® (cianocobalamina) y Acfol® (ácido fólico) por una anemia perniciosa y Gelocatil 1g® (paracetamol), Nolotil® cápsulas (metamizol) y Neobrufen® 600 (ibuprofeno) para el dolor

Why do regions differ in vulnerability to СOVID-19? Spatial nonlinear modeling of social and economic patterns

Certain groups of determinants (economic, environmental, social, healthcare) with the highest vulnerability identify the reasons for regional differentiation in morbidity and mortality from COVID19. This defines the necessity to find appropriate combinations of factors characterizing the vulnerability of a region. The methodology and tools to explain the regional specifics of population vulnerability to COVID19 are investigated through a systematic consideration of many public health factors, environmental, social and economic specific nature of regions. The aim of the article is to study the reasons for regional differentiation of population vulnerability (morbidity and mortality rates) from COVID-19. The authors investigate a nonlinear spatial model in which the stepwise algorithm of individual factor variables is added/removed from the model specifications step by step by the Aitken method depending on their correlation with morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 in the region. The FarrarGlober method is used to eliminate the multicollinearity of factors, the Spearman test is used to detect the heteroskedastic effect, and the Darbin-Watson test is used to check the presence of autocorrelation between the residues. As a result, the specification of the model with the highest adequacy in terms of p-value and tstatistics is formed. Relevant socioecological-economic vulnerability indices of regions to mortality and morbidity from COVID-19 are identified. The obtained results allow making adjustments in the state and regional programs concerning the mobilization of economic and healthcare systems

Building a Data Infrastructure to Study Local Availability in Childcare for Children of Immigrant and U.S.-Born Parents: A Conditional Logit Model Analysis

In the United States, children of immigrants are more likely to start school at an academic disadvantage when compared to their peers with U.S.-born parents (Crosnoe, 2007; Han, 2008; Magnuson, Lahaie, & Waldfogel, 2006). It is possible that the disadvantage may be at least in part explained by differences in access to and use of high-quality childcare opportunities prior to the Kindergarten year. Indeed, while research has pointed to the benefits associated with high-quality early childhood education and public investments in expanding preschool enrollment, the children of immigrants continue to enroll in center-based care at lower rates compared to the children of U.S.-born parents (Brandon, 2004; Kahn & Greenberg, 2010; Karoly & Gonzalez, 2011; Takanishi, 2004). This study seeks to understand whether and how the supply of childcare services available in a neighborhood and other contextual factors contribute to differences in early education experiences by parental immigration status. Building a first of its kind dataset, I combined data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, the Common Core of Data, the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center Head Start Data Project, the Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data, and the U.S. Census Bureau to examine whether and how childcare supply affects childcare use between immigrant and U.S.-born parents. Using a conditional logit model, I find that the supply of childcare centers, Head Start, and state pre-K programs differs between children of immigrant and U.S.-born parents, and the supply of childcare centers, in particular, had differential effects on center enrollment by parental immigration status. Having at least one immigrant parent negatively impacted the odds of center participation, and, even having more access to childcare centers could not offset its negative effect. Implications of these findings and recommendations to improve the overall data quality are discussed.Doctor of Philosoph

The local perception on changes in water availability and accessibility in the Taita Hills, Kenya

This research contributes to water related research by addressing the social aspect of the water issues. The local water users' perceptions on increased water poverty in the Taita Hills are ethnographically studied. Another interest is to find out how the environmental changes are explained by the locals. The aim of the study is also to test how local knowledge can support decision-making by using participatory geoinformatics (PGIS). The thesis compares two catchments: Wundanyi that is a humid area in the highlands, and Mwatate that is partly a dry one in the lowlands. Interdisciplinary research is required for studying water poverty as the water can be measured both quantitatively and socially by evaluating the access to water. The water availability and accessibility are determined by social relations among the population. Developing countries, such as Kenya, are highly dependent on rain-fed agriculture and therefore the impacts of failed yields are vast on the economy. Livelihood diversification is needed for reduced poverty and protection of the water resources. Water scarcity is limiting the capacity to combine water with other assets, thus reducing the income of the households. The main law that regulates the water sector in Kenya is the Water Act 2002 that is influenced by integrated water resource management (IWRM). It is criticised for ignoring the legal pluralism that exist in rural areas in particular. The rural poor have limited access to state based institutions that decide about the water resources and the local population is excluded from the decision-making. PGIS is suggested as a tool for including the locals in the process. Ethnography and community participation constitute the core for the research methodology. The field work was conducted in the Taita Hills in Jan-Mar 2013. Participatory methods that were used in the research include semi-structured interviews, focus groups, participatory mapping, timelines, transect walks and GPS-points. Mainly farmers were interviewed and workshops with different stakeholders organised in two catchments: Wundanyi and Mwatate. The data was analysed through content analysis, SPSS, historical review, livelihood analysis and PGIS. The data was compared by gender and location. The local population in the Wundanyi and Mwatate catchments perceive declining water levels to be a result of forest cuts, more specifically the destruction of indigenous forest. The turning point for the environmental changes is the land demarcation after independence that reached the different areas different times. Before the land demarcation, the farmers used to live in communities with dense forest in between, but after the demarcation they were forced into new plots and had to cut down forest in order to attain land for cultivation. Population growth and a religious reasoning are common explanations for the environmental changes as well. The access to water is unequal in the sense that people with political connections can influence the decision-makers for their benefit. The gendered nature of land ownership also limits the access to water for women. Water accessibility varies spatially in the hilly landscape. The decreased availability of water pushes the inhabitants to look for alternative sources of income as the rain-fed agriculture is not profitable anymore. Fish ponds are becoming more popular next to agriculture. Many rely on casual work and support from their employed children. PGIS allow technocrats and locals to understand each other through the digitalised sketch maps. As a result, more detailed action plans for water management can be composed.Denna forskning bidrar till vattenrelaterad forskning genom att poängtera den sociala aspekten i vattenfrågor. Genom etnografiska metoder studerar man lokalbefolkningens uppfattning om minskade vattenresurser. Det är av intresse att undersöka hur lokalbefolkningen förklarar miljöförändringarna. En målsättning för studien är också att testa hur lokal kunskap kunde stöda beslutsfattandet genom en deltagande variant av geoinformatik (PGIS). Denna avhandling jämför två avrinningsområden: Wundanyi som är ett fuktigare område i höglandet och Mwatate som är ett torrare område lägre ner. Det krävs tvärvetenskaplig forskning för att studera vattenförhållandena, särskilt vilka faktorer som begränsar tillgången. Vatten kan mätas såväl kvantitativt som socialt genom att uppskatta tillgången till vatten. Vattentillgången styrs på basen sociala relationer inom befolkningen. Utvecklingsländer, såsom Kenya, är beroende av regnförsörjt jordbruk och därför har missväxt omfattande följder för ekonomin. Att diversifiera försörjningen i området är nödvändigt för att minska på fattigdomen och skydda vattenresurserna. Vattenbristen begränsar möjligheten att kombinera vatten med andra tillgångar, vilket i sin tur minskar på inkomsterna i hushållen. Den primära lagen som styr vattensektorn i Kenya är Water Act 2002. Integrerad förvaltning av vattenresurserna (IWRM) har varit grunden för denna lag. Lagen har blivit kritiserad för att ignorera den juridiska pluralismen, som existerar särskilt på landsbygden. De fattiga på landsbygden har ingen möjlighet att påverka de statliga institutionerna som fattar beslut om vattenresurserna. PGIS föreslås vara ett redskap för att inkludera lokalbefolkningen i processen. Etnografi och ett deltagande samhälle utgör kärnan för forskingsmetodologin. Fältarbetet utfördes i Taita Hills i januari-mars 2013. Deltagande metoder som användes i undersökningen var, halvstrukturerade intervjuer, fokusgrupper, deltagande kartläggning, tidslinjer, transekter och GPS punkter. I huvudsak intervjuades jordbrukare och två workshops ordnades i vardera avrinningsområde. Analysen baserar sig på innehållsanalys, SPSS, historisk översikt, analys över hur familjerna försörjer sig, samt PGIS. Data jämfördes enligt kön och var man är bosatt. Lokalbefolkningen i Wundanyi och Mwatate anser att vattennivån minskar på grund av skogsavverkning, speciellt när det gäller ursprungsskogen. Vändpunkten för miljöförändringarna var då markuppdelningen nådde de olika delarna av Taita i samband med att landet blev självständigt. Tidigare bodde jordbrukarna i byar som var omringade av tät skog. Efter markuppdelningen fick invånarna nya tomter och var tvungna att hugga ner skogen för att få rum för jordbruket. Befolkningstillväxten och religiösa grunder är dessutom vanliga förklaringar till miljöförändringarna. Vattentillgången är ojämlikt fördelad så att personer med politiska kontakter kan påverka beslutsfattarna för sin egen vinning. När det gäller markägandet, begränsar ojämställdheten mellan könen vattentillgången för kvinnor. Vattentillgången varierar lokalt i det bergiga landskapet. Den försämrade vattentillgången bland kvinnor tvingar befolkningen att hitta nya alternativa inkomstkällor, eftersom det regnförsörjda jordbruket inte längre är lönsamt. Fiskdammar blir allt populärare vid sidan om jordbruket. Många förlitar sig på tillfälligt arbete och på ekonomiskt stöd från sina arbetande barn. PGIS ger möjlighet för teknokrater och lokalbefolkningen att förstå varandra via de digitaliserade kartskisserna och då kan man utarbeta mer detaljerade handlingsplaner för vattenförvaltningen

Integration of Flow Extension, Water Reallocation and Drought Monitoring and Forecasting in Multi-Purpose River/Reservoir System Management

Population and economic growth have contributed to increasing water uses while available water resources are limited. Recently, the occurrence and damage of drought are increasing worldwide due to the impact of climate change. The effective water management requires for assessment on the current and future water availability based on a water allocation strategy, scenarios, and updating hydrological condition. The extension of hydrologic period-of-analysis for the Texas WAM/WRAP System increases the model capability. A new water allocation strategy based on Texas WRAP/WAM water priority system is established for water management in Korea. Groundwater drought monitoring and forecasting methodology in Korea was developed based on correlation between groundwater level observation data and precipitation data using Artificial Neural Network model. The research consists of the following tasks: • The original sequences of Brazos WAM input dataset has a 1940-1997 hydrologic period-of-analysis. The methodology developed in this research is to update and extend hydrologic sequences of input datasets to present using precipitation and evaporation maintained by TWDB. This approach is much easier to implement and is particularly advantageous in situations where accurate data required to adjust observed flows are unavailable or difficult to compile or stream gaging station have been discontinued. • Korea has no water right system considering priority of each water right. The research included developing a water allocation strategy in Korea based on two alternative schemes. A priority-based long-term water allocation strategy was developed for national scale water management and planning. A water allocation strategy for relatively short-term water availability study for drought management is established based on reallocating water supply to hydropower dam and reducing some portions of water supplies. • The groundwater drought monitoring and forecasting methodology was developed to support the Drought Early Warning System in Korea. The methodology is based on Standardized Groundwater level Index (SGI). The SGIs for 256 monitoring sites were converted into the area SGI for 167 cities nationwide. The groundwater drought forecasting method was developed based on the correlation between SPI and SGI. The correlation model was employed NARX Neural Network Model. The groundwater drought forecasting was conducted with the correlation model and SPI forecasts

Integration of Flow Extension, Water Reallocation and Drought Monitoring and Forecasting in Multi-Purpose River/Reservoir System Management

Population and economic growth have contributed to increasing water uses while available water resources are limited. Recently, the occurrence and damage of drought are increasing worldwide due to the impact of climate change. The effective water management requires for assessment on the current and future water availability based on a water allocation strategy, scenarios, and updating hydrological condition. The extension of hydrologic period-of-analysis for the Texas WAM/WRAP System increases the model capability. A new water allocation strategy based on Texas WRAP/WAM water priority system is established for water management in Korea. Groundwater drought monitoring and forecasting methodology in Korea was developed based on correlation between groundwater level observation data and precipitation data using Artificial Neural Network model. The research consists of the following tasks: • The original sequences of Brazos WAM input dataset has a 1940-1997 hydrologic period-of-analysis. The methodology developed in this research is to update and extend hydrologic sequences of input datasets to present using precipitation and evaporation maintained by TWDB. This approach is much easier to implement and is particularly advantageous in situations where accurate data required to adjust observed flows are unavailable or difficult to compile or stream gaging station have been discontinued. • Korea has no water right system considering priority of each water right. The research included developing a water allocation strategy in Korea based on two alternative schemes. A priority-based long-term water allocation strategy was developed for national scale water management and planning. A water allocation strategy for relatively short-term water availability study for drought management is established based on reallocating water supply to hydropower dam and reducing some portions of water supplies. • The groundwater drought monitoring and forecasting methodology was developed to support the Drought Early Warning System in Korea. The methodology is based on Standardized Groundwater level Index (SGI). The SGIs for 256 monitoring sites were converted into the area SGI for 167 cities nationwide. The groundwater drought forecasting method was developed based on the correlation between SPI and SGI. The correlation model was employed NARX Neural Network Model. The groundwater drought forecasting was conducted with the correlation model and SPI forecasts