Climate change adaptation through coastal and use management: The context of environmental justice

Despite an increasing literary focus on climate change adaptation, the facilitation of this adaptation is occurring on a limited basis (Adger et al. 2007) .This limited basis is not necessarily due to inability; rather, a lack of comprehensive cost estimates of all options specifically hinders adaptation in vulnerable communities (Adger et al. 2007). Specifically the estimated cost of the climate change impact of sea-level rise is continually increasing due to both increasing rates and the resulting multiplicative impact of coastal erosion (Karl et al., 2009, Zhang et al., 2004) Based on the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, minority groups and small island nations have been identified within these vulnerable communities. Therefore the development of adaptation policies requires the engagement of these communities. State examples of sea-level rise adaptation through land use planning mechanisms such as land acquisition programs (New Jersey) and the establishment of rolling easements (Texas) are evidence that although obscured, adaptation opportunities are being acted upon (Easterling et al., 2004, Adger et al.2007). (PDF contains 4 pages

Anomalies in a waterlike model confined between plates

Using molecular dynamic simulations we study a waterlike model confined between two fixed hydrophobic plates. The system is tested for density, diffusion and structural anomalous behavior and compared with the bulk results. Within the range of confining distances we had explored we observe that in the pressure-temperature phase diagram the temperature of maximum density (TMD line), the temperature of maximum and minimum diffusion occur at lower temperatures when compared with the bulk values. For distances between the two layers below a certain threshold ,$d\le d_c$, only two layers of particles are formed, for $d\ge d_c$ three or more layers are formed. In the case of three layers the central layer stays liquid while the contact layers crystallize. This result is in agreement with simulations for atomistic models

Diffusion Enhancement in Core-softened fluid confined in nanotubes

We study the effect of confinement in the dynamical behavior of a core-softened fluid. The fluid is modeled as a two length scales potential. This potential in the bulk reproduces the anomalous behavior observed in the density and in the diffusion of liquid water. A series of $NpT$ Molecular Dynamics simulations for this two length scales fluid confined in a nanotube were performed. We obtain that the diffusion coefficient increases with the increase of the nanotube radius for wide channels as expected for normal fluids. However, for narrow channels, the confinement shows an enhancement in the diffusion coefficient when the nanotube radius decreases. This behavior, observed for water, is explained in the framework of the two length scales potential.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, accept for publication at J. Chem. Phy

Liquid polymorphism, order-disorder transitions and anomalous behavior : a Monte Carlo study of the Bell-Lavis model for water

The Bell–Lavis model for liquid water is investigated through numerical simulations. The lattice-gas model on a triangular lattice presents orientational states and is known to present a highly bonded low density phase and a loosely bonded high density phase. We show that the model liquid-liquid transition is continuous, in contradiction with mean-field results on the Husimi cactus and from the cluster variational method. We define an order parameter which allows interpretation of the transition as an order-disorder transition of the bond network. Our results indicate that the order-disorder transition is in the Ising universality class. Previous proposal of an Ehrenfest second order transition is discarded. A detailed investigation of anomalous properties has also been undertaken. The line of density maxima in the HDL phase is stabilized by fluctuations, absent in the mean-field solution

Planning and developing services for diabetic retinopathy in Sub-Saharan Africa

Background: Over the past few decades diabetes has emerged as an important non-communicable disease in Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA). Sight loss from Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) can be prevented with screening and early treatment. The objective of this paper is to outline the required actions and considerations in the planning and development of DR screening services. Methods: A multiple-case study approach was used to analyse five DR screening services in Botswana, Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia. Cases included: two regional screening programmes, two hospital-based screening services and one nationwide screening service. Data was collected using qualitative methodologies including: document analysis, in- depth interviews and observation. The World Health Organization (WHO) Health Systems Framework was adopted as the conceptual framework for analysis. Results: Planning for a sustainable and integrated DR screening programme demanded a health systems approach. Collaboration with representatives from a variety of ministerial departments and professional bodies was required. Evolution of DR screening services may occur in a variety of ways including: increasing geographical coverage, integration into the general healthcare system, and stepwise progression from a passive, opportunistic service to one that systematically and proactively seeks to prevent DR. Lessons learned from the implementation of cervical cancer prevention programmes in resource-poor settings may assist the development of DR programmes in similar settings. Conclusion: To promote good planning of DR screening services and ensure limited resources are used effectively, there is a need to learn from screening programmes in other medical specialities and a need to share experiences between newly-developing DR programmes in resource-poor countries. The WHO Health Systems Framework presents an invaluable tool to ensure a systematic approach to planning DR screening service

Novice Driver Training Results and Experience with a PC Based Simulator

This paper reports on work accomplished subsequent to a pilot study that was presented at the 2001 conference. This current study will eventually involve the training of over 500 novice drivers, and subsequent comparison of real-world accident and violation rates of the simulator trained group with a traditionally trained control group of demographically matched novice drivers. This paper describes the simulator training system and presents some training data for 111 student subjects collected at three sites involving different simulator configurations. These configurations include a desktop system with a single monitor narrow field of view display, a desktop system with wide field of view display and a cab with wide field of view display. The results include performance measures, a measure of simulator sickness and experience involved in implementing driver-training simulators in the high school environment

Aflatoxins in Corn (2010)

Aflatoxin is a term generally used to refer to a group of extremely toxic chemicals produced by two molds, Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. This publication provides information about aflatoxins in corn

2,3,10,11-Tetra­meth­oxy-6,7,14,15-tetra­hydro-6,14-methano­cyclo­octa­[1,2-b;5,6-b′]diquinoline

The racemic title compound, C27H26N2O4, crystallizes with its central carbon bridge on a twofold axis. It forms parallel chains of mol­ecules utilizing aryl offset face–face inter­actions with an interplanar distance of about 3.5 Å. These chains associate further by means of pairs of O—CH2—H⋯π (with H–ring distances ranging from 2.69 to 2.95 Å) and O—CH2—H⋯N motifs. The meth­oxy groups in this structure are coplanar with the aromatic rings to which they are attached. This is recognized as being common behaviour amongst aromatic meth­oxy compounds