Assessing multi-hazard susceptibility to cryospheric hazards:Lesson learnt from an Alaskan example

Classifying a given landscape on the basis of its susceptibility to surface processes is a standard procedure in low to mid-latitudes. Conversely, these procedures have hardly been explored in periglacial regions. However, global warming is radically changing this situation and will change it even more in the future. For this reason, understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of geomorphological processes in peri-arctic environments can be crucial to make informed decisions in such unstable environments and shed light on what changes may follow at lower latitudes. For this reason, here we explored the use of data-driven models capable of recognizing locations prone to develop retrogressive thaw slumps (RTSs) and/or active layer detachments (ALDs). These are cryospheric hazards induced by permafrost degradation, and their development can negatively affect human settlements or infrastructure, change the sediment budget and release greenhouse gases. Specifically, we test a binomial Generalized Additive Modeling structure to estimate the probability of RST and ALD occurrences in the North sector of the Alaskan territory. The results we obtain show that our binary classifiers can accurately recognize locations prone to RTS and ALD, in a number of goodness-of-fit (AUCRTS = 0.83; AUCALD = 0.86), random cross-validation (mean AUCRTS = 0.82; mean AUCALD = 0.86), and spatial cross-validation (mean AUCRTS = 0.74; mean AUCALD = 0.80) routines. Overall, our analytical protocol has been implemented to build an open-source tool scripted in Python where all the operational steps are automatized for anyone to replicate the same experiment. Our protocol allows one to access cloud-stored information, pre-process it, and download it locally to be integrated for spatial predictive purposes

Call admission control using cell breathing concept for wideband CDMA

This paper presents a Call Admission Control (CAC) algorithm based fuzzy logic to maintain the quality of service using cell breathing concept. When a new call is accepted by a cell, its current user is generally affected due to cell breathing. The proposed CAC algorithm accepts a new call only if the current users in the cell are not jeopardized. Performance evaluation is done for single-cell and multicell scenarios. In multicell scenario dynamic assignment of users to the neighboring cell, so called handoff, has been considered to achieve a lower blocking probability. Handoff and new call requests are assumed with handoff being given preference using a reserved channel scheme. CAC for different types of services are shown which depend upon the bandwidth requirement for voice, data and video. Distance, arrival rate, bandwidth and nonorthogonality factor of the signal are considered for making the call acceptance decision. The paper demonstrates that fuzzy logic with the cell breathing concept can be used to develop a CAC algorithm to achieve a better performance evaluation

Physical properties of ferromagnetic-superconducting coexistent system

We studied the nuclear relaxation rate 1/T1 of a ferromagnetic-superconducting system from the mean field model proposed in Ref.14. This model predicts the existence of a set of gapless excitations in the energy spectrum which will affect the properties studied here, such as the density of states and, hence, 1/T1. The study of the temperature variation of 1/T1(for T<Tc) shows that the usual Hebel-Slichter peak exists, but will be reduced because of the dominant role of the gapless fermions and the background magnetic behavior. We have also presented the temperature dependence of ultrasonic attenuation and the frequency dependence of electromagnetic absorption within this model. We are successful in explaining certain experimental results.Comment: 10 Pages, 9 figute

Quantum Magnetic Properties in Perovskite with Anderson Localized Artificial Spin-1/2

Quantum magnetic properties in a geometrically frustrated lattice of spin-1/2 magnet, such as quantum spin liquid or solid and the associated spin fractionalization, are considered key in developing a new phase of matter. The feasibility of observing the quantum magnetic properties, usually found in geometrically frustrated lattice of spin-1/2 magnet, in a perovskite material with controlled disorder is demonstrated. It is found that the controlled chemical disorder, due to the chemical substitution of Ru ions by Co-ions, in a simple perovskite CaRuO3 creates a random prototype configuration of artificial spin-1/2 that forms dimer pairs between the nearest and further away ions. The localization of the Co impurity in the Ru matrix is analyzed using the Anderson localization formulation. The dimers of artificial spin-1/2, due to the localization of Co impurities, exhibit singlet-to-triplet excitation at low temperature without any ordered spin correlation. The localized gapped excitation evolves into a gapless quasi-continuum as dimer pairs break and create freely fluctuating fractionalized spins at high temperature. Together, these properties hint at a new quantum magnetic state with strong resemblance to the resonance valence bond system.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Barriers and opportunities to restricting marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children in Nepal: a policy analysis

BACKGROUND: Marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages high in saturated fats, trans-fatty acids, free sugars, or salt (“unhealthy foods”) to children is contributing to increasing child obesity. However, many countries have not implemented WHO recommendations to restrict marketing of unhealthy foods to children. We sought to understand the absence of marketing restrictions and identify potential strategic actions to develop and implement such restrictions in Nepal. METHODS: Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was based on Baker et al.’s 18 factor-framework for understanding what drives political commitment to nutrition, organised by five categories: Actors; Institutions; Political and societal contexts; Knowledge, evidence and framing; Capacities and resources. RESULTS: All factors in Baker et al.’s framework were reported to be acting largely as barriers to Nepal developing and implementing marketing restrictions. Six factors were identified by the highest number of respondents: the threat of private sector interference in policy-making; lack of international actor support; absence of well-designed and enacted policies and legislation; lack of political commitment to regulate; insufficient mobilisation of existing evidence to spur action and lack of national evidence to guide regulatory design; and weak implementation capacity. Opportunities for progress were identified as Nepal’s ability to combat private sector interference - as previously demonstrated in tobacco control. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study conducted in Nepal examining the lack of restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods to children. Our findings reflect the manifestation of power in the policy process. The absence of civil society and a multi-stakeholder coalition demanding change on marketing of unhealthy food to children, the threat of private sector interference in introducing marketing restrictions, the promotion of norms and narratives around modernity, consumption and the primary role of the individual in regulating diet - all have helped create a policy vacuum on marketing restrictions. We propose that stakeholders focus on five strategic actions, including: developing a multi-stakeholder coalition to put and keep marketing restrictions on the health agenda; framing the need for marketing restrictions as critical to protect child rights and government regulation as the solution; and increasing support, particularly through developing more robust global policy guidance

Insights into Coupled Folding and Binding Mechanisms from Kinetic Studies.

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are characterized by a lack of persistent structure. Since their identification more than a decade ago, many questions regarding their functional relevance and interaction mechanisms remain unanswered. Although most experiments have taken equilibrium and structural perspectives, fewer studies have investigated the kinetics of their interactions. Here we review and highlight the type of information that can be gained from kinetic studies. In particular, we show how kinetic studies of coupled folding and binding reactions, an important class of signaling event, are needed to determine mechanisms.This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust (WT 095195MA). M.D.C. is supported by a BBSRC studentship; L.D. by an EPSRC studentship B.I.M.W. by the Cambridge Trust. JC is a Senior Wellcome Trust Research Fellow.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology via https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.R115.69271