A review of policies and strategies affecting the peri-urban interface

As discussed elsewhere (Adell, 1999; Allen, 1999), whilst there is no accepted definition of what precisely constitutes the "peri-urban interface", the project team has identified at least three different approaches from where it has been conventionally conceptualised. These approaches may be classified according to the set of variables they choose to emphasise: physical attributes, such as proximity to the city and poor infrastructure; socio-economic variables; or urban-rural flows (of people, energy, goods)

“Western Mediterranean” (WM) broad band network: permanent seismic monitoring at the Ibero-Maghrebian region

The “Ibero-Maghrebian” region, a western part of the Eurasia-Africa plate boundary, is a broad deformation area without a well defined plate boundary line, comprising the Southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, the Northwestern part of Africa, the Gulf of Cadiz and the Alboran Sea, with a convergence between Iberia and Africa at some mm/year (Nuvel-1A model, DeMets et al, 1994) in a NNW-SSE direction, and a dif- ferential motion at Alboran Sea area (Buforn et al, 1995). Although seismic activity is characterized by a low to moderate magnitude and shallow depth earthquakes, big events are also well documented, among others: Lisbon earthquake (1755, I0= X), Gulf of Cadiz (1969, Ms= 8.1), or, more recently Bourmedes (2003, Mw= 7.1), some them with an associated tsunami, like Lisbon or Bourmedes earthquakes. An interme- diate seismic activity is also clearly registered from Gulf of Cadiz to mid Alboran Sea (Martin Davila and Pazos, 2003), and very deep earthquakes (h> 650 km) have been registered at Granada basin (1954, M= 7.0). In order to better study the seismic characteristics of this area, from 1996 on, ROA and the University Complutense of Madrid (UCM), with the collaboration of Geo- forschungZentrum of Potsdam (GFZ), have deployed a broad band seismic net with stations located at Southern Spain and Spanish possessions located Northern Africa, mainly surrounding the Alboran Sea, complementing the previously installed ROA SP and LP stations. This net has been named as “Western Mediterranean net” (WM FDSN code). As net was evolving, new Institutes and stations joined WM net, such a way at present is formed by ten stations located at: San Fernando (SFS), Málaga (MALA), Cartagena (CART), and Evora (UEVO, University of Evora, Portugal) at Iberian peninsula, Mahón (MAHO) at Minorca island, three stations at Melilla (MELI), Peñón de Vélez-Gomera (PVLZ), and Ceuta (CEU) at Spanish villages located Northern Africa in South Alboran Sea area, and Averroes (AVE) and Ifrane (IFR) installed at Morocco mainland as a joined effort among ISRABAT (Institut Scientifique, Univer- sité Mohammed V), ROA and UCM. Most stations are collocated with permanent geodetic GPS stations (Gárate et al, 2004). Next future plans include the installation of five stations by U. Evora at Southern Portugal area, a new station at Morocco by ISRABAT, ROA and UCM and also a new station at Oran (Algeria), as a collaboration among Université d’Oran (Algeria), ROA and UCM. All them will be associated to WM net. All WM network stations include Streckeisen STS-2 sensor, a Quanterra or Earth Data digitizer, and a SeiscomP process system (Heinloo, 2004), and all them are available in real time via phone modem or Internet, except PVLZ and CEU, which will be in short. In this work, partly funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (MEC) through the project REN2006-10311-C03-01/02 (RISTE), we will present the present status, the next future plans and some related activities of WM net

High-frequency Alfven waves in multi-ion coronal plasma : observational implications

We investigate the effects of high-frequency (of order ion gyrofrequency) Alfvén and ion-cyclotron waves on ion emission lines by studying the dispersion of these waves in a multi-ion coronal plasma. For this purpose we solve the dispersion relation of the linearized multifluid and Vlasov equations in a magnetized multi-ion plasma with coronal abundances of heavy ions. We also calculate the dispersion relation using nonlinear one-dimensional hybrid kinetic simulations of the multi-ion plasma. When heavy ions are present the dispersion relation of parallel propagating Alfvén cyclotron waves exhibits the following branches (in the positive Ω − k quadrant): right-hand polarized nonresonant and left-hand polarized resonant branch for protons and each ion. We calculate the ratio of ion to proton velocities perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field for each wave modes for typical coronal parameters and find strong enhancement of the heavy ion perpendicular fluid velocity compared with proton perpendicular fluid velocity. The linear multifluid cold plasma results agree with linear warm plasma Vlasov results and with the nonlinear hybrid simulation model results. In view of our findings we discuss how the observed nonthermal line broadening of minor ions in coronal holes may relate to the high-frequency wave motions

Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Skin-Stiffener Separation Using a Seven-Point Bend Configuration

Skin-stiffener separation in stiffened composite panels consists of a complex interaction between multiple scales of progressive damage and failure mechanisms. This work used a superposed cohesive element method of modeling resistance curve effects that represents the structural interface of a unidirectional tape skin and a fabric stiffener. Finite element models using cohesive elements with input properties obtained from tape-to-fabric interface characterization tests were compared to experimental results of a stable skin-stiffener separation characterization test using a seven-point bend fixture. This fixture deformed the stiffened panel specimens into a buckled configuration which induced mixed-mode interlaminar stress states at the skin-stiffener interface. The advantage of this fixture was the potential for more stable damage initiation and delamination growth compared to a stringer-stiffened panel under axial compression. Use of the superposed cohesive elements showed promise, but the characterization of interface material properties as input to the cohesive elements remains a crucial component to be investigated to ensure accurate prediction of skin-stiffener separation

Participatory mapping for transformation: multiple visual representation of foodscapes and environment in informal settlements in Nairobi

Although branded as ‘obstructionists’ and major agents of ‘disease and filth’ by city authorities, food vendors remain the pivotal node in the local food system in most informal settlements; therefore, their interaction with the environment and infrastructure services, and challenges they face to keep the food safe to eat, requires further grounded exploration. Food vendors from informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya, who are acting as mappers and change agents, are building multi-layered views of places through the deliberative process of knowledge coproduction by participatory sensing, which lead to opportunities and challenges to improve those places

Thresholds of Detection and Identification of Halite Nodule Habitats in the Atacama Desert Using Remote Imaging

The guiding theme of Mars exploration is shifting from global and regional habitability assessment to biosignature detection. To locate features likely to contain biosignatures, it is useful to focus on the reliable identification of specific habitats with high biosignature preservation potential. Proposed chloride deposits on Mars may represent evaporitic environments conducive to the preservation of biosignatures. Analogous chloride- bearing, salt-encrusted playas (salars) are a habitat for life in the driest parts of the Atacama Desert, and are also environments with a taphonomic window. The specific geologic features that harbor and preserve microorganisms in Atacama salars are sub- meter to meter scale salt protuberances, or halite nodules. This study focuses on the ability to recognize and map halite nodules using images acquired from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at spatial resolutions ranging from mm/pixel to that of the highest resolution orbital images available for Mars

Effect of antihistamine up-dosing in chronic urticaria

Chronic urticaria has an important impact upon patient quality of life, and no treatment has yet been developed capable of effectively controlling the disease. The most recent guidelines recommend the use of non-sedating antihistamines at high doses as second-step therapy before resorting to other treatments. The present review examines the studies published to date on the use of H1 antihistamines at doses higher than those indicated as therapeutic doses in chronic urticaria. Most of the studies report no significant differences among the studied doses – only a tendency towards increased response on elevating the dose.There are no clinically well designed, randomized double-blind trials comparing efficacy between therapeutic doses and doses higher than those indicated in the corresponding Summary of Product Characteristics. Likewise, there are insufficient data to conduct a meta-analysis and thus classify the degree of evidence of the few available studies, which moreover present contradictory results. At present, the prescription of high-dose H1 antihistamines is based only on experts opinion. However, considering the high safety profile of these drugs, it would be a good option to evaluate their efficacy at high doses, before moving on to other therapeutic steps

Ciliated Foregut Cyst of the Pancreas

Cystic lesions of the pancreas are relatively uncommon. We describe the case of a young man with a complex cystic mass located within the head of the pancreas. The patient underwent exploration with resection of the mass. Pathology revealed a ciliated epithelial cyst, a rare cystic lesion of the pancreas

Molecular diagnosis in Allergology: application of the microarray tecnique

Recombinant and purified allergens are currently available for determining specific IgE targeted to different allergenic components. In this way it is possible to diagnose the sensitization profile of each individual patient. The microarray technique makes it possible to determine specific IgE against multiple allergens simultaneously in one same patient, with a minimum amount of serum, and even allows the determination of IgG and IgM against the same allergens in one same serum sample. Microarray procedures are being developed not only for the determination of antibodies but also for cell activation tests. In addition, microarray technology will help explain cross-reactions, and will facilitate the evaluation of subjects in which skin tests cannot be performed. These techniques will allow a great step forward in the development of immunotherapy specifically targeted to the sensitizations found in each individual patient, yielding especially hypoallergenic forms of great immunogenic capacity, and thus improving the safety and efficacy of immunotherapy. Lastly, microarrays will improve our understanding of the physiopathology of allergic diseases