Remote sensing utility in a disaster struck urban environment

Six major public health areas which might be affected by a natural disaster were identified. The functions and tasks associated with each area following a disaster, potential ways remote sensing could aid these functions, and the baseline data which would expedite problem solving associated with these functions are discussed

Potential role of remote sensing in disaster relief management

Baseline or predisaster data which would be useful to decision making in the immediate postdisaster period were suggested for the six areas of public health concern along with guidelines for organizing these data. Potential sources of these data are identified. In order to fully assess the impact of a disaster on an area, information about its predisaster status must be known. Aerial photography is one way of acquiring and recording such data

Efectos de conductas proactivas y prosociales en incidentes críticos de escolares limeños

The study focuses on the theoretical approaches of proactive and prosocial behavior of Covey (1996), Xifra (2009) and Roche-Olivar (2004), with the objective of analyzing the significant differences in the decrease of critical incidents in public school students And private schools in the district of San Juan de Lurigancho, for which two experimental workshops with quasiexperimental methodology were applied in three groups of 1st and 2nd high school students (G. Exp. (Proactivity) = 17; G. Exp. Prosociality) = 15; G. Control = 16); A behavior observation log and the PANIC instrument of Monereo and Monte (2011) were used. The results indicate significant differences with better effects in the workshop of proactive behavior (Hrp = 16.59, p <.05); A comparison of the verbal violence dimension in which better effects were obtained by the prosocial behavior workshop (Hrp = 14.12, p <.05); Finally, the limitations were that students in the proactivity workshop slowed down their critical incidents by demonstrating excessive personalism, and for later studies, it is suggested to work the above mentioned workshops, including assaulted students.El estudio se centra en los planteamientos teóricos de conducta proactiva y prosocial de Covey (1996), Xifra (2009) y Roche-Olivar (2004), con el objetivo de analizar las diferencias significativas en la disminución de incidentes críticos en escolares de escuelas públicas y privadas del distrito de San Juan de Lurigancho, para cuyo efecto se aplicaron dos talleres experimentales con metodología cuasiexperimental en tres grupos de estudiantes de 1° y 2° de secundaria (G. Exp.(proactividad)= 17; G. Exp.(prosocialidad)= 15; G. Control= 16); se utilizó una bitácora de observación de conducta y el instrumento PANIC de Monereo y Monte (2011). Los resultados indican diferencias significativas con mejores efectos en el taller de conducta proactiva (Hrp= 16.59, p<.05); a comparación de la dimensión violencia verbal en la cual se obtuvieron mejores efectos por el taller de conducta prosocial (Hrp= 14.12, p<.05); finalmente, las limitaciones fueron que los estudiantes del taller de proactividad aminoraron sus incidentes críticos demostrando excesivo personalismo, y para posteriores estudios, se sugiere trabajar los talleres mencionados incluyendo a estudiantes agredidos

Manejo del material de siembra de yuca (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

Several cassava trials were planted at CIAT to study the effect of the maturity of stem cuttings, depth of planting, cutting length, planting position and the angle of the cut on root yield. Cuttings from the top and middle part of vigorous 1-yr-old plants produced greater than root yields than those proceeding from the lower part of the plant or from older stem parts. Cuttings planted vertically 10, 20 and 30 cm deep do not affect the yield but do affect root distribution, the no. of roots/plant and the difficulty of harvesting; planting at 10 cm in depth was the most adequate. Twenty-cm long, selected and treated cuttings gave slightly higher yields than 40 or 60 cm ones. Cuttings placed vertically assure more rapid emergence, greater than percentage of germination, greater than yields and prevent lodging in comparison to those planted in a horizontal or inclined position. When the stems were cut rectangularly or bevel-edged, different rooting systems were produced; the former produced roots with a more uniform distribution; nevertheless, yield was not affected. Vertical planting, either with a straight or bevel-edged cut, gave greater than yields than horizontal planting. To obtain max yields, planting material should be selected from the middle part of mature, vigorous plants, cut at right angles 20 cm long and planted vertically 10 cm deep. (AS-CIAT)Se sembraron varios ensayos de yuca en el CIAT para estudiar el efecto de la madurez de las estacas, profundidad de siembra, longitud de la estaca, posicion de siembra y angulo de corte de la misma, en el rendimiento de las raices. Las estacas de la parte media y superior de plantas vigorosas de un ano de edad produjeron mayores rendimientos de raices que aquellas provenientes de la parte baja de la planta o de estacas viejas. Las estacas sembradas verticalmente a 10, 20 y 30 cm de profundidad no influyen en el rendimiento, pero afectan la distribucion de raices, el numero de raices/planta y la facilidad de cosecha; la siembra a 10 cm de profundidad fue la mas adecuada. Las mayores estacas de 20 cm de largo seleccionadas y tratadas dieron rendimientos ligeramente mayores que las de 40 o 60 cm. La siembra vertical de las estacas aseguro una emergencia mas rapida, un mayor porcentaje de germinacion, mayores rendimientos y previno el volcamiento de las plantas, en comparacion con la posicion horizontal o inclinada. El corte de la estaca en forma rectangular o en bisel produjo diferentes sistemas de enraizamiento; el primero produce raices mas uniformemente distribuidas; sin embargo, no afecta el rendimiento. La siembra vertical, ya sea con angulo de corte recto o en bisel, da mayores rendimientos que la siembra horizontal. Para obtener los rendimientos maximos, el material de siembra se debe seleccionar de la parte media de plantas vigorosas maduras, cortado en un angulo recto, en trozos de 20 cm de largo y sembrado verticalmente a 10 cm de profundidad. (RA-CIAT

The prostate cancer-associated human retrovirus XMRV lacks direct transforming activity but can induce low rates of transformation in cultured cells.

The human retrovirus XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus) is associated with prostate cancer, but a causal relationship has not been established. Here, we have used cultured fibroblast and epithelial cell lines to test the hypothesis that XMRV might have direct transforming activity but found only rare transformation events, suggestive of indirect transformation, even when the target cells expressed the human Xpr1 cell entry receptor for XMRV. Characterization of cells from three transformed foci showed that all were infected with and produced XMRV, and one produced a highly active transforming virus, presumably generated by recombination between XMRV and host cell nucleic acids. Given the sequence similarity of XMRV to mink cell focus-forming (MCF) viruses and the enhanced leukemogenic activity of the latter, we tested XMRV for related MCF-like cytopathic activities in cultured mink cells but found none. These results indicate that XMRV has no direct transforming activity but can activate endogenous oncogenes, resulting in cell transformation. As part of these experiments, we show that XMRV can infect and be produced at a high titer from human HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cells that express TRIM5alpha (Ref1), showing that XMRV is resistant to TRIM5alpha restriction. In addition, XMRV poorly infects NIH 3T3 cells expressing human Xpr1 but relatively efficiently infects BALB 3T3 cells expressing human Xpr1, showing that XMRV is a B-tropic virus and that its infectivity is regulated by the Fv1 mouse locus

Strain Gage Load Calibration of the Wing Interface Fittings for the Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge Flap Flight Test

The safety-of-flight parameters for the Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) flap experiment require that flap-to-wing interface loads be sensed and monitored in real time to ensure that the structural load limits of the wing are not exceeded. This paper discusses the strain gage load calibration testing and load equation derivation methodology for the ACTE interface fittings. Both the left and right wing flap interfaces were monitored; each contained four uniquely designed and instrumented flap interface fittings. The interface hardware design and instrumentation layout are discussed. Twenty-one applied test load cases were developed using the predicted in-flight loads. Pre-test predictions of strain gage responses were produced using finite element method models of the interface fittings. Predicted and measured test strains are presented. A load testing rig and three hydraulic jacks were used to apply combinations of shear, bending, and axial loads to the interface fittings. Hardware deflections under load were measured using photogrammetry and transducers. Due to deflections in the interface fitting hardware and test rig, finite element model techniques were used to calculate the reaction loads throughout the applied load range, taking into account the elastically-deformed geometry. The primary load equations were selected based on multiple calibration metrics. An independent set of validation cases was used to validate each derived equation. The 2-sigma residual errors for the shear loads were less than eight percent of the full-scale calibration load; the 2-sigma residual errors for the bending moment loads were less than three percent of the full-scale calibration load. The derived load equations for shear, bending, and axial loads are presented, with the calculated errors for both the calibration cases and the independent validation load cases

Towards urban archaeo-geophysics in Peru. The case study of Plaza de Armas in Cusco

One of the most complex challenges of heritage sciences is the identification and protection of buried archaeological heritage in urban areas and the need to manage, maintain and inspect underground services. Archaeology and geophysics, used in an integrated way, provide an important contribution to open new perspectives in understanding both the history of cities and in helping the decision makers in planning and governing the urban development and management. The problems of identification and interpretation of geophysical features in urban subsoil make it necessary to develop ad hoc procedures to be implemented and validated in significant case studies. This paper deals with the results of an interdisciplinary project in Cusco (Peru), the capital of Inca Empire, where the georadar method was applied for the first time in the main square. The georadar method was successfully employed based on knowledge of the historical evolution of Cusco and the availability of archaeological records provided by some excavations nearby the study area. Starting from a model for the electromagnetic wave reflection from archaeological structures and pipes, georadar results were interpreted by means of comparative morphological analysis of high amplitude values observed from time slices with reflectors visualized in the radargrams

Transient peak-strain matching partially recovers the age-impaired mechanoadaptive cortical bone response

Mechanoadaptation maintains bone mass and architecture; its failure underlies age-related decline in bone strength. It is unclear whether this is due to failure of osteocytes to sense strain, osteoblasts to form bone or insufficient mechanical stimulus. Mechanoadaptation can be restored to aged bone by surgical neurectomy, suggesting that changes in loading history can rescue mechanoadaptation. We use non-biased, whole-bone tibial analyses, along with characterisation of surface strains and ensuing mechanoadaptive responses in mice at a range of ages, to explore whether sufficient load magnitude can activate mechanoadaptation in aged bone. We find that younger mice adapt when imposed strains are lower than in mature and aged bone. Intriguingly, imposition of short-term, high magnitude loading effectively primes cortical but not trabecular bone of aged mice to respond. This response was regionally-matched to highest strains measured by digital image correlation and to osteocytic mechanoactivation. These data indicate that aged bone’s loading response can be partially recovered, non-invasively by transient, focal high strain regions. Our results indicate that old murine bone does respond to load when the loading is of sufficient magnitude, and bones’ age-related adaptation failure may be due to insufficient mechanical stimulus to trigger mechanoadaptation

Air Pollution and Acute Respiratory Response in a Panel of Asthmatic Children along the U.S.–Mexico Border

Background: Concerns regarding the health impact of urban air pollution on asthmatic children are pronounced along the U.S.–Mexico border because of rapid population growth near busy border highways and roads. Objectives: We conducted the first binational study of the impacts of air pollution on asthmatic children in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, USA, and compared different exposure metrics to assess acute respiratory response. Methods: We recruited 58 asthmatic children from two schools in Ciudad Juarez and two schools in El Paso. A marker of airway inflammation [exhaled nitric oxide (eNO)], respiratory symptom surveys, and pollutant measurements (indoor and outdoor 48-hr size-fractionated particulate matter, 48-hr black carbon, and 96-hr nitrogen dioxide) were collected at each school for 16 weeks. We examined associations between the pollutants and respiratory response using generalized linear mixed models. Results: We observed small but consistent associations between eNO and numerous pollutant metrics, with estimated increases in eNO ranging from 1% to 3% per interquartile range increase in pollutant concentrations. Effect estimates from models using school-based concentrations were generally stronger than corresponding estimates based on concentrations from ambient air monitors. Both traffic-related and non–traffic-related particles were typically more robust predictors of eNO than was nitrogen dioxide, for which associations were highly sensitive to model specification. Associations differed significantly across the four school-based cohorts, consistent with heterogeneity in pollutant concentrations and cohort characteristics. Models examining respiratory symptoms were consistent with the null. Conclusions: The results indicate adverse effects of air pollution on the subclinical respiratory health of asthmatic children in this region and provide preliminary support for the use of air pollution monitors close to schools to track exposure and potential health risk in this population