5,031 research outputs found
Simulation of an 1857-like Mw 7.9 San Andreas Fault Earthquake and the Response of Tall Steel Moment Frame Buildings in Southern California â A Prototype Study
In 1857, an earthquake of magnitude 7.9 occurred on the San Andreas fault, starting at Parkfield and rupturing
in a southeasterly direction for more than 360 km. Such a unilateral rupture produces significant directivity
toward the San Fernando and Los Angeles basins. The strong shaking in the basins due to this earthquake
would have had significant long-period content (2-8 s), and the objective of this study is to quantify the impact
of such an earthquake on two 18-story steel moment frame building models, hypothetically located at 636 sites
on a 3.5 km grid in southern California. End-to-end simulations include modeling the source and rupture of a
fault at one end, numerically propagating the seismic waves through the earth structure, simulating the damage
to engineered structures and estimating the economic impact at the other end using high-performance computing.
In this prototype study, we use an inferred finite source model of the magnitude 7.9, 2002 Denali fault
earthquake in Alaska, and map it onto the San Andreas fault with the rupture originating at Parkfield and
propagating southward over a distance of 290 km. Using the spectral element seismic wave propagation code,
SPECFEM3D, we simulate an 1857-like earthquake on the San Andreas fault and compute ground motions at
the 636 analysis sites. Using the nonlinear structural analysis program, FRAME3D, we subsequently analyze
3-D structural models of an existing tall steel building designed using the 1982 Uniform Building Code (UBC),
as well as one designed according to the 1997 UBC, subjected to the computed ground motion at each of these
sites. We summarize the performance of these structural models on contour maps of peak interstory drift.
We then perform an economic loss analysis for the two buildings at each site, using the Matlab Damage and
Loss Analysis (MDLA) toolbox developed to implement the PEER loss-estimation methodology. The toolbox
includes damage prediction and repair cost estimation for structural and non-structural components and allows
for the computation of the mean and variance of building repair costs conditional on engineering demand
parameters (i.e. inter-story drift ratios and peak floor accelerations). Here, we modify it to treat steel-frame
high-rises, including aspects such as mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, traction elevators, and the
possibility of irreparable structural damage. We then generate contour plots of conditional mean losses for the
San Fernando and the Los Angeles basins for the pre-Northridge and modern code-designed buildings, allowing
for comparison of the economic effects of the updated code for the scenario event. In principle, by simulating
multiple seismic events, consistent with the probabilistic seismic hazard for a building site, the same basic
approach could be used to quantify the uncertain losses from future earthquakes
External sources of clean technology: evidence from the clean development mechanism
New technology is fundamental to sustainable development. However, inventors from industrialized countries often refuse technology transfer because they worry about reverse-engineering. When can clean technology transfer succeed? We develop a formal model of the political economy of NorthâSouth technology transfer. According to the model, technology transfer is possible if (1) the technology in focus has limited global commercial potential or (2) the host developing country does not have the capacity to absorb new technologies for commercial use. If both conditions fail, inventors from industrialized countries worry about the adverse competitiveness effects of reverse-engineering, so technology transfer fails. Data analysis of technology transfer in 4,894 projects implemented under the Kyoto Protocolâs Clean Development Mechanism during the 2004â2010 period provides evidence in support of the model
Strangeness in the proton and N*(1535)
The newest progress on the study of the strangeness in the proton and in the
lowest negative parity nucleon excited state is reviewed.
Implications on the internal quark structure of the proton, and
other baryons are discussed. The diquark cluster picture for the 5-quark
components in baryons gives a natural explanation not only to the empirical
indications for a positive strangeness magnetic moment and positive
strangeness radius of the proton but also the longstanding mass-reverse problem
of , and resonances as well as the
unusual decay pattern of the resonance. Evidence for possible
existence of 's SU(3) nonet partners in this picture is
pointed out, and suggestion is made to search for these hyperon excited
states under the well known , and
peaks in various reactions.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, Plenary talk at 18th International IUPAP
Conference on Few-Body Problems in Physics August 21-26. 2006 Santos SP
Brazil; to be published in Nuclear Physics
Structure-mechanism-based engineering of chemical regulators targeting distinct pathological factors in Alzheimer???s disease
The absence of effective therapeutics against Alzheimer???s disease (AD) is a result of the limited understanding of its multifaceted aetiology. Because of the lack of chemical tools to identify pathological factors, investigations into AD pathogenesis have also been insubstantial. Here we report chemical regulators that demonstrate distinct specificity towards targets linked to AD pathology, including metals, amyloid-?? (A??), metal-A??, reactive oxygen species, and free organic radicals. We obtained these chemical regulators through a rational structure-mechanism-based design strategy. We performed structural variations of small molecules for fine-tuning their electronic properties, such as ionization potentials and mechanistic pathways for reactivity towards different targets. We established in vitro and/or in vivo efficacies of the regulators for modulating their targets??? reactivities, ameliorating toxicity, reducing amyloid pathology, and improving cognitive deficits. Our chemical tools show promise for deciphering AD pathogenesis and discovering effective drugs.ope
Personality styles in patients with fibromyalgia, major depression and healthy controls
BACKGROUND: The fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is suggested to be a manifestation of depression or affective spectrum disorder. We measured the cognitive style of patients with FMS to assess personality styles in 44 patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) by comparing them with 43 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 41 healthy controls (HC). METHODS: Personality styles were measured by the Sociotropy and Autonomy Scale (SAS) and the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS). The Structured Clinical interview for DSM Axis I was applied to Axis I disorders, while the Beck Depression Inventory was used to measure depression severity. RESULTS: Patients with FMS in general have a sociotropic personality style similar to patients with MDD, and different from HC, but FMS patients without a lifetime history of MDD had a cognitive personality style different from patients with MDD and similar to HC. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that a depressotypic personality style is related to depressive disorder, but not to FMS
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