Landslide risk management : a multidisciplinary approach to define a Decision Support System for rainfall induced landslides

It is generally observed that direct impact of natural hazards, irreversible losses of human and physical capital and economic activities, is stronger on already poor economies. Moreover, the indirect adverse impact on the wealth growth of their ex-ante strategy to mitigate risk may even outweigh ex-post direct impact of a catastrophic event. The reason is that already poor economies have scarce resources to cope with natural hazard, weaker risk management capacity and higher degree of risk aversion. Therefore, in trying to coping ex-ante with risk, they choose a lower risk-return portfolio of assets (Elbers et al., 2007). If this is true, we can conclude that both effects of catastrophic events exacerbate inequalities and stuck economies in ‘poverty traps’ due to huge economic losses. Avoiding those ‘traps’ must be a common worldwide object just as improving environmental security. Areas and populations involved are not limited to those directly hit by the catastrophic event but even those indirectly involved by forced raising of funds, expropriation of property rights and immigration (forced socialization of risk consequences). Unfortunately, then, even in more developed countries, the level of resources devoted to the prevention against natural hazards were, often, extremely scarce and badly allocated. Worries about free-riding in raising funds from governments and taxpayers; rent–seeking and shifting of the responsibility of experts or politicians are the main causes of this misallocation. Things get worse due to bad, incomplete and biased information. In this paper we try to understand the economic and financial impact of natural disasters such as landslide. This is one of the major worldwide natural hazard. One of the problem we deal with is that landslide risk assessment methodologies were mainly qualitative and subjective. Qualitative methods, for example, are essentially based on the assumption that landslides will occur in the same geological, geomorphological, hydrogeological and climatic conditions as in the past. We propose a multidisciplinary approach to landslide risk management. This will be a useful DSS (Decision Support System) able to remove much of the uncertainty in dealing with rainfall landslides Risk Assessment Methodologies. This approach consists of a ‘simulation chain’ to link forecast rainfall (input) to the effects in terms of infiltration, slope stability up to definition of vulnerability and risk assessment. This ‘simulation chain’ is developed at CMCC (Euro–Mediterranean Centre for the Climate Change) (Meteoroligical Models) and at Geothecnical Laboratory of the Second University of Naples (Geothecnical Models), both partners in SafeLand (7th Framework Programme, Cooperation Theme 6 Environment including climate change Sub-activity 6.1.3 Natural Hazards), and at the Department of Economics of the University of Naples “Federico II” (Economics and Finance). Multidisciplinary groups of experts will gain enough resources to devote to the prevention against natural hazards if they are self-selected to be: - able to manage multi-skills involved, - able to manage the main inputs of the provision of environmental security, that is, sophisticated techniques and huge amount of continuous data from ‘early-warning monitoring-webs’, - they don’t escape from their professional responsibility, - able to be independent from politics and objectively trustable. If people trust in them and understand the objectivity of science and its limits, whatever is the national or local government, the only problem to raise funds from taxpayers and borrowers will be that imposed by the EU-27 ability to exploit Lisbon Treaty and the new Stability Pact

Pembuatan Fruit Leather dari Campuran Buah Sirsak (Annoma Muricata L.)dan Buah Melon (Cucumis Melo L.)

Theaim of this study wasto get the best treatment fruit leather from mixed soursop (Annoma muricata L.) and melon (Cucumis melo L.). The study used a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with 6 treatments and 3 replications.The treatments were SM1 (soursop 100 : melon 0), SM2 (soursop80 : melon 20), SM3 (soursop60 : melon40), SM4 (soursop40 : melon60) SM5 (soursop20 : melon80) and SM6 (soursop 0 : melon 100). The data were analyzed statistically using ANOVA and DNMRT at 5%. Thestudyshowed that treatment significantly influence on water, ash content, degree of acidity (pH), crude fiber,and organoleptic test. The best treatment offruit leather from this research wasSM2 which have water 12,16%, ash 0,75%, degree of acidity (pH) 3,98, crude fiber content 1,91%, , reddish yellow color,little fruit soursop and melonflavour, sweetness taste, the texture clay and overall assesment of fruit leather was preferred by the panelist

New Strategies in the Design of Paramagnetic CAs

Nowadays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the first diagnostic imaging modality for numerous indications able to provide anatomical information with high spatial resolution through the use of magnetic fields and gradients. Indeed, thanks to the characteristic relaxation time of each tissue, it is possible to distinguish between healthy and pathological ones. However, the need to have brighter images to increase differences and catch important diagnostic details has led to the use of contrast agents (CAs). Among them, Gadolinium-based CAs (Gd-CAs) are routinely used in clinical MRI practice. During these last years, FDA highlighted many risks related to the use of Gd-CAs such as nephrotoxicity, heavy allergic effects, and, recently, about the deposition within the brain. These alerts opened a debate about the opportunity to formulate Gd-CAs in a different way but also to the use of alternative and safer compounds to be administered, such as manganese- (Mn-) based agents. In this review, the physical principle behind the role of relaxivity and the T1 boosting will be described in terms of characteristic correlation times and inner and outer spheres. Then, the recent advances in the entrapment of Gd-CAs within nanostructures will be analyzed in terms of relaxivity boosting obtained without the chemical modification of CAs as approved in the chemical practice. Finally, a critical evaluation of the use of manganese-based CAs will be illustrated as an alternative ion to Gd due to its excellent properties and endogenous elimination pathway

A "simulation chain" to define a Multidisciplinary Decision Support System for landslide risk management in pyroclastic soils

Abstract. This paper proposes a Multidisciplinary Decision Support System (MDSS) as an approach to manage rainfall-induced shallow landslides of the flow type (flowslides) in pyroclastic deposits. We stress the need to combine information from the fields of meteorology, geology, hydrology, geotechnics and economics to support the agencies engaged in land monitoring and management. The MDSS consists of a "simulation chain" to link rainfall to effects in terms of infiltration, slope stability and vulnerability. This "simulation chain" was developed at the Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Climate Change (CMCC) (meteorological aspects), at the Geotechnical Laboratory of the Second University of Naples (hydrological and geotechnical aspects) and at the Department of Economics of the University of Naples "Federico II" (economic aspects). The results obtained from the application of this simulation chain in the Cervinara area during eleven years of research allowed in-depth analysis of the mechanisms underlying a flowslide in pyroclastic soil

Red blood cell as an adaptive optofluidic microlens

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Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Amplified by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Was Used to Determine the Differences of Four Telenomus Species and Five Populations of T. Rowani From Several Locations in Java. Amplification of Genomic DNA by Us

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine the differences of four Telenomus species and five populations of T. rowani from several locations in Java. Amplification of genomic DNA by using primer P2 (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech) indicated that each Telenomus species had a unique set of RAPD bands. Two bands which characterized the genus are estimated to be 300 and 430 bp. Each species had three specific bright bands except T. dignoides which only had two specific bright bands. However, no bands are unique to any of the five populations of T. rowani and all of the bands are less than 500 base-pair. Cluster analysis using UPGMA (Unweighed Pair Group Method With Arithmatic Mean) showed that the four Telenomus species consist of two groups, T. rowani and T. remus in one cluster and T. dignus with T. dignoides belonging to another cluster

In vitro strategies for mimicking dynamic cell–ECM reciprocity in 3D culture models

The extracellular microenvironment regulates cell decisions through the accurate presentation at the cell surface of a complex array of biochemical and biophysical signals that are mediated by the structure and composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM). On the one hand, the cells actively remodel the ECM, which on the other hand affects cell functions. This cell–ECM dynamic reciprocity is central in regulating and controlling morphogenetic and histogenetic processes. Misregulation within the extracellular space can cause aberrant bidirectional interactions between cells and ECM, resulting in dysfunctional tissues and pathological states. Therefore, tissue engineering approaches, aiming at reproducing organs and tissues in vitro, should realistically recapitulate the native cell–microenvironment crosstalk that is central for the correct functionality of tissue-engineered constructs. In this review, we will describe the most updated bioengineering approaches to recapitulate the native cell microenvironment and reproduce functional tissues and organs in vitro. We have highlighted the limitations of the use of exogenous scaffolds in recapitulating the regulatory/instructive and signal repository role of the native cell microenvironment. By contrast, strategies to reproduce human tissues and organs by inducing cells to synthetize their own ECM acting as a provisional scaffold to control and guide further tissue development and maturation hold the potential to allow the engineering of fully functional histologically competent three-dimensional (3D) tissues

Produksi Kemangi di Desa Ciaruteun Ilir, Kecamatan Cibungbulang, Bogor

Kemangi is one of indigenous plants that is widely consumed in West Java. It is planted by most farmers in Ciaruteun Ilir, which is the centre of its plantations in Bogor region. The main objective of this study was to analyse the production factors of kemangi in Ciaruteun Ilir. Thirty one respondents were needed in this study, using the method of Purposive Sampling. The production factors were analysed using Maximum Likelihood methods in Cobb-Douglas model. Based on the level of significance 5%, the results showed that seeds, Urea, labours, and land size significantly affected the production

Direct, precise, enzyme-free detection of miR-103–3p in real samples by microgels with highly specific molecular beacons

Low abundance, small size, and sequence similarities render microRNA (miRNAs) detection challenging, particularly in real samples, where quantifying weakly expressed miRNAs can be arduous due to interference of more abundant molecules. The standard quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) requires multiple steps, thermal cycles, and costly enzymatic reactions that can negatively affect results. Here we present a direct, precise, enzyme-free assay based on microgels particles conjugating molecular beacons (MB) capable of optically detecting low abundant miRNAs in real samples. We validate the applicability of microgels assay using qRT-PCR as a reference technology. As a relevant case, we chose miR-103-3p, a valuable diagnostic biomarker for breast cancer, both in serum samples and MCF7 cells. As a result, microgels assay quantifies miRNA molecules at room temperature in a single step, 1 h (vs. 4 hrs for qRT-PCR) without complementary DNA synthesis, amplification, or expensive reagents. Microgels assay exhibits femtomolar sensitivity, single nucleotide specificity, and a wide linear range (10(2)-10(7) fM) (wider than qRT-PCR), with low sample consumption (2 mu L) and excellent linearity (R-2= 0.98). To test the selectivity of the microgel assay in real samples, MCF7 cells were considered where the pool of 8 other miRNAs were further upregulated with respect to miRNA 103-3p. In such complex environments, microgels assay selectively detects the miRNA target, mainly due to MB advanced stability and specificity as well as high microgel antifouling properties. These results show the reliability of microgels assay to detect miRNAs in real samples