An example of debris-flows hazard modeling using GIS

International audienceWe present a GIS-based model for predicting debris-flows occurrence. The availability of two different digital datasets and the use of a Digital Elevation Model (at a given scale) have greatly enhanced our ability to quantify and to analyse the topography in relation to debris-flows. In particular, analysing the relationship between debris-flows and the various causative factors provides new understanding of the mechanisms. We studied the contact zone between the calcareous basement and the fluvial-lacustrine infill adjacent northern area of the Terni basin (Umbria, Italy), and identified eleven basins and corresponding alluvial fans. We suggest that accumulations of colluvium in topographic hollows, whatever the sources might be, should be considered potential debris-flow source areas. In order to develop a susceptibility map for the entire area, an index was calculated from the number of initiation locations in each causative factor unit divided by the areal extent of that unit within the study area. This index identifies those units that produce the most debris-flows in each Representative Elementary Area (REA). Finally, the results are presented with the advantages and the disadvantages of the approach, and the need for further research

Estimating hurricane hazards using a GIS system

Abstract. This paper develops a GIS-based integrated approach to the Multi-Hazard model method, with reference to hurricanes. This approach has three components: data integration, hazard assessment and score calculation to estimate elements at risk such as affected area and affected population. First, spatial data integration issues within a GIS environment, such as geographical scales and data models, are addressed. Particularly, the integration of physical parameters and population data is achieved linking remotely sensed data with a high resolution population distribution in GIS. In order to assess the number of affected people, involving heterogeneous data sources, the selection of spatial analysis units is basic. Second, specific multi-hazard tasks, such as hazard behaviour simulation and elements at risk assessment, are composed in order to understand complex hazard and provide support for decision making. Finally, the paper concludes that the integrated approach herein presented can be used to assist emergency management of hurricane consequences, in theory and in practice.</p

Allostimulation of patients' lymphocytes generates both T and NK-like cells cytotoxic for autologous melanoma.

Killing of autologous melanoma (auto-Me) was obtained with pooled allostimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) in 34/42 cases and found not to be due to a cross-reactivity between melanoma and allogeneic normal antigens. To see whether generation of tumour cytotoxic PBL by allostimulation was due to release of IL-2, PBL from 34 patients were divided into two aliquots and stimulated either by alloantigens or IL-2. Allostimulated PBL were cytotoxic for auto-Me in 30/34 cases (85%) whereas IL-2 generated tumour cytotoxic cells in 22/34 cases (64%). Lysis of K562, a target for monitoring NK-like activity, was obtained in 95-100% of cases with both stimuli. A similar frequency of OKT3+, OKT4+, OKT8+ and HNK1+ cells was found in PBL activated by allostimulation and IL-2, whereas a higher frequency of OKM1+ cells was evident in IL-2-stimulated PBL. Cold-target competition studies indicated that allostimulation generated at least two different types of effectors, one lytic to auto-Me but not to K562, and the other which lysed both targets. Allostimulated, FACS-separated T3- cells killed both auto-Me and K562 cells whereas T3+ cells lysed only auto-Me. It is concluded that allostimulation generated two subpopulations of auto-Me killer cells, one of the T lineage and the other NK-like, which both can destroy auto-Me targets

On the feasibility of the use of wind SAR to downscale waves on shallow water

n recent years, wave reanalyses have become popular as a powerful source of information for wave climate research and engineering applications. These wave reanalyses provide continuous time series of offshore wave parameters; nevertheless, in coastal areas or shallow water, waves are poorly described because spatial resolution is not detailed. By means of wave downscaling, it is possible to increase spatial resolution in high temporal coverage simulations, using forcing from wind and offshore wave databases. Meanwhile, the reanalysis wave databases are enough to describe the wave climate at the limit of simulations; wind reanalyses at an adequate spatial resolution to describe the wind structure near the coast are not frequently available. Remote sensing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has the ability to detect sea surface signatures and estimate wind fields at high resolution (up to 300?m) and high frequency. In this work a wave downscaling is done on the northern Adriatic Sea, using a hybrid methodology and global wave and wind reanalysis as forcing. The wave fields produced were compared to wave fields produced with SAR winds that represent the two dominant wind regimes in the area: the bora (ENE direction) and sirocco (SE direction). Results show a good correlation between the waves forced with reanalysis wind and SAR wind. In addition, a validation of reanalysis is shown. This research demonstrates how Earth observation products, such as SAR wind fields, can be successfully up-taken into oceanographic modeling, producing similar downscaled wave fields when compared to waves forced with reanalysis wind

In vitro multistage malaria transmission blocking activity of selected malaria box compounds

Purpose: Continuous efforts into the discovery and development of new antimalarials are required to face the emerging resistance of the parasite to available treatments. Thus, new effective drugs, ideally able to inhibit the Plasmodium life-cycle stages that cause the disease as well as those responsible for its transmission, are needed. Eight compounds from the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Malaria Box, potentially interfering with the parasite polyamine biosynthesis were selected and assessed in vitro for activity against malaria transmissible stages, namely mature gametocytes and early sporogonic stages. Methods: Compound activity against asexual blood stages of chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 and chloroquine-resistant W2 strains of Plasmodium falciparum was tested measuring the parasite lactate dehydrogenase activity. The gametocytocidal effect was determined against the P. falciparum 3D7elo1-pfs16-CBG99 strain with a luminescent method. The murine P. berghei CTRP.GFP strain was employed to assess compounds activities against early sporogonic stage development in an in vitro assay simulating mosquito midgut conditions. Results: Among the eight tested molecules, MMV000642, MMV000662 and MMV006429, containing a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-4-carboxamide chemical skeleton substituted at N-2, C-3 and C-4, displayed multi-stage activity. Activity against asexual blood stages of both strains was confirmed with values of IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) in the range of 0.07\u20130.13 \ub5M. They were also active against mature stage V gametocytes with IC50 values below 5 \ub5M (range: 3.43\u20134.42 \ub5M). These molecules exhibited moderate effects on early sporogonic stage development, displaying IC50 values between 20 and 40 \ub5M. Conclusion: Given the multi-stage, transmission-blocking profiles of MMV000642, MMV000662, MMV006429, and their chemical characteristics, these compounds can be considered worthy for further optimisation toward a TCP5 or TCP6 target product profile proposed by MMV for transmission-blocking antimalarials

Involvement of chromosome 6 in endometrial cancer.

Cytogenetic investigation was performed on direct preparations of 15 endometrial cancers showing different histotypes. Clonal abnormalities were found in 11 out of 13 analysable cases. The modal chromosome number was near diploid in all cases. The abnormal karyotypes contained relatively simple numerical or structural aberrations in the majority of tumours. In contrast, two neoplasms with serous papillary and mixed mullerian morphological features shared multiple complex changes as well as cytogenetic evidence of intratumoral heterogeneity. The most frequent chromosome abnormality in our series of endometrial neoplasms was 6q deletion, which was detected in serous papillary, endometrioid and mixed mullerian tumours. The loss of the 6q region, which is also frequently involved in ovarian carcinoma, suggests a relationship between endometrial and ovarian cancers based on a common histogenesis

Spatial and Temporal Dust Source Variability in Northern China Identified Using Advanced Remote Sensing Analysis

The aim of this research is to provide a detailed characterization of spatial patterns and temporal trends in the regional and local dust source areas within the desert of the Alashan Prefecture (Inner Mongolia, China). This problem was approached through multi-scale remote sensing analysis of vegetation changes. The primary requirements for this regional analysis are high spatial and spectral resolution data, accurate spectral calibration and good temporal resolution with a suitable temporal baseline. Landsat analysis and field validation along with the low spatial resolution classifications from MODIS and AVHRR are combined to provide a reliable characterization of the different potential dust-producing sources. The representation of intra-annual and inter-annual Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) trend to assess land cover discrimination for mapping potential dust source using MODIS and AVHRR at larger scale is enhanced by Landsat Spectral Mixing Analysis (SMA). The combined methodology is to determine the extent to which Landsat can distinguish important soils types in order to better understand how soil reflectance behaves at seasonal and inter-annual timescales. As a final result mapping soil surface properties using SMA is representative of responses of different land and soil cover previously identified by NDVI trend. The results could be used in dust emission models even if they are not reflecting aggregate formation, soil stability or particle coatings showing to be critical for accurately represent dust source over different regional and local emitting areas

In vitro multistage malaria transmission blocking activity of selected Malaria Box compounds

Purpose: Continuous efforts into the discovery and development of new antimalarials are required to face the emerging resistance of the parasite to available treatments. Thus, new effective drugs, ideally able to inhibit the Plasmodium life-cycle stages that cause the disease as well as those responsible for its transmission, are needed. Eight compounds from the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Malaria Box, potentially interfering with the parasite polyamine biosynthesis were selected and assessed in vitro for activity against malaria transmissible stages, namely mature gametocytes and early sporogonic stages. Methods: Compound activity against asexual blood stages of chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 and chloroquine-resistant W2 strains of Plasmodium falciparum was tested measuring the parasite lactate dehydrogenase activity. The gametocytocidal effect was determined against the P. falciparum 3D7elo1-pfs16-CBG99 strain with a luminescent method. The murine P. berghei CTRP.GFP strain was employed to assess compounds activities against early sporogonic stage development in an in vitro assay simulating mosquito midgut conditions. Results: Among the eight tested molecules, MMV000642, MMV000662 and MMV006429, containing a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-4-carboxamide chemical skeleton substituted at N-2, C-3 and C-4, displayed multi-stage activity. Activity against asexual blood stages of both strains was confirmed with values of IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) in the range of 0.07-0.13 µM. They were also active against mature stage V gametocytes with IC50 values below 5 µM (range: 3.43-4.42 µM). These molecules exhibited moderate effects on early sporogonic stage development, displaying IC50 values between 20 and 40 µM. Conclusion: Given the multi-stage, transmission-blocking profiles of MMV000642, MMV000662, MMV006429, and their chemical characteristics, these compounds can be considered worthy for further optimisation toward a TCP5 or TCP6 target product profile proposed by MMV for transmission-blocking antimalarials

Vygotsky and its critics : philosophy and rationality

New enantiomerically pure 1,2,4-trioxepanes 10a,b/11a,b were synthesized from d-glucose. Their conformational behavior was studied by low-temperature NMR and substantiated by DFT calculations. On evaluation of in vitro antimalarial activity, the adamantyl derivative 11b showed IC50 values in the low micromolar range, particularly against the W2 chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strain (IC50 = 0.15 \ub1 0.12 \u3bcM)