The International Urban Energy Balance Comparison Project: Initial Results from Phase 2.

Many urban land surface schemes have been developed, incorporating different assumptions about the features of, and processes occurring at, the surface. Here, the first results from Phase 2 of an international comparison are presented. Evaluation is based on analysis of the last 12 months of a 15 month dataset. In general, the schemes have best overall capability to model net all-wave radiation. The models that perform well for one flux do not necessarily perform well for other fluxes. Generally there is better performance for net all wave radiation than sensible heat flux. The degree of complexity included in the models is outlined, and impacts on model performance are discussed in terms of the data made available to modellers at four successive stages

Tilings, Chern-Simons Theories and M2 Branes

A new infinite class of Chern-Simons theories is presented using brane tilings. The new class reproduces all known cases so far and introduces many new models that are dual to M2 brane theories which probe a toric non-compact CY 4-fold. The master space of the quiver theory is used as a tool to construct the moduli space for this class and the Hilbert Series is computed for a selected set of examples.Comment: 23 pages, minor changes, references adde

Digital measurement of lightning impulse parameters using curving fitting algorithms

This paper describes the application of curve fitting algorithms to aid the evaluation of lightning impulse parameters. A number of popular curve fitting algorithms have been evaluated and compared. Investigations using the genetic algorithm and other optimisation methods for the purpose of curve fitting have also been carried out and will be described

Stimulation of granulocytic colony formation in agar diffusion chambers implanted in cyclophosphamide pretreated mice.

The growth of mouse bone marrow colonies in agar diffusion chambers (ADCs) was evaluated using host mice injected with saline or with cyclophosphamide (CY) before chamber insertion. The mice pretreated with cyclophosphamide proved more effective hosts than control (saline pretreated) mice, indicating that cyclophosphamide causes the elaboration of a stimulating factor acting on colony precursor cells. Assays of the factor for colony stimulating activity against mouse bone marrow cells in agar culture in vitro suggest that potentiation may be due to a slight temporary increase in the level of colony stimulating factor (CSF) in the chamber environment, although a parallel increase was not detected in the serum. Stem cell recovery from the ADCs, measured by spleen colony formation, suggests that the stimulus may act by increasing differentiation at the level of the pluripotential stem cell

Reduced lethality in mice receiving a combined dose of cyclophosphamide and busulphan.

Animals treated with a sufficiently high dose of busulphan die about 14 days later from bone marrow failure. A single, appropriately timed injection of cyclophosphamide can save these mice. The nature of this protection is shown to be the cyclophosphamide induced elaboration of a humoral factor which stimulates haemopoietic recovery

The Potential to Address Disease Vectors in Favelas in Brazil Using Sustainable Drainage Systems:Zika, Drainage and Greywater Management

Residents of informal settlements, the world over, suffer consequences due to the lack of drainage and greywater management, impacting human and environmental health. In Brazil, the presence of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in urban areas promotes infections of the Zika virus as well as companion viruses, such as dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever. By using observation and interviews with the community, this paper shows how a simple sustainable drainage system approach could prevent the accumulation of on-street standing water, and thus reduce opportunities for the mosquito to breed and reduce infection rates. During the interview phase, it became apparent that underlying misinformation and misunderstandings prevail related to existing environmental conditions in favelas and the role of the mosquito in infecting residents. This inhibits recommendations made by professionals to reduce breeding opportunities for the disease vector. Whilst unrest is an issue in favelas, it is not the only issue preventing the human right to reliable, safe sanitation, including drainage. In “pacified” favelas which may be considered safe(r), the infrastructure is still poor and is not connected to the city-wide sanitation/treatment networks

Why faecal sludge management matters and what needs to be done to serve poor communities better

This paper outlines findings and recommendations of a faecal sludge management (FSM) study in 12 cities, and looks at the need for FSM in poor communities. The study used secondary data from 12 cities in low and middle-income countries, to assess the institutional context and estimate outcomes in terms of safely managed faecal sludge. None of the cities managed faecal sludge effectively, although performance varied. Where the cities do address faecal sludge the solutions are partial, and tend to focus on sewerage systems which serve a minority. FSM requires strong city-level oversight and an enabling environment that drives coordinated actions along the sanitation service chain; and this was largely absent. This paper also looks at the sanitation services used by poor people and the FSM services they need, to provide an understanding of priority FSM challenges and as a means to identify solutions