The Floodplain Fiasco

Flooding has long been a source of hardship for the people who work and live near bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, and streams. The United States has not been an exception. Only in recent decades has the United States taken proactive steps in an effort to mitigate the damage associated with flooding. These proactive measures predict the areas of the United States that flood, and require that people who live within those areas to purchase flood insurance. These predictions are in the form of a nationwide system of maps. Until recently, flood insurance was offered to affected property owners at a reduced rate. The nationwide system of maps indicate the potential limits of flooding however these maps are plagued by systematic errors, which reduce their accuracy to the point where the flooding limits indicated on the maps are almost, if not completely, meaningless. These errors are caused by the use of stormwater runoff rates that are based on existing conditions, the use of computer technology that cannot accurately model the effects of structures impeding the flow of stormwater, and the use of survey equipment that does not accurately model the terrain that forms the basis of these limits of inundation. For these reasons, the proposition of this Article is that the way flood insurance is managed should be changed. This Article also proposes several possible solutions to the problem of flood inundation mapping

Steric and electronic control of an ultrafast isomerization.

Synthetic control of the influence of steric and electronic factors on the ultrafast (picosecond) isomerization of penta-coordinate ruthenium dithietene complexes (Ru((CF3)2C2S2)(CO)(L)2, where L = a monodentate phosphine ligand) is reported. Seven new ruthenium dithietene complexes were prepared and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complexes are all square pyramidal and differ only in the axial vs. equatorial coordination of the carbonyl ligand. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to study the ν(CO) bandshapes of the complexes in solution, and these reveal rapid exchange between two or three isomers of each complex. Isomerization is proposed to follow a Berry psuedorotation-like mechanism where a metastable, trigonal bipyramidal (TBP) intermediate is observed spectroscopically. Electronic tuning of the phosphine ligands L = PPh3, P((p-Me)Ph)3, ((p-Cl)Ph)3, at constant cone angle is found to have little effect on the kinetics or thermodynamic stabilities of the axial, equatorial and TBP isomers of the differently substituted complexes. Steric tuning of the phosphine ligands over a range of phosphine cone angles (135 < θ < 165°) has a profound impact on the isomerization process, and in the limit of greatest steric bulk, the axial isomer is not observable. Temperature dependence of the FTIR spectra was used to obtain the relative thermodynamic stabilities of the different isomers of each of the seven ruthenium dithietene complexes. This study details how ligand steric effects can be used to direct the solution state dynamics on the picosecond time scale of discrete isomers energetically separated by <2.2 kcal mol-1. This work provides the most detailed description to date of ultrafast isomerization in the ground states of transition metal complexes

Are glucose profiles well-controlled within the targets recommended by the International Diabetes Federation in type 2 diabetes? A meta-analysis of results from continuous glucose monitoring based studies

AIMS: To assess continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) derived intra-day glucose profiles using global guideline for type 2 diabetes recommended by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). METHODS: The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL and Science Direct were searched to identify observational studies reporting intra-day glucose profiles using CGM in people with type 2 diabetes on any anti-diabetes agents. Overall and subgroup analyses were conducted to summarise mean differences between reported glucose profiles (fasting glucose, pre-meal glucose, postprandial glucose and post-meal glucose spike/excursion) and the IDF targets. RESULTS: Twelve observational studies totalling 731 people were included. Pooled fasting glucose (0.81 mmol/L, 95% CI, 0.53-1.09 mmol/L), postprandial glucose after breakfast (1.63 mmol/L, 95% CI, 0.79-2.48 mmol/L) and post-breakfast glucose spike (1.05 mmol/L, 95% CI, 0.13-1.96 mmol/L) were significantly higher than the IDF targets. Pre-lunch glucose, pre-dinner glucose and postprandial glucose after lunch and dinner were above the IDF targets but not significantly. Subgroup analysis showed significantly higher fasting glucose and postprandial glucose after breakfast in all groups: HbA1c <7% and ≥7% (53 mmol/mol) and duration of diabetes <10 years and ≥10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Independent of HbA1c, fasting glucose and postprandial glucose after breakfast are not well-controlled in type 2 diabetes

Feasibility of Wastewater Reuse at the National Spinning Company, Inc., Washington, North Carolina

The reuse of municipal wastewater is becoming increasingly popular in many areas of the United States, especially those areas where clean, fresh water is in high demand. Reclaimed wastewater can be a valuable resource in applications where less than potable water quality is sufficient. The City of Washington, North Carolina and the National Spinning Company, Inc. are considering a unique wastewater reuse scheme. Upon upgrading of the wastewater facility at the City of Washington with a denitrification filter, it is proposed that 1.3 million gallons per day (mgd) of tertiary treated wastewater be routed for use as process water in textile dyeing operations. The reclaimed wastewater would be stored at two abandoned City of Washington clearwells prior to use by National Spinning Company. A pilot-plant was constructed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to simulate the City of Washington treatment plant upgrade and the present process water treatment scheme at the National Spinning Company (a ground water source). Several large grab samples of City wastewater were collected and processed through the pilot-plant. The reclaimed water was analyzed to determine the feasibility for use as process water. The results indicated that the reclaimed wastewater is of very high quality based on conventional measures (COD, BOD, and TOC); however, regrowth of microorganisms during storage of the reclaimed water is expected. The addition of a strong oxidant would likely reduce this regrowth. In addition, the reclaimed wastewater has the potential to stain the National Spinning Company fabrics. Applying a standard treatment scheme of coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation to the stored water appears to significantly reduce the staining; however, some staining potential is still evident.Master of Science in Environmental Engineerin

The Very Short Period M Dwarf Binary SDSS J001641-000925

We present follow-up observations and analysis of the recently discovered short period low-mass eclipsing binary, SDSS J001641-000925. With an orbital period of 0.19856 days, this system has one of the shortest known periods for an M dwarf binary system. Medium-resolution spectroscopy and multi-band photometry for the system are presented. Markov chain Monte Carlo modeling of the light curves and radial velocities yields estimated masses for the stars of M1 = 0.54 +/- 0.07 Msun and M2 = 0.34 +/- 0.04 Msun, and radii of R1 = 0.68 +/- 0.03 Rsun and R2 = 0.58 +/- 0.03 Rsun respectively. This solution places both components above the critical Roche overfill limit, providing strong evidence that SDSS J001641-000925 is the first verified M-dwarf contact binary system. Within the follow-up spectroscopy we find signatures of non-solid body rotation velocities, which we interpret as evidence for mass transfer or loss within the system. In addition, our photometry samples the system over 9 years, and we find strong evidence for period decay at the rate of dP/dt ~8 s/yr. Both of these signatures raise the intriguing possibility that the system is in over-contact, and actively losing angular momentum, likely through mass loss. This places SDSS J001641-000925 as not just the first M-dwarf over-contact binary, but one of the few systems of any spectral type known to be actively undergoing coalescence. Further study SDSS J001641-000925 is on-going to verify the nature of the system, which may prove to be a unique astrophysical laboratory.Comment: 11 figures, ApJ Accepte

Reddening and Extinction Toward the Galactic Bulge from OGLE-III: The Inner Milky Way's Rv ~ 2.5 Extinction Curve

We combine VI photometry from OGLE-III with VVV and 2MASS measurements of E(J-K_{s}) to resolve the longstanding problem of the non-standard optical extinction toward the Galactic bulge. We show that the extinction is well-fit by the relation A_{I} = 0.7465*E(V-I) + 1.3700*E(J-K_{s}), or, equivalently, A_{I} = 1.217*E(V-I)(1+1.126*(E(J-K_{s})/E(V-I)-0.3433)). The optical and near-IR reddening law toward the inner Galaxy approximately follows an R_{V} \approx 2.5 extinction curve with a dispersion {\sigma}_{R_{V}} \approx 0.2, consistent with extragalactic investigations of the hosts of type Ia SNe. Differential reddening is shown to be significant on scales as small as as our mean field size of 6', with the 1{\sigma} dispersion in reddening averaging 9% of total reddening for our fields. The intrinsic luminosity parameters of the Galactic bulge red clump (RC) are derived to be (M_{I,RC}, \sigma_{I,RC,0}, (V-I)_{RC,0}, \sigma_{(V-I)_{RC}}, (J-K_{s})_{RC,0}) = (-0.12, 0.09, 1.06, 0.121, 0.66). Our measurements of the RC brightness, brightness dispersion and number counts allow us to estimate several Galactic bulge structural parameters. We estimate a distance to the Galactic center of 8.20 kpc, resolving previous discrepancies in distance determinations to the bulge based on I-band observations. We measure an upper bound on the tilt {\alpha} \approx 40{\deg}. between the bar's major axis and the Sun-Galactic center line of sight, though our brightness peaks are consistent with predictions of an N-body model oriented at {\alpha} \approx 25{\deg}. The number of RC stars suggests a total stellar mass for the Galactic bulge of 2.0*10^{10} M_{\odot}, if one assumes a Salpeter IMF.Comment: 61 Pages, 21 Figures, 4 Tables, Submitted to The Astrophysical Journal and modified as per a referee report. Includes reddening, reddening law, differential reddening, mean distance, dispersion in distance, surface density of stars and errors thereof for ~9,000 bulge sightlines. For a brief video explaining the key result of this paper, see http://www.youtube.com/user/OSUAstronom

An eclipsing binary distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud accurate to 2 per cent

In the era of precision cosmology it is essential to determine the Hubble Constant with an accuracy of 3% or better. Currently, its uncertainty is dominated by the uncertainty in the distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) which as the second nearest galaxy serves as the best anchor point of the cosmic distance scale. Observations of eclipsing binaries offer a unique opportunity to precisely and accurately measure stellar parameters and distances. The eclipsing binary method was previously applied to the LMC but the accuracy of the distance results was hampered by the need to model the bright, early-type systems used in these studies. Here, we present distance determinations to eight long-period, late- type eclipsing systems in the LMC composed of cool giant stars. For such systems we can accurately measure both the linear and angular sizes of their components and avoid the most important problems related to the hot early-type systems. Our LMC distance derived from these systems is demonstrably accurate to 2.2 % (49.97 +/- 0.19 (statistical) +/- 1.11 (systematic) kpc) providing a firm base for a 3 % determination of the Hubble Constant, with prospects for improvement to 2 % in the future.Comment: 34 pages, 5 figures, 13 tables, published in the Nature, a part of our data comes from new unpublished OGLE-IV photometric dat