Review of \u3cem\u3eWhat Every Environmentalist Needs to Know About Capitalism: A Citizen\u27s Guide to Capitalism and the Environment.\u3c/em\u3e Fred Magdoff and John Bellamy Foster. Reviewed by Paul Saba.

Book review of Fred Magdoff and John Bellamy Foster, What Every Environmentalist Needs to Know About Capitalism: A Citizen\u27s Guide to Capitalism and the Environment. (2011). Monthly Review Press. $13.95 (paperback)

Wearable Near Infrared Spectroscopy for Noninvasive Assessment of Cerebral Oxygenation in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease

About 1 out of every 13 African American infants are born with the Sickle Cell Trait. Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) has a profound effect on the brain due to chronic anemia and abnormal perfusion. Indeed, the risk of stroke is 300 times higher than the general population. Assessment of cerebral oxygenation in SCD is important to screen the risk of stroke and monitoring of therapeutic effects. To address this need, the technical solution that we propose is a photonic device using functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) that noninvasively measures oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) and deoxyhemoglobin (deoxy-Hb) levels in the bloodstream. We have built our prototype fNIRS device that consists of an ESP-32 microcontroller with a built-in Digital to Analog and Analog to Digital converter channels (DAC and ADC), three Operational Amplifiers (two AD8655 and one OPA363), two LEDs for emitting light into the skin tissue, and a Photodiode for measuring the remitted light intensity. Oxy-Hb has a higher absorption rate at lower wavelengths, while deoxy-Hb has a higher absorption rate at higher wavelengths. Thus, we use 650 nm and 950nm wavelengths to accurately measure oxy-Hb and deoxy-Hb. Using the Beer-Lambert law, we can determine the changes in oxygenation between the two. We are currently conducting performance tests on a set of optical phantoms mimicking biological tissue optical properties. This bench-top verification demonstrates that our prototype can noninvasively track the changes of tissue oxygenation level and will be ready for further validation on human subjects in the future

Power transformer model in railway applications based on bond graph and parameter identification

Validation and verification are the most important issues in railway applications due to cost and security reasons. Therefore, having a model of the system would be necessary in this case. Due to non-ideal test conditions in industrial applications, an accurate parameter identification process has to be defined. In this paper, bond graph method is used to model energy exchanges within components of a traction chain. More precisely, the non-linear transformer model and its parameter identification is studied. In the case of non-ideal test conditions, the usual Jiles-Atherton parameter identification procedure can not be performed. Regarding state of the art, the Jiles-Atherton parameter identification is discussed. It is highlighted that an uncomplete hysteresis cycle, including extremum point and coercive field are mandatory for an accurate parameter identification. The proposed identification process is applied to a real application case. The obtained parameters are then inserted into the overall system model. The consecutive simulations are compared to experimental data obtained through traction chain test bench

Understanding inclusion in collaborative governance: a mixed methods approach

Who should be included in collaborative governance and how they should be included is an important topic, though the dynamics of inclusion are not yet well understood. We propose a conceptual model to shape the empirical analysis of what contributes to inclusion in collaborative processes. We propose that incentives, mutual interdependence and trust are important preconditions of inclusion, but that active inclusion management also matters a great deal. We also hypothesize that inclusion is strategic, with ‘selective activation’ of participants depending on functional and pragmatic choices. Drawing on cases from the Collaborative Governance Case Databank, we used a mixed method approach to analyse our model. We found support for the model, and particularly for the central importance of active inclusion management.Fil: Ansell, Christopher. University of California at Berkeley; Estados UnidosFil: Doberstein, Carey. University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Henderson, Hayley. The Australian National University; Australia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro de Estudios Urbanos y Regionales; ArgentinaFil: Siddiki, Saba. Syracuse University; Estados UnidosFil: ‘t Hart, Paul. Utrecht University; Países Bajo

Unleash narrowband technologies for industrial Internet of Things services

As the industrial market grows, it is becoming noticeable that there are many industrial Internet of things (IIoT) use cases for which existing technology cannot meet the huge demand of machine connectivity. For example, in the utility market, there is a strong trend to adopt new technology that can support positive business use case scenarios for efficient system operation and elaborate the dramatic increase of the services demands. Apart from this, most utility grid applications required long-range, low-power, secure, and reliable communications, which means narrowband (NB) technology can be the dominant choice. To address these challenges, this article provides a new framework architecture to enable technical decision makers to plan for NB-IIoT. Moreover, we highlight the key aspects of NB technology by focusing on the challenges, standardization, and requirements to facilitate the IIoT connectivity for industry revolutions. The motivation behind employing NB is to provide a high level of reliability, and better quality of service, and coverage. In particular, the article addresses the main applications of utility use cases under the NB umbrella, which can perform as a good bridge between utility services and the fundamental communication infrastructure. The utility use cases based on emerging technology can support the full array of smart grid services that are required for both central and distributed operation systems. Finally, the article provides connectivity solutions for potential IIoT deployment aiming to define a new roadmap for NB technology on specific industrial use cases

On Predicting the Solar Cycle using Mean-Field Models

We discuss the difficulties of predicting the solar cycle using mean-field models. Here we argue that these difficulties arise owing to the significant modulation of the solar activity cycle, and that this modulation arises owing to either stochastic or deterministic processes. We analyse the implications for predictability in both of these situations by considering two separate solar dynamo models. The first model represents a stochastically-perturbed flux transport dynamo. Here even very weak stochastic perturbations can give rise to significant modulation in the activity cycle. This modulation leads to a loss of predictability. In the second model, we neglect stochastic effects and assume that generation of magnetic field in the Sun can be described by a fully deterministic nonlinear mean-field model -- this is a best case scenario for prediction. We designate the output from this deterministic model (with parameters chosen to produce chaotically modulated cycles) as a target timeseries that subsequent deterministic mean-field models are required to predict. Long-term prediction is impossible even if a model that is correct in all details is utilised in the prediction. Furthermore, we show that even short-term prediction is impossible if there is a small discrepancy in the input parameters from the fiducial model. This is the case even if the predicting model has been tuned to reproduce the output of previous cycles. Given the inherent uncertainties in determining the transport coefficients and nonlinear responses for mean-field models, we argue that this makes predicting the solar cycle using the output from such models impossible.Comment: 22 Pages, 5 Figures, Preprint accepted for publication in Ap

High-global warming potential F-gas emissions in California: comparison of ambient-based versus inventory-based emission estimates, and implications of refined estimates.

To provide information for greenhouse gas reduction policies, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) inventories annual emissions of high-global-warming potential (GWP) fluorinated gases, the fastest growing sector of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. Baseline 2008 F-gas emissions estimates for selected chlorofluorocarbons (CFC-12), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC-22), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFC-134a) made with an inventory-based methodology were compared to emissions estimates made by ambient-based measurements. Significant discrepancies were found, with the inventory-based emissions methodology resulting in a systematic 42% under-estimation of CFC-12 emissions from older refrigeration equipment and older vehicles, and a systematic 114% overestimation of emissions for HFC-134a, a refrigerant substitute for phased-out CFCs. Initial, inventory-based estimates for all F-gas emissions had assumed that equipment is no longer in service once it reaches its average lifetime of use. Revised emission estimates using improved models for equipment age at end-of-life, inventories, and leak rates specific to California resulted in F-gas emissions estimates in closer agreement to ambient-based measurements. The discrepancies between inventory-based estimates and ambient-based measurements were reduced from -42% to -6% for CFC-12, and from +114% to +9% for HFC-134a

Identification des paramètres d’un transformateur d’un banc de test ferroviaire à échelle réelle

Cette étude aborde le problème de l’identification in situ des paramètres d’un modèle de transformateur mis en œuvre dans une chaine de traction ferroviaire. Le modèle considéré permet de rendre compte du comportement non linéaire de l’inductance magnétisante du transformateur. L’identification se base sur des données expérimentales où le cycle B(H) n’est pas considéré dans son intégralité. Des résultats expérimentaux et des simulations sont comparés afin de valider la démarche et le modèle