Information and communication technology for disaster risk management in the Caribbean: subregional solutions to the challenge of limited human resource capacity

This document was adapted from a paper originally presented to the 8th Annual Caribbean Conference of Comprehensive Disaster Management, held in Montego Bay, Jamaica in December, 2013. It summarizes several activities that ECLAC has undertaken to assess the current state of information and communications technology (ICT) in the field of disaster risk management (DRM) as practiced in the Caribbean. These activities included an in-depth study that encompassed a survey of disaster management organizations in the region, an Expert Group Meeting attended by the heads of several national disaster offices, and a training workshop for professionals working in DRM in the Caribbean. One of the notable conclusions of ECLAC’s investigation on this topic is that the lack of human capacity is the single largest constraint that is faced in the implementation of ICT projects for DRM in the Caribbean. In considering strategies to address the challenge of limited human capacity at a regional level, two separate issues are recognized – the need to increase the ICT capabilities of disaster management professionals, and the need to make ICT specialists available to disaster management organizations to advise and assist in the implementation of technology-focused projects. To that end, two models are proposed to engage with this issue at a regional level. The first entails the establishment of a network of ICT trainers in the Caribbean to help DRM staff develop a strategic understanding of how technology can be used to further their organizational goals. The second is the development of “Centres of Excellence” for ICT in the Caribbean, which would enable the deployment of specialized ICT expertise to national disaster management offices on a project-by-project basis.

Hot spots, hot moments, and spatio-temporal controls on soil CO2 efflux in a water-limited ecosystem

Soil CO2 efflux is the primary source of CO2 emissions from terrestrial ecosystems to the atmosphere. The rates of this flux vary in time and space producing hot moments (sudden temporal high fluxes) and hot spots (spatially defined high fluxes), but these high reaction rates are rarely studied in conjunction with each other. We studied temporal and spatial variation of soil CO2 efflux in a water-limited Mediterranean ecosystem in Baja California, Mexico. Soil CO2 efflux increased 522% during a hot moment after rewetting of soils following dry summer months. Monthly precipitation was the primary driver of the seasonal trend of soil CO2 efflux (including the hot moment) and through changes in soil volumetric water content (VWC) it influenced the relationship between CO2 efflux and soil temperature. Geostatistical analyses showed that the spatial dependence of soil CO2 efflux changed between two contrasting seasons (dry and wet). During the dry season high soil VWC was associated with high soil CO2 efflux, and during the wet season the emergence of a hot spot of soil CO2 efflux was associated with higher root biomass and leaf area index. These results suggest that sampling designs should accommodate for changes in spatial dependence of measured variables. The spatio-temporal relationships identified in this study are arguably different from temperate ecosystems where the majority of soil CO2 efflux research has been done. This study provides evidence of the complexity of the mechanisms controlling the spatio-temporal variability of soil CO2 efflux in water-limited ecosystems. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Avaliação cinemática em cães: revisão

Kinematics is the geometry of motion, including displacement, speed and acceleration, without considering the forces acting over a body. The use of kinematics is still very limited when we are evaluating dogs because of the high cost of the equipment, but the information obtained is objective and precise, what is essential for a trustful evaluation. Taking all this into consideration, this evaluation will describe some researches that used the method, specifying the final objective for each of them. By this analysis, we can conclude that kinematic studies, according to the characteristics of dog races, are necessary to explain how body structure and conformance may affect the function. Besides that, according to normative patterns of a population it is possible to study some diseases and treatment evolution

Assessment of CT numbers in limited and medium field-of-view scans taken using Accuitomo 170 and Veraviewepocs 3De cone-beam computed tomography scanners

To assess the influence of anatomic location on the relationship between computed tomography (CT) number and X-ray attenuation in limited and medium field-of-view (FOV) scans. Materials and Methods Tubes containing solutions with different concentrations of K2HPO4 were placed in the tooth sockets of a human head phantom. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were acquired, and CT numbers of the K2HPO4 solutions were measured. The relationship between CT number and K2HPO4 concentration was examined by linear regression analyses. Then, the variation in CT number according to anatomic location was examined. Results The relationship between K2HPO4 concentration and CT number was strongly linear. The slopes of the linear regressions for the limited FOVs were almost 2-fold lower than those for the medium FOVs. The absolute CT number differed between imaging protocols and anatomic locations. Conclusion There is a strong linear relationship between X-ray attenuation and CT number. The specific imaging protocol and anatomic location of the object strongly influence this relationship.

Kinematic analysis of forelimb and hind limb joints in clinically healthy sheep

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

On energy harvesting form time-limited excitations: simulations and case study

Linear resonant harvesters have been the most common type of generators used to scavenge energy from mechanical vibrations. When subject to harmonic excitation, good performance is achieved once the device is tuned so that its natural frequency coincides with the excitation frequency. In such a situation, the average power harvested in a cycle is proportional to the cube of the excitation frequency and inversely proportional to the suspension damping, which is sought to be very low. However, a very low damping involves a relatively long transient in the system response, where the classical formulation adopted for steady-state regimes do not hold. This paper presents an investigation into the design of a linear resonant harvester to scavenge energy from time-limited harmonic excitations involving a transient response, which could be more likely in some practical situations. An application is presented considering train-induced vibrations.

The immune system is limited by oxidative stress: dietary selenium promotes optimal antioxidative status and greatest immune defense in pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are reactive molecules containing oxygen, that form as byproducts of aerobic metabolism, including immune system processes. Too much ROS may cause oxidative stress. In this study, we examined whether it can also limit the production of immune system compounds. To assess the relationship between antioxidant status and immunity we evaluated the effect of dietary supplementation with organic selenium, given at various levels for 10 days, on the antioxidant and immune system of the pacu fish (Piaractus mesopotamicus). Fish fed a diet containing 0.6 mg Se-yeast kg(-1) showed significant improvement in antioxidant status, as well as in hematological and immunological profiles. Specifically, they had the highest counts for catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione S-transferase (GST), red blood cells, and thrombocytes; the highest leukocyte count (particularly for monocytes); and the highest serum lysozyme activity. There was also a positive correlation between GPx and lysozyme in this group of fish. These findings indicate that short-term supplementation with 0.6 mg Se-yeast kg(-1) reestablished the antioxidative status, allowing the production of innate components which can boost immunity without the risk of oxidative stress. This study shows a relationship between oxidative stress and immunity, and, from a practical perspective, shows that improving immunity and health in pacu through the administration of selenium could improve their growth performance.

Reliability and differentiation capability of dynamic and static kinematic measurements of rearfoot eversion in patellofemoral pain

Excessive rearfoot eversion is thought to be a risk factor for patellofemoral pain development, due to the kinesiological relationship with ascendant adaptations. Individuals with patellofemoral pain are often diagnosed through static clinical tests, in scientific studies and clinical practice. However, the adaptations seem to appear in dynamic conditions. Performing static vs. dynamic evaluations of widely used measures would add to the knowledge in this area. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the reliability and differentiation capability of three rearfoot eversion measures: rearfoot range of motion, static clinical test and static measurement using a three-dimensional system. A total of 29 individuals with patellofemoral pain and 25 control individuals (18-30 years) participated in this study. Each subject underwent three-dimensional motion analysis during stair climbing and static clinical tests. Intraclass correlation coefficient and standard error measurements were performed to verify the reliability of the variables and receiver operating characteristic curves to show the diagnostic accuracy of each variable. In addition, analyses of variance were performed to identify differences between groups. Rearfoot range of motion demonstrated higher diagnostic accuracy (an area under the curve score of 0.72) than static measures and was able to differentiate the groups. Only the static clinical test presented poor and moderate reliability. Other variables presented high to very high values. Rearfoot range of motion was the variable that presented the best results in terms of reliability and differentiation capability. Static variables do not seem to be related to patellofemoral pain and have low accuracy values.

Dark energy as a kinematic effect

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

On nonlinear dynamics behavior and control of a new model of a magnetically levitated vibrating system, excited by an unbalanced DC motor of limited power supply

We analyze new results on a magnetically levitated body (a block including a magnet whose bottom pole is set in such a way as to repel the upper pole of a magnetic base) excited by a non-ideal energy source (an unbalanced electric motor of limited power supply). These new results are related to the jump phenomena and increase of power required of such sources near resonance are manifestations of a non-ideal system and they are referred as the Sommerfeld effect, which emulates an energy sink. In this work, we also discuss control strategies to be applied to this system, in resonance conditions, in order to decrease its vibration amplitude and avoiding this apparent energy sink.

Complex mixed state of the Pauli-limited superconductor CeCoIn5

Magnetization measurements were performed on CeCoIn5 at temperatures down to 20 mK and magnetic fields up to 17 T applied along different crystallographic orientations. For field configurations nearly parallel to the ab plane (theta less than or similar to 40 degrees and T <= 50 mK), we have found an intriguing vortex dynamics regime revealed by a hysteretic and metastable anomalous peak effect (APE), which gives evidence of surface barrier effects enhanced by antiferromagnetic fluctuations in the mixed state of CeCoIn5. Furthermore, we have observed crossover features in the torque and magnetization traces at fields below H-c2, which are consistent with vortices lattice phase transitions and with the anomalies speculated to be the Fulde-Ferrel-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) superconducting state in CeCoIn5. All of the above features were found to be dramatically perturbed in Ce0.98Gd0.02CoIn5.

Effects of a combined strengthening, stretching and functional training program versus usual-care on gait biomechanics and foot function for diabetic neuropathy: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Polyneuropathy is a complication of diabetes mellitus that has been very challenging for clinicians. It results in high public health costs and has a huge impact on patients' quality of life. Preventive interventions are still the most important approach to avoid plantar ulceration and amputation, which is the most devastating endpoint of the disease. Some therapeutic interventions improve gait quality, confidence, and quality of life; however, there is no evidence yet of an effective physical therapy treatment for recovering musculoskeletal function and foot rollover during gait that could potentially redistribute plantar pressure and reduce the risk of ulcer formation. Methods/Design: A randomised, controlled trial, with blind assessment, was designed to study the effect of a physiotherapy intervention on foot rollover during gait, range of motion, muscle strength and function of the foot and ankle, and balance confidence. The main outcome is plantar pressure during foot rollover, and the secondary outcomes are kinetic and kinematic parameters of gait, neuropathy signs and symptoms, foot and ankle range of motion and function, muscle strength, and balance confidence. The intervention is carried out for 12 weeks, twice a week, for 40-60 min each session. The follow-up period is 24 weeks from the baseline condition. Discussion: Herein, we present a more comprehensive and specific physiotherapy approach for foot and ankle function, by choosing simple tasks, focusing on recovering range of motion, strength, and functionality of the joints most impaired by diabetic polyneuropathy. In addition, this intervention aims to transfer these peripheral gains to the functional and more complex task of foot rollover during gait, in order to reduce risk of ulceration. If it shows any benefit, this protocol can be used in clinical practice and can be indicated as complementary treatment for this disease.

Analysis of kinematic, kinetic and electromyographic patterns during root canal preparation with rotary and manual instruments

Objective: This study assessed the muscular activity during root canal preparation through kinematics, kinetics, and electromyography (EMG). Material and Methods: The operators prepared one canal with RaCe rotary instruments and another with Flexofiles. The kinematics of the major joints was reconstructed using an optoelectronic system and electromyographic responses of the flexor carpi radial's, extensor carpi radialis, brachioradialis, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, middle deltoid, and upper trapezius were recorded. The joint torques of the shoulder, elbow and wrist were calculated using inverse dynamics. In the kinematic analysis, angular movements of the wrist and elbow were classified as low risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. With respect to the shoulder, the classification was medium-risk. Results: There was no significant difference revealed by the kinetic reports. The EMG results showed that for the middle deltoid and upper trapezius the rotary instrumentation elicited higher values. The flexor carpi radialis and extensor carpi radialis, as well as the brachioradialis showed a higher value with the manual method. Conclusion: The muscular recruitment for accomplishment of articular movements for root canal preparation with either the rotary or manual techniques is distinct. Nevertheless, the rotary instrument presented less difficulty in the generation of the joint torque in each articulation, thus, presenting a greater uniformity of joint torques.

Dynamical changes from harmonic vibrations of a limited power supply driving a Duffing oscillator

The harmonic oscillations of a Duffing oscillator driven by a limited power supply are investigated as a function of the alternative strength of the rotor. The semi-trivial and non-trivial solutions are derived. We examine the stability of these solutions and then explore the complex behaviors associated with the bifurcations sequences. Interestingly, a 3D diagram provides a global view of the effects of alternate strength on the appearance of chaos and hyperchaos on the system.