Up-“Routing” Communities: Subaltern Voices Challenge Sustainable Urban Renewal in Fortaleza,Brazil

Passed in 2001, Brazil’s Estatuto da Cidade (City Statute) requires municipalities to recognize the social value of space in addition to its economic value and has been hailed as a major protection for residents of informal settlements. As Brazil was thrust onto a global stage as host to the World Cup of Soccer and 2016 Summer Olympics, how are local government city officials balancing economic and social use amidst major urban renewal processes? Drawing upon voices of informal settlement residents in Fortaleza, Brazil, we examine the impact of transportation infrastructure upgrades on informal settlements. We find that despite the right to the city espoused in the Estatuto da Cidade, residents in informal settlements continue to be socially and physically marginalized. We examine why social use protections are not halting the displacement of informal settlements and discuss emerging landscapes of local activism resulting from this contradiction.     

An eigenvalue sensitivity study of a high temperature gas-cooled reactor system

This correspondence discusses the application of an eigenvalue sensitivity method [1] to a linear, time-invariant model of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) manufactured by General Atomic. It is shown that for this type of system with distinct eigenvalues, a relation can be obtained between the solutions to the classical sensitivity. equation and the eigenvalue and eigenvector sensitivities. This relation indicates that the eigenvalue and eigenvector sensitivities are more fundamental indicators of parametric effects than the solutions of the sensitivity. equation. A Fortran program (SENSIT) was developed to implement the algorithms required for eigenvalue sensitivity calculations. This program was applied to a large scale (58 state) linear, time invariant model of the HTGR operating under closed-loop control.     

Reverse osmosis desalination: Water sources, technology, and today's challenges

Reverse osmosis membrane technology has developed over the past 40 years to a 44% share in world desalting production capacity, and an 80% share in the total number of desalination plants installed worldwide. The use of membrane desalination has increased as materials have improved and costs have decreased. Today, reverse osmosis membranes are the leading technology for new desalination installations, and they are applied to a variety of salt water resources using tailored pretreatment and membrane system design. Two distinct branches of reverse osmosis desalination have emerged: seawater reverse osmosis and brackish water reverse osmosis. Differences between the two water sources, including foulants, salinity, waste brine (concentrate) disposal options, and plant location, have created significant differences in process development, implementation, and key technical problems. Pretreatment options are similar for both types of reverse osmosis and depend on the specific components of the water source. Both brackish water and seawater reverse osmosis (RO) will continue to be used worldwide; new technology in energy recovery and renewable energy, as well as innovative plant design, will allow greater use of desalination for inland and rural communities, while providing more affordable water for large coastal cities. A wide variety of research and general information on RO desalination is available; however, a direct comparison of seawater and brackish water RO systems is necessary to highlight similarities and differences in process development. This article brings to light key parameters of an RO process and process modifications due to feed water characteristics.     

Vibration-resistant direct-phase-detecting optical interferometers

Two dual-beam differential direct-phase-detecting optical interferometers for scanning moving surfaces are described. Two beams from these interferometers are focused ~42 mum apart on moving surfaces, and the difference in their reflected path lengths is measured to provide the surface roughness measurement. These interferometers are exceptionally insensitive to environmental vibrations and to surface physical and chemical factors. Applications discussed include the measurement of the surface roughness of a rotating cylinder and a moving web.     

In vivo pharmacology of an angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonist with balanced affinity for AT2 receptors

L-163,017 (6-[benzoylamino]-7-methyl-2-propyl-3-[[2'-(N-(3-methyl-1-butoxy) carbonylaminosulfonyl)[1,1']-biphenyl-4-yl]methyl]-3H-imidazo[4,5- b]pyridine) is a potent, orally active, nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonist. Conscious rats and dogs were dosed p.o. and i.v.; in both species the plasma bioequivalents are similar at the angiotensin AT1 and AT2 receptor sites indicating balanced activity is maintained in vivo. L-163,017 prevents the pressor response to intravenous (i.v.) angiotensin II in the conscious rat, dog, and rhesus monkey. L-163,017 also significantly reduces blood pressure in a renin-dependent model of hypertension, similar to an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (Enalapril) and an angiotensin AT1 receptor-selective antagonist (L-159,282). These studies indicate that neither the angiotensin AT2 receptor nor bradykinin is important in the acute antihypertensive activity of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor antagonists.     

Collagen research in the 1970s

The specialty of collagen research is tracked over a ten year period, 1970–1979, using the methodology of co-citation cluster strings. Independently obtained annual clusters are linked together over time by the percentage of highly cited documents countinuing from year to year. All inter-year links are clustered by single-linkage to form the strings, one of which corresponds to the collagen specialty. Maps of the individual year clusters within the string reveal an alternating pattern of expansion/innovation followed by contraction/consolidation. At the same time the subject focus of research gradually shifts. The institutional affiliation and funding sources for highly cited documents show a trend from early dominance by a few institutions and sources to a multiplicity and collaboration of centers and sources later on, due in part to the migration of researchers from an initially dominant institution.     

Protein focusing in a conductivity gradient

Conductivity gradient focusing (CGF) is one member of a family of gradient focusing techniques, characterized by two opposing forces which produce a dynamic equilibrium and which are able to simultaneously separate and concentrate proteins. In CGF, the two counteracting forces result from a constant convective flow of buffer opposed by an electric field gradient. This gradient in the electric field is formed by gradually decreasing buffer conductivity, i.e., when a slow-moving, relatively high conductivity buffer is dialyzed against a low conductivity purge buffer. This paper presents the design of an analytical-scale CGF device and the results of several experiments with colored proteins, both in free solution and with the use of a 45 micron size-exclusion (SEC) packing to decrease dispersion. Experimental results with hemoglobin suggest that CGF may one day be capable of resolving proteins with small charge differences. A linear computer model of conductivity gradient focusing is derived, and some suggestions are made for further development of this new electrophoretic method.     

The influence of short-term firefighting activity on information processing performance

This study examined the following: effects of simulated firefighting (FF) activities under heat stress on sustained attention; whether incident rehabilitation (IR) influences performance; and relationships between performance, affect and personality. Firefighters performed ～18 min of FF. Attention, physiological, perceptual and psychological assessments were made before and after FF, IR and recovery. IR had no effects. Self-rated Energy increased, Tiredness decreased and Anxiety increased immediately post-FF; all returned to baseline 120 min post. The immediate effect of FF was faster reaction time (RT) followed by slowing after recovery. Perceived Energy at baseline was associated (p-values < 0.05) with faster and Tiredness with slower post-FF RTs; Accuracy was unaffected. Conscientiousness was negatively associated with RT before and 120 min following FF. RTs were faster following FF, accuracy was unchanged. Higher baseline Energy/lower Tiredness were associated with faster, less variable RTs at baseline and post-FF. Those with higher Conscientiousness had faster RTs. Research should further investigate higher-level cognitive processing following, or ideally during, FF.     

Electrophysiological localization of brain regions involved in perceptual memory

In activated macrophages the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (i-NOS) generates high amounts of toxic mediator, nitric oxide (NO) which contributes to the circulatory failure associated with septic shock. A sesquiterpene lactone compound (yomogin) isolated from medicinal plant Artemisia princeps Pampan inhibited the production of NO in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells by suppressing i-NOS enzyme expression. Thus, yomogin may be a useful candidate for the development of new drugs to treat endotoxemia and inflammation accompanied by the overproduction of NO.