Fresco: intangible heritage as a key to unlocking the links between the conservation of biological and cultural diversity in Alamos

Daan Hoekstra 국립민속박물관 2010 International Journal of Intangible Heritage Vol.5 No.-

Alamos, Sonora, Mexico contains world-class heritage andis on the tentative list for World Heritage status. Thecolonial architecture in the town centre has been declareda National Historic Monument and a unique eco-system ofincomparable biodiversity and is protected underUNESCO’s network of biosphere reserves. Local indigenousgroups keep alive a wealth of information about practicaland medicinal uses of plant species. External forces threaten the natural, cultural and intangibleheritage of the region. The UNESCO guidelines for identifying and clarifying bioculturaldiversity call for multiple regimes of credibility andan interdisciplinary,holistic approach. This paper exploreslinks between biological and cultural diversity seen throughthe lens of the global intangible tradition called frescopainting. An artist’s perspective identifies previouslyunnoticed connections as well as economic alternatives todestructive land-use patterns, resulting in concreteproposals for the conservation of natural, cultural andintangible heritage in Alamos. Fresco is an ideal model for explaining how an intangibletradition expresses itself and positively impacts on bioculturaldiversity at global, regional and local levels. Themodel answers UNESCO’s call for frameworks andmethodologies for recognising and describing theinterdependence of nature and culture, and leads to anunderstanding of the quantitative value of diversity.

Enhanced remote-sensing scale for wind damage assessment

Jianjun Luo,Daan Liang,Cagdas Kafali,Ruilong Li,Tanya M. Brown 한국풍공학회 2014 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.19 No.3

This study has developed an Enhanced Remote-Sensing (ERS) scale to improve the accuracy and efficiency of using remote-sensing images of residential building to predict their damage conditions. The new scale, by incorporating multiple damage states observable on remote-sensing imagery, substantially reduces measurement errors and increases the amount of information retained. A ground damage survey was conducted six days after the Joplin EF 5 tornado in 2011. A total of 1,400 one- and two-family residences (FR12) were selected and their damage states were evaluated based on Degree of Damage (DOD) in the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. A subsequent remote-sensing survey was performed to rate damages with the ERS scale using high-resolution aerial imagery. Results from Ordinary Least Square regression indicate that ERS-derived damage states could reliably predict the ground level damage with 94% of variance in DOD explained by ERS. The superior performance is mainly because ERS extracts more information. The regression model developed can be used for future rapid assessment of tornado damages. In addition, this study provides strong empirical evidence for the effectiveness of the ERS scale and remote-sensing technology for assessment of damages from tornadoes and other wind events.

Reconstruction of a near-surface tornado wind field from observed building damage

Jianjun Luo,Daan Liang,Christopher Weiss 한국풍공학회 2015 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.20 No.3

In this study, residential building damage states observed from a post-tornado damage survey inJoplin after a 2011 EF 5 tornado were used to reconstruct the near-surface wind field. It was based onwell-studied relationships between Degrees of Damage (DOD) of building and wind speeds in the EnhancedFujita (EF) scale. A total of 4,166 one- or two-family residences (FR12) located in the study area wereselected and their DODs were recorded. Then, the wind speeds were estimated with the EF scale. The peakwind speed profile estimated from damage of buildings was used to fit a translating analytical vortex model. Agreement between simulated peak wind speeds and observed damages confirms the feasibility of usingpost-tornado damage surveys for reconstructing the near-surface wind field. In addition to peak wind speeds,the model can create the time history of wind speed and direction at any given point, offering opportunity tobetter understand tornado parameters and wind field structures. Future work could extend the method totornadoes of different characteristics and therefore improve model‟s generalizability.

Predicting ground-based damage states from windstorms using remote-sensing imagery

Tanya M. Brown,Daan Liang,J. Arn Womble 한국풍공학회 2012 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.15 No.5

Researchers have recently begun using high spatial resolution remote-sensing data, which are automatically captured and georeferenced, to assess damage following natural and man-made disasters, in addition to, or instead of employing the older methods of walking house-to-house for surveys, or photographing individual buildings from an airplane. This research establishes quantitative relationships between the damage states observed at ground-level, and those observed from space using high spatial resolution remote-sensing data, for windstorms, for individual site-built one- or two-family residences (FR12). “Degrees of Damage” (DOD) from the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale were determined for groundbased damage states; damage states were also assigned for remote-sensing imagery, using a modified version of Womble’s Remote-Sensing (RS) Damage Scale. The preliminary developed model can be used to predict the ground-level damage state using remote-sensing imagery, which could significantly lessen the time and expense required to assess the damage following a windstorm.

Nonresponders to Daily Paroxetine and Another SSRI in Men With Lifelong Premature Ejaculation: A Pharmacokinetic Dose-Escalation Study for a Rare Phenomenon

Paddy K.C. Janssen,Daan Touw,Dave H. Schweitzer,Marcel D. Waldinger 대한비뇨의학회 2014 Investigative and Clinical Urology Vol.55 No.9

Purpose: Nonresponse to any selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatmentis rare. In this study, we aimed to investigate ejaculation delay nonresponse to paroxetinetreatment in men with lifelong premature ejaculation (PE) who were also knownto be nonresponders to other SSRIs. Materials and Methods: Five males with lifelong PE who were known nonrespondersto paroxetine and other serotonergic antidepressants and eight males with lifelong PEwho were specifically recruited were included. Blood sampling occurred 1 month and1 day before the start of treatment and at the end of three consecutive series of 4 weeksof daily treatment with 10-, 20-, and 30-mg paroxetine, respectively. Blood samples formeasurement of leptin and paroxetine were taken at 8:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, and11:30 AM, respectively. At 9:00 AM, one tablet of 10-, 20-, or 30-mg paroxetine was takenduring the first, second, and third month, respectively. Intravaginal ejaculatory latencytime (IELT) was measured with a stopwatch. The main outcome measures were the foldincrease in the geometric mean IELT, serum leptin and paroxetine concentrations, bodymass index (BMI), 5-HT1A receptor C-1019G polymorphism, and CYP2D6 mutations. Results: Between the 7 paroxetine responders and 6 nonresponders, the fold increasein the geometric mean IELT was significantly different after daily 10-mg (p=0.003),20-mg (p=0.002), and 30-mg paroxetine (p=0.026) and ranged from 2.0 to 8.8 and from1.1 to 1.7, respectively. BMI at baseline and at the end of the study was not significantlydifferent between responders and nonresponders. Serum leptin levels at baseline weresimilar in responders and nonresponders and did not change during treatment. Theserum paroxetine concentration increased with increasing dosage and was not significantlydifferent between responders and nonresponders. There was no associationbetween the fold increase in the geometric mean IELT and serum paroxetine levels duringthe three treatment periods nor between leptin levels during the treatment periodsand serum paroxetine levels. For the 5-HT1A receptor C-1019G variation, all respondershad the CC genotype and all nonresponders had the GC genotype, respectively. Conclusions: Complete absence of paroxetine-induced ejaculation delay is presumably relatedto pharmacodynamic factors and perhaps to 5-HT1A receptor gene polymorphism.

Two-photon imaging of a magneto-fluorescent indicator for 3D optical magnetometry.

Lee, Hohjai,Brinks, Daan,Cohen, Adam E Optical Society of America 2015 Optics express Vol.23 No.21

<P>We developed an optical method to visualize the three-dimensional distribution of magnetic field strength around magnetic microstructures. We show that the two-photon-excited fluorescence of a chained donor-bridge-acceptor compound, phenanthrene-(CH₂)₁₂-O-(CH₂)₂-N,N-dimethylaniline, is sensitive to ambient magnetic field strength. A test structure is immersed in a solution of the magneto-fluorescent indicator and a custom two-photon microscope maps the fluorescence of this compound. The decay kinetics of the electronic excited state provide a measure of magnetic field that is insensitive to photobleaching, indicator concentration, or local variations in optical excitation or collection efficiency.</P>

Reconstruction of a near-surface tornado wind field from observed building damage

Luo, Jianjun,Liang, Daan,Weiss, Christopher Techno-Press 2015 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.20 No.3

In this study, residential building damage states observed from a post-tornado damage survey in Joplin after a 2011 EF 5 tornado were used to reconstruct the near-surface wind field. It was based on well-studied relationships between Degrees of Damage (DOD) of building and wind speeds in the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. A total of 4,166 one- or two-family residences (FR12) located in the study area were selected and their DODs were recorded. Then, the wind speeds were estimated with the EF scale. The peak wind speed profile estimated from damage of buildings was used to fit a translating analytical vortex model. Agreement between simulated peak wind speeds and observed damages confirms the feasibility of using post-tornado damage surveys for reconstructing the near-surface wind field. In addition to peak wind speeds, the model can create the time history of wind speed and direction at any given point, offering opportunity to better understand tornado parameters and wind field structures. Future work could extend the method to tornadoes of different characteristics and therefore improve model's generalizability.

Predicting ground-based damage states from windstorms using remote-sensing imagery

Brown, Tanya M.,Liang, Daan,Womble, J. Arn Techno-Press 2012 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.15 No.5

Researchers have recently begun using high spatial resolution remote-sensing data, which are automatically captured and georeferenced, to assess damage following natural and man-made disasters, in addition to, or instead of employing the older methods of walking house-to-house for surveys, or photographing individual buildings from an airplane. This research establishes quantitative relationships between the damage states observed at ground-level, and those observed from space using high spatial resolution remote-sensing data, for windstorms, for individual site-built one- or two-family residences (FR12). "Degrees of Damage" (DOD) from the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale were determined for ground-based damage states; damage states were also assigned for remote-sensing imagery, using a modified version of Womble's Remote-Sensing (RS) Damage Scale. The preliminary developed model can be used to predict the ground-level damage state using remote-sensing imagery, which could significantly lessen the time and expense required to assess the damage following a windstorm.

Enhanced remote-sensing scale for wind damage assessment

Luo, Jianjun,Liang, Daan,Kafali, Cagdas,Li, Ruilong,Brown, Tanya M. Techno-Press 2014 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.19 No.3

This study has developed an Enhanced Remote-Sensing (ERS) scale to improve the accuracy and efficiency of using remote-sensing images of residential building to predict their damage conditions. The new scale, by incorporating multiple damage states observable on remote-sensing imagery, substantially reduces measurement errors and increases the amount of information retained. A ground damage survey was conducted six days after the Joplin EF 5 tornado in 2011. A total of 1,400 one- and two-family residences (FR12) were selected and their damage states were evaluated based on Degree of Damage (DOD) in the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. A subsequent remote-sensing survey was performed to rate damages with the ERS scale using high-resolution aerial imagery. Results from Ordinary Least Square regression indicate that ERS-derived damage states could reliably predict the ground level damage with 94% of variance in DOD explained by ERS. The superior performance is mainly because ERS extracts more information. The regression model developed can be used for future rapid assessment of tornado damages. In addition, this study provides strong empirical evidence for the effectiveness of the ERS scale and remote-sensing technology for assessment of damages from tornadoes and other wind events.

Evaluation of shelter performance following the 2013 Moore tornado

Scott, Pataya L.,Liang, Daan Techno-Press 2015 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.21 No.4

Moore, Oklahoma was hit by an EF5 tornado on May 20, 2013. The tornado track slightly overlapped with two previous tornadoes that occurred on May 3, 1999 and May 8, 2003 respectively. A research team from Texas Tech University was deployed to investigate the performance of shelters based on observation of their post-storm conditions. Sixty-one shelter units were further documented by size, manufacturer, and date of installation if available. Then they were crossed referenced with the external databases to determine their compliance with design and construction standards by the International Code Council/National Storm Shelter Association and/or criteria from the Federal Emergency Management Agency publications. Wind intensity was estimated for each shelter location using the EF scale. Results showed a marked increase in the number of exterior underground shelters as well as the popularity of a new in-garage floor underground shelter design. All of the units provided protection for their occupants with no loss of life reported. However, one older shelter had a door failure due to neglect of maintenance. Recommendations were made to improve future performance of shelters.