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Zhou and DiRago significantly update and advance our understanding of immigrant life in Los Angeles. One primary contribution: their insistence that older models of assimilation do not likely describe the new norm and that researchers should pay careful attention to the emerging patterns revealed by the Latinization of South L.A. and the emerging ethnoburbs of the San Gabriel Valley. I suggest that a fuller picture should also take into account how the asymmetry of Black-Latino exposure problematizes a sense of "shared fate" at the regional level. I also note the key role of social movements in promoting immigrant integration in the Los Angeles metro and suggest that the polycentric nature of the region requires that these movements develop a deeper reach into immigrant-heavy suburbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides cause severe economic damage and a large number of casualties every year around the world. In many cases, it is not possible to avoid them, and the task of engineers and geologists is to mitigate their effects using measures such as building diverting structures or preparing escape roads to be used when an alarm is triggered. It is necessary, therefore, to predict the path of the landslide, its depth and velocity, and the runout. These objectives are usually are attained by using mathematical, numerical and rheological models. An important limitation of the analysis is the lack of data, specially when few laboratory tests are available, and in cases where their present important variations. This leads to performing sensitivity analyses in which analysts study the influence of several magnitudes of interest, such as friction angle, porosity, basal pore pressure and geometry of the sliding mass, just to mention a few, leading in turn to perform a large number of simulations. We propose in this paper a methodology to speed up the process, which is based on: (i) using depth integrated models, which provide a good combination of accuracy and computer effort and (ii) using artificial intelligence tools to reduce the number of simulations. Let us consider a case where we have N mag main variables to explore; for each of them we select a number of cases, which can differ from one magnitude to another. The number of cases will be where N cases (i) is the number of cases we have selected for magnitude i. We can consider these variables as nodes belonging to a hypercube of dimension N mag . We will refer from now on as "hypercube" to the set of all cases generated in this way. The paper presents two cases where these techniques will be applied: (i) a 1D dam break problem and (ii) a case of a real debris flow which happened in Hong Kong, for which there is available information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide and, when dysregulated, may cause serious complications. Losartan (LOS) blocks relevant physiological aspects of hypertension, acting mainly on the reduction of peripheral vascular resistance. Complications of hypertension include nephropathy, in which diagnosis is based on the observation of functional or structural renal dysfunction. Therefore, blood pressure control is essential to attenuate the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this study, 1H NMR metabolomics were used to differentiate hypertensive and chronic renal patients. Plasmatic levels of LOS and EXP3174, obtained by liquid chromatography coupled with mass-mass spectroscopy, were correlated with blood pressure control, biochemical markers and the metabolomic fingerprint of the groups. Some biomarkers have been correlated with key aspects of hypertension and CKD progression. For instance, higher levels of trigonelline, urea and fumaric acid were found as characteristic markers of kidney failure. In the hypertensive group, the urea levels found could indicate the onset of kidney damage when associated with uncontrolled blood pressure. In this sense, the results point to a new approach to identify CKD in early stages and may contribute to improving pharmacotherapy and reducing morbidity and mortality associated with hypertension and CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some cases, debris flow consists of low-permeability soils in which run-out distances, velocities and lateral spreading are highly influenced by pore-water pressures. Basal screens are energy dissipation structures designed to reduce these velocities and run-out distances. These structures consist of grids built on horizontal decks where basal pore pressures of debris flows are made equal to the atmospheric pressure, which increases basal friction. Once the debris flows exit the structure, basal pore pressure increases as the basal surface is impermeable again, but the values have been reduced. In order to model these phenomena, it is necessary to use debris flow simulation models considering two phases and pore-water pressures. Here, a depth-integrated two-phase smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) model, previously developed by the authors, is improved by including the vertical structure of pore-water pressure. This is done by incorporating finite-differences meshes associated to each SPH node that represents a solid particle. In this way, a higher precision is obtained in describing excess pore pressure along depth, including the influence of vertical consolidation, height variation and changes in basal permeability. The proposed model is applied to describe debris flows with two different ranges of soil permeability propagating over grid structures. The authors have used laboratory tests run at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and studied the efficiency of the basal grids by comparing cases equipped by them and cases without any obstacle. The results obtained from the proposed numerical experiments suggest that the proposed two-phase coupled model is able to properly reproduce the behaviour of debris flows, describing more accurately the time–space evolution of pore-water pressures during the whole propagation stage, considering both propagation impermeable beds and pore pressure dissipation structures such as grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grieve Chelwa, Darrick Hamilton, and Avi Green offer a vision of stratification economics in which social identities interact with multiple forms of domination to reproduce inequality over time. Afar cry from the individualism inherent in traditional economic theory, Chelwa, Hamilton, and Green illustrate how the market-choice moorings of neoliberalism - intentionally or not-have weakened efforts to challenge structural racism and argue that a strategy of "inclusive economic rights" offers a way both to understand difference and embrace commonality. Since, as Marx noted, "the task is not just to understand the world but to change it," I stress how social movements can build the power to make such rights real and forge the intersectional bridges to make mutuality our new economic anchor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the theoretical framework is a depth-integrated two-phase model capable of considering many essential physical aspects such as reproducing the propagation of debris flows with soil permeability ranging from high to low and considering the pore-water pressure evolution. In this model, the pore fluid is described by an additional set of depth-integrated balance equations in order to take into account the velocity of pore fluid. The model employs a frictional rheological law for the granular material, and the interstitial fluid is treated as a Newtonian fluid. A drag law describes the interaction between interstitial fluid and grains. The variables of permeability, porosity, and drag force are included in the governing equations to consider the interaction between the phases. This paper aims to extend a generalized two-phase depth-integrated model to enhance the description of the interaction between the two phases and their respective movements. It allows us to increase our understanding of the mechanism behind natural rapid landslides. To evaluate the developed approach, a set of dam-break problems has been performed. These simulations provide interesting information in simple and controlled situations on the landslide propagations with different degrees of soil permeability and the interaction between solid and fluid phases. The extended model has also been applied to simulate the dynamics of the Acheron rock avalanche, which is an appropriate benchmark to examine the applicability of the model to real cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This JAMA Insights in the Climate Change and Health series discusses the increase in extreme weather events caused by climate change and how these events bring about increased migration due to effects on water availability, food access, and rates of endemic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrainment of saturated bed material increases the mobility of fast landslides. The distribution of excess pore pressures changes in the body of the landslide, as the material entering it has much lower effective confining stresses which results on much smaller apparent basal friction angles. The purpose of this paper is to enhance the Finite Differences depth integrated SPH model developed by the authors to cope with material which is flowing up the FD meshes. The model is set within an Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian framework (ALE), and the resulting excess pore pressure evolution model will include now advective terms in addition to the diffusive and source terms. In order to assess the importance of the proposed modification, we introduce a basal Péclet number which relates two non dimensional reference times of consolidation and erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid flow-like landslides, particularly debris flows and debris avalanches, cause significant economic damage and many victims worldwide every year. They are usually extremely fast with the capability of travelling long distances in short times, sweeping away everything in their path. The principal objective of this paper is to test the ability of the 'GeoFlow-SPH' two-phase model developed by the authors, to reproduce the complex behaviour of natural debris avalanches where pore-water pressure evolution plays a key role. To reach this goal, the model is applied to reproduce the complex dynamic behaviour observed in Johnsons Landing debris avalanche including the observed bifurcation caused by the flowing out of part of the moving mass from the mid-channel. Initial thickness deposit trim-line, distribution of deposit volume, and the average velocities were provided for this real case, making it an appropriate case to validate the developed model. The paper also contributes to evaluate the SPH-FD model's potentialities to simulate the structural countermeasure, like bottom drainage screens, used to reduce the impact of debris flows. The analysis of the results shows the adequacy of the proposed model to solve this complicated geophysical problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel disease is a multifactorial etiology, associated with environmental factors that can trigger both debut and relapses. A high level of tumor necrosis factor-α in the gut is the main consequence of immune system imbalance. The aim of treatment is to restore gut homeostasis. In this study, fresh blood and serum samples were used to identify biomarkers and to discriminate between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients under remission treated with anti-TNF. Metabolomics based on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR) was used to detect unique biomarkers for each class of patients. Blood T lymphocyte repertories were characterized, as well as cytokine and transcription factor profiling, to complement the metabolomics data. Higher levels of homoserine-methionine and isobutyrate were identified as biomarkers of Crohn's disease with ileocolic localization. For ulcerative colitis, lower levels of creatine-creatinine, proline, and tryptophan were found that reflect a deficit in the absorption of essential amino acids in the gut. T lymphocyte phenotyping and its functional profiling revealed that the overall inflammation was lower in Crohn's disease patients than in those with ulcerative colitis. These results demonstrated that NMR metabolomics could be introduced as a high-throughput evaluation method in routine clinical practice to stratify both types of patients related to their pathology. Key messages: NMR metabolomics is a non-invasive tool that could be implemented in the normal clinical practice for IBD to assess beneficial effect of the treatment. NMR metabolomics is a useful tool for precision medicine, in order to sew a specific treatment to a specific group of patients. Finding predictors of response to IFX would be desirable to select patients affected by IBD. Immunological status of inflammations correlates with NMR metabolomics biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debris flows are a type of fast landslides where a mixture of soil and water propagates along narrow channels. The main characteristics are (1) important relative displacements between the solid and fluid phases, and (2) development of pore-water pressures in excess to hydrostatic. The ratios between vertical and horizontal displacements of the flow, from the triggering point to the deposition, indicate that friction angles are much smaller than those measured in laboratories. Debris flows are modeled as two phases flow, but implementing pore-water pressure is an important issue. The purpose of this paper is to improve the existing two phases debris flow models by implementing pore-water pressures in excess to hydrostatic. It is found that pore pressure evolution depends on consolidation, changes in the flow depth, and changes and gradients of porosity. The proposed depth integrated mathematical model is discretized using two sets of SPH nodes (solid and fluid), with a set of finite difference meshes associated with each solid material SPH point. The paper presents two examples from where it is possible to gain insight into the differences between the models (with and without excess pore water pressure). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes Flame, an open source software for building predictive models and supporting their use in production environments. Flame is a web application with a web-based graphic interface, which can be used as a desktop application or installed in a server receiving requests from multiple users. Models can be built starting from any collection of biologically annotated chemical structures since the software supports structural normalization, molecular descriptor calculation, and machine learning model generation using predefined workflows. The model building workflow can be customized from the graphic interface, selecting the type of normalization, molecular descriptors, and machine learning algorithm to be used from a panel of state-of-the-art methods implemented natively. Moreover, Flame implements a mechanism allowing to extend its source code, adding unlimited model customization. Models generated with Flame can be easily exported, facilitating collaborative model development. All models are stored in a model repository supporting model versioning. Models are identified by unique model IDs and include detailed documentation formatted using widely accepted standards. The current version is the result of nearly 3 years of development in collaboration with users from the pharmaceutical industry within the IMI eTRANSAFE project, which aims, among other objectives, to develop high-quality predictive models based on shared legacy data for assessing the safety of drug candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic problems of fluid‐saturated soils have to be assessed through a complete formulation where dynamic terms take place. The main dynamic Biot's formulation, the u−w, is employed widely in the literature in order to accurately study the dynamic phenomena. However, depending on the spatial discretization this formulation is utilizing, numerical errors may appear within this approach. The proposed methodology, which is presented in this research, aims to solve the aforementioned problems within an elegant algorithm. Two interesting environmental applications, a consolidation of a fluid‐saturated soil and the seepage of the water through an earth dam, are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate, stable, and efficient three-step predictor-corrector time integration method is considered, for the first time, to obtain numerical solution for the one-dimensional consolidation equation within a finite and spectral element framework. Theoretical order of accuracy and stability conditions are provided. The three-step predictor-corrector time integration method is third-order accurate and shows a larger stability region than the forward Euler method when applied to the one-dimensional consolidation equation. Furthermore, numerical results are in agreement with analytical solutions previously derived by the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work an approach to representing debris floods and flows is proposed, based on a depth-integrated mathematical model and smooth particle hydrodynamics numerical technique. The main contributions of the present work are twofold: (a) an improved rheological Bingham model where solid fraction concentration can change as solids are entrained by the current and (b) implementation of boundary conditions describing the injection process of water from channel weirs into the domain. The model has been applied to the case of Lo Wai debris flood (Hong Kong, August 2005). Numerical results obtained with the proposed model are in reasonable agreement with field observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a two-layer depth-integrated smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) model is applied to investigate the effects of landslide propagation on the impulsive waves generated when entering a water body. In order to deal with the open boundary in practical engineering problems, an absorbing boundary method, based on Riemann invariants which can be applied to arbitrary geometries, is implemented. In order to examine the accuracy of the proposed formulation, the model is tested against both available laboratory tests and numerical examples from the literature. Then, it is adopted to model the characteristics of the impulse waves generated by the Halaowo landslide in the Jinsha River, China. The results provide a technical basis for the emergency plan to the Halaowo landslide and benefit the disaster prevention policy, which helps mitigating future hazards in similar reservoir areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel formulation for incorporating anisotropy into the generalized plasticity constitutive model. Generalized plasticity is a hierarchical framework allowing for extensibility, in order to encompass new phenomena and improve its predictive capabilities. Anisotropy formulation is based experimentally on the phase transformation state and considers explicitly the direction of the maximum principal stress and the magnitude of the intermediate principal stress, through an anisotropy state variable that contributes to the state parameter. Additionally, the model incorporates the fabric using an evolving fabric variable that reflects initial fabric due to sample preparation method for granular soils. The formulation is simple and introduces three constitutive parameters, allowing for straightforward implementation into the constitutive model and direct application in finite element analysis. The model is validated with undrained triaxial tests conducted on Toyoura sand, covering a wide range of initial conditions with a unique set of constitutive parameters, and yielding overall satisfactory results despite some limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ellagic acid loaded-zein nanoparticles demonstrated a sustained release profile under different pH. • The nanoparticles presented an inhibitory potential against hyaluronidase, lipoxygenase, elastase, collagenase and tyrosinase. • The nanoparticles showed limited cytotoxicity over keratinocytes and did not present hemolytic activity. • Nanoparticles presented a remarkable sun protection factor. Zein has demonstrated the ability to carry different therapeutic molecules in the form of nano delivery systems. Ellagic acid (EA) has improved its biological properties when associated with zein. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the biopharmaceutical and in vitro pharmacological potential on skin maintenance and repairing processes, sun protection and cytotoxicity. The nanoparticles were produced by nanoprecipitation and characterized in terms of morphology, size, polydispersity, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, drug loading and release efficiency. The effect of ellagic acid loaded-zein nanoparticles over enzymes related to the skin protective and repairing processes was accessed. Anti-hyaluronidase, anti-lipoxygenase, anti-elastase, anti-collagenase, anti-tyrosinase and photoprotective activities were determined spectrophotometrically, while the hemolytic activity was evaluated using erythrocytes and MTT and NRU assays were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity over immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and squamous carcinoma cells (A431). The chemical interactions between EA and zein were studied by steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. EA-loaded zein nanoparticles (NE) were spherical, homogeneous and monodisperse, with a size of 370 nm, encapsulation efficiency over 82%. The nanoparticles demonstrated a sustained release profile under different pH. Regarding the anti-enzymatic activities, NE presented an inhibitory potency over 38% for all enzymes tested. NE did not present hemolytic activity and showed limited cytotoxicity over HaCaT cells. Moreover, NE also presented an SPF of 29.88. The interaction between zein and EA was driven by a dynamic quenching mechanism. Therefore, NE present a great potential to aid in skin protection/repairing processes, such as wound treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Classical depth‐integrated smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) models for avalanches are extended in the present work to include a μ(I)− rheological model enriched with a fragmentation law. With this improvement, the basal friction becomes grain distribution dependent. Rock avalanches, where grain distribution tends to change with time while propagating, are the appropriate type of landslide to apply the new numerical proposal. The μ(I)− rheological models considered in the present work are those of Hatano and Gray, combined with two different fragmentation laws, a hyperbolic and a fractal‐based law. As an application, Frank avalanche, which took place in Canada in 1903, is analyzed under the scope of the present approach, focusing in the influence of the rheological and fragmentation laws in the evolution of the avalanche. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ellagic acid (EA) has demonstrated several biological properties, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and enzymatic inhibition. Zein and chitosan (CHI) are natural polymers whose biological potential has also gained attention. Therefore, this paper aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticollagenase, and antielastase properties of EA, zein, and chitosan isolated or in combination. The microdilution method was used to assess the minimum inhibitory and bactericide concentrations. The antioxidant activity was determined using the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picryl‐hydrazila free radical scavenging method. The anticollagenase and antielastase activities were evaluated by specific colorimetric tests. EA has shown inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa together with an antioxidant IC50 of 0.079 mg/mL. EA also showed significant collagenase and elastase inhibition. Zein has shown antimicrobial and antioxidant activities itself and enhanced sinergically the antioxidant activity and the antimicrobial activity against P. aeruginosa when combined with EA. CHI increased sinergically the inhibitory activity of EA against both bacterial strains, while showed itself an acceptable antimicrobial activity. 1H saturation transfer‐difference nuclear magnetic resonance experiment confirmed the formation of a complex between EA and zein that could be related with the improvement on its biological performance over the individual compounds, while no chemical interaction was detected between CHI and EA. Practical Application: The results reinforce the potential of ellagic acid in combination with zein and/or chitosan as an antimicrobial, antienzimatic, and antioxidant agent. Those findings reinforce the use of these substances, protecting this bioactive from degradation and/or improving the functional characteristics and biopharmaceutical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) have ushered in a new era in the field of toxicology, aiming to replace animal testing. However, despite these advancements, they are not exempt from the inherent complexities associated with the study's endpoint. In this review, we have identified three major groups of complexities: mechanistic, chemical space, and methodological. The mechanistic complexity arises from interconnected biological processes within a network that are challenging to model in a single step. In the second group, chemical space complexity exhibits significant dissimilarity between compounds in the training and test series. The third group encompasses algorithmic and molecular descriptor limitations and typical class imbalance problems. To address these complexities, this work provides a guide to the usage of a combination of predictive Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) models, known as metamodels. This combination of low-level models (LLMs) enables a more precise approach to the problem by focusing on different sub-mechanisms or sub-processes. For mechanistic complexity, multiple Molecular Initiating Events (MIEs) or levels of information are combined to form a mechanistic-based metamodel. Regarding the complexity arising from chemical space, two types of approaches were reviewed to construct a fragment-based chemical space metamodel: those with and without structure sharing. Metamodels with structure sharing utilize unsupervised strategies to identify data patterns and build low-level models for each cluster, which are then combined. For situations without structure sharing due to pharmaceutical industry intellectual property, the use of prediction sharing, and federated learning approaches have been reviewed. Lastly, to tackle methodological complexity, various algorithms are combined to overcome their limitations, diverse descriptors are employed to enhance problem definition and balanced dataset combinations are used to address class imbalance issues (methodological-based metamodels). Remarkably, metamodels consistently outperformed classical QSAR models across all cases, highlighting the importance of alternatives to classical QSAR models when faced with such complexities. • The different kinds of complexities in the realm of toxicology are discussed. • Combination of models is addressed to solve toxicological complexities. • Combination of models overcomes some of the limitations of classical QSAR. • QIVIVE models may improve the performance of metamodels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental justice often is seen as an issue of righting disparities in the exposures of low-income communities and communities of color to toxic hazards, air pollution, and other disameni-ties. An intriguing new wave of research finds that when environmental costs and benefits are unequally distributed, this can diminish the collective will to address the commons and hence worsen environmental conditions overall. While more studies are needed, this suggests that centering equity can be beneficial to policies and movements for sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health scholarship increasingly recognizes community organizing as a vehicle for unleashing the collective power necessary to uproot socioeconomic inequities at the core of health disparities. In this article we reverse the analytical focus from how organizing can affect health equity, and we consider how the frame of health equity has shaped grassroots organizing. Using evidence from a range of cases in California, we suggest that the health equity frame can guide and justify grassroots groups' efforts to improve the health outcomes of marginalized populations; connect issues such as housing and school discipline to health; and provide a rationale for community organizing groups to directly address the trauma experienced by their own members and staff, who often come from communities at risk for poor health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article talks about dialogue, diversity and the economic future of the U.S. Topics include the task of civic leaders to create communities of understanding leading to better practices intended to tackle economic and social changes and inequalities and to create an inclusive and prosperous future. It also talks about examples from American metropolitan areas showing that creating regional conversations can forge new solutions to economic, environmental and social problems.

Debris flows can be considered a type of landslide with large velocities and long run-out distances. There are many types of debris flows, depending on the properties of the solid and fluid components of the mixture. The triggering and propagation of debris flows can be studied using a single 3D mathematical model. The computational cost can be very high because of their length, and depth-integrated models provide a good combination of accuracy and cost. Both types of models can be combined in the analysis, using 3D models for initiation and at singular points where more accuracy is wanted. As in a chain where the strength is never higher than that of the weaker link, we have to ensure that all the models are accurate enough in a joint model. This paper deals with a new depth-integrated model which can take into account the changes caused by dewatering in a debris flow. An important limitation of existing two-phase models allowing different velocities of solid and water particles is that when water abandons the mixture, porosity decreases and tends to zero. Here, a two-layer model is introduced, including an unsaturated upper layer on top of a saturated layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide and is related to serious health complications. It has been pointed out as a major risk factor for COVID-19. This study aimed to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the metabolomic profile, the correlation with the plasmatic levels of losartan and its active metabolite (EXP3174), biochemical markers, and blood pressure (BP) control in hypertensive patients. 1H NMR metabolomic profiles of hypertensive and normotensive patients with and without previous COVID-19 diagnosis were identified. Plasmatic levels of LOS and EXP3174 were correlated with BP, biochemical markers, and the metabolomic fingerprint of the groups. Biomarkers linked to important aspects of SAH and COVID-19 were identified, such as glucose, glutamine, arginine, creatinine, alanine, choline, erythritol, homogentisate, 0-tyrosine, and 2-hydroxybutyrate. Those metabolites are indicative of metabolic alterations, kidney damage, pulmonary dysfunction, and persistent inflammation, which can be found in both diseases. Some hypertensive patients did not reach the therapeutic levels of LOS and EXP3174, while the BP control was also limited among the normotensive patients with previous COVID-19 diagnoses. Metabolomics proved to be an important tool for assessing the effectiveness of losartan pharmacotherapy and the damage caused by SAH and COVID-19 in hypertensive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the space–time evolution of bed entrainment for some typical flow-like landslides in three different test areas. First, the attention is focused on debris avalanches (DA), whose lateral spreading is highly affected by bed entrainment. Two cases of debris avalanches turning into debris flows (DF)—i.e., channelized flows—are then investigated to discuss the potential occurrence of complex bed entrainment scenarios. A quasi-3D (depth-integrated) coupled SPH (Smooth Particle Hydrodynamic) model is used. The numerical results show that i) the eroded thicknesses have maximum values in the intermediate portion of the debris avalanche path and ii) the computed time variations of eroded thicknesses and the entrainment rates are consistent with those indicated in recent literature for DAs at the studied areas. In addition, the computed scenarios are differentiated in terms of unitary flow discharge, identifying the typical behaviour of small volume DA, landslides propagating inside gullies as DFs, and combined DFs and DAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescence behavior of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) reflects a blue-shift and fluorescence enhancement on decreasing solvent polarity, with both properties affected in a synchronous way in solvent mixtures where ANS senses a homogeneous solvation shell. ANS complexation by cyclodextrins or bovine serum albumin (BSA) results in a nonhomogeneous solvation shell that is reflected by nonsynchronous variation of fluorescence properties. Steady-state fluorescence and saturation transfer difference NMR experiments allow us to conclude the formation of 1:1 and 2:1 host/guest complexes through the aniline or naphthalene moieties of ANS with cyclodextrins. This nonhomogeneous solvation shell has been ignored in studies using ANS to sense the microenvironment of proteins, micelles, bilayers, and other organized systems. ANS interaction with BSA reflects the existence of a large number of binding pockets in the surface of the protein that can be classified into two well-differentiated categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the political strategy that will help the Hispanic American community engage in the political activities in the U.S. It states that the community need to trust the emerging New American Majority and emphasize efforts to engage the Latino youth voters. It notes the need to articulate issues in a sharper way to secure the engagement of young voters and recognize the centrality of the black-Latino alliance. It mentions the importance of focusing the attention to race and immigration issues.

Innovative approaches in nanotechnology can provide drug delivery systems with a high potential in different fields. To avoid trial and error assays as a main driving force governing new designs and, furthermore, to develop successful nanosystem optimization strategies, it is of the greatest importance to develop specific characterisation techniques beyond conventional determinations of size, zeta potential and morphology. However, the application of techniques able to determine some key characteristics, such as nanostructure (i.e., solid structure vs vesicular), and the way in which the reorganization of components takes place on these structures has been scarcely explored. The present work has been devoted to provide some insights about the potential offered by some NMR techniques to those scientists working on nanotechnological approaches. For this purpose, we selected our nanosystems based on sorbitan monooleate as a case study. We used 1 H NMR methods, including a recently proposed method relying in the well-known Saturation Transfer Difference (STD) experiment for the observation of ‘invisible signals’ in large aggregates (Invisible State STD or ISSTD). Overall, these techniques revealed the presence in these nanosystems of a gradient of flexibility from an internal rigid core towards a more flexible region located on their surface, as well as the absence of water content in both regions. Such structure, corresponding to a solid nanostructure rather than a vesicular one, can explain some of the interesting properties previously observed for these innovative nanosystems, such as their high stability, and allows us to refer to these nanosystems with the term “Solid Sorbitan esters Nanoparticles” (SSN). On the basis of the valuable information provided by the mentioned characterisation techniques, it is our understanding that they could facilitate the future design of new drug delivery nanosystems as well as the improvement of existing ones and/or the development of new applications for classical drug delivery concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In very complex mixtures, classification by chemometric methods may be limited by the difficulties to extract from the NMR or gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) experimental data information useful for a reliable classification. The joint analysis of both data has showed its superiority in the biomedical field but is scarcely used in foodstuffs and never in wine in spite of the complexity of their spectra and classification. In this article we show that univariate and multivariate principal component analysis-discriminant analysis (PCA-DA) statistics applied to the combined 1H NMR and solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography (SPME-GC) data of a collection of 270 wines from Galicia (northwest Spain) allows a discrimination and classification not attainable from the separate data, distinguishing wines from autochthonous and nonautochthonous grapes, mono-from the plurivarietals, and identifying, in part, the geographical subzone of origin of the albariño wines. A general and automatable protocol, based on the signal integration of selected ROIs (regions of interest), is proposed that allows the fast and reliable identification of the grape in Galician wines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A growing body of research has been suggesting that social equity may contribute to economic growth and resilience at a metropolitan scale, but there is limited research on the underlying mechanisms that make for this potentially happy coincidence of economic vitality, resilience and inclusion. This article helps address this gap through an in-depth exploration of three case studies of regions that have been able to either sustain growth and equity over time, and/or that responded to external shocks in a way that suggests resilience: Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio. We argue that there are different pathways in each case but that all of them can be characterized as having relatively strong and diverse regional knowledge arenas where data are shared and common understandings have developed across diverse constituencies. While the sample is limited, the role of a diverse and dynamic epistemic community does seem to be exactly the sort of mechanism that might keep fates common and regions resilient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the factors and processes that help regions sustain economic growth has become a topic of increasing interest in recent years. We examine factors associated with the length of ‘growth spells’ for the 184 largest regions in the United States from the period 1990–2011. We find that growth duration is positively related to a number of factors one might expect, including lower levels of reliance on manufacturing and a higher proportion of the population with middle education levels. However, we also find that the length of growth spells is strongly related to lower levels of metropolitan income inequality and to measures of social and spatial segregation, suggesting that more equitable and more integrated regions are better able to sustain growth. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article explores the influence of immigrant activism in the progressivism landscape of Los Angeles, California, where they were able to establish racial lines for community benefits agreements, job training programs and transit justice. Topics discussed include the influence of the Los Angeles Riots of 1992 on the city's political landscape, how the city's most undocumented immigrant workforce changed worker's living standard and the impact of the city's Proposition 187 on its immigrants, as well as inspirations it ignited that led to the city's progressive activism.

Flow-type landslides are a major global hazard. They occur worldwide, and are responsible for a large number of casualties, significant structural damage to property and infrastructure, and economic losses. The features of debris avalanches are particularly important, as they involve open slopes and affect triangular source areas when initial slides turn into avalanches through further failures or eventual soil entrainment. In this paper, the propagation stage of debris avalanches is numerically modelled to provide information such as the propagation pattern of the mobilized material and its velocity, thickness, and run-out distance. The use of a 'depth-integrated' model has the following advantages: ( i) it adequately accommodates the irregular topography of real slopes, which greatly affects the evolution of the propagation stage; and ( ii) it is less time consuming than full three-dimensional approaches. The model is named 'GeoFlow_SPH' and has previously been applied to theoretical, experimental, and real case histories. The behaviour of debris avalanches is analysed with particular attention to the apical angle, one of the main features of this type of landslide, in relation to soil rheology, hillslope geometry, and the geometric aspect ratio of the triggering area. The role of bed entrainment is also investigated with reference to differences in steepness of the uppermost parts of open slopes. First, simplified benchmark slopes are analysed using both water-like materials (with negligible shear strength) and debris-type materials (saturated frictional soil). Next, the paper addresses three important case studies from the Campania region of southern Italy (Cervinara, Nocera Inferiore, and Sarno), where debris avalanches occur in pyroclastic soils that originated from the eruptive products of the Mount Vesuvius volcano. In all of the cases analysed, the effects of erosion rate are compared with those of simulated soil propagation height, run-out distance, and velocity. In a novel contribution to the existing research, the results obtained from analysis of both the benchmark slopes and the real case histories indicate that landslide propagation depends on the interplay of rheology and bed entrainment. In particular, increased erosion growth rates correspond to shorter run-out distances, lower velocities, and larger propagation depths. It is further shown that erosion depth increases with either friction angle or the consolidation coefficient of pore-water pressure; the latter reduces bed entrainment but does not significantly affect the apical angle of debris avalanches. Globally, the results are particularly satisfactory because they indicate that the GeoFlow_SPH model is a suitable tool for the analysis and forecasting of debris avalanches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently there have been calls for public health to reconnect to urban planning in ways that emphasize the impact of place on health and that address fundamental causes of poor health, such as poverty, social inequality, and discrimination. Community developers have realized that poor health limits individuals' and communities' economic potential and have begun to integrate into their work such neighborhood health issues as access to fresh food and open space. In this article we review recent shifts in the community development field and give examples of programs that operate at the intersection of community development, public health, and civic engagement. For example, in Sacramento, California, the Building Healthy Communities program successfully promoted the creation of community gardens and bike paths and the redevelopment of brownfields. A major housing revitalization initiative in San Francisco, California, known as Sunnydale-Velasco, is transforming the city's largest public housing site into a mixed-income community that provides existing residents with new housing, infrastructure, services, and amenities. These examples and others illustrate the need to identify and make use of interdisciplinary approaches to ensure that all places are strong platforms for economic mobility, full democratic participation, and community health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Hydrophobic drugs are very interesting therapeutic compounds. [•] Their incorporation into accurate drug delivery systems is a technological challenge. [•] A biomimetic approximation was herein developed for this purpose. [•] A novel NMR strategy permitted the characterization of this approximation. [•] This NMR strategy has also great potential for other applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In addition to lower carbon dioxide emissions, policies to reduce fossil fuel combustion can yield substantial air quality co-benefits via reduced emissions of co-pollutants such as particulate matter and air toxics. If co-pollutant intensity (the ratio of co-pollutant impacts to carbon dioxide emissions) varies across pollution sources, efficient policy design would seek greater emissions reductions where co-benefits are higher. The distribution of co-benefits also raises issues of environmental equity. This paper presents evidence on intersectoral, intrasectoral and spatial variations in co-pollutant intensity of industrial point sources in the United States, and discusses options for integrating co-benefits into climate policy design to advance efficiency and equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This research study deals with the quantification and characterization of the EPS obtained from two 25L bench scale membrane bioreactors (MBRs) with micro-(MF-MBR) and ultrafiltration (UF-MBR) submerged membranes. Both reactors were fed with synthetic water and operated for 168 days without sludge extraction, increasing their mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) concentration during the experimentation time. The characterization of soluble EPS (EPSs) was achieved by the centrifugation of mixed liquor and bound EPS (EPSb) by extraction using a cationic resin exchange (CER). EPS characterization was carried out by applying the 3-dimensional excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (3D-EEM) and high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with the aim of obtaining structural and functional information thereof. With regard to the 3D-EEM analysis, fluorescence spectra of EPSb and EPSs showed 2 peaks in both MBRs at all the MLSS concentrations studied. The peaks obtained for EPSb were associated to soluble microbial by-product-like (predominantly protein-derived compounds) and to aromatic protein. For EPSs, the peaks were associated with humic and fulvic acids. In both MBRs, the fluorescence intensity (FI) of the peaks increased as MLSS and protein concentrations increased. The FI of the EPSs peaks was much lower than for EPSb. It was verified that the evolution of the FI clearly depends on the concentration of protein and humic acids for EPSb and EPSs, respectively. Chromatographic analysis showed that the intensity of the EPSb peak increased while the concentrations of MLSS did. Additionally, the mean MW calculated was always higher the higher the MLSS concentrations in the reactors. MW was higher for the MF-MBR than for the UF-MBR for the same MLSS concentrations demonstrating that the filtration carried out with a UF membrane lead to retentions of lower MW particles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article examines variations in Latina/o racial identity across Southern California. Particular focus is given to the roles of nationality, nativity, education, space, and the the race and ethnicity of neighbors in Latina/o racial identity. It is suggested that neighborhood segregation and predominantly Latina/o neighborhood populations correlate with Latina/o residents self-identifying as nonwhite, while Latina/o residents of suburban neighborhoods are more likely to identify as white. Topics discussed include ethnic Mexicans, bilingualism, and marital status.

This study aimed to monitor the effect of temperature and the addition of nanosilica on the nanostructure of the C- S- H gel forming during tricalcium silicate ( C3 S) hydration. Two types of paste were prepared from a synthesized T1 C3 S. The first consisted of a blend of deionized water and C3 S at a water/solid ratio of 0.425. In the second, a 90 wt% C3 S + 10 wt% of nanosilica blend was mixed with water at a water/solid ratio of 0.7. The pastes were stored in closed containers at 100% RH and 25°C, 40°C, or 65°C. The hydration reaction was detained after 1, 14, 28, or 62 d with acetone, and then pastes were studied by 29 Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (29 Si MAS NMR).The main conclusion was that adding n SA expedites C3 S hydration at any age or temperature and modifies the structure of the C- S- H gel formed, two types of C- S- H gel appear. At 25°C and 40°C, more orderly, longer chain gels are initially (1 d) obtained as a result of the pozzolanic reaction between nSA and portlandite (CH) ( C- S- HII gel formation). Subsequently, ongoing C3 S hydration and the concomitant flow of dimers shorten the mean chain length in the gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental exposures impose a disproportionate health burden on low-income populations and communities of color. One contributing factor may be the obstacles such communities face to full participation in making policy decisions about environmental health. This study described and analyzed the characteristics that contributed to communities' capacity to participate inmakingenvironmentaldecisions and suggested steps public agencies could take to achieve more meaningful participation. By strengthening community capacity, advancing authentic participation, and building democratic power, it might be possible to alter current patterns of health inequities. Strengthening participation by working with communities to develop the capacities needed to be effective in such processes is a key role for local, state, and national environmental agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper tackles the numerical simulation of 1D wave propagation in saturated viscous porous media, and especially in soil-like geomaterials. For this purpose, an improved fractional step Taylor–Galerkin algorithm is first formulated and then validated on the basis of a new analytical solution. The algorithm, based on a stress–velocity–pressure formulation of the hydro-mechanical problem, combines an explicit Taylor–Galerkin method with a fractional time-stepping, while an accurate Runge–Kutta-type integrator is introduced to treat the viscosity of the porous skeleton. The overall algorithm results in an efficient stabilized scheme allowing for linear equal interpolation of field variables, even when the so-called “undrained incompressible limit” is approached. The accuracy and stability of the method are verified with reference to a 1D benchmark problem, concerning the propagation of P waves along a saturated viscoelastic soil stratum. For this problem, a frequency-domain analytical solution is derived, assuming incompressible interstitial fluid and soil grains. The assumption of Maxwell viscoelastic soil skeleton is analytically convenient to preserve the linearity of the problem, while the same rheology of a more realistic elasto-viscoplastic non-linear behaviour is maintained. The performance of the fractional step Taylor–Galerkin algorithm is explored simulating the dynamic response of the stratum to harmonic, impulsive and seismic input excitations. In particular, parametric analyses are performed to confirm the effectiveness of the method in reproducing fully undrained responses, as well as in dealing with weakly viscous materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recent data suggest that the digital divide between White and minority youth persists, particularly in terms of home access to computers and the Internet. Community technology centers (CTCs) are an important alterative access point, especially for low-income youth of color. Such institutions, however, do much more, providing not just access, but general youth development, including the opportunity for youth to voice their stories, contribute to community-building, and expand networks. The authors use qualitative data collected at five CTCs nationwide to examine the ways that youth engage in CTCs and link these activities to a youth development framework.The authors draw lessons for future CTC practice, highlighting the importance of both bonding and bridging social capital in thinking through future programming. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The study of the interaction of ghrelin (1), the endogenous ligand for the GH secretagogues receptor (GHS-R1a), and des-acyl ghrelin (2) with the GHS-R1a by NMR using living cells is presented, using GHS-R1a stably transfected cell lines (CHO and HEK 293) and wild type cells. Therefore, the interaction of 1 and 2 with the GHS-R1a receptor has been performed using quasi-physiological conditions. Ghrelin (1), showed a higher number of residues affected by chemical shift perturbation (CSP) or chemical shift exchange (CSE) effects: Ser3, Phe4, Leu5, Val12, Gln13/Gln14, Lys16/Lys19, Glu17 and Lys24 were much more affected in 1 than in des-acyl ghrelin (2). The chemical shift index CSI values indicated the presence of a possible α-helical region between Glu8 and Lys20 for ghrelin (1). After analysing the NMR data, two possible structures have arisen, which present different proline rotamers: the EEZE and the EZEZ conformers, at positions Pro7, Pro21, Pro22 and Pro27, respectively, keeping a left-handed α-helix from Glu8 to Lys20. These experimental evidences might imply that the GHS-R1a receptor is acting as a prolyl-cis/trans isomerase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]