Constructing City Models to Estimate Losses Due to Earthquakes Worldwide: Application to Bucharest, Romania

2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 665-685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goran Trendafiloski ◽  
Max Wyss ◽  
Philippe Rosset ◽  
Gheorghe Marmureanu
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Second Step ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Seismic Load ◽  
Vrancea Earthquake ◽  
Human Losses ◽  
Single Coordinate ◽  
City Models

We propose a method to calculate damage and human losses for cities in the developing world by averaging over an entire city, or its administrative districts. Bucharest, Romania, serves as an example. First, we modeled this city as located at a single coordinate point. We transformed the census information on building types, ages and height into EMS-98 vulnerability classes and distribute the population into them. We assumed a seismic load of MSK [Formula: see text] (M7.4 1977 Vrancea earthquake). Validating our model by comparison with casualties reported in 1977, we find differences of 20% to 30%. We reduced these errors to about 4%, by adjusting the distribution of building types into vulnerability classes, based on their performance in the 1977 earthquake. Calibrations of this type will be necessary for most developing countries. In a second step, we modeled Bucharest with six districts, in which the distribution of people into building types and the average soil conditions are known. This is our preferred model. We also calculated the soil properties that would be estimated from topography, if microzonation would not be available. The agreement was satisfactory. We propose this method to model important cities in earthquake prone areas of the developing world.

The Importance of Being Defunct (Presidential Address)

1985 ◽  
Vol 24 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 211-234
Author(s):  
Syed Nawab Haider Naqvi
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Development Economics ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Presidential Address ◽  
Great Expectations ◽  
Founding Fathers

For development economists these arc the days of great expectations. Development economics as a discipline, born only three decades ago, has come to stay, notwithstanding the threats to its existence issued openly by such friends as Schultz [63], Bauer [2], Little [44], and Lal [39]. New theoretical constructs have been devised and novel empirical studies done to comprehend better the forces of change in developing countries. While of late there may not have been great festivity in the realm of ideas, the force of circumstances has widened the problem canvas of development economics and has opened up new vistas for economists to explore- much beyond the expectations of its founding fathers. Also notwithstanding the great diversity in the experience of individual countries, development economists may legitimately draw some comfort from the thought that their ideas have changed the developing world for the better.

scholarly journals Biochar Improves Maize Growth but Has a Limited Effect on Soil Properties: Evidence from a Three-Year Field Experiment

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3617
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Medyńska-Juraszek ◽  
Agnieszka Latawiec ◽  
Jolanta Królczyk ◽  
Adam Bogacz ◽  
Dorota Kawałko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Field Experiment ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Temperate Climate ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Maize Growth ◽  
Chemical Soil ◽  
Physical And Chemical

Biochar application is reported as a method for improving physical and chemical soil properties, with a still questionable impact on the crop yields and quality. Plant productivity can be affected by biochar properties and soil conditions. High efficiency of biochar application was reported many times for plant cultivation in tropical and arid climates; however, the knowledge of how the biochar affects soils in temperate climate zones exhibiting different properties is still limited. Therefore, a three-year-long field experiment was conducted on a loamy Haplic Luvisol, a common arable soil in Central Europe, to extend the laboratory-scale experiments on biochar effectiveness. A low-temperature pinewood biochar was applied at the rate of 50 t h−1, and maize was selected as a tested crop. Biochar application did not significantly impact the chemical soil properties and fertility of tested soil. However, biochar improved soil physical properties and water retention, reducing plant water stress during hot dry summers, and thus resulting in better maize growth and higher yields. Limited influence of the low-temperature biochar on soil properties suggests the crucial importance of biochar-production technology and biochar properties on the effectiveness and validity of its application in agriculture.

scholarly journals Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FH-1 significantly affects cucumber seedlings and the rhizosphere bacterial community but not soil

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingjing Wang ◽  
Song Xu ◽  
Rong Yang ◽  
Wei Zhao ◽  
Dan Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Community ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria ◽  
Linear Discriminant ◽  
Cucumber Seedlings ◽  
Ecological Roles ◽  
Plant Growth Promoting ◽  
Rhizosphere Bacterial Community

AbstractPlant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) inoculants have been applied worldwide. However, the ecological roles of PGPB under different soil conditions are still not well understood. The present study aimed to explore the ecological roles of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FH-1 (FH) on cucumber seedlings, rhizosphere soil properties, and the bacterial community in pot experiments. The results showed that FH had significant effects on cucumber seedlings and the rhizosphere bacterial community but not on soil properties. The FH promoted cucumber seedlings growth, reduced the rhizosphere bacterial diversity, increased Proteobacteria, and decreased Acidobacteria. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) revealed that FH enriched two taxa (GKS2_174 and Nannocystaceae) and inhibited 18 taxa (mainly Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, BRC1, Chloroflexi, Plantctomycetes, and Verrucomicrobia). Co-occurrence network analysis demonstrated that FH increased bacteria-bacteria interactions and that Bacillus (genus of FH) had few interactions with the enriched and inhibited taxa. This might indicate that FH does not directly affect the enriched and inhibited taxa. Correlation analysis results displayed that cucumber seedlings’ weight and height/length (except root length) were significantly correlated with the 18 inhibited taxa and the enriched taxa Nannocystaceae. It was speculated that FH might promote cucumber seedling growth by indirectly enriching Nannocystaceae and inhibiting some taxa from Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, BRC1, Chloroflexi, Plantctomycetes, and Verrucomicrobia.

scholarly journals Effects of glyphosate-based herbicides and their active ingredients on earthworms, water infiltration and glyphosate leaching are influenced by soil properties

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johann G. Zaller ◽  
Maureen Weber ◽  
Michael Maderthaner ◽  
Edith Gruber ◽  
Eszter Takács ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Weed Control ◽  
Amaranthus Retroflexus ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Soil Functions ◽  
Active Ingredients ◽  
Hand Weeding ◽  
Earthworm Activity

Abstract Background Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are among the most often used pesticides. The hundreds of GBHs used worldwide consist of the active ingredient (AI) glyphosate in form of different salts, possibly other AIs, and various mostly undisclosed co-formulants. Pesticide risk assessments are commonly performed using single AIs or GBHs at standard soil conditions without vegetation. In a greenhouse experiment, we established a weed population with common amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus) to examine the effects of three GBHs (Roundup LB Plus, Roundup PowerFlex, Touchdown Quattro) and their corresponding AIs (salts of glyphosate isopropylammonium, potassium, diammonium) on the activity and physiological biomarkers (glutathione S-transferase, GST; acetylcholine esterase, AChE) of an ecologically relevant earthworm species (Lumbricus terrestris). GBHs and AIs were applied at recommended doses; hand weeding served as control. Experiments were established with two soil types differing in organic matter content (SOM; 3.0% vs. 4.1%) and other properties. Results Earthworm activity (casting and movement activity) decreased after application of glyphosate formulations or active ingredients compared to hand weeding. We found no consistent pattern that formulations had either higher or lower effects on earthworm activity than their active ingredients; rather, differences were substance-specific. Earthworm activity was little affected by soil organic matter levels. Biomarkers remained unaffected by weed control types; GST but not AChE was decreased under high SOM. Water infiltration after a simulated heavy rainfall was interactively affected by weed control types and SOM. Leachate amount was higher after application of formulations than active ingredients and was higher under low SOM. Glyphosate concentrations in soil and leachate were strongly affected by application of formulations or active ingredients and varied with SOM (significant weed control type x SOM interaction). Conclusions We found that both commercial formulations and pure active ingredients can influence earthworms with consequences on important soil functions. Glyphosate products showed increased, reduced or similar effects than pure glyphosate on particular soil functions; soil properties can substantially alter this. Especially at lower SOM, heavy rainfalls could lead to more glyphosate leaching into water bodies. A full disclosure of co-formulants would be necessary to further decipher their specific contributions to these inconsistent effects.

scholarly journals Stroke Prevention in the Developing World

Stroke ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 3655-3658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valery L. Feigin ◽  
Rita Krishnamurthi
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Stroke Prevention ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Early 21St Century ◽  
Limited Health ◽  
The Early 21St Century

In the early 21st century, developing countries are experiencing an ever-increasing burden of stroke due its high morbidity and associated disability. Given the limited health resources available in developing countries, stroke prevention there is of paramount importance. This narrative review summarizes currently available evidence for stroke prevention in the developing world and outlines their major strategies and priorities.

Globalization's Alternatives: Competing or Complementary Perspectives?

2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Glenn
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Product Differentiation ◽  
World Trade ◽  
Developing World ◽  
International Economy ◽  
Vertical Specialization ◽  
Main Factors ◽  
Partial View ◽  
Investment Patterns ◽  
Trade And Investment

AbstractRecent writings on globalization have tended to argue that such economic interconnectedness is, in one way or another, geographically delimited. Three competing views appear in the literature, regionalization, triadization and the involutionist perspective. This article challenges the portrayal of these perspectives as competing conceptions and instead argues that each perspective furnishes us with a partial view of a larger process. In so doing, this paper revisits the involutionist perspective, arguing that, in relation to the developing countries’ relative share of world trade and investment shares, the use of the term ‘globalization’ should be questioned. Rather, in relation to trade, involution is a more apt description. However, in terms of FDI, stasis better describes the contemporary international economy. The article then examines the trade and investment patterns within the triad, corroborating earlier findings that each leg of the triad is increasingly trading more with their neighbours than with each other, but that inter-triad FDI is indeed increasing. Three main factors are presented in order to explain the contemporary patterns of trade and investment associated with involution, regionalization and triadization: product differentiation, vertical specialization and the continuing concentration on primary product production in much of the developing world.

scholarly journals Gender and feminist considerations in Artificial Intelligence from a developing-world perspective, with India as a case study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
SANGHAMITRA CHOUDHURY ◽  
Shailendra Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Precarious Situation ◽  
And Robotics

<p>The relationship between women, technology manifestation, and likely prospects in the developing world is discussed in this manuscript. Using India as a case study, the paper goes on to discuss how ontology and epistemology views utilised in AI (Artificial Intelligence) and robotics will affect women's prospects in developing countries. Women in developing countries, notably in South Asia, are perceived as doing domestic work and are underrepresented in high-level professions. They are disproportionately underemployed and face prejudice in the workplace. The purpose of this study is to determine if the introduction of AI would exacerbate the already precarious situation of women in the developing world or if it would serve as a liberating force. While studies on the impact of AI on women have been undertaken in developed countries, there has been less research in developing countries. This manuscript attempts to fill that need.</p>

scholarly journals A MOOC approach for training researchers in developing countries

Open Praxis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ravi Murugesan ◽  
Andy Nobes ◽  
Joanna Wild
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Cognitive Presence ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Research Writing ◽  
Massive Open Online ◽  
Massive Open Online Course ◽  
Professional Development Training

We report on an online course in research writing offered in a massive open online course (MOOC) format for developing country researchers. The concepts of cognitive presence, teacher presence, and social presence informed the design of the course, with a philosophy of strong social interaction supported by guest facilitators. The course was developed with low-bandwidth elements and hosted on a Moodle site. It was offered twice as a MOOC and 2830 learners from more than 90 countries, mainly in the developing world, took part. The average completion rate was 53%. Female learners and learners who were active in the forums were more likely to complete the course. Our MOOC approach may be a useful model for continuing professional development training in the developing world.

Self-Reliance in Africa

1968 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. Ewing
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Foreign Aid ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Economic Situation ◽  
Poor Countries ◽  
Self Reliance ◽  
Developed World

The sombre picture of the economic situation in most developing countries, and not least in Africa, has become increasingly familiar in the last two or three years. Foreign aid is at best not increasing and the terms on which it is offered are hardening. There has been little or no relaxation of the obstacles to increased trade between the developed and the under-developed world. The growth of many poor countries has been limited; and, indeed, within the developing world, the gap between those at the top and those at the bottom is growing, as is that between the developed and the under-developed world as a whole.

Review of de Soto's The Mystery of Capital

2001 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 1215-1223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Woodruff
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Capital Markets ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Access To Credit ◽  
Hernando De Soto

In The Mystery of Capital, Hernando de Soto promotes his explanation of why formal capital markets function poorly in developing countries. De Soto argues that much of the population of developing countries lacks access to credit, not because they lack assets, but because ownership of their property is secured informally, which prevents the use of property as collateral. The inability to convert assets into capital keeps the developing world from benefiting from capitalism.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document