Regional Inequality in China: A Case Study of Jiangsu Province

The tremendous changes in China's development philosophy and regional economies during the last two decades have carved out selectively new locations of development across the nation. While politicians heatedly debate the acceptable levels of regional inequality, most scholarly studies focus on broad aggregate trends of inequality among provinces and groups of provinces, and pay little attention to identifying and conceptualizing sources and major agents of spatial change. This paper aims at revealing detailed spatial ramifications of the reforms, and at understanding the impacts of the state, local agents, and foreign investors on regional development. To this effect, we conduct a disaggregated and empirical study of Jiangsu, a coastal province experiencing dramatic economic and spatial restructuring. We show that local agents which favor rural industrial enterprises accelerated new growth in selected rural areas, in contrast to slower growth of older cities and state‐owned enterprises, resulting in a net decline of intercounty inequality. But the coalescence of state policy, local agents, and foreign investment has widened the historical gap between northern and southern Jiangsu, and is likely to accelerate intercounty inequality in the future. Our study demonstrates the utility of the “developments from above, below and outside” framework for analyzing key forces of regional growth in socialist transitional economies.     

Nonlinear response of membranes to ocean waves using boundary and finite elements

The behavior of a highly deformable membrane to ocean waves was studied by coupling a nonlinear boundary element model of the fluid domain to a nonlinear finite element model of the membrane. The hydrodynamic loadings induced by water waves are computed assuming large body hydrodynamics and ideal fluid flow and then solving the transient diffraction/radiation problem. Either linear waves or finite amplitude waves can be assumed in the model and thus the nonlinear kinematic and dynamic free surface boundary conditions are solved iteratively. The nonlinear nature of the boundary condition requires a time domain solution. To implicitly include time in the governing field equation, Volterra's method was used. The approach is the same as the typical boundary element method for a fluid domain where the governing field equation is the starting point. The difference is that in Volterra's method the time derivative of the governing field equation becomes the starting point.The boundary element model was then coupled through an iterative process to a finite element model of membrane structures. The coupled model predicts the nonlinear interaction of nonlinear water waves with highly deformable bodies. To verify the coupled model a large scale test was conducted in the OH Hinsdale wave Research Laboratory at Oregon State University on a 3-ft-diameter fabric cylinder submerged in the wave tank. The model data verified the numerical prediction of the structure displacements and of the changes in the wave field.The boundary element model is an ideal modeling technique for modeling the fluid domain when the governing field equations is the Laplace equation. In this case the nonlinear boundary element model was coupled with a finite element model of membrane structures, but the model could have been coupled with other finite element models of more rigid structures, such as a pontoon floating breakwater.     

Further investigations on why POC concentrations differ in samples collected by Niskin bottle and in situ pump

Particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations measured in bottles are often higher than those measured by in situ pumps when samples are taken concurrently. In previous work, we suggested that differential collection of zooplankton might explain this systematic discrepancy in POC between these small volume (bottle) and large volume (in situ pump) techniques. We have now further quantified the carbon contributed by zooplankton collected in the >70-μm particulate fractions from both bottles and pumps at sites in the Mediterranean Sea and Long Island Sound. Our results show that zooplankton abundance and lipid concentrations from zooplankton are one order of magnitude higher in the bottles than in the pumps, supporting the idea that part of the pump–bottle difference is due to collection of more zooplankton by the bottles. Particle washout off the 70-μm mesh used in the in situ pump may cause loss of some particles as well. However, zooplankton in the >70-μm fraction from the bottles contributed only about 1–2 μM POC, which cannot explain the up to 20 μM POC differences observed in this study. Thus, the mechanisms leading to such a large POC difference are still unclear and need to be further investigated. POC concentrations measured using microquartz filters were similar to those using glass fiber filters, suggesting that filter types cannot explain the higher POC observed in bottles, where glass fiber filters are normally used. Furthermore, we investigated several different pump inlet designs to determine how these might affect the ability of pumps to collect and retain large (>70 μm) particles, including zooplankton. The comparison among different pump inlets suggests that inlet design affects the efficiency and retention of large particles and that a sealed filter holder with a narrow right-angle tubular opening is the most efficient at catching/retaining zooplankton.     

Thermal controls on biodegradation around the Peace River tar sands: Paleo-pasteurization to the west

Bitumens of the Alberta tar sands share a similar primary source rock, but exhibit varying levels of degradation. In the Peace River tar sands area, the wide range of API gravity and sulphur content in Lower Cretaceous reservoirs is investigated in terms of biodegradation processes, using detailed geochemical analyses, burial history modelling and charge/degrade modelling. Decreasing tar sand degradation to the west can be attributed to increasing reservoir temperatures which retard biodegradation. Gething oils west of the Peace River tar sands are derived from the same source, but are minimally degraded due to reservoir pasteurization at 80 °C shortly after charging. Long charge times, reservoir filling and possibly compositional or very low temperature degradation retardation have limited biodegradation of the Alberta tar sands despite long oil residence times and low reservoir temperatures.     

Aysén seismic swarm (January 2007) in southern Chile: analysis using Joint Hypocenter Determination

A seismic swarm at the Aysén fjord started in January, 2007, reaching its highest activity between January and April, 2007. It was punctuated by the Mw5.3 23rd January event and the Mw6.2 21st April event which triggered a water-wave due to massive landslides; both with dextral strike slip focal mechanisms. More than 100 events were relocated with the Joint Hypocenter Determination method to study the depth distribution of the events of the swarm recorded by the Chile Ridge Subduction Project local network. The events are associated to a small area of approximately 7?×?7 km located in the Aysén fjord, on one of the main branches of the Liquiñe–Ofqui fault. Distribution in depth is located between 0 and 8 km and presents a west high dip with almost NS strike, consistent with the main trending of the Liquiñe–Ofqui fault and the published focal mechanisms. These characteristics, among others, suggest that the Liquiñe–Ofqui fault is active in this region and thus seismic risk has to be re-determined.     

Anesthesia and critical-care delivery in weightlessness: A challenge for research in parabolic flight analogue space surgery studies

Background

Multiple nations are actively pursuing manned exploration of space beyond low-earth orbit. The responsibility to improve surgical care for spaceflight is substantial. Although the use of parabolic flight as a terrestrial analogue to study surgery in weightlessness (0 g) is well described, minimal data is available to guide the appropriate delivery of anesthesia. After studying anesthetized pigs in a 0 g parabolic flight environment, our group developed a comprehensive protocol describing prolonged anesthesia in a parabolic flight analogue space surgery study (PFASSS). Novel challenges included a physically remote vivarium, prolonged (>10 h) anesthetic requirements, and the provision of veterinary operating room/intensive care unit (ICU) equivalency on-board an aircraft with physical dimensions of <1.5 m² (Falcon 20). Identification of an effective anesthetic regime is particularly important because inhalant anesthesia cannot be used in-flight.

Methods

After ethical approval, multiple ground laboratory sessions were conducted with combinations of anesthetic, pre-medication, and induction protocols on Yorkshire-cross specific pathogen-free (SPF) pigs. Several constant rate infusion (CRI) intravenous anesthetic combinations were tested. In each regimen, opioids were administered to ensure analgesia. Ventilation was supported mechanically with blended gradients of oxygen. The best performing terrestrial 1 g regime was flight tested in parabolic flight for its effectiveness in sustaining optimal and prolonged anesthesia, analgesia, and maintaining hemodynamic stability. Each flight day, a fully anesthetized, ventilated, and surgically instrumented pig was transported to the Flight Research Laboratory (FRL) in a temperature-controlled animal ambulance. A modular on-board surgical/ICU suite with appropriate anesthesia/ICU and surgical support capabilities was employed.

Results

The mean duration of anesthesia (per flight day) was 10.28 h over four consecutive days. A barbiturate and ketamine-based CRI anesthetic regimen supplemented with narcotic analgesia by bolus administration offered the greatest prolonged hemodynamic stability through an IV route (within multiple transport vehicles and differing gravitational environments). Standardization and pre-packaging of anesthesia, emergency pharmaceuticals, and consumables were found to facilitate the interchange of the veterinary anesthesia team members between flights. This operational process was extremely challenging.

Conclusions

With careful organization of caregivers, equipment and protocols, providing anesthesia and life support in weightlessness is theoretically possible. Unfortunately, human resource costs are extensive and likely overwhelming. Comprehensive algorithms for extended spaceflight must recognize these costs prior to making assumptions or attempting to provide critical care in space.     

Effects of the Black River (Cape,South Africa) on the distribution and survival of marine psammofauna

The physicochemistry of the Black River and adjacent marine beach, in terms of tidal, daily and seasonal fluctuations of temperature and salinity, presents a highly stressed environment exacerbated by canalization of the river mouth. Riverine pollution further stresses this environment, producing low densities and diversities of marine infauna adjacent to the river. No fauna were found in the river mouth where typical estuarine conditions exist only during high tide. Tolerance of the dominant marine species, Cerebratulus fuscus, to temperature, salinity and river water combinations showed that mortality was more rapid after exposure to river water dilutions than after exposure to distilled water dilutions. Computer-generated models suggested that this species should survive conditions closer to the river than were observed. This confirmed additional stress due to pollution carried in the river from urban and industrial drainage. Lower river water temperatures during winter appear to ameliorate pollution stress, enhancing survivability of the infauna.     

Present-day plate interactions in Northeast Asia: North American, Eurasian, and Okhotsk plates

Based on seismicity and focal mechanisms, a separate Okhotsk plate is identified which includes most of the Sea of Okhotsk, Kamchatka Peninsula, and the Suntar-Khayata Mountains, in the northeastern USSR. Using slip vectors from the largest earthquakes in the region, we obtain a North America-Eurasia pole of rotation near the Lena River delta and a Okhotsk-North America pole off western Chukotka. The computed poles satisfy observed thrust faulting mechanisms in the northern Cherskii Mountains which are discordant with models proposed by previous workers. It is suggested that the Arctic rift propagated through northeast Siberia to the Pacific, separating the Okhotsk plate and causing a recent (<3Ma) change in location of the North America-Eurasia pole of rotation.     

Taxonomic distinctness in the diet of two sympatric marine turtle species

Marine turtles are considered keystone consumers in tropical coastal ecosystems and their decline through overexploitation has been implicated in the deterioration of reefs and seagrass pastures in the Caribbean. In the present study, we analysed stomach contents of green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) harvested in the legal turtle fishery of the Turks and Caicos Islands (Caribbean) during 2008–2010. Small juveniles to adult‐sized turtles were sampled. Together with data from habitat surveys, we assessed diet composition and the taxonomic distinctness (and other species diversity measures) in the diets of these sympatric marine turtle species. The diet of green turtles (n = 92) consisted of a total of 47 taxa: including three species of seagrass (present in 99% of individuals), 29 species of algae and eight sponge species. Hawksbill turtles (n = 45) consumed 73 taxa and were largely spongivorous (16 species; sponges present in 100% of individuals) but also foraged on 50 species of algae (present in 73% of individuals) and three species of seagrass. Plastics were found in trace amounts in 4% of green turtle and 9% of hawksbill turtle stomach samples. We expected to find changes in diet that might reflect ontogenetic shifts from small (oceanic‐pelagic) turtles to larger (coastal‐benthic) turtles. Dietary composition (abundance and biomass), however, did not change significantly with turtle size, although average taxonomic distinctness was lower in larger green turtles. There was little overlap in prey between the two turtle species, suggesting niche separation. Taxonomic distinctness routines indicated that green turtles had the most selective diet, whereas hawksbill turtles were less selective than expected when compared with the relative frequency and biomass of diet items. We discuss these findings in relation to the likely important trophic roles that these sympatric turtle species play in reef and seagrass habitats.