Generation of Power by Microbial Fuel Cell with Ferricyanide in Biodegradation of Benzene

The power generation potential of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) during the process of benzene biodegradation with potassium ferricyanide (0–200 mM) as the terminal electron acceptor was evaluated. Experimental results demonstrate that benzene was used as the sole carbon source in generating electricity by a mixed culture. The power density increased from 0.0276 to 2.1 mW m^?2 as the concentration of potassium ferricyanide in the cathode chamber was increased from 0 to 200 mM. With a benzene concentration of 10.87 mg L^?1 and a potassium ferricyanide concentration of between 0 and 150 mM, complete degradation of benzene was achieved in 22–24.5 h. However, when the concentration of potassium ferricyanide was raised to 200 mM, the time required for complete benzene degradation was prolonged to 35 h. The results of this investigation can be used as a basis for future assessments of the power generation capacity of MFCs that are used to treat benzene‐contaminated wastewater.     

The oldest flora of the South China Block, and the stratigraphic bearings of the plant remains from the Ngoc Vung Series, northern Vietnam

Several outcrops of the Late Silurian and Devonian of the Ngoc Vung Series, northern Vietnam, yielded plant remains. The Late Silurian localities delivered the earliest known flora of the South China block. Although the fossils are fragmentary, they complement our knowledge about the global composition of the flora. The major components of the flora are plants with dichotomous habit and terminal bivalvate sporangia, which are close relatives to zosterophylls, and zosterophylls. Plants with possible euphyllophyte affinities and bryophytes are occasionally present. This floral composition is similar to that of the rich, younger South China block assemblages from the Posongchong and Xujiachong Formations of China, considered Pragian in age. The South China block flora is therefore likely to have been dominated by zosterophylls and pre-zosterophylls at least from the Late Silurian to the Pragian (i.e. a 20 million years long period). It also strengthens the hypothesis that more derived plants were present on eastern Gondwana earlier that elsewhere, in the first steps of tracheophyte evolution. The Devonian localities of the Ngoc Vung Series delivered a thick fibrous stem fragment and a basal euphyllophyte. These latter plant remains provide some stratigraphic data. The large stem fragment is consistent with an Eifelian age for the Duong Dong Formation (part of the Ngoc Vung Series), as suggested by the brachiopod fauna. The accompanying basal euphyllophyte displays a combination of characters (axes 3-4 mm wide and lateral branchings) that is also consistent with an Eifelian age, but possibly more characteristic of the Emsian flora. It is therefore suggested that the stratigraphic range of the Duong Dong Formation might be extended down to the Emsian.     

Public perception of climate change and disaster preparedness: Evidence from the Philippines

The Philippines is highly susceptible to both geophysical and climate-related disasters. This article explores Filipinos knowledge and perception of climate change and their association with what action Filipinos take to prepare for rapid onset natural hazards such as typhoons. Data for this study were collected from a nationally representative random survey of 5,184 adults conducted between March and April of 2017. Filipinos self-report relatively low levels of knowledge of climate change and cited increased temperatures, shifts in seasons, and heavier rains as the most likely consequences. Levels of disaster preparedness in the Philippines differ widely by region. Although most Filipinos perceive that natural hazards are a risk to them, only a third of Filipinos undertake measures to prepare for disasters. Filipinos who perceive climate-related changes directly impacting their households report taking greater action to prepare for disasters. Filipinos who believe they have been directly impacted by climate-related changes are also more likely to prepare for disasters, take planning actions, and undertake material actions to prepare, such as dwelling improvements. Other factors associated with disaster preparedness include gender, membership in an association, wealth, risk perception, and prior exposure to and losses due to disasters. The findings imply that, while posing different challenges and requiring different responses, adaptation to climate change and disaster preparedness are inherently associated and potentially mutually reinforcing. Policies and programs would arguably benefit from a more unified intervention framework that links climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness.     

A probabilistic approach for earthquake risk assessment based on an engineering insurance portfolio

This paper presents the construction classification of the existing engineering covers in Taiwan. The exposure profile and variable vulnerability during different construction phases are established for some kinds of classes of construction. Finally, we present a method and framework to estimate the probable maximum loss of engineering insurance portfolio during an earthquake with consideration of the dynamic nature of structural changes and exposure values during a construction project.     

Integrating long-term seismic risk changes into improving emergency response and land-use planning: a case study for the Hsinchu City, Taiwan

An increasing number of rapidly growing urban areas in Asia are becoming more vulnerable to seismic hazards in their development process. However, local authorities rarely integrate seismic risk into the procedure of emergency and land-use planning. This article explores the question of whether seismic risks for urban areas are increasing or diminishing over time, while trends such as population growth and land development in hazard-prone areas increase the potential for loss in disasters. The net effects of such urbanization factors are examined through the use of simulation models that estimate building inventory and seismic loss changes. Seismic losses are modeled for a comparative analysis under the same hypothetical earthquake events hitting at different points in a city area’s long-term development. A case study of seismic risk assessments is illustrated by the Hsinchu City, Taiwan. Results of a prospective analysis indicate that, for the same seismic events, overall risk is expected to increase due to a forecast 2.9 % growth in building inventory. This increment in loss is largely attributed to a large amount of initial buildings predicted to be developed into commercial and industrial uses. However, the spatial pattern of risk would change slightly; particularly, the southeastern, eastern, and some older core areas would be the most vulnerable and risky both at current and future time periods. The approach here enables city planners to incorporate seismic risk analysis into predisaster emergency and land-use planning to encourage risk-reduction strategies.     

越南西北部莱州地区新生代煌斑岩地球化学特征及其成因

越南西北部菜州地区出露的新生代煌斑岩岩脉对理解特提斯造山带东段的深部岩石圈特征和演化具有重要的地质意义.本文报道莱州地区煌斑岩的元素地球化学和Sr-Nd-Pb同位素组成特征,探讨其岩石成因.该地区煌斑岩属于钙碱性,钾质-超钾质煌斑岩特征.地球化学特征对比表明,菜州地区煌斑岩与哀牢山断裂带碱性岩具有相似的地球化学特征,但与海南和越南南部火山岩存在明显差异.分析结果表明,煌斑岩具有高的87Sr/86Sr比值、低143Nd/144Nd比值和高放射性成因Pb同位素组成特征.岩石的微量元素组成特征指示,形成煌斑岩的地幔源区可能经历过流体交代作用或沉积物组分的加入.低208Pb*/206Pb*比值暗示地幔源区富集事件是近期发生的,可能与晚古生代-早中生代印支地块向扬子地块俯冲事件有关.     

A computational finite‐element program for hybrid simulation

The essence of real time hybrid simulation (RTHS) is the reliance on a physical test (virtual finite element) in support of a numerical simulation, which is unable to properly simulate it numerically. Hence, the computational support for a hybrid simulation is of paramount importance, and one with anything less than a state of the art computational support may defeat the purpose of such an endeavor. A critical, yet often ignored, component of RTHS is precisely the computational engine, which unfortunately has been a bottleneck for realistic studies. Most researches have focused on either the control or on the communication (mostly in distributed, non‐real time hybrid simulation) leaving the third leg of RTHS (computation) ignored and limited to the simulation of simple models (small number of degrees of freedom and limited nonlinearities). This paper details the development of a specialized software written explicitly to perform, single site, hybrid simulation ranging from pseudo‐dynamic to hard real time ones. Solution strategy, implementation details, and actual applications are reported. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sensitivity of seismically isolated structures

In this paper we study the sensitivity of seismically isolated structures to a small variability of the earthquake excitation and of some structural properties with respect to the probability of failure and floor spectra. In particular, the influence of the nonlinear behaviour of the isolated superstructure on the vulnerability and on the floor spectra is investigated by means of a series of Monte Carlo simulations of simple two degrees‐of‐freedom systems. Several types of passive and active isolation systems are examined and three different idealized nonlinear constitutive laws are considered for the superstructure. It is found that, in general, the probability of failure does not depend on the specific cyclic behaviour of the assumed constitutive law and general trends regarding the impact of different isolation devices on vulnerability are established. As for the floor spectra, the influence of moderate nonlinear behaviour of isolated superstructures, with the exception of the case of a non‐dissipative elastic nonlinear law, is negligible, contrary to the case of conventional structures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.