A new method for Seismic Site Characterization-Los Angeles‘shaken by biggest quake in years’

A 4.7-MAGNITUDE earthquake shook buildings in Los Angeles today, with US seismologists saying it was the strongest to hit the area since 2010, but there were no reports of damage or casualties.

The epicentre of the quake was some 19 kilometres southeast of Anza, California – about 100 miles southeast of Los Angeles – and was felt in San Diego, two hours’ drive down the coast from LA.

The quake shook buildings including one housing AFP’s offices in Hollywood, northwest of downtown. But there were no immediate reports of people being hurt or property being damaged, according to the Los Angeles Times or other media.

The USGS initially put the magnitude of the quake at 5.1, but later downgraded it to 4.7. It was still the strongest quake in the LA metropolis since since 2010.

“It’s been three years since we had anything this size this close to Los Angeles,” said USGS seismologist Susan Hough.

Los Angeles is on the so-called “Ring of Fire”, which circles the Pacific and has produced a number of devastating earthquakes, including Japan’s March 2011 quake and tsunami, which killed thousands of people.

You may be doubt that what is the character of the earthquake location?Recommend an article from SCIRP 《An Improved Method for Seismic Site Characterization with Emphasis on Liquefaction Phenomena》. In this paper, nonlinear geotechnical seismic hazard analysis considering the local site effects was executed and the soil lique-faction potential analysis has been evaluated for the Nemat Abad earth dam in Hamedan province of Iran because of its important socioeconomic interest and its location. Liquefaction susceptibility mapping is carried out using a decisional flow chart for evaluation of earthquake-induced effects, based on available data such as geological, groundwater depth, seismotectonic, sedimentary features, in situ, field and laboratory geotechnical parameters. A series model tests were conducted and then on base of the achieved data the idealized soil profile constructed. A C# GUI computer code “NLGSS_Shahri” was Generate, developed and then employed to evaluate the variation of shear modulus and damping ratio with shear strain amplitude to assess their effects on site response. To verify and validate the methodology, the obtained results of the generated code were compared to several known applicable procedures. It showed that computed output of this code has good and suitable agreement with other known applicable procedures.

Biomedical & Life Sciences -Depression profiles in skin disorders

Skin plays near perfect physiological protective functions in our life: such as the barrier function, sensory function, regulating body temperature, the absorption, secretion and excretion.Generally,  in the maintenance of the health of the body,it’s importance is irreplaceable. In addition,whether the skin is health, directly influences our psychosomatic conditions.A research from scientific research publishing concluded it,the following is the general:

Dermatological problems often present mood disorders, depression, anxiety disorders and psychological conditions relevant to psychosomatic conditions. Seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis, both characterized by chronic inflammation of skin, have been linked to emotional states. The aim of our study was to compare the two emotional profiles of patients with seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis, in order to evaluate, quantitatively and qualitatively, the emotional picture in the two groups of disease. Methods: The study group included 33 patients affected by seborrheic dermatitis (21 males and 12 females, age range 18 - 67 years, mean age 39.85 ± 15.45 years) and 36 other patients affected by psoriasis (22 males and 14 females, age range 18 - 67 years, mean age 41.11 ± 13.72 years). The protocol included clinical assessment of the skin disorder and psychological assessment of emotional profile using the test Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale TAS-20. An exploratory factorial analysis was carried out for the POMS factor D (depression) to evaluate the composition of the items found in the two types of skin disorders. Results: The comparison between patients with psoriasis and patients with seborrheic dermatitis in relation to the TAS score and the different aspects of mood and showed a significant difference concerning factor D (depression) of the POMS. Conclusions: This study shows the correlation between depression and two skin disorders, seborrhoeic dermatitis and psoriasis. In both cases, the clinical picture falls under the definition of “depression due to a general medical condition”. However, qualitative differences make the psychologic frame of psoriatic patients close to that of “major depression”, while in patients affected by seborrheic dermatitis the psychologic frame is more similar to that of “minor depression” (DSM IV).

(source: scientific research publishing)

Medicine & Healthcare- The Effects of Using Color Foods on Children-Immunity Properties and Liver

Synthetic color is often added to foods to replace natural color lost during processing.Yes,indeed it looks very attractive, however it also indeed do serious damage to children. How did it affect the health of children and how serious it is on earth?A study reveal the problem by experiment on rats.Let’s see the brief:

Synthetic color is added to foods to replace natural color lost during processing. It is causes health problems mainly in children that considered Avery venerable group. This study was carried out investigate the effect of using color foods (Color fruit juice for 6 - 12 hr. Tomato ketchup potato chips (TKPC) color sweet and color chocolate at low (15%) and high (30%)) concentration on serum biochemical, WBC (white blood cell)and histopathology of liver and kidney of rats for 13 week. The results indicated that no significant change in body weight gain, serum glucose, HDL and LDL cholesterol. TKPC (30%) showed that significant increase in total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG). Low and high concentration of color chocolate and color sweet was exhibited significant increase of TG. The level of ALT and AST was significant increase of rat’s administration color fruit juice (for 12 hr.) and TKPC at 30%. High concentration of color foods and long time administration of color fruit juice showed significant increase in serum creatinine and albumin compared to control group. Both low and high consumed of color foods exhibited significant decrease in liver GSH. High concentration of color foods lead to increase number of WBC as the result to the response of the immune system to the inflammation. Color foods were reveled change in histological structure of liver and kidney. In conclusion, the use synthetic color in various foods has adverse effect on some of biochemical analysis; and the liver and kidney histopathological structure.

(source: scientific research publishing )

The view of open access journal’s responsibility editor on the publishing fee

The following is the view of one open  access journal’s chief editor:

As the responsibility editor or editorial board, or the reviewers, the publication fee has little relationship with us. We won’t get any money for employing one article paying the publishing fee.That is,when we dicide wethere this article can be employed has nothing with wether the article has paid.As the journal editors,we only care for the quality of the article ,and hope to improve the academic influence.The following is a word I wrote in my email special :” Please note that yours is a voluntary position and there will be no financial remuneration”.Thus, we are under no obligation to help publishers to publish some worthless rubbish.Of course,I am also against high layout fee.

The safety of RTE Pineapple chicken curry-is acceptable after storage at -18℃± 2℃for 6 months

A research from SCIRP about the safety of Pineapple chicken curry, share with you and ask for help:why pineapple chicken curry must be storage at -18℃± 2℃for 6 months?Do you really think it is acceptable?The following is the general:

 RTE Pineapple chicken curry, a traditional Kerala recipe, was prepared and standardized by using de-boned broiler meat chunks, pineapple and spices. The product having both meat and gravy (1:1.9) was packed in polyethylene pouches and stored at -18℃± 2℃for 6 months. During frozen storage, the free fatty acid (FFA) values were 0.28 - 0.46 (as percentage oleic acid) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values were 1.68 - 2.45 (mg of malonaldehyde/Kg of sample) increased in both meat and gravy. Meat and gravy pH were in the range of 5.5 to 6. Marginal decrease in shear force values (43.4 - 39.6 N) were also observed. During storage the SPC was found to be decreasing over period of storage (100, 40, 20, <10 respectively). Psychrophiles were within acceptable limit and pathogens were absent. Microbiological data showed that the product was microbiologically safe. The sensory score indicated that the RTE pineapple chicken curry is acceptable after storage at -18℃± 2℃for 6 months.

If this is not detailed enough, please click< Physico-Chemical Changes in Ready to Eat Pineapple Chicken Curryduring Frozen Storage > for more.

Medicine & Healthcare-Protective Effect of Curcumin on Anxiety, Learning Behavior, Neuromuscular Activities, Brain Neurotransmitters and Oxidative Stress Enzymes in Cadmium Intoxicated Mice

           

Curcumin is a kind of yellow pigment, a extract from turmeric rhizome.In medical, anticancer is one of the main pharmacological activities of curcumin.Its capacity to inhibition of tumor has been multiple demonstrated in the animal tests.A new research states its benefits of other hand.The following is the general:

Cadmium (Cd) exposure can induce acute lethal health-related threats to humans since it has an exceptional ability to accumulate in living organisms and cause toxicological effects. Curcumin (Cur) on the other hand has a wide variety of biological activities and several animal studies have suggested for a potential therapeutic or preventive effects against several ailments and infections. To study the effect of Cur on the toxicity of Cd, sixty Swiss-Webster strain male mice were divided into 6 groups of ten each at random. Group-1 served as the na?ve control and received no treatment. Group-2, 3 and 4 were the experimental controls and were administered once a day with a single oral dose of 50% dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), Cur (300 mg/kg) or Cd (100 mg/kg) respectively, for 2 weeks. Group-5 and 6 received Cur and Cd in combination once a day orally for 2 weeks except that Cur in a dose of 150 and 300 mg/kg to group 5 and 6 respectively, was administered one hour before Cd (100 mg/kg) administration to both groups. After treatment period, the animals were subjected to behavioral tests and thereafter, the animals were sacrificed for the estimation of neurotransmitters like serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA) and it’s metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) as well as oxidative stress enzymes like lipid peroxides in the form of thiobarbituric acid–reactive substances (TBARS) and total glutathione (GSH) in the forebrain tissue. Cd reduced significantly the body weight gain, the locomotor activity, anxiety behavior in the plus maze and the learning capability (cognitive effect) in the shuttle-box test. Biochemical analysis further revealed that Cd exposure significantly altered the brain neurotransmitters and the oxidative stress enzymes. However, administration of Cur along with Cd had an ameliorating effect on all the behavioral and biochemical parameters studied herein and reduced the toxicity of Cd significantly and dose-dependently. Thus, Cur may be beneficial for anxiety, neuromuscular, and cognitive problems and protect from Cd intoxication.

(source: scientific research publishing )

Earth & Environmental Sciences - Vermicompost, the story of organic gold

Earthworm cast is the earthworm waste. From the component terms,it contains organic matter, humic acid, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It has  been shown to contain reduced levels of contaminants and a higher saturation of nutrients than do organic materials before vermicomposting. A research from scientificresearch publishing has state the worms composting technology, its importance, use and some salient results obtained in the globe so far,I think it may advance the course of vermicompost:

Earthworm has caught imagination of philosophers like Pascal and Thoreau. Yet its role in the nutrition of agricultural fields has attracted attention of researchers worldwide only in recent decades. Waste management is considered as an integral part of a sustainable society, thereby necessitating diversion of biodegradable fractions of the societal waste from landfill into alternative management processes such as vermicomposting. Earthworms excreta (vermicast) is a nutritive organic fertilizer rich in humus, NPK, micronutrients, beneficial soil microbes; nitrogen-fixing, phosphate solubilizing bacteria, actinomycets and growth hormones auxins, gibberlins & cytokinins. Both vermicompost & its body liquid (vermiwash) are proven as both growth promoters & protectors for crop plants. We discuss about the worms composting technology, its importance, use and some salient results obtained in the globe so far in this review update of vermicompost research.

(source: scientific research publishing )