A possible anorthositic continent of early Mars and the role of planetary size for the inception of Earth-like life

The Moon has an anorthositic primordial continental crust. Recently anorthosite has also been discovered on the Martian surface. Although the occurrence of anorthosite is observed to be very limited in Earth＇s extant geological record,both lunar and Martian surface geology suggest that anorthosite may have comprised a primordial continent on the early Earth during the first 600 million years after its formation. We hypothesized that differences in the presence of an anorthositic continent on an Earthlike planet are due to planetary size. Earth likely lost its primordial anorthositic continent by tectonic erosion through subduction associated with a kind of proto-plate tectonics（PPT）. In contrast, Mars and the Moon, as much smaller planetary bodies, did not lose much of their anorthositic continental crust because mantle convection had weakened and/or largely stopped, and with time, they had appropriately cooled down. Applying this same reasoning to a super-Earth exoplanet suggests that, while a primordial anorthositic continent may briefly form on its surface, such a continent will be likely transported into the deep mantle due to intense mantle convection immediately following its formation. The presence of a primordial continent on an Earth-like planet seems to be essential to whether the planet will be habitable to Earth-like life. The key role of the primordial continent is to provide the necessary and sufficient nutrients for the emergence and evolution of life. With the appearance of a ＂trinity＂ consisting of（1） an atmosphere,（2） an ocean, and（3） the primordial continental landmass, material circulation can be maintained to enable a ＂Habitable Trinity＂ environment that will permit the emergence of Earth-like life. Thus, with little likelihood of a persistent primordial continent, a super-Earth affords very little chance for Earth-like life to emerge.

Models and Neural Bases of the Believing Process

Departing from the long debates on the role of faith/belief, recent interdisciplinary research has turned to characterize the features of the psychophysical processes underlying believing. Here we review recent cognitive neuroscience models of the believing process and propose a conceptual framework that integrates current theoretical and empiric knowledge about the processes of believing. There are theories that elegantly explain believing as a self-organization process of cognitive and emotional elements. Adding to the component of self-organized belief representation, dual-component models assume a belief evaluation component, which is probably supported by the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and explains the stability of the belief despite the changing environment. Borrowing an idea from the neural models for the mental representation of action or situation, inclusion of both perceptive and action informations as the construct of belief representation allows the intimate relationship between a specific belief and a specific range of behaviour. Furthermore, inclusion of the personal value or affective information in the representation explains the deep impact of one’s emotional and physical state on the believing process. For associating perception, action, and value in a representation, the medial frontal cortex (MFC) may play a key role. Recent neuro-cognitive models of self-cognition explain the developmental origin of such a representation and the hierarchically nested structure of three levels of complexity in the representations: basic physical level, interpersonal level, and higher social level. The integrated model provides a comprehensive perspective of the believing process which suggests the importance and future directions of this interdisciplinary approach.

Estimation of Glacier Melt Water Contribution for Human Consumption in the Royal Andes Considering Temperature Measurement Errors

Glaciers from the West side of the Royal Andes are an important source of fresh water for some of the most important Bolivian cities like El Alto. Temperature is an important datum for hydrological modelling and for glacier melt estimation. All temperature measurement devices have some degree of uncertainty due to systematic errors;thus, any temperature measurement has some errors. It is important to estimate the influence of such errors on the results from hydrological models and the estimation of melt water. The present study estimates the melt water contribution from the glaciers Tuni and Huayna West as a source of water supply for human consumption of El Alto considering the errors from temperature measurements. The hydrologic response of the basins was simulated with a hydrologic model. The glacier melt contribution was estimated as the difference between the discharge from the current scenario (with glaciers) and the discharge from a scenario without glaciers. Several volumes of melt water were estimated considering the temperature measurement and its possible errors. The uncertainty of such melt water volume was addressed by performing a Monte Carlo analysis of the possible melt water. The melt water contribution from glacier Tuni and Huayna West during the hydrologic year 2011-2012 was between 1.37 × 106 m3 and 1.72 × 106 m3. Such water volume is enough to meet the yearly water demand of between 6.81% and 8.55% of El Alto.

The Historical Review of the 1755 Lisbon Tsunami

The original accounts reporting the 1755 Lisbon Tsunami were compiled, focusing on the descriptions related to the tsunami parameters, damage and fatalities in the affected regions （Atlantic Northeast and Caribbean）. The accounts show the tsunami reached the southwest municipalities of Portugal in less than 30 minutes after the earthquake, and about one hour later the entire coasts of Portugal, Gulf of Cadiz （Spain） and Morocco were hit by the first tsunami waves. The tsunami took about five hours to reach Ireland and UK, and hit the Caribbean region about 9-10 hours after the earthquake. In addition, significant damage and fatalities were reported in Portugal （Peniche, the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and seven coastal areas in the south）, Spain （Cadiz） and in all Morocco coastline, including Marrakech which is located about 200 km inland. In Ireland, UK and the Caribbean minor damage was observed, and no fatalities were reported.

Steroid Sulfatase Inhibitor Reduces Proliferation of Ishikawa Endometrial Cancer Cells in Co-Culture Systems

Objectives: Estrogens significantly contribute toward the growth and development of endometrial cancers. Two principal pathways have been implicated in the final steps of estrogen synthesis: the steroid sulfatase (STS) and aromatase pathways. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the possible effects of tumor-stromal interactions on local estrogen biosynthesis in endometrial cancer. We also assessed the biological effects of inhibitors of steroid sulfatase and aromatase in the co-culture system compared with usual monocultures. Methods/Materials: We isolated stromal cells from endometrial cancer patients to examine local biosynthesis of estrogens and tumor-stromal interactions. Next we examined the effects of steroid sulfatase inhibitor and aromatase inhibitor in monoculture of endometrial cancer cell line (Ishikawa) and in a co-culture system involving an Ishikawa cells and stromal cells. Results: Estrogen receptor and steroid sulfatase mRNA levels in cancer cells were significantly higher in the co-cultures compared with the monocultures of endometrial cancer cells. Estradiol and androstenediol concentrations were also significantly higher in the co-cultured cells. Proliferation of the cancer cells was significantly increased through the steroid sulfatase pathway, which metabolizes androgens, estrone sulfate, and estradiol sulfate as its substrates. However, its proliferation was significantly decreased by the treatment of steroid sulfatase or aromatase inhibitors. The significant growth inhibition by the steroid sulfatase and aromatase inhibitors were also observed in the co-culture system. Conclusions: We evaluated the effects of STS inhibitor and aromatase inhibitors on the proliferation of estrogen-dependent endometrial cancer cells. Considering that intratumoral estrogen metabolism plays an important role, our co-culture systems provide an environment similar to that of the tumor in living patients in terms of metabolism and synthesis of intratumoral estrogens. The results of this study may aid in achieving improved clinical responses from patients treated with STS inhibitors.

New Realization of Disaster Risk Reduction Education in the Context of a Global Pandemic: Lessons from Japan

The global COVID-19 pandemic has challenged different development sectors,including education.In this article,two main analyses are provided:one on the biological hazards of the pandemic in the context of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015−2030,which analyzes the overall impacts on the education sector.Then we discuss the overall impact on education sectors,with specific focus on disaster risk reduction(DRR)education and education for sustainable development(ESD).Disaster risk reduction education and ESD are analyzed from the perspective of school-community-family linkages.Specific case analysis of COVID-19 response in the education sector is presented from Omuta City,Japan,which is considered as a champion city for ESD.Four phases of response in Omuta City are characterized with three specific foci:(1)mitigating covid impacts on educational program and participants;(2)preventing exacerbation of covid transmission within and outside schools;and(3)maintaining educational program integrity despite covid.Key lessons are summarized in the concluding section,which explore the importance of(1)educational governance(on critical decision making)during the pandemic as well as with cascading risks;(2)enhancement of school-community-family linkages as pandemic response commonalities between ESD and DRR education;(3)risk communication and citizen behavior;and(4)use of technology.We argue that integration of health and DRR education is important,that resilience needs to be redefined in terms of sustainable development goals(SDGs),and that education plays a vital role in achieving these ends.

A Criterion for Tsunami Hazard Assessment at the Local Scale

A criterion for tsunami hazard assessment at the local scale is proposed. It is based on travel times and water level height, calculated by the tsunami numerical model, combined with the existence or not of an easy evacuation path from the shoreline to safely high ground and evaluated by field survey. Furthermore, the 1755 Lisbon Tsunami is considered as the worst case scenario, allowing evaluating the impact of a similar scenario at Figueira da Foz municipality, Portugal. The results show that all the beaches are inundated and should be evacuated within an hour after the earthquake. Since there is safely high ground nearby most areas leading to a local tsunami hazard of＂low＂. However, the presence of unstable sand dunes that has been showing signs of collapsing at the south of Cova and Leirosa allowing the tsunami to penetrate inland, inundating the residential areas. For that reason, the local tsunami hazard is ＂moderate＂. The other area which has ＂moderate＂ classification is Cabedelo, because it does not have any coastal protection from tsunami waves, and does not have easy access to the high ground. The marina and fishing port have ＂very low＂ classification, nevertheless it is recommended that vessels evacuate to art offshore area.

The Gaps Between Institutional and Practical Disaster Risk Management Measures on Coastal Flood Risks in South Korea’s Coastal Communities

Global warming and climate change significantly increase the frequency of coastal floods caused by sea level rise(SLR) as a permanent factor and hydrometeorological hazards as tentative factors. The combined risks will affect coastal communities.South Korea is gradually facing SLR risks, mainly in its southern coastal regions;however, disaster risk reduction(DRR)in coastal regions remains fragmented. This study aimed to investigate the status of DRR for coastal communities in South Korea by looking at government practices and testimonies from residents. This study reviewed DRR-related regulations and documents and collected data from interviews with local government officials, field visits, and informal conversations with residents in six coastal communities. The findings show that the coastal communities were less resilient to coastal floods than to other hazards, such as typhoons and heavy rains, and the potential consequences could be expanded due to demographic challenges, fragmented institutional systems, and low risk awareness. Moreover, this study emphasized the necessity of an integrated approach to reducing the impact of coastal floods caused by both SLR and other factors. It also highlighted the importance of coastal community engagement in local DRR activities through increasing risk awareness and adapting to environmental change based on appropriate risk information disclosure by the government. The impacts of coastal floods triggered by SLR and other hazard factors can be reduced by aligning practical regulatory measures with adaptive strategies and enhancing the disaster resilience of coastal communities.

Coulomb Stress Evolution History as Implication on the Pattern of Strong Earthquakes along the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang Fault System, China

Coulomb stress accumulation and releasing history and its relationship with the occur- rence of strong historical earthquakes could deepen our understanding of the occurrence pattern of strong earthquakes and hence its seismic potential in future. The sinistral strike-slip Xianshuihe- Xiaojiang fault zone （XXFS） is one of the most dangerous fault zones in China, extending 1 500-km- long from the central Tibetan Plateau to the Red River fault zone. There are 35 M≥6.5 historical earth- quakes occurred since 1327, hence it is an ideal site for studying the Coulomb stress evolution history and its relationship with the occurrences of strong earthquakes. In this study, we evaluated the Cou- lomb stress change history along the XXFS by synthesizing fault geometry, GPS data and historical earthquakes. Coulomb stress change history also revealed different patterns of historical earthquakes on different segments of the XXFS, such as characteristic recurrence intervals along the Salaha-Moxi fault and super-cycles along the Xianshuihe fault. Based on the occurrence pattern of past historical earthquakes and current Coulomb stress field obtained in this study, we suggest positive ACFS and hence high seismic potential along the Salaha-Moxi fault and the Anninghe fault.

Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction Following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: A Business Process Management Perspective

The Tohoku Regional Bureau(TRB) of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism(MLIT) performed various actions in response to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. The total disaster recovery and reconstruction period is expected to last for 10 years, of which the first five years are regarded as the concentrated reconstruction period. As of 2013, a majority of the mega projects that involved restoration actions have been completed, which indicates a more effective rate of completion compared with the MLIT projects performed in normal non-disaster situations. This short article explains the management process of the recovery and reconstruction utilized by the TRB—an interorganizational process—from a business process management(BPM) perspective and creates a simple organization construction diagram of the entire process. The study focused on the transactions and actor roles to identify their strengths. The findings indicate the utilization of different operational procedures in some parts of the process, the importance of liaison role, as well as some obstacles. The lessons learned from this analysis can assist managers and researchers in designing and managing restoration processes for future disasters.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction at Five:Lessons from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030(SFDRR) represents an inclusive approach to disaster risk reduction, linked to development and recovery. Building on previous international guidelines, the SFDRR promotes practical and measurable outcomes for reducing disaster losses, including indicators to measure progress towards seven specific global targets.Evaluated in the context of the priorities and global targets of the SFDRR, the article considers the case of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011 to illustrate advances and limitations in pre-disaster tsunami hazard engineering and post-disaster recovery. With respect to the targets set out in the Sendai Framework related to risk reduction and tsunami engineering, especially Priority 1,understanding disaster risk, there have been significant advances in hazard assessment and systems for tsunami detection and warning. Although the SFDRR emphasizes actions in the recovery phase through Priority 4, enhancing disaster preparedness with an emphasis on the concept of build back better, on its own this does not function as a clear directive for guiding recovery. However, the overall people-centered and inclusive approach of the SFDRR, as well as the global targets and several sub-priorities, can be a useful way to shape good practices in recovery and evaluate recovery progress.

Port-resolving,tsunami,and tidal simulations to locate“tsunami vortexes”for safe vessel evacuation planning

Vortexes induced by tsunamis,“tsunami vortexes”,pose a potential danger for ship evacuation,and their prediction is important to determine their role in navigation and safe vessel evacuation.This study simulated tsunami-induced vortexes in Osaka Bay and investigated their spatial and temporal scales using a port-resolved,high-resolution tsunami model based on a scenario for the largest tsunamigenic earthquake expected to occur along the Nankai Trough in the near future.Vortexes induced by tidal currents were also evaluated using a realistic tidal simulation for comparison with the magnitudes of the tsunami vortexes.The tsunami simulation identified the dominant areas of the tsunami vortexes characterized by the magnitude of the vorticity.Unified maps of tsunami speeds and vortexes showed the difficult areas for ship evacuation and indicated that these areas can persist after the approach of the leading wave around the entrances to port areas.The areas of tsunami vortex formation were largely deduced by analyzing the vorticity fields in the tidal simulations,because the magnitude of tsunami-induced vorticities was closely correlated with that of the tide-induced vorticities.The combination of tide and tsunami simulations can identify areas of tsunami vortex formation and provide valuable information to guide measures for safer vessel evacuation.