bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Debris-covered glacier energy balance model for Imja–Lhotse Shar Glacier in the Everest region of Nepal
Authors: Rounce D. R. , Quincey D. J. , McKinney D. C.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Debris thickness plays an important role in regulating ablation rates on debris-covered glaciers as well as controlling the likely size and location of supraglacial lakes. Despite its importance, lack of knowledge about debris properties and associated energy fluxes prevents the robust inclusion of the effects of a debris layer into most glacier surface energy balance models. This study combines fieldwork with a debris-covered glacier energy balance model to estimate debris temperatures and ablation rates on Imja–Lhotse Shar Glacier located in the Everest region of Nepal. The debris properties that significantly influence the energy balance model are the thermal conductivity, albedo, and surface roughness. Fieldwork was conducted to measure thermal conductivity and a method was developed using Structure from Motion to estimate surface roughness. Debris temperatures measured during the 2014 melt season were used to calibrate and validate a debris-covered glacier energy balance model by optimizing the albedo, thermal conductivity, and surface roughness at 10 debris-covered sites. Furthermore, three methods for estimating the latent heat flux were investigated. Model calibration and validation found the three methods had similar performance; however, comparison of modeled and measured ablation rates revealed that assuming the latent heat flux is zero may overestimate ablation. Results also suggest that where debris moisture is unknown, measurements of the relative humidity or precipitation may be used to estimate wet debris periods, i.e., when the latent heat flux is non-zero. The effect of temporal resolution on the model was also assessed and results showed that both 6 h data and daily average data slightly underestimate debris temperatures and ablation rates; thus these should only be used to estimate rough ablation rates when no other data are available.
The Return of Mythic Voice in the Aporias of Narcissism: Pleshette DeArmitt’s Ethical Idea
Authors: Beardsworth Sara
Published: December 2015

The ordeal of mourning, being so much harder than any thought its experience may deliver, bears out the impression developed in Julia Kristeva’s opening to The Severed Head—that thought is swift. She has recognized as well as anyone the interplay of blindness and insight. Nothing brings all this into starker evidence than the premature death of a loved other, a friend, or a true assistant in life and thought. There is a reminder in this that the new narratives of subjectivity on which Kristeva places a high value, and certainly the long life of meaning in the world, come at the price of the loss and mourning of our loved others. Pleshette DeArmitt’s book, The Right to Narcissism: A Case for an Im-possible Self-Love, has given the condition of narcissism an intricate place in this difficult if promising work.
From Narcissus to Genius through the Work of Pleshette DeArmitt
Authors: Hemme Marygrace
Published: December 2015

Through my reading of the section of Pleshette Dearmitt’s book The Right to Narcissism, entitled “Kristeva: the Rebirth of Narcissus,” I illustrate the way in which DeArmitt’s reading of Narcissus is reflected in Julia Kristeva’s conception of genius. DeArmitt describes narcissism as a structure through which subjectivity, language, self-love, and love for the other come about. Narcissism develops through a metaphorical relation of identification with a “loving third” in which the subject-in-formation is transferred to the site of the other, to the place from which he or she is seen and heard through the words of the mother directed at an other. The emerging subject catches the words of others and repeats them. The speech of the other, then, is a model or pattern with which the subject-in-formation identifies repeatedly, and it is through identifying with the third that the forming subject becomes like the other, a speaking subject herself. All love comes from narcissism because it is a repetition of this identification and transference. I connect this account to Kristeva’s Female Genius Trilogy by claiming that these works are love stories since they are based on a repetition of the narcissistic structure on a cultural level in their content and in their form, though for each genius it manifests through a different register. For Hannah Arendt the relation is between the actor and the spectator; for Melanie Klein it is between the analyst and the analysand; and for Colette it is between the writer and the reader.
Book Review Janae Sholtz, The Invention of a People: Heidegger and Deleuze on Art and the Political (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2015)
Authors: Dillet Benoit
Published: December 2015

A book review of Janae Sholtz, The Invention of a People (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2015).
Acute orthogonal stress driven by temperature, salinity and light intensity on Qatari Porites photosynthesis and growth
Authors: Al-Naema Nayla , Deb Nandita , Saeed Suhur , Dupont Jennifer , Ben-Hamadou Radhouane
Published: December 2015

Coral reefs are very important as they provide a foundation habitat for many aquatic species. Corals are marine invertebrates that exist as communities of polyps. Occasionally when corals experience physical stresses, the polyps expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae resulting in a white appearance. This is commonly described as “coral bleaching”. The Arabian Gulf is well known as one of the most extreme environments in which zooxanthellate coral reef communities occur. A combination of both extremely high and low temperatures as well as high salinities, combined with shallow profile of the coastal waters (high luminosity) imply high stress for coral physiology that may explain much of the coral bleaching and mortality events observed during the last decade. We initiated a series of laboratory experiments (microcosms: ecosystems under controlled conditions) to understand the impact of specific environmental parameters on Qatari coral health under controlled lab conditions. To draw a conclusion about optimum conditions and tolerance range for corals in Qatari waters, Porites sp. nubbins, collected from natural coral reefs North of Qatar, were cultured in pre-acclimatized laboratory aquaria. Orthogonal experiments were conducted to test the physiological response of corals under 3 stress stimuli: salinity, light intensity and temperature. Imaging-Pulse Amplitude Modulation Fluorometry (Imaging-PAM) and buoyant weight were utilized during experiment to measure photosynthetic performance and growth of the corals. Results revealed that elevated levels of temperature and salinity have a statistically significant effect on Symbiodinium photosynthetic activity; while light intensity did not. High level of salinity (50 psu) affected the corals’ photosynthetic efficiency. As a result, corals’ weight dropped down causing partial bleaching which was noticed at day 10 of the experiment with faded spots that covered the corals’ body and allowing other algae to overgrow. The decrease in photosynthetic activities of the in-hospite Symbiodinium under acute salinities and temperature levels were effectively observed through Imaging-PAM only after the 6th day of exposure. This suggests that in-hospite Symbiodinium of Porites sp. are affected only in relatively prolonged extreme conditions. A fast and comprehensive recovery of Porites sp. health could; therefore, be possible for short exposure to extreme temperature or salinity conditions.
These results are very important to address the coral mortality and bleaching events occurring in Qatari coastal waters and may help establish guidelines for coral relocation efforts in Qatar marine environment or the identification of potential impacts of thermal pollution on coral reefs in Qatari waters due to industrial discharges from power or desalination plants.
Investigating the biodiversity and current status of the historically renowned oyster beds of Qatar
Authors: Smyth David , Al-Maslamani Ibrahim , Giraldes Bruno , Chatting Mark
Published: December 2015

The “Pearl Oyster” Pinctada radiata has long been associated with the nation of Qatar. Historically pearl oysters were harvested in huge quantities in the Arabian Gulf with Qatari pearls making up a large percentage of the fishery. However, following the discovery of oil in Qatar, combined with the emergence of Japanese cultured pearls onto the market, the Qatari pearl fishing industry diminished considerably.
Oyster beds are recognized globally as hotspots of species diversity. The beds provide numerous primary ecosystem services such as nursery habitat for juvenile fish, major pelagic benthic coupling, water filtration and substrate stabilizing eco-engineers. It was therefore important that the demise in interest of this once iconic mollusk, such a rich part of Qatar’s culture and heritage, was addressed. It was the lack of information on the current status of the oyster beds in Qatar’s marine waters, and their associated biodiversity, that prompted the start of a targeted research program at the Environmental Science Center (ESC) at Qatar University.
The current research project is focused on three key components:
• The current ecosystem health, biodiversity, population structure and demographics of the “Pearl Oyster” Pinctatda radiata within the Qatari Exclusive Economic Zone.
• The current status of the standing stock of Pinctada radiata.
• The potential for oyster reef restoration using applied stock enhancement strategies and habitat expansion.
The research was undertaken with a biogeochemical and biological cruise onboard the ESC’s marine research vessel, the R/V Janan, when ten offshore oyster sites were visited. Sampling was carried out on historically productive oyster beds as well as the periphery of the bed. This allowed for inter and intra comparison of biodiversity of the oyster beds.
Preliminary results have shown a dramatic decline in “Pearl Oyster” densities with inter and intra bed biodiversity now displaying similar indices. This is undoubtedly a matter of concern that will need urgent remedial action.
First report on the identification of species known to produce PSP, DSP, ASP, and NSP toxins in Qatari waters (Arabian Gulf)
Authors: Al-Mufta Abdulrahman , Yilmaz Mete
Published: December 2015

Harmful algae bloom (HAB) is a natural phenomenon that occurs due to increase of algae cell density in water column that subsequently causes deleterious effects to natural environments as well as mankind. HABs in the Qatari waters occurred when a particular group of Phytoplankton cells proliferate in the eutrophied semi-enclosed water body. In this study, HABs composition in the Qatari waters was determined by light and scanning electron microscope (SEM) . Plankton samples were collected by a 20-micron plankton net haul in the Qatari waters during Oct. 2012 and Nov. 2013. The samples collected were divided into two Jars, one for culture, mainly toxicity test, and the other for identification. Samples were undergone fixation, several serial dehydration and observation under SEM. A total of 20 HABs was identified with 15 species known to be associated with HABs events and a total of 15 toxic species was identified with PSP dominancy. The occurrence of fish-killing armored dinoflagellate, Vulcanodinium rugosum, was reported for the first time in the Arabian Gulf and first report of noval pinnatoxin and portimine toxins. The presence of 12 major algal toxins and other potentially HABs in the Qatari Waters should be further investigated by the respective authorities in the future.
Environmental contamination in mangrove crustaceans inhabiting Qatari waters
Authors: Hassan Hassan , Al-Maslamani Ibrahim
Published: December 2015

The increasing level of pollutants in the marine environment is a major concern in all countries, in particular where the main diet is seafood. The major goal of this project was to assess the level of pollution and their effects in three local species, namely blue crab (Portunus pelagicus), barnacle (Balanus amphitrite), and shrimp (Palaemon khori). Samples were collected from intertidal and subtidal zones at Al-Khor Bay.The levels of pollutants such as poly chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals, and methylmercury in tissues and water samples were determined by Gas Chromatography (GC) , Cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometer (CVAFS), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES).The results show that the concentrations of the contaminants were very low in the water (mostly below detection limits), but PCB congeners (2,2,3,5-Tetrachlorobiphenyl and 2,2,4,5,5-Pentachlorobiphenyl) in shrimp and crab tissues was at the detectable levels. Methylmercury was measured (1 ppb approximately) in all three species’ tissues. The order of heavy metal concentrations in the tissues was Zn>Al>As>Mn>Cd>Mn>Ni>Cu>Mo>V>Pb>Co for barnacles; Zn>Al>Ni>Mo>Mn>As for blue crab, and Zn>Fe>Ni>Mn>Cr>As>Cd>Pb>Co>V for shrimp. The data presented in this study reports the first ever estimated baseline of contaminants both in the marine environment (water) and in animal tissues from this particular study area of Qatar.
Phylogenetic diversity of cyanobacteria from Qatar coastal waters
Authors: Al-Khelaifi Fatima , Yilmaz Mete , Saadaoui Imen , Ben-Hamadou Radhouan
Published: December 2015

A major consequence of the sustained degradation of the coastal environment is the progressive eutrophication, which makes Harmful Algal Blooms (e.g. cyanobacteria) more likely to happen and with potential production of cyanotoxins which may create health hazards. Qatar concerns have been rising following the observations of blooms in the last years. Identifying relevant cyanobacteria species that grow in the extreme environment of Qatar would help in keeping records of their diversity as well as finding the strains that have several positive biotechnological applications or negative effects such as harmful algal blooms (HABs) where environmental mitigation and/or adaptation measures are needed.
We aimed in this work to better understand the diversity of the cyanobacterial natural communities found in Qatari marine environment through a genotypic characterization (phylogenetic analysis) with the objectives to a) assess the local diversity, and b) provide consistent reference for future comparative analysis, biotechnological applications, and monitoring. In this study, Qatar University Culture Collection of Cyanobacteria and Microalgae (QUCCCM) strains collected from Qatar’s coastal regions were used to amplify fragments of the 16S rRNA gene followed by phylogenetic analysis. The obtained phylogenetic trees helped in branching the isolates by computing the differences (distances) among the isolates and compared them to known (published) cyanobacteria. This allowed the accurate identification and detection of the relevant Qatari cyanobacteria diversity and evolutionary relationship. Qatari marine cyanobacteria populations showed a high species richness. Indeed, we identified 28 taxa among them Geitlerinema sp., Euhalothece sp., and Geminocystis sp. have never been reported from Qatari waters. Additionally several isolates are potentially newly identified strains with low relationship to known cyanobacteria species. We were able to distinguish between populations in geographically separate regions along the Qatari coasts identifying where potentially toxic cyanobacteria may occur. Within the identified 28 species, we conducted a bibliographic analysis about their potential toxicity or toxin production. Eighteen strains are belonging to potentially toxic marine cyanobacteria. A regular monitoring of the occurrence and potential toxicity of the cyanobacteria in the coastal zone is recommended to timely identify potential environmental and human health hazards. Indeed, six isolates belonged to the potentially toxic marine cyanobacteria Geitlerinema sp., producer of a cytotoxic response to human lung tumor cells and other six isolates belonged to the marine cyanobacteria Chroococcidiopsis sp. and are known to produce a neurotoxic amino acid.
Seasonal patterns of zooplankton in the Qatari coast (Arabian Gulf) and their relationship to environmental changes
Authors: Safi Mariem A. , Range Pedro , Estremadura DM , Hamadou Radhouane Ben
Published: December 2015

Zooplanktons are marine animal members of the planktonic community. They play a key role in marine ecosystem, by linking primary production to higher trophic levels. The spatial and temporal dynamics of zooplankton communities were studied in 4 station along a transect offshore of Doha Bay, Qatar, from June 2014 to March 2015. Zooplankton samples were collected by means of horizontal tows using 120 and 500μm mesh size plankton nets. Two methods of examination were used and intercalibrated: optical microscopy and the automated identification and counting equipment FlowCAM. No spatial variability was observed among the locations sampled, while temporal variability was detected. The faunistic groups contributing most to these temporal variations were Cladocera, Oikopleura, crab larvae, Lucifer typus, fish eggs, and jellyfish. Our results showed no significant differences between the use of either the automated (FlowCAM) or the optical identification and counting suggesting the possible use of both methodologies as they provide complementary information (accurate identification capabilities and size spectra or population structure data).
Observations of hydrographic properties, dissolved oxygen (DO) and chlorophyll-A (Chl-a) (phytoplankton biomass) within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Qatar (central Arabian Gulf)
Authors: Rakib Mohammad Fazle , Saleh Al-Ansari Ibrahim A. M.
Published: December 2015

In situ observations of physical, chemical, and biological parameters of the Qatari water column were conducted to understand the temporal (seasonal) and spatial (regional) variability in the vertical and horizontal distribution of oceanographic properties within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Qatar. Samples were collected from 5 different offshore shallow and deep stations covering the northern and eastern marine regions of the Qatar EEZ during two seasons: late summer (September 2014) and winter (January 2015). Eighteen (18) water samples were analyzed for temperature, salinity, density, dissolved oxygen concentration, dissolved oxygen saturation (DO%), and chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a). These data reveal several interesting and unique features that are related to surface warming that give rise to a large excess of evaporation over precipitation, resulting in the formation of several high salinity water masses. The deep offshore EEZ of Qatar was characterized by stratification (seasonal thermocline and pycnocline) during summer when deep water temperature was about 23.5°C (colder than the surface 32.6°C) where reduced stratification appeared to dominate in winter. Well-oxygenated water exists within the surface layer (0-23 m) during both summer and winter. Oxygen saturation layer (concentration 4.53 ml/l; saturation 94.49%) in the deep water extends to bottom (63 m) in winter however oxygen level falls below the summer thermocline (1.35 ml/l corresponding to 28.95% saturation) at Station 5 (63 m depth). Chl-a concentration was high in summer due to high primary productivity but remained sustained at moderate levels in winter. The procedures and methods were carefully applied to ensure the accuracy of the study results. In-situ measurements have high reliability in detecting hydrographic properties; however, it is costly, time consuming, requires ship time and as well as large number of scientific personnel and resources.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) in the north-eastern Arabian Sea and its formation pathways, a stable isotope and isotopomeric perspective
Authors: Nayeem Mullungal M. , Hale R. Van , Frew R. D. , Law C. S.
Published: December 2015

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a biogenic trace gas in the atmosphere having significant role in global climate change and stratospheric chemistry. Its concentration in the ambient air has increased to the current value of 325 ppbv from 275ppbv in last hundred years. Oceans account for 25-30 % of global N2O emissions. Tropical and coastal regions contributes to more than 50 % of oceanic emissions; however, the biogeochemical pathways leading to its formations are poorly constrained. Nitrification and denitrification dominates N2O production with their N2O source product varying with oxygen availability. This paper describes the dissolved nitrous oxide concentration and its changes with apparent oxygen utilisation (AOU) along the Northeast Arabian Sea waters during South West Monsoon. Stable isotopic study of N2O including d15Nbulk, d18O, d15Nα and its site preference (SP) which is the difference between d15N α and d15N β were also conducted for the first time in this oceanic regions. The N2O were highly concentrated at the surface as compared to the other oceanic waters especially in the upwelling regions and the concentration increased to a maximum value in the oxygen less bottom waters. From sea to air N2O flux measurements these water masses appeared as a source for N2O with an average flux of 0.001-0.5 Tg N2O per year. The N2O vs AOU and Nitrate relationship suggested the importance of nitrification in the formation of N2O. The dual isotopic signatures of d 15Nbulk-N2O and d 18O were suggestive of more than one mechanism responsible for production with a nitrification dominated pathway in N2O cycling. The d18O of O2 confirms that mostly N2O is derived through nitrification process through the oxidation of NH2OH/NO. The SP values confirmed the existence of nitrification and nitrifier denitrification throughout the stations along the depth. This results suggest the need for more detailed study in the Gulf waters from where the highest N2O emissions were reported in 1991 for the first time.
Prevalence of microplastics in the marine environment of Qatar's exclusive economic zone
Authors: Castillo Azenith , Obbard Jeffrey Philip
Published: December 2015

Microplastics are now firmly recognized as a ubiquitous and growing global threat to marine biota, as well as their associated ecology and habitats. The prevalence of microplastics in the marine waters within Qatar’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) was investigated. Following sample extraction, microplastics were characterized using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and the polymer type then verified using OMNIC Spectra Library. Synthetic polymer microplastics were identified in seawater sampled from ten out of twelve marine monitoring stations, with varying shapes and sizes. Granular shaped microplastics present ranged from 120µm to 1.2mm in size, and fibrous microplastic ranged from 150µm to 10mm. Polypropylene (PP), low density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyamide (PA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and cellophane microplastic particles were identified. Copolymers were also identified from the collected samples, including poly(styrene:vinylidene chloride), poly(ethylene:propylene:diene) and alkyd resin e.g. paint debris. The most numerous type of synthetic polymer microplastic identified was polypropylene, with the greatest concentration found near Halul Island in the north east of the Qatar EEZ, where nearby anthropogenic activities include oil-rig installations and shipping operations. In addition, as par to the investigation, an optimized method was also developed for the extraction of microplastics from seawater samples rich in phytoplankton. The use of 1M NaOH proved to be more efficient digestion treatment than 10M NaOH and 22.5M HNO3 solutions, as the latter two solutions resulted in structural damage and discoloration of the reference polymers: polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), and nylon.
The puzzling existence of arid mangroves - what sustains Qatar mangroves?
Authors: Skov Martin , Al-Maslamani Ibrahim , Walton Mark EM , Al-Ansari Ebrahim , Kennedy Hilary , Robbins Peter , le Vay Lewis
Published: December 2015

Ecological dogma holds that mangroves are predominantly exporting and are sources for production of offshore systems including fisheries (the ‘outwelling hypothesis’). Yet, the amount of export, and thereby the economic benefits to fisheries, varies greatly between locations. Mangrove functional research has focused on tropical and subtropical areas, where rainfall-driven transport of terrestrial nutrients into mangroves makes forests productive and runoff flow makes export likely. It remains unclear to what degree the outwelling hypothesis applies to arid mangroves; and, at a more basic level, in the absence of rainfall-driven runoff, what are the sources of nutrients that sustain arid mangrove production? This presentation will address these fundamental questions and review the sources for contextual variation in mangrove outwelling; it will detail the findings of several recent multi-disciplinary ecological and oceanographic research projects on Qatar mangroves. Our research explored the notion that the extent of outwelling globally depends on interactions of coastal geomorphology, tidal regime and mangrove production. Findings show that outwelling is less prevalent than previously thought, particularly in areas where in-house herbivory is intense. In mangroves with low freshwater through-flow the net balance between import and export might well be lead to net inwelling: a net import of organic material from subtidal habitats. Thus, seagrass beds are source of inwelling at Al-Khor mangrove in Qatar. At Al-Khor, limited export of mangrove-derived carbon to adjacent food webs has been attributed to the arid environment where the lack of rainfall eliminates a significant flushing mechanism, reducing the opportunity for outwelling of particulate organic material. This presentation concludes that mangroves in the western Arabian Gulf are nutrient limited and dependent on localized retention and cycling of nutrients and inwelling of nutrients from adjacent habitats, partially driven by tidal asymmetry. We suggest that inwelling of particulate material from down-stream habitats, such as seagrass beds, makes a significant contribution in supporting mangrove resident fauna and sustains mangroves in arid countries.
Research on Self-potential Base Line Drift Processing in Wangji Oilfield
Authors: Fang Hong
Published: December 2015

<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 宋体; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;" lang="EN-US">The positive amplitude anomalies and base line drifts of self-potential (SP) curves make it difficult to recognize the amplitude anomalies and impossible to carry on the standardized calibration. In this way, it becomes extremely hard to read the amplitude anomalies of self-potential curves, increasing the difficulty in lithology recognition and stratigraphic correlation. What’s more, it is impossible to apply the computer technology to do the batch processing. Aimed at the practical problems, taking advantages of the collected digital logging data, positive self-potential anomaly recognition and transformation models have been established, converting the positive anomalies in the sandstone intervals into negative ones, solving the problem of two types of amplitude anomalies in the same scale range. Self-potential base line drift processing moves the biased base line to the null line step by step, adopting the method of piecewise fitting differential migration. With satisfying results, the conformation, amplitude and jugged degree are accordant with the primary curve, forming the technique of self-potential curve processing, laying foundation for logging translation and geological research.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Energy and Environment Research, Vol. 5, No. 2
Authors: Luo Lesley
Published: December 2015

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Energy and Environment Research, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2015
Analytic Signal and Euler Depth Interpretation of Magnetic Anomalies: Applicability to the Beatrice Greenstone Belt
Authors: Ndlovu. Thabisani , R. T. Mashingaidze , P. Mpofu
Published: December 2015

We apply the Analytic Signal and Euler depth filtering techniques on magnetic data to identify a magnetic causative body location-depth relationship, two parameters of importance in both geophysical exploration and ore body modelling. We identify a dipping magnetic contact from the interpreted Euler depth anomalies, showing a good agreement with both the Total Field Magnetic (TFM) map and the Analytic Signal (AS) map. The Euler depth anomalies correlate well with the locations and edges of shallow causative bodies. The deeper Euler interpreted sources explain the magnetic high on the regional aeromagnetic map which is coincident with neither geological contacts nor the more recent dolerite intrusions. This suggests that the magnetic highs on the regional aeromagnetic map are due to deep seated sources, otherwise invisible on the regional geological map. The results show the usefulness and relevancy of these two filters not only in interpreting routine TFM data from the study area, but up to a regional scale. While the aeromagnetic data shows that the magnetisation pattern is predominantly divorced from the geological map, the ground magnetic data interpretation points to a more recent magnetisation of the belt, enabling conclusions to be drawn about the geological history and structural geology otherwise not evident on the geological map.
Events of Heavy Rainfall and Strong Winds in Sao Paulo State, Brazil
Authors: H. Franchito Sergio , Brahmananda Rao V. , A. Gan Manoel , M. E. Santo Clovis , C. Conforte Jorge , L. Stech Jose , F. Souza Arley , Francisco Resende da Silva Jose
Published: December 2015

The relationships of strong winds and heavy rainfall in Sao Paulo State, Brazil, was investigated. Wind data from Project Elektro/Climatico collected by thirteen Platforms of Data Collection were used. The results showed that in the west sector the occurrence of strong winds was higher in the center and south areas and decreased northwards. In the central sector the occurrence of strong wind episodes was higher southwards while in the litoral it was lower due to probably the lack of wind data collected during the austral summer. In Teodoro Sampaio, Andradina, Santa Rita d'Oeste, Votuporanga (west), Rio Claro, Tatui (central) and Ubatuba (litoral) 15, 18, 28, 12, 11, 7 and 3 extreme events occurred, respectively (maximum wind higher than 20 ms-1 together with rainfall higher than 25 mm day-1). A case study of an episode of extreme event which occurred in Andradina on 15 October 2009 was examined. Heavy rainfall accompanied with high winds and strong divergence at 200 hPa and ascending motion were observed in the region due to intense convection along a cold front that moved fast over Sao Paulo State.
The identification of regions with strong winds and their relation with heavy precipitation must drive electrical energy generation and distribution what is important nowadays. So, the main importance of this research is its applicability to the energy sector.
Geo-Spatial Mapping of the Western Bushveld Rustenburg Layered Suite (Rls) in South Africa
Authors: Bamisaiye Oluwaseyi Adunola
Published: December 2015

Trend surface analysis (TSA) was used to investigate the structure and thickness variation pattern and to resolve trend and residual component of the structure contours and isopach maps of the Rustenburg Layered Suite (RLS) across the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC). The TSA technique was also employed in extracting meter scale structures from the regional structural trends. This enables small-scale structures that could only be picked through field mapping to be observed and scrupulously investigated. Variation in the structure and thickness was used in timing the development of some of the delineated structural features. This has helped to unravel the progressive development of structures within the RLS. The results indicate that present day structures shows slight changes in both regional and local trends throughout the stratigraphic sequence from the base of the Main Zone to the top of the Achaean floor. Structures around the gap areas are also highlighted. This paper represents the third of a three-part article in Trend Surface analysis of the three major limbs of the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC). This first part focused on the Northern Bushveld Complex, while the second part focused on the Eastern Bushveld Limbs.
Managing Safety at Work Issues in Construction Works in Malaysia: A Proposal for Legislative Reform
Authors: Ab Rahman Rozanah
Published: December 2015

Construction sector, being an important economic driver of the country, has always been regarded as hazardous industry compared to other industries due to the nature of activities involve at the worksites. From excavation works to structural and exterior works, workers are exposed to high risks of accidents mostly involving fall from height, hit by falling objects, lifting operations, and electrocution. Statistics from various agencies have shown considerable increase in the number of industrial accidents reported for the construction industry, including death and permanent disablement cases. This paper proposed to address issues on safety and health at work in construction activities throughout the construction stages, by deliberating how those issues being managed through the use of standard forms of contract for construction projects and adequacy of the legislations pertaining to construction.
Color Balance for Panoramic Images
Authors: Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Bdr Eldeen , Ming Fang , Zhengwei Ren
Published: December 2015

Color correction or color balancing in multi-view image stitching is the process of correcting the color
differences between neighboring views which arise due to different exposure levels and view angles. This paper
concerns the problem of color balance for panoramic images. A new algorithm is presented to create visual
normalization by using correlated feature points between adjacent image sequences. After image mosaicking
directly, a weighted average method is used to calculate the pixel value of panoramic image Experimental result
shows that the algorithm can achieve images color balance and good visual performance.
A Bilingual Numeral OCR System for Creating Uni-Lingual Digitized Numeral Document
Authors: K Karthick , S Chitra
Published: December 2015

The optical character recognition has been used in many applications such as dictionary generation, customer billing system, banking and postal automation, and library automation etc. The bilingual OCR system to make uni-lingual script helps us to reduce the requirement of two different OCR systems into a single OCR system for recognition of two different languages. This type of globalization helps the universal users of any language can read the text documents in their self-language if the bilingual documents are converted into uni-lingual document. In this paper, the image which contains printed Tamil and European numerals has been recognized using common OCR System and the Tamil numerals are converted into European numerals to globalize the document from a bilingual script into a uni-lingual document. The main objective of the work is to bring out the single numeral (European numerals) text document from the input image with two different numerals (Tamil and European Numerals). The Kohonen’s self-organizing map (SOM) based recognition system has been used for recognizing the numerals and recognized characters in bilingual numerals (Tamil and European Numerals) form are converted into Uni-lingual form (European numerals). This paper also discusses the various approaches used for OCR.
Development of a Depth Sensing Device and a Utility Software for a Dynamic Penetrometer
Authors: Phungern Sunchai , Srichan Kavalin , Verasan Visoot
Published: December 2015

A system for sensing depth of penetration of a dynamic penetrometer was developed. It contained an ultrasonic
distance sensor working together with a microcontroller capable of sensing and recording distance of penetration
and field data necessary for the construction of the penetration resistance (PR) profile. The system was equipped
to the conventional dynamic penetrometer of the Department of Soil Science, Kasetsart University at
Kampangsan. The depth sensing system was found to work properly. Depth validation by means of t-test yielded
t value of 0.1713 as compared to 0.9800 of t-table under two-tailed test. In addition the RMSE and the MAPE
values were 1.2625 and 3.3473 %, respectively. Validation test on depth of penetration showed satisfactorily
insignificant difference between depths read by the invented device and by standard measurement. A computer
program for manipulating field data for PR calculation was constructed. The program was written in Microsoft
Visual Basic and imbedded into Microsoft Excel spreadsheet capable of accessing the field data being recorded
in an SD card of the ultrasonic distance sensing system. The data was manipulated by means of a user interface
that enabled the user to construct the PR profile with ease.
Effect of Varieties on Growth and Yield of Yard Long Bean under Songhkla Conditions, Southern Thailand
Authors: Nooprom Karistsapol , Santipracha Quanchit
Published: December 2015

Yard long bean (Vigna sesquipedalis L. Fruw) is one of the most popular vegetables in many countries of Southeast Asia. Especially in Thailand, it has given high productivities for export in both fresh and frozen types. Yard long bean is considered as relatively low pod yield productivity and stability because it is quite sensitive to unfavorably environmental conditions, particularly for humid tropical regions with turmoil weather. The effect of varieties on growth and yield of yard long bean was conducted at Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Natural Resources, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai campus, Thailand to test for yield and other horticultural characteristics of seven varieties of yard long bean. All varieties of yard long bean were well grown under Songkhla’s conditions. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used with four replications. The experiment was taken from February to April, 2014. The results showed that the Mae Ping, Euro, Green Arrow, Kheow Dok, and Saifa varieties exhibited good growth and high yield. The Mae Ping variety gave the highest marketable yield of 12.25 t.ha-1 not significantly different (p≤0.05) from the Euro, Green Arrow, Kheow Dok, and Saifa varieties which gave the marketable yield of 15.16, 14.13, 13.51, and 13.34 t.ha-1, respectively. The Negro and Taiwan varieties were the second high yielding varieties which gave the marketable yield of 11.90 and 11.92 t.ha-1, respectively. The Euro, Kheow Dok, Saifa, and Taiwan were interesting varieties because they had pod length longer than 60 cm to meet the needs of the consumers in Songkhla province and around this area. It is concluded that the Mae Ping, Euro, Green Arrow, Kheow Dok, and Saifa varieties were the most suitable for growing under Songkhla conditions, southern Thailand due to its high growth and yield.
The Efficiency of Some Wild Strain Bacilli on Celluase and Nitrogenase Activities During the Rice Straw Decomposition
Authors: Aunsaart Petch , Amkha Suphachai , Mala Thongchai
Published: December 2015

This experiment aimed to select new effective bacteria with high ability for cellulose decomposition and nitrogen fixation from various natural materials in order to improve organic fertilizers. CMC, N-free medium were used as culture broth and agar. The procedure determined 60 isolates of bacteria from decomposing rice straw, decomposing wood, cow manure, bagasse organic fertilizers, termite nest and the LDD1 inoculum. After that process, the selected bacteria (6 isolates) were identified for species level. All isolates were rod-shaped, gram-positive and spore forming bacteria that belonged to a bacillus group in species of Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus cereus which some species showed thermophillic character. Then, three sub-experiments were conducted. By considering the testing of the bacterial ability on cellulase activity, CRD with 3 replications were employed. The result showed that 1) G. stearothermophilus DW3 had the highest potential of CMCase activity (37.50 mm diameter), 2) G. stearothermophilus RS6 had the highest potential of FPase activity (4.942 mU/ml), 3) G. stearothermophilus RS2 had the highest potential of Avicelase activity (12.680 mU/ml) and 4) G. stearothermophilus DW3 had the highest potential of α-cellulase activity (4.289 mU/ml). In addition, regarding the study of bacterial nitrogenase activity, CRD with 3 replications were employed. The result showed that B. cereus CM6 had the most outstanding nitrogenase activity (278.788 nmolC2H4/ml/hr). In case of the study on the effectiveness of rice straw decomposition, the CRD with 3 replications were conducted. The study based on the standard index of organic fertilizer of Land Development Department (LDD), Thailand Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. The result was found that the decayed rice straw in the inoculated treatment was qualified at 75 days, whereas the control treatment was not. The percentage of N, P and K in the inoculated treatments at 90 days was better than the previous period. In addition, C/N ratio decreased with times but the amounts of N, P and K increased. On the contrary, the percentages of N, P and K of the control treatment were satisfied while the C/N ratio was not in the standard level. The amounts of bacterial population among the inoculated treatments were not significantly different, but, they were significantly different between the inoculated and the control treatments.
Decision-Making Intellectual Support in the Theory of the Active Connect
Authors: LAVRICHENKO OLEG VYACHESLAVOVICH
Published: December 2015

Effective control of innovative resources at the enterprise requires new and creative interaction mechanisms (active connect) between decision-makers, and enterprise-wide information systems. The essence of innovation self-organizing business forming technologies is revealed for the first time in the research work, which reveals the authoring theory of active connect basics. The article proves the maximum value of Choquet integral application demand by the decision-making process modeling for the disparity elimination in innovative resources distribution. The method proposed by the author has been tested at the enterprises of the Moscow Industrial Concern "Agat".
Limiting Factors on Speed and Load of Diesel Engines Vehicle Urban Air Quality Management in Thailand
Authors: Kongkratoke Kritchai , Bualert Surat , Chunkao Kasem
Published: December 2015

Speed and load of diesel engine vehicles are the important factors affected on the fine particulate matter emission in Thailand. This study aimed to study the relation of speed and load of diesel engine vehicles affected on the emission of fine particulate matter in Thailand and also related to the emission of the exhaust from diesel engine vehicles. The experiment was designed into a x b Factorial Experiment in Completely Randomized Design. It was divided into 2 experiments as follows: 1) to study the emission of fine particulate matter in Euro 4 diesel engine vehicles, and 2) to study the emission of fine particulate matter in Euro 3 diesel engine vehicles. Moreover, it was to study 3 levels of speed in the driving form of diesel engine vehicles under Bangkok Driving Cycle, 3 levels of load, and 3 replications by using the experiment in Chassis Dynamometer System, and demonstrating the driving similarly to the actual driving. The samples of fine particulate matter from the exhaust were from the speed and load by using Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposition Impactors; MOUDI which had the size from 0.056-18 microns with the flow rate at 30 liter/ minute. The result from this study was found that the experiment of Euro 4 diesel engine vehicles had the factors of speed and load which affected on the emission of fine particulate matter at the level of 0.05, and F-value was 240.03 and 4.60 respectively. About the experiment of Euro 4 diesel engine vehicles, it had the factors of speed and load which affected on the emission of fine particulate matter at the level of 0.05, and F- value was 796.92 and 18.46 respectively. At the speed of 7.8 km/hr, the loads of empty vehicle and 1,000 kg of Euro 3 diesel engine vehicles were different at the level of 0.05. While the speed of 7.8 km/hr was at empty vehicle and 1,000 kg of Euro 4 diesel engine vehicles, it was not different in statistical significance. Therefore, there should be the regulations to control the load of the Euro 4 diesel engine vehicles lower than standard in the city with high traffic jam.
Heroes, Victims, Role Models: Representing the Child Soldiers of the Warsaw Uprising
Authors: Stańczyk Ewa
Published: December 2015

This article explores narratives surrounding child soldiers in Poland, with a particular focus on the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. My discussion examines a variety of contexts in which this figure appears, such as urban spaces, press debates, popular literature, and educational games, and unpacks the taboos associated with cultural constructions of childhood. The article points to the complex interaction between the enduring narratives of resistance and the struggle for independence which characterize Poland and the international humanitarian discourse on the use of children in war which goes beyond the local context. More generally, I show that the representations of Warsaw's young insurgents speak less of the children and their rights and more of contemporary notions of Polish national identity, the nation's wished-for or projected development, and collective hopes and fears in the wake of its accession to the European Union.
Where Was the Conscience of the Revolution? The Military Opposition at the Eighth Party Congress (March 1919)
Authors: Lonergan Gayle
Published: December 2015

This article examines the debates and decisions of the military section of the Eighth Party Congress of March 1919, only released in Izvestiia TsK KPSS in 1989-90. It rebuts the standard interpretation of the military section (usually referred to as the Military Opposition) as a minority platform opposed to the use of former tsarist officers in the Red Army, most notably proposed in R. V. Daniels's The Conscience of the Revolution: Communist Opposition in Soviet Russia (1960). Instead, I argue that the debates were more concerned with the military's increasing autonomy at the expense of party control. These fears were compounded by the introduction of the mass conscription of an apolitical peasantry at a time of extreme instability. This indiscriminate conscription had alarmed many Red Army party workers, who were only too aware of the dangers of arming an unconscious peasant mob. In addition, the article lays bare the beginning of the longer-term conflict between Iosif Stalin and Lev Trotskii and demonstrates Stalin's early influence within the party membership.