bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measuring the Degree of Unmatched Patient Records in a Health Information Exchange Using Exact Matching
Authors: Zech John , Husk Gregg , Moore Thomas , Shapiro Jason
Published: May 2016

Health information exchange (HIE) facilitates the exchange of patient information across different healthcare organizations. To match patient records across sites, HIEs usually rely on a master patient index (MPI), a database responsible for determining which medical records at different healthcare facilities belong to the same patient. A single patient’s records may be improperly split across multiple profiles in the MPI.

We investigated the how often two individuals shared the same first name, last name, and date of birth in the Social Security Death Master File (SSDMF), a US government database containing over 85 million individuals, to determine the feasibility of using exact matching as a split record detection tool. We demonstrated how a method based on exact record matching could be used to partially measure the degree of probable split patient records in the MPI of an HIE.

We calculated the percentage of individuals who were uniquely identified in the SSDMF using first name, last name, and date of birth. We defined a measure consisting of the average number of unique identifiers associated with a given first name, last name, and date of birth. We calculated a reference value for this measure on a subsample of SSDMF data. We compared this measure value to data from a functioning HIE.

We found that it was unlikely for two individuals to share the same first name, last name, and date of birth in a large US database including over 85 million individuals. 98.81% of individuals were uniquely identified in this dataset using only these three items. We compared the value of our measure on a subsample of Social Security data (1.00089) to that of HIE data (1.1238) and found a significant difference (t-test p-value < 0.001).

This method may assist HIEs in detecting split patient records.
Validation of ash optical depth and layer height retrieved from passive satellite sensors using EARLINET and airborne lidar data: the case of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption
Authors: Balis Dimitris , Koukouli Maria-Elissavet , Siomos Nikolaos , Dimopoulos Spyridon , Mona Lucia , Pappalardo Gelsomina , Marenco Franco , Clarisse Lieven , Ventress Lucy J. , Carboni Elisa , Grainger Roy G. , Wang Ping , Tilstra Gijsbert , van der A Ronald , Theys Nicolas , Zehner Claus
Published: May 2016

Abstract. The vulnerability of the European airspace to volcanic eruptions was brought to the attention of the public and the scientific community by the 2010 eruptions of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull. As a consequence of this event, ash concentration thresholds replaced the “zero tolerance to ash” rule, drastically changing the requirements on satellite ash retrievals. In response to that, the ESA funded several projects aiming at creating an optimal end-to-end system for volcanic ash plume monitoring and prediction. Two of them, namely the SACS-2 and SMASH projects, developed and improved dedicated satellite-derived ash plume and sulfur dioxide level assessments. The validation of volcanic ash levels and height extracted from the GOME-2 and IASI instruments on board the MetOp-A satellite is presented in this work. EARLINET lidar measurements are compared to different satellite retrievals for two eruptive episodes in April and May 2010. Comparisons were also made between satellite retrievals and aircraft lidar data obtained with the UK's BAe-146-301 Atmospheric Research Aircraft (managed by the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements, FAAM) over the United Kingdom and the surrounding regions. The validation results are promising for most satellite products and are within the estimated uncertainties of each of the comparative data sets, but more collocation scenes would be desirable to perform a comprehensive statistical analysis. The satellite estimates and the validation data sets are better correlated for high ash optical depth values, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.8. The IASI retrievals show a better agreement concerning the ash optical depth and ash layer height when compared with the ground-based and airborne lidar data.
Seasonal Variability of Stratospheric Methane: Implications for Constraining Tropospheric Methane Budgets Using Total Column Observations
Authors: Saad K. M. , Wunch D. , Deutscher N. M. , Griffith D. W. T. , Hase F. , De Mazière M. , Notholt J. , Pollard D. F. , Roehl C. M. , Schneider M. , Sussmann R. , Warneke T. , Wennberg P. O.
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Global and regional methane budgets are uncertain due to the large number of highly variable sources. Current estimates are derived by bridging emissions inventories with atmospheric observations using chemical transport models. This approach requires accurately simulating advection and chemical loss to produce valid distributions of methane concentrations resulting from surface fluxes when assimilating total column measurements. To assess the impact of model stratospheric errors on inversions that assimilate total columns, we compare the agreement between Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) and GEOS-Chem total and tropospheric column-averaged mole fractions of methane. We find both a mismatch in the Northern Hemisphere stratospheric contribution that increases as the tropopause altitude decreases and a temporal phase lag in the model's tropospheric seasonality driven by transport errors. These tropospheric errors particularly compensate the stratospheric discrepancies between measurements and models, thereby producing agreement in the total columns masking inconsistencies in methane vertical profiles. These errors alias into source attribution resulting from model inversions. We estimate that the tropospheric time lag leads to large errors in posterior wetland emissions in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
Emission-dominated gas exchange of elemental mercury vapor over natural surfaces in China
Authors: Wang Xun , Lin Che-Jen , Yuan Wei , Sommar Jonas , Zhu Wei , Feng Xinbin
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Mercury (Hg) emission from natural surfaces plays an important role in global Hg cycling. The present estimate of global natural emission has large uncertainty and remains unverified against field data, particularly for terrestrial surfaces. In this study, a mechanistic model is developed for estimating the emission of elemental mercury vapor (Hg0) from natural surfaces in China. The development implements recent advancements in the understanding of air-soil and air-foliage exchange of Hg0 and redox chemistry in soil and on surfaces, incorporates the effects of soil characteristics and landuse changes by agricultural activities, and is examined through a systematic set of sensitivity simulations. Using meteorology simulated by the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF version 3.7), the exchange of Hg0 between the atmosphere and natural surfaces in Mainland China is estimated to be 465.1 Mg yr−1, including 565.5 Mg yr−1 of emission from soils, 9.0 Mg yr−1 of emission from water body, and 100.4 Mg yr−1 uptake by vegetation. The air-surface exchange is strongly dependent on the landuse and meteorology, with 9 % of net emission from forest ecosystems, 50 % from shrubland, and savanna and grassland, 33 % from cropland, and 8 % from other landuses. Given the large agricultural land area in China, farming activities play an important role on the air-surface exchange in farmland. Particularly, rice field shift from a net sink (3.3 Mg uptake) during April to October (rice planting) to a net source when the farmland is not flooded (November-March). Summing up emissions from each landuse, more than half of the total emission occurs in summer (51 %), followed by spring (28 %), autumn (13 %) and winter (8 %). Model verification is accomplished using observational data of air-soil/air-water fluxes and Hg deposition through litterfall for forest ecosystems in China and Monte Carlo simulations. In contrast to the earlier estimate by Shetty et al. (2008) that reported large emission from vegetative surfaces using an evapotranspiration approach, the estimate in this study shows natural emissions are primarily from grassland and dry cropland. Such an emission pattern may alter the current understanding of Hg emission outflow from China as reported by Lin et al. (2010b) because of a substantial natural Hg emission occurs in West China.
Changes in theWidth of the Tropical Belt due to Simple Radiative Forcing Changes in the GeoMIP Simulations
Authors: Davis Nicholas , Seidel Dian J. , Birner Thomas , Davis Sean M. , Tilmes Simone
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Model simulations of future climates predict a poleward expansion of subtropical arid climates at the edges of earth's tropical belt, which would have significant environmental and societal impacts. This expansion may be related to the poleward shift of the Hadley cell edges, where subsidence stabilizes the atmosphere and suppresses precipitation. Understanding the primary drivers of tropical expansion is hampered by the myriad forcing agents in most model projections of future climate. While many previous studies have examined the response of idealized models to simplified climate forcings and the response of comprehensive climate models to more complex climate forcings, none have examined how comprehensive climate models respond to simplified climate forcings. To shed light on robust processes associated with tropical expansion, here we examine how the tropical belt width, as measured by the Hadley cell edges, responds to simplified forcings in the Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP). The tropical belt expands in response to a quadrupling of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and contracts in response to a reduction in the solar constant, with a range of a factor of three in the response among nine models. Models with more surface warming and an overall stronger temperature response to quadrupled carbon dioxide exhibit greater tropical expansion, a robust result in spite of intermodel differences in the mean Hadley cell width, parameterizations, and numerical schemes. Under a scenario where the solar constant is reduced to offset an instantaneous quadrupling of carbon dioxide, the Hadley cells remain at their preindustrial width, despite the residual stratospheric cooling associated with elevated carbon dioxide levels. Quadrupled carbon dioxide produces greater tropical belt expansion in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere. This expansion is strongest in austral summer and autumn. Ozone depletion has been argued to cause this pattern of changes in observations and model experiments, but the results here indicate that seasonally- and hemispherically-asymmetric tropical expansion can be a basic response of the general circulation to climate forcings.
A high-altitude balloon platform for determining exchange of carbon dioxide over agricultural landscapes
Authors: Bouche Angie , Beck-Winchatz Bernhard , Potosnak Mark J.
Published: May 2016

Abstract. The exchange of carbon dioxide between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere is a key process in the global carbon cycle. Given emissions from fossil fuel combustion and the appropriation of net primary productivity by human activities, understanding the carbon dioxide exchange of cropland agro-ecosystems is critical for evaluating future trajectories of climate change. In addition, human manipulation of agro-ecosystems has been proposed as a technique of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere via practices such as no-tillage and cover crops. We propose a novel method of measuring the exchange of carbon dioxide over croplands using a high-altitude balloon (HAB) platform. The HAB methodology measures two sequential vertical profiles of carbon dioxide concentration, and using a mass-balance approach it calculates the surface exchange by difference and application of the ideal gas law. This approach is relatively inexpensive, does not rely on any assumptions besides spatial homogeneity and provides data over a spatial scale between stationary flux towers and satellite-based inversion calculations. The HAB methodology was employed during the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons in central Illinois, and the results are compared to satellite-based NDVI values and a flux tower located relatively near the launch site in Bondville, Illinois. These initial favorable results demonstrate the utility of the methodology for providing carbon dioxide exchange data over a large (10–100 km) spatial area. One drawback is its relatively limited temporal coverage. While recruiting citizen scientists to perform the launches could provide a more extensive dataset, the HAB methodology is not appropriate for providing estimates of net annual carbon dioxide exchange. Instead, a HAB dataset could provide an important check for upscaling flux tower results and verifying satellite-derived exchange estimates.
Polarimetric remote sensing in oxygen A and B bands: sensitivity study and information content analysis for vertical profile of aerosols
Authors: Ding Shouguo , Wang Jun , Xu Xiaoguang
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Theoretical analysis is conducted to reveal the information content of aerosol vertical profile in space-borne measurements of the backscattered radiance and degree of linear polarization (DOLP) in oxygen (O2) A and B bands. Assuming a quasi-Gaussian shape for aerosol vertical profile characterized by peak height H and half width γ (at half maximum), the Unified Linearized Vector Radiative Transfer Model (UNL-VRTM) is used to simulate the Stokes four-vector elements of upwelling radiation at the top of atmosphere (TOA) and their Jacobians with respect to H and γ. Calculations for different aerosol types and different combinations of H and γ values show that the wide range of gas absorption optical depth in O2 A and B band enables the sensitivity of backscattered DOLP and radiance at TOA to the aerosol layer at different altitudes. Quantitatively, DOLP in O2 A and B bands is found to be more sensitive to H and γ than radiance, especially over the bright surfaces (with large visible reflectance). In many O2 absorption wavelengths, the degree of freedom of signal (DFS) for retrieving H (or γ) generally increases with H (and γ) and can be close to unity in many cases, assuming that the composite uncertainty from surface and aerosol scattering properties as well as measurements is less than 5 %. Further analysis demonstrates that DFS needed for simultaneous retrieval of H and γ can be obtained from a combined use of DOLP measurements at  ∼ 10–100 O2 A and B absorption wavelengths (or channels), depending on the specific values of H. The higher the aerosol layer, the fewer number of channels for DOLP measurements in O2 A and B bands are needed for characterizing H and γ. Future hyperspectral measurements of DOLP in O2 A and B bands are needed to continue studying their potential and their combination with radiance and DOLP in atmospheric window channels for retrieving the vertical profiles of aerosols, especially highly scattering aerosols, over land.
Alluvial plain dynamics in the southern Amazonian foreland basin
Authors: Lombardo Umberto
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Alluvial plains are formed with sediments that rivers deposit on the adjacent flood-basin, mainly through crevasse splays and avulsions. These result from a combination of processes, some of which push the river towards the crevasse threshold, while others act as triggers. Based on the floodplain sedimentation patterns of large rivers in the southern Amazonian foreland basin, it has been suggested that alluvial plain sediment accumulation is primarily the result of river crevasse splays and sheet sands triggered by above-normal precipitation events due to La Niña. However, more than 90 % of the Amazonian river network is made of small rivers and it is unknown whether small river floodplain sedimentation is influenced by the ENSO cycle as well. Using Landsat images from 1984 to 2014, here I analyse the behaviour of all 12 tributaries of the Río Mamoré with a catchment in the Andes. I show that these are very active rivers and that the frequency of crevasses is not linked to ENSO activity. The data suggest that most of the sediments eroded from the Andes by the tributaries of the Mamoré are deposited in the alluvial plains, before reaching the parent river. The mid-to-late Holocene paleo-channels of these rivers are located tens of kilometres further away from the Andes than the modern crevasses. I conclude that the frequency of crevasses is controlled by intrabasinal processes that act on a yearly to decadal timescale, while the average location of the crevasses is controlled by climatic or neo-tectonic events that act on a millennial scale. Finally, I discuss the implications of river dynamics on rural livelihoods and biodiversity in the Llanos de Moxos, a seasonally flooded savannah covering most of the southern Amazonian foreland basin and the world's largest RAMSAR site.
An ice core derived 1013-year catchment-scale annual rainfall reconstruction in subtropical eastern Australia
Authors: Tozer Carly R. , Vance Tessa R. , Roberts Jason L. , Kiem Anthony S. , Curran Mark A. J. , Moy Andrew D.
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Paleoclimate research indicates that the Australian instrumental climate record (∼ 100 years) does not cover the full range of hydroclimatic variability that is possible. To better understand the implications of this on catchment-scale water resources management, a 1013-year (1000–2012 common era (CE)) annual rainfall reconstruction was produced for the Williams River catchment in coastal eastern Australia. No high-resolution paleoclimate proxies are located in the region and so a teleconnection between summer sea salt deposition recorded in ice cores from East Antarctica and rainfall variability in eastern Australia was exploited to reconstruct the catchment-scale rainfall record. The reconstruction shows that significantly longer and more frequent wet and dry periods were experienced in the preinstrumental compared to the instrumental period. This suggests that existing drought and flood risk assessments underestimate the true risks due to the reliance on data and statistics obtained from only the instrumental record. This raises questions about the robustness of existing water security and flood protection measures and has serious implications for water resources management, infrastructure design and catchment planning. The method used in this proof of concept study is transferable and enables similar insights into the true risk of flood/drought to be gained for other paleoclimate proxy poor regions for which suitable remote teleconnected proxies exist. This will lead to improved understanding and ability to deal with the impacts of multi-decadal to centennial hydroclimatic variability.
Investigating the impact of land-use land-cover change on Indian summer monsoon daily rainfall and temperature during 1951–2005 using a regional climate model
Authors: Halder Subhadeep , Saha Subodh K. , Dirmeyer Paul A. , Chase Thomas N. , Goswami Bhupendra Nath
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Daily moderate rainfall events, which constitute a major portion of seasonal summer monsoon rainfall over central India, have decreased significantly during the period 1951 through 2005. On the other hand, mean and extreme near-surface daily temperature during the monsoon season have increased by a maximum of 1–1.5 °C. Using simulations made with a high-resolution regional climate model (RegCM4) and prescribed land cover of years 1950 and 2005, it is demonstrated that part of the changes in moderate rainfall events and temperature have been caused by land-use/land-cover change (LULCC), which is mostly anthropogenic. Model simulations show that the increase in seasonal mean and extreme temperature over central India coincides with the region of decrease in forest and increase in crop cover. Our results also show that LULCC alone causes warming in the extremes of daily mean and maximum temperatures by a maximum of 1–1.2 °C, which is comparable with the observed increasing trend in the extremes. Decrease in forest cover and simultaneous increase in crops not only reduces the evapotranspiration over land and large-scale convective instability, but also contributes toward decrease in moisture convergence through reduced surface roughness. These factors act together in reducing significantly the moderate rainfall events and the amount of rainfall in that category over central India. Additionally, the model simulations are repeated by removing the warming trend in sea surface temperatures over the Indian Ocean. As a result, enhanced warming at the surface and greater decrease in moderate rainfall events over central India compared to the earlier set of simulations are noticed. Results from these additional experiments corroborate our initial findings and confirm the contribution of LULCC in the decrease in moderate rainfall events and increase in daily mean and extreme temperature over India. Therefore, this study demonstrates the important implications of LULCC over India during the monsoon season. Although, the regional climate model helps in better resolving land–atmosphere feedbacks over the Indian region, the inferences do depend on the fidelity of the model in capturing the features of Indian monsoon realistically. It is proposed that similar studies using a suite of climate models will further enrich our understanding about the role of LULCC in the Indian monsoon climate.
Worldwide soil moisture changes driven by future hydro-climatic change scenarios
Authors: Verrot Lucile , Destouni Georgia
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Soil moisture is a key variable in hydrology, ecology, and climate change science. It is also of primary importance for the agricultural and water resource sectors of society. This paper investigates how hydro-climatic changes, projected by 14 CMIP5 models and for different radiative forcing (RCP) scenarios to occur from 2006-2025 to 2080-2099, may affect different soil moisture aspects in 81 large catchments worldwide. Overall, for investigated changes in dry/wet event occurrence and in average value and inter-annual variability of seasonal water content, different RCP scenarios imply opposite directions of change in around half or more of the study catchments. Regardless of RCP scenario, the greatest projected changes are found for the inter-annual variability of seasonal soil water content. Especially for the dry-season water content, large increases in inter-annual variability emerge for several large catchments over the world; the considered RCP scenario determines precisely which these catchments are.
A representative density profile for the North Greenland snowpack
Authors: Schaller Christoph Florian , Freitag Johannes , Kipfstuhl Sepp , Laepple Thomas , Steen-Larsen Hans Christian , Eisen Olaf
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Along a traverse through North Greenland in May 2015 we sampled the top two meters of snow and analyzed its density and water isotopic composition. A new technique for probing the upper meters of the snow and an adapted algorithm for comparing data sets from different positions and aligning stratigraphic features is presented. We find good agreement of the density layering in the snowpack over hundreds of kilometers, which allows the construction of a representative density profile. The results are supported by an empirical based statistical density model, that is used to generate sets of random profiles and validate the applied methods. Furthermore we are able to calculate annual accumulation rates, align melt layers and observe isotopic temperatures in the area back to 2010. Distinct relations of δ18O with both accumulation rate and density are deduced. Inter alia the depths of the 2012 melt layers and high resolution densities are provided for applications in remote sensing.
Abrupt transitions in Arctic open water area
Authors: Goldstein Michael A. , Lynch Amanda H. , Arbetter Todd E. , Fetterer Florence
Published: May 2016

Abstract. September open water fraction in the Arctic is analyzed using the satellite era record of ice concentration (1979–2014). This analysis suggests that there is a statistically significant breakpoint (shift in the mean) and increase in the variance around 1988 and another breakpoint around 2007 in the Pacific sector. These structural breaks are robust to the choice of algorithm used for deriving sea ice concentration from satellite data, and are also apparent in other measures of open water, such as operational ice charts and the record of navigable days from Barrow to Prudhoe Bay. Breakpoints in the Atlantic sector record of open water are evident in 1988 and 2007 but more weakly significant. The breakpoints appear to be associated with concomitant shifts in average ice age, and tend to lead change in Arctic circulation regimes. These results support the thesis that Arctic sea ice may have critical points beyond which a return to the previous state is less likely.
Relationships between Snowfall Densities and the Main Types of Solid Hydrometeors Deduced from Measured Size and Fall Speed, for snowpack modeling applications
Authors: Ishizaka Masaaki , Motoyoshi Hiroki , Yamaguchi Satoru , Nakai Sento , Shina Toru , Muramoto Ken-ichiro
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Initial densities of deposited snows mainly depend on hydrometeors types of snowfalls. Some previous researchers qualitatively indicated their relations. However a quantitative relationship between snowfall densities and hydrometeors types had not been established because of difficulty in parameterizing varieties of types of hydrometeors in a snowfall event. Thus in a previous study, we introduced a new variable, CMF (Center of Mass Flux distribution), which described the hydrometeors mainly contributing to a snowfall. The CMF is a set of the averages of the size and the fall speed weighted by the mass flux estimated from all measured hydrometeors in a snowfall. It represents the predominant type of hydrometeors of the snowfall quantitatively. In this study, we examined the relationships between the densities of newly fallen snows and their predominant snow types as indicated by the CMFs. We measured the snowfall densities, simultaneously observing the size and the fall speed of the hydrometeors of the snowfalls and deduced the predominant hydrometeor types of each snowfall event from their CMFs. The measurements of snow densities were carried out for short periods, 1 or 2 h, during which the densification of the deposited snows was negligible. We also selected cases when snowfalls contained basically the same type of hydrometeors. As a result, we could obtain the relationships between the main snow types and the snowfall densities not only qualitatively reported by previous researchers but also the quantitative relationships between snowfall densities and the CMF-densities, which were a presumed density derived from the size and mass components of the CMFs. This suggests the possibility of estimating snowfall densities, which reflected snow types (the main types of hydrometeors), directly from the measured size and the fall speed data, and using them as the initial densities for a snow pack in a numerical model, even though difficult issues remain in parameterization for a plactical use. Our results might be applicable only to temperate snow at our observation site, Nagaoka, 37°N, where riming and aggregation are predominant. However the methodology in this study would be useful for other kinds of snow.
PACIENTŲ ŽINIŲ IR SUPRATIMO APIE ANESTEZIOLOGINĘ PAGALBĄ ĮVERTINIMAS
Authors: Padervinskytė Emilija , Alenskaitė Brigita , Karbonskienė Aurika
Published: May 2016

Į pacientą orientuotoje sveikatos priežiūros sistemoje tikimasi, kad pacientai aktyviai dalyvaus priimant sprendimus dėl gydymo ir pačiame gydymo procese. Vis dar trūksta informacijos, ką pacientai norėtų ir turėtų žinoti, kad jų dalyvavimas šiuose procesuose perioperaciniu laikotarpiu būtų kiek įmanoma vertingesnis. Tyrimo tikslas: nustatyti pacientų žinias apie gydytojų anesteziologų atliekamą darbą ir pateikiamos informacijos aiškumą ikioperaciniu laikotarpiu. Tyrimo medžiaga ir metodai. 2015 metais balandžio – gegužės mėn. Lietuvos sveikatos mokslų universiteto ligoninės Kauno klinikų (LSMUL KK) Chirurgijos ir Akušerijos ir ginekologijos skyriuje atliktas pacientų kiekybinis, vienmomentinis, anoniminis anketinis tyrimas. Rezultatai. Tyrime dalyvavo 186 respondentų (amžius 56 ±17,48), 91 proc. atsakė į apklausos klausimus. 61,4 proc. žinojo, kad anesteziologas yra gydytojas, kuris specializuojasi anestezijoje. 43,2 proc. respondentų mano, kad anesteziologas nustato ar gali būti atliekama operacija, 69,0 proc. – stebi gyvybines funkcijas. 29,0 proc. domėjosi apie anesteziją prieš atvykstant operacijai, iš jų 33,0 proc. informaciją gavo iš šeimos gydytojo. Išvados. Pacientų žinios apie gydytojo anesteziologo darbą apsiriboja tik gydytojo specializacijos sritimi, tačiau konkreti gydytojo veikla ir atsakomybės žinomos mažai. Vis dėlto, pacientai nori gauti aiškią ir išsamią informaciją. Tokios informacijos šaltiniais tampa labiausiai visuomenei prieinami sveikatos priežiūros specialistai – šeimos gydytojai.
Comunidades de aprendizaje: ¿qué aportan a los voluntarios y voluntarias universitarios?
Authors: Prados Gallardo María del Mar , Aguilera Jiménez Antonio , Gómez del Castillo María-Teresa
Published: May 2016

En este trabajo se presentan las valoraciones de los y las estudiantes universitarios que han participado como voluntarios en centros constituidos como Comunidad de Aprendizaje. Se ha realizado un análisis del contenido de 23 informes entregados por otros tantos alumnos y alumnas de la titulación de Psicología de la Universidad de Sevilla. Los resultados se han agrupado en cinco bloques que hacen referencia a: a) para qué les ha servido colaborar en el voluntariado; b) cómo se han sentido durante esta colaboración; c) los aspectos positivos que quieren destacar de esta experiencia, d) los aspectos negativos de la misma y por último e) las propuestas de mejora que quieran formular. La principal conclusión de este trabajo es que, a juicio de los participantes, esta experiencia les ha aportado muchos beneficios a nivel profesional y personal, siendo una práctica formativa que valoran muy positivamente y que no sólo recomendarían a otros compañeros y compañeras sino que volverían a repetir.
Mineiros em movimento: flutuação dos significados das práticas alimentares e agrícolas a partir do fluxo rural-urbano
Authors: Weitzman Rodica
Published: May 2016

O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a evolução das representações em torno de alimentos e comidas por parte de pessoas que vieram da área rural em Minas Gerais e se deslocaram para as comunidades Morro dos Prazeres e Escondidinho, localizadas na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Os esquemas valorativos que determinam as escolhas alimentares no contexto urbano – que passam por rupturas, transformações e ressignificações - são bastante elucidativos da mobilidade que caracteriza este processo de idas e voltas no espaço e no tempo. A ligação entre o passado e o presente, entre a roça e a cidade se renova e se reatualiza no cerne das práticas alimentares e agrícolas exercidas pelos mineiros, na produção daquilo que remete ao passado, mas ao mesmo tempo, gera novos significados a partir do momento presente.
Chemical Safety in Academic Laboratories: An Exploratory Factor Analysis of Safe Work Practices & Facilities in a University
Authors: Abbas Mohsin , Zakaria Adel M. , Balkhyour Mansour A. , Kashif Muhammad
Published: May 2016

Academic laboratories considered as more hazardous than industry due to relaxed approach of academic management for chemical safety. This study designed to analyze the safe work practices and facilities by Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) using Varimax rotation. A designed checklist of 26 safety items administered personally in 68 academic laboratories in a Saudi university. From EFA, five factors were extracted: “Availability of laboratory safety documents (5 items, α = 0.92)”, “Maintenance of fume hood (2 items, α = 0.75)”, “Proper chemical storage (3 items, α = 0.64)”, “Proper use of fume hood for chemical handling (4 items, α = 0.62)” and “Laboratory safety labelling (2 items, α = 0.73)”. The results revealed the 5 factors model that grouped 16 safety items that may be crucial for chemical storage, fume hood, laboratory safety plans and labels in the academic laboratories. The extracted factors derived from EFA are expected to help in the development of chemical safety management in the academic laboratories. 
Genetic divergence among pumpkin landraces
Authors: Oliveira Rebeca Lourenço de , Gonçalves Leandro Simões Azeredo , Rodrigues Rosana , Baba Viviane Yumi , Sudré Cláudia Pombo , Santos Marilene Hilma dos , Aranha Fabrizio Malaghini
Published: May 2016

Estimating the genetic variability in germplasm collections is important not only for conserving genetic resources, but also for plant breeding purposes. However, generating a large number of different categories data (qualitative and quantitative) often complicate the analysis and results interpretation, resulting in an incomplete distinction of accessions. This study reports the characterization and evaluation of 14 pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) accessions collected from farms in the northern region of Rio de Janeiro state. Genetic diversity among accessions was also estimated using qualitative and quantitative variables considering joint analysis. The plants were grown under field conditions in a randomized block design with three replications and six plants per plot. Eight qualitative traits (leaf size; seed shape; seed color; color of the fruit pulp; hollow; fruit shape; skin color, and fruit skin texture) and eight quantitative traits (fruit weight; fruit length; fruit diameter; soluble solids, 100 seed weight, and wall thickness measured in the middle and in the lower stem) were evaluated. The data were analyzed considering the Gower distance, and cluster analysis was performed using unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA). Variability among accessions was observed considering morphoagronomic data. The Gower distance together with UPGMA cluster allowed for good discrimination between accessions in the groups, demonstrating that the simultaneous analysis of qualitative and quantitative data is feasible and may increase the understanding of the variation among accessions.
Allelopathy by extracts of Caatinga species on melon seeds
Authors: Oliveira Andreya Kalyana de , Coelho Maria de Fatima Barbosa , Torres Salvador Barros , Diógenes Francisco Ésio Porto
Published: May 2016

The melon crop is of great socioeconomic importance in Brazil and some species from the Caatinga biome show allelopathic effects on other species. The aim of this study was to assess leaf and seed extracts of cumaru (Amburana cearensis (Allemao) A.C. Sm.), the jujube tree (Zizyphus joazeiro Mart.), Jucá (Caesalpinia ferrea Mart. Ex. Tul. Var. Ferrea) and mulungu (Erythrina velutina Willd.) on the emergence of melon seeds (Cucumis melo L.). Leaves and seeds were used to produce extracts for each species at concentrations of a) 1%, b) 0.5% c) 0.25%, d) 0.125% and e) 0% (control). The experiment was conducted with each extract type and its respective concentrations in a completely randomized design, with four replicates, each of 20 seeds. The percentage emergence and rate index, percentage of abnormal seedlings, seedling dry matter and seedling shoot and root length were assessed. Seed extracts of A. cearensis prevented melon germination, whereas the other extracts had no effect on this variable. Leaf extracts of A. cearensis and leaf and seed extracts of Z. joazeiro, C. ferrea and E. velutina resulted in abnormal melon seedlings. The percentage of abnormal melon seedlings exceeded 30% when treated with C. ferrea seed extract at the highest concentration. Most extracts did not affect seedling dry matter, but E. velutina leaf and seed extract increased the dry matter accumulation of melon seedlings and Z. joazeiro seed extract decreased dry matter accumulation at a concentration of 0.25%. The highest concentrations of mulungu and jucá leaf extracts promoted the shoot growth of melon seedlings. The extract from E. velutina seeds negatively affected root length compared to the control, similar to the effect of C. ferrea and E. velutina leaf extracts at the highest concentrations. Extracts of different organs of Caatinga plants can affect the emergence and characteristics related to seedling growth, depending on the concentration. Most extracts did not affect germination or the emergence rate index, but affected seedling growth.
Densimetric fractionation of organic matter in an agricultural chronosequence in no-till areas in the Cerrado region, Brazil
Authors: Guareschi Roni Fernandes , Pereira Marcos Gervasio , Perin Adriano
Published: May 2016

Mineralization of organic residues deposited on the soil surface in a no-till system (NT) maintains a continuous flow of different forms of carbon (C), which might interfere with densimetric fractions of soil organic matter (SOM). Currently, there are few studies on variations in these fractions in NT areas with different deployment times in the Cerrado region. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the total C, nitrogen (N), and 13C in the soil, as well as to quantify the mass and contents of C, N, and 13C in the light and heavy fractions of SOM extracted using different solutions (water, sodium iodide [NaI], and sodium polytungstate [SPT]) in areas of Cerrado, pastures, and NT with different deployment times with Distroferric Red Latosol soil. The study areas are located in Montividiu, Goiás (GO), Brazil: (1) pasture of Brachiaria decumbens (PA); (2) NT with three years of deployment with soybean in summer and fallow instead of a second crop (NT3); (3) NT with 15 years of deployment with soybean in the summer and maize/sorghum as the second crop (NT15); and (4) NT with 20 years of deployment with soybean in the summer and maize as the second crop (NT20). These areas were compared to an area of native Cerrado sensu stricto (CE). The NT according to the deployment time showed an increase in the contents of C (0-0.05 m) and N (0-0.2 m) in the soil. The origin of C in the soil of the NT areas is associated with C4 plants; however, in up to 0.2 m of the soil profile, the 13C contents reduced according to NT deployment years. Extraction of light-fraction organic matter (LFOM) with SPT better represents this SOM fraction quantitatively and qualitatively than extraction of LFOM with water and NaI. This pattern is evident because of a greater consistency in the mass, C, N, and 13C contents of the LFOM extracted with SPT among the evaluated areas and the lower C content in residual particulate organic matter among the extractants.
Period of time taken by Brachiaria humidicola (Rendle) Scheweick seed to complete germination
Authors: Tomaz Camila Aquino , Martins Cibele Chalita , Silva Givanildo Zildo da , Vieira Roberval Daiton
Published: May 2016

The period of 21 days suggested by the Brazilian Rules for Seed Testing for the germination test of B. humidicola seeds seems too long for seed producing companies and laboratories since they depend on the results for decisions concerning the storage or the commercialization of the seed lots. So, the objective of this work was to evaluate the possibility of getting germination results of B. humidicola seeds in a shorter period. The procedures consisted in submitting the seeds to a dormancy breaking treatment and to alternating temperatures during the germination test. Seed samples of nineteen S1 and S2 seed lots were submitted to the following treatments: moistening the germination substratum with 1) deionized water (check treatment), 2) a KNO3 (0.2%) solution, and 3) scarifying the seeds with sulfuric acid for 10 minutes. The germination test was conducted under the conditions of 1) alternating temperatures of 20 and 35 °C and 2) alternating temperatures of 15 and 35 °C both with 8 hours of light. Normal seedlings were evaluated in daily countings. The results showed that the germination test of B. humidicola seeds may be carried out under alternating temperatures of 15 and 35 °C without breaking seed dormancy with a final evaluation of the germination 10 days after the sowing of the seeds.
Physical-chemical characterization of pre-cooked mixed rice flour and barley bagasse
Authors: Ascheri Diego Palmiro Ramirez , Cavalcante Luis Henrique , Ascheri José Luis Ramírez , Carvalho Carlos Wanderlei Piler de
Published: May 2016

The extrusion processing parameters, chemical composition and water content of the flour mixture may affect the structure of rice flour, leading to products with different rheological behavior and hygroscopicity. Therefore, this work aimed to study the rheological properties and water adsorption of mixed flours of broken rice and barley bagasse obtained by extrusion cooking. Samples were prepared from a mixture of grits/bagasse between 82/18 and 73/27 (w/w) with water content between 18.04 and 26.96%, using a single screw extruder. The rheological properties of the extruded flour were determined by a rapid viscosity analyzer to evaluate the cooking profile of the pastes by observing the pasting temperature, maximum viscosity, breakdown and retrogradation. The adsorption process was performed by weighing the samples stored at temperatures of 25, 30, 35 and 45 °C with water activity between 0.112 and 0.973. The isotherms were fitted using the following mathematical models: Halsey, Oswin, Smith, GAB and Peleg. The extruded composite flours were characterized by their lack of initial viscosity. The pasting temperature (40-67 °C), maximum viscosity (690-1146 cP), breakdown viscosity (0-175 cP) and retrogradation (613-1382 cP) were lower than for raw rice flour. The Peleg equation fitted well to the water adsorption data and can be used to represent the sigmoidal type II shape of the water adsorption isotherms for the extruded mixed flours from rice grits and barley bagasse.
APPLICATION OF THE MULTIRESPONSE OPTIMISATION SIMPLEX METHOD TO THE BIODIESEL - B100 OBTAINING PROCESS
Authors: Da Costa Julyane Karolyne Teixeira , Angilelli Karina Gomes , Spacino Kelly Roberta , Da Silva Elisangela Tavares , Silva Livia Ramazzoti Chanan , Borsato Dionisio
Published: May 2016

O processo de obtenção de biodiesel B100, a partir da transesterificação em meio básico, de uma mistura de óleo vegetal e gordura animal foi otimizado utilizando o método simplex supermodificado. Para otimização simultânea foram usados como respostas o rendimento, custo, estabilidade oxidativa e ponto de entupimento de filtro a frio (CFPP), e os limites foram estabelecidos de acordo com os dados experimentais e os parâmetros de conformidade estabelecidos pela legislação. A otimização multirresposta utilizando as equações preditivas, obtidas a partir do delineamento simplex-centroide acopladas às funções de desejabilidade, apresentou uma formulação ótima contendo 38,84% de óleo de soja, 21,90 % de sebo bovino e 39,25 % de gordura de ave com rendimento de 94,94 %, estabilidade oxidativa a 110 ºC de 8,99 horas, CFPP de 2,83 ºC e custo de US$ 864,60. A validação mostrou não haver diferença significativa entre os valores preditos e os valores experimentais. O delineamento de mistura e a otimização simplex-centroide se mostraram metodologias eficazes na obtenção de biodiesel B100, usando uma mistura de diferentes matérias-primas.
Lei de Crescimento em Função da Posição para Ligas do Sistema Monotético
Authors: Braga José F A , Silva Cássio A P , Spinelli José E , Garcia Amauri , Silva Adrina P
Published: May 2016

Ligas monotéticas apresentam aplicações promissoras em componentes automotivos resistentes ao desgaste. Muitos estudos têm sido realizados a fim de melhor compreender a reação monotética. Algumas pesquisas assumem que a evolução do espaçamento interfásico nas ligas monotéticas obedece à clássica relação utilizada para eutéticos, ou ainda a relação de crescimento dendrítico. No presente trabalho foram analisados os resultados desses experimentos de solidificação unidirecional em regime não estacionário, com as ligas hipomonotéticas Al-0,9%Pb e Al-5,5%In, com a liga monotética Al-1,2%Pb e com as ligas hipermonotéticas Al-5,0%Bi, Al-7,0%Bi e Al-2,1%Pb em configurações de extração de calor ascendente e descendente, a fim de propor nova lei de crescimento unicamente para sistemas monotéticos. Pôde-se estabelecer uma lei para crescimento de monotéticos em função da posição a partir da interface metal/molde.
Individual Character: Towards Empirical Investigation
Authors: L Weragoda, R. B. , P Opatha, H. H. D. N.
Published: May 2016

The study of individual character is an essential area for organizational research as it is instrumental in ensuring ethical behavior at individual and organization level. However it is observed in the literature that this area has been largely untapped and especially moral and social dimensions of character have been ignored in contemporary studies. Further, it is observed that character and related terms, i.e. virtues, morality, ethos and values have been widely used interchangeably due to conceptual ambiguity (the ontological basis) and certain instruments used for empirical investigations  potentially suffer due to methodological ambiguity (the epistemological basis) of the construct. In this paper, we have formulated a conceptually sound definition which provides a clear direction for future empirical investigations and facilitates to differentiate individual character from other related terms. Finally, we propose certain missing and new dimensions of individual character and recommend promising research directions in order to further expand content validity of the construct.
The Subjective Consequences of Experiencing Random Events
Authors: Hubbard Jason , Molapour Tanaz , Morsella Ezequiel
Published: May 2016

In everyday life, one’s experience is usually highly structured, coherent, and predictable, a regularity stemming from the many constraints (e.g., cultural and physical constraints) operating upon the natural and social worlds. Consider that events that are experienced in an office meeting are usually not experienced in the great outdoors, and vice versa. This predictability of the outside world is capitalized upon by the brain, which is highly prospective and incessantly extracts meaningful patterns from event sequences. Despite these considerations, to our knowledge there have been no investigations into the ways that the brain copes with experiences that violate this structured regularity. Here we demonstrate a novel paradigm designed to tax this prospective system (by presenting the brain with a rapid series of random events) and show that such exposure reliably induces negative affect. Participants are exposed to Rapid, Random Semantic Activation (RRSA) prior to completing a mood scale; compared to a mood baseline, RRSA yields a consistent pattern of negative affect. This pattern did not emerge in a control group that completed a task with identical stimuli. While previous research has focused on randomness in terms of humans’ ability to produce and detect random sequences, our paradigm explores this issue as it relates to human experience. Our findings are consistent with the idea that, due to the prospective nature of the brain and one’s “epistemic needs” (Kruglanski, 1980), gross violations in the regularity of experience produce some form of negative subjective experience.