bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incorporating Free/Open-Source Data and Tools in Software Engineering Education
Authors: Yu Liguo , Surma David R. , Hakimzadeh Hossein
Published: March 2014

Software development is a fast-changing area. New methods and new technologies emerge all the time. As a result, the education of software engineering is generally considered not to be keeping pace with the development of software engineering in industry. Given the limited resources in academia, it is unrealistic to purchase all the latest software tools for classroom usage. In this chapter, the authors describe how free/open-source data and free/open-source tools are used in an upper-level software engineering class at Indiana University South Bend. Depending on different learning objectives, different free/open-source tools and free/open-source data are incorporated into different team projects. The approach has been applied for two semesters, where instructor’s experiences are assembled and analyzed. The study suggests (1) incorporating both free/open-source tools and free/open-source data in a software engineering course so that students can better understand both development methods and development processes and (2) updating software engineering course regularly in order to keep up with the advance of development tools and development methods in industry.
A Delayed Treatment Control Group Design Study of an After-School Online Tutoring Program in Reading
Authors: Perry S. Marshall
Published: March 2014

This chapter concerns a year-long, United States federally-funded evaluation of Educate Online, an online, at home, 1:1 tutoring program aimed at improving reading performance for middle school students who are below grade level. Participating students receive after-school instruction from teachers in real-time over Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) connections. The researcher discusses study findings, the methodological challenges of conducting research on online tutoring, the multiple perspectives for understanding the effectiveness of a tutoring program, and areas for additional research. The chapter examines a key aspect of the evaluation, a delayed treatment control group design study to determine the effect that involvement in the tutoring program has upon student academic achievement in reading.
Learning from Paper, Learning from Screens
Authors: Subrahmanyam Kaveri , Michikyan Minas , Clemmons Christine , Carrillo Rogelio , Uhls Yalda T. , Greenfield Patricia M.
Published: March 2014

Electronic screens on laptop and tablet computers are being used for reading text, often while multitasking. Two experimental studies with college students explored the effect of medium and opportunities to multitask on reading (Study 1) and report writing (Study 2). In Study 1, participants (N = 120) read an easy and difficult passage on paper, a laptop, or tablet, while either multitasking or not multitasking. Neither multitasking nor medium impacted reading comprehension, but those who multitasked took longer to read both passages, indicating loss of efficiency with multitasking. In Study 2, participants (N = 67) were asked to synthesize source material in multiple texts to write a one-page evidence-based report. Participants read the source texts either on (1) paper, (2) computer screen without Internet or printer access, or (3) computer screen with Internet and printer access (called the “real-world” condition). There were no differences in report quality or efficiency between those whose source materials were paper or computer. However, global report quality was significantly better when participants read source texts on a computer screen without Internet or printer access, compared with when they had Internet and printer access. Active use of paper for note-taking greatly reduced the negative impact of Internet and printer access in the real-world condition. Although participants expressed a preference for accessing information on paper, reading the texts on paper did not make a significant difference in report quality, compared with either of the two computer conditions. Implications for formal and informal learning are discussed.
Cyber-Bullying, Personality and Coping among Pre-Adolescents
Authors: Kokkinos Constantinos M. , Antoniadou Nafsika , Dalara Eleni , Koufogazou Anastasia , Papatziki Angeliki
Published: March 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of personality (Five Factor Model), coping and cyber-bullying/victimization experiences among 300 Greek pre-adolescent students attending the upper two primary school grades. Boys reported more frequent involvement in cyber-bullying incidents, while there were no significant gender differences in terms of cyber-victimization. In terms of participant roles, non-involved students scored higher in Conscientiousness, and cyber-bully/victims in Emotional Instability. The latter also tended to use maladaptive coping strategies more frequently, while cyber-bullies reported using more aggression and resignation to cope with interpersonal conflicts. Multiple regression analyses indicated that low conscientious boys who use passive avoidance and aggression were more likely to cyber-bully, while those who use aggression, passive avoidance and situation control to cope with interpersonal stressors were more likely to be cyber-victimized. Implications of the findings are discussed.
The Use of Telepsychology in Clinical Practice
Authors: Godine Nicole , Barnett Jeffrey E.
Published: March 2014

The use of various technologies in the practice of psychology has increased greatly in recent years in concert with increases in the use of these technologies in the lives of most individuals. E-mail, text messaging, chat rooms, and the Internet have greatly changed how many individuals communicate and maintain relationships. The psychotherapy relationship is no exception. The scope and practice of telepsychology, the use of the Internet and other technologies in the provision of psychological services, is reviewed along with relevant research that supports their use in the treatment of a wide range of conditions and disorders. Clinical, ethical, and legal issues and challenges are addressed and recommendations for the effective and appropriate use of these technologies in psychological practice are provided.
Positive Psychology in Information Technology Project Management
Authors: Natovich Joseph , Derzy Zeev , Natovich Rachel
Published: March 2014

This paper is an initial study on the impact of positive psychology on IT project management. Prior studies have found that High Psychological Positive Capital (PsyCap) of individuals is positively correlated with their work satisfaction and higher performance. PsyCap comprises individual's positive capacities of optimism, hope, resilience and efficacy. Drawing from Beck's cognitive theory, the authors hypothesized that High PsyCap PMs, when required to report bad news to a client, are inclined to consider the project-oriented reasons rather than the personal-oriented ones. As a result, they are more willing to report bad news compared to Low PsyCap PMs. A questionnaire consisting of four cases of bad news in IT projects, together with PsyCap tests, was distributed to professional communities on the internet. Data was collected from 42 respondents. The results of the statistical analysis have shown some support for our hypotheses. The research encourages more research on PsyCap contribution on various aspects of project performance and success. Such research may also have practical implications for PM recruiting and training.
The GAMMA® nursing measure: Its development and testing for nursing utility
Authors: Loubser Hendrik J. , Bruce Judith C. , Casteleijn Daleen
Published: March 2014

Background: In the specialised nursing fields of gerontology, oncology, rehabilitation and home-based care where people live with permanent or temporary disabilities, nurses are unable to perform routine and empirical scoring of their patients’ abilities to live independently, because of the lack of valid nursing measures indicating patients’ frailty or vulnerability. These independent living abilities are also referred to as the instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).Objectives: To provide nurses with a nursing scale, named the GAMMA, which enables nurses to routinely observe, score and record their patients’ IADLs and to test its nursing utility.Method: A study with two sequential phases was done. Firstly, descriptive data were collected from key informants, namely a registered social worker and two registered nurses, skilled in caring for disabled persons living in long-term care facilities. The data were analysed using inductive content analysis techniques in order to design and construct the GAMMA nursing scale. In the second study, the utility of the GAMMA was studied by training and testing the application of the GAMMA within a group of registered nurses (n = 5) working in three retirement villages. After four months, focus group interviews were conducted with the registered nurses in order to explore the GAMMA’s nursing utility. Descriptive data were analysed using deductive content analysis techniques.Results: The outcome of the study provided good results. High levels of agreement between participants confirm the GAMMA’s acceptance, usefulness and confidence as a nursing scale to empirically establish the transition of nursing care between independent living and assisted living.Conclusion: The GAMMA has the characteristics which allow it to be used routinely as a nursing scale in gerontology, oncology, rehabilitation and home-based care nursing processes.
Determinants of the Weight for Leisure in Preferences
Authors: Elgin Ceyhun , Yucel Emekcan
Published: March 2014

In this paper, the authors investigate the determinants of weight for leisure in preferences. First, using a dynamic general equilibrium model, they back out the weight for leisure for an unbalanced panel of 52 countries over the period from 1950 to 2009. Then, the authors perform several panel data regressions using the backed-out values of the preference for leisure as the dependent variable. Estimation results imply that trade openness, GDP per-capita and average temperature positively affect the weight for leisure in preferences in a robust manner. They also find some evidence about the effect of unionization and unemployment.
Atmospheric mercury speciation and mercury in snow over time at Alert, Canada
Authors: Steffen A. , Bottenheim J. , Cole A. , Ebinghaus R. , Lawson G. , Leaitch W. R.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. Ten years of atmospheric mercury speciation data and 14 years of mercury in snow data from Alert, Nunavut, Canada, are examined. The speciation data, collected from 2002 to 2011, includes gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), particulate mercury (PHg) and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM). During the winter-spring period of atmospheric mercury depletion events (AMDEs), when GEM is close to being completely depleted from the air, the concentration of both PHg and RGM rise significantly. During this period, the median concentrations for PHg is 28.2 pgm−3 and RGM is 23.9 pgm−3, from March to June, in comparison to the annual median concentrations of 11.3 and 3.2 pgm−3 for PHg and RGM, respectively. In each of the ten years of sampling, the concentration of PHg increases steadily from January through March and is higher than the concentration of RGM. This pattern begins to change in April when the levels of PHg peak and RGM begin to increase. In May, the high PHg and low RGM concentration regime observed in the early spring undergoes a transition to a regime with higher RGM and much lower PHg concentrations. The higher RGM concentration continues into June. The transition is driven by the atmospheric conditions of air temperature and particle availability. Firstly, a high ratio of the concentrations of PHg to RGM is reported at low temperatures which suggests that oxidized gaseous mercury partitions to available particles to form PHg. Prior to the transition, the median air temperature is −24.8 °C and after the transition the median air temperature is −5.8 °C. Secondly, the high PHg concentrations occur in the spring when high particle concentrations are present. The high particle concentrations are principally due to Arctic haze and sea salts. In the snow, the concentrations of mercury peak in May for all years. Springtime deposition of total mercury to the snow at Alert peaks in May when atmospheric conditions favour higher levels of RGM. Therefore, the conditions in the atmosphere directly impact when the highest amount of mercury will be deposited to the snow during the Arctic spring.
Characteristics of atmospheric mercury deposition and size-fractionated particulate mercury in urban Nanjing, China
Authors: Zhu J. , Wang T. , Talbot R. , Mao H. , Yang X. , Fu C. , Sun J. , Zhuang B. , Li S. , Han Y. , Xie M.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. A comprehensive measurement study of mercury wet deposition and size-fractionated particulate mercury (HgP) concurrent with meteorological variables was conducted from June 2011 to February 2012 to evaluate the characteristics of mercury deposition and particulate mercury in urban Nanjing, China. The volume-weighted mean (VWM) concentration of mercury in rainwater was 52.9 ng L−1 with a range of 46.3–63.6 ng L−1. The wet deposition per unit area was averaged 56.5 μg m−2 over 9 months, which was lower than that in most Chinese cities, but much higher than annual deposition in urban North America and Japan. The wet deposition flux exhibited obvious seasonal variation strongly linked with the amount of precipitation. Wet deposition in summer contributed more than 80% to the total amount. A part of contribution to wet deposition of mercury from anthropogenic sources was evidenced by the association between wet deposition and sulfates, as well as nitrates in rainwater. The ions correlated most significantly with mercury were formate, calcium, and potassium, which suggested that natural sources including vegetation and resuspended soil should be considered as an important factor to affect the wet deposition of mercury in Nanjing. The average HgP concentration was 1.10 ± 0.57 ng m−3. A distinct seasonal distribution of HgP concentrations was found to be higher in winter as a result of an increase in the PM10 concentration. Overall, more than half of the HgP existed in the particle size range less than 2.1 μm. The highest concentration of HgP in coarse particles was observed in summer, while HgP in fine particles dominated in fall and winter. The size distribution of averaged mercury content in particulates was bimodal, with two peaks in the bins of < 0.7 μm and 4.7–5.8 μm. Dry deposition per unit area of HgP was estimated to be 47.2 μg m−2 using meteorological conditions and a size-resolved particle dry deposition model. This was 16.5% less than mercury wet deposition. Compared to HgP in fine particles, HgP in coarse particles contributed more to the total dry deposition due to higher deposition velocities. Negative correlation between precipitation and the HgP concentration reflected the effect of scavenging of HgP by precipitation.
African dust outbreaks over the western Mediterranean basin: 11 year characterization of atmospheric circulation patterns and dust source areas
Authors: Salvador P. , Alonso S. , Pey J. , Artíñano B. , de Bustos J. J. , Alastuey A. , Querol X.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. The occurrence of African dust outbreaks over the western Mediterranean basin were identified on an 11 year period (2001–2011). PM10 daily data from nine regional background air quality monitoring sites across the study area were compiled and the net dust load transported during each event was estimated. Then, the main atmospheric circulation patterns causing the transport of African air masses, were characterized by mean of an objective classification methodology of atmospheric variables fields. Next, the potential source areas of mineral dust, associated to each circulation pattern were identified by trajectory statistical methods. Finally, an impact index was calculated to estimate the incidence of the African dust outbreaks produced during each circulation pattern, on the levels of dust load in PM10 concentrations recorded in the different regions. Our results indicate that the values of the impact index and the areas affected by African dust, strongly depended on the atmospheric circulation pattern. Four circulation types were obtained by the classification procedure. Two of them (CT-1 and CT-4) occurred predominantly during the warm season, bringing dust from areas of Algeria, Tunisia, Western Sahara, western Libya and Mauritania. African dust outbreaks produced during the CT-4 were the most frequent across the period of study, generating the highest impact index over southern, central and eastern regions of the Iberian Peninsula as well as over the Balearic Islands. Conversely, the events caused by the CT-1 encompassed the highest impact index over the western areas of the Iberian Peninsula. The two remaining circulation types (CT-2 and CT-3) were more frequently observed during the spring season. The prevailing flows generated by these two atmospheric circulation patterns, carried mineral dust from areas of Algeria, Tunisia and Western Sahara, giving rise to higher values of the impact index from eastern to western areas of the western Mediterranean basin.
Atmospheric photochemistry of aromatic hydrocarbons: OH budgets during SAPHIR chamber experiments
Authors: Nehr S. , Bohn B. , Dorn H.-P. , Fuchs H. , Häseler R. , Hofzumahaus A. , Li X. , Rohrer F. , Tillmann R. , Wahner A.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. Current photochemical models developed to simulate the atmospheric degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons tend to underestimate OH radical concentrations. In order to analyse OH budgets, we performed experiments with benzene, toluene, p-xylene, and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene in the atmosphere simulation chamber SAPHIR. Experiments were conducted under low-NO conditions (typically 0.1–0.2 ppb) and high-NO conditions (typically 7–8 ppb), and starting concentrations of 6–250 ppb of aromatics, dependent on OH rate constants. For the OH budget analysis a steady-state approach was applied where OH production and destruction rates (POH and DOH) have to be equal. The POH were determined from measurements of HO2, NO, HONO, and O3 concentrations, considering OH formation by photolysis and recycling from HO2. The DOH were calculated from measurements of the OH concentrations and total OH reactivities. The OH budgets were determined from DOH / POH ratios. The accuracy and reproducibility of the approach were assessed in several experiments using CO as a reference compound where an average ratio DOH / POH = 1.13 ± 0.19 was obtained. In experiments with aromatics, these ratios ranged within 1.1–1.6 under low-NO conditions and 0.9–1.2 under high-NO conditions. The results indicate that OH budgets during photo-oxidation experiments with aromatics are balanced within experimental accuracies. Inclusion of a further, recently proposed OH production via HO2 + RO2 reactions led to improvements under low-NO conditions but the differences were small and insignificant within the experimental errors.
Daily ozone cycle in the stratosphere: global, regional and seasonal behaviour modelled with the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model
Authors: Schanz A. , Hocke K. , Kämpfer N.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. The Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) is utilised to study the daily ozone cycle and underlying photochemical and dynamical processes. The analysis is focused on the daily ozone cycle in the middle stratosphere at 5 hPa where satellite-based trend estimates of stratospheric ozone are most biased by diurnal sampling effects and drifting satellite orbits. The simulated ozone cycle shows a minimum after sunrise and a maximum in the late afternoon. Further, a seasonal variation of the daily ozone cycle in the stratosphere was found. Depending on season and latitude, the peak-to-valley difference of the daily ozone cycle varies mostly between 3–5% (0.4 ppmv) with respect to the midnight ozone volume mixing ratio. The maximal variation of 15% (0.8 ppmv) is found at the polar circle in summer. The global pattern of the strength of the daily ozone cycle is mainly governed by the solar zenith angle and the sunshine duration. In addition, we find synoptic scale variations in the strength of the daily ozone cycle. These variations are often anti-correlated to regional temperature anomalies and are due to the temperature dependence of the rate coefficients k2 and k3 of the Chapman cycle reactions. Further, the NOx catalytic cycle counteracts to the accumulation of ozone during daytime and leads to an anti-correlation between anomalies in NOx and the strength of the daily ozone cycle. Similarly, ozone recombines with atomic oxygen which leads to an anti-correlation between anomalies in ozone abundance and the strength of the daily ozone cycle. At higher latitudes, an increase of the westerly (easterly) wind cause a decrease (increase) in the sunshine duration of an air parcel leading to a weaker (stronger) daily ozone cycle.
Quality assessment of ozone total column amounts as monitored by ground-based solar absorption spectrometry in the near infrared (> 3000 cm−1)
Authors: García O. E. , Schneider M. , Hase F. , Blumenstock T. , Sepúlveda E. , González Y.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. This study examines the possibility of ground-based remote sensing ozone total column amounts (OTC) from spectral signatures at 3040 and 4030 cm−1. These spectral regions are routinely measured by the NDACC (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change) ground-based FTIR (Fourier Transform InfraRed) experiments. In addition, they are potentially detectable by the TCCON (Total Carbon Column Observing Network) FTIR instruments. The ozone retrieval strategy presented here estimates the OTC from NDACC FTIR high resolution spectra with a theoretical precision of about 2% and 5% in the 3040 cm−1 and 4030 cm−1 regions, respectively. Empirically, these OTC products are validated by inter-comparison to FTIR OTC reference retrievals in the 1000 cm−1 spectral region (standard reference for NDACC ozone products), using a 8 year FTIR time series (2005–2012) taken at the subtropical ozone super-site of the Izaña Observatory (Tenerife, Spain). Associated with the weaker ozone signatures at the higher wavenumber regions, the 3040 cm−1 and 4030 cm−1 retrievals show lower vertical sensitivity than the 1000 cm−1 retrievals. Nevertheless, we observe that the rather consistent variations are detected: the variances of the 3040 cm−1 and the 4030 cm−1 retrievals agree within 90% and 75%, respectively, with the variance of the 1000 cm−1 standard retrieval. Furthermore, all three retrievals show very similar annual cycles. However, we observe a large systematic difference of about 7% between the OTC obtained at 1000 cm−1 and 3040 cm−1, indicating a significant inconsistency between the spectroscopic ozone parameters (HITRAN 2012) of both regions. Between the 1000 cm−1 and the 4030 cm−1 retrieval the systematic difference is only 2–3%. Finally, the long-term stability of the OTC retrievals has also been examined, observing that both near infrared retrievals can monitor the long-term OTC evolution in consistency to the 1000 cm−1reference data.
Carbon cycling and phytoplankton responses within highly-replicated shipboard carbonate chemistry manipulation experiments conducted around Northwest European Shelf Seas
Authors: Richier S. , Achterberg E. P. , Dumousseaud C. , Poulton A. J. , Suggett D. J. , Tyrrell T. , Zubkov M. V. , Moore C. M.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. The ongoing oceanic uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) is significantly altering the carbonate chemistry of seawater, a phenomenon referred to as ocean acidification. Experimental manipulations have been increasingly used to gauge how continued ocean acidification will potentially impact marine ecosystems and their associated biogeochemical cycles in the future; however, results amongst studies, particularly when performed on natural communities, are highly variable, which in part likely reflects inconsistencies in experimental approach. To investigate the potential for identification of more generic responses and greater experimentally reproducibility, we devised and implemented a series of highly replicated (n = 8), short term (2–4 days) multi-level (≥ 4 conditions) carbonate chemistry/nutrient manipulation experiments on a range of natural microbial communities sampled in Northwest European shelf seas. Carbonate chemistry manipulations and resulting biological responses were found to be highly reproducible within individual experiments and to a lesser extent between geographically different experiments. Statistically robust reproducible physiological responses of phytoplankton to increasing pCO2, characterized by a suppression of net growth for small sized cells (< 10 μm), were observed in the majority of the experiments, irrespective of nutrient status. Remaining between-experiment variability was potentially linked to initial community structure and/or other site-specific environmental factors. Analysis of carbon cycling within the experiments revealed the expected increased sensitivity of carbonate chemistry to biological processes at higher pCO2 and hence lower buffer capacity. The results thus emphasize how biological-chemical feedbacks may be altered in the future ocean.
Variation in photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic vegetation along edaphic and compositional gradients in northwestern Amazonia
Authors: Higgins M. A. , Asner G. P. , Perez E. , Elespuru N. , Alonso A.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. Tropical forests vary substantially in aboveground properties such as canopy height, canopy structure, and plant species composition, corresponding to underlying variations in soils and geology. Forest properties are often difficult to detect and map in the field, however, due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of these forests. Spectral mixture analysis of Landsat imagery allows mapping of photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic vegetation quantities (PV and NPV), corresponding to biophysical properties such as canopy openness, forest productivity, and disturbance. Spectral unmixing has been used for applications ranging from deforestation monitoring to identifying burn scars from past fires, but little is known about variations in PV and NPV in intact rainforest. Here we use spectral unmixing of Landsat imagery to map PV and NPV in northern Amazonia, and to test their relationship to soils and plant species composition. To do this we sampled 117 sites crossing a geological boundary in northwestern Amazonia for soil cation concentrations and plant species composition. We then used the Carnegie Landsat Analysis System to map PV and NPV for these sites from multiple dates of Landsat imagery. We found that soil cation concentrations and plant species composition consistently explain a majority of the variation in remotely sensed PV and NPV values. After combining PV and NPV into a single variable (PV-NPV), we determined that the influence of soil properties on canopy properties was inseparable from the influence of plant species composition. In all cases, patterns in PV and NPV corresponded to underlying geological patterns. Our findings suggest that geology and soils regulate canopy PV and NPV values in intact tropical forest, possibly through changes in plant species composition.
Latitudinal variation of stochastic properties of the geomagnetic field
Authors: Wanliss J. A. , Shiokawa K. , Yumoto K.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. We explore the stochastic fractal qualities of the geomagnetic field from 210 mm ground-based magnetometers during quiet and active magnetospheric conditions. We search through 10 yr of these data to find events that qualify as quiet intervals, defined by Kp ≤ 1 for 1440 consecutive minutes. Similarly, active intervals require Kp ≥ 4 for 1440 consecutive minutes. The total for quiet intervals is ~ 4.3 x 106 and 2 x 108 min for active data points. With this large number of data we characterize changes in the nonlinear statistics of the geomagnetic field via measurements of a fractal scaling. A clear difference in statistical behavior during quiet and active intervals is implied through analysis of the scaling exponents; active intervals generally have larger values of scaling exponents. This suggests that although 210 mm data appear monofractal on shorter timescales, the scaling changes, with overall variability are more likely described as a multifractional Brownian motion. We also find that low latitudes have scaling exponents that are consistently larger than for high latitudes.
What drives basin scale spatial variability of snowpack properties in northern Colorado?
Authors: Sexstone G. A. , Fassnacht S. R.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. This study uses a combination of field measurements and Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) operational snow data to understand the drivers of snow density and snow water equivalent (SWE) variability at the basin scale (100s to 1000s km2). Historic snow course snowpack density observations were analyzed within a multiple linear regression snow density model to estimate SWE directly from snow depth measurements. Snow surveys were completed on or about 1 April 2011 and 2012 and combined with NRCS operational measurements to investigate the spatial variability of SWE near peak snow accumulation. Bivariate relations and multiple linear regression models were developed to understand the relation of snow density and SWE with terrain variables (derived using a geographic information system (GIS)). Snow density variability was best explained by day of year, snow depth, UTM Easting, and elevation. Calculation of SWE directly from snow depth measurement using the snow density model has strong statistical performance, and model validation suggests the model is transferable to independent data within the bounds of the original data set. This pathway of estimating SWE directly from snow depth measurement is useful when evaluating snowpack properties at the basin scale, where many time-consuming measurements of SWE are often not feasible. A comparison with a previously developed snow density model shows that calibrating a snow density model to a specific basin can provide improvement of SWE estimation at this scale, and should be considered for future basin scale analyses. During both water year (WY) 2011 and 2012, elevation and location (UTM Easting and/or UTM Northing) were the most important SWE model variables, suggesting that orographic precipitation and storm track patterns are likely driving basin scale SWE variability. Terrain curvature was also shown to be an important variable, but to a lesser extent at the scale of interest.
A range correction for ICESat and its potential impact on ice-sheet mass balance studies
Authors: Borsa A. A. , Moholdt G. , Fricker H. A. , Brunt K. M.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. We report on a previously undocumented range error in NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) that degrades elevation precision and introduces a small but significant elevation trend over the ICESat mission period. This range error (the Gaussian-Centroid or "G-C" offset) varies on a shot-to-shot basis and exhibits increasing scatter when laser transmit energies fall below 20 mJ. Although the G-C offset is uncorrelated over periods ≤ 1 day, it evolves over the life of each of ICESat's three lasers in a series of ramps and jumps that give rise to spurious elevation trends of −0.92 to −1.90 cm yr−1, depending on the time period considered. Using ICESat data over the Ross and Filchner–Ronne ice shelves we show that (1) the G-C offset introduces significant biases in ice-shelf mass balance estimates, and (2) the mass balance bias can vary between regions because of different temporal samplings of ICESat. We can reproduce the effect of the G-C offset over these two ice shelves by fitting trends to sample-weighted mean G-C offsets for each campaign, suggesting that it may not be necessary to fully repeat earlier ICESat studies to determine the impact of the G-C offset on ice-sheet mass balance estimates.
Glacial areas, lake areas, and snow lines from 1975 to 2012: status of the Cordillera Vilcanota, including the Quelccaya Ice Cap, northern central Andes, Peru
Authors: Hanshaw M. N. , Bookhagen B.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. Glaciers in the tropical Andes of southern Peru have received limited attention compared to glaciers in other regions (both near and far), yet remain of vital importance to agriculture, fresh water, and hydropower supplies of downstream communities. Little is known about recent glacial-area changes and how the glaciers in this region respond to climate changes, and, ultimately, how these changes will affect lake and water supplies. To remedy this, we have used 158 multi-spectral satellite images spanning almost 4 decades, from 1975 to 2012, to obtain glacial- and lake-area outlines for the understudied Cordillera Vilcanota region, including the Quelccaya Ice Cap. Additionally, we have estimated the snow-line altitude of the Quelccaya Ice Cap using spectral unmixing methods. We have made the following four key observations: first, since 1988 glacial areas throughout the Cordillera Vilcanota (1988 glacial area: 361 km2) have been declining at a rate of 3.99 ± 1.15 km2 yr−1 (22 year average, 1988–2010, with 95% confidence interval (CI), n = 8 images). Since 1980, the Quelccaya Ice Cap (1980 glacial area: 63.1 km2) has been declining at a rate of 0.57 ± 0.10 km2 yr−1 (30 year average, 1980–2010, with 95% CI, n = 14). Second, decline rates for individual glacierized regions have been accelerating during the past decade (2000–2010) as compared to the preceding decade (1988–1999) with an average increase from 37.5 to 42.3 × 10−3 km2 yr−1 km−2 (13%). Third, glaciers with lower median elevations are declining at higher rates than those with higher median elevations. Specifically, glaciers with median elevations around 5200 m a.s.l. are retreating to higher elevations at a rate of ~1 m yr−1 faster than glaciers with median elevations around 5400 m a.s.l. Fourth, as glacial regions have decreased, 77% of lakes connected to glacial watersheds have either remained stable or shown a roughly synchronous increase in lake area, while 42% of lakes not connected to glacial watersheds have declined in area (58% have remained stable). Our new and detailed data on glacial and lake areas over 37 years provide an important spatiotemporal assessment of climate variability in this area. These data can be integrated into further studies to analyze inter-annual glacial and lake-area changes and assess hydrologic dependence and consequences for downstream populations.
Astronomical Observatory
Authors: Khanna Mansi
Published: March 2014

This photograph was taken at Jantar Mantar, one of India’s most famous astronomical observatories, located in Central Delhi. It was built in 1724 by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur, who then went on to build other observatories in Jaipur, Varanasi, and Mathura. It was used to make astronomical tables and predict movements of the planets and the sun. Its name is derived from yantra meaning instruments and mantar meaning formula.Due to the construction of several high rise buildings around the monument, it is no longer used for astronomical purposes. It however continues to be one of the biggest tourist attractions of the capital city.
Shikara ride, Jammu & Kashmir
Authors: Khanna Mansi
Published: March 2014

Shikara boats are often used in Kashmir as a means of transportation and for fishing. The poor sometimes convert these into shelters as floating homes. Shikaras are a big tourist attraction in the valley as foreigners flock to take a ride in the Dal Lake, fondly known as the "Jewel in the crown of Kashmir". It stretches to an area of 18 square kilometers, and is surrounded by parks and gardens built during the Mughal Area. This photograph was taken during a boat ride in 2013 in Srinagar, the summer capital of the state of Jammu & Kashmir, India.Jannat-e-Kashmir (Heaven on Earth)
Where to Invest in Touristic Promotion? Game Theory as a Decision Instrument for the Public Sector
Authors: Tavares Jean Max , de Vargas Mores Giana , Tomazzoni Edegar Luis
Published: March 2014

The traditional literature on investment in touristic promotion identifies the ‘natural targets' as the main tourist issuing regions. However, other parameters should also be considered, such as the income level of the region, the emitter–receiver ratio, geographical proximity and, principally, the existence of a strategic interdependence scenario. This paper, in addition to these parameters, uses the monetary return from tourists to show that the literature needs to move towards multivariate analyses. By means of game theory and a consideration of the main Brazilian states linked to tourism, it is observed that the results almost entirely indicate that decisions on where to make investments in touristic promotion are not as obvious as may be supposed, with the possibility of multiple targets.
Variation in length of stay within and between hospitals
Authors: Walsh Thom , Onega Tracy , Mackenzie Todd
Published: March 2014

Background and objective: Variation in the delivery of health care services and the lack of association between greater utilization and higher quality care signal inefficient, low value care. The extent to which patient and hospital variables can explain variation in hospital length of stay is unclear. Methods: We examined hospital inpatient length of stay using data from 684 hospitals and 5.4 million discharges in the 2007 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s Nationwide Inpatient Sample. We used a mixed effects model with a random effect for hospitals to quantify variation in length of stay due to differences within and between hospitals. Results: The interquartile range of hospital mean LOS was 3.4 days (3.3-6.7). Fifty-nine percent of the overall variation in length of stay remained unexplained after adjustment for discharge-level disease status, illness-severity, regional poverty, hospital-level contextual factors (e.g. proportion of patients from low-income ZIP-codes, proportion uninsured), and structural variables (e.g. teaching status, urban or rural location). Seventy-seven percent of the explainable variation was due to differences between hospitals. Conclusion: These findings indicate that wide variability in length of stay persists after adjustment for patient and hospital variables, signaling an opportunity for improved productivity and efficiency in the delivery of health care.
Restaurantes peruanos en Santiago de Chile: construcción de un paisaje de la migración
Authors: Imilan Walter Alejandro
Published: March 2014

The text addresses the relationship between migration, insertion strategies and transformations of urban space. It argues that the proliferation of Peruvian-cuisine restaurants in Santiago forms a landscape of migration that operates both as a transversal insertion strategy for different segments of the Peruvian population and as a form of recognition of them as “other” on the part of Chilean society. Based on a quantitative and qualitative study, the article describes the main features in the development of local Peruvian cuisine, identifying their development dynamics, locations and the networks that give them life. Finally, the Peruvian restaurants in Santiago demonstrate a complex assemblage of the global, national and local dimensions of migration.
Migraciones de los Kichwas-Otavalo en Bogotá
Authors: Ordóñez Juan Thomas , Colmenares Fabio Andrés , Gincel Anne , Bernal Diana Rocío
Published: March 2014

This article explores the singularities of Kichwa-Otavalo migrants in Bogota. With seventy years of historical presence in this city that includes continual relationships not only between people in Colombia and Ecuador, but at the worldwide level as well, this population constitutes a complex and significant case for migration studies. On the one hand, it raises the question of transnational relations where the “place of origin” has been dislocated through secondary foci around which the population is articulated. On the other hand, it illustrates the importance of migratory networks with respect to recognition by the state. Thus, we show different forms of integration into the city and suggest that a central determining factor of living conditions in the city is tied to people’s relative position to established migratory networks.
Desvagabundizando la mano de obra extranjera en España. Fijación de la fuerza de trabajo extranjera, ley de extranjería y el sistema de reclutamiento y suministro de trabajadores de Unió de Pagesos
Authors: Rodríguez Olga Achón
Published: March 2014

This paper focuses on the problem of the regulation of foreign labor in Spain. We trace different strategies developed for the purpose of regulating labor in different historical periods, basing our methodology on the comparison of legal texts from the past (16th century onwards) to those that fulfill a similar function at present: to implement policies intended to employ workers in agriculture. We also deal with the similarities observed between the Prussian system for establishing a flow of Polish workers in East Prussia (19th century) and the system for the recruitment and supply of foreign workers created by the Unió de Pagesos farmworkers’ union in Catalonia, Spain.
Pensamiento epistémico y conocimiento social: emergencias y potencialidades en la investigación social
Authors: Paredes Juan Pablo
Published: March 2014

The article presents an exercise of epistemic thought and critical methodology for the development of social research. After diagnosing the current situation of the social sciences (introduction), the first part of the text proposes an epistemicmethodological strategy to be followed. The second part carries out a dialogue between the Potential of the Present theory of Hugo Zemelman and the tenets of the Sociology of Absences and Emergencies of Boaventura de Sousa Santos. The third part then proposes a critical research approach to social reality and collective subjects. The text closes with an evaluation of the exercise proposed and a reflection on the possibility of empirical application of the proposal.
Poder soberano y poder disciplinario. La codificación desde una visión foucaultiana
Authors: Hernández Jiménez Norberto
Published: March 2014

This essay presents the context of codification that occurred after the French Revolution, questioning the traditional idea of it as an emanation of sovereign power, following the guidelines of disciplinary society developed by Foucault. For this purpose, it analyzes the debate regarding the completeness of the legal order, and based on the study of the foundational category of non-imputability – pertaining to criminal law dogma- it seeks to demonstrate the lack of autonomy and coherence of codified law for solving categories of disciplinary power, in contradiction with the sovereign theory of Hobbes.
New Developments in the Application of Synchrotron Radiation to Material Science
Authors: Sinha Sunil K.
Published: March 2014

Recent developments in the application of synchrotron radiation to materials science are discussed, using techniques which exploit the high brilliance of the newer synchrotron sources, such as microbeam techniques and correlation spectroscopy. These include studies of environmental systems, residual stress, slow dynamics of condensed matter systems and studies of liquid surfaces and thin magnetic films.
X-Ray Diffraction and Near Edge Studies of Iron Oxides and Alumina at High Temperatures Using Aerodynamic Levitation and Laser Heating
Authors: Hennet Louis , Landron Claude , Berthet Patrick , Coutures Jean-Pierre , Jenkins Tudor , Aletru Chantal , Greaves Neville
Published: March 2014

A new high temperature chamber using aerodynamic levitation and laser heating has been used to study spheres of oxide materials at temperatures up to 2100°C. Near edge studies of Fe3O4 (MP : 1597°C) and FeO (MP 1377°C) have been performed by fluorescent XANES and in situ X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Both iron oxides reveal a shift in the Fe K-absorption edge on melting to lower energies by between 2 and 3 eV. This is accompanied by an increase in the threshold resonance. Experiments with neutral and oxidising levitating gases show the same behaviour and suggest a physical origin. A possible explanation is an increase in the Fe-O bond length with a consequent reduction in physical density on melting. This would naturally result in a narrower energy gap which would lead to the observed shift in the absorption threshold to lower energies in passing from the solid to the liquid state. This would also account for the rise in the threshold resonance on melting. By performing high temperature XRD, the thermal expansion coefficients α of Al2O3 (MP 2054°C) have been obtained crystallographically by measuring the increase of the unit cell parameters. XRD curves have been recorded at several temperatures from 800°C up to the melting point. The measured coefficients are in agreement with literature data. On the technical side, some problems relating to the levitation state and temperature measurements are discussed indicating the need for improvement of the chamber.
The Structural Analysis of Zinc Borate Glass by Laboratory EXAFS and X-Ray Diffraction Measurements
Authors: Kajinami Akihiko , Harada Yasushi , Inoue Shinsuke , Deki Shigehito , Umesaki Norimasa
Published: March 2014

The structure of zinc borate glass has been investigated by laboratory EXAFS and X-ray diffraction measurement as preliminary investigations for the detailed study in SPring-8. The zinc borate glass was prepared in the range from 40 to 65 mol% of zinc oxide content. The X-ray diffraction was measured by horizontal θ–θ goniometer with 60 kV and 300 mA output of Mo target. The EXAFS of zinc borate glass was measured by laboratory EXAFS system with 20 kV, 100 mA output of Mo target for the K absorption edge of zinc atom. From the X-ray diffraction and the EXAFS measurements, it is found that the zinc ion is surrounded by four oxygen atoms and formed a tetrahedral structure whose Zn-O distance is about 2Å and that the structure is unchanged with the zinc oxide content. The diffraction data show that the neighboring structure of boron atom transforms from BO4 tetrahedra to BO3 tetragonal planar structure with increasing of the zinc oxide content.
Recent Highlights of X-Ray Magnetic Scattering Studies from Surfaces
Authors: Watson G. M. , Gibbs Doon , Lander G. H.
Published: March 2014

In this work, recent studies of surface magnetism, as observed by x-ray scattering techniques, are described. The experiments were concerned with uranium dioxide crystals for which x-ray resonance effects enhance the small magnetic signal from the surface. The main result is that, in contrast to the bulk which exhibits a discontinuous magnetic ordering transition, both the (001) and (111) surface layers order continuously. This is reminiscent of the general phenomenon of surface wetting, but had not been previously observed for magnetic materials. Magnetic reflectivity studies show further that the near-surface magnetic layers are more disordered than layers deep in the bulk, even at low temperatures.