bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Kabu-ido system: a pioneering solution for uncoordinated groundwater pumping in Japan
Authors: Endo T.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. The Kabu-ido system was a customary institution for groundwater management in a ring levee area of the Tokai region in Japan. It consists of three programs, a permit system for groundwater pumping, groundwater pricing, and economic compensation. The purpose of this paper is to clarify characteristics of the Kabu-ido as a groundwater management institution.
Land subsidence of coastal areas of Jiangsu Province, China: historical review and present situation
Authors: Zhu J. Q. , Yang Y. , Yu J. , Gong X. L.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. Surface faults related to land subsidence have been observed in coastal cities, such as Nantong, Yancheng, and Lian Yungang, in Jiangsu Province (CAJS) since the early 1970s. Nowadays, increases flooding and rising sea levels are attributed to subsidence caused by groundwater pumping. In this work we present a brief description of land subsidence in CAJS, we examine the mechanisms of land subsidence induced mainly by groundwater pumping and its evolution and economic implications as well as the implemented measures by the local government to prevent new damage.
On the possible contribution of clayey inter-layers to delayed land subsidence above producing aquifers
Authors: Isotton G. , Ferronato M. , Gambolati G. , Teatini P.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. In recent years, measurements of land subsidence above pumped aquifers by permanent GPS and InSAR have exhibited some delay relative to drawdown ranging from months to years. The current modeling approaches accounting for water fluid dynamics and porous medium geomechanics may fail to predict such a delay and may underestimate the land settlement after the well shutdown. In the present communication, an investigation is made on the residual compaction of the intervening clayey formations as a possible contribution to retarded land subsidence. The pore pressure variation within the aquifer and its propagation in the clay are simulated by a finite element flow model, with the resulting pore pressure decline used as input data in a hypo-plastic geomechanical model. A proper sensitivity analysis on (i) aquifer depth, (ii) ratio between the sandy and the clayey layers thickness and hydraulic conductivity, (iii) oedometric compressibility in first and second loading cycles, is performed for a typical geology of a Quaternary sedimentary basin. The results show that a certain fraction, up to 20 % of the overall land subsidence, can take place after the shutdown of the producing wells depending on actual basin, litho-stratigraphy and parameter values.
Assessing the potential of the multi-aquifer subsurface of the Mekong Delta (Vietnam) for land subsidence due to groundwater extraction
Authors: Minderhoud P. S. J. , Erkens G. , Pham V. H. , Vuong B. T. , Stouthamer E.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. Land subsidence rates of ~ 1–4 cm yr−1 are measured in the low-lying Vietnamese Mekong Delta. These relatively high subsidence rates are attributed to groundwater extraction, which has increased drastically over the past decades due to growing domestic, agricultural and industrial demands. As a result, hydraulic heads in aquifers are dropping, on average 0.3–0.7 m yr−1. There is an urgent need to go from measurements to predictions in order to test possible future groundwater management scenarios and to reduce the increase of flood risk, salt water intrusion and, on the longer term, prevent the delta from drowning. In this study, we aim to assess the subsidence potential of the multi-aquifer subsurface of the Mekong delta due to groundwater extraction. The first step is to gain a thorough understanding of the complex sedimentary architecture of the heterogeneous subsurface. Combined with the related geotechnical properties, the subsurface build-up determines the subsidence potential. Here, we present our approach to develop a 3-D geo-hydrological model based on lithological borehole data, geophysical sedimentary properties, palaeogeography and conceptual models of delta evolution.
Determinants of Debt-Equity Choice – Evidence from Poland
Authors: Kazmierska-Jozwiak Bogna , Marszałek Jakub , Sekuła Paweł
Published: November 2015

The question of debt-equity choice has so far been widely discussed in literature. The aim of the paper is to analyse the determinants of capital structure of Polish enterprises. We analysed factors that may impact the indebtedness. This analysis fills in the gap in worldwide studies with the case of a country representing the group of „emerging markets”. The paper examines capital structure determinants of non-financial companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. We used five independent variables compatible with the up-to-date achievements in the field. The results indicate that there is an evidence of a significant negative relationship between the size of a company, its growth rate, profitability, tangibility and the level of total debt. The study shows positive relationship between growth prospects of the company and the debt level. The results of the study indicate that the pecking order theory better explains the changes in indebtedness of analysed companies than other capital structure theories. Obtained results are mostly consistent with earlier studies conducted in the Poland and with studies in Western economies.
Evaluating Banking Profit Performance in Ghana during and post Profit Decline: A five Step Du-Pont Approach
Authors: Kusi Baah Aye , Ansah-Adu Kwadjo , Agyei Albert
Published: November 2015

In this study we aimed at three objectives. First, identify and rank banks based on a composite score comprising of all five du-pont variables. Second, we identify variables in the five step du-pont set up that are most likely to influence bank ROE during and post profit declining periods. And third, we estimate a model to capture the variables that drive bank ROE during and post profit declining periods. We first establish from our rankings that, foreign banks in Ghana performed better during profit declining periods while the local banks performed better in post profit decline periods using the top ten banks as a benchmark in both periods. Employing Pearson correlation coefficients matrix, we recognized that operating profit margin, asset turnover and leverage were most likely to influence bank ROE in both time periods. We further employ OLS regression and find that bank ROE was impacted by operating profit margin and leverage during profit declining periods and post profit decline while tax effect added up in post profit declining periods.
Connecting RDA and RDF: Linked Data for a Wide World of Connected Possibilities
Authors: Faith Ashleigh , Chrzanowski Michelle
Published: November 2015

Libraries have struggled with connecting a plethora of content and the metadata stored in catalogs to patrons. Adding more value to catalogs, more tools for reference librarians, and enriched patron search, linked data is a means to connect more people with more relevant information. With the recent transition to the Resource Description and Access (RDA) cataloging standard within libraries, linking data in library databases has become a much easier project to tackle, largely because of another standard called Resource Description Framework (RDF). Both focus on resource description and both are components of linked data within the library. Tying them together is the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) conceptual framework. Acknowledging that linked data components are most likely new to many librarians, this article seeks to explain what linked data is, how RDA and RDF are connected by FRBR, and how knowledge maps may improve information access.
Gender Differences in Science Performance
Authors: Lin Hsin-Hui
Published: November 2015

The purposed of this study was to examine the gender differences in students’ science performance in their third, fifth, and eighth grade. This study utilized the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K) K-8 full sample data public-use data file and had the sample size of 7,305 students. An independent sample t-test was conducted to compare science performance in male and female students in each grade level. Results indicated that gender had significant effects on students’ science performance in third, fifth, and eighth grade. Starting in third grade, male students performed better than female students. This trend continued; males still outperformed females in the fifth and eighth grade. The gender difference on science performance already existed in third grade. It is not clear why female students performed less than the other counterparts. Future studies should investigate students’ science learning progress and their science learning experience in the classrooms of the early elementary grades. 
The Athenian Reception of Evadne’s Suicide in Euripides’s Suppliants
Authors: Dee Nicholas M.
Published: November 2015

Near the end of the play, Evadne appears unexpectedly on a cliff and, after proclaiming her desire for victory over all women, leaps to her death onto her husband Capaneus’s pyre. This paper argues that Evadne is not a wholly unsympathetic character who exists only to horrify and disgust. My analysis of Evadne’s motives refocuses attention onto her overwhelming grief. For while the method(s) of her suicide are admittedly strange, the historical record shows that Greeks reacted in complex ways to similar unconventional, exotic suicides. Finally, Iphis’s paternal grief "rehabilitates" Evadne by bringing attention back toward the devastating effect of war.
Coincidence in Menander’s Dyskolos
Authors: Dugdale Eric
Published: November 2015

Situation comedies thrive on spatial and temporal coincidences. In Menander’s Dyskolos, the audience is repeatedly alerted to coincidences of place and time. Key words that express this coordination are καιρός and τυγχάνω and their cognates. Both have spatial and temporal dimensions and self-consciously highlight the machinations of the plot. By drawing attention to spatial and temporal coincidence as well as failures to coincide due to Knemon’s misanthropy, Menander puts the audience in a position to appreciate the irony of his characters’ words and to enjoy the timely misfortunes that eventually overcome Knemon’s evasiveness.
Dischronic Mediterranean: Space and Time Negotiations in Ariosto’s Comedies
Authors: Stoppino Eleonora
Published: November 2015

This paper explores the pervasive reworking of space in Ludovico Ariosto’s comedies (1508-1532), which relocate the Plautine and Terentian spaces to different areas of the Mediterranean. Ariosto reimagines a new Mediterranean geography, moving within the known spaces of Venetian commerce: Negroponte, Lesbos, Albania, Crete. Parallel to this remapping, the characters receive ethnic and national identities often out of synchronicity with the imagined Greek past of the Plautine models. This paper explores Ariosto’s map of Mediterranean spaces and his destabilizing mismatching of time and place as an instance of a now lost practice of cultural negotiation.
The Strategies in the Battles and Struggles of Prophet Muhammad: How It Can Be Applied in Modern Business
Authors: Zandi GholamReza , Pour Joupari Naser Zandi , Aslam Ayesha
Published: November 2015

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the strategies of Prophet Muhammad PBUH in wars and struggles, and how they are practiced now in contemporary businesses and organizations. This study is interested to read the biography oh Prophet Muhammad, the strategies which He made during wars and migration, their execution and consequences and how modern businesses adopt these strategies to improve the organizational graph. The purpose of this paper is thoroughly study the biography of beloved Prophet and to recall the Holy Prophet (PBUH) strategies, which He used during his life and mostly implemented in wars and battles for victory. The concept of making strategies is came from Him, which now world widely followed by everyone even by Muslims or not Muslims. Prophet presented the thought of environmental Analysis, for the purpose to get information from external and internal environment about enemies. This analysis is applicable upon all organizations especially Military. Now it is executed as risk management, to prevent from sudden unfortunate events in future. In short, all the strategies, which are now run-through all organizations are basically belongs to Holy Prophet
Can Autistics Identify with Jake Barnes? The Case of Autism and the Hemingway Narrator in the Sun Also Rises
Authors: Marinan John
Published: November 2015

Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises is an early example of paraliptic narration, or the rhetorical technique of revealing by omission. Jake Barnes, the narrator, fits this bill because he exhibits startling incommunicability with respect to tale-telling and “reading” of other characters. I argue that this technique, gives Jake Barnes autistic qualities. At the same time, cognitive literary theorists have indicated that autistic readers might have difficulty understanding narrators of this type due to what they call “mindblindness”. They argue that without T.O.M. (Theory of Mind Mechanism), readers cannot make appropriate judgments about the narration. I argue the counter-point; invoking Kenneth Burke, I argue that autistic readers can understand paraliptic narrators because they can identify with them.
Arterial and Venous Thromboembolism in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: From Pathogenic Mechanisms to Prevention and Treatment
Authors: Mejza Filip , Lamprecht Bernd , Niżankowska-Mogilnicka Ewa , Undas Anetta
Published: November 2015

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects approximately 10% of adults older than 40 years and is an important causes of disability and death in elderly subjects. A large proportion of COPD patients suffer from cardiovascular comorbidities. Thromboembolic events contribute considerably to morbidity and mortality in these subjects. This review summarizes the current evidence regarding the association of COPD with increased thromboembolic risk. We discuss multiple mechanisms potentially linking these conditions and available pharmacological interventions reducing the risk of thrombotic arterial and venous events with special attention paid to new oral anticoagulants.
Identidade na Educação de Jovens e Adultos através da integração do Teatro, Música e Cultura Digital
Authors: Rapkiewicz Clevi , Rodrigues Lisinei Dieguez , Fracasso Daniela Cesa , Weihmann Guilherme
Published: November 2015

A inclusão digital e a docência compartilhada têm constituído ações integradas entre os componentes curriculares de Expressão e Movimento (Teatro, Música, e Educação Física) na escola XYZ . Nesta etapa do trabalho analisa-se os aspectos do reconhecimento de si e da autovalorização da identidade dos estudantes da Educação de Jovens e Adultos (EJA) a partir de pensadores das áreas da Arte, da Pedagogia e da Informática. O registro das experiências práticas nas área de conhecimento envolvidas possibilitaram a inserção da Informática como aliada no processo da valorização identitária dos alunos e oportunizaram a aproximação dos estudos já realizado ao que ainda deseja-se investigar no campo da inclusão digital para alunos da EJA.
Mecatrônica Educacional Apoiando o Aprendizado de Conceitos de Física e Matemática: Um estudo de caso
Authors: Pimentel Charles Soares , Revoredo Kate , Sampaio Fábio Ferrentini
Published: November 2015

Este trabalho trata sobre a aplicação da metodologia de Aprendizagem Baseada em Problemas no contexto da Mecatrônica Educacional como agente impulsionador da motivação do educando em estudar conceitos de física e matemática. Um estudo de caso com alunos do 1° ano de ensino médio foi conduzido para avaliar a abordagem proposta.
Raciocínio Lógico e Computação: Descobrindo Estratégias de ensino por meio da Olimpíada Brasileira de Informática
Authors: Santos Erika Raquel Silva dos , Oliveira Fábio Cristiano de Souza , Mota Neto Ivaldo Barbosa da
Published: November 2015

Este trabalho relata a experiência de um projeto de extensão, cujo objetivo é estimular o interesse pela Computação e pela Ciência em geral, através de estratégias de ensino específicas com o auxílio de TICs, favorecendo a participação dos estudantes, do ensino fundamental, em maratonas de programação locais e nacionais como a Olimpíada Brasileira de Informática que envolve a resolução de problemas computacionais.
Estudo comparativo entre ambientes virtuais para uso em Blended Learning na Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco
Authors: Ramos Jorge Luis Cavalcanti , Silva Ramona Florêncio Pereira da , Silva João Carlos Sedraz , Gomes Alex Sandro
Published: November 2015

A ideia de Blended Learning não é uma novidade, e está presente nos projetos de educação há algum tempo. Acompanhando tal desenvolvimento, as instituições de ensino superior (IES) tem visto essa modalidade como um processo a agregar valor na formação profissional dos seus alunos. Adotado na UNIVERSIDADE X como ambiente de apoio ao ensino hibrido, o Moodle tem seus recursos subutilizados, em razão da ainda pouca demanda de uso de várias das suas funcionalidades. Desse modo, o presente trabalho visou analisar a viabilidade de adoção de outro ambiente virtual o Amadeus. Foram realizados experimentos e aplicados questionários. Os resultados demonstraram a viabilidade de uso desse outro ambiente, com as mesmas funcionalidades atualmente em uso no Moodle, com menos esforço de aprendizagem dos usuários e com mais facilidade no uso do ambiente.
Analysis of CO2 Swelling and Modeling of PVT Properties of Reservoir Fluid of an Onland Field of Gujarat, India
Authors: Jha Nilesh Kumar , Ojha U. , Kumar A. , Mathur A.
Published: November 2015

With the advancement in technology, interest in different enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques to recover this untapped oil has increased in recent years. The paper presents a fluid with extensive PVT and carbon dioxide (CO2) Swelling Test data from a major on-land field of Gujarat, India. The reservoir is at pressure of 2,860.7 psia and temperature of 192.2 °F. The reservoir is on depletion drive mechanism with very low gas/oil ratio of 16.2 (v/v). 12-component equation of state (EoS) models were developed for the fluid using the volume corrected Peng-Robinson EoS, which shows a good match between experimental and simulated data. Simulation of multi-contact process was carried out to predict the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP). Purely predictive MMP is considerably lower than the reservoir pressure which is the most important criteria for a miscible gas injection project and the simulation result shows a forward contact vaporizing gas drive mechanism of miscibility. The representative reservoir fluid sample was experimentally analyzed and the resulting data were used to obtain parameters for EoS model. The tuning procedure for EoS was carried out systematically by matching the volumetric and phase behavior results with that of the experimental results. Splitting method by Whitson et al was used to split plus fraction into 5 pseudo-components to increase the predictive capability of EoS. The EoS model developed for this field may be used in compositional reservoir simulation studies and well optimization for a miscible CO2 EOR.
Further Advances of CO2-EOR by Promoting a "Triple-E" Approach: Energy Security, Environmental Quality, and Economic Viability
Authors: Parisi Domenico Mimmo , Vahedifard Farshid , Mazzola Michael S.
Published: November 2015

We propose a new framework for energy policy on a national and global scale for exploring further advances of CO2-EOR that promotes a "triple-e" approach:energy security,environmental quality, andeconomic viability.

Increasing the use of CO2-EOR can reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, create jobs, and help generate electricity to meet domestic demand. Understanding CO2-EOR and the opportunities and challenges it brings is therefore essential for both policymakers and consumers.

Introduction

There are always two sides to a story, and carbon dioxide (CO2) is no exception. On one side, CO2 is presented as a greenhouse gas (GHG), and preventing its release drives the policy of some government agencies. On the other side, CO2 is an essential nutrient necessary for plant growth and, more recently, has been recognized in the energy sector as a valuable commodity to enhance recovery in utilization operations, such as CO2 enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR), enhanced gas recovery (CO2-EGR), and enhanced coal bed methane recovery (CO2-ECBMR).

CO2-EOR is a mature technology and currently generates around 300,000 barrels of oil each day in the United States. It is a contributing factor to the recent boom in U.S. oil, which has resulted in lower gasoline prices. However, CO2-EOR's potential for energy security is largely untapped. Exploring new opportunities and technological improvements for increased CO2 storage in EOR operations can significantly increase the volume of its generated oil and improve applicability of technology as a revenue generator for CO2 capture and a large-scale CO2 storage option.

Energy security calls for comprehensive use of all of our nation's energy sources, including fossil fuels. But fossil fuels, especially coal, have become controversial because of their high level of CO2 emissions. Many power plants have replaced coal with natural gas to mitigate CO2 emissions. The United States and the world have also pushed for renewable energy as an effort to control CO2 emissions under the overall banner of slowing down global warming.
Synthetic Coal Cycle Technology™ : A Novel Carbon Utilization Technology
Authors: Zietlow Douglas
Published: November 2015

This paper discusses Synthetic Coal Cycle Technology™ (synCCT™), a novel, patent pending, energy conversion and storage technology that uses carbon dioxide (CO2) to make grid-scale renewable energy dispatchable. synCCT uses renewable energy to dissociate CO2 into carbon, a renewable fuel named Synthetic Coal™ or synC™, and oxygen. synC is oxidized to generate electricity and heat on demand, producing CO2, which is captured and reused in the process.

Both synC and CO2 are feasibly and economically stored for long periods and/or transported long distances by conventional technologies. The synCCT process is carbon neutral and sustainable. In addition, synCCT has a number of advantages over competitive technologies, including:No greenhouse gas (GHG) emissionsSimplified integration of grid-scale renewable electricityVirtual transmission of renewable electricity without wiresSimplicityNo pollution or waste productsMinimal water useRelative safetyLow toxicityMinimal infrastructure development requiredPotential use and repurposing of existing infrastructure

This paper discusses the rationale for synCCT, how it works and how it compares with competitive technologies for producing renewable fuels from CO2.

Introduction

The embodiments of Synthetic Coal Cycle Technology™ (synCCT™) discussed in this paper simultaneously address two major issues for the production of electricity: carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the limited availability of solar and wind energy to reduce these emissions (Zietlow 2014). Although renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, reduce CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels, this reduction is limited by their availability. Because most renewable energy sources are either intermittent, geographically fixed or both, they are often not available when and where needed. Although intermittency can be mitigated to some extent by using peaking generation or conventional energy storage, both have significant limitations. Peaking generation emits CO2 and most commercially available energy storage only works over short time frames. Both require capital investment beyond that for renewable energy generation, often including new, expensive electrical transmission lines to transport the electricity they provide.

synCCT converts renewable energy to a fuel, Synthetic Coal™ (synC™), that stores renewable energy indefinitely and can be transported significant distances by conventional transportation, thereby, solving the problems of intermittency and fixed location without the need for new electrical transmission lines. Although synCCT requires additional capital investment beyond that for renewable energy generation, the added value of greater location and time flexibility, and the avoided cost of new electrical transmission offsets its cost relative to peaking generation and conventional energy storage.
Bandes urbaines et groupes délinquants en Belgique. Représentations et savoirs
Authors: Witvrouw1 Line , Born Michel , Glowacz Fabienne
Published: November 2015

Les gangs européens représentent un sujet de préoccupation central sur tous les plans, que ce soit préventif, répressif, sécuritaire ou éducatif. En Belgique, depuis le début des années 1990, les bandes urbaines (terme préféré à celui de gang) intéressent la communauté scientifique, les acteurs sociaux, la police et les médias. Lorsque nous explorons la littérature scientifique relative au phénomène de cette délinquance en groupe, la difficulté est d’arriver à un consensus tant les approches sont diversifiées. Au-delà de la volonté de définition commune, de nombreux aspects de la bande urbaine sont approchés tant quantitativement que qualitativement, comme la mise en relation des individus les composant, ou encore les liens unidirectionnels et bidirectionnels qui différencient les groupes d’amis des groupes délinquants. En Belgique, les bandes urbaines partagent certaines caractéristiques avec les groupes de jeunes non délinquants. Toutefois, des logiques et des structurations propres s’y ajoutent en fonction du type de rassemblement, mais aussi de l’environnement dans lequel il s’inscrit. L’objectif de cet article est de rassembler les différents travaux et recherches belges concernant les groupes de jeunes délinquants et d’en extraire les savoirs, tout en confrontant les points de vue issus des pratiques de terrain.
Le processus de désaffiliation aux gangs. Le rôle des facteurs individuels et collectifs
Authors: Descormiers1 Karine , Corrado Raymond
Published: November 2015

Dans cet article, il est question du processus de désaffiliation au sein d’un échantillon de 73 membres de gangs incarcérés dans un centre de détention en Colombie-Britannique. Plus précisément, cet article examine si la désaffiliation est associée aux caractéristiques individuelles ou plutôt aux caractéristiques et aux processus collectifs. Pour ce faire, les différences entre les membres toujours affiliés (n = 51) et ceux s’étant désistés (n = 22) sont dans un premier temps examinées. Deuxièmement, une régression logistique est utilisée afin de déterminer quels sont les facteurs les plus susceptibles de prédire une désaffiliation au sein de l’échantillon. Les principaux résultats semblent indiquer que la violence au sein du gang ainsi que l’environnement criminel de la recrue favorisent la continuation de l’affiliation et retardent ainsi le désistement. Cet article a aussi pour objectif d’illustrer le contexte dans lequel se déroule la désaffiliation, en examinant (a) le rôle d’évènements potentiels précipitant la décision de se désaffilier et (b) le rôle spécifique joué par la violence dans le processus de désaffiliation. Ces deux derniers objectifs sont abordés dans l’analyse des récits des 22 participants ayant récemment quitté leur gang. Le but premier de cette analyse qualitative est de bonifier les résultats issus de l’analyse quantitative, qui ne parvient peut-être pas à capturer le spectre complet du processus décisionnel.
Les filles et les gangs : contextes et répercussions pour les femmes
Authors: Chesney-Lind1 Meda , Clavet Martin
Published: November 2015

On perçoit généralement les gangs comme étant un phénomène essentiellement masculin, presque emblématique du caractère rebelle des garçons, mais les gangs sont composés d’une part importante de filles. Les dernières données indiquent qu’au moins le quart des membres de gangs sont des filles. Cet article s’intéresse aux perspectives théoriques sur le genre présentes dans les recherches traditionnelles sur les gangs et propose d’aborder le phénomène des gangs sous l’angle de la criminologie féministe afro-américaine et des études sur les trajectoires de vie des femmes. Privilégiant les études qui visent spécifiquement le genre et l’ethnicité, l’article se penche ensuite sur les circonstances qui incitent les filles à se joindre aux gangs. Il est essentiel d’analyser ce phénomène en fonction du rôle de la victimisation, surtout la victimisation sexuelle, tant sur le plan des causes que des conséquences de l’adhésion des filles aux gangs. Les tensions et les divisions au sein de la famille, l’influence des relations entre filles et membres de gangs sur la décision de joindre le gang, la consommation d’alcool ou de drogue (et le risque accru de victimisation) ou un milieu scolaire et un quartier défavorisé caractérisé par la violence, sont autant de facteurs qui incitent les jeunes filles à se joindre aux gangs.
Factors affecting the identification of individual mountain bongo antelope
Authors: Gibbon Gwili E.M. , Bindemann Markus , Roberts David L.
Published: November 2015

The recognition of individuals forms the basis of many endangered species monitoring protocols. This process typically relies on manual recognition techniques. This study aimed to calculate a measure of the error rates inherent within the manual technique and also sought to identify visual traits that aid identification, using the critically endangered mountain bongo,Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci, as a model system. Identification accuracy was assessed with a matching task that required same/different decisions to side-by-side pairings of individual bongos. Error rates were lowest when only the flanks of bongos were shown, suggesting that the inclusion of other visual traits confounded accuracy. Accuracy was also higher for photographs of captive animals than camera-trap images, and in observers experienced in working with mountain bongos, than those unfamiliar with the sub-species. These results suggest that the removal of non-essential morphological traits from photographs of bongos, the use of high-quality images, and relevant expertise all help increase identification accuracy. Finally, given the rise in automated identification and the use of citizen science, something our results would suggest is applicable within the context of the mountain bongo, this study provides a framework for assessing their accuracy in individual as well as species identification.
Demographic and genetic factors in the recovery or demise ofex situpopulations following a severe bottleneck in fifteen species of Hawaiian tree snails
Authors: Price Melissa R. , Sischo David , Pascua Mark-Anthony , Hadfield Michael G.
Published: November 2015

Wild populations of endangered Hawaiian tree snails have declined precipitously over the last century due to introduced predators and other human impacts. Life history traits, such as very low fecundity (<5 offspring per year across taxa) and maturity at approximately four years of age have made recovery difficult. Conservation efforts such asin situpredator-free enclosures may increase survival to maturity by protecting offspring from predation, but no long-term data existed prior to this study demonstrating the demographic and genetic parameters necessary to maintain populations within those enclosures. We evaluated over 20 years of evidence for the dynamics of survival and extinction in captiveex situpopulations of Hawaiian tree snails established from wild-collected individuals. From 1991 to 2006, small numbers of snails (<15) from fifteen species were collected from the wild to initiate captive-reared populations as a hedge against extinction. This small number of founders resulted in a severe bottleneck in each of the captive-reared populations. We identified key demographic parameters that predicted population recovery from this bottleneck. Species with captive populations that produced between two and four offspring per adult per year and had 20–50% of those offspring survive to maturity recovered to numbers above 100 individuals, and maintained viable populations following a decline that occurred between 2009 and 2014. Those populations that had less than two offspring per adult per year and less than 20% survival to maturity did not reach 100 individuals in captivity, and many of these populations died out during the recent decline. We suggest that small reductions in fitness may contribute to extirpation in taxa with inherently low fecundity, by keeping populations below a threshold number essential to long-term recovery. Futureex situpopulations should be founded with no less than 15 adults, and maintained in conditions closely approximating the temperature and humidity of source locations to optimize fitness. Permanent translocations of wild populations for conservation purposes will be more likely to succeed with greater than 100 adults, and should be limited to locations with a similar climate to source locations.
Fault slip source models for the 2014Mw6.9 Samothraki‐Gökçeada earthquake (North Aegean Trough) combining geodetic and seismological observations
Authors: Saltogianni Vasso , Gianniou Michail , Taymaz Tuncay , Yolsal‐Çevikbilen Seda , Stiros Stathis
Published: November 2015

The 24 May 2014,Mw6.9, Samothraki‐Gökçeada shallow (depth: 11 km) earthquake along the North Aegean Trough (NAT), at the westward extension of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ), is investigated using constraints from seismological and geodetic data. A point source solution based on teleseismic long‐periodPandSHwaveforms suggests an essentially strike‐slip faulting mechanism consisting of two subevents, while from a finite fault inversion of broadband data the rupture area and slip history were estimated. Analysis of data from 11 permanent GPS stations indicated significant coseismic horizontal displacement but no significant vertical or postseismic slip. Okada‐type inversion of horizontal slip vectors, using the new TOPological INVersion algorithm, allowed precise modeling of the fault rupture both as single and preferably as double strike‐slip faulting reaching the surface. Variable slip models were also computed. The independent seismological and geodetic fault rupture models are broadly consistent with each other and with structural and seismological data and indicate reactivation of two adjacent fault segments separated by a bend of the NAT. The 2014 earthquake was associated with remote clusters of low‐magnitude aftershocks, produced low accelerations, and filled a gap in seismicity along the NAT in the last 50 years; faulting in the NAT seems not directly related to the sequence of recent faulting farther east, along the NAFZ and the seismic gap in the Marmara Sea near Istanbul.
A lightning‐based search for nearby observationally dim terrestrial gamma ray flashes
Authors: McTague L. E. , Cummer S. A. , Briggs M. S. , Connaughton V. , Stanbro M. , Fitzpatrick G.
Published: November 2015

Current space‐based observations of terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) are capable of identifying only TGFs that exceed a lower brightness threshold. Observationally, dim TGFs that fall below this threshold are consequently difficult to find using photon‐only search algorithms. Such TGFs are a potentially important part of the overall global TGF rate, and information on their occurrence rate would give important insight into TGF generation mechanisms. We describe and implement a lightning‐based search for TGFs that uses the location and time of National Lightning Detection Network reported positive polarity, in‐cloud (+IC) discharges of the type known to be directly associated with TGFs. These events identify a 200 μs search window when any associated TGF photons would have been detected. We show that this approach can detect TGFs without requiring a lower threshold on the detected photon brightness of the event, and thus is capable, in principle, of finding a population of weak TGFs. We find that TGFs occur at a rate between 1 in 40 and 1 in 500 of in‐cloud lightning events that meet our study's criteria. The distribution of gamma ray counts in the search windows exhibits a statistically significant lack of nearby dim TGFs below the GBM search threshold. The data favor a brightness distribution in which nearby observationally dim TGFs are rare.
Combining regional estimation and historical floods: A multivariate semiparametric peaks‐over‐threshold model with censored data
Authors: Sabourin Anne , Renard Benjamin
Published: November 2015

The estimation of extreme flood quantiles is challenging due to the relative scarcity of extreme data compared to typical target return periods. Several approaches have been developed over the years to face this challenge, including regional estimation and the use of historical flood data. This paper investigates the combination of both approaches using a multivariate peaks‐over‐threshold model that allows estimating altogether the intersite dependence structure and the marginal distributions at each site. The joint distribution of extremes at several sites is constructed using a semiparametric Dirichlet Mixture model. The existence of partially missing and censored observations (historical data) is accounted for within a data augmentation scheme. This model is applied to a case study involving four catchments in Southern France, for which historical data are available since 1604. The comparison of marginal estimates from four versions of the model (with or without regionalizing the shape parameter; using or ignoring historical floods) highlights significant differences in terms of return level estimates. Moreover, the availability of historical data on several nearby catchments allows investigating the asymptotic dependence properties of extreme floods. Catchments display a significant amount of asymptotic dependence, calling for adapted multivariate statistical models.
The atmospheric transport of iodine‐129 from Fukushima to British Columbia, Canada and its deposition and transport into groundwater
Authors: Herod Matt N. , Suchy Martin , Cornett R. Jack , Kieser W. E. , Clark Ian D. , Graham Gwyn
Published: November 2015

The Fukushima‐Daiichi nuclear accident (FDNA) released iodine‐129 (15.7 million year half‐life) and other fission product radionuclides into the environment in the spring and summer of 2011. 129I is recognized as a useful tracer for the short‐lived radiohazard 131I, which has a mobile geochemical behavior with potential to contaminate water resources. To trace 129I released by the FDNA reaching Canada, pre‐accident and post‐accident rain samples collected in Vancouver, on Saturna Island and from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program in Washington State were measured. Groundwater from the Abbotsford‐Sumas Aquifer was sampled to determine the fate of 129I that infiltrates below the root zone. Modeling of vadose zone transport was performed to constrain the travel time and retardation of 129I. The mean pre‐accident 129I concentration in rain was 31 × 106 atoms/L (n = 4). Immediately following the FDNA, 129I values increased to 211 × 106 atoms/L and quickly returned to near‐background levels. However, pulses of elevated 129I continued for several months. The increases in 129I concentrations from both Vancouver and Saturna Island were synchronized, and occurred directly after the initial release from the FDNA. The 129I in shallow (3H/3He age <1.4 years) Wassenaar et al. (2006) groundwater showed measurable variability through March 2013 with an average of 3.2 × 106 atoms/L (n = 32) that was coincident with modeled travel times for Fukushima 129I. The groundwater response and the modeling results suggest that 129I was partially attenuated in soil, which is consistent with its geochemical behavior; however, we conclude that the measured variability may be due to Fukushima 129I entering groundwater.
Reconstruction of missing daily streamflow data using dynamic regression models
Authors: Tencaliec Patricia , Favre Anne‐Catherine , Prieur Clémentine , Mathevet Thibault
Published: November 2015

River discharge is one of the most important quantities in hydrology. It provides fundamental records for water resources management and climate change monitoring. Even very short data‐gaps in this information can cause extremely different analysis outputs. Therefore, reconstructing missing data of incomplete data sets is an important step regarding the performance of the environmental models, engineering, and research applications, thus it presents a great challenge. The objective of this paper is to introduce an effective technique for reconstructing missing daily discharge data when one has access to only daily streamflow data. The proposed procedure uses a combination of regression and autoregressive integrated moving average models (ARIMA) called dynamic regression model. This model uses the linear relationship between neighbor and correlated stations and then adjusts the residual term by fitting an ARIMA structure. Application of the model to eight daily streamflow data for the Durance river watershed showed that the model yields reliable estimates for the missing data in the time series. Simulation studies were also conducted to evaluate the performance of the procedure.
A Bayesian approach to improved calibration and prediction of groundwater models with structural error
Authors: Xu Tianfang , Valocchi Albert J.
Published: November 2015

Numerical groundwater flow and solute transport models are usually subject to model structural error due to simplification and/or misrepresentation of the real system, which raises questions regarding the suitability of conventional least squares regression‐based (LSR) calibration. We present a new framework that explicitly describes the model structural error statistically in an inductive, data‐driven way. We adopt a fully Bayesian approach that integrates Gaussian process error models into the calibration, prediction, and uncertainty analysis of groundwater flow models. We test the usefulness of the fully Bayesian approach with a synthetic case study of the impact of pumping on surface‐ground water interaction. We illustrate through this example that the Bayesian parameter posterior distributions differ significantly from parameters estimated by conventional LSR, which does not account for model structural error. For the latter method, parameter compensation for model structural error leads to biased, overconfident prediction under changing pumping condition. In contrast, integrating Gaussian process error models significantly reduces predictive bias and leads to prediction intervals that are more consistent with validation data. Finally, we carry out a generalized LSR recalibration step to assimilate the Bayesian prediction while preserving mass conservation and other physical constraints, using a full error covariance matrix obtained from Bayesian results. It is found that the recalibrated model achieved lower predictive bias compared to the model calibrated using conventional LSR. The results highlight the importance of explicit treatment of model structural error especially in circumstances where subsequent decision‐making and risk analysis require accurate prediction and uncertainty quantification.
The Construction of 3‐Methyl‐4‐arylpiperidines via a trans‐ Perhydroindolic Acid‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Aza‐Diels–Alder Reaction
Authors: An Qianjin , Shen Jiefeng , Butt Nicholas , Liu Delong , Liu Yangang , Zhang Wanbin
Published: November 2015

An efficient trans‐perhydroindolic acid‐catalyzed asymmetric aza‐Diels–Alder reaction of cyclic 1‐azadienes and propanal was developed for the synthesis of chiral 3‐methyl‐4‐aryldehydropiperidine derivatives (up to 98% yield and 99% ee). Such scaffolds are often found in bioactive compounds and medicines. A gram‐scale reaction was carried out with a low catalyst loading to give the desired product in high yield and with excellent enantioselectivity. The resulting dehydropiperidine derivatives can be further transformed to chiral 3‐methyl‐4‐aryl‐substituted piperidines with high efficiency.

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Water Interaction with Iron Oxides
Authors: Dementyev Petr , Dostert Karl‐Heinz , Ivars‐Barceló Francisco , O'Brien Casey P. , Mirabella Francesca , Schauermann Swetlana , Li Xiaoke , Paier Joachim , Sauer Joachim , Freund Hans‐Joachim
Published: November 2015

We present a mechanistic study on the interaction of water with a well‐defined model Fe3O4(111) surface that was investigated by a combination of direct calorimetric measurements of adsorption energies, infrared vibrational spectroscopy, and calculations bases on density functional theory (DFT). We show that the adsorption energy of water (101 kJ mol−1) is considerably higher than all previously reported values obtained by indirect desorption‐based methods. By employing 18O‐labeled water molecules and an Fe3O4 substrate, we proved that the generally accepted simple model of water dissociation to form two individual OH groups per water molecule is not correct. DFT calculations suggest formation of a dimer, which consists of one water molecule dissociated into two OH groups and another non‐dissociated water molecule creating a thermodynamically very stable dimer‐like complex.
The majority of minerals present in natural rubber are associated with the macrogel: An ICP‐MS and SEM/EDX investigation
Authors: Rolere Sébastien , Char Christine , Taulemesse Jean Marie , Bergeret Anne , Sainte‐Beuve Jérôme , Bonfils Frédéric
Published: November 2015

The mineral composition of the insoluble (macrogel) and soluble fractions of two natural rubber (NR) samples made from the latex of two different clones (RRIM600 from Thailand and GT1 from Côte d'Ivoire) was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS). The ICP‐MS results showed that mineral elements were concentrated in the macrogel. The major mineral elements found in macrogel were phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and sulfur. Some mineral elements were mostly concentrated in micron‐sized mineral aggregates, visible at the surface of the samples using scanning electron microscopy coupled with an energy dispersive X‐ray microanalyzer (SEM/EDX). The nature of these mineral aggregates was found to be highly variable. Their inhomogeneous distribution in the macrogel indicates that these aggregates do not have a major influence on macrogel structure. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43062.
Deterioration of polyaramid and polybenzimidazole woven fabrics after ultraviolet irradiation
Authors: Houshyar Shadi , Padhye Rajiv , Nayak Rajkishore , Shanks Robert A.
Published: November 2015

In this study the degradation of woven fabrics of meta‐aramid and the blend of para‐aramid and polybenzimidazole fibers when exposed to environmental conditions has been investigated under accelerated ageing conditions. Generally, these polymeric materials have been used for the outer layer of protective clothing, particularly for fire‐fighting. The performance of these fabrics plays an important role in preventing burn‐injuries to fire fighters. Frequent exposure of these materials to various environmental conditions (especially sunlight) can degrade the polymeric chain and affect their performance properties. Hence, the degradation of the fabrics has been studied in terms of loss of tensile and tear strength; reduction in abrasion resistance; and extension at break. It was observed that ultraviolet (UV) irradiation negatively impacted on the mechanical properties of both the polymeric materials significantly. This can be attributed to chemical changes in the polymeric chains due to the photo‐oxidation of the polymer. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed surface decomposition of the filaments due to UV irradiation. Exposure of polybenzimidazole resulted in rapid loss of mechanical and chemical properties in comparison with meta‐aramid. However, decomposition and degradation of polybenzidimazole was not statistically significant. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43073.