bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transition énergétique et fragmentation territoriale : une analyse prospective appliquée à la Wallonie
Authors: Bréchet Thierry , Dessouroux Christian , Quadu Fiorella , Verelst Simon
Published: January 2016

La transition énergétique consiste à passer de sources de production d’énergie polluantes et épuisables à des sources moins polluantes et durables, mais aussi à passer à une consommation parcimonieuse de l’énergie. Cette transition est l’un des défis majeurs dans les années à venir. Cet article s’intéresse à la dimension territoriale de cette transition. À l’aide d’une méthode prospective à la fois qualitative et quantitative, il cherche à donner un visage au processus de fragmentation territoriale, sociale ou économique dans le contexte d’une transition énergétique à l’horizon 2050. La question traitée dans cet article est la suivante : la transition va-t-elle exacerber les inégalités socio-énergétiques entre les communes wallonnes ? Représente-t-elle un risque ou, au contraire, une opportunité pour la cohésion territoriale ?
Dynamique forestière post-conflits armés de la Forêt classée du Haut-Sassandra (Côte d’Ivoire)
Authors: Sangne Charles Yao , Barima Yao Sadaiou Sabas , Bamba Issouf , N’Doumé Claude-Thierry Aké
Published: January 2016

La forêt classée du Haut-Sassandra considérée comme l’une des forêts classées les mieux protégées de la Côte d’Ivoire connaît aujourd’hui plusieurs intrusions dans ses limites conventionnelles à la faveur de la crise militaro-politique dans le pays, de 2002 à 2011. De nombreux fronts pionniers ont été ouverts et ont entraîné le défrichement de plusieurs milliers d’hectares de forêts naturelles suivi d’installation de cultures de rente notamment le cacaoyer. C’est dans ce conteste que le présent travail tente d’évaluer les surfaces forestières restantes de cette aire protégée anciennement contrôlée par les groupes armées rebelles à l’autorité gouvernementale. De façon spécifique, il s’est agi d’une part de cartographier l’occupation du sol du nord de la forêt classée du Haut-Sassandra et de sa périphérie Nord en 2001 et 2013 et, d’autre part, de suivre la dynamique des différents types d’occupation du sol de 2001 à 2013. À cette fin, deux images satellitaires Spot 4 du 14/12/2001 (scène 190.53) et Spot 5 du 28/12/2013 (scène 192.53) ont été acquises et traitées. Il ressort de ces travaux que les surfaces des forêts denses humides naturelles ont fortement régressé dans la zone d’étude et sont passées de 37749 hectares en 2001 à 7844 hectares en 2013 (soit 79, 22 % de régression). Au contraire, les surfaces des mosaïques jachères-cultures ont fortement augmenté et sont passées de 9910 hectares à plus de 36 374 hectares. Du massif forestier du Nord de la forêt classée du Haut-Sassandra, ne subsiste aujourd’hui que des lambeaux de forêts généralement dégradées.
La compensation au service de l’acceptabilité sociale : un état de l’art des apports empiriques et du débat scientifique
Authors: Kermagoret Charlène , Levrel Harold , Carlier Antoine
Published: January 2016

La transition énergétique amorcée à l’échelle internationale implique des enjeux d'acceptabilité qu’il est nécessaire de surmonter pour assurer sa réussite. En Europe, les politiques qui accompagnent cette transition énergétique fixent des objectifs à très courts termes dont celui de développer et de diversifier les sources d’énergies renouvelables d’ici 2020. L’intérêt de développer ces technologies pour limiter les émissions de gaz à effet de serre est largement admis à l’échelle européenne et nationale et invoqué par l’État afin de légitimer les projets actuellement en cours. Cependant, nombreux sont les projets déclarés d’intérêt général par l’État qui, à l’échelle territoriale, amènent à des conflits entre les objectifs de développement économique, les objectifs de conservation de la biodiversité et les objectifs de protection des intérêts sociaux. Dans ce contexte, la compensation est souvent invoquée et permettrait de faciliter l’acceptabilité sociale des projets. Définie en fonction des impacts sociaux et écologiques du projet, la compensation cherche à préserver les intérêts territoriaux sans remettre en question la légitimité du projet. Pourtant, l’effet de la compensation sur l’acceptabilité sociale des projets d’aménagement, et plus précisément des infrastructures énergétiques, demeure un point largement discuté au sein de la littérature scientifique. L’étude, basée sur une revue de la littérature scientifique, dresse le panorama de ces apports empiriques et du débat qui alimente les réflexions sur la manière dont la compensation opérationnalise le concept d’acceptabilité dans un contexte de développement des énergies marines renouvelables. Cette synthèse offre une vision des travaux de recherche conduits dans la sphère scientifique internationale et permet de mieux positionner les recherches futures à mener dans le domaine des Énergies marines renouvelables couplé aux sciences sociales.
Les liens entre la société, la nature et la technique durant les derniers 200 ans : analyse dans deux vallées françaises
Authors: Gargani Julien , Jouannic Gwenaël
Published: January 2016

Dans cette étude, nous nous sommes intéressés à la coévolution de la nature et de nos sociétés durant les 200 dernières années en prenant comme observables l’évolution morphologique des cours d’eau, le développement de l’urbanisation, les aménagements hydrauliques et la démographie locale. Nous mettons en évidence que la coévolution de l’environnement et de la société a été accélérée par le développement technique qui a décuplé les mutations et la complexité du système. La technique fabrique la Nature et la Société telles que nous les connaissons actuellement dans la vallée du Rhône. Mais la Nature n’est pas un élément passif et participe à la construction de nos sociétés et de nos techniques. C’est en partie une crise « naturelle » qui en 1856 a favorisé la migration des populations et accentué la volonté de domestiquer la nature. Indirectement, cette crise a probablement participé à la maturation de la société industrielle.
Pour un Slow Urbanism
Authors: Forest Joëlle
Published: January 2016

La question de la durabilité a fait son entrée en fanfare il y a une quinzaine d’années dans les discours urbains et constitue désormais la référence obligée des politiques urbaines. La fabrique de la ville durable fait l'objet de vives controverses. Dans la présente contribution nous nous focaliserons exclusivement sur la disjonction entre temps long et temps présent. Nous soulignerons que cette disjonction est caractéristique d’un modèle d’action en manque de réflexivité parce qu’associé à l’urgence d’une situation qu’il faut immédiatement régler. Nous proposerons alors de substituer à cet urbanisme de l’urgence, qui s’inscrit davantage dans le registre de la reproduction que dans celui de l’innovation, un slow urbanism.
The composite supply chain efficiency model: A case study of the Sishen-Saldanha supply chain
Authors: Goedhals-Gerber Leila L.
Published: January 2016

As South Africa strives to be a major force in global markets, it is essential that South African supply chains achieve and maintain a competitive advantage. One approach to achieving this is to ensure that South African supply chains maximise their levels of efficiency. Consequently, the efficiency levels of South Africa’s supply chains must be evaluated. The objective of this article is to propose a model that can assist South African industries in becoming internationally competitive by providing them with a tool for evaluating their levels of efficiency both as individual firms and as a component in an overall supply chain. The Composite Supply Chain Efficiency Model (CSCEM) was developed to measure supply chain efficiency across supply chains using variables identified as problem areas experienced by South African supply chains. The CSCEM is tested in this article using the Sishen-Saldanda iron ore supply chain as a case study. The results indicate that all three links or nodes along the Sishen-Saldanha iron ore supply chain performed well. The average efficiency of the rail leg was 97.34%, while the average efficiency of the mine and the port were 97% and 95.44%, respectively. The results also show that the CSCEM can be used by South African firms to measure their levels of supply chain efficiency. This article concludes with the benefits of the CSCEM.
L'Ernesto, ovvero Il prigione di Umberto Saba
Authors: Prola Dario
Published: January 2016

L'Ernesto, ovvero Il prigione di Umberto Saba
Rethinking Violence, Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Burundi
Authors: Ndimurwimo LA , Mbao MLM
Published: January 2016

Armed violence and genocide are among the on-going problems that are still facing contemporary Africa and the world. In the aftermath of the outrages, devastation and appalling carnage of the Second World War, member states of the United Nations (UN) undertook radical steps, inter alia, "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights". Subsequently, the International Bill of Human Rights was proclaimed in order to lay down international human rights norms and standards of conduct and to prevent the recurrence of mass killings. Although Burundi is a State Party to the UN and African Union and is a signatory to a number of international and regional human rights treaties, the post-colonial history of Burundi is an epic tale of indescribable human suffering and misery as a result of systematic mass killings. At least every family or household in Burundi has been negatively affected by the mass killings of the 1960s, 1972, 1988 and 1990s, which have created a significant number of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).This article traces the root causes of Burundi's systemic armed violence and argues that despite several UN Security Council Resolutions and peace agreements aimed at national reconciliation and reconstruction, mass killings and other heinous crimes remain unaddressed. The article recommends that a comprehensive transitional justice model is required in post-conflict Burundi in order to bring about national reconciliation, healing and reconstruction.
Avoiding Mazibuko: Water Security and Constitutional Rights in Southern African Case Law
Authors: Couzens E
Published: January 2016

The 2009 judgment by the Constitutional Court of South Africa in Mazibuko v City of Johannesburg is seen by many as a watershed in the interpretation of the fundamental constitutional right of access to water. The Constitutional Court ruled that the right of access to sufficient water does not require that the state provide every person upon demand and without more with sufficient water. Nor does the obligation confer on any person a right to claim "sufficient water" from the state immediately. Reactions to the judgment have been consistently negative, with criticisms largely focusing on the Court's apparent lack of appreciation for the situation of the very poor. It is not easy, however, to overturn a decision of the Constitutional Court and South Africa will need to work within the constraints of the precedent for many years to come. It is suggested in this article that two subsequent, recent judgments (one of the Supreme Court of Appeal in South Africa, City of Cape Town v Strümpher, 2012, and one of the High Court in Zimbabwe, Mushoriwa v City of Harare, 2014) show how it might be possible for courts to avoid the Mazibuko precedent and yet give special attention to water-related rights. Both cases concerned spoliation applications in common law, but both were decided as though access to water supply and water-related rights allow a court to give weight to factors other than the traditional grounds for a spoliation order. It can be argued that in both cases the unlawfulness necessary for a spoliation order arose from a combination of dispossession and breach of rights in respect of a very particular and special kind of property. In the arid and potentially water-stressed Southern African region, and in the context of extreme and apparently increasing poverty, there will undoubtedly be more court cases to come involving access to water. Conclusions are drawn as to how the two judgments considered might offer a way to ameliorate the harsh effects of the Mazibuko judgment.
Silver Screen Buddha
Authors: Suh Sharon A.
Published: January 2016

How do contemporary films depict Buddhists and Buddhism? What aspects of the Buddhist tradition are these films keeping from our view? By repeatedly romanticizing the meditating monk, what kinds of Buddhisms and Buddhists are missing in these films and why?

Silver Screen Buddha is the first book to explore the intersecting representations of Buddhism, race, and gender in contemporary films. Sharon A. Suh examines the cinematic encounter with Buddhism that has flourished in Asia and in the West in the past century – from images of Shangri-La in Frank Capra‘s 1937 Lost Horizon to Kim Ki-Duk‘s 2003 international box office success Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring.

The book helps readers see that representations of Buddhism in Asia and in the West are fraught with political, gendered, and racist undertones. Silver Screen Buddha draws significant attention to ordinary lay Buddhism, a form of the tradition given little play in popular film. By uncovering the differences between a fictionalized, commodified, and exoticized Buddhism, Silver Screen Buddha brings to light expressions of the tradition that highlight laity and women, on the one hand, and Asian and Asian Americans, on the other. Suh engages in a re-visioning of Buddhism that expands the popular understanding of the tradition, moving from the dominance of meditating monks to the everyday world of raced, gendered, and embodied lay Buddhists.
Effects of 20–100 nanometre particles on liquid clouds in the clean summertime Arctic
Authors: Leaitch W. R. , Korolev A. , Aliabadi A. A. , Burkart J. , Willis M. , Abbatt J. P. D. , Bozem H. , Hoor P. , Köllner F. , Schneider J. , Herber A. , Konrad C. , Brauner R.
Published: January 2016

Abstract. Aerosol-cloud research in the Arctic has largely focused on the springtime resulting in relatively little information about the effects of the atmospheric aerosol on Arctic clouds during summer. An airborne study, carried out during July, 2014 from Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada, provides a comprehensive in-situ look into some effects of aerosol particles on liquid clouds in the clean environment of the Arctic summer. The median cloud droplet number concentrations (CDNC) are 10 cm−3 and 101 cm−3 for low altitude cloud (LA: clouds topped below 200 m) and higher altitude cloud (HA: clouds based above 200 m), respectively. The mean lower activation size of aerosol particles is ≤ 50 nm diameter in 40 % of the cases, and particles as small as 20 nm activated in the HA clouds consistent with the higher supersaturations inferred for those clouds. Over 60 % of the LA cloud cases fall into the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN)-limited regime of Mauritsen et al. (2011) within which increases in CDNC may increase liquid water and warm the surface. In that CCN-limited regime, the liquid water contents (LWC) and the CDNC are positively correlated, but there is no dependence of changes in either the CDNC or LWC on the aerosol, suggesting no aerosol limitation. Above the Mauritsen limit, where indirect cooling may result, particles with diameters from 20 nm to 100 nm exert a strong influence on the CDNC. Based on CO concentrations, the background CDNC are estimated to range between 16 cm−3 and 160 cm−3, implying a large uncertainty for the baseline of the aerosol cloud albedo effect.
Deep-sea ecosystem: a world of positive biodiversity – ecosystem functioning relationships?
Authors: Baldrighi Elisa , Giovannelli Donato , d’Errico Giuseppe , Lavaleye Marc , Manini Elena
Published: January 2016

Abstract. The global scale of the biodiversity crisis has stimulated research on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) in several ecosystems of the world. Even though the deep-sea seafloor is the largest biome on Earth, BEF studies in deep-sea benthic ecosystems are scarce. In addition, the few recent studies, mostly focus on meiobenthic nematodes, report quite different results spanning from a very clear positive relationship to none at all. If deep-sea BEF relationships are indeed so variable or have a more common nature is not established. In this first BEF study of deep-sea macrobenthic fauna, we investigated the structural and functional diversity of macrofauna assemblages at three depths (1200, 1900 and 3000 m) in seven different open slope systems in the NE Atlantic Ocean (n = 1) and Western (n = 3) and Central (n = 3) Mediterranean Sea. The results demonstrate a positive relationship between deep-sea macrobenthic diversity and ecosystem function, with some variability in its strength between slope areas and in relation to the spatial scale of investigation and environmental conditions. The macrofauna functional diversity did not appear to be more effective than structural diversity in influencing ecosystem processes. Rare macrofaunal species were seen to have a negligible effect on BEF relationship, suggesting a high ecological redundancy and a small role of rare species in providing community services.
Distributed visualization of gridded geophysical data: the Carbon Data Explorer, version 0.2.3
Authors: Endsley K. A. , Billmire M. G.
Published: January 2016

Abstract. Due to the proliferation of geophysical models, particularly climate models, the increasing resolution of their spatiotemporal estimates of Earth system processes, and the desire to easily share results with collaborators, there is a genuine need for tools to manage, aggregate, visualize, and share data sets. We present a new, web-based software tool – the Carbon Data Explorer – that provides these capabilities for gridded geophysical data sets. While originally developed for visualizing carbon flux, this tool can accommodate any time-varying, spatially explicit scientific data set, particularly NASA Earth system science level III products. In addition, the tool's open-source licensing and web presence facilitate distributed scientific visualization, comparison with other data sets and uncertainty estimates, and data publishing and distribution.
A low-order coupled chemistry meteorology model for testing online and offline data assimilation schemes: L95-GRS (v1.0)
Authors: Haussaire J.-M. , Bocquet M.
Published: January 2016

Abstract. Bocquet and Sakov (2013) introduced a low-order model based on the coupling of the chaotic Lorenz-95 (L95) model, which simulates winds along a mid-latitude circle, with the transport of a tracer species advected by this zonal wind field. This model, named L95-T, can serve as a playground for testing data assimilation schemes with an online model. Here, the tracer part of the model is extended to a reduced photochemistry module. This coupled chemistry meteorology model (CCMM), the L95-GRS (generic reaction set) model, mimics continental and transcontinental transport and the photochemistry of ozone, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides. Its numerical implementation is described. The model is shown to reproduce the major physical and chemical processes being considered. L95-T and L95-GRS are specifically designed and useful for testing advanced data assimilation schemes, such as the iterative ensemble Kalman smoother (IEnKS), which combines the best of ensemble and variational methods. These models provide useful insights prior to the implementation of data assimilation methods into larger models. We illustrate their use with data assimilation schemes on preliminary yet instructive numerical experiments. In particular, online and offline data assimilation strategies can be conveniently tested and discussed with this low-order CCMM. The impact of observed chemical species concentrations on the wind field estimate can be quantitatively assessed. The impacts of the wind chaotic dynamics and of the chemical species non-chaotic but highly nonlinear dynamics on the data assimilation strategies are illustrated.
Sensitivity of water stress in a two-layered sandy grassland soil to variations in groundwater depth and soil hydraulic parameters
Authors: Rezaei M. , Seuntjens P. , Joris I. , Boënne W. , Van Hoey S. , Campling P. , Cornelis W. M.
Published: January 2016

Abstract. Monitoring and modelling tools may improve irrigation strategies in precision agriculture. We used non-invasive soil moisture monitoring, a crop growth and a soil hydrological model to predict soil water content fluctuations and crop yield in a heterogeneous sandy grassland soil under supplementary irrigation. The sensitivity of the soil hydrological model to hydraulic parameters, water stress, crop yield and lower boundary conditions was assessed after integrating models. Free drainage and incremental constant head conditions were implemented in a lower boundary sensitivity analysis. A time-dependent sensitivity analysis of the hydraulic parameters showed that changes in soil water content are mainly affected by the soil saturated hydraulic conductivity Ks and the Mualem–van Genuchten retention curve shape parameters n and α. Results further showed that different parameter optimization strategies (two-, three-, four- or six-parameter optimizations) did not affect the calculated water stress and water content as significantly as does the bottom boundary. In this case, a two-parameter scenario, where Ks was optimized for each layer under the condition of a constant groundwater depth at 135–140 cm, performed best. A larger yield reduction, and a larger number and longer duration of stress conditions occurred in the free drainage condition as compared to constant boundary conditions. Numerical results showed that optimal irrigation scheduling using the aforementioned water stress calculations can save up to 12–22 % irrigation water as compared to the current irrigation regime. This resulted in a yield increase of 4.5–6.5 %, simulated by the crop growth model.
Development and verification of a real-time stochastic precipitation nowcasting system for urban hydrology in Belgium
Authors: Foresti L. , Reyniers M. , Seed A. , Delobbe L.
Published: January 2016

Abstract. The Short-Term Ensemble Prediction System (STEPS) is implemented in real-time at the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) of Belgium. The main idea behind STEPS is to quantify the forecast uncertainty by adding stochastic perturbations to the deterministic Lagrangian extrapolation of radar images. The stochastic perturbations are designed to account for the unpredictable precipitation growth and decay processes and to reproduce the dynamic scaling of precipitation fields, i.e., the observation that large-scale rainfall structures are more persistent and predictable than small-scale convective cells. This paper presents the development, adaptation and verification of the STEPS system for Belgium (STEPS-BE). STEPS-BE provides in real-time 20-member ensemble precipitation nowcasts at 1 km and 5 min resolutions up to 2 h lead time using a 4 C-band radar composite as input. In the context of the PLURISK project, STEPS forecasts were generated to be used as input in sewer system hydraulic models for nowcasting urban inundations in the cities of Ghent and Leuven. Comprehensive forecast verification was performed in order to detect systematic biases over the given urban areas and to analyze the reliability of probabilistic forecasts for a set of case studies in 2013 and 2014. The forecast biases over the cities of Leuven and Ghent were found to be small, which is encouraging for future integration of STEPS nowcasts into the hydraulic models. Probabilistic forecasts of exceeding 0.5 mm h−1 are reliable up to 60–90  min lead time, while the ones of exceeding 5.0 mm h−1 are only reliable up to 30 min. The STEPS ensembles are slightly under-dispersive and represent only 75–90 % of the forecast errors.
A Q methodological approach to identify practitioners' viewpoints on citizen science in Dutch regional water resource management
Authors: Minkman E. , Rutten M. M. , van der Sanden M. C. A.
Published: January 2016

Abstract. Citizen science as a data collection method has gained popularity in various scientific fields and is considered by many as a potential means of effective science communication. In recent years, both practitioners and governments have started to use citizen science as a form of public participation. The governing body of the Dutch Water Authorities considers citizen science a possible solution for helping bridge the water awareness gap among the general public in order to better manage the pressures on the water governance system. The motivation of experts, and in particular practitioners, to engage in citizen science has seldom been studied. This article aims to pinpoint the various viewpoints of practitioners on citizen science in water quality monitoring at Dutch regional water authorities. A Q methodological approach was used because it allows a statistical analysis to be conducted with a small sample size. 33 practitioners at eight different water authorities ranked 46 statements from agree to disagree. Three factors were extracted using a factor analysis and were transformed into three narrative viewpoints. These viewpoints are: 1) understanding citizen science as a potential solution for achieving various goals, thereby encouraging citizen participation in data collection and analysis; 2) considering citizen science a method for additional, illustrative data; and 3) viewing citizen science primarily as a means of education. These viewpoints show practitioner’s support for citizen science, although no support for higher levels of citizen engagement were found. These findings not only demonstrate the potential interest of the Dutch water authorities in using citizen science, but the identified viewpoints can be used to enhance the design of citizen science projects.
Geophysical evidence of pre-sag rifting and post-rifting fault reactivation in the Parnaíba basin, Brazil
Authors: de Castro D. L. , Bezerra F. H. R. , Fuck R. A. , Vidotti Roberta M.
Published: January 2016

Abstract. This study investigated the rifting mechanism that preceding the prolonged subsidence of the Paleozoic Parnaíba basin in Brazil and shed light in the tectonic evolution of this large cratonic basin in the South American platform. From the analysis of aeromagnetic, aerogravity, reflection seismic and borehole data, we concluded the following: (1) Large pseudo-gravity and gravity lows mimic graben structures but are associated with linear supracrustal strips in the basement. (2) Seismic data indicate that rift zones 120–200 km wide and up to 300 km long occur in other parts of the basins. These rift zones mark the early stage of the 3.5-km-thick sag basin. (3) The rifting phase occurred in the Early Paleozoic and had a subsidence rate of 47 m/Myr. (4) This ri fting phase was followed by a long period of sag basin subsidence at a rate of 9.5 m/Myr between the Silurian and the Late Cretaceous, during which rift faults propagated and influenced deposition. These data interpretations support the following successio n of events: (1) After the Brasiliano orogeny (740–580 Ma), brittle reactivation of ductile basement shear zones led to normal and dextral oblique-slip faulting concentrated along the Transbrasiliano Lineament, a continental-scale shear zone that marks the boundary between basement crustal blocks. (2) The post-orogenic tectonic brittle reactivation of the ductile basement shear zones led to normal faulting associated with dextral oblique-slip crustal extension. In the west, the orthogonal fault-inducing rifting resulted in pure-shear extension, producing rift zones that crosscut metamorphic foliations and shear zones within the Parnaíba block. (3) The rift faults experienced multiple reactivation phases. (4) Similar processes may have occurred in coeval basins in the Laurentia and Central African blocks of Gondwana.
Stability and biodegradability of organic matter from Arctic soils of Western Siberia: insights from 13C-NMR spectroscopy and elemental analysis
Authors: Ejarque E. , Abakumov E.
Published: January 2016

Abstract. Arctic soils contain large amounts of organic matter which, globally, exceed the amount of carbon stored in vegetation biomass and in the atmosphere. Recent studies emphasise the potential sensitivity for this soil organic matter (SOM) to be mineralised when faced with increasing ambient temperatures. In order to better refine the predictions about the response of SOM to climate warming, there is a need to increase the spatial coverage of empirical data on SOM quantity and quality in the Arctic area. This study provides, for the first time, a characterisation of SOM from the Gydan Peninsula in the Yamal Region, Western Siberia, Russia. On the one hand, soil humic acids and their humification state were characterised by measuring the elemental composition and diversity of functional groups using solid-state 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Also, the total mineralisable carbon was measured. Our results indicate that there is a predominance of aliphatic carbon structures, with a minimal variation of their functional-group composition both regionally and within soil depth. This vertical homogeneity and low level of aromaticity reflects the accumulation in soil of lowly decomposed organic matter due to cold temperatures. Mineralisation rates were found to be independent of SOM quality, and to be mainly explained solely by the total carbon content. Overall, our results provide further evidence on the sensitivity that the soils of Western Siberia may have to increasing ambient temperatures and highlight the important role that this region can play in the global carbon balance under the effects of climate warming.
Industrialising the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Economies: Prospects and Challenges
Authors: Nizeimana John Bosco , Nhema Alfred G.
Published: January 2016

This article examines the prospects and challenges of industrialisation as a tool for economic development in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The economic importance of industrialisation is enshrined in its capacity to create job opportunities and facilitate synergies between and among various sectors of the economy. The paper posits that industrialisation is an engine for economic development that can promote sustainable positive social change in any given society. While the perceived view is that, in general, the industrialisation process in Africa has been disappointing; the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has committed itself towards embracing the concept of industrialisation as a tool for economic growth and development. Thus, given the historical failure of this concept on the African continent, it is important to analyse the prospects and challenges likely to be faced by the SADC region in their bid to hasten the industrialisation of their countries. Substantively, the paper relied on documentary research.
Medición multidimensional de la pobreza: una propuesta exploratoria para Costa Rica
Authors: Artavia Mario
Published: January 2016

Este estudio de caso se desarrolló con el objetivo general de elaborar una propuesta exploratoria para la medición multidimensional de la pobreza, contribuyendo con ello a la reflexión de la sociedad entorno a la definición de mecanismos que permitan superar la pobreza. Con este objetivo, se revisaron las metodologías de medición multidimensional de la pobreza que han sido adoptadas en América Latina. Posteriormente, a partir de la metodología de medición multidimensional desarrollada por Alkire y Foster, se calculó la incidencia de la pobreza para distintas líneas de corte entre dimensiones, evidenciándose una alta sensibilidad de los resultados a distintos valores del parámetro
Propuesta de metodología para el monitoreo y seguimiento del Programa Productivo Alimentario en Nicaragua: Matriz de Marco Lógico
Authors: López Tania
Published: January 2016

El Programa Productivo Alimentario, mejor conocido como Hambre Cero, es un programa social implementado en Nicaragua desde 2007 por el Gobierno de Reconciliación y Unidad Nacional con el objetivo de reducir la extrema pobreza, el hambre y la desnutrición. La entrega de un bono no monetario a mujeres de áreas rurales de todo el país pretende fortalecer el rol de éstas en la economía comunitaria, dotándolas de capacidades para dar sustento a sus familias y organizándolas para comercializar sus excedentes de producción a fin de lograr un impacto económico y social a nivel nacional. El presente estudio tiene como objeto principal proponer el diseño de un sistema de monitoreo y seguimiento basado en la metodología de marco lógico, tomando como insumo el diseño original del programa y su actual funcionamiento. La contribución de este estudio responde a la inexistencia de una matriz que evalúe, continua y constantemente, el efectivo cumplimiento de los objetivos que permitan mejorar la gestión de recursos y de las instituciones involucradas.
Despolitización de la función pública: análisis de eficacia del Sistema de Alta Dirección Pública en la República de Chile
Authors: Rebollo William
Published: January 2016

El presente estudio de caso analiza la experiencia de Chile para verificar la eficacia de la implementación de su Sistema de Alta Dirección Pública (SADP) como instrumento para disminuir el grado de politización de la función pública. El análisis se desarrolló con un enfoque exploratorio. Se ha podido constatar que efectivamente el SADP en Chile ha conseguido compatibilizar la profesionalización de los sectores fundamentales de la burocracia con el aumento de la responsabilización de los funcionarios públicos ante la sociedad y el sistema político, logrando con ello disminuir la politización de la función pública. Sin embargo, el análisis revela ciertas debilidades que podrían afectar la concreción de su propuesta de valor público, que requieren atención. Entre ellas se pueden mencionar: restricciones en la aplicación del subsistema de gestión del cambio organizacional debido a la rigidez del marco normativo; persistencia de algunos rasgos clientelares en el subsistema de gestión del desempeño, que tienen su raíz en el path dependence; y limitantes en el subsistema de gestión del desarrollo para incentivar el rendimiento y desarrollo profesional, especialmente en el ámbito de las remuneraciones.
Prácticas directivas y competencias de los altos directivos para una gestión efectiva en el Estado de Chile
Authors: Castro Carlos
Published: January 2016

Este estudio de caso, con características principalmente exploratorias, contempla el uso de métodos y técnicas cuantitativas y cualitativas de análisis, con el propósito de hacer aportes nuevos y significativos en el estudio de la gestión de los Altos Directivos Públicos del Estado en Chile, considerando su realidad cultural e institucional. El principal instrumento para el levantamiento de información primaria, corresponde a una encuesta electrónica a la totalidad de los directivos públicos de primer y segundo nivel jerárquico seleccionados por el SADP, luego de un extenso proceso previo de validación. Posteriormente, a través de un focus group con directivos de primer nivel jerárquico, se busca validar y contrastar resultados, para concluir con implicancias de política pública en pos de mejorar el Sistema y potenciar nuevas líneas de investigación en el área de la gestión pública. La relevancia de esta investigación se sustenta en la trascendencia e impacto de la calidad de un directivo público a nivel organizacional y en el Estado. En esta misma línea, la literatura demuestra la importancia del liderazgo y la calidad del directivo, así como el rol central de la profesionalización de directivos públicos en cualquier proceso de reforma del Estado de un país.
Introduction to the Coherent States Approach for Solving Non-linear Physical Problems
Authors: Pavon Torres Omar , Davila Davila Manuel , Aguero Granados Maximo A.
Published: January 2016

We summarize some crucial results from mathematical models that help us understand the relevance of gener-alized coherent states (GCS), a fundamental method used for the description of non-linear problems in physics. We mainly concentrate our review in the following models: ferromagnetism, nonlinear Schr¨odinger equation with external potential, nonlinear quantum oscillators, Bose - Einstein condensation (BEC) and the DNA quasi-spin model. Such models and some applications of the wide variety these involve are outlined. As variational trial states, the coherent states (CS) allow the estimation of the ground state energies and properties, yielding results which become exact in a number of nonlinear diﬀerential equations for dynamical variable of each model. Mainly we concentrate our review on two types of coherent states, The ﬁrst one are based on the Heisenberg - Weyl group where it is applied the bosonization eﬀect. The second one is based on the SU(2)/U(1) Lie group. For this case when the Hamiltonian and all physical operators are constructed by the elements of a Lie algebra, the generalized coherent states approach is directly applied without bozonization.
Defect Diffusion Model of InGaAs/InP Semiconductor Laser Degradation
Authors: Huang Jack Jia-Sheng , Jan Yu-Heng , Ren Dawei , Hsu YiChing , Sung Ping , Chou Emin
Published: January 2016

To enable high-performance fiber to the x (FTTx) and datacenter networks, it is important to achieve reliable and stable optical components over time. Laser diode is the essential building block of the optical components. Degradation analysis is critical for overall successful reliability design. In this paper, we study the modelling and experimental data of the InGaAs/InP laser degradation. We present a defect diffusion model that involves three propagation media (p-InGaAs contact, p-InP cladding and multi-quantum wells). We propose a simple constitutive equation based on the Gauss error function to describe the defect propagation. The physical model assumes that the p-InGaAs is the rate-limiting factor for the defect diffusion process.
Differential Calculus for Differential Equations, Special Functions, Laplace Transform
Authors: Tan Si Do
Published: January 2016
Nonlinear Electron Acoustic Waves in Dissipative Plasma with Superthermal Electrons
Authors: El-Hanbaly A. M. , El-Shewy E. K. , Kassem A. I. , Darweesh H. F.
Published: January 2016

The nonlinear properties of small amplitude electron-acoustic ( EA) solitary and shock waves in a homogeneous system of unmagnetized collisionless plasma consisted of a cold electron ﬂuid and superthermal hot electrons obeying superthermal distribution, and stationary ions have been investigated. A reductive perturbation method was employed to obtain the Kadomstev-Petviashvili-Burgers (KP-Brugers) equation. Some solutions of physical interest are obtained. These solutions are related to soliton, monotonic and oscillatory shock waves and their behaviour are shown graphically. The formation of these solutions depends crucially on the value of the Burgers term and the plasma parameters as well. By using the tangent hyperbolic (tanh) method, another interesting type of solution which is a combination between shock and soliton waves is obtained . The topology of phase portrait and potential diagram of the KP-Brugers equation is investigated.The advantage of using this method is that one can predict diﬀerent classes of the travelling wave solutions according to diﬀerent phase orbits. The obtained results may be helpful in better understanding of waves propagation in various space plasma environments as well as in inertial conﬁnement fusion laboratory plasmas.
Complement of Special Relativity and Limitation of General Relativity
Authors: Yao KeXin
Published: January 2016

For a set of forces being in equilibrium, the equilibrium state will not vary from one observer to another. This generally acknowledged fact has been called as the Force Equilibrium Invariance Axiom. On the basis of this axiom, the force transformation formula can be derived when an object is in motion, so that the force, length, time and mass can be calculated as per the basic transformation formula for the special relativity. According to the results of experimental analysis obtained by J.C. Hafele and R.E. Keating, the concepts of absolute time delay and relative time delay have been put forward herein, so as to solve any problems on the traveling velocity and records of any object being in motion at the real-time. For the properties of the force, the force applied on an object being accelerated will be deemed as the energy transfer force, while the universal gravitation will be deemed as the applied force of field. Both forces have the different basic properties. It is unscientific to consider both forces being the same properties. Based on the Force Equilibrium Invariance Axiom, it is deduced that the gravitational mass can only be the constant irrelevant to the motion of an object. Therefore, the principle of equivalence will not be tenable in theory. Only if the motion velocity of an object is very small relative to the velocity of light, can the principle of equivalence be deemed being approximately tenable. Under this condition, the general relativity can be only consistent with the practical deducing principle. However, if the motion velocity of an object is relatively large, there will be a significant difference between the constant gravitational mass and the inertial mass; as a result, there may be a deviation between the inference on the general relativity and the practical deducing principle. Take the Black Hole as an example. Even if the Black Hole is made almost completely of neutrons, its actual volume is one million times greater than its theoretical volume. Therefore, it is concluded that the Black Hole cannot be deemed as the substance composed of real atoms. It also shows accordingly that, according to the general relativity of theoretical source of Black Hole, the analysis results obtained when an object is in motion at high-velocity can not conform to the reality.
Dispersive Liquid–Liquid Microextraction Using Low-Toxic Solvent for the Determination of Heavy Metals in Water Samples by Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Peng Guilong , Lu Ying , He Qiang , Mmereki Daniel , Zhou Guangming , Chen Junhua , Tang Xiaohui
Published: January 2016

A low-toxic dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) combined with inductively coupled plasma-MS was used for preconcentration and determination of Cu, Cr, Cd, Ni, Mn, and Pb in real-water samples. In traditional DLLME analysis, chlorinated solvents have been widely used as extraction solvents. However, these solvents are not environmentally friendly. To overcome this problem, we used a low-toxic bromosolvent (1-bromo-3-methylbutane; lethal concentration, 50%, 6150 mg/kg) as the extraction solvent. To study the effects of different parameters on the extraction efficiency, an orthogonal array experimental design with an L16(45) matrix was used. Under the best experimental conditions (i.e., concentration of complexing reagent 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol, 1.5 × 10−3 mol/L; pH, 7.0; volume of acetone, 0.5 mL; volume of 1-bromo-3 methylbutane, 30 μL; and without salt addition), the enhancement factor ranged from 34 to 40. The linear dynamic range was 1–1000 μg/L with r2 values of 0.9984–0.9999, and the LODs were between 0.042 and 0.53 μg/L. RSDs (at metal ion concentrations of 20 μg/L, n = 6) were 2.12 to 3.42%. The developed method was successfully applied to the extraction and determination of the mentioned metal ions in real-water samples, and satisfactory results were obtained.
Serum Bactericidal Assay: New Role in Salmonella Detection
Authors: Chen Yu , Wu Da , Sun Min , Deng Mingjun , Cui Shuhua , Liang Chengzhu , Geng Juan , Sun Tao , Long Ling , Xiao Xizhi
Published: January 2016

While inspecting animal feed for Salmonella contamination, we routinely observed bacterial colonies on selective agars that were similar in appearance to those formed by Salmonella. These were identified as Citrobacter freundii, Proteus mirabilis, and Serratia fonticola using biochemical and serological techniques. Because the presence of these bacterial species confounds identification of Salmonella, we refer to them as “interference bacteria.” Polyvalent antisera against these interference bacteria were prepared by immunizing rabbits with a mixture of all three organisms. To minimize or eliminate interference by these bacteria, the polyvalent antisera were introduced between the steps of selective enrichment and Salmonella-selective plating. The antisera raised against the interference bacteria, when combined with neonatal rabbit complement, exhibited specific bactericidal activity against C. freundii, P. mirabilis, and S. fonticola. The respective serum bactericidal assay titers were 29, 28, and 210. In selective broth, polyvalent antisera could also kill the target bacterial cells effectively. We tested 526 samples (186 white fishmeal, 97 red fishmeal, and 243 cattle bone powder) using the polyvalent antisera and found that the rates of contamination of each species of the three respective foods decreased by 58.8, 100, and 83%. Our data indicates that polyvalent sera against C. freundii, P. mirabilis, and S. fonticola can be used as inhibitors to increase the accuracy of Salmonella detection.
Laboratory Information Bulletin: Quantitation of Aflatoxin M1 in Bovine Milk by Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection
Authors: Vega Victor A , Young Michelle , Todd Sarah
Published: January 2016

An extraction for aflatoxin M1 from bovine milk samples is described. The samples were extracted by adding 10 mL acetonitrile to 10 g of sample. The extract was salted out with sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate to separate the water and acetonitrile. The organic layer was dried down and reconstituted in water before being subjected to an immunoaffinity column for cleanup. Once the analyte was isolated, quantitation was obtained by LC with fluorescence detection. LC/fluorescence parameters were optimized with an Agilent Poroshell 120 C18 LC column resulting in a 4 min run time. To test the procedure's robustness, three different kinds of matrixes were fortified at three different levels each. Whole milk, reduced fat milk, and skim milk samples were fortified at approximately 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 μg/kg. Recoveries from all samples ranged from 70 to 100%. Confirmation was accomplished by injecting the samples in an ion trap mass spectrometer. The method presented here entails an extraction step followed by an immunoaffinity column clean-up that leads to fast analysis time and consistent recoveries with an uncertainty measurement of 10.5% and method detection limit of less than 0.011 μg/kg.
Stability Study and Kinetic Monitoring of Cefquinome Sulfate Using Cyclodextrin-Based Ion-Selective Electrode: Application to Biological Samples
Authors: Yehia Ali M , Arafa Reham M , Abbas Samah S , Amer Sawsan M
Published: January 2016

Two novel cefquinome sulfate (CFQ)-selective electrodes were performed with dibutyl sebacate as a plasticizer using a polymeric matrix of polyvinyl chloride. Sensor 1 was prepared using sodium tetraphenylborate as a cation exchanger without incorporation of ionophore, whereas 2-hydroxy propyl β-cyclodextrin was used as ionophore in sensor 2. A stable, reliable, and linear response was obtained in concentration ranges 3.2 × 10−5 to 1 × 10−2 mol/L and 1 × 10−5 to 1 × 10−2 mol/L for sensors 1 and 2, respectively. Both sensors could be sufficiently applied for quantitative determination of CFQ in the presence of degradation products either in bulk powder or in pharmaceutical formulations. Sensor 2 provided better selectivity and sensitivity, wider linearity range, and higher performance. Therefore it was used successfully for accurate determination of CFQ in biological fluids such as spiked plasma and milk samples. Furthermore, an online kinetic study was applied to the CFQ alkaline degradation process to estimate the reaction rate and half-life with feasible real-time monitoring. The developed sensors were found to be fast, accurate, sensitive, and precise compared with the manufacturer's reversed-phase chromatographic method.