bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bi-modal Structure and Variability of Large-Scale Diabatic Heating in the Tropics
Authors: Zhang Chidong , Hagos Samson M.
Published: July 2009

Tropical diabatic heating profiles estimated using sounding data from eight field campaigns were diagnosed to document their common and prevailing structure and variability that are relevant to the large-scale circulation. The first two modes of a rotated empirical orthogonal function analysis—one deep, one shallow—explain 85% of the total variance of all data combined. These two modes were used to describe the heating evolution, which led to three composited heating profiles that are considered as prevailing large-scale heating structures. They are, respectively, shallow, bottom heavy (peak near 700 hPa); deep, middle heavy (peak near 400 hPa); and stratiform-like, top heavy (heating peak near 400 hPa and cooling peak near 700 hPa). The amplitudes and occurrence frequencies of the shallow, bottom-heavy heating profiles are comparable to those of the stratiform-like, top-heavy ones. The sequence of the most probable heating evolution is deep tropospheric cooling to bottom-heavy heating, to middle heavy heating, to stratiform-like heating, then back to deep tropospheric cooling. This heating transition appears to occur on different time scales. Each of the prevailing heating structures is interpreted as being composed of particular fractional populations of various types of precipitating cloud systems, which are viewed as the building blocks for the mean. A linear balanced model forced by the three prevailing heating profiles produces rich vertical structures in the circulation with multiple overturning cells, whose corresponding moisture convergence and surface wind fields are very sensitive to the heating structures.
Influence of ENSO and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation on Drought over the United States
Authors: Mo Kingtse C. , Schemm Jae-Kyung E. , Yoo Soo-Hyun
Published: July 2009

Composites based on observations and model outputs from the Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) drought experiments were used to examine the impact of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) on drought over the United States. Because drought implies persistent dryness, the 6-month standardized precipitation index, standardized runoff index, and soil moisture anomalies are used to represent drought. The experiments were performed by forcing an AGCM with prescribed sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) superimposed on the monthly mean SST climatology. Four model outputs from the NCEP Global Forecast System (GFS), NASA’s Seasonal-to-Interannual Prediction Project, version 1 (NSIPP1), GFDL’s global atmospheric model, version 2.1 (AM2.1), and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO)/NCAR Community Climate System Model, version 3 (CCM3) were analyzed in this study. Each run lasts from 36 to 51 yr.

The impact of ENSO on drought over the United States is concentrated over the Southwest, the Great Plains, and the lower Colorado River basin, with cold (warm) ENSO events favoring drought (wet spells). Over the East Coast and the Southeast, the impact of ENSO is small because the precipitation responses to ENSO are opposite in sign for winter and summer. For these areas, a prolonged ENSO does not always favor either drought or wet spells.

The direct influence of the AMO on drought is small. The major influence of the AMO is to modulate the impact of ENSO on drought. The influence is large when the SSTAs in the tropical Pacific and in the North Atlantic are opposite in phase. A cold (warm) event in a positive (negative) AMO phase amplifies the impact of the cold (warm) ENSO on drought. The ENSO influence on drought is much weaker when the SSTAs in the tropical Pacific and in the North Atlantic are in phase.
Cloud and Radiative Characteristics of Tropical Deep Convective Systems in Extended Cloud Objects from CERES Observations
Authors: Eitzen Zachary A. , Xu Kuan-Man , Wong Takmeng
Published: July 2009

The physical and radiative properties of tropical deep convective systems for the period from January to August 1998 are examined with the use of Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System Single-Scanner Footprint (SSF) data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. Deep convective (DC) cloud objects are contiguous regions of satellite footprints that fulfill the DC criteria (i.e., overcast footprints with cloud optical depths >10 and cloud-top heights >10 km). Extended cloud objects (ECOs) start with the original cloud object but include all other cloudy footprints within a rectangular box that completely covers the original cloud object. Most of the non-DC footprints are overcast but have optical depths and/or cloud-top heights that are too low to fit the DC criteria. The histograms of cloud physical and radiative properties are analyzed according to the size of the ECO and the SST of the underlying ocean.

Larger ECOs are associated with greater magnitudes of large-scale upward motion, which supports stronger convection for larger sizes of ECOs. This leads to shifts toward higher values in the DC distributions of cloud-top height, albedo, condensate water path, and cloud optical depth. However, non-DC footprints become less reflective with increasing ECO size, as the longer-lived large convective systems have more time to develop thin cirrus anvils. The proportion of DC footprints remains fairly constant with size. The proportion of DC footprints also remains nearly constant with SST within a given size class, although the number of footprints per object increases with SST for large objects. As SSTs increase, there is a decrease in the proportion of updraft water that goes into detrainment, causing the non-DC distributions of albedo, condensate water path, and cloud optical depth to shift toward lower values. The all-cloud distributions of cloud-top temperature and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) shift toward lower values as SST increases owing to the increase in convective instability with SST. Both the DC and non-DC distributions of cloud-top temperature do not change much with satellite precession cycle, supporting the fixed anvil temperature hypothesis of Hartmann and Larson. When a joint histogram is formed from the cloud-top pressures and cloud optical depths of the ECOs, it is very similar to the corresponding histogram of the deep convective weather state obtained by cluster analysis of International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project data.
Vertical Heating Structures Associated with the MJO as Characterized by TRMM Estimates, ECMWF Reanalyses, and Forecasts: A Case Study during 1998/99 Winter
Authors: Jiang Xianan , Waliser Duane E. , Olson William S. , Tao Wei-Kuo , L’Ecuyer Tristan S. , Li Jui-Lin , Tian Baijun , Yung Yuk L. , Tompkins Adrian M. , Lang Stephen E. , Grecu Mircea
Published: July 2009

The Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is a fundamental mode of the tropical atmosphere variability that exerts significant influence on global climate and weather systems. Current global circulation models, unfortunately, are incapable of robustly representing this form of variability. Meanwhile, a well-accepted and comprehensive theory for the MJO is still elusive. To help address this challenge, recent emphasis has been placed on characterizing the vertical structures of the MJO. In this study, the authors analyze vertical heating structures by utilizing recently updated heating estimates based on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) from two different latent heating estimates and one radiative heating estimate. Heating structures from two different versions of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalyses/forecasts are also examined. Because of the limited period of available datasets at the time of this study, the authors focus on the winter season from October 1998 to March 1999.

The results suggest that diabatic heating associated with the MJO convection in the ECMWF outputs exhibits much stronger amplitude and deeper structures than that in the TRMM estimates over the equatorial eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific. Further analysis illustrates that this difference might be due to stronger convective and weaker stratiform components in the ECMWF estimates relative to the TRMM estimates, with the latter suggesting a comparable contribution by the stratiform and convective counterparts in contributing to the total rain rate. Based on the TRMM estimates, it is also illustrated that the stratiform fraction of total rain rate varies with the evolution of the MJO. Stratiform rain ratio over the Indian Ocean is found to be 5% above (below) average for the disturbed (suppressed) phase of the MJO. The results are discussed with respect to whether these heating estimates provide enough convergent information to have implications on theories of the MJO and whether they can help validate global weather and climate models.
Basinwide Integrated Volume Transports in an Eddy-Filled Ocean
Authors: Kanzow T. , Johnson H. L. , Marshall D. P. , Cunningham S. A. , Hirschi J. J.-M. , Mujahid A. , Bryden H. L. , Johns W. E.
Published: July 2009

The temporal evolution of the strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in the subtropical North Atlantic is affected by both remotely forced, basin-scale meridionally coherent, climate-relevant transport anomalies, such as changes in high-latitude deep water formation rates, and locally forced transport anomalies, such as eddies or Rossby waves, possibly associated with small meridional coherence scales, which can be considered as noise. The focus of this paper is on the extent to which local eddies and Rossby waves when impinging on the western boundary of the Atlantic affect the temporal variability of the AMOC at 26.5°N. Continuous estimates of the AMOC at this latitude have been made since April 2004 by combining the Florida Current, Ekman, and midocean transports with the latter obtained from continuous density measurements between the coasts of the Bahamas and Morocco, representing, respectively, the western and eastern boundaries of the Atlantic at this latitude.

Within 100 km of the western boundary there is a threefold decrease in sea surface height variability toward the boundary, observed in both dynamic heights from in situ density measurements and altimetric heights. As a consequence, the basinwide zonally integrated upper midocean transport shallower than 1000 m—as observed continuously between April 2004 and October 2006—varies by only 3.0 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) RMS. Instead, upper midocean transports integrated from western boundary stations 16, 40, and 500 km offshore to the eastern boundary vary by 3.6, 6.0, and 10.7 Sv RMS, respectively.

The reduction in eddy energy toward the western boundary is reproduced in a nonlinear reduced-gravity model suggesting that boundary-trapped waves may account for the observed decline in variability in the coastal zone because they provide a mechanism for the fast equatorward export of transport anomalies associated with eddies impinging on the western boundary. An analytical model of linear Rossby waves suggests a simple scaling for the reduction in thermocline thickness variability toward the boundary. Physically, the reduction in amplitude is understood as along-boundary pressure gradients accelerating the fluid and rapidly propagating pressure anomalies along the boundary. The results suggest that the local eddy field does not dominate upper midocean transport or AMOC variability at 26.5°N on interannual to decadal time scales.
Simultaneous Estimation of Microphysical Parameters and the Atmospheric State Using Simulated Polarimetric Radar Data and an Ensemble Kalman Filter in the Presence of an Observation Operator Error
Authors: Jung Youngsun , Xue Ming , Zhang Guifu
Published: July 2009

The impacts of polarimetric radar data on the estimation of uncertain microphysical parameters are investigated through observing system simulation experiments when the effects of uncertain parameters on the observation operators are also considered. Five fundamental microphysical parameters (i.e., the intercept parameters of rain, snow, and hail and the bulk densities of snow and hail) are estimated individually or collectively using the ensemble square root Kalman filter. The differential reflectivity ZDR, specific differential phase KDP, and radar reflectivity at horizontal polarization ZH are used individually or in combinations for the parameter estimation while the radial velocity and ZH are used for the state estimation. In the process, the parameter values estimated in the previous analysis cycles are used in the forecast model and in observation operators in the ensuing assimilation cycle. Analyses are first performed that examine the sensitivity of various observations to the microphysical parameters with and without observation operator error. The results are used to help interpret the filter behaviors in parameter estimation. The experiments in which either a single or all five parameters contain initial errors reveal difficulties in estimating certain parameters using ZH alone when observation operator error is involved. Additional polarimetric measurements are found to be beneficial for both parameter and state estimation in general. It is found that the polarimetric data are more helpful when the parameter estimation is not very successful with ZH alone. Between ZDR and KDP, KDP is found to produce larger positive impacts on parameter estimation in general while ZDR is more useful in the estimation of the intercept parameter of hail. In the experiments that attempt to correct errors in all five parameters, the filter fails to correctly estimate the snow intercept parameter and the density with or without polarimetric data, seemingly due to the small sensitivity of the observations to these parameters and complications involving the observation operator error. When these two snow parameters are not corrected during the estimation process, the estimations of the other three parameters and of all of the state variables are significantly improved and the positive impacts of polarimetric data are larger than that of a five-parameter estimation. These results reveal the significant complexity of the estimation problem for a highly nonlinear system and the need for careful sensitivity analysis. The problem is potentially more challenging with real-data cases when unknown sources of model errors are inevitable.
A Diagnostic Study of the Intensity of Three Tropical Cyclones in the Australian Region. Part II: An Analytic Method for Determining the Time Variation of the Intensity of a Tropical Cyclone*
Authors: Lajoie France , Walsh Kevin
Published: July 2009

The observed features discussed in Part I of this paper, regarding the intensification and dissipation of Tropical Cyclone Kathy, have been integrated in a simple mathematical model that can produce a reliable 15–30-h forecast of (i) the central surface pressure of a tropical cyclone, (ii) the sustained maximum surface wind and gust around the cyclone, (iii) the radial distribution of the sustained mean surface wind along different directions, and (iv) the time variation of the three intensity parameters previously mentioned. For three tropical cyclones in the Australian region that have some reliable ground truth data, the computed central surface pressure, the predicted maximum mean surface wind, and maximum gust were, respectively, within ±3 hPa and ±2 m s−1 of the observations. Since the model is only based on the circulation in the boundary layer and on the variation of the cloud structure in and around the cyclone, its accuracy strongly suggests that (i) the maximum wind is partly dependent on the large-scale environmental circulation within the boundary layer and partly on the size of the radius of maximum wind and (ii) that all factors that contribute one way or another to the intensity of a tropical cyclone act together to control the size of the eye radius and the central surface pressure.
Study of the Periodicities of Lightning Activity in Three Main Thunderstorm Centers Based on Schumann Resonance Measurements
Authors: Nieckarz Zenon , Zięba Stanisław , Kułak Andrzej , Michalec Adam
Published: July 2009

Time variations of lightning activity in the three main tropical thunderstorm centers located in the Maritime Continent (Pakistan, India, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and Australia), Africa, and the Americas are analyzed using a lightning activity index IRS, which is calculated from the resonances of magnetic field in the extremely low frequency range—the Schumann resonances—which were observed at Hylaty station (Poland) in the time interval July 2005–May 2006. Power spectrum analysis of the IRS series is carried out for this time interval. The annual and semiannual variations are shown in all of the series together with the following characteristic periodicities: 45 (Madden–Julian oscillation), 17.6, 13.5, and 4.8 days, seen mainly in the series describing the lightning activity of the Maritime Continent. In addition, maps of the dynamical power spectrum are constructed. They present variability both in the values of characteristic periods 26–30, 17–22, 12–14, 9–10, and 5–7 days and in their duration. During the studied time interval, according to these indices, the African center was the most active, whereas the American and Maritime Continent centers showed a similar level of activity. The largest differences among the centers were observed in the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere.
A Longitudinal Study of Developmental and Behavioral Screening and Referral in North Carolina’s Assuring Better Child Health and Development Participating Practices
Authors: Earls Marian F. , Andrews Joseph E. , Hay Sherry S.
Published: July 2009

Screening children for developmental and behavioral delays is an important part of primary care practice. Well-child visits provide an ideal opportunity to engage parents and to do periodic screening. Screening identifies children who may be at risk and need further evaluation. In North Carolina’s Assuring Better Child Health and Development project best-practices process, screening was incorporated as a routine part of well-child visits regardless of payor. The schedule of screenings, using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, was 6, 12, 18 or 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. From the practices’ population, a cohort of 526 children, screened from the age of 6 months during August 2001 through November 2003, was retrospectively reviewed. The main objectives of this descriptive study were to determine the number of children who were screened and whether this rate improved with time, observe patterns and trajectories for children identified at risk in 1 or more of the 5 developmental domains, and examine referral rates and physician referral patterns.
The Impact of Bittering Agents on Pediatric Ingestions of Antifreeze
Authors: White Nicole C. , Litovitz Toby , Benson Blaine E. , Horowitz B. Zane , Marr-Lyon Lisa , White Marisa K.
Published: July 2009

Background. Legislation requiring bittering of antifreeze enables assessment of the impact on frequency, volume, and severity of pediatric antifreeze ingestions. Methods. US poison control data for antifreeze ingestions in children younger than 5 years were analyzed comparing 232 ingestions occurring in states after enactment of bittering requirements with 6218 cases occurring in states (or at times) where bittering was not required. Results. The frequency of pediatric antifreeze ingestions was unchanged after implementation of bittering in Oregon and California. The medical outcome distribution, median volume ingested, and observed clinical effects were no different in bittered compared with nonbittered groups. Likewise, the rates of hospital admission, critical care treatment, and use of alkalinization, hemodialysis, or intubation showed no differences with bittering. Conclusion. Despite the appealing logic of limiting the ingested volume and thereby the severity of poisonings by adding aversive agents, and despite promising results in volunteer studies, bittering agents do not decrease the frequency or severity of pediatric antifreeze poisonings. The addition of bittering agents to household products cannot be justified based on actual poisoning data.
Community Characteristics and Methamphetamine Use in a Rural State
Authors: Roussell Aaron , Holmes Malcolm D. , Anderson-Sprecher Richard
Published: July 2009

Social disorganization theory attempts to explain the relationships of community characteristics and patterns of illicit drug use, but methamphetamine poses a problem for this perspective. Methamphetamine use is prevalent in rural areas, where greater community social organization may contribute to its usage, a possibility examined here using data from a highly rural state. Data were collected from a population of prisoners entering Wyoming state correctional facilities from July 2005 to June 2006. Hierarchical linear models estimated the effects of individual- and county-level variables on preincarceration amphetamine/methamphetamine use and severity of use. Results indicate that individual-level variables predict use, whereas county-level variables predict severity of use. The effects of individual-level measures of social control were consistent with the social disorganization model, whereas the effects of county-level variables provided support for the social organization argument. Implications of the findings for a multidimensional, multilevel conceptualization of the social organization/disorganization continuum are discussed.
DEVS/SOA: A Cross-Platform Framework for Net-centric Modeling and Simulation in DEVS Unified Process
Authors: Mittal Saurabh , Risco-Martín José L. , Zeigler Bernard P.
Published: July 2009

Discrete Event Specification (DEVS) environments are implemented over middleware systems such as HLA, RMI, CORBA and others. DEVS exhibits concepts of systems theory and modeling and supports capturing the system behavior from the physical and behavioral perspectives. Further, they are implemented using object-oriented languages like Java and C++. This research work uses the Java platform to implement DEVS over a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) framework. Called the DEVS/SOA, the framework supports a development and testing environment known as DEVS Unified Process that is built on a model continuity-based lifecycle methodology. DEVS Unified Process allows DEVS-based Modeling and Simulation (M&S) over net-centric platforms using DEVS/SOA. This framework also provides the crucial feature of run-time composability of coupled systems using SOA. We describe the architecture and designs of the server and the client. The client application communicates with multiple servers hosting DEVS simulation services. These simulation services are developed using the proposed symmetrical services architecture wherein the server can act as both a service provider and a service consumer contrary to the unidirectional client—server paradigm. We also discuss how this services-based architecture provides solutions for cross-platform distributed M&S. We demonstrate the DEVS/SOA framework with a scenario of Joint Close Air Support specified in Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN). We also provide a real-world application of network health monitoring using DEVS/SOA-layered architectural framework.
A Novel Design Method for an Intelligent Clothing Based on Garment Design and Knitting Technology
Authors: Li L. , Au W.M. , Li Y. , Wan K.M. , Chung W.Y. , Wong K.S.
Published: July 2009

The design elements of intelligent clothing were studied in this research. Both garment design as well as knitting technology concepts were applied to wearable electronic garments with aesthetic, functional, and technical features. In addition, a new garment design method is proposed for a specific task based on combinations of garment design and knitting technology to provide the required confining pressure, and electrical and mechanical properties for the intelligent clothing and also to take into account the requirements for aesthetics. Garment design skills of sewing, attaching accessories, embroidery, cutting, etc. can enhance the functionalities of the knitting technology. Garment design and knitting technology complement each other and provide a greater degree of freedom in intelligent clothing design. Experiments revealed that problems faced in intelligent clothing design, such as confining pressure, flexible electronic circuitry, aesthetic, appearance, and so on, could be successfully solved by the use of different garment design skills and knitting technologies. A garment design application model was set up based on this new design method and can be applied in the future design of intelligent clothing.
A Simulation-Based Replenishment Model for the Textile Industry
Authors: Dong A.H. , Leung S.Y.S.
Published: July 2009

This paper analyzes the replenishment problem faced by manufacturers who adopt the Vendor Management Inventory (VMI) replenishment strategy with the apparel retailers in the textile industry. Firstly, a replenishment model is proposed for the coordination of the interests of apparel manufacturers and retailers. A simulation-based optimization procedure is then elaborated to solve the replenishment problem. A simulation program is presented to generate the VMI replenishment strategy based on sales forecast data to satisfy the customer service level required by the retailers. With consideration given to production capacity constraints, a dynamic rolling optimization of the VMI replenishment strategy using simulation and genetic algorithm is then formulated to optimize the supply chain performance in terms of production balance of manufacturers and customer satisfaction targeted by retailers. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed replenishment strategies can benefit the manufacturers with balanced production and maintain the customer service level at a certain degree.
Determination of Relevant Process Operation Setting Space for Developing Multifunctional Nonwoven-based Products
Authors: Deng Xiaoguang , Vroman Philippe , Zeng Xianyi , Koehl Ludovic
Published: July 2009

Owing to various end-uses and good performance/cost ratio, the multifunctional nonwoven-based products have been significantly developed within a decade. Such products are mostly dedicated to niche or limited markets and are preferably high valued products. Therefore, in order to face the international competition, designers are strongly involved in development of new advanced products in order to satisfy more complex requirements and specifications with limited time and cost. One of the objectives of the design procedure is to define a relevant process operation setting space (acceptable range of design factors) adapted to the selected process. This paper presents an original method for determining such relevant space. The proposed procedure can save a certain amount of trials by investigating interesting zones of process operation settings with a limited experiment design. This procedure permits to support the designers during the learning and the optimization phases.
Multiaxis Three-dimensional Flat Woven Preform (Tube Rapier Weaving) and Circular Woven Preform (Radial Crossing Weaving)*
Authors: Bilisik Kadir , Mohamed Mansour H.
Published: July 2009

The aim of this study was to develop new preform structure and process mainly for composite industry. For this reason, multiaxis three-dimensional flat and circular woven preforms and methods were developed. The preform structures had five yarn sets as +/— bias, warp, filling and z-yarns for flat woven and +/— bias, axial, circumferential and radial yarns for circular woven. The weaving methods were introduced to form both structures. The experimental rigs were constructed for the trial of the methods. The important processing parameters related to preform unit cells and weaving were identified for full-scale process and product developments. The preliminary study showed that both types of weaving looked feasible under test conditions.
Detecting Pills in Fabric Images Based on Multi-scale Matched Filtering
Authors: Chen Xia , Xu Zengbo , Chen Ting , Wang Jun , Li Liqing
Published: July 2009

The recognition and segmentation of pills in fabric images based on multi-scale matched filtering are introduced in this paper. According to the asymptotic intensity change of a pill, the pill was modeled using a Gaussian function. A matched filter is designed for detecting fabric pills. However, big pills and small pills may distribute randomly in an image and are hard to be detected simultaneously with the filter. To solve this problem, a group of matched filters, with variable-size convolution kernels using the multi-scale expansion and shrinkage properties of the wavelet function, are generated and convolved with the fabric image. Then pills, at each output of matched filtering, are recognized and we determined whether pills exist in the local area by merging all of the outputs of the multi-scale matched filtering. Finally, pills in the local area, where the existence of pills has been confirmed, are further segmented using an adaptive threshold method based on mean and weighted variance. The detection of pills on a real image shows that this method can satisfy the recognition and segmentation of different size pills and is helpful for quantitatively describing the pilling information.
Integrating a Genetic Algorithm and a Self-organizing Map Network for an Automatically Separating Color Printed Fabric System
Authors: Kuo Chung-Feng Jeffrey , Kao Chih-Yuan , Chiu Chin-Hsun
Published: July 2009

We need more than words and simple methods to describe the various different color patterns found on printed fabrics nowadays. The complexity in pattern identification has made the analysis and comparison difficult and will have to be managed manually. The automatic computer color separating system for printed fabrics, proposed in this paper, integrates a genetic algorithm (GA) and a self-organizing map network (SOMN) to automatically separate printed colors, so as to eliminate the time-consuming manual color segmentation and registration currently done in the industry. The system first uses a color scanner to record RGB color images of the printed fabrics and uses median filter processing to reduce color changes due to uneven light reflections arising from the fabric surface weaving texture. Then RGB color space is transformed to HSI color space so that color analysis can match human color sense and use customary procedures. Next, the GA is employed to search for color distributions that are the same as the original image of printed fabrics. The area of each sub-image is 9.06% of the original image, not only reducing color segmentation operation time, but completely reserving the print structure and color distribution of the original image. Afterwards, color characteristic values are obtained in HSI color space. Finally, SOMN is adopted for the color segmentation operation. According to our experimental results, this system can rapidly and automatically complete color separation and identify repeating patterns in images from printed fabrics.
Impregnation and Exhaustion Bleaching of Cotton with Peracetic Acid
Authors: Forte Tavčer Petra
Published: July 2009

Cotton fabric was bleached with equilibrium peracetic acid in an exhaustion process and in cold pad-batch, hot pad-batch, and pad-steam bleaching processes. Exhaustion bleaching proceeded for 40 minutes at 60 °C and pH 7.5 with different concentrations of Persan S15 (peracetic acid produced by Belinka, Slovenia). Pad-batch processes were conducted with storage for different times at room temperature or at 60 °C. Two bleaching baths with 15 and 60 ml/l of Persan S15 were used for the impregnation processes. Pad-steam bleaching was also performed; the samples were steamed immediately after padding with bleaching solution or after cold/hot storage. The degree of whiteness achieved with elongation of storage time was measured. The influence of different bleaching conditions on damage to the cotton fabrics was evaluated by measurements of the degree of polymerization and the breaking strength of the fabrics. It was established that the achieved whiteness values depend on the concentration of the bleaching agent, temperature, and time of treatment. The exhaustion bleaching and both types of pad-batch bleaching with low concentration bleaching solution are very convenient processes for bleaching of cotton fabric with peracetic acid. The pad-steam process did not prove appropriate. The breaking strength of the fabric did not deteriorate remarkably with any of the processes, but the degree of polymerization of the fibers revealed that damage occurred at high concentrations of bleaching agent.
Structures of Bamboo Fiber for Textiles
Authors: Wang Yueping  , Wang Ge  , Cheng Haitao  , Tian Genlin  , Liu Zheng  , Xiao Qun Feng  , Zhou Xiangqi  , Han Xiaojun  , Gao Xushan
Published: July 2009

As a new textile fiber produced from Neosinocalamus affinis, the structures of the bamboo fiber were studied thoroughly in this research. Using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) (using a Micro-FTIR Spectrometer), X-ray diffraction (XRD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we investigate the chemical composition, crystalline structure, molecular and morphology structure, respectively. Results show that the chemical composition of bamboo fiber is the same as all bast fibers, that is, cellulose constitutes the majority and lignin needs to be reduced further for textile applications. The bamboo fiber belongs to cellulose I crystalline structure as flax, cotton and ramie, while has a small molecular mass and a low degree of polymerization. The cross section of the single bamboo fiber is round with small lumen. It can be predicted that bamboo fiber has high breaking strength, but low elongation and has good water absorption properties. The structural characteristics of the bamboo fiber are different from those of other textile plant fibers.
Assessing the E-capability of Visitor Information Centers
Authors: D'Ambra John , Mistilis Nina
Published: July 2009

Visitor information centers (VICs) play an important role in the promotion of tourist destinations to potential visitors because of their unique position as information providers. The nature of their information provision is however changing, primarily in response to the evolving information infrastructure. These changes to information delivery have in turn many implications for the users of this information. This article considers the varying information needs of virtual and face-to-face users of VICs and examines how VICs can meet their needs in the context of the changing information infrastructure. The article develops a taxonomy of the information tasks performed by virtual visitors as well as of their motivations, matched to provision of appropriate media, which it then uses to assess the e-capability of Australian VICs in meeting the information needs of visitors. Although Australian data are used, the findings are of interest and importance to VICs globally.
Behavior Modification of Aggressive Children in Child Welfare
Authors: Nitkowski Dennis , Petermann Franz , Büttner Peter , Krause-Leipoldt Carsten , Petermann Ulrike
Published: July 2009

Children and adolescents with aggressive disorders are prevalent in child welfare settings. Therefore, the assumption is that child welfare services would benefit from a cognitive-behavioral intervention. This study investigates whether implementation of the training with aggressive children (TAC) could improve the outcome of child welfare. Twelve children (average age 10 years), diagnosed with an oppositional defiant disorder or a conduct disorder, are treated either with a child welfare program or with a combined intervention of child welfare program and TAC. Before and immediately after completion of the combined treatment, parent and teacher ratings are collected. Parents report children participating in child welfare and TAC to show a stronger decline in social and conduct problems as well as a clearer increase in prosocial behavior. Teachers see a better improvement in social problems and tended to report a decrease in aggressive behavior. Results confirm that the TAC can enhance effects of a child welfare program.
“Do You Still Not Understand?” Mark 8:21 and the Mission to the Gentiles
Authors: Benjamin Salzmann Andrew
Published: July 2009

Recounting the numbers of baskets remaining after each of the multiplications of loaves in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus demands of his disciplies: “Do you not yet understand?” (Mark 8:21). The message which the Markan Jesus presents through this sequence of the two feedings is both clear and important to the Gospel's author. A comparison of the Greek words used for “basket” in the first and the second feedings, and of the number of each type of basket filled with bread fragments left over from the multiplications, suggests that the Gospel's author employs the sequence of feedings to symbolize the extension of Jesus' ministry to the gentiles. This conclusion is strengthened by the placement of the multiplications in the larger structure of Mark's narrative.
Roman Legends and Luke—Acts
Authors: Kiley Mark
Published: July 2009

As a complement to his anti-imperial agenda, Luke undergirds his narrative with implicit nuances derived from the worthies (and not so worthy) of republican Rome. The Evangelist makes a case that the best of the Romans' pre-imperial history is available in this Jesus and his church. However one decides the question of the work's genre, these data confirm its full Romanita. In this regard, he is picking up a cue from Mark.
BTB Readers' Guide: Ritual Studies
Authors: Lamoreaux Jason T.
Published: July 2009

The purpose of this study is to introduce biblical interpreters to the concepts found in Ritual Studies. The reader is introduced to some theorists and methods used within the context of Ritual Studies. Throughout, the reader is also introduced to the vocabulary of rituals found in ancient texts as well as examples found throughout Greco-Roman literature. Finally, this study turns toward rituals in the First and Second Testaments. In this final section, the vocabulary of ritual is discussed as well as examples of rituals found by scholars in both the First and Second Testaments.
“I'm not gay. . . . I'm a real man!”: Heterosexual Men's Gender Self-Esteem and Sexual Prejudice
Authors: Falomir-Pichastor Juan Manuel , Mugny Gabriel
Published: July 2009

Five studies examined the hypothesis that heterosexual men, but not heterosexual women, endorse negative attitudes toward homosexuality (i.e., sexual prejudice) in order to maintain a positive gender-related identity that is unambiguously different from a homosexual identity. Studies 1 and 2 showed that men's (but not women's) gender self-esteem (but not personal self-esteem) was positively related to sexual prejudice: The more positive heterosexual men's gender self-esteem, the more negative their attitude toward homosexuality. Studies 3 and 4 showed that this link appears specifically among men motivated to maintain psychological distance from gay men. Study 5 experimentally manipulated the perceived biological differences between homosexual and heterosexual men. The previously observed link between men's gender self-esteem and sexual prejudice appeared in the control and no-differences conditions but disappeared in the differences condition. These findings are discussed in terms of men's attitudes as a defensive function against threat to masculinity.
The Appraisal Rebound Effect: Cognitive Appraisals on the Rebound
Authors: Yap Andy J. , Tong Eddie M. W.
Published: July 2009

Although there have been many demonstrations of ironic thought processes, no demonstration to date has examined the effect of suppressing appraisals. Ironic phenomena in this domain have tremendous theoretical and practical importance to person perception, trait attribution, and social cognition in general. The authors propose the appraisal rebound hypothesis, which states that the suppression of an appraisal paradoxically activates it. Appraisal rebound was demonstrated across three studies with three different appraisals: unfairness, agency-others, and perceived control. The appraisal rebound effect was also found to be specific only to the suppressed appraisal. These results add to the growing literature on the many ways in which ironic mental processes affect daily thinking and feeling. Specifically, the findings are discussed with regard to emotion regulation, normal chronic emotionality, and psychopathology.
Incidental Experiences of Regulatory Fit and the Processing of Persuasive Appeals
Authors: Koenig Anne M. , Cesario Joseph , Molden Daniel C. , Kosloff Spee , Higgins E. Tory
Published: July 2009

This article examines how the subjective experiences of “feeling right” from regulatory fit and of “feeling wrong” from regulatory non-fit influence the way people process persuasive messages. Across three studies, incidental experiences of regulatory fit increased reliance on source expertise and decreased resistance to counterpersuasion, whereas incidental experiences of regulatory non-fit increased reliance on argument strength and increased resistance to counterpersuasion. These results suggest that incidental fit and non-fit experiences can produce, respectively, more superficial or more thorough processing of persuasive messages. The mechanisms underlying these effects, and the conditions under which they should and should not be expected, are discussed.
Fish Oil–Based Lipid Emulsions Prevent and Reverse Parenteral Nutrition–Associated Liver Disease: The Boston Experience
Authors: de Meijer Vincent E. , Gura Kathleen M. , Le Hau D. , Meisel Jonathan A. , Puder Mark
Published: July 2009

Parenteral nutrition–associated liver disease (PNALD) is the most prevalent and most severe complication of long‐term parenteral nutrition. Its underlying pathophysiology, however, largely remains to be elucidated. The currently approved parenteral lipid emulsions in the United States contain safflower or soybean oils, both rich in ω‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Mounting evidence indicates that the ω‐6 PUFAs originating from plant oils in these lipid emulsions may play a role in the onset of liver injury. Fish oil–based lipid emulsions, in contrast, are primarily composed of ω‐3 PUFAs, thus providing a promising alternative. The authors review the literature on the role of lipid emulsions in the onset of PNALD and discuss prevention and treatment strategies using a fish oil–based lipid emulsion. They conclude that a fish oil–based emulsion is hepatoprotective in a murine model of PNALD, and it appears to be safe and efficacious for the treatment of this type of liver disease in children. A prospective randomized trial that is currently under way at the authors' institution will objectively determine the place of fish oil monotherapy in the prevention of PNALD.
When Is Foreignness an Asset or a Liability? Explaining the Performance Differential Between Foreign and Local Firms
Authors: Nachum Lilach
Published: July 2009

I seek to make sense of the variety of performance differentials between foreign and local firms observed in international competition and to examine the circumstances that explain these varying outcomes. Toward this end, I develop a theoretical framework that allows for situations in which the costs and advantages that foreign firms have relative to local firms are stronger, weaker, or nonexisting. In this framework, the costs and advantages are measured relative to local firms, and the balance between them determines performance. Tests of the hypotheses on samples of local and foreign financial services firms in London show that affiliates experience the costs and advantages differentially in relation to local firms with varying characteristics. Affiliates enjoy superior advantages when compared with purely domestic local firms, but these differences disappear when affiliates are compared with local multinational enterprises (MNEs). Ownership levels significantly influence the strength of the costs and advantages, but different entry modes undertaken by MNEs have no discernible effect. These findings contribute to the understanding of the implications of foreignness in international competition and the reasons for it being an asset under certain circumstances and a liability under others. They illustrate the merits for practice of understanding the grounds for performance differentials between foreign and local firms, in that different reasons for this outcome require different strategic responses.
Facilitating the participation of people with aphasia in research: a description of strategies
Authors: Dalemans Ruth , Wade Derick T , van den Heuvel Wim JA , de Witte Luc P
Published: July 2009

Background: People with aphasia are often excluded from research because of their communication impairments, especially when an investigation into the communication impairment is not the primary goal. In our research concerning social participation of people with aphasia, we wanted to include people with mild, moderate as well as severe aphasia.

Aim: To suggest strategies and techniques for research in people with aphasia based upon experiences in conducting research in this group of people.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative study and a quantitative study in people with aphasia concerning their social participation. In these studies different strategies were developed based upon the literature, conversations with people with aphasia and speech and language therapists, to facilitate the inclusion of people with aphasia, even those with severe communication problems. Several strategies were evaluated. The strategies used and our experiences are outlined in this report.

Main contribution: It is possible to conduct research in this group. Several strategies were helpful to make this mission possible: the use of pre-structured diaries, the use of in-depth interviews with attention to non-verbal communication, the use of existing measurements, adjusted for people with aphasia by: using pictograms, placing one question per page, bolding the key concepts in the question, using large font, visualizing the answering possibilities in words and in pictures, reducing the question length, and excluding negatives in the question.

Conclusion: Research in people with aphasia is possible when using strategies adjusted to the communicative impairment.
Using Multi-view Recognition and Meta-data Annotation to Guide a Robot's Attention
Authors: Thomas Alexander , Ferrari Vittorio , Leibe Bastian , Tuytelaars Tinne , Van Gool Luc
Published: July 2009

In the transition from industrial to service robotics, robots will have to deal with increasingly unpredictable and variable environments. We present a system that is able to recognize objects of a certain class in an image and to identify their parts for potential interactions. The method can recognize objects from arbitrary viewpoints and generalizes to instances that have never been observed during training, even if they are partially occluded and appear against cluttered backgrounds. Our approach builds on the implicit shape model of Leibe et al. We extend it to couple recognition to the provision of meta-data useful for a task and to the case of multiple viewpoints by integrating it with the dense multi-view correspondence finder of Ferrari et al. Meta-data can be part labels but also depth estimates, information on material types, or any other pixelwise annotation. We present experimental results on wheelchairs, cars, and motorbikes.