bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Postgraduate Medical Education “Boot Camps” on Clinical Skills, Knowledge, and Confidence: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Blackmore Christopher , Austin Janice , Lopushinsky Steven R , Donnon Tyrone
Published: October 2014

Background

Throughout their medical education, learners face multiple transition periods associated with increased demands, producing stress and concern about the adequacy of their skills for their new role.

Objective

We evaluated the effectiveness of boot camps in improving clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence during transitions into postgraduate or discipline-specific residency programs.

Methods

Boot camps are in-training courses combining simulation-based practice with other educational methods to enhance learning and preparation for individuals entering new clinical roles. We performed a search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and ERIC using boot camp and comparable search terms. Inclusion criteria included studies that reported on medical education boot camps, involved learners entering new clinical roles in North American programs, and reported empirical data on the effectiveness of boot camps to improve clinical skills, knowledge, and/or confidence. A random effects model meta-analysis was performed to combined mean effect size differences (Cohen's d) across studies based on pretest/posttest or comparison group analyses.

Results

The search returned 1096 articles, 15 of which met all inclusion criteria. Combined effect size estimates showed learners who completed boot camp courses had significantly “large” improvements in clinical skills (d  =  1.78; 95% CI 1.33–2.22; P < .001), knowledge (d  =  2.08; 95% CI 1.20–2.96; P < .001), and confidence (d  =  1.89; 95% CI 1.63–2.15; P < .001).

Conclusions

Boot camps were shown as an effective educational strategy to improve learners' clinical skills, knowledge, and confidence. Focus on pretest/posttest research designs limits the strength of these findings.
Effects of Fatigue on Driving Safety: A Comparison of Brake Reaction Times in Night Float and Postcall Physicians in Training
Authors: Talusan Paul G. , Long Theodore , Halim Andrea , Guliani Laura , Carroll Nicole , Reach John
Published: October 2014

Background

Concerns about duty hour and resident safety have fostered discussion about postshift fatigue and driving impairment.

Objective

We assessed how converting to a night float schedule for overnight coverage affected driving safety for trainees.

Methods

Brake reaction times were measured for internal medicine and orthopaedic surgery resident volunteers after a traditional 28-hour call shift and after a night float shift. We conducted matched paired t tests of preshift and postshift reaction time means. Participants also completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale pre- and postshift.

Results

From June to July 2013, we enrolled 58 interns and residents (28 orthopaedic surgery, 30 internal medicine). We included 24 (41%) trainees on night float rotations and 34 (59%) trainees on traditional 28-hour call shifts. For all residents on night float rotations, there was no significant difference pre- and postshift. An increase in reaction times was noted among trainees on 28-hour call rotations. This included no effect on reaction times for internal medicine trainees pre- and postshift, and an increase in reaction times for orthopaedic trainees. For both night float and traditional call groups, there were significant increases in the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.

Conclusions

Trainees on traditional 28-hour call rotations had significantly worse postshift brake reaction times, whereas trainees on night float rotations had no difference. Orthopaedic trainees had significant differences in brake reaction times after a traditional call shift.
The mediating effect of depression between superstitious beliefs and problem gambling: a cross-cultural study of Chinese and Caucasians residing in the United States
Authors: Kim Jungsun , Ahlgren Mikael , Bernhard Bo
Published: October 2014

The purpose of this study was to address the mediational role of depression in the association between superstitions and problem gambling and to test whether this mediating process is significantly different between Chinese and Caucasian Americans. Eight items assessing superstitious beliefs, the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the 20-item South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) were completed by 115 Chinese gamblers and 187 Caucasian gamblers residing in the United States, and the responses between tests and between groups compared. Path analysis results showed that superstitious beliefs had a significant effect on both Chinese and Caucasian gamblers' SOGS scores (i.e., problem gambling symptoms). In both groups, depression played a significant mediating role between the superstitious beliefs variable and the problem gambling variable. Future clinical research might use the findings of this study to develop specific prevention and treatment approaches focusing on a gambler's cognitive bias and negative mood.
Applying the codependency concept to concerned significant others of problem gamblers: Words of caution
Authors: Calderwood Kimberly A. , Rajesparam Anne
Published: October 2014

Two competing models of understanding concerned significant others (CSOs) of people with addictions have emerged: codependency (CD) and stress-coping. In the context of CSOs of problem gamblers, some research has begun to examine the effectiveness of the stress-coping model, but no research to date has examined the utility of incorporating the CD concept into treatment planning. The purpose of this paper is to: critique the CD concept while highlighting possible differences between problem gambling and substance abuse (i.e., financial issues, the ability to hide the problem, cognitive distortions, and societal attitudes); identify important considerations when working with CSOs of problem gamblers; make recommendations for program managers regarding hiring and training practices; and recommend directions for research and in-depth program evaluations to assess what is actually occurring in existing practice.
Relating severity of gambling to cognitive distortions in a representative sample of problem gamblers
Authors: Cunningham John A. , Hodgins David C. , Toneatto Tony
Published: October 2014

The current study explored the relationship in a general population sample between problem gambling severity and cognitive distortions about gambling. A representative sample of problem gamblers (N = 766) was asked about cognitive distortions related to gambling. A positive association between gambling severity and cognitive distortions emerged, even when the variables associated with participants' demographic characteristics were accounted for. The current study demonstrates that the relationship between problem gambling severity and cognitive distortions does exist in the general population of problem gamblers. This finding emphasizes the key role that cognitive distortions may play in the development and maintenance of pathological gambling.
Het einde van de literatuur?
Authors: Dorleijn Gillis
Published: October 2014

Rejecting internal analyses of the end of literature like the one by William Marx, the article argues that in order to assess the current position of literature an external scope is paramount. The book market seems to be the proper context to analyze the phenomenon literature. On the basis of recent research on literary institutions and using the latest data concerning trends in the book market, it is shown that the selling of books in the Netherlands has decreased significantly, and, moreover, that the function and use of literature in the age of new media has changed considerably. Yet, allegations vis-à-vis the market having marginalized literature and the predominance of a media-driven mass culture can easily lead to unfounded presentism. It is argued that the perspective might be reversed by looking at the literary past from the 19th century onwards as a period in which market, commercial drives and media culture came to the fore as well. This approach may result in a more encompassing attention to the societal embeddedness of literary culture, past and present.
Terug naar de tekst – maar waarom zouden we?
Authors: Grüttemeier Ralf
Published: October 2014

Though claims of a crisis in Dutch literary studies are in the air, the diagnosis is far from clear. Against this background, the article argues that first of all, systematic research into the practices and dynamics of knowledge production and knowledge dissemination in literary studies from a historical perspective is needed. As a step into this direction the article undertakes a case study of the explicit motivations of research on textual transformations in the Netherlands of the last 40 years. The findings are placed into the context of what seem to be general tendencies of the discipline over the last decades, touching among other things upon general discussions of quality standards in the humanities.
‘De vraag is deze: waarom is een akademisch neerlandicus zulk een heel ander mens dan een nederlands letterkundige?’
Authors: Winkler Marieke
Published: October 2014

The interrelation of public and academic literary criticism often leads to controversy within the literary field, especially when writers obtain an academic position. As Jo Tollebeek showed in Mannen van karakter (2011) and Nico Laan in Het belang van smaak (1996), the competition between the academic and public discourse on literature is inherent to the history of literary studies. What are the criteria for distinguishing public and academic criticism?

This question is examined for the period 1925-1935 by taking the professorship of the poet and critic Albert Verwey (1865-1937) as a case study. Verwey legitimated his academic position by referring to Shelley and the concept of ‘imagination’ as a special source of knowledge. By doing so he presented an artistic and philosophical argument for appointing a poet as a professor of literature. Additionally, ten years later, Verwey revealed that he accepted the position in order to change the way literature was represented by traditional historiography. How did the activities of the poet, critic and academic relate to each other? How did Verwey position himself within, or in between, the academic and the public discourse on literature? And why does Verweys positioning problematize the relation between academic and non-academic literary criticism?
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and chlorinated pesticides in background air in central Europe – investigating parameters affecting wet scavenging of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Authors: Shahpoury P. , Lammel G. , Holubová Šmejkalová A. , Klánová J. , Přibylová P. , Váňa M.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and chlorinated pesticides (CPs) were measured in air and precipitation at a background site in central Europe. Σ PAH concentrations in air and rainwater ranged from 0.7 to 327.9 ng m−3 and below analytical method detection limit (< MDL) to 2.1 × 103 ng L−1. The concentrations of PCBs and CPs in rainwater were < MDL. Σ PCB and Σ CP concentrations in air ranged from < MDL to 44.6 and < MDL to 351.7 pg m−3, respectively. The potential relationships between PAH wet scavenging and particulate matter and rainwater properties were investigated. The concentrations of ionic species in particulate matter and rainwater were significantly correlated, highlighting the importance of particle scavenging process. Overall, higher scavenging efficiencies were found for relatively less volatile PAHs, underlining the effect of analyte gas-particle partitioning on scavenging process. The PAH wet scavenging was more effective when the concentrations of ionic species were high. In addition, the elemental and organic carbon contents of the particulate matter were found to influence the PAH scavenging.
A multi-year study of lower tropospheric aerosol variability and systematic relationships from four North American regions
Authors: Sherman J. P. , Sheridan P. J. , Ogren J. A. , Andrews E. A. , Schmeisser L. , Jefferson A. , Sharma S.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Hourly-averaged aerosol radiative properties measured over the years 2010–2013 at four continental North American NOAA/ESRL Federated Aerosol Network sites – Southern Great Plains in Lamont, OK (SGP), Bondville, IL (BND), Appalachian State University in Boone, NC (APP), and Egbert, Ontario, Canada (EGB) were analyzed to determine regional variability and temporal variability on several timescales, how this variability has changed over time at the long-term sites (SGP and BND), and whether systematic relationships exist for key aerosol properties relevant to radiative forcing calculations. The aerosol source types influencing the four sites differ enough so as to collectively represent rural, anthropogenically-perturbed air conditions over much of continental North America. Seasonal variability in scattering and absorption coefficients at 550 nm (σsp and σap, respectively) and most aerosol intensive properties was much larger than day of week and diurnal variability at all sites for both the sub-10 μm and sub-1 μm aerosols. Pronounced summer peaks in scattering were observed at all sites, accompanied by broader peaks in absorption, higher single-scattering albedo (ω0), and lower hemispheric backscatter fraction (b). Amplitudes of diurnal and weekly cycles in absorption at the sites were larger for all seasons than those of scattering. The cycle amplitudes of intensive optical properties on these shorter timescales were minimal in most cases. In spite of the high seasonality in ω0 and b, the co-variation of these two intensive properties cause the corresponding seasonal cycle in monthly median direct radiative forcing efficiency to be small, with changes of only a few percent at all sites. Median sub-10 μm aerosol σsp values for SGP and BND for the 2010–2013 time period were ~25% lower for all months than during the late 1990s period studied by Delene and Ogren (2002), consistent with the trends reported in other North American studies. There were even larger reductions in sub-1 μm aerosol σsp, leading to a larger coarse-mode influence at both sites. Similar reductions in median σap were observed at BND but median σsp changed little at SGP relative to the earlier observations of D&O2002, leading to lower ω0 at SGP. Most intensive properties and their variability were similar for both periods but median b was larger for all months of the 2010–2013 period at BND and nearly all months at SGP, indicating a shift toward smaller accumulation-mode particles. Systematic relationships between aerosol radiative properties were developed and applied to provide information on aerosol source types and processes at the four sites but some key relationships varied noticeably with season, indicating that the use of such relationships for model evaluation and inversion of remote sensing data must consider their seasonality.
Aerosol processing and CCN formation of an intense Saharan dust plume during the EUCAARI 2008 campaign
Authors: Bègue N. , Tulet P. , Pelon J. , Aouizerats B. , Berger A. , Schwarzenboeck A.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Atmospheric processing and CCN formation of Saharan dust is illustrated through the analysis of an intense Saharan dust event over northern Europe. The analysis of this dust event was realized through the use of different sets of observations and through the use of numerical models. The altitude of the dust plume was assessed using the CALIPSO observations and our model results. The major dust plume was transported over Europe between 2 and 5 km above sea level (a.s.l.). This altitude favored the interaction between the dust plume and the mountain ranges of Europe during its transport. This also led the dust becoming mixed with the European anthropogenic aerosol. The analyses of the simulation show that mineral dust particles accumulated soluble material through internal mixing over the Netherlands (51.97° N; 4.93° E). The value of the CCN0.2/CN ratio obtained over the Netherlands (~50%) is much greater than those observed over the Saharan region. In addition over the Netherlands, the CCN measurement reached 14 000 particles cm−3 at 0.63% supersaturation level on 30 May. Our model results reveal that more than 70% of the CCN concentration observed on 30 May can be explained by the presence of Saharan aged dust. The study reveals that heterogeneous reactions with inorganic salts converted this Saharan mineral dust into compounds that were sufficiently soluble to impact hygroscopic growth and cloud droplet activation over the Netherlands.
Pyrogenic carbon from tropical savanna burning: production and stable isotope composition
Authors: Saiz G. , Wynn J. G. , Wurster C. M. , Goodrick I. , Nelson P. N. , Bird M. I.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Widespread burning of mixed tree-grass ecosystems represents the major natural locus of pyrogenic carbon (PyC) production. PyC is a significant, pervasive, and yet poorly understood "slow-cycling" form of carbon present in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, soils and sediments. We conducted sixteen experimental burns on a rainfall transect in northern Australian savannas with C4 grasses ranging from 35 to 99% of total biomass. Residues from each fire were partitioned into PyC and further into recalcitrant (HyPyC) components, with each of these also partitioned into proximal (> 125 μm) and distal (< 125 μm) fluxes. The median [range] PyC production across all burns was 16.0 [11.5]% of total carbon exposed (TCE), with HyPyC accounting for 2.5 [4.9]% of TCE. Both PyC and HyPyC were dominantly partitioned into the proximal flux, likely to remain (initially) close to the site of production. Production of HyPyC was strongly related to fire residence time, with shorter duration fires resulting in higher HyPyC yields. The carbon isotope (δ13C) compositions of PyC and HyPyC were generally lower by 1–3‰ relative to the original biomass, with marked depletion up to 7 ‰ for grasslands dominated by C4 biomass. δ13C values of CO2 produced by combustion was computed by mass balance and ranged from ~0.4 to 1.3‰. The depletion of 13C in PyC and HyPyC relative to the original biomass has significant implications for the interpretation of δ13C values of savanna soil organic carbon and of ancient PyC preserved in the geologic record, and for global 13C isotopic disequilibria calculations.
The combined effects of nitrification inhibitor and biochar incorporation on yield-scaled N2O emissions from an intensively managed vegetable field in southeastern China
Authors: Li B. , Fan C. H. , Xiong Z. Q. , Li Q. L. , Zhang M.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. The influences of nitrification inhibitor (NI) and biochar incorporation on yield-scaled N2O in a vegetable field were studied using the static chamber method and gas chromatography. An experiment was conducted in an intensively managed vegetable field with 7 consecutive vegetable crops in 2012–2014 in southeastern China. With equal annual amounts of N (1217.3 kg N ha−1 yr−1), 6 treatments under 3 biochar amendment rates, namely, 0 t ha−1 (C0), 20 t ha−1 (C1), and 40 t ha−1 (C2), with compound fertilizer (CF) or urea mixed with chlorinated pyridine (CP) as NI, were studied in these field experiments. The results showed that although no significant influence on soil organic carbon (SOC) content or total nitrogen (TN), CP could result in a significant increase in soil pH during the experimental period. CP significantly decreased cumulative N2O emissions by 15.9–32.1% while increasing vegetable yield by 9.8–41.9%. Thus, it also decreased yield-scaled N2O emissions significantly. In addition to the differential responses of the soil pH, biochar amendment significantly increased SOC and TN. Additionally, compared with the treatments without biochar addition, cumulative N2O emissions showed no significant difference in the CF or the CP group treatments but increased slightly (but not significantly) by 7.9–18.3% in the CP group treatments. Vegetable yield was enhanced by 7.1–49.5% compared with the treatments without biochar amendment, and the yield-scaled N2O emissions were thus decreased significantly. Furthermore, treatments applied with CP and biochar incorporation slightly increased yield-scaled N2O emissions by 9.4%, on average, compared with CP-C0. Therefore, the incorporation of CP could serve as an appropriate practice for increasing vegetable yield and mitigating N2O emissions in intensively managed vegetable fields and should be further examined in various agroecosystems.
An integrated user-friendly ArcMAP tool for bivariate statistical modeling in geoscience applications
Authors: Jebur M. N. , Pradhan B. , Shafri H. Z. M. , Yusof Z. , Tehrany M. S.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Modeling and classification difficulties are fundamental issues in natural hazard assessment. A geographic information system (GIS) is a domain that requires users to use various tools to perform different types of spatial modeling. Bivariate statistical analysis (BSA) assists in hazard modeling. To perform this analysis, several calculations are required and the user has to transfer data from one format to another. Most researchers perform these calculations manually by using Microsoft Excel or other programs. This process is time consuming and carries a degree of uncertainty. The lack of proper tools to implement BSA in a GIS environment prompted this study. In this paper, a user-friendly tool, BSM (bivariate statistical modeler), for BSA technique is proposed. Three popular BSA techniques such as frequency ratio, weights-of-evidence, and evidential belief function models are applied in the newly proposed ArcMAP tool. This tool is programmed in Python and is created by a simple graphical user interface, which facilitates the improvement of model performance. The proposed tool implements BSA automatically, thus allowing numerous variables to be examined. To validate the capability and accuracy of this program, a pilot test area in Malaysia is selected and all three models are tested by using the proposed program. Area under curve is used to measure the success rate and prediction rate. Results demonstrate that the proposed program executes BSA with reasonable accuracy. The proposed BSA tool can be used in numerous applications, such as natural hazard, mineral potential, hydrological, and other engineering and environmental applications.
Coupling a land-surface model with a crop growth model to improve ET flux estimations in the Upper Ganges basin, India
Authors: Tsarouchi G. M. , Buytaert W. , Mijic A.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Land-Surface Models (LSMs) are tools that represent energy and water flux exchanges between land and the atmosphere. Although much progress has been made in adding detailed physical processes into these models, there is much room left for improved estimates of evapotranspiration fluxes, by including a more reasonable and accurate representation of crop dynamics. Recent studies suggest a strong land-surface–atmosphere coupling over India and since this is one of the most intensively cultivated areas in the world, the strong impact of crops on the evaporative flux cannot be neglected. In this study we dynamically couple the LSM JULES with the crop growth model InfoCrop. JULES in its current version (v3.4) does not simulate crop growth. Instead, it treats crops as natural grass, while using prescribed vegetation parameters. Such simplification might lead to modelling errors. Therefore we developed a coupled modelling scheme that simulates dynamically crop development and parametrized it for the two main crops of the study area, wheat and rice. This setup is used to examine the impact of inter-seasonal land cover changes in evapotranspiration fluxes of the Upper Ganges River basin (India). The sensitivity of JULES with regard to the dynamics of the vegetation cover is evaluated. Our results show that the model is sensitive to the changes introduced after coupling it with the crop model. Evapotranspiration fluxes, which are significantly different between the original and the coupled model, are giving an approximation of the magnitude of error to be expected in LSMs that do not include dynamic crop growth. For the wet season, in the original model, the monthly Mean Error ranges from 7.5 to 24.4 mm month−1, depending on different precipitation forcing. For the same season, in the coupled model, the monthly Mean Error's range is reduced to 5.4–11.6 mm month−1. For the dry season, in the original model, the monthly Mean Error ranges from 10 to 17 mm month−1, depending on different precipitation forcing. For the same season, in the coupled model, the monthly Mean Error's range is reduced to 2.2–3.4 mm month−1. The new modelling scheme, by offering increased accuracy of evapotranspiration estimations, is an important step towards a better understanding of the two-way crops–atmosphere interactions.
Spatial and temporal variability of rainfall in the Nile Basin
Authors: Onyutha C. , Willems P.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Spatio-temporal variability in annual and seasonal rainfall totals were assessed at 37 locations of the Nile Basin in Africa using quantile perturbation method. To get insight into the spatial difference in rainfall statistics, the stations were grouped based on the pattern of the long-term mean of monthly rainfall and that of temporal variability. To find the origin of the driving forces for the temporal variability in rainfall, correlation analyses were carried out using global monthly sea level pressure and surface temperature. Further investigations to support the obtained correlations were made using a total of 10 climate indices. It was possible to obtain 3 groups of stations; those within the equatorial region (A), Sudan and Ethiopia (B), and Egypt (C). For group A, annual rainfall was found to be below (above) the reference during the late 1940s to 1950s (1960s to mid 1980s). Conversely for groups B and C, the period 1930s to late 1950s (1960s to 1980s) was characterized by anomalies being above (below) the reference. For group A, significant linkages were found to Niño 3, Niño 3.4 and the North Atlantic and Indian Ocean drivers. Correlations of annual rainfall of group A with Pacific Ocean-related climate indices were inconclusive. With respect to the main wet seasons, the June to September rainfall of group B has strong connection to the influence from the Indian Ocean. For the March to May (October to February) rainfall of group A (C), possible links to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans were found.
Seasonal variability of subsurface high salinity water in the northern South China Sea and its relationship with the northwestern Pacific currents
Authors: Wang A. , Du Y. , Zhuang W. , Qi Y.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. The North Pacific Tropical Water (NPTW), characterized by the subsurface high salinity (> 34.68 PSU), is observed in the South China Sea (SCS) and often used as an indicator of the water intrusion from the northwestern Pacific into the SCS. Based on the assimilation product from a global high-resolution Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM), this study investigates the seasonal variability of subsurface high salinity water (SHSW) in the northern SCS and the influence from the northwestern Pacific. Results show that there exists obvious seasonal variability in the SHSW at about 100–200 m depth. It extends as far west as 111° E in the northern SCS, reaching its volume maximum (minimum) in January (May). Further analysis shows that the seasonal change of the high salinity water is strongly affected by the seasonal variability of large-scale circulations in the low-latitude northwestern Pacific. The changes of high salinity water volume are highly correlated with the shift of the North Equatorial Current (NEC) bifurcation latitude (NECBL), which reaches the northernmost in December and the southernmost in May. Due to the large-scale wind changes in the Pacific, the Luzon Strait transport weakens (strengthens) when the NECBL shifts to the south (north) during summer (winter), which results in the reduced (enhanced) SHSW intrusion from the northwestern Pacific into the northern SCS. The velocity and salinity distribution in the Luzon Strait show that the intrusion of the SHSW mainly occurs at around 20–21.3° N.
Topographic control of snowpack distribution in a small catchment in the central Spanish Pyrenees: intra- and inter-annual persistence
Authors: Revuelto J. , López-Moreno J. I. , Azorin-Molina C. , Vicente-Serrano S. M.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. In this study we analyzed the relations between terrain characteristics and snow depth distribution in a small alpine catchment located in the central Spanish Pyrenees. Twelve field campaigns were conducted during 2012 and 2013, which were years characterized by very different climatic conditions. Snow depth was measured using a long range terrestrial laser scanner and analyses were performed at a spatial resolution of 5 m. Pearson's r correlation, multiple linear regressions (MLRs) and binary regression trees (BRTs) were used to analyze the influence of topography on the snow depth distribution. The analyses were used to identify the topographic variables that best explain the snow distribution in this catchment, and to assess whether their contributions were variable over intra- and interannual timescales. The topographic position index (index that compares the relative elevation of each cell in a digital elevation model to the mean elevation of a specified neighborhood around that cell with a specific shape and searching distance), which has rarely been used in these types of studies, most accurately explained the distribution of snow. The good capability of the topographic position index (TPI) to predict snow distribution has been observed in both, MLRs and BRTs for all analyzed days. Other variables affecting the snow depth distribution included the maximum upwind slope, elevation and northing. The models developed to predict snow distribution in the basin for each of the 12 survey days were similar in terms of the explanatory variables. However, the variance explained by the overall model and by each topographic variable, especially those making a lesser contribution, differed markedly between a year in which snow was abundant (2013) and a year when snow was scarce (2012), and also differed between surveys in which snow accumulation or melting conditions dominated in the preceding days. The total variance explained by the models clearly decreased for those days on which the snowpack was thinner and more patchily. Despite the differences in climatic conditions in the 2012 and 2013 snow seasons, similarities in snow distributions patterns were observed which are directly related to terrain topographic characteristics.
Surrealism in André Breton’s Nadja
Authors: Kadiu Silvia
Published: October 2014

This close reading of André Breton’s Nadja (1928) examines the role of the title character in the development and evolution of Breton’s surrealist aspirations. Drawing from the theories presented in The Manifestoes of Surrealism (1924), it shows that Nadja epitomizes both the aesthetic fulfillment and political limits of Breton’s surrealist ideas, thus prefiguring the author’s political detachment in the years following the writing of the novel.
Consideraciones sobre la llamada metodología jurídica
Authors: Busto Pueche José Enrique
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i10.1534
Contexto histórico de las constituciones y sus reformas en Nicaragua
Authors: Esgueva Gómez Antonio
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i10.1536
Contrato de Préstamo Mercantil
Authors: Herrera Espinoza Jesús Jusseth
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i10.1537
¿Debe ser delito la provocación a la discriminación, a la violencia o al odio contra grupos por motivos de sexo, raza u otro? El ejemplo Español
Authors: Jericó Ojer Leticia
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i10.1539
Jurisprudencia Laboral
Authors: Malespín Martínez Fernando
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i10.1541
Derecho de Sociedades
Authors: Herrera Espinoza Jesús Jusseth
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i11.1545
Apuntes sobre la nulidad documental en el Derecho Notarial Nicaragüense
Authors: Pérez Gallardo Leonardo
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i11.1546
Globalización y Propiedad Intelectual
Authors: Bercovitz Alberto
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i11.1548
Mediatización de la oralidad: La perversión del juicio en la práctica judicial penal Centroamericana
Authors: Tijerino Pacheco José María
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i11.1549
Los recursos administrativos en Nicaragua
Authors: Arríen Somarriba Juan Bautista
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i11.1551
Las Cláusulas estatutarias relativas a la denominación, al objeto, a la estructura del órgano al que se confía la administración y a las posibles restituciones a la libre trasmisibilidad de las acciones: cuatro importantes menciones estatutarias
Authors: Peñas Moyano Benjamín
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i7.1529
El crédito documentado
Authors: Casco Muñoz Erick
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i7.1530
Corrupción y delitos contra la administración pública. Insuficiencias y límites del Derecho Penal en la lucha contra la corrupción: El ejemplo Español
Authors: Díaz Miguel
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i7.1531
Jurisprudencia Civil
Authors: Guzmán García Jairo José
Published: October 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/derecho.v0i7.1533
Natural gum and resin bearing species of Ethiopia and their potential applications
Authors: Tadesse W. , Desalegn G. , Alia R.
Published: October 2014

Ethiopia is one of the countries well endowed with various species of Acacia, Boswellia and Commiphora that are known to produce gum arabic, frankincense and myrrh, respectively. Over 60 gum and resin bearing species are found in the country. The total area of oleo-gum resin bearing woodlands cover about 2.9 million ha of land in the country, with over 300,000 metric tons of natural gum production potential. Boswellia papyrifera is a chief gum resin producing tree species in Ethiopia. The total area covered by the species is estimated to be more than 1.5 million ha. Frankincense and myrrh are used in medicines, beverages and liqueurs, cosmetics, detergents, creams and perfumery, paints, adhesives and dyes manufacturing. Gum Arabic is used as stabilizing, in food and drink industries; in pharmaceuticals, in printing and textile industries. Despite the enormous socio-economic importance of these natural products, the species are declining at an alarming rate due to degradation resulted from agricultural expansion, overgrazing, fire, poor incense harvesting practices, etc. Therefore, research and development efforts and international collaborations could have strong potentials to the conservation, production and commercialization for the benefits of the local, national as well as the international communities.
Climate classification of Abies pinsapo Boiss. forests in Southern Spain
Authors: Fernandez-Cancio A. , NavarroCerrillo R. M. , Fernandez Fernandez R. , Gil Hernández P. , Manrique Meneéndez E. , Calzado Martínez C.
Published: October 2014

Understanding the current distribution of vegetation and its interaction with climate regularity is important for predicting its future change. 35 weather stations with monthly resolutions have been reconstructed using GENPT software to study the pinsapo fir forest climate types. Ten climate variables have been used to describe the particular climate of A. pinsapo forests following the Climatic System of Allué (1990). A climate examination suggests that pinsapo fir forests might be established in a particular climate, which seems to be unique in the Iberian Peninsula, though the species also grows under other climates. A multivariable analysis has been done, providing five classes of pinsapo fir forests sharing some climate features: Atlantic, Mediterranean, warm, continental and cold. Results are biogeographically consistent and may help to explain plant biogeography in this region. Preservation efforts in pinsapo fir forests should be concentrated on the distribution areas with the highest risk of the climate change impact.
Wood density and fiber dimensions of Gmelina arborea in fast growth trees in Costa Rica: relation to the growth rate
Authors: Moya Roque R. , Tomazello Fo M.
Published: October 2014

The objective of this research was to determine growth rate effects measured in tree diameter on wood density parameters (mean, minimum, maximum and intra-ring variation) and in fiber dimensions (wall thickness, fiber width, lumen diameter and fiber length) of trees from fast growth plantations. Thirty mature trees were sampled from thirty different fast-growth plantations with a wide growth rate in Costa Rica. A disc was cut from each tree at DBH. The wood density parameters and fiber dimensions were determined in each growth ring. Some wood density parameters and fiber dimensions were related with growth rate. The minimum and mean density, cell wall thickness, fiber width and lumen diameter decreased with increase in growth rate. Intra-ring wood density variation increased with growth rate but the weak correlation was established. Maximum wood density was not found correlation with growth rate. A pronounced decrease was presented in minimum and mean density from 0 to 20 mm/year and after to 45 mm/year. A pronounced decrease and increase with increase in growth rate were presented in the fiber length and intra-ring wood density, respectively. Lumen diameter and fiber width presented few variations, until 40 mm/year; however, they showed decrease after this growth rate value.
Biomass accumulation and allocation in seedlings of three Nothofagus species at the edges of a light gradient in canopy gaps of a Subantarctic forest
Authors: Dezzotti A.
Published: October 2014

Models of optimal partitioning and shade-tolerance propose that a proportional high aerial biomass contributes to plant persistence in light-limited environments. In this context, biomass accumulation and allocation in 4-year saplings of Nothofagus dombeyi, N. nervosa, and N. obliqua, growing at the edges of an irradiance gradient in canopy gaps of a Subantarctic forest, was compared. Within the gap, relative mean light transmittance for summer was 5% in the northern periphery and 36% in the centre. Total saplings biomass (B) increased with light availability. Nothofagus nervosa tend to exhibit the higher B under the reduced sunlight of the northern periphery, probably due to its less lightdemanding character. Although N. dombeyi in the adult stage is a fast-growing species, saplings accumulated less biomass than those of N. nervosa and N. obliqua, probably influenced by its comparatively lower seed nutrient content. Conversely, leaf biomass (H) was equivalent in all species. For each species, leaf mass fraction (H/B) was similar in both light conditions. This pattern is not consistent with the prediction based on optimal resource partitioning: plants invested less in the organ that would cause the strongest growth limitation at low irradiance. Nothofagus dombeyi allocated more assimilates to leaves compared to N. nervosa and N. obliqua, despite its extremely light-demanding character. Such a result does not comply with the hypothesis of a proportionally high leaf mass in species adapted to shade. This research may improve the understanding of an ecosystem encompassing trees with divergent light responses, and dependent on spatial and temporarily heterogeneous gaps for regeneration.
Payment schemes for environmental services in watersheds in Ecuador
Authors: Cordero Camacho D.
Published: October 2014

Payment schemes for environmental services in watersheds (PES) comprise a payment or direct compensation, by the users of the service, for the maintenance of an environmental service related to water supply, availability and/or quality. The logic of this approach is the idea that healthy ecosystems such as forest and highlands (páramos) provide hydrological services. This paper describes the main payment schemes for watershed services developed in Ecuador. It presents their objective and scope, as their main results and impacts. Therefore presents common elements to all experiences like lessons learned and future perspectives. The available information does not allow to quantify the impact of the payments or compensations, either in terms of the hydrological services provision or the service providers well being. Nevertheless, the stakeholders perceptions given through interviews, show that there is a positive impact in the providers welfare and in the ecosystems health.
Adaptative design and management of a payment for ecosystem services scheme in Copan Ruinas, Honduras
Authors: Madrigal Ballestero R. , Alpizar Rodriguez F.
Published: October 2014

This article presents a case study of development of a Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) program related to drinking water in the city of Copán Ruinas, Honduras. The methodology used for the design and the implementation of this program is based on an integrated and adaptive management approach. It includes the following elements: general diagnostic, definition of objectives, analysis of enabling conditions, technical design, implementation and evaluation. This paper presents the empirical results of the application of this methodology and, in particular, highlights the application of a performance-based payment system to remunerate local peasants in accordance to their land use decisions.
Identifying forest structure types using National Forest Inventory Data: the case of sessile oak forest in the Cantabrian range
Authors: Reque J. A. , Bravo F.
Published: October 2014

The objective of this work was the creation of a structural stand classification for sessile oak dominated forests in the Cantabrian Range (northern Spain) as a basic tool for typological inventories. A dichotomous classification system and discriminant classification equations of nine forest types were defined with an accuracy of more than 95% by evaluating the data of the second Spanish National Forest Inventory (SNFI). The presence of large old trees appears as one of the main characteristics of the Cantabrian sessile oak forests. The structure assessment method presented in this study, based on a dataset (SNFI) and free-access software, can be considered an important low-cost alternative to traditional quantitative inventory methods.
Prediction of standard particleboard mechanical properties utilizing an artificial neural network and subsequent comparison with a multivariate regression model
Authors: García Fernández F. , García Esteban L. , De Palacios P. , Navarro M. , Conde M.
Published: October 2014

The physical properties (specific gravity, moisture content, thickness swelling and water absorption) and mechanical properties (internal bond strength, bending strength and modulus of elasticity) were determined on 93 Spanish-manufactured standard particleboards of different thicknesses selected randomly at the end of the production process. The testing methods of the corresponding European standards (EN) were used, except in the case of the thickness swelling and absorption tests, for which the Spanish UNE standard was used. The thickness and the values obtained for the physical properties were entered into an artificial neural network in order to predict the mechanical properties of the board. The fit was compared with the usual multivariate regression models. The use of a neural network made it possible to obtain the values of bending strength, modulus of elasticity and internal bond strength of the boards utilizing the known data, not only of thickness, moisture content and specific gravity, but also of thickness swelling and water absorption. The neural network proposed is much better adapted to the observed values than any of the multivariate regression models obtained.
Short Communication. A simple method for trapping Hylobius abietis (L.) alive in northern Spain
Authors: Moreira X. , Costas R. , Sampedro L. , Zas R.
Published: October 2014

Hylobius abietis (L.) is the most economically important pest of coniferous seedlings in clear-cut areas in Europe. Adult weevils cause extensive damage by feeding on the bark of newly planted seedlings on clear felled coniferous stands. During the last 20 years, several studies have tried to find an effective method for trapping H. abietis in north Europe, but there is no information for the warmer countries of southern Europe. In this study, α-pinene and turpentine in combination with ethanol as attractants, and pine bark or pine branches as trap substrate were used to trap alive H. abietis in NW Spain. The combination of α-pinene and ethanol obtained nearly 7-fold greater captures than the control. However, there were no significant differences between α-pinene and turpentine. The catches were also significantly affected by the substrate used in the traps. Fresh pine bark impregnated with turpentine and ethanol achieved nearly 11-fold greater captures than branches as substrate. The use of pine bark plus turpentine (40 mL) and ethanol (20 mL) appeared as an effective and cheap alternative to capture H. abietis in Spain.
What to take into account to develop cork weight models?: review and statistical considerations
Authors: Vázquez-Piqué J. , Pereira H.
Published: October 2014

In this paper we present a critical revision of the published cork yield models at tree and stand level with the aim of underlying the different issues that need to be taken into account in such models. After stressing the importance of this kind of models in the management of cork oak forests, the review focuses in their statistical aspects, from the variables that are used, functional forms, fitting methods and variable selection to the analysis of the initial hypothesis and validation.
Coarse dead wood volume of managed Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) stands in Turkey
Authors: Atici E. , Colak A.H. , Rotherham I.D.
Published: October 2014

As a result of " clean management " systems in forests, many species are lost or reduced to the point of being endangered. This is a broad term which refers to the pursuit of a tidy, system of intensively productive forest in which dead and dying wood, standing and fallen, is rigorously removed or cleansed from the system. This is because foresters believed that such wood harboured diseases and pests. The consequence of such policies applied over decades or in some cases centuries has been a massive depletion of the resource and serious declines of removal of biodiversity. This study assesses the amount of coarse dead wood in oriental beech forests in Turkey. The total volume of dead wood was revealed as 22.87 +/- 4.34 cubic m/ha; made up of 3.37 +/- 1.41 cubic m/ha (15%) as snag1 (standing dead wood with dried tips and intact top), 9.87 +/- 2.2 cubic m/ha (43%) as snag2 (standing dead wood with bark loosened and broken top), 4.13 +/- 1.9 cubic m/ha (18%) as log1 (newly fallen dead wood), and 5.51 +/- 1.99 cubic m/ha (24%) as log2 (rotted fallen dead wood). From this research the managed oriental beech stands in Turkey can be described as relatively dead wood-rich. The proportion of the total dead wood volume (%) of oriental beech stands investigated 4.81 +/- 4.72 percent of the total living wood volume. There were significant differences (F sub(14;65)= 4.109***, and SNK -Student-Newman-Keuls- = 3.99) in dead wood volume between the main study areas (min.: 4.46 cubic m/ha; max.: 46.11 cubic m/ha). This was due to the topography and particularly the steep slopes, and the road network infrastructure which influences the situation through local timber production. It is hoped that this study of oriental beech forests, may guide managers in considering dead wood and processes of decomposition in managing forests in Turkey, Southeastern Europe, the Northern Caucasus, Northern Iran and Syria.