bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intracorneal Ring Segments Implantation Followed by Same-day Topography-guided PRK and Corneal Collagen CXL in Low to Moderate Keratoconus
Authors: Al-Tuwairqi Waleed , Sinjab Mazen M.
Published: January 2013

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intrastromal corneal ring segments (ICRS) implantation followed by same-day topography-guided photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and ultraviolet-A/riboflavin collagen cross-linking (CXL) in patients with low to moderate keratoconus.

METHODS:

Patients with low to moderate keratoconus and contact lens intolerance were included in the study. All patients first underwent femtosecond laser–enabled placement of ICRS (Keraring, Mediphacos) (first step). Same-day topography-guided PRK and CXL (second step) were subsequently performed in all patients after the refraction was stable (average 6 months [range: 3 to 11 months]).

RESULTS:

Thirteen eyes from 13 patients were included in the study. Based on values before the first step and 6 months after the second step, significant improvements were noted in uncorrected distance visual acuity (0.7±0.32 logMAR vs 0.08±0.08 logMAR), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) (0.16±0.19 logMAR vs 0.02±0.04 log-MAR), sphere (−3.65±3.08 diopters [D] vs 0.06±1.6 D), astigmatism (−3.31±1.5 D vs −0.98±0.75 D), average K (47.28±1.99 D vs 41.42±3.22 D), and coma (2.36±1.23
μ
m vs 1.47±0.68
μ
m) (
P
<.05). Approximately 63% of eyes gained ⩾2 lines of CDVA, whereas no change in CDVA was reported in ∼27% of eyes. No eyes lost lines of CDVA.

CONCLUSIONS:

The combination of ICRS implantation followed by sequential same-day topography-guided PRK/CXL may be a reasonable option for improving visual acuity in patients with low to moderate keratoconus.
Assessment of Corneal Biomechanical Behavior Under Posterior and Anterior Pressure
Authors: Yu Ji-guo , Bao Fang-jun , Feng Yi-fan , Whitford Charles , Ye Ting , Huang Yan-bing , Wang Qin-mei , Elsheikh Ahmed
Published: January 2013

PURPOSE:

To determine the biomechanical response of the rabbit cornea to inflation under posterior and anterior pressure.

METHODS:

Twelve Japanese white rabbits were included in the study. A randomly selected eye from each animal was subjected to posterior pressure in an inflation test rig, and the other eye was subjected to anterior pressure after manually reversing its curvature. Specimens were loaded by cycles of pressure up to 40 mmHg, and the experimentally obtained pressure-deformation data were used to derive the stress–strain behavior of each eye using an inverse modeling procedure.

RESULTS:

The differences between the two groups in corneal thickness, diameter, and intraocular pressure (IOP) were not statistically significant (
P
=.935, .879 and .368, respectively). Corneas tested under posterior pressure displayed significantly higher stiffness (as measured by the tangent modulus) than those inflated by anterior pressure (
P<
.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Cornea is a nonlinear viscoelastic tissue that presents different mechanical properties when tested under posterior and anterior pressure. The determination of the behavior under both forms of pressure could contribute to the construction of accurate finite element simulations of corneal behavior and the correction of tonometric IOP measurements. The difference in mechanical behavior between anteriorly and posteriorly loaded corneas in the study, although significant, could have been partly affected by the changes in microstructure possibly caused by changing corneal form to enable anterior loading.
Elogio de una nueva sección a propósito de la optimización del tubo
Authors: Albareda A. , Maristany J. , Alentorn J.
Published: January 2013

Las secciones tubulares ofrecen una respuesta excelente frente a multitud de solicitaciones diversas. A pesar de esto, el uso de este tipo de secciones es relativamente reciente por su desconocimiento y su complejidad de comportamiento. Combinándolas con un relleno de hormigón, mejoran notablemente su rendimiento para dar lugar a unas secciones mixtas, en dónde ambos materiales no sólo se complementan sino que en muchos casos mejoran sus prestaciones. Este texto enumera las ventajas de este tipo de secciones, a la vez que analiza la aplicabilidad de una nueva tipología seccional que va un paso más allá de las mixtas convencionales: las tubulares mixtas aligeradas. Esta nueva tipología optimiza la resistencia seccional a la vez que rentabiliza material frente al pandeo del pilar. El artículo pretende divulgar y proponer la introducción de este tipo de secciones en las nuevas arquitecturas, desde el punto de vista de la prefabricación
Semantic Web Technologies for the Reuse and Adaptation of Educational Documents in E-Learning
Authors: Abderrahman Chekry , Mohamed Khaldi
Published: January 2013

This work is about adapting the content of learning with learnerâ??s preferences, and gives the teachers the ability to reuse a given content.
Formation of Training Environment by Means of Didactic Design
Authors: Vaktina Elena , Vostrukhin Aleksandr
Published: January 2013

Recent studies have argued the necessity of revealing pedagogical conditions in the university educational process for formation of the future engineersâ?? readiness to productive and innovative activity. Training environment creates the system of pedagogical conditions and effects on the development of student qualities. We offers the didactic design as a technology for formation and development process management for future engineers by creation of training environment of the given quality. This technology has the spiral phase organization: modeling, designing, constructing and operation. The application of the didactic design on the example of the educational resource for programming microcontroller is considered. The submitted technology develops modern engineering educational practice in the field of creation of the developing training environment.
The Changes of Ergonomics in Hungary and Engineering Education
Authors: Lükö Istvan
Published: January 2013

Modern engineer training is not conceivable without knowledge of work psychology and ergonomics. In this paper, we would like to outline the situation of work psychology and ergonomics as well as their changes in Hungary. The technical approach to health and safety is linked to human health care, and, through that, to ergonomics. The traditional notion of ergonomics is the 'ergonomics of scales, levers and pedals', which has now become a field of research helping the development of socio-technical systems. Here, we present the developmental stages of ergonomics, divided into six periods, first, and then the relationship between environmental ergonomics and health and safety. In the last chapter, I shall expound a few details from Hungarian investigations in work psychology, as well as from the activity of prominent academic circles at certain universities.
Bringing Reality into Calculus Classrooms: Mathematizing a Real-life Problem Simulated in a Virtual Environment
Authors: Shipulina Olga V. , Smith David Harris , Liljedahl Peter
Published: January 2013

The study explores how students, who had completed the AP calculus course, mathematized the optimal navigation real-life problem simulated in the Second Life Virtual Environment. The particular research interest was to investigate whether/how studentsâ?? empirical activity in VE influences the way of their mathematizing.
Rethinking Effective Teaching and Learning for the Design of Efficient Curriculum for Technical Teachers
Authors: Rüütmann Tiia , Kipper Hants
Published: January 2013

Technical teachers need to possess skills in at least two distinct areas: engineering discipline and the art of teaching, balancing these two areas, knowing in-action how to do it in real-life situations and for real professional purposes. Understanding student individualities and their different learning styles is one of the midpoints of teacher training. The newly designed curriculum for technical teachers makes scientifically-founded and practice-oriented teacher training possible. The aim of the study programme described is to abolish mismatches between common learning styles and traditional teaching styles. The implementation of the designed curriculum concentrates on interactive lectures and inductive teaching model. Contemporary teaching models and strategies motivate students to learn more effectively, providing future technical teachers with teaching techniques which address all learning styles.
Assimilation of ground versus lidar observations for PM10 forecasting
Authors: Wang Y. , Sartelet K. N. , Bocquet M. , Chazette P.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. This article investigates the potential impact of future ground-based lidar networks on analysis and short-term forecasts of particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 10 μm (PM10). To do so, an Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) is built for PM10 data assimilation (DA) using optimal interpolation (OI) over Europe for one month from 15 July to 15 August 2001. First, using a lidar network with 12 stations and representing the "true" atmosphere by a simulation called "nature run", we estimate the efficiency of assimilating the lidar network measurements in improving PM10 concentration for analysis and forecast. It is compared to the efficiency of assimilating concentration measurements from the AirBase ground network, which includes about 500 stations in western Europe. It is found that assimilating the lidar observations decreases by about 54% the root mean square error (RMSE) of PM10 concentrations after 12 h of assimilation and during the first forecast day, against 59% for the assimilation of AirBase measurements. However, the assimilation of lidar observations leads to similar scores as AirBase's during the second forecast day. The RMSE of the second forecast day is improved on average over the summer month by 57% by the lidar DA, against 56% by the AirBase DA. Moreover, the spatial and temporal influence of the assimilation of lidar observations is larger and longer. The results show a potentially powerful impact of the future lidar networks. Secondly, since a lidar is a costly instrument, a sensitivity study on the number and location of required lidars is performed to help define an optimal lidar network for PM10 forecasts. With 12 lidar stations, an efficient network in improving PM10 forecast over Europe is obtained by regularly spacing the lidars. Data assimilation with a lidar network of 26 or 76 stations is compared to DA with the previously-used lidar network. During the first forecast day, the assimilation of 76 lidar stations' measurements leads to a better score (the RMSE decreased by about 65%) than AirBase's (the RMSE decreased by about 59%).
Further examination of the thermodynamic modification of the inflow layer of tropical cyclones by vertical wind shear
Authors: Riemer M. , Montgomery M. T. , Nicholls M. E.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. Recent work has developed a new framework for the impact of vertical wind shear on the intensity evolution of tropical cyclones. A focus of this framework is on the frustration of the tropical cyclone's power machine by shear-induced, persistent downdrafts that flush relatively cool and dry (lower equivalent potential temperature, θe) air into the storm's inflow layer. These previous results have been based on idealised numerical experiments for which we have deliberately chosen a simple set of physical parameterisations. Before efforts are undertaken to test the proposed framework with real atmospheric data, we assess here the robustness of our previous results in a more realistic and representative experimental setup by surveying and diagnosing five additional numerical experiments. The modifications of the experimental setup comprise the values of the exchange coefficients of surface heat and momentum fluxes, the inclusion of experiments with ice microphysics, and the consideration of weaker, but still mature tropical cyclones. In all experiments, the depression of the inflow layer θe values is significant and all tropical cyclones exhibit the same general structural changes when interacting with the imposed vertical wind shear. Tropical cyclones in which strong downdrafts occur more frequently exhibit a more pronounced depression of inflow layer θe outside of the eyewall in our experiments. The magnitude of the θe depression underneath the eyewall early after shear is imposed in our experiments correlates well with the magnitude of the ensuing weakening of the respective tropical cyclone. Based on the evidence presented, it is concluded that the newly proposed framework is a robust description of intensity modification in our suite of experiments.
Efficient determination of vehicle emission factors by fuel use category using on-road measurements: downward trends on Los Angeles freight corridor I-710
Authors: Hudda N. , Fruin S. , Delfino R. J. , Sioutas C.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. To evaluate the success of vehicle emissions regulations, trends in both fleet-wide average emissions as well as high-emitter emissions are needed, but it is challenging to capture the full spread of vehicle emission factors (EFs) with chassis dynamometer or tunnel studies, and remote sensing studies cannot evaluate particulate compounds. We developed an alternative method that links real-time on-road pollutant measurements from a mobile platform with real-time traffic data, and allows efficient calculation of both the average and the spread of EFs for light-duty gasoline-powered vehicles (LDG) and heavy-duty diesel-powered vehicles (HDD). This is the first study in California to report EFs under a full range of real-world driving conditions on multiple freeways. Fleet average LDG EFs were in agreement with most recent studies and an order of magnitude lower than observed HDD EFs. HDD EFs reflected the relatively rapid decreases in diesel emissions that have recently occurred in Los Angeles/California, and on I-710, a primary route used for goods movement and a focus of additional truck fleet turnover incentives, HDD EFs were often lower than on other freeways. When freeway emission rates (ER) were quantified as the product of EF and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per time per mile of freeway, despite a two- to three-fold difference in HDD fractions between freeways, ERs were found to be generally similar in magnitude. Higher LDG VMT on low HDD fraction freeways largely offset the difference. Therefore, the conventional assumption that freeways with the highest HDD fractions are significantly worse sources of total emissions in Los Angeles may no longer be~true.
Evaluating and constraining ice cloud parameterizations in CAM5 using aircraft measurements from the SPARTICUS campaign
Authors: Zhang K. , Liu X. , Wang M. , Comstock J. M. , Mitchell D. L. , Mishra S. , Mace G. G.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. This study uses aircraft measurements of relative humidity and ice crystal size distribution collected in synoptic cirrus during the SPARTICUS (Small PARTicles In CirrUS) field campaign to evaluate and constrain ice cloud parameterizations in the Community Atmosphere Model version 5. The probability density function (PDF) of ice crystal number concentration (Ni) derived from high frequency (1 Hz) measurements features a strong dependence on ambient temperature. As temperature decreases from −35 °C to −62 °C, the peak in the PDF shifts from 10–20 L−1 to 200–1000 L−1, while the ice crystal number concentration shows a factor of 6–7 increase. Model simulations are performed with two different in-situ ice nucleation schemes. One of the schemes can reproduce a clear increase of Ni with decreasing temperature, by using either an observation based ice nuclei spectrum or a classical theory based spectrum with a relatively low (5–10%) maximum freezing ratio for dust aerosols. The simulation with the other scheme, which assumes a high maximum freezing ratio (100%), shows much weaker temperature dependence of Ni. Simulations are also performed to test empirical parameters related to water vapor deposition and the auto-conversion of ice crystals to snow. Results show that a value between 0.05 and 0.1 for the water vapor deposition coefficient and 250 μm for the critical ice crystal size can produce good agreements between model simulation and the SPARTICUS measurements in terms of ice crystal number concentration and effective radius. The climate impact of perturbing these parameters is also discussed.
Seasonal and spatial variability of the organic matter-to-organic carbon mass ratios in Chinese urban organic aerosols and a first report of high correlations between aerosol oxalic acid and zinc
Authors: Xing L. , Fu T.-M. , Cao J. J. , Lee S. C. , Wang G. H. , Ho K. F. , Cheng M.-C. , You C.-F. , Wang T. J.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. We calculated the organic matter to organic carbon mass ratios (OM/OC mass ratios) in PM2.5 collected from 14 Chinese cities during summer and winter of 2003 and analyzed the causes for their seasonal and spatial variability. The OM/OC mass ratios were calculated two ways. Using a mass balance method, the calculated OM/OC mass ratios averaged 1.92 ± 0.39 yr-round, with no significant seasonal or spatial variation. The second calculation was based on chemical species analyses of the organic compounds extracted from the PM2.5 samples using dichloromethane/methanol and water. The calculated OM/OC mass ratio in summer was relatively high (1.75 ± 0.13) and spatially-invariant, due to vigorous photochemistry and secondary OA production throughout the country. The calculated OM/OC mass ratio in winter (1.59 ± 0.18) was significantly lower than that in summer, with lower values in northern cities (1.51 ± 0.07) than in southern cities (1.65 ± 0.15). This likely reflects the wider usage of coal for heating purposes in northern China in winter, in contrast to the larger contributions from biofuel and biomass burning in southern China in winter. On average, organic matters constituted 36% and 34% of Chinese urban PM2.5 mass in summer and winter, respectively. We reported, for the first time, high correlations between Zn and oxalic acid in Chinese urban aerosols in summer. This is consistent with the formation of stable Zn oxalate complex in the aerosol phase previously proposed by Furukawa and Takahashi (2011). We found that many other dicarboxylic acids were also highly correlated with Zn in the summer Chinese urban aerosol samples, suggesting that they may also form stable organic complexes with Zn. Such formation may have profound implications for the atmospheric abundance and hygroscopic property of aerosol dicarboxylic acids.
Radiative effects of desert dust on weather and regional climate
Authors: Spyrou C. , Kallos G. , Mitsakou C. , Athanasiadis P. , Kalogeri C. , Iacono M.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. Mineral dust aerosols exert a significant effect on both solar and terrestrial radiation. By absorbing and scattering the solar radiation aerosols reduce the amount of energy reaching the surface. In addition, aerosols enhance the greenhouse effect by absorbing and emitting outgoing longwave radiation. Desert dust forcing exhibits large regional and temporal variability due to its short lifetime and diverse optical properties, further complicating the quantification of the Direct Radiative Effect (DRE). The complexity of the links and feedbacks of dust on radiative transfer indicate the need of an integrated approach in order to examine these impacts. In order to examine these feedbacks, the SKIRON limited area model has been upgraded to include the RRTMG (Rapid Radiative Transfer Model – GCM) radiative transfer model that takes into consideration the aerosol radiative effects. It was run for a 6 yr period. Two sets of simulations were performed, one without the effects of dust and the other including the radiative feedback. The results were first evaluated using aerosol optical depth data to examine the capabilities of the system in describing the desert dust cycle. Then the aerosol feedback on radiative transfer has been quantified and the links between dust and radiation have been studied. The study has revealed a strong interaction between dust particles and solar and terrestrial radiation, with several implications on the energy budget of the atmosphere. A profound effect is the increased absorption (in the shortwave and longwave) in the lower troposphere and the induced modification of the atmospheric temperature profile. These feedbacks depend strongly on the spatial distribution of dust and have more profound effects where the number of particles is greater, such as near their source.
Temporal biomass dynamics of an Arctic plankton bloom in response to increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide
Authors: Schulz K. G. , Bellerby R. G. J. , Brussaard C. P. D. , Büdenbender J. , Czerny J. , Engel A. , Fischer M. , Koch-Klavsen S. , Krug S. A. , Lischka S. , Ludwig A. , Meyerhöfer M. , Nondal G. , Silyakova A. , Stuhr A. , Riebesell U.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. Ocean acidification and carbonation, driven by anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), have been shown to affect a variety of marine organisms and are likely to change ecosystem functioning. High latitudes, especially the Arctic, will be the first to encounter profound changes in carbonate chemistry speciation at a large scale, namely the under-saturation of surface waters with respect to aragonite, a calcium carbonate polymorph produced by several organisms in this region. During a CO2 perturbation study in Kongsfjorden on the west coast of Spitsbergen (Norway), in the framework of the EU-funded project EPOCA, the temporal dynamics of a plankton bloom was followed in nine mesocosms, manipulated for CO2 levels ranging initially from about 185 to 1420 μatm. Dissolved inorganic nutrients were added halfway through the experiment. Autotrophic biomass, as identified by chlorophyll a standing stocks (Chl a), peaked three times in all mesocosms. However, while absolute Chl a concentrations were similar in all mesocosms during the first phase of the experiment, higher autotrophic biomass was measured as high in comparison to low CO2 during the second phase, right after dissolved inorganic nutrient addition. This trend then reversed in the third phase. There were several statistically significant CO2 effects on a variety of parameters measured in certain phases, such as nutrient utilization, standing stocks of particulate organic matter, and phytoplankton species composition. Interestingly, CO2 effects developed slowly but steadily, becoming more and more statistically significant with time. The observed CO2-related shifts in nutrient flow into different phytoplankton groups (mainly dinoflagellates, prasinophytes and haptophytes) could have consequences for future organic matter flow to higher trophic levels and export production, with consequences for ecosystem productivity and atmospheric CO2.
Effects of nitrification inhibitors (DCD and DMPP) on nitrous oxide emission, crop yield and nitrogen uptake in a wheat-maize cropping system
Authors: Liu C. , Wang K. , Zheng X.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. The application of nitrification inhibitors together with ammonium-based fertilizers is proposed as a potent method to decrease nitrous oxide (N2O) emission while promoting yield and nitrogen use efficiency in fertilized agricultural fields. To evaluate the effects of nitrification inhibitors, we conducted year-round measurements of N2O fluxes, yield, aboveground biomass, plant carbon and nitrogen contents, soil inorganic nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon contents and the main environmental factors for urea (U), urea + dicyandiamide (DCD) and urea + 3,4-dimethylpyrazol-phosphate (DMPP) treatments in a wheat-maize rotation field. The cumulative N2O emissions were calculated to be 4.49 ± 0.21, 2.93 ± 0.06 and 2.78 ± 0.16 kg N ha−1 yr−1 for the U, DCD and DMPP treatments, respectively. Therefore, the DCD and DMPP treatments decreased the annual emissions by 35% and 38%, respectively. The variations of soil temperature, moisture and inorganic nitrogen content regulated the seasonal fluctuation of N2O emissions. When the emissions presented clearly temporal variations, year-round and high-frequency measurements should be adopted to estimate annual cumulative emissions and treatment effects. The application of nitrification inhibitors increased the soil inorganic nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon availability and shifted the main soil inorganic nitrogen form from nitrate to ammonium. The annual yield, aboveground biomass and nitrogen uptake by aboveground plants increased by 8.5–9.1%, 8.6–9.7% and 10.9–13.2%, respectively, for the DCD and DMPP treatments compared with the U treatment. The results demonstrate the roles the nitrification inhibitors play in enhancing yield and nitrogen use efficiency and reducing N2O emission from the wheat-maize cropping system.
Excursions to C4 vegetation recorded in the Upper Pleistocene loess of Surduk (Northern Serbia): an organic isotope geochemistry study
Authors: Hatté C. , Gauthier C. , Rousseau D.-D. , Antoine P. , Fuchs M. , Lagroix F. , Markovich S. B. , Moine O. , Sima A.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. Loess sequences have been intensively studied to characterize past glacial climates of the 40–50 ° North and South latitude zones. Combining different approaches of sedimentology, magnetism, geochemistry, geochronology and malacology allows the general pattern of the climate and environment of the last interglacial-glacial cycle in Eurasia and America to be characterized. Previous studies performed in Europe have highlighted the predominance (if not the sole occurrence) of C3 vegetation. The presence of C3 plants suggests a regular distribution of precipitation along the year. Therefore, even if the mean annual precipitation remained very low during the most extensive glacial times, free water was available for more than 2 months per year. Contrarily, the δ13C record of Surduk (Serbia) clearly shows the occurrence and dominance of C4 plants during at least 4 episodes of the last glacial times at [26.0–28.0], [30.0–31.4], [44.5–53.4] and [66.1–86.8] (in kyrs cal. B.P.). The C4 plant development is interpreted as a specific atmospheric circulation pattern that induces short and dry summer conditions. As possible explanation, we propose that during "C4 episodes", the Mediterranean Sea would have been under the combined influence of the following: (i) a strong meridional circulation unfavorable to water evaporation that reduced the Mediterranean precipitation on the Balkans; and (ii) a high positive North Atlantic Western Russian (NAWR)-like atmospheric pattern that favored northerlies over westerlies and reduced Atlantic precipitation over the Balkans. This configuration would imply very dry summers that did not allow C3 plants to grow, thus supporting C4 development. The intra "C4 episode" periods would have occurred under less drastic oceanic and atmospheric patterns that made the influence of westerlies on the Balkans possible.
Natural organic matter removal by ion exchange at different positions in the drinking water treatment lane
Authors: Grefte A. , Dignum M. , Cornelissen E. R. , Rietveld L. C.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. To guarantee a good water quality at the customers tap, natural organic matter (NOM) should be (partly) removed during drinking water treatment. The objective of this research was to improve the biological stability of the produced water by incorporating anion exchange (IEX) for NOM removal. Different placement positions of IEX in the treatment lane (IEX positioned before coagulation, before ozonation or after slow sand filtration) and two IEX configurations (MIEX® and fluidized IEX (FIX)) were compared on water quality as well as costs. For this purpose the pre-treatment plant at Loenderveen and production plant Weesperkarspel of Waternet were used as a case study. Both, MIEX® and FIX were able to remove NOM (mainly the HS fraction) to a high extent. NOM removal can be done efficiently before ozonation and after slow sand filtration. The biological stability, in terms of assimilable organic carbon, biofilm formation rate and dissolved organic carbon, was improved by incorporating IEX for NOM removal. The operational costs were assumed to be directly dependent of the NOM removal rate and determined the difference between the IEX positions. The total costs for IEX for the three positions were approximately equal (0.0631 € m−3), however the savings on following treatment processes caused a cost reduction for the IEX positions before coagulation and before ozonation compared to IEX positioned after slow sand filtration. IEX positioned before ozonation was most cost effective and improved the biological stability of the treated water.
Air shower simulation for background estimation in muon tomography of volcanoes
Authors: Béné S. , Boivin P. , Busato E. , Cârloganu C. , Combaret C. , Dupieux P. , Fehr F. , Gay P. , Labazuy P. , Laktineh I. , Lénat J.-F. , Miallier D. , Mirabito L. , Niess V. , Portal A. , Vulpescu B.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. One of the main sources of background for the radiography of volcanoes using atmospheric muons comes from the accidental coincidences produced in the muon telescopes by charged particles belonging to the air shower generated by the primary cosmic ray. In order to quantify this background effect, Monte Carlo simulations of the showers and of the detector are developed by the TOMUVOL collaboration. As a first step, the atmospheric showers were simulated and investigated using two Monte Carlo packages, CORSIKA and GEANT4. We compared the results provided by the two programs for the muonic component of vertical proton-induced showers at three energies: 1, 10 and 100 TeV. We found that the spatial distribution and energy spectrum of the muons were in good agreement for the two codes.
Sedimentation monitoring including uncertainty analysis in complex floodplains: a case study in the Mekong Delta
Authors: Manh N. V. , Merz B. , Apel H.
Published: January 2013

Abstract. Quantity and quality of sediment deposition in complex floodplains are affected by many uncertain factors, ranging from suspended sediment transport dynamics in rivers and floodplain channel interactions to internal floodplain processes. In consequence, any point measurement of sedimentation in floodplains contains a high degree of uncertainty calling for a careful analysis of the measured data. However, uncertainty analyses are not documented in publications on floodplain sedimentation data. Therefore the presented work illustrates a field sampling strategy aiming at the quantification of uncertainties associated to sediment deposition data, as well as the spatial variability of sediments deposition on floodplains. The study was performed in the Mekong Delta (MD), being an example for a large and complex floodplain with a high degree of anthropogenic disturbances. We present a procedure for the quantification of the uncertainty associated to the data, based on the design of the monitoring campaign and floodplain characteristics. Sediment traps were distributed strategically over the floodplain in clusters of three mat traps representing one monitoring point. The uncertainty originating from collection of the traps in ponding water is quantified by lab experiments. The uncertainty of a single monitoring point is then quantified in a Monte Carlo simulation, propagating the uncertainty from the different uncertainty sources to final uncertainty bounds of the monitored sediment data. For the case study area, it is shown that there are no correlations in the spatial distribution of sedimentation in floodplains. This can be explained by the highly complex channel and dike system and the high number of hydraulic structures. However, it can be shown that within single floodplain compartments the spatial deposition variability depends on the dike levels and operation and location of hydraulic structures.
The Policy Trajectory of United States Asteroid Deflection Planning
Authors: Packer Joseph , Kurr Jeffrey A. , Abelkop Adam
Published: January 2013

Recent scientific studies document how potential dangers posed by asteroid collisions with Earth have been previously underestimated. These findings are alarming given the prevailing trajectory of US asteroid deflection policy, characterized by uncritical reliance on scientifically questionable deflection methods, such as nuclear interception. Numerous intercollegiate policy debate contests provided the authors with opportunities to survey the relevant policy literature and test alternative proposals for asteroid deflection planning. This article translates the results of the interactive research, reflecting on the historical backdrop of the threat posed to the planet by near-Earth Objects (NEOs), considering the relative merits of proposed deflection policies, exploring the issue’s connection with ballistic missile defense debates, and finally offering a call to action.
The Cinematic Land of Tapio: Suburban Finland Reimagined
Authors: Viitanen Essi
Published: January 2013

The paper examines how the suburban spaces of Tapiola in Finland are cinematically reimagined in Jaakko Pakkasvirta’s film The Green Widow (1968). The film was produced during a time of rapid urbanization, the development of the Finnish welfare nation, and the birth of the Finnish suburb. The design, renaming, and construction of the Tapiola area especially became an excercise in creating a visual representation of the welfare policies and thus quite literally contributed to the building of a nation. This official vision of Tapiola is challenged by Pakkasvirta’s The Green Widow. The film focuses on the lived experience of the suburb from the point of view of a housewife and constructs a very different visual world. The relationship between the concrete built environment and the cinematically-imagined one become competing versions of reality.
Shifting Realities: Migration and Surreality in the Work of Remedios Varo
Authors: Sutherland Camilla
Published: January 2013

This paper will examine Spanish painter Remedios Varo’s attempts to capture the complexities of immigrant reality during her exile in Mexico between 1941 and1963. It will analyse themes of displacement and migration within her oeuvre, focusing on the following three concepts: migration as escape, perpetual motion, and permeable spaces. Through this analysis, it aims to interrogate the manner in which the unfixing of traditional notions of reality, seen within Varo’s work, was both influenced by and articulates the experience of exile.
Realism Bites! The Impact of a Fictional Teen Suicide on West German Public Debates in the 1980s
Authors: Bloch Kinga
Published: January 2013

In 2002 the American remake of the Japanese horror movie called The Ring (1998) made the hair of millions of viewers stand on end when an evil little girl crawled out of the television set and went on to murder innocent people. Even though a physical manifestation of this situation is impossible, the fear that something might come out of television and tear the fragile boundary between reality and fiction is a real phenomenon accompanying the ascent of this medium. However, to date this fear has not been systematically explored in research. This paper addresses this research gap by conducting a retrospective analysis of the fears and concerns aroused by a mini-series that was screened in West Germany in the early 1980s. The story of Tod eines Schülers (Death of a Schoolboy) depicts a pupil’s growing problems during his final year at secondary school which eventually lead to his suicide. Based on press articles, psychological research and archive materials this case study will explore how the fictional interpretation of a pupil’s tragic death caused and contributed to medial, political and scientific agenda setting.
Post-Mortem Projections: Medieval Mystical Resurrection and the Return of Tupac Shakur
Authors: Spencer-Hall Alicia
Published: January 2013

Medieval hagiographies abound with tales of post-mortem visits and miracles by saints. The saint was a powerful religious individual both in life and in death, a conduit of divine grace and lightning rod for Christian fervour. With her post-mortem presence, the presumptive boundary between living and dead, spirit and flesh, is rent apart: showing the reality of the hereafter and shattering the fantasies of the mortal world. The phenomenon of a glorified individual returning to a worshipful community after their apparent mortal expiration is not just medieval. In April 2012, the rapper Tupac Shakur “performed” on stage at the Coachella music festival. Tupac was murdered in 1996; his ghostly presence was the result of a hologram. His holographic form, the “Pac-O-Gram”, took to the stage to a breathless crowd of fans. The holographic performance is a product of technological advances. Yet reports of the holographic performance were filled with references to Tupac’s “resurrection”, a significant word choice, and one which links the rapper’s return with medieval hagiography more than the advance of technology. What can an examination of the modern example of the Pac-O-Gram and examples drawn from medieval hagiography of the dead returning to life add to each other?
Lost In Thought: Authenticity in Rap and Literature – A Swedish Case Study
Authors: Smalley Nichola
Published: January 2013

This article explores the notion of authenticity as expressed in literature and in rap. In order to do this, I have chosen two texts that were produced in similar time periods and take as their subject similar conditions and locations. I show how authenticity can be both recreated and destabilised, with the help of two Swedish texts: a rap, and a short story. The two texts in question are The Latin Kings’ ‘Borta i tankar’ (‘Lost in Thought’), and Alejandro Leiva Wenger’s ‘Borta i tankar’ (‘Lost in Thought’). Both texts engage with social conditions in Sweden at the turn of the millennium. The two texts are connected by more than just their name, with the most obvious intersection being the themes they both address. The lyrics of Dogge Doggelito (The Latin Kings’ frontman) depict the struggle of a young man seeking to make something of himself in difficult circumstances. Similarly, Leiva Wenger relates the story of a young man attempting to come to terms with his own abilities, tolerances and opportunities, and the expectations of those around him. However, as I will argue, there are aspects of both texts that make their relationship to authenticity more complex.
On Music in Samuel Beckett
Authors: Shen Xuyan
Published: January 2013

What is the importance of music in Samuel Beckett’s aesthetics? This essay discusses Samuel Beckett’s writings from the perspective of music as a thought-mechanism. The main focus of my essay lies in the subtle meanings contained in the trope “music”, rather than any specific musical composition. I shall start by reading closely the coda of Beckett’s Proust and formulate several key elements in defining the Beckettian “music”. The following Interlude on John Keats’s To Autumn discusses the relationship between language and the imagination of “music”. The poem can help us better understand Beckett’s aesthetics. Then with reference to Gilles Deleuze and Alain Badiou, I offer an analysis of three specific kinds of languages Beckett uses to process the “music” in his writings – the language of cutting, the language of blending, and the language of gap, each of them as a stride closer to the imagination of “music”.
Solitary Flight of Geese
Authors: Krishnan Sneha
Published: January 2013

This picture was shot at Buckingham Palace, London. This symbolic picture stands as a metaphor for the confidence and strength characteristic of the feeling of being loved, cherished and nourished. Birds are imaginative creatures and have historically been a species of interest for research.
Vulnerability in Disasters II
Authors: Krishnan Sneha
Published: January 2013

Schools and classrooms are used as relief camps during floods, which poses a huge challenge to maintaining educational levels.
Village Shop, Aru, Pahalgam
Authors: Prinzl Marlies
Published: January 2013

A shop in a small village in Aru, Pahalgam, located in the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. A hundred years ago the state was a popular summer retreat for the British colonisers keen to escape the heat of Delhi, but nowadays travel advisories in place from many countries mean that few foreign tourists make it there.
Laundry Colours
Authors: Prinzl Marlies
Published: January 2013

Within the more upscale neighbourhood of Vasant Vihar in New Delhi, India, you can still find some poorer areas. Wandering around there are many colourful sights to be seen, but particularly striking are the turquoise-blue walls that the residents seem to favour as well as the clothes lines that seem to be every- and anywhere.
Enraizamento de miniestacas e produtividade de minicepas de cedro australiano manejadas em canaletões e tubetes
Authors: Silva Mírian Peixoto Soares da , Barroso Deborah Guerra , Souza Juliana Sobreira de , Ferreira Daniele de Alvarenga , Carneiro José Geraldo de Araújo
Published: January 2013

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/198050987552Os povoamentos florestais plantados buscam atender à demanda crescente por madeira, principalmente, para as indústrias de serraria e de laminação, que utilizavam madeira exclusivamente de matas nativas. O cedro australiano (Toona ciliata), pertencente à família Meliaceae, é uma das espécies de interesse desse setor. Pela necessidade cada vez maior por mudas de alta qualidade, estudos sobre propagação de cedro australiano têm sido realizados nos últimos anos, principalmente envolvendo o uso da miniestaquia. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar o enraizamento e a capacidade produtiva das minicepas de cedro australiano, manejadas em sistemas de canaletões e em tubetes de 180 cm3. Assim, estabeleceram-se dois minijardins de minicepas formadas a partir de mudas recepadas, produzidas por sementes. Nestes dois sistemas, foram realizadas coletas sucessivas de brotações para confecção de miniestacas, que permaneceram por 30 dias no setor de enraizamento, em câmara com nebulização intermitente. Após este período, foram avaliadas as características do enraizamento das mudas originadas nos dois sistemas de minijardins testados, que foram conduzidos por sete meses e, durante este período, foram realizadas seis coletas no minijardim de canaletão e quatro, no de tubetes. As minicepas dos dois sistemas apresentam 100 % de sobrevivência. Ao final do período observou-se tendência no aumento do número médio de miniestacas em ambos os sistemas. As minicepas do sistema de minijardim em canaletão são mais produtivas que as do sistema conduzido em tubetes. As mudas originadas de miniestacas do sistema de tubetes apresentam maior número e comprimento de raízes adventícias na expedição do setor de enraizamento.
Biomarcadores derivados de planta e de microrganismos em solos de tabuleiros costeiros cultivados com eucalipto e acácia
Authors: Pegoraro Rodinei Facco , Silva Ivo Ribeiro da , Novais Roberto Ferreira de , Barros Nairam Felix de , Fonseca Sebastião
Published: January 2013

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/198050987554Alterações no sistema de manejo pelo cultivo de diferentes povoamentos florestais e a utilização de rotação de culturas podem levar a alterações na qualidade da matéria orgânica do solo (MOS) e deposição de resíduos vegetais. O presente estudo avaliou o estádio de decomposição e a contribuição de compostos de origem vegetal e microbiana para a MOS por meio de biomarcadores, tais como: fenóis derivados de lignina, carboidratos e aminoaçúcares em monocultivos do Eucalyptus urograndis (clone do Eucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake x Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Spreng) de ciclo curto (sete anos), sistemas de cultivo de rotação de acácia (Acacia mangium Willd.) após monocultivo de eucalipto, monocultivo de eucalipto de ciclo longo (24 anos) e mata nativa (Mata Atlântica) como condição original de solo do litoral Norte do Espírito do Santo. Para tanto, foram estimados nas amostras de solo e serapilheira os teores de C orgânico total (COT), N total (NT), teores de fenóis derivados de lignina (VSC), carboidratos e aminoaçúcares derivados da atividade microbiana no solo e, as relações ácidos e aldeídos dos grupamentos vanilil ((Ac/Al)Vanilil) e siringil ((Ac/Al)Siringil) da lignina, relação hexoses/pentoses (H/P) dos carboidratos e, relações glucosamina/ácido murâmico (Gluc/Mur.) e glucosamina/galactosamina (Gluc/Gal) dos aminoaçúcares. Os resultados indicaram que na serapilheira do monocultivo de eucalipto de ciclo curto houve maior deposição da matéria seca, teor de lignina (VSC) e carboidratos, relação C/N e VSC/N; Semelhante proporção de resíduos grossos, resíduos finos e teor de C e, menor teor de N, comparado àquela sob rotação de acácia. No solo, o cultivo de acácia aumentou os teores de C, N e carboidratos, aumentou a relação ácido/aldeído do grupamento vanilil da lignina e a relação glucosamina/ácido murâmico dos aminoaçúcares derivados da atividade microbiana. O aumento do tempo de cultivo do eucalipto (24 anos) incrementou o teor de C e reduziu a relação VSC/N na MOS em comparação ao monocultivo de eucalipto de ciclo curto, e apresentou teor de C e N inferiores àqueles observados no solo de acácia e mata nativa. A menor relação ácidos/ aldeídos (Ac/Al) dos fenóis derivados de lignina no solo cultivado com eucalipto (de curto e longo ciclo) indica que a MOS encontra-se em estádio menos avançado de decomposição do que no solo cultivado com acácia, e naquele de mata nativa. Nos solos de acácia, seguido por aquele de eucalipto, a maior relação glucosamina/ácido murâmico sugere maior participação de fungos na comunidade microbiana, enquanto nas áreas de mata nativa e eucalipto de ciclo longo há mais abundância de compostos derivados de bactérias. Neste sentido, observou-se a recuperação na qualidade do solo cultivado com eucalipto de ciclo longo e rotacionado com acácia em relação ao monocultivo de eucalipto de ciclo curto.
Crescimento de mudas de Prunus brasiliensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) D. Dietr. em substratos à base de lodo de esgoto compostado e fertilizante mineral
Authors: Scheer Maurício Bergamini , Carneiro Charles , Santos Kaline Gomes dos
Published: January 2013

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/198050987555A crescente quantidade de resíduos sólidos produzidos pelo homem gera a necessidade de seu aproveitamento. Uma oportunidade é o uso de lodo de esgoto para atendimento da demanda por insumos alternativos no meio agrícola e florestal. Dessa maneira, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar o crescimento de Prunus brasiliensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) D. Dietr. (pessegueiro-bravo) em substratos de lodo de esgoto aeróbio compostado com restos de podas de árvores trituradas, com diferentes níveis de fertilizante, e comparar o crescimento destas mudas com as produzidas em substrato comercial, normalmente utilizado em viveiros florestais. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação entre julho e outubro de 2008 e em área de rustificação entre novembro de 2008 e fevereiro de 2009, pertencentes à Companhia de Saneamento do Paraná - SANEPAR, localizado no município de Araucária, PR. Foram testados três níveis (0; 2,7 e 4 g dm-3) de fertilizante granulado de liberação lenta (N; P2O5; K2O - 15-9-12) em três tipos de substratos: substrato comercial de casca de pinus (Pinus sp.) compostada e vermiculita e, substratos de resíduos de podas de árvores trituradas compostadas com lodo de esgoto aeróbio nas proporções 2:1 e 3:1 (v:v). Aos sete meses de idade das mudas, foram mensuradas as seguintes variáveis: altura, diâmetro de colo e biomassa seca aérea (folhas e ramos). Os compostos à base de lodo de esgoto indicam crescimento para Prunus brasiliensis maiores aos obtidos pelos tratamentos utilizando substrato comercial à base de casca de Pinus compostada e vermiculita. Para ambos os compostos à base de lodo de esgoto, o nível intermediário de fertilizante (2,7 g dm-3) apresenta resultados similares ao nível superior (4 g dm-3) para a maioria das variáveis testadas.