bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
International Land Deals and Agricultural Investment in Ethiopia
Authors: Alemu Kassa T.
Published: December 2014

This chapter investigates land deals processes and the effects on livelihoods in Gambella and Benishangul-Gumuz. It applies quantitative and qualitative data from primary and secondary sources. It describes the land deals, actors involved, and the effect of the deal on villagers' land rights, food security, job creation, technology transfer, and sustainable use of natural resources. The study concludes that the government effort towards large-scale land deals and agricultural investment is promising. However, there is a gap regarding making the deals a win-win situation for stakeholders. Therefore, it is recommended that the governance of land deals need to be improved, and the capacity of the three actors—the government, investors, and local communities—need to be developed to play their respective roles in the deals. It is also recommended that effective monitoring and control mechanisms related to large-scale agricultural investments should be put in place and properly implemented.
Factors Influencing Foreign Land Acquisition and Sustainable Development in Nigeria
Authors: Noah Yusuf , Abdulganiy Olatunji , Moshood Issah
Published: December 2014

Of the major factors of production, land is considered the most important. Land is such a valuable resources that the desire to acquire it has been a cause of struggle among the people virtually in all hitherto existing human societies. Land acquisition is influenced by numerous factors in which all play relevant roles in understanding the dynamics of land and its utilization among the people in the society. In Africa, foreign land acquisition has become a topical issue because of the richness of the African land resources, and the scamper for these resources has been a source of concern for many observers. This chapter analyzes the factors inhibiting foreign land acquisition in a developing country like Nigeria and examines the challenges posed by such practices to the attainment of sustainable development.
Land Deals, Dispossession, and the Threat to Peasant Livelihood in Northern Ghana
Authors: Gasu John , Agbley Gideon
Published: December 2014

The chapter discusses how the security of communal lands tenureship and the livelihood choices that such land entitlements confer on peasants in northern Ghana are being undermined by new forms of land deals. This is done against a background unlike the past. Northern Ghana is witnessing an influx of transnational organizations that are interested in establishing jatropha plantations as biofuel feedstock. The implications of direct land deals between traditional leaders and transnational corporations, which invariably involve large tracts of land and the livelihoods of the peasantry, is a matter of interest in this work. The vulnerability of traditional leaders caused by their weak institutional capacity and poverty push them to enter into agreements that they do not understand. The chapter examines both sides of the debate pertaining to the outcomes of the land transactions on livelihoods in light of the poverty in northern Ghana.
Sowing Political Capital and Harvesting Economic Regression
Authors: Matambirofa Francis
Published: December 2014

Since 2000, Zimbabwe has embarked on an unplanned “land reform” referred to as the Fast-Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP). The tumult experienced in its wake has infamously become known as the crisis in Zimbabwe. This chapter dissects and interrogates issues relating to competing variables such as land restorative and redistributive moral considerations, “hypocritical” political expedience, and, related to the latter, indigenous economic empowerment considerations that government used to justify FTLRP. The central hypothesis is that the economic and political crisis that FTLRP spawned was not, strictly speaking, “land reform,” but, by a figure of speech, only some aspirin that was meant to ease people's pain caused by economic and political challenges for which government did not have a solution. Adopting a stance of victim, underdog triumphalism, FTLRP was essentially a mischievous pretext for the ZANU(PF) government to coercively retain political power while sacrificing the economy, which inexorably imploded.
Supporting Dissertation Writing Using a Cognitive Apprenticeship Model
Authors: Swanson Karen Weller , West Jane , Carr Sherah , Augustine Sharon
Published: December 2014

The cognitive apprenticeship model (Collins, 2006; Collins, Brown, & Holum, 1991; Collins, Brown, & Newman, 1989) is one way to support doctoral student development, from student to scholar, in the dissertation writing process. The results of this apprenticeship are cognitive maturity (self-authorship, Baxter Magolda, 2004). Both cognitive apprenticeship and cognitive maturity are essential for writing the dissertation because it is a unique and high-stakes writing genre. Instructors and mentors must provide progressive levels of autonomous practice at the skills required to be a scholarly researcher and writer. This practice and support occurs in numerous forms during doctoral study. Thus, when students venture into the independent dissertation writing phase of the doctoral program, the level of skill transfer is much higher and the demand for support is lower but more specialized. This chapter specifically attends to scholarship and mentoring.
The Civic University, the Engaged Scholar
Authors: Lauzon Al
Published: December 2014

This chapter begins by arguing that universities and scholars have come under criticism for failing to address problems identified as relevant by their stakeholders—the general public—and there is a need to reclaim the civic mission of the university. This need arises as a result of our current inability to deal with “wicked problems.” The development of the modern university is then traced, arguing that while originally it was rooted in the “university as ivory tower” and then evolved into the “university as marketplace partner,” neither is adequate to meet contemporary needs. The university that is emerging—the “university as civic partner”—is described and its implications for scholarship explored. A case study is then presented as a means of illustrating the implicit ideas of this form of emerging scholarship and by reflecting on the case and its implication for how we understand scholarship. The challenges we face in transforming scholarship are then identified and discussed.
Learning and Teaching Qualitative Data Analysis in a US University
Authors: Drago-Severson Eleanor , Maslin-Ostrowski Pat , Asghar Anila , Gaylor Sue Stuebner
Published: December 2014

This chapter presents a case study that examines how the learning experience of graduate students enrolled in a seminar at a US university prepares them to conduct qualitative research, specifically data analysis. Adult development theory and literature related to doctoral student preparation for research and curriculum development informed the course design and data analysis. The research questions focus on course structure, pedagogical strategies, how doctoral students experience these aspects in learning qualitative research methods, and how faculty learned to identify and meet students' emerging needs. Findings include contextualized examples of how the course supported students, how students received feedback in developmentally different ways, and the role of student resistance and emotion in learning. This chapter highlights the need to create a context of supports and challenges for learners and illuminates the benefits of a constructivist curriculum with scaffolding for doctoral student development and learning to become a qualitative researcher.
Teachers as Researchers
Authors: Cranton Patricia
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce readers to how teachers can be taught about research in ways that are meaningful for them and relevant to their practice. The three main research paradigms are described, paradigms that are defined based on the kind of knowledge being sought. Mixed methods research is also acknowledged as possibly being in a fourth paradigm. It is action research and participatory action research (also called “teacher research”) that most closely illustrates how teachers can meaningfully engage in research relevant to their practice. These methodologies are described, and then a template for a research course for teachers is provided. Finally, practical examples of participatory and action research are provided, followed by suggestions for the future development of teacher research, including narrative inquiry and arts-based research.
Moore's Law and Social Theory
Authors: Beausoleil Angèle
Published: December 2014

The importance of technological innovation in defining and shaping our global economy has made it a central research topic over the past decade. The rise of electronics manufacturing technology, specifically the silicon transistor technology, is considered a major factor influencing technological innovation and in turn, affecting the world's economic and social transformation. The process of technological innovation generally involves getting new ideas accepted and converted into new technologies that are adopted and used. Sociologically, the innovation process can be observed as sequence of interconnected activities and mediations between human subjects and non-humans objects that are socially distributed and technologically connected. This paper observes technology industry's most eminent innovation edict known as Moore's Law, through one of sociology's most controversial theories, the actor-network theory (ANT). Suggested as a self-fulfilling prophecy resulting in a multibillion-dollar global technology industry and accredited to having put silicon in Silicon Valley, Moore's Law is often described as the driver for the information and communication technology revolution. Originally a prediction towards smaller, cheaper and more reliable computer processing power, this paper examines Moore's Law as a socio-technical innovation process. It proposes that Moore's Law is a complex assemblage comprised of interrelationships between ambitious scientists, chemicals, engineered technologies, culture and society. ANT is used as the theoretical framework to observe the progressive social relationships that constitute Moore's Law and introduce a translation. The objective of this experimental study is to examine the temporal socio-technical transformations and propose an alternative description for Moore's Law.
Improving the Treatment Outcomes for ADHD Patients with IS/IT
Authors: Binhadyan Bader , Troshani Indrit , Wickramasinghe Nilmini
Published: December 2014

The key role for IS/IT in e-health has now been well established; however, within e-health the area of e-mental health is still new and emerging and scholars and practitioners alike are dubious as to the role for IS/IT and its benefits. We propose using Actor-network Theory (ANT) to assist in understanding the enabling role in e-mental health and we focus on one area of mental health, adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). We focus on Saudi Arabia. Attention to ADHD has begun to gain growing attention from Saudi Arabia healthcare providers and researchers. Currently, there is an estimated 15% of school age children suffering from ADHD. More than half of these children are expected to continue to show the symptoms of ADHD through their adolescence and adulthood. ADHD impacts the quality of life these individuals. Technology has the potential to improve mental health services this can be seen in enabling early intervention or treatment for people with mental health issues. Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in e-health and aiming to build a complete patient electronic record by 2020.
Hypertelorism
Authors: Sharma Ramesh K.
Published: December 2014

The term orbital hypertelorism (ORH) implies “widely apart orbits.” This may also be associated with the abnormal vertical orientation of the orbits (dystopia). This deformity may be unilateral or bilateral, symmetric or asymmetric and may be present in a variety of craniofacial conditions. The treatment is primarily carried out for aesthetic reasons. The timing of treatment is dictated by the underlying condition and the type of procedure envisaged. The mainstay of treatment consists of moving the orbits medially to near normal position. This is accomplished by either an orbital translocation or facial bipartition technique. The choice of procedure is governed by the shape of the maxillary arch and associated occlusal conditions. We must differentiate between the telecanthus (also called pseudo-hypertelorism) and a true ORH as the management differs in these two conditions. The ORH involves extensive intracranial and extracranial operation whereas the telecanthus correction is relatively simpler surgery. The article will discuss the aetiology, classification, presentation, treatment options, timing of surgery and the choice of surgical procedures. Illustrative case reports with long-term results will be used to explain the management of these patients.
Kissing Bugs in the United States: Risk for Vector-Borne Disease in Humans
Authors: Klotz Stephen A. , Dorn Patricia L. , Mosbacher Mark , Schmidt Justin O.
Published: December 2014

Eleven species of kissing bugs are found in the United States. Their home ranges may be expanding northward, perhaps as a consequence of climate change. At least eight of the species, perhaps all, are reported to harbor Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease. Because humans are encroaching on kissing bug habitat, there is concern for vector-transmitted Chagas disease in the United States. To date, documented autochthonous cases of Chagas in humans in the United States are rare. Kissing bugs are capable of adapting to new habitats such as human domiciles; however, they do not colonize homes in the United States as in Central and South America. We review the biology, behavior, and medical importance of kissing bugs and the risk they pose for transmission of Chagas disease in the United States. Where possible, descriptions of US species are compared to the epidemiologically important Latin American species.
A bilevel shape optimization problem for the exterior Bernoulli free boundary value problem
Authors: Kasumba Henry , Kunisch Karl , Laurain Antoine
Published: December 2014

A bilevel shape optimization problem with the exterior Bernoulli free boundary problem as lower-level problem and the control of the free boundary as the upper-level problem is considered. Using the shape of the inner boundary as the control, we aim at reaching a specific shape for the free boundary. A rigorous sensitivity analysis of the bilevel shape optimization in the infinite-dimensional setting is performed. The numerical realization using two different cost functionals presented in this paper demonstrate the efficiency of the approach.
Derivation of a Hele–Shaw type system from a cell model with active motion
Authors: Perthame Benoît , Quirós Fernando , Tang Min , Vauchelet Nicolas
Published: December 2014

We formulate a Hele–Shaw type free boundary problem for a tumor growing under the combined effects of pressure forces, cell multiplication and active motion, the latter being the novelty of the present paper. This new ingredient is considered here as a standard diffusion process. The free boundary model is derived from a description at the cell level using the asymptotic of a stiff pressure limit.

Compared to the case when active motion is neglected, the pressure satisfies the same complementarity Hele-Shaw type formula. However, the cell density is smoother (Lipschitz continuous), while there is a deep change in the free boundary velocity, which is no longer given by the gradient of the pressure, because a region, with limited population but diffusing with long range, can prepare the tumor invasion.
Mixing, Transport and Coherent Structures
Authors: Balasuriya Sanjeeva , Haller George , Ouellette Nicholas , Rom-Kedar Vered
Published: December 2014

The subject of this workshop was coherent structures, which play a significant role in the transport and mixing of passive and active scalars in fluids on a wide range of spatial scales. Participants coming from diverse scientific communities such as experimental fluid flows, dynamical systems theory, computational mathematics and visualisation, reported on recent developments and open problems.
New Trends in Teichmüller Theory and Mapping Class Groups
Authors: Morita Shigeyuki , Papadopoulos Athanase , Penner Robert C. , Wienhard Anna
Published: December 2014

The program “New Trends in Teichmüller Theory and Mapping Class Groups” brought together people working in various aspects of the field and beyond. The focus was on the recent developments that include higher Teichmüller theory, the relation with three-manifolds, mapping class groups, dynamical aspects of the Weil-Petersson geodesic flow, and the relation with physics. The goal of bringing together researchers in these various areas, including young PhDs, and promoting interaction and collaboration between them was attained.
User-Centered Design and Usability Testing of an Innovative Health-Related Quality of Life Module
Authors: Jordan M. , Quitoriano J. , Ciro C.A. , Mold J.W. , Nagykaldi Z. J.
Published: December 2014

Objectives: Various computerized health risk appraisals (HRAs) are available, but few of them assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a goal-directed framework. This study describes the user-centered development and usability testing of an innovative HRQoL module that extends a validated HRA tool in primary care settings.

Methods: Systematic user-centered design, usability testing, and qualitative methods were used to develop the HRQoL module in primary care practices. Twenty two patients and 5 clinicians participated in two rounds of interactive technology think-out-loud sessions (TOLs) and semi-structured interviews (SSIs) to iteratively develop a four-step, computerized process that collects information on patient goals for meaningful life activities and current level of disability and presents a personalized and prioritized list of preventive recommendations linked to online resources.

Results: Analysis of TOLs and SSIs generated 5 categories and 11 sub-categories related to facilitators and barriers to usability and human-technology interaction. The categories included: Understanding the Purpose, Usability, Perceived Value, Literacy, and Participant Motivation. Some categories were inter-connected. The technology was continually and iteratively improved between sessions until saturation of positive feedback was achieved in 4 categories (addressing motivation will require more research). Usability of all screen units of the module was improved substantially. Clinician feedback emphasized the importance of the module’s ability to translate the patient-centered HRQoL Report into actionable items for clinicians to facilitate shared decision-making. Complete integration of the HRQoL module into the existing HRA will require further development and testing.

Conclusions: Systematic application of user-centered design and human factors principles in technology development and testing may significantly improve the usability and clinical value of health information systems. This more sophisticated approach helped us translate complex clinical concepts, goal-setting steps, and decision-support processes into an accepted and value-added technology.

Citation: Nagykaldi ZJ; Jordan M; Quitoriano J; Ciro CA; Mold JW. User-centered design and usability testing of an innovative health-related quality of life module. Appl Clin Inf 2014; 5: 958–970

http://dx.doi.org/10.4338/ACI-2014-08-RA-0067
Aconteceu virou cordel: análise de folhetos de cordel sobre a morte de Getúlio Vargas à luz da verossimilhança
Authors: Dias Karcia Lúcia Oliveira , Albuquerque Maria Elizabeth Baltar Carneiro de
Published: December 2014

A literatura popular de cordel, especificamente o cordel de circunstância é um suporte informacional, através do qual o povo tem acesso à informação. O poeta, considerado “poeta repórter”, busca informações em outros suportes informacionais e meios de comunicação para descrever em forma de versos o fato acontecido. A metodologia utilizada esta pesquisa foi a verossimilhança, em que permite fazer uma análise entre o real e o narrado pelos poetas. O corpus deste trabalho foi constituído de 39 (trinta e nove) folhetos de cordel que abordam o tema sobre a morte de Getúlio Vargas. Dentre estes, optou-se pela amostra intencional para a escolha do folheto de cordel de circunstância “A morte do grande presidente Getúlio Vargas”, do poeta Rodolfo Coelho Cavalcante, escrito em 1954, ano da morte de Getúlio Vargas. Para verificar a verossimilhança do folheto foi selecionada a notícia do Jornal do Brasil, disponível na hemeroteca da Biblioteca Nacional que traz reportagens da época sobre a morte de Getúlio Vargas. A análise revelou que existe uma grande semelhança entre os fatos reais e os fatos da narrativa do folheto, contribuindo, assim, com a “Lei de Acesso à Informação”.
Comportamento informacional de ingressantes e concluintes de um curso superior
Authors: Manabe Viviane Magda Marques Luiz , Lima Leda Maria Araújo , Bartalo Linete , Contani Miguel Luiz
Published: December 2014

Introdução: Pesquisadores da área do Comportamento e Competência Informacionais reputam ao conjunto de habilidades do indivíduo em reconhecer, localizar e utilizar de maneira eficiente uma determinada informação à competência informacional, esta se apresenta em níveis diferentes para cada indivíduo e assunto. Objetivo: O objetivo deste artigo foi comparar alguns fatores do comportamento informacional dos vinte acadêmicos ingressantes e dezenove concluintes do curso de biblioteconomia de uma Universidade pública do interior do Paraná. Metodologia: Foram mensuradas frequências de comportamento por meio de um questionário em escala Likert, as habilidades dos participantes nos processos de busca e uso da informação, bem como na identificação de suas necessidades informacionais. Os dados analisados identificaram os níveis de competência com que os ingressantes e concluintes utilizam fontes e recursos informacionais, se o acadêmico determina a natureza e extensão da informação que necessita e se avalia a informação que acessa. Conclusão: Sendo assim, de acordo com as respostas dos participantes para cada questão, foi possível verificar a frequência dos comportamentos sob o ponto de vista dos acadêmicos nestes aspectos da competência informacional.
Consistent Estimation in Pseudo Panels in the Presence of Selection Bias
Authors: Rodríiuez Jhon James Mora , Muro Juan
Published: December 2014

In the presence of selection bias the traditional estimators for pseudo panel data models are inconsistent. This paper discusses a method to achieve consistency in static linear pseudo panels in the presence of selection bias and a testing procedure for sample selection bias. The authors’ approach uses a bias correction term proportional to the inverse Mills ratio with argument equal to the “normit” of a consistent estimation of the conditional probability of being observed given cohort membership. Monte Carlo analysis shows the test does not reject the null for fixed T at a 5% significance level in finite samples. As a “side effect” the authors utilize the enlarged pseudo panel to provide a GMM consistent estimation of the pseudo panel parameters under rejection of the null and apply the procedure to estimate the rate of return to education in Colombia.
Iodine chemistry in the troposphere and its effect on ozone
Authors: Saiz-Lopez A. , Fernandez R. P. , Ordóñez C. , Kinnison D. E. , Gómez Martín J. C. , Lamarque J.-F. , Tilmes S.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Despite the potential influence of iodine chemistry on the oxidizing capacity of the troposphere, reactive iodine distributions and their impact on tropospheric ozone remain almost unexplored aspects of the global atmosphere. Here we present a comprehensive global modelling experiment aimed at estimating lower and upper limits of the inorganic iodine burden and its impact on tropospheric ozone. Two sets of simulations without and with the photolysis of IxOy oxides (i.e. I2O2, I2O3 and I2O4) were conducted to define the range of inorganic iodine loading, partitioning and impact in the troposphere. Our results show that the most abundant daytime iodine species throughout the middle to upper troposphere is atomic iodine, with an annual average tropical abundance of (0.15–0.55) pptv. We propose the existence of a "tropical ring of atomic iodine" that peaks in the tropical upper troposphere (~11–14 km) at the equator and extends to the sub-tropics (30° N–30° S). Annual average daytime I / IO ratios larger than 3 are modelled within the tropics, reaching ratios up to ~20 during vigorous uplift events within strong convective regions. We calculate that the integrated contribution of catalytic iodine reactions to the total rate of tropospheric ozone loss (IOx Loss) is 2–5 times larger than the combined bromine and chlorine cycles. When IxOy photolysis is included, IOx Loss represents an upper limit of approximately 27, 14 and 27% of the tropical annual ozone loss for the marine boundary layer (MBL), free troposphere (FT) and upper troposphere (UT), respectively, while the lower limit throughout the tropical troposphere is ~9%. Our results indicate that iodine is the second strongest ozone-depleting family throughout the global marine UT and in the tropical MBL. We suggest that (i) iodine sources and its chemistry need to be included in global tropospheric chemistry models, (ii) experimental programs designed to quantify the iodine budget in the troposphere should include a strategy for the measurement of atomic I, and (iii) laboratory programs are needed to characterize the photochemistry of higher iodine oxides to determine their atmospheric fate since they can potentially dominate halogen-catalysed ozone destruction in the troposphere.
Analysis of actinic flux profiles measured from an ozone sonde balloon
Authors: Wang P. , Allaart M. , Knap W. H. , Stammes P.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. A green light sensor has been developed at KNMI to measure actinic flux profiles using an ozone sonde balloon. In total, 63 launches with ascending and descending profiles were performed between 2006 and 2010. The measured uncalibrated actinic flux profiles are analyzed using the Doubling Adding KNMI (DAK) radiative transfer model. Values of the cloud optical thickness (COT) along the flight track were taken from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) Cloud Physical Properties (CPP) product. The impact of clouds on the actinic flux profile is evaluated on the basis of the cloud modification factor (CMF) at the cloud top and cloud base, which is the ratio between the actinic fluxes for cloudy and clear-sky scenes. The impact of clouds on the actinic flux is clearly detected: the largest enhancement occurs at the cloud top due to multiple scattering. The actinic flux decreases almost linearly from cloud top to cloud base. Above the cloud top the actinic flux also increases compared to clear-sky scenes. We find that clouds can increase the actinic flux to 2.3 times of the clear-sky value at cloud top and decrease it to about 0.05 at cloud base. The relationship between CMF and COT agrees well with DAK simulations, except for a few outliers. Good agreement is found between the DAK simulated actinic flux profiles and the observations for single layer clouds in fully overcast scenes. The instrument is suitable for operational balloon measurements because of its simplicity and low cost. It is worth to further develop the instrument and launch it together with atmospheric chemistry composition sensors.
Aerosol optical hygroscopicity measurements during the 2010 CARES Campaign
Authors: Atkinson D. B. , Radney J. G. , Lum J. , Kolesar K. R. , Cziczo D. J. , Pekour M. S. , Zhang Q. , Setyan A. , Zelenyuk A. , Cappa C. D.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Measurements of the effect of water uptake on particulate light extinction or scattering made at two locations during the 2010 CARES study around Sacramento, CA are reported. The observed influence of water uptake, characterized through the dimensionless optical hygroscopicity parameter γ, is compared with calculations constrained by observed particle size distributions and size-dependent particle composition. A closure assessment has been carried out that allowed for determination of the average hygroscopic growth factors (GF) at 85% relative humidity and the dimensionless hygroscopicity parameter κ for oxygenated organic aerosol (OA) and for supermicron particles, yielding κ = 0.1–0.15 and 0.9–1.0, respectively. The derived range of oxygenated OA κ values are in line with previous observations. The relatively large values for supermicron particles is consistent with substantial contributions of sea salt-containing particles in this size range. Analysis of time-dependent variations in the supermicron particle hygroscopicity suggest that atmospheric processing, specifically chloride displacement by nitrate and the accumulation of secondary organics on supermicron particles, can lead to substantial depression of the observed GF.
Migration and global environmental change: methodological lessons from mountain areas of the global South
Authors: Milan A. , Gioli G. , Afifi T.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. The relationship between migration and environmental and climatic changes is a crucial yet understudied factor influencing mountain livelihoods in the global South. These livelihoods are often characterized by high prevalence of family farming, widespread dependence on natural resources and high sensitivity to climatic changes. Except for a limited number of empirical case studies, the literature on migration and global environmental change has not yet moved beyond case study results to address and explain global patterns and specificities of migration in mountain areas of the global South. After an introduction to the topic, the authors present their empirical approach combining household surveys, Participatory Research Approach (PRA) tools and key informant interviews through its application in three case studies in Pakistan, Peru and Tanzania. This article suggests that the systematic use of transdisciplinary approaches, with a combination of quantitative and qualitative empirical methods, is the key to understanding global migration patterns in rural mountain areas of the global South. In the future, survey data should be triangulated with PRA results as well as secondary data in order to build household profiles connecting vulnerability (measured through a multidimensional index) with human mobility patterns. Such profiles can be conducive to better understand the feedback processes between livelihoods and mobility patterns both within each case study and across case studies, helping researchers to draw general lessons.
Auroral all-sky camera calibration
Authors: Sigernes F. , Holmen S. E. , Biles D. , Bjørklund H. , Chen X. , Dyrland M. , Lorentzen D. A. , Baddeley L. , Trondsen T. , Brändström U. , Trondsen E. , Lybekk B. , Moen J. , Chernouss S. , Deehr C. S.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. A two-step procedure to calibrate the spectral sensitivity to visible light of auroral all-sky cameras is outlined. Center pixel response is obtained by the use of a Lambertian surface and a standard 45 W tungsten lamp. Screen brightness is regulated by the distance between the lamp and the screen. All-sky flat-field correction is carried out with a 1 m diameter integrating sphere. A transparent Lexan dome at the exit port of the sphere is used to simulate observing conditions at the Kjell Henriksen Observatory (KHO). A certified portable low brightness source from Keo Scientific Ltd was used to test the procedure. Transfer lamp certificates in units of Rayleigh per Ångstrøm (R/Å) are found to be within a relative error of 2%. An all-sky camera flat-field correction method is presented with only 6 required coefficients per channel.
Predicting the response of the Amazon rainforest to persistent drought conditions under current and future climates: a major challenge for global land surface models
Authors: Joetzjer E. , Delire C. , Douville H. , Ciais P. , Decharme B. , Fisher R. , Christoffersen B. , Calvet J. C. , da Costa A. C. L. , Ferreira L. V. , Meir P.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. While a majority of global climate models project drier and longer dry seasons over the Amazon under higher CO2 levels, large uncertainties surround the response of vegetation to persistent droughts in both present-day and future climates. We propose a detailed evaluation of the ability of the ISBACC (Interaction Soil–Biosphere–Atmosphere Carbon Cycle) land surface model to capture drought effects on both water and carbon budgets, comparing fluxes and stocks at two recent throughfall exclusion (TFE) experiments performed in the Amazon. We also explore the model sensitivity to different water stress functions (WSFs) and to an idealized increase in CO2 concentration and/or temperature. In spite of a reasonable soil moisture simulation, ISBACC struggles to correctly simulate the vegetation response to TFE whose amplitude and timing is highly sensitive to the WSF. Under higher CO2 concentrations, the increased water-use efficiency (WUE) mitigates the sensitivity of ISBACC to drought. While one of the proposed WSF formulations improves the response of most ISBACC fluxes, except respiration, a parameterization of drought-induced tree mortality is missing for an accurate estimate of the vegetation response. Also, a better mechanistic understanding of the forest responses to drought under a warmer climate and higher CO2 concentration is clearly needed.
Evaluation of root water uptake in the ISBA-A-gs land surface model using agricultural yield statistics over France
Authors: Canal N. , Calvet J.-C. , Decharme B. , Carrer D. , Lafont S. , Pigeon G.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. The simulation of root water uptake in land surface models is affected by large uncertainties. The difficulty in mapping soil depth and in describing the capacity of plants to develop a rooting system is a major obstacle to the simulation of the terrestrial water cycle and to the representation of the impacts of drought. In this study, long time series of agricultural statistics are used to evaluate and constrain root water uptake models. The inter-annual variability of cereal grain yield and permanent grassland dry matter yield is simulated over France by the Interactions between Soil, Biosphere and Atmosphere, CO2-reactive (ISBA-A-gs) generic land surface model (LSM). The two soil profile schemes available in the model are used to simulate the above-ground biomass (Bag) of cereals and grasslands: a two-layer force–restore (FR-2L) bulk reservoir model and a multi-layer diffusion (DIF) model. The DIF model is implemented with or without deep soil layers below the root zone. The evaluation of the various root water uptake models is achieved by using the French agricultural statistics of Agreste over the 1994–2010 period at 45 cropland and 48 grassland départements, for a range of rooting depths. The number of départements where the simulated annual maximum Bag presents a significant correlation with the yield observations is used as a metric to benchmark the root water uptake models. Significant correlations (p value < 0.01) are found for up to 29 and 77% of the départements for cereals and grasslands, respectively. A rather neutral impact of the most refined versions of the model is found with respect to the simplified soil hydrology scheme. This shows that efforts should be made in future studies to reduce other sources of uncertainty, e.g. by using a more detailed soil and root density profile description together with satellite vegetation products. It is found that modelling additional subroot-zone base flow soil layers does not improve (and may even degrade) the representation of the inter-annual variability of the vegetation above-ground biomass. These results are particularly robust for grasslands, as calibrated simulations are able to represent the extreme 2003 and 2007 years corresponding to unfavourable and favourable fodder production, respectively.
Evaluation of an extreme-condition-inverse calibration remote sensing model for mapping energy balance fluxes in arid riparian areas
Authors: Hong S.-H. , Hendrickx J. M. H. , Kleissl J. , Allen R. G. , Bastiaanssen W. G. M. , Scott R. L. , Steinwand A. L.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Accurate information on the distribution of the surface energy balance components in arid riparian areas is needed for sustainable management of water resources as well as for a better understanding of water and heat exchange processes between the land surface and the atmosphere. Since the spatial and temporal distributions of these fluxes over large areas are difficult to determine from ground measurements alone, their prediction from remote sensing data is very attractive as it enables large area coverage and a high repetition rate. In this study the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) was used to estimate all the energy balance components in the arid riparian areas of the Middle Rio Grande Basin (New Mexico), San Pedro Basin (Arizona), and Owens Valley (California). We compare instantaneous and daily SEBAL fluxes derived from Landsat TM images to surface-based measurements with eddy covariance flux towers. This study presents evidence that SEBAL yields reliable estimates for actual evapotranspiration rates in riparian areas of the southwestern United States. The great strength of the SEBAL method is its internal calibration procedure that eliminates most of the bias in latent heat flux at the expense of increased bias in sensible heat flux.
Surface seiches in Flathead Lake
Authors: Kirillin G. , Lorang M. S. , Lippmann T. C. , Gotschalk C. C. , Schimmelpfennig S.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. Standing surface waves or seiches are inherent hydrodynamic features of enclosed water bodies. Their two-dimensional structure is important for estimating flood risk, coastal erosion and bottom sediment transport and for understanding shoreline habitats and lake ecology in general. In this work, we present analysis of two-dimensional seiche characteristics in Flathead Lake, Montana, USA, a large intermountain lake known to have high seiche amplitudes. To examine spatial characteristics of different seiche modes we used the original procedure of determining the seiche frequencies from the primitive equation model output with subsequent derivation of the spatial seiche structure at fixed frequencies akin the tidal harmonic analysis. The proposed procedure revealed specific seiche oscillation features in Flathead Lake including maximum surface level amplitudes of the first fundamental mode in straights around the largest island; several higher modes appearing locally in the vicinity of the river inflow; the "Helmholtz" open harbor mode, with the period approximately twice that of the longest seiche mode, generated by a large shallow bay connected to the main lake basin; and several rotating seiche modes potentially affecting the lake-wide circulation. We discuss the lake management problems related to of the spatial seiche distribution, such as shoreline erosion, floods and transport of sediments and invasive species in Flathead Lake.
Carbon monoxide gas sensing properties of Ga-doped ZnO film grown by ion plating with DC arc discharge
Authors: Kishimoto S. , Akamatsu S. , Song H. , Nomoto J. , Makino H. , Yamamoto T.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. The carbon monoxide (CO) gas sensing properties of low-resistance heavily Ga-doped ZnO thin films were evaluated. The ZnO films with a thickness of 50 nm were deposited at 200 °C by ion plating. The electrical properties of the ZnO films were controlled by varying the oxygen assist gas flow rate during deposition. The CO gas sensitivity of ZnO films with Au electrodes was investigated in nitrogen gas at a temperature of 230 to 330 °C. CO gas concentration was varied in the range of 0.6–2.4% in nitrogen gas. Upon exposure to CO gas, the current flowing through the film was found to decrease. This response occurred even at the lowest temperature of 230 °C, and is thought to be the result of a mechanism different than the previously reported chemical reaction.
Wave-induced mixing and transport of buoyant particles: application to the Statfjord A oil spill
Authors: Drivdal M. , Broström G. , Christensen K. H.
Published: December 2014

Abstract. This study focuses on how wave–current and wave–turbulence interactions modify the transport of buoyant particles in the ocean. Here the particles can represent oil droplets, plastic particles, or plankton such as fish eggs and larvae. Using the General Ocean Turbulence Model (GOTM), modified to take surface wave effects into account, we investigate how the increased mixing by wave breaking and Stokes shear production, as well as the stronger veering by the Coriolis–Stokes force, affects the drift of the particles. The energy and momentum fluxes, as well as the Stokes drift, depend on the directional wave spectrum obtained from a wave model. As a first test, the depth and velocity scales from the model are compared with analytical solutions based on a constant eddy viscosity (i.e., classical Ekman theory). Secondly, the model is applied to a case in which we investigate the oil drift after an oil spill off the west coast of Norway in 2007. During this accident the average net drift of oil was observed to be both slower and more deflected away from the wind direction than predicted by oil-drift models. In this case, using wind and wave forcing from the ERA Interim archive it is shown that the wave effects are important for the resultant drift and have the potential to improve drift forecasting.
DETECÇÃO E RECONHECIMENTO DE OBJETOS EM IMAGENS UTILIZANDO ALGORITMOS DE EXTRAÇÃO DE PONTOS CHAVE
Authors: Rodrigues Leonardo Almeida , Silva Francisco Assis da , Pereira Danillo Roberto , Artero Almir Olivette , Piteri Marco Antonio
Published: December 2014

This paper presentsa comparative studyof descriptors keypoint algorithms doinga combinationof detectors anddescriptors. We combined the SIFT, SURF and Harris detector algorithms with the SIFT and SURF descriptor algorithms.Three experimentswith images withdifferent characteristicswere performed,intwo of theseexperimentswere usedimages of realobjects, in athird experiment, some degradationin an imagesuch asscale reduction, rotation, blurring, darkening andaddition ofnoisehave beenperformed, to analyze the behaviorof the algorithms. Experiments were also performed withalldegradationstogether.Toanalyze theproposedcombination, we extractedprocessing timeand the number ofinliers. This workcontributes toapplicationsthat requireusing keypoint descriptors algorithms in detection andrecognitionof objects inimages.
Poster Abstracts from the 34th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Canadian Geriatrics Society, Edmonton, April 2013
Authors: Authors Various
Published: December 2014

-
Re: Making Health and Care Systems Fit for and Ageing Population. Why We Wrote It, Who We Wrote It For, and How Relevant It Might Be to Canada
Authors: Oliver David
Published: December 2014

In response to the commentary(1) in this month’s Canadian Geriatrics Journal by Andrew and Rockwood on the recent paper I co-wrote with King’s Fund colleagues—“Making Health and Care Systems Fit for an Ageing Population”(2)—I wanted to pen a very personal response, not least because of my visits to health systems in Ontario and Alberta and conversations with many Canadian colleagues that are fresh in my mind. The paper was certainly the most important and influential thing I have written, and was an attempt to weave all the elements of good practice in health care for older people into one overarching narrative. Whilst its biggest target audience is UK health services, I hope it has some relevance to Canada and might stimulate some constructive conversations.
Estudo hidroquímico do sistema aquífero tubarão (SAT) no município de Americana, SP
Authors: Montanheiro Filipe , Chang Hung Kiang , Gastmans Didier
Published: December 2014

O Município de Americana (SP), situado em uma região de alta concentração populacional na Região Metropolitana de Campinas, caracteriza-se pela pequena disponibilidade hídrica superficial e grande número de poços tubulares profundos que explotam o Sistema Aquífero Tubarão - SAT. Face à demanda crescente de exploração desse aquífero, é essencial o conhecimento aprofundado sobre a hidroquímica desse aquífero para fins de planejamento e gestão dos recursos hídricos. Por meio dos diagramas Piper - Stiff e da análise estatística (cluster analysis) dos componentes químicos das amostras de água coletadas dos poços tubulares profundos de abastecimento público, três tipos hidroquímicos foram identificados: águas bicarbonatadas cálcio-sódicas, bicarbonatadas sódicas e cloretadas sódicas. As primeiras apresentam pH básico, condutividade elétrica entre 213 até 106,9 µS/cm e podem ser fracamente salinas. As bicarbonatadas sódicas ostentam pH entre 6,74 e 7,99 (média de 7,52) e valores de condutividade de 239 a 19,18 µS/cm, enquanto as águas cloretadas sódicas apresentam pH entre 5,08 e 7,13 e a condutividade fica entre 242 a 67,2 µS/cm. As amostras registram altas concentrações de nitrato associado a cloreto, que indicam a possibilidade da contaminação do aquífero por ação antrópica.
Reflexões sobre a gênese da serra geral e da depressão periférica paulista: o exemplo da região da Serra de São Pedro e do baixo Piracicaba, SP
Authors: Pinheiro Marcos Roberto , Queiroz Neto José Pereira de
Published: December 2014

A gênese da Serra Geral e da Depressão Periférica Paulista consiste em um problema fundamental do relevo paulista e embora seja alvo de estudos desde a década de 20 do século passado, sua resolução ainda permanece longe de qualquer consenso. As pesquisas destacam os condicionantes erosivos e tectônicos na formação dessas áreas, porém algumas das hipóteses levantadas apresentam pouca sustentação frente aos estudos atuais. Este trabalho analisa a pertinência de uma hipótese sobre a gênese da Serra de São Pedro, nome regional da Serra Geral, no contexto da formação da Serra Geral como um todo. Os resultados apontam para a hipótese clássica da origem erosiva da Serra de São Pedro a partir da escavação da Depressão Periférica Paulista pela rede hidrográfica instalada nas grandes linhas estruturais antigas reativadas com a fragmentação gondwânica. O início da escavação da depressão e a formação de uma proto-escarpa da Serra de São Pedro teriam acontecido entre o Paleoceno e o Eoceno num clima úmido, após a deposição da Formação Itaqueri e do estabelecimento da Superfície das Cristas Médias, tendo sido a configuração geomorfológica dessas áreas modificada pela atividade neotectônica. Nesse contexto, estaria confirmada a proposta de Margarida Penteado que, nesse cenário de gênese híbrida entre erosão e tectônica, classificou a área como uma cuesta complexa.
A institucionalização da pedologia como ciência por Friedrich Albert fallou: o caso brasileiro
Authors: Espindola Carlos Roberto
Published: December 2014

O resgate da "história da ciência do solo" é realizado principalmente no âmbito da pedogênese, a partir da evolução das classificações taxonômicas. Desde a primeira metade do século XIX, naturalistas se interessaram por uma sistematização dos estudos sobre solos, que justificasse a criação de uma ciência autônoma, o que veio a ser proposto pelo alemão Friedrich Albert Fallou (1794-1877), com o termo "Pedologia". Entretanto, Fallou empregou nomes de solos extraídos das formações geológicas e das localidades de suas ocorrências, sendo criticado por não desenvolver uma classificação genética. Isso foi resolvido pelo russo V.V. Dokuchaev, que também adotou a mesma denominação, e por isso ganhou a paternidade desta ciência, o que foi contestado por diversos cientistas. Em 2008, com a tradução para o francês, a obra de Fallou passou a ser mais conhecida, reacendendo esta polêmica. Até 1960, a denominação dos solos no Brasil teve influência significativa de Fallou, como evidenciada pelo forte emprego de denominações geológicas.