bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intersections of Gender, Sex, and Power
Authors: Ferdowsi Lubna
Published: May 2017

This chapter highlights the dilemma of being immigrant diasporic women in a British cultural context by focusing on the everyday life of British Bangladeshi women who are being controlled in the private sphere based on empirical research. Particularly, the chapter shows how cultural ideologies are intersecting with patriarchal norms to gain control over women bodies and sexuality. Finally, the chapter discusses the process and system of differentiation and domination through an intersectional analysis to understand how women ostensibly belonging to the same ethnic group may have different and competing experiences of migration and Diaspora.
Gendered Leadership as a Key to Business Success
Authors: Marinakou Evangelia , Giousmpasoglou Charalampos
Published: May 2017

Although there is clear evidence of the importance of women in leadership positions, research still shows that women are still underrepresented in management and leadership roles. The percentage of women directors in Fortune 500 companies has been between 16% and 17% since 2011. This lack of women in senior management positions demonstrates that organizations still fail to notice that leadership nowadays has new requirements. Today's organizations are facing a turbulent constantly changing environment, in an open, social and interdependent economy, which requires specific skills and competencies for leading the change. Hence companies should value women's talent. The purpose of this chapter is to present gender issues in leadership and management with a focus on the Arab context and the position of women in the Middle East (ME). Finally, it discusses the most effective leadership style exhibited by male and female managers in the ME for inclusion in HR practices and strategies for the new millennia workforce. The main concerns are HR practices and examples in the ME.
New Trends in Leveraging Workforce Diversity through Human Resource Management Initiatives
Authors: Sanchez-Apellaniz Mercedes , Triguero-Sánchez Rafael
Published: May 2017

Tremendous forces are radically reshaping the world of work and workforce diversity is steadily growing. If effective diversity management can only be achieved by means of the use of appropriate human resources strategies, HRM need to change his role. This chapter intends to explore such new trends and new practices on HRM, analyze which of them can be employed and which are more appropriate for an optimal management of workforce diversity and to obtain a competitive advantage for companies in the global economy.
The Added Value of 3D World in Professional, Educational, and Individual Dynamics
Authors: Citarella Ivonne
Published: May 2017

The author focused her studies on the series of professional competences which have grown within virtual worlds, and which have been made possible thanks to two main peculiarities: the highly intuitive software and playfulness gaming. The research allowed to classify the various professions born within the Second Life virtual world, these have allowed also to become a viable economic opportunities in real life. In parallel with the observations on the dimension of “work” within Second Life, the author gave also attention to the relational and educational dynamics. The author decided to enact her sociological and didactical experiment in the occasion of the event Salerno in Fantasy, a yearly convention dedicated to the Fantasy world.
Communication 2.0 at School
Authors: Lamonaca Simona
Published: May 2017

Today, among social networks, video games, selfies and video recordings, adolescents' lives are mainly centered on their web devices. This is a constantly and rapidly changing world where grown-ups are often hard put to keep up with teenagers' fashions. Therefore, schools have an absolute duty to help students find their way in this jungle of tools that provide both huge possibilities and serious risks. Teachers must therefore act as guides for their students, proving to them that they know, appreciate, and are not prejudiced against the tools used by them daily. A teacher-student relationship based on these premises is a requirement for any innovative educational approach. Therefore, creating a Communication Lab 2.0 in school is of great help towards several goals: building a good educational relationship, constantly updating teachers about teenagers' web mores, providing information about Web security and hints about possible new and innovative educational paths.
Energy in 3D
Authors: Finco Giuliana
Published: May 2017

The course is developed from the study in Life Sciences and energy, till the deepening about the fossil and renewable sources, with video display, animations, little experiments, interactive games and multimedia presentations using the IWB of the renewable energy sources. After scoring a summary of key information, we switch to implement a Smart city planning workshop, drawing three-dimensionally objects with the 3D graphic application Sketchup, until build the city furnished with solar panels placed on the roofs. At the end of the trail, the educational activities are implemented in the Virtual World Scuola3D supported by a proactive and creative way to educate pupils by conscious and creative use of information and communication technologies, with the use of 3D and virtual worlds for live at three-dimensional virtual experience until they are able to design and build a three-dimensional ideal city, the “Smart city” for a sustainable future.
Mobile Augmented Reality
Authors: Sánchez-Acevedo Miguel A. , Sabino-Moxo Beatriz A. , Márquez-Domínguez José A.
Published: May 2017

Users who have access to a mobile device have increased in recent years. Therefore, it is possible to use a mobile device as a tool which helps to users in their daily life activities, not only for communication. On the other hand, augmented reality is a growing technology which allows the interaction with real and virtual information at the same time. Mixing mobile devices and augmented reality open the possibility to develop useful applications that users can carry with them all the time. This chapter describes recent advances in the application of mobile augmented reality in automotive industry, commerce, education, entertainment, and medicine; also identifies the different devices used to generate augmented reality, highlights factors to be taken into account for developing mobile augmented applications, introduces challenges to be addressed, and discusses future trends.
Consumer Behavior in M-Commerce
Authors: Ettis Saïd Aboubaker , El Abidine Afef Ben Zin
Published: May 2017

Our work has a two-fold general objectives: on the one hand, we wish to describe the mobile commerce environment and, on the other hand, to establish the determinants of the mobile consumer behavior. To achieve our objectives, first, we describe the concept of mobile commerce, constraints and benefits. Second, we study the determinants of mobile commerce adoption. Third, we focus on the determinants of mobile consumer satisfaction and loyalty. Finally, we summarize future avenues of investigation in a research agenda.
Knowledge Transfer Openness Matrix Facilitating Accessibility in UK Management Education Teaching
Authors: Owens Jonathan D. , Talat Usman
Published: May 2017

This is an empirical investigation considering how the Knowledge Transfer Openness Matrix (KTOM) could facilitate accessibility and Knowledge Transfer (KT) for the UK Higher Education (HE) Management Education Teaching when utilising learning technologies. Its focus is where learning technologies applications currently assist the KT process and support accessibility for the HE teacher and learner. It considers the philosophy of openness, focusing on its usefulness to support accessibility within UK HE Management Education Teaching. It discusses how the openness philosophy may assist the KT process for the HE teacher and learners using learning technologies. In particular, the potential to support accessibility within HE Management Education Teaching environments is appraised. There appear several implications for both teachers and learners. These are characterized in the proposed KTOM. The matrix organises KT events based on the principles of the openness philosophy. The role of learning technologies in events is illustrated with regard to teaching and learning accessibility.
Integrating LAB Work With Classes in Computer Network Courses
Authors: Sllame Azeddien M.
Published: May 2017

The use of the communication and information technology tools can aid students in their lab work to add more flexibility to the accessibility and providing of up-to-date higher education allowing students accessing knowledge anytime, anywhere which will facilitate the lifelong learning and provide accessibility to the curriculum and other students' resources from anywhere at any time. Laboratory work by students in the information technology and engineering fields of study is a must requirement in all accreditation agencies and targeted employment places. This chapter demonstrates a project based learning technique that has been integrated with ordinary classes in computer network courses. The tools used in this study concentrates on the modeling and simulation of different aspect of computer networking that highlight different skills needed to any computer network engineer.
CO2 Adsorption on Activated Carbon/SBA-15 with TETA/TEPA Modification
Authors: Lin Zhi Feng , Wei Jian Wen
Published: May 2017

Activated carbon (AC), the KOH-modified activated carbon (KAC) and mesoporous material SBA-15 before and after pore expansion (SBA-15k) were modified using triethylenetetramine (TETA) and tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) as modifiers. The CO2 adsorption capacities of adsorbents were determined by thermogravimetric method. The results show that at 60 °C and the atmosphere of 15% CO2 (volume fraction), with the increasing of amine loading amount, the CO2 adsorption capacities of AC and KAC decreased gradually. While those of SBA-15 and SBA-15k increase at first stage and decrease subsequently. Cyclic CO2 adsorption capacities and mass of the adsorbents show no obvious changes, so the adsorbents have excellent stability.
Fine scale mapping of malaria infection clusters by using routinely collected health facility data in urban Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Authors: Mlacha Yeromin P. , Chaki Prosper P. , Malishee Alpha D. , Mwakalinga Victoria M. , Govella Nicodem J. , Limwagu Alex J. , Paliga John M. , Msellemu Daniel F. , Mageni Zawadi D. , Terlouw Dianne J. , Killeen Gerry F. , Dongus Stefan
Published: May 2017

This study investigated whether passively collected routine health facility data can be used for mapping spatial heterogeneities in malaria transmission at the level of local government housing cluster administrative units in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. From June 2012 to January 2013, residential locations of patients tested for malaria at a public health facility were traced based on their local leaders’ names and geo-referencing the point locations of these leaders’ houses. Geographic information systems (GIS) were used to visualise the spatial distribution of malaria infection rates. Spatial scan statistics was deployed to detect spatial clustering of high infection rates. Among 2407 patients tested for malaria, 46.6% (1121) could be traced to their 411 different residential housing clusters. One small spatially aggregated cluster of neighbourhoods with high prevalence was identified. While the home residence housing cluster leader was unambiguously identified for 73.8% (240/325) of malaria-positive patients, only 42.3% (881/2082) of those with negative test results were successfully traced. It was concluded that recording simple points of reference during routine health facility visits can be used for mapping malaria infection burden on very fine geographic scales, potentially offering a feasible approach to rational geographic targeting of malaria control interventions. However, in order to tap the full potential of this approach, it would be necessary to optimise patient tracing success and eliminate biases by blinding personnel to test results.
Comparison of the spatial patterns of schistosomiasis in Zimbabwe at two points in time, spaced twenty-nine years apart: is climate variability of importance?
Authors: Pedersen Ulrik B. , Karagiannis-Voules Dimitrios-Alexios , Midzi Nicholas , Mduluza Tkafira , Mukaratirwa Samson , Fensholt Rasmus , Vennervald Birgitte J. , Kristensen Thomas K. , Vounatsou Penelope , Stensgaard Anna-Sofie
Published: May 2017

Temperature, precipitation and humidity are known to be important factors for the development of schistosome parasites as well as their intermediate snail hosts. Climate therefore plays an important role in determining the geographical distribution of schistosomiasis and it is expected that climate change will alter distribution and transmission patterns. Reliable predictions of distribution changes and likely transmission scenarios are key to efficient schistosomiasis intervention-planning. However, it is often difficult to assess the direction and magnitude of the impact on schistosomiasis induced by climate change, as well as the temporal transferability and predictive accuracy of the models, as prevalence data is often only available from one point in time. We evaluated potential climate-induced changes on the geographical distribution of schistosomiasis in Zimbabwe using prevalence data from two points in time, 29 years apart; to our knowledge, this is the first study investigating this over such a long time period. We applied historical weather data and matched prevalence data of two schistosome species (Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni). For each time period studied, a Bayesian geostatistical model was fitted to a range of climatic, environmental and other potential risk factors to identify significant predictors that could help us to obtain spatially explicit schistosomiasis risk estimates for Zimbabwe. The observed general downward trend in schistosomiasis prevalence for Zimbabwe from 1981 and the period preceding a survey and control campaign in 2010 parallels a shift towards a drier and warmer climate. However, a statistically significant relationship between climate change and the change in prevalence could not be established.
Geographic clustering of elderly people with above-norm anthropometric measurements and blood chemistry
Authors: Mena Carlos , Fuentes Eduardo , Ormazábal Yony , Palomo Iván
Published: May 2017

The global percentage of people over 60 is strongly increasing and estimated to exceed 20% by 20,150, which means that there will be an increase in many pathological conditions related to aging. Mapping of the location of aging people and identification of their needs can be extremely valuable from a social-economic point of view. Participants in this study were 148 randomly selected adults from Talca City, Chile aged 60-74 at baseline. Geographic information systems (GIS) analyses were performed using ArcGIS software through its module Spatial Autocorrelation. In this study, we demonstrated that elderly people show geographic clustering according to above-norm results of anthropometric measurements and blood chemistry. The spatial identifications found would facilitate exploring the impact of treatment programmes in communities where many aging people live, thereby improving their quality of life as well as reducing overall costs.
Assessing effects of structural zeros on models of canine cancer incidence: a case study of the Swiss Canine Cancer Registry
Authors: Boo Gianluca , Leyk Stefan , Fabrikant Sara Irina , Pospischil Andreas , Graf Ramona
Published: May 2017

Epidemiological research of canine cancers could inform comparative studies of environmental determinants for a number of human cancers. However, such an approach is currently limited because canine cancer data sources are still few in number and often incomplete. Incompleteness is typically due to under-ascertainment of canine cancers. A main reason for this is because dog owners commonly do not seek veterinary care for this diagnosis. Deeper knowledge on under-ascertainment is critical for modelling canine cancer incidence, as an indication of zero incidence might originate from the sole absence of diagnostic examinations within a given sample unit. In the present case study, we investigated effects of such structural zeros on models of canine cancer incidence. In doing so, we contrasted two scenarios for modelling incidence data retrieved from the Swiss Canine Cancer Registry. The first scenario was based on the complete enumeration of incidence data for all Swiss municipal units. The second scenario was based on a filtered sample that systematically discarded structural zeros in those municipal units where no diagnostic examination had been performed. By means of cross-validation, we assessed and contrasted statistical performance and predictive power of the two modelling scenarios. This analytical step allowed us to demonstrate that structural zeros impact on the generalisability of the model of canine cancer incidence, thus challenging future comparative studies of canine and human cancers. The results of this case study show that increased awareness about the effects of structural zeros is critical to epidemiological research.
Comparing the accuracy of food outlet datasets in an urban environment
Authors: Wong Michelle S. , Peyton Jennifer M. , Shields Timothy M. , Curriero Frank C. , Gudzune Kimberly A.
Published: May 2017

Studies that investigate the relationship between the retail food environment and health outcomes often use geospatial datasets. Prior studies have identified challenges of using the most common data sources. Retail food environment datasets created through academic-government partnership present an alternative, but their validity (retail existence, type, location) has not been assessed yet. In our study, we used ground-truth data to compare the validity of two datasets, a 2015 commercial dataset (InfoUSA) and data collected from 2012 to 2014 through the Maryland Food Systems Mapping Project (MFSMP), an academic-government partnership, on the retail food environment in two low-income, inner city neighbourhoods in Baltimore City. We compared sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of the commercial and academic-government partnership data to ground-truth data for two broad categories of unhealthy food retailers: small food retailers and quick-service restaurants. Ground-truth data was collected in 2015 and analysed in 2016. Compared to the ground-truth data, MFSMP and InfoUSA generally had similar sensitivity that was greater than 85%. MFSMP had higher PPV compared to InfoUSA for both small food retailers (MFSMP: 56.3% vs InfoUSA: 40.7%) and quick-service restaurants (MFSMP: 58.6% vs InfoUSA: 36.4%). We conclude that data from academic-government partnerships like MFSMP might be an attractive alternative option and improvement to relying only on commercial data. Other research institutes or cities might consider efforts to create and maintain such an environmental dataset. Even if these datasets cannot be updated on an annual basis, they are likely more accurate than commercial data.
Diabetic patients’ awareness regarding diabetes mellitus and its ocular complications at the National District Hospital in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa
Authors: Kempen Elzana , Nel Mariette , Hatia Sherazadh , Khanya Naledi , Matsabu Lerato , Nyathela Xolani
Published: May 2017

Introduction: Globally, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity is rapidly increasing. DM and, consequently, diabetic retinopathy (DR) are serious issues that all countries around the world are facing. This study originated from a need to assess whether diabetic patients at the Outpatient Department at the National District Hospital in Bloemfontein have knowledge about their disease and are aware of the possible ocular complications.Methods: A descriptive study on a single group of participants was conducted at the Outpatient Department at National District Hospital in Bloemfontein. Non-random judgemental sampling was used to select participants who were diagnosed with diabetes. All participants were above the age of 18 and gave signed consent after reading through the information document provided.Results: The participants (n = 70) were mainly women (72%) and elderly (> 40 years). Age groups represented were 40 years (7.1%), 40–49 years (12.9%), 50–59 years (32.9%), 60–69 years (28.6%) and ≥ 70 years (18.56%). Almost 82% of the participants were aware that DM can cause blindness and 85.7% were aware of cataracts as a possible complication of DM. Almost half (47.1%) were not aware that DM can cause DR and more than half (52.9%) were unaware that DM can cause increased intraocular pressure (IOP).Conclusion: These results highlight the need for further education of diabetic patients regarding the relationship between DM and the ocular complications.
The use of interactional metadiscourse features to present a textual voice: A case study of undergraduate writing in two departments at the University of Botswana
Authors: Ramoroka Boitumelo T.
Published: May 2017

In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on the interpersonal function of metadiscourse features in academic texts. This means that research on writing in academic contexts began to focus on the rhetorical features, such as interactional metadiscourse, that writers use to present their voice in writing. These developments in academic writing have also considered the context in which specific genres are produced. Using a multiple-methods approach to genre analysis, this article compares students’ use of interactional metadiscourse features in two undergraduate courses, Media Studies and Primary Education at the University of Botswana. A total of 40 student essays were analysed. Interviews with students and lecturers in the two departments were also done to understand the context in which the essays were produced. The comparison of interactional metadiscourse features in the two corpora indicated that interactional metadiscourse markers were present, but that there were variations in the use and distribution of these features by the learners. Contextual information shows that such variations reflect the different values and beliefs about academic writing of the discourse communities that students belong to. These values and beliefs can be problematic for English for Specific Purposes (EAP) lecturers who have to prepare students for writing in the various disciplines in L2 contexts.
The missional church structure and the priesthood of all believers (Ephesians 4:7�16) in the light of the inward and outward function of the church
Authors: Van Aarde Timothy A.
Published: May 2017

The missional church is a new consciousness which has been raised for the missionary sending of the church in the West to be a witness for the Kingdom of God in its own context. The missional church has returned mission to the centre of ecclesiology. A structural functioning of the missional church and its relation to existing church structures are essential to rescue the missional church from simply becoming the latest fad. The present missional church conversation in advocating for an organic church structure undermines existing institutional church structures. A dynamic functioning church structure in which the inward and outward dimensions of the church�s single ecclesiological structure are able to function in a cohesive unity is set out in Ephesians. The function of the gifted persons in the task of equipping of the believers to fulfil their missional calling, vocation and function is paramount to the healthy integration of the missional church model in existing mission and church paradigms and for it to function within the framework of existing church structures.Interdisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article suggests that a dynamic unity exists between the ecclesiology of the church and missional structure and function of the church. The article explores interdisciplinary implications from the fields of the New Testament and missiology.
Advancing the integration of hospital IT
Authors: Engelmann Carsten , Ametowobla Dzifa
Published: May 2017

Background: Planning and controlling surgical operations hugely impacts upon productivity, patient safety, and surgeons’ careers. Established, specialized software for this task is being increasingly replaced by “Operating Room (OR)-modules” appended to enterprise-wide resource planning (ERP) systems. As a result, usability problems are re-emerging and require developers’ attention.

Objective: Systematic evaluation of the functionality and social repercussions of a global, market-leading IT business control system (SAP R3, Germany), adapted for real-time OR process steering.

Methods: Field study involving document analyses, interviews, and a 73-item survey addressed to 77 qualified (> 1-year system experience) senior planning executives (end users; “planners”) working in surgical departments of university hospitals.

Results: Planners reported that 57% of electronic operation requests contained contradictory information. Key screens contained clinically irrelevant areas (36 +/− 29%). Compared to the legacy system, users reported either no improvements or worse performance, in regard to co-ordination of OR stakeholders, intra-day program changes, and safety. Planners concluded that the ERP-planning module was “non-intuitive” (66%), increased planning work (56%, p=0.002), and did not impact upon either organizational mishap spectrum or frequency. Interviews evidenced intra-institutional power shifts due to increased system complexity. Planners resented e.g. a trend towards increased personal culpability for mishap.

Conclusions: Highly complex enterprise system extensions may not be directly suited to specific process steering tasks in a high risk/low error-environment like the OR.

In view of surgeons’ high primary task load, the repeated call for simpler IT is an imperative for ERP extensions. System design should consider a) that current OR IT suffers from an input limitation regarding planning-relevant real-time data, and b) that there are social processes that strongly affect planning and particularly ERP use beyond algorithms.

Real improvement of clinical IT tools requires their independent evaluation according to standards developed for pharmaceutical subjects.

Citation: Engelmann C, Ametowobla D. Advancing the integration of hospital IT: pitfalls and perspectives when replacing specialized software for high-risk environments with enterprise system extensions. Appl Clin Inform 2017; 8: 515–528 https://doi.org/10.4338/ACI-2016-06-RA-0100
A hospital-wide transition from paper to digital problem-oriented clinical notes
Authors: Cillessen Felix HJM , de Vries Robbé Pieter , Biermans Marion
Published: May 2017

Objectives: To evaluate the use, usability, and physician satisfaction of a locally developed problem-oriented clinical notes application that replaced paper-based records in a large Dutch university medical center.

Methods: Using a clinical notes database and an application event log file and a cross-sectional survey of usability, authors retrospectively analyzed system usage for medical specialties, users, and patients over 4 years. A standardized questionnaire measured usability. Authors analyzed the effects of sex, age, professional experience, training hours, and medical specialty on user satisfaction via univariate analysis of variance. Authors also examined the correlation between user satisfaction in relation to users’ intensity of use of the application.

Results: In total 1,793 physicians used the application to record progress notes for 219,755 patients. The overall satisfaction score was 3.2 on a scale from 1 (highly dissatisfied) to 5(highly satisfied). A statistically significant difference occurred in satisfaction by medical specialty, but no statistically significant differences in satisfaction took place by sex, age, professional experience, or training hours. Intensity of system use did not correlate with physician satisfaction.

Conclusions: By two years after the start of the implementation, all medical specialties utilized the clinical notes application. User satisfaction was neutral (3.2 on a 1–5 scale). Authors believe that the significant factors facilitating this transition mirrored success factors reported by other groups: a generic, consistent, and transparent design of the application; intensive collaboration; continuous monitoring; and an incremental rollout.

Citation: Cillessen FHJM, de Vries Robbé PF, Biermans MCJ. A hospital-wide transition from paper to digital problem-oriented clinical note. Appl Clin Inform 2017; 8: 502–514 https://doi.org/10.4338/ACI-2016-08-RA-0137
Enhanced stratospheric water vapor over the summertime continental United States and the role of overshooting convection
Authors: Herman Robert L. , Ray Eric A. , Rosenlof Karen H. , Bedka Kristopher M. , Schwartz Michael J. , Read William G. , Troy Robert F. , Chin Keith , Christensen Lance E. , Fu Dejian , Stachnik Robert A. , Bui T. Paul , Dean-Day Jonathan M.
Published: May 2017

Abstract. The NASA ER-2 aircraft sampled the lower stratosphere over North America during the field mission for the NASA Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS). This study reports observations of convectively influenced air parcels with enhanced water vapor in the overworld stratosphere over the summertime continental United States and investigates three case studies in detail. Water vapor mixing ratios greater than 10 ppmv, which is much higher than the background 4 to 6 ppmv of the overworld stratosphere, were measured by the JPL Laser Hygrometer (JLH Mark2) at altitudes between 16.0 and 17.5 km (potential temperatures of approximately 380 to 410 K). Overshooting cloud tops (OTs) are identified from a SEAC4RS OT detection product based on satellite infrared window channel brightness temperature gradients. Through trajectory analysis, we make the connection between these in situ water measurements and OT. Back trajectory analysis ties enhanced water to OT 1 to 7 days prior to the intercept by the aircraft. The trajectory paths are dominated by the North American monsoon (NAM) anticyclonic circulation. This connection suggests that ice is convectively transported to the overworld stratosphere in OT events and subsequently sublimated; such events may irreversibly enhance stratospheric water vapor in the summer over Mexico and the United States. A regional context is provided by water observations from the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS).
Oscillations in atmospheric water above Switzerland
Authors: Hocke Klemens , Navas-Guzmán Francisco , Moreira Lorena , Bernet Leonie , Mätzler Christian
Published: May 2017

Abstract. Cloud fraction (CF), integrated liquid water (ILW) and integrated water vapour (IWV) were continuously measured from 2004 to 2016 by the TROpospheric WAter RAdiometer (TROWARA) at Bern in Switzerland. There are indications for inter-annual variations of CF and ILW while the IWV series of annual means mainly shows a positive linear trend. A spectral analysis gives the result that IWV is dominated by an annual oscillation leading to an IWV maximum of 24 kg/m2 in July to August and a minimum of 8 kg/m2 in February. The seasonal behaviour of CF and ILW is composed by both, the annual and the semi-annual oscillation. However, the annual oscillation of CF has a maximum in December while the annual oscillation of ILW has a maximum in July. The semi-annual oscillations of CF and ILW are strong from 2010 to 2014. The normalized power spectra of ILW and CF show statistically significant spectral components with periods of 76, 85, 97 and 150 days. We find a similarity between the power spectra of ILW and CF with those of zonal wind at 830 hPa (1.5 km) above Bern. Particularly, the occurrence of higher harmonics in the CF and ILW spectra is possibly forced by the behaviour of the lower tropospheric wind. The mean amplitude spectra of CF, ILW and IWV show increased short-term variability on time scales less than 40 days from spring to fall. We find a weekly cycle of CF and ILW from June to September with increased values on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Sources of non-fossil fuel emissions in carbonaceous aerosols during early winter in Chinese cities
Authors: Liu Di , Li Jun , Cheng Zhineng , Zhong Guangcai , Zhu Sanyuan , Ding Ping , Shen Chengde , Zhang Gan
Published: May 2017

Abstract. China experiences frequent and severe haze outbreaks from the beginning of winter. Carbonaceous aerosols are regarded as an essential factor in controlling the formation and evolution of haze episodes. To elucidate the carbon sources of air pollution, source apportionment was conducted using radiocarbon (14C) and unique molecular organic tracers. Daily 24-hour PM2.5 samples were collected continuously from October 2013 to November 2013 in 10 Chinese cities. The 14C results indicated that non-fossil fuel (NF) emissions were predominant in total carbon (TC; average = 65 ± 7 %). Approximately half of the EC was derived primarily from biomass burning (BB) (average = 46 ± 11 %), while over half of the OC fraction comprised NF (average = 68 ± 7 %). On average, the largest contributor to TC was NF-derived secondary OC (SOCnf), which accounted for 46 ± 7 % of TC, followed by SOC derived from fossil fuels (FF) (SOCf; 16 ± 3 %), BB-derived primary OC (POCbb; 13 ± 5 %), POC derived from FF (POCf; 12 ± 3 %), EC derived from FF (ECf; 7 ± 2 %) and EC derived from BB (ECbb; 6 ± 2 %). The regional background carbonaceous aerosol composition was characterized by NF sources; POCs played a major role in northern China, while SOCs contributed more in other regions. However, during haze episodes, there were no dramatic changes in the carbon source or composition in the cities under study, but the contribution of POC from both FF and NF increased significantly.
Canopy uptake dominates nighttime carbonyl sulfide fluxes in a boreal forest
Authors: Kooijmans Linda M. J. , Maseyk Kadmiel , Seibt Ulli , Sun Wu , Vesala Timo , Mammarella Ivan , Kolari Pasi , Aalto Juho , Franchin Alessandro , Vecchi Roberta , Valli Gianluigi , Chen Huilin
Published: May 2017

Abstract. Nighttime vegetative uptake of carbonyl sulfide (COS) can exist due to the incomplete closure of stomata and the light-independence of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, which complicates the use of COS as a tracer for gross primary productivity (GPP). In this study we derived nighttime COS fluxes in a boreal forest (the SMEAR II station in Hyytiälä, Finland; 61°51′ N, 24°17′ E, 181 m ASL) from June to November 2015 using two different methods: eddy-covariance (EC) measurements (FCOS-EC) and the radon-tracer method (FCOS-Rn). The nighttime COS fluxes averaged over the whole measurement period were −8.1 ± 1.5 and −7.9 ± 3.8 pmol m−2 s−1 for FCOS-Rn and FCOS-EC, respectively, which is 38 % of the average daytime fluxes and 21 % of the total daily COS uptake. The correlation of 222Radon (of which the source is the soil) with COS (average R2 = 0.59) was lower than with CO2 (0.79), suggesting that the main sink of COS is not located at the ground. These observations are supported by soil chamber measurements that show that soil contributes to only 33 % of the total nighttime COS uptake. We found a decrease of COS uptake with decreasing night-time stomatal conductance and increasing VPD and air temperature, driven by stomatal closure in response to a warm and dry period in August. We also discuss the effect that canopy layer mixing can have on the radon-tracer method and the sensitivity of FCOS-EC to atmospheric turbulence. Our results suggest that the nighttime uptake of COS is mainly driven by the tree foliage and is significant in a boreal forest, such that it needs to be taken into account when using COS as a tracer for GPP.
Comparison of optical-feedback cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy and gas chromatography for ground-based and airborne measurements of atmospheric CO concentration
Authors: Ventrillard Irène , Xueref-Remy Irène , Schmidt Martina , Yver Kwok Camille , Faïn Xavier , Romanini Daniele
Published: May 2017

Abstract. We present the first comparison of carbon monoxide (CO) measurements performed with a portable laser spectrometer that exploits the optical-feedback cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy (OF-CEAS) technique, against a high-performance automated gas chromatograph (GC) with a mercuric oxide reduction gas detector (RGD). First, measurements of atmospheric CO mole fraction were continuously collected in a Paris (France) suburb over 1 week. Both instruments showed an excellent agreement within typically 2 ppb (part per billion in volume), fulfilling the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recommendation for CO inter-laboratory comparison. The compact size and robustness of the OF-CEAS instrument allowed its operation aboard a small aircraft employed for routine tropospheric air analysis over the French Orléans forest area. Direct OF-CEAS real-time CO measurements in tropospheric air were then compared with later analysis of flask samples by the gas chromatograph. Again, a very good agreement was observed. This work establishes that the OF-CEAS laser spectrometer can run unattended at a very high level of sensitivity ( <  1 ppb) and stability without any periodic calibration.
Wave-optics uncertainty propagation and regression-based bias model in GNSS radio occultation bending angle retrievals
Authors: Gorbunov Michael , Kirchengast Gottfried
Published: May 2017

Abstract. A new reference occultation processing system (rOPS) will include a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) retrieval chain with integrated uncertainty propagation. In this paper, we focus on wave-optics bending angle retrieval in the lower troposphere and introduce 1. an empirically estimated boundary layer bias (BLB) model then employed to reduce the systematic uncertainty of excess phases and bending angles in the lowest about two kilometers of the troposphere, and 2. the estimation of (residual) systematic uncertainties and their propagation together with random uncertainties from excess phase to bending angle profiles. Our BLB model describes the estimated bias of the excess phase transferred from the estimated bias of the bending angle, for which the model is built, informed by analyzing refractivity fluctuation statistics shown to induce such biases. The model is derived from regression analysis using a large ensemble of Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) RO observations and concurrent European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analysis fields. It is formulated in terms predictors and adaptive functions (powers and cross-products of predictors), where we use six main predictors derived from observations: impact altitude, latitude, bending angle and its standard deviation, canonical transform amplitude and its fluctuation index. Based on an ensemble of test days, independent of the days of data used for the regression analysis to establish the BLB model, we find the model very effective for bias reduction, capable of reducing bending angle and corresponding refractivity biases by about a factor of five. The estimated residual systematic uncertainty, after the BLB profile subtraction, is lower-bounded by the uncertainty from (indirect) use of ECMWF analysis fields but is significantly lower than the systematic uncertainty without BLB correction. The systematic and random uncertainties are propagated from excess phase to bending angle profiles, using a perturbation approach and the wave-optical method recently introduced by Gorbunov and Kirchengast (2015), starting with estimated excess phase uncertainties. The results are encouraging that this uncertainty propagation approach combined with BLB correction enables a robust reduction and quantification of the uncertainties of excess phases and bending angles in the lower troposphere.
Sequential nutrient uptake as a potential mechanism for phytoplankton to maintain high primary productivity and balanced nutrient stoichiometry
Authors: Yin Kedong , Liu Hao , Harrison Paul J.
Published: May 2017

Abstract. We hypothesize that phytoplankton have the sequential nutrient uptake strategy to maintain nutrient stoichiometry and high primary productivity in the water column. According to this hypothesis, phytoplankton take up the most limiting nutrient first until depletion, continue to draw down non-limiting nutrients and then take up the most limiting nutrient rapidly when it is available. These processes would result in the variation of ambient nutrient ratios in the water column around the Redfield ratio. We used high-resolution continuous vertical profiles of nutrients, nutrient ratios and on-board ship incubation experiments to test this hypothesis in the Strait of Georgia. At the surface in summer, ambient NO3− was depleted with excess PO43− and SiO4− remaining, and as a result, both N : P and N : Si ratios were low. The two ratios increased to about 10 : 1 and 0. 45 : 1, respectively, at 20 m. Time series of vertical profiles showed that the leftover PO43− continued to be removed, resulting in additional phosphorus storage by phytoplankton. The N : P ratios at the nutricline in vertical profiles responded differently to mixing events. Field incubation of seawater samples also demonstrated the sequential uptake of NO3− (the most limiting nutrient) and then PO43− and SiO4− (the non-limiting nutrients). This sequential uptake strategy allows phytoplankton to acquire additional cellular phosphorus and silicon when they are available and wait for nitrogen to become available through frequent mixing of NO3− (or pulsed regenerated NH4). Thus, phytoplankton are able to maintain high productivity and balance nutrient stoichiometry by taking advantage of vigorous mixing regimes with the capacity of the stoichiometric plasticity. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show the in situ dynamics of continuous vertical profiles of N : P and N : Si ratios, which can provide insight into the in situ dynamics of nutrient stoichiometry in the water column and the inference of the transient status of phytoplankton nutrient stoichiometry in the coastal ocean.
Ideas and perspectives: How coupled is the vegetation to the
boundary layer?
Authors: De Kauwe Martin G. , Medlyn Belinda E. , Knauer Jürgen , Williams Christopher A.
Published: May 2017

Abstract. Understanding the sensitivity of transpiration to stomatal conductance is critical to simulating the water cycle. This sensitivity is a function of the degree of coupling between the vegetation and the atmosphere, and is commonly expressed by the decoupling factor. The level of decoupling assumed by models varies considerably and has previously been shown to be a major cause for model disagreement when simulating changes in transpiration in response to elevated CO2. The degree of coupling also offers us insight into how different vegetation types control transpiration fluxes, fundamental to our understanding of land–atmosphere interactions. To explore this issue, we estimated the decoupling factor from FLUXNET data, finding notable departures from values previously reported in single site studies. Evergreen needleleaf forests appear to be on the whole more decoupled than the literature suggests, whilst evergreen broadleaved forests and shrubs were considerably more coupled than is suggested in the literature or than would be predicted based on leaf size and plant stature. We found that the assumption that grasses would be strongly decoupled (due to vegetation stature) was only true for high precipitation sites. These results were robust to assumptions about aerodynamic conductance and energy balance closure. Thus, these data form a benchmarking metric against which to test model assumptions about coupling. Our results identify a clear need to improve the quantification of the processes involved in scaling from the leaf to the whole ecosystem. Progress could be made with targeted measurement campaigns at flux sites, as well as more site characteristic information across the FLUXNET network.
Prevailing climatic trends and runoff response from Hindukush–Karakoram–Himalaya, upper Indus Basin
Authors: Hasson Shabeh , Böhner Jürgen , Lucarini Valerio
Published: May 2017

Abstract. Largely depending on the meltwater from the Hindukush–Karakoram–Himalaya, withdrawals from the upper Indus Basin (UIB) contribute half of the surface water availability in Pakistan, indispensable for agricultural production systems, industrial and domestic use, and hydropower generation. Despite such importance, a comprehensive assessment of prevailing state of relevant climatic variables determining the water availability is largely missing. Against this background, this study assesses the trends in maximum, minimum and mean temperatures, diurnal temperature range and precipitation from 18 stations (1250–4500 m a.s.l.) for their overlapping period of record (1995–2012) and, separately, from six stations of their long-term record (1961–2012). For this, a Mann–Kendall test on serially independent time series is applied to detect the existence of a trend, while its true slope is estimated using the Sen's slope method. Further, locally identified climatic trends are statistically assessed for their spatial-scale significance within 10 identified subregions of the UIB, and the spatially (field-) significant climatic trends are then qualitatively compared with the trends in discharge out of corresponding subregions. Over the recent period (1995–2012), we find warming and drying of spring (field-significant in March) and increasing early melt season discharge from most of the subregions, likely due to a rapid snowmelt. In stark contrast, most of the subregions feature a field-significant cooling within the monsoon period (particularly in July and September), which coincides well with the main glacier melt season. Hence, a decreasing or weakly increasing discharge is observed from the corresponding subregions during mid- to late melt season (particularly in July). Such tendencies, being largely consistent with the long-term trends (1961–2012), most likely indicate dominance of the nival but suppression of the glacial melt regime, altering overall hydrology of the UIB in future. These findings, though constrained by sparse and short observations, largely contribute in understanding the UIB melt runoff dynamics and address the hydroclimatic explanation of the Karakoram Anomaly.
Physical theory for near-bed turbulent particle suspension capacity
Authors: Eggenhuisen Joris T. , Cartigny Matthieu J. B. , de Leeuw Jan
Published: May 2017

Abstract. The inability to capture the physics of solid-particle suspension in turbulent fluids in simple formulas is holding back the application of multiphase fluid dynamics techniques to many practical problems in nature and society involving particle suspension. We present a force balance approach to particle suspension in the region near no-slip frictional boundaries of turbulent flows. The force balance parameter Γ contains gravity and buoyancy acting on the sediment and vertical turbulent fluid forces; it includes universal turbulent flow scales and material properties of the fluid and particles only. Comparison to measurements shows that Γ = 1 gives the upper limit of observed suspended particle concentrations in a broad range of flume experiments and field settings. The condition of Γ > 1 coincides with the complete suppression of coherent turbulent structures near the boundary in direct numerical simulations of sediment-laden turbulent flow. Γ thus captures the maximum amount of sediment that can be contained in suspension at the base of turbulent flow, and it can be regarded as a suspension capacity parameter. It can be applied as a simple concentration boundary condition in modelling studies of the dispersion of particulates in environmental and man-made flows.