bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genotype and year variability of the chemical composition of walnut oil of Moroccan seedlings from the high Atlas Mountains
Authors: Kodad O. , Estopañán G. , Juan T. , Socias i Company R. , Sindic M.
Published: February 2016

Protein and oil content, fatty acid composition and tocopherol concentration were determined for two years in the kernel of ten candidate walnut selections from the high Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Considerable variation between genotypes was found for all parameters. The ranges of protein content (11.58–14.5% of kernel dry weight, DW), oil content (54.4–67.48% of kernel DW), oleic (12.47–22.01% of total oil), linoleic (55.03–60.01%), linolenic (9.3–15.87%), palmitic (6.84–9.12%), and stearic (1.7–2.92%) acid percentages, γ-tocopherol (188.1–230.7 mg·kg-1 of oil), δ-tocopherol (23.3–43.4 mg·kg-1), and α-tocopherol (8.9–16.57 mg·kg-1) contents agreed with previous results obtained from other commercial walnut cultivars. The effect of year was significant for all the chemical components, except for oil content and palmitic acid percentage. Some genotypes showed high oil contents and consistently high values of γ-tocopherol in both years of study. The introduction of these genotypes as new cultivars by vegetative propagation may result in a an increase in quality of the walnuts from the high Atlas Mountains of Morocco, and as a seed source for forest walnut propagation in the same region.
Effect of soy oil, orange (Citrus sinensis) peel oil and their blends on total phospholipid, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant defense system in brain tissues of normo rats
Authors: Erukainure O. L. , Ajiboye J. A. , Davis F. F. , Obabire K. , Okoro E. E. , Adenekan S. O. , Adegbola M. V. , Awogbemi B. J. , Odjobo B. O. , Zaruwa M. Z.
Published: February 2016

Soy and orange peel (C. sinensis) oils were fed to albino male rats to determine their effects on malondialdehyde (MDA), total phospholipid (TP) content and oxidative stress biomarkers of brain tissue. Beside mouse chow, four diets were designed to contain 50% of their energy as carbohydrate, 35% as fat, and 15% as protein, and one lipid-free diet which had distilled water substituted for fat. Groups of five rats were each fed one of these diets, while a fifth group was fed pelletized mouse chow. A significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed in the TP of the mouse chow group. The TP was highest (p < 0.05) in those fed the soy and orange peel oil blend as compared to those fed these oils separately. Feeding soy oil led to decreased MDA in brain tissues and influenced the TP content. Significantly lower (p < 0.05) GSH and SOD activities were observed in the groups fed soy oil+orange peel oil, and soy oil diets respectively. Higher significant (p < 0.05) activities were observed in the orange oil fed group. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) catalase activity was observed in the lipid free diet fed group, which was followed by orange peel oil, and soy oil+orange peel oil diets, respectively. A combination of both oils may be useful in the management of certain neurological diseases or illnesses and protect against other oxidative stress complications.
Solid carbon dioxide to promote the extraction of extra-virgin olive oil
Authors: Zinnai A. , Venturi F. , Quartacci M. F. , Sanmartin C. , Favati F. , Andrich G.
Published: February 2016

The use of solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) as a cryogen is widespread in the food industry to produce high quality wines, rich in color and perfumes. The direct addition of carbon dioxide to olives in the solid state before milling represents a fundamental step which characterizes this innovative extraction system. At room temperature conditions solid carbon dioxide evolves directly into the air phase (sublimation), and the direct contact between the cryogen and the olives induces a partial solidification of the cellular water inside the fruits. Since the volume occupied by water in the solid state is higher than that in the liquid state, the ice crystals formed are incompatible with the cellular structure and induce the collapse of the cells, besides promoting the diffusion of the cellular substances in the extracted oil, which is thus enriched with cellular metabolites characterized by a high nutraceutical value. Furthermore, a layer of CO2 remains over the olive paste to preserve it from oxidative degradation. The addition of solid carbon dioxide to processed olives induced a statistically significant increase in oil yield and promoted the accumulation of tocopherols in the lipid phase, whereas a not significant increase in the phenolic fraction of the oil occurred.
Changes in the sterol compositions of milk thistle oil (Silybium marianum L.) during seed maturation
Authors: Harrabi S. , Curtis S. , Hayet F. , Mayer P. M.
Published: February 2016

In this study, the total lipid content and sterol compositions were determined during the development of milk thistle seeds. The oil content increased to a maximum value of 36±1.7% and then declined to reach a value of 30.5±0.9% at full maturity. The sterol content of milk thistle seeds was affected by the ripening degree of the seeds. At the early stages of seed maturation, Δ7-stigmastenol was the most abundant sterol followed by β-sitosterol. However, at full maturity, β-sitosterol was the most predominant sterol (46.50±0.8%). As the seed developed, campesterol and stigmasterol amounts increased, while Δ7-avenasterol content decreased. It can be concluded that milk thistle seed oil has a characteristic sterol pattern comparable to the ones elucidated for olive oil and corn oil. The extracted oil from milk thistle seeds is rich in phytosterols and could be used in food preparation and human nutrition.
Ethical Consumerism: Contextual Issues of Ethical Decision-Making Processes
Authors: A'ali Ebtihaj A. Al , Al-Sarraf Abdul Redha
Published: February 2016

Ethical consumerism is the outcome of an ethical decision-making process. This research examines situational factors exemplified in context-related issues affecting decision-making as perceived by business students at the University of Bahrain. Reward systems, authority, bureaucracy, work role, organizational culture and national and cultural context are investigated. Qualitative research employing open-ended questions in questionnaire form is used. Two hundred and forty students participated in this research. Five questions were asked in the research. Themes involved are illustrations of reward systems, bureaucracy, organizational culture, national and cultural context and work roles. This research suggests that work roles require to be thoroughly investigated in future research. The research also shows that students are unaware of ethical consumerism. This explains reasons for not translating views of students to behavior as a reflection of ethical consumerism.
Impact of Islamic and Conventional Corporate Governance Mechanisms on Financial Performance of Islamic Banks
Authors: Mkadmi Jamel Eddine , Halioui Khamoussi
Published: February 2016

This study aims to analyze the effects of Islamic and conventional corporate governance mechanisms on financial performance. Six hypotheses have been developed and tested on 17 Malaysian Islamic banks observed over 7 years from 2005 to 2011. The measures used for financial performance were ROA; ROE and Operating Ratio (COSR). Using an econometric panel data, the results show that two among three conventional corporate governance mechanisms have significant effects on financial performance: the size of the board of director (SBD) and the degree of independence of the Board (INDEP); Whereas concerning the impact of the three other Islamic corporate governance mechanisms; our results show that only the visibility of supervisors is negatively as well as significantly related to financial performance. Regarding the relevance of control variables, two among three are relevant and positively related to financial performance (the age and the debt of the bank ratio.
Does Trust Matter for Foreign Direct Investment Decisions?
Authors: Eryigit Sibel Bali
Published: February 2016

Factors affecting the investment decisions of multinational companies are heavily researched in the literature. However, the number of studies dealing with the socio-cultural characteristics of host countries among these factors is quite limited. Among the cultural characteristics affecting location decisions, one of the primary cultural characteristics is the general level of trust between individuals. In this scope, this chapter intends to research whether the general level of trust in a society has an effect on the location decisions of foreign investors. In line with this objective, an analysis will be conducted by employing the panel data method for 39 emerging market countries for the period between 1998 and 2011. According to the results of the study, a low general level of trust in the host country represents a significant disadvantage for the attraction of foreign direct investments.
Steps towards Interoperability in Healthcare Environment
Authors: Peixoto Hugo , Domingues Andréa , Fernandes Bruno
Published: February 2016

Information should be accessible everywhere and at any time to help with clinical decision and be available for clinical studies through data computationally interpretable. This work is based on a set of studies performed at Centro Hospitalar do Tâmega e Sousa. An Electronic Semantic Health Record was formalized and implemented which was delivered through a platform named Agency for the Integration, Diffusion and Archive, which is supported by intelligent agents. Furthermore, to strengthen the relation between the patient and the hospital, an appointment alert system was developed, which allowed the reduction of non-programmed misses and a decrease of costs. Finally to promote user's confidence on Information Systems, an open-source tool was developed that enables the scheduling of preventive actions. These tools allowed continuous improvement of systems and are currently well accepted inside the healthcare unit, proving in real clinical situation the effectiveness and usability of the model.
Step towards Improving the Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy by Means of Business Intelligence
Authors: Brandão Andreia , Portela Filipe
Published: February 2016

With the implementation of Information and Communication Technologies in the health sector, it became possible the existence of an electronic record of information for patients, enabling the storage and the availability of their information in databases. However, without the implementation of a Business Intelligence (BI) system, this information has no value. Thus, the major motivation of this paper is to create a decision support system that allows the transformation of information into knowledge, giving usability to the stored data. The particular case addressed in this chapter is the Centro Materno Infantil do Norte (CMIN), in particular the Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy (VIP) unit. With the creation of a BI system for this module, it is possible to design an interoperable, pervasive and real-time platform to support the decision-making process of health professionals, based on cases that occurred. Furthermore, this platform enables the automation of the process for obtaining key performance indicators that are presented annually by this health institution. In this chapter, the BI system implemented in the VIP unity in CMIN, some of the indicators (KPIs) evaluated as well as the benefits of this implementation are presented.
A Clinical Recommendation System to Maternity Care
Authors: Pereira Eliana , Portela Filipe , Abelha António
Published: February 2016

Nowadays in healthcare, the Clinical Decision Support Systems are used in order to help health professionals to take an evidence-based decision. An example is the Clinical Recommendation Systems. In this sense, a pre-triage system was developed and implemented in Centro Hospitalar do Porto in order to group the patients on two levels (urgent or outpatient). However, although this system is calibrated and specific to the urgency of obstetrics and gynaecology, it does not meet all clinical requirements by the general department of the Portuguese HealthCare (Direção Geral de Saúde). The main requirement is the need of having priority triage system characterized by five levels. Thus some studies have been conducted with the aim of presenting a methodology able to evolve the pre-triage system on a Clinical Recommendation System with five levels. After some tests (using data mining and simulation techniques), it has been validated the possibility of transformation the pre-triage system in a Clinical Recommendation System in the obstetric context. At the end the main indicators achieved with this system are presented in the Business Intelligence Platform already deployed. This paper presents an overview of the Clinical Recommendation System for obstetric triage, the model developed and the main results achieved.
A New Approach to Generate Hospital Data Warehouse Schema
Authors: Arfaoui Nouha , Akaichi Jalel
Published: February 2016

The healthcare industry generates huge amount of data underused for decision making needs because of the absence of specific design mastered by healthcare actors and the lack of collaboration and information exchange between the institutions. In this work, a new approach is proposed to design the schema of a Hospital Data Warehouse (HDW). It starts by generating the schemas of the Hospital Data Mart (HDM) one for each department taking into consideration the requirements of the healthcare staffs and the existing data sources. Then, it merges them to build the schema of HDW. The bottom-up approach is suitable because the healthcare departments are separately. To merge the schemas, a new schema integration methodology is used. It starts by extracting the similar elements of the schemas and the conflicts and presents them as mapping rules. Then, it transforms the rules into queries and applies them to merge the schemas.
End to End Supply Chain Planning for a Fashion Retailer in India
Authors: D. Aravind
Published: February 2016

This study initially explains all the Supply chain processes involved in fashion retail business and later discusses about the real time challenges faced by fashion retailer in India. It also throws a light on how IT can improve the supply chain aspects in fashion retail. Paper also talks about why fashion retailers in India are more resistant towards IT solutions. Paper also look at the obstacles faced by fashion retailers in India in to go Omni-channel. This study helps the IT providers to understand how to build their products solving the real time challenges faced by fashion retailers, and helps retailers to improve their supply chain planning by leveraging IT solutions. This paper also helps to understand the fashion retailing business in India.
Assessing Experience
Authors: Byker Erik Jon
Published: February 2016

Performance-based assessments are more than just skill development. They are part of evaluating relevant experiences that lead to the maturation of professional dispositions. A goal of performance-based assessment is that as learners—such as teacher candidates—meet the challenges of a performance-based assessment they become deeply cognizant and metacognitive of the level of commitment it takes to be an effective teacher. This chapter argues that at its core performance-based assessment is experiential learning. The chapter reports and compares the findings from two case studies in order to develop a theoretical model for a performance-based assessment of experiential learning. The model, called the Performance-Based Assessment Cycle, weds David Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory with features of performance-based assessment. The Performance-Based Assessment Cycle is centered on the development of evaluating relevant experiences through a process of doing, concluding, connecting, and renewing.
Numerical Simulation of Roller Hemming Operation on Convex Edge-Convex Surface Parts
Authors: Gürgen Selim
Published: February 2016

This paper presents the roller hemming operation of FEE220BH sheet metal with convex edge-convex surface geometry. The investigation is focused on process parameters of bending angle and roller geometry whose effects have not been investigated in previous studies. A set of numerical simulations is designed to observe the multi response of the process parameters. The objective of the study is to determine the influences of these parameters on deformation, undesired wrinkling formation and hemming force which are directly related to the material reliability and the visual quality in the operation. The results are discussed to improve the outputs of the operation.
The Properties of ZnAlMg Alloys for Batch Hot Dip Metallization
Authors: Nowacki Krzysztof , Kania Henryk , Wieczorek Jakub , Smalcerz Albert
Published: February 2016

In the paper the melting point of Zn-Al alloys with the addition of Mg has been determined, based on solidification curves. The alloys used for the tests were alloys containing 7, 15, 23 and 31 wt.% Al with the addition of 3 or 6 wt.% Mg. It has been determined that the solidification temperature of the ZnAlMg alloy is a synergistic effect of the Al and Mg contents. In alloys with lower contents of Al (7, 15 wt.% Al) an increase in the content of Mg leads to an increase of the melting point. In baths with higher contents of Al (23, 31 wt.% Al) the addition of Mg causes a decrease of the melting point. It has been determined that the melting point of the Zn-31Al6Mg alloy drops to 438°C, due to which the alloy can be used for metallization in temperature conditions close to the temperature of traditional hot dip galvanizing.
Importance of Electrodes Slipping Algorithm for the Ferrosilicon Smelting Process
Authors: Machulec Bolesław , Bialik Wojciech
Published: February 2016

The electric arc is one of the most unstable parts of the electrical circuit of submerged-arc furnaces in the ferrosilicon smelting process. In the carbothermal silica reduction electric arc has an important role as a high temperature heat source, and its presence is essential for the proper ferrosilicon process flow. Presence of the of electric arc and temperature conditions of the ferrosilicon process have a direct relationship with position of the electrodes tip and electrodes slipping. In the ferroalloy industry position of electrodes tip as similar as metallurgical parameters of the process are not directly measured. Most often these assessments are still based to a large extent on intuition and experience operating staff of the furnaces, and have qualitative and subjective character. In order to check the existing algorithm of electrodes slipping was carried out statistical studies of the FeSi75 ferrosilicon smelting process. The study was conducted at discrete intervals ∆t = 8h using data recorded by the furnace computer measuring system and methods of statistical data processing. It was found that the size of the electrodes slipping, and Cfix ratio in the feed are correlated and are among the most important parameters which have an impact on the technical and economic indicators of the process.
Assessment of the Acoustic Properties in Octavo Bands for Selected Polyurethane Materials
Authors: Małysa Tomasz , Nowacki Krzysztof , Lis Teresa
Published: February 2016

The article presents the acoustic properties of selected polyurethane materials. The study involved a porous polyurethane foam primary and secondary, for whom assigned the value of sound absorption coefficients in the frequency range of 100 – 1250 Hz. The study was conducted in impedance tube Kundt.
Use of Simulation in Undergraduate and Graduate Education
Authors: Gore Teresa , Thomson Wendy
Published: February 2016

Simulation is not just technology but a teaching method used to allow students to practice in a safe environment. The focus of simulation is to improve patient safety, communication, and the ability of the student to think and act as a nurse or advanced practice nurse. As use of simulation in nursing education increases, more regulations, guidelines, and standards are being developed to assist nursing programs to obtain best outcomes. This article provides readers with an overview of simulation use in undergraduate and graduate nursing education.
Spontaneous ventral spinal epidural hematoma in a child: A case report and review of literature
Authors: Ratre Shailendra , Yadav Yadram , Choudhary Sushma , Parihar Vijay
Published: February 2016

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma is very uncommon cause of spinal cord compression. It is extremely rare in children and is mostly located in dorsal epidural space. Ventral spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is even rarer, with only four previous reports in childrens. We are reporting fifth such case in a 14 year old male child. He presented with history of sudden onset weakness and sensory loss in both lower limbs with bladder bowel involvment since 15 days. There was no history of trauma or bleeding diasthesis. On clinical examination he had spastic paraplegia.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of dorsal spine was suggestive of ventral spinal epidural hematoma extending from first to sixth dorsal vertebrae. Laminectomy of fourth and fifth dorsal vertebrae and complete evacuation of hematoma was done on the same day of admission. Postoperatively the neurological status was same.
Toward Signaling-Driven Biomarkers Immune to Normal Tissue Contamination
Authors: Stansfield John C. , Rusay Matthew , Shan Roger , Kelton Conor , Gaykalova Daria A. , Fertig Elana J. , Califano Joseph A. , Ochs Michael F.
Published: February 2016

The goal of this study was to discover a minimally invasive pathway-specific biomarker that is immune to normal cell mRNA contamination for diagnosing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Using Elsevier's MedScan natural language processing component of the Pathway Studio software and the TRANSFAC database, we produced a curated set of genes regulated by the signaling networks driving the development of HNSCC. The network and its gene targets provided prior probabilities for gene expression, which guided our CoGAPS matrix factorization algorithm to isolate patterns related to HNSCC signaling activity from a microarray-based study. Using patterns that distinguished normal from tumor samples, we identified a reduced set of genes to analyze with Top Scoring Pair in order to produce a potential biomarker for HNSCC. Our proposed biomarker comprises targets of the transcription factor (TF) HIF1A and the FOXO family of TFs coupled with genes that show remarkable stability across all normal tissues. Based on validation with novel data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), measured by RNAseq, and bootstrap sampling, the biomarker for normal vs. tumor has an accuracy of 0.77, a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.54, and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82.
Phi Class of Glutathione S-transferase Gene Superfamily Widely Exists in Nonplant Taxonomic Groups
Authors: Munyampundu Jean-Pierre , Xu You-Ping , Cai Xin-Zhong
Published: February 2016

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) constitute a superfamily of enzymes involved in detoxification of noxious compounds and protection against oxidative damage. GST class Phi (GSTF), one of the important classes of plant GSTs, has long been considered as plant specific but was recently found in basidiomycete fungi. However, the range of nonplant taxonomic groups containing GSTFs remains unknown. In this study, the distribution and phylogenetic relationships of nonplant GSTFs were investigated. We identified GSTFs in ascomycete fungi, myxobacteria, and protists Naegleria gruberi and Aureococcus anophagefferens. GSTF occurrence in these bacteria and protists correlated with their genome sizes and habitats. While this link was missing across ascomycetes, the distribution and abundance of GSTFs among ascomycete genomes could be associated with their lifestyles to some extent. Sequence comparison, gene structure, and phylogenetic analyses indicated divergence among nonplant GSTFs, suggesting polyphyletic origins during evolution. Furthermore, in silico prediction of functional partners suggested functional diversification among nonplant GSTFs.
Связанные состояния системы двух бозонов на двумерной решетке
Authors: Abdullaev Zhanikul Ibragimovich , Kuliev Komil Danabaevich
Published: February 2016

Рассматривается гамильтониан системы двух бозонов на двумерной решетке $\mathbb{Z}^2$. Оператор Шредингера $H(k_1,k_2)$ (где $\mathbf k=(k_1,k_2)$ - полный квазиимпульс) данной системы при $k_1=k_2=\pi$ имеет бесконечное число собственных значений. В случае потенциала определенного вида одно собственное значение является простым, другое - двукратным, а остальные собственные значения являются трехкратными. Доказано, что при малых $\beta>0$ для оператора $H(\pi,\pi-2\beta)$ двукратное собственное значение оператора $H(\pi,\pi)$ расщепляется на два невырожденных собственных значения, а трехкратные собственные значения расщепляются на три различных невырожденных собственных значения. Для этих собственных значений получены асимптотические формулы с точностью до $\beta^2$, а также явный вид собственных функций оператора $H(\pi,\pi-2\beta)$.
О спектре одного модельного трехчастичного оператора Шредингера
Authors: Eshkabilov Yusup Khalbaevich
Published: February 2016

Изучается спектр некоторого модельного трехчастичного оператора Шредингера $H(\varepsilon)$, $\varepsilon>0$. Доказано, что при достаточно малом $\varepsilon>0$ у этого оператора отсутствуют связанные состояния и двухчастичные ветви спектра. Получена оценка для малого параметра $\varepsilon$.
Strong atmospheric new particle formation in winter in urban Shanghai, China
Authors: Xiao S. , Wang M. Y. , Yao L. , Kulmala M. , Zhou B. , Yang X. , Chen J. M. , Wang D. F. , Fu Q. Y. , Worsnop D. R. , Wang L.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Particle size distributions in the range of 1.34–615 nm were recorded from 25 November 2013 to 25 January 2014 in urban Shanghai, using a combination of one nano condensation nucleus counter system, one nano scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS), and one long-SMPS. Measurements of sulfur dioxide by an SO2 analyzer with pulsed UV fluorescence technique allowed calculation of sulfuric acid proxy. In addition, concentrations of ammonia were recorded with a differential optical absorption spectroscopy. During this 62-day campaign, 13 new particle formation (NPF) events were identified with strong bursts of sub-3 nm particles and subsequent fast growth of newly formed particles. The observed nucleation rate (J1.34), formation rate of 3 nm particles (J3), and condensation sink were 112.4–271.0 cm−3 s−1, 2.3–19.2 cm−3 s−1, and 0.030–0.10 s−1, respectively. Subsequent cluster/nanoparticle growth (GR) showed a clear size dependence, with average values of GR1.35~1.39, GR1.39~1.46, GR1.46~1.70, GR1.70~2.39, GR2.39~7, and GR7~20 being 1.6±1.0, 1.4±2.2, 7.2±7.1, 9.0±11.4, 10.9±9.8, and 11.4±9.7 nm h−1, respectively. Correlation between nucleation rate (J1.34) and sulfuric acid proxy indicates that nucleation rate J1.34 was proportional to a 0.65±0.28 power of sulfuric acid proxy, indicating that the nucleation of particles can be explained by the activation theory. Correlation between nucleation rate (J1.34) and gas-phase ammonia suggests that ammonia was associated with NPF events. The calculated sulfuric acid proxy was sufficient to explain the subsequent growth of 1.34–3 nm particles, but its contribution became smaller as the particle size grew. Qualitatively, NPF events in urban Shanghai likely occur on days with low levels of aerosol surface area, meaning the sulfuric acid proxy is only a valid predictor when aerosol surface area is low.
Soluble trace metals in aerosols over the tropical south-east Pacific offshore of Peru
Authors: Baker A. R. , Thomas M. , Bange H. W. , Plasencia Sánchez E.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Bulk aerosol samples collected during cruise M91 of FS Meteor off the coast of Peru in December 2012 were analysed for their soluble trace metal (Fe, Al, Mn, Ti, Zn, V, Ni, Cu, Co, Cd, Pb, Th) and major ion (including NO3− and NH4+) content. These data are among the first recorded for trace metals in this relatively poorly studied region of the global marine atmosphere. To the north of  ∼  13° S, the concentrations of several elements (Fe, Ti, Zn, V, Ni, Pb) appear to be related to distance from the coast. At the south of the transect ( ∼  15–16° S), elevated concentrations of Fe, Cu, Co, and Ni were observed, and we calculated dry deposition fluxes of soluble Cu approximately an order of magnitude higher than a recent model-based estimate of total Cu deposition to the region. The model did not take account of emissions from the large smelting facilities in the south of Peru and northern Chile, and our results may indicate that these facilities constitute an important source of trace metals to the region. Calculated dry deposition fluxes (3370–17800 and 16–107 nmol m−2 d−1 for inorganic nitrogen and soluble Fe respectively) indicated that atmospheric input to the waters of the Peru upwelling system contains an excess of Fe over N, with respect to phytoplankton requirements. This may be significant as primary production in these waters has been reported to be limited by Fe availability, but atmospheric deposition is unlikely to be the dominant source of Fe to the system.
The impact of sedimentary alkalinity release on the water column CO2 system in the North Sea
Authors: Brenner H. , Braeckman U. , Le Guitton M. , Meysman F. J. R.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. It has been previously proposed that alkalinity release from sediments can play an important role in the carbonate dynamics on continental shelves, lowering the pCO2 of seawater and hence increasing the CO2 uptake from the atmosphere. To test this hypothesis, sedimentary alkalinity generation was quantified within cohesive and permeable sediments across the North Sea during two cruises in September 2011 (basin-wide) and June 2012 (Dutch coastal zone). Benthic fluxes of oxygen (O2), alkalinity (AT) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) were determined using shipboard closed sediment incubations. Our results show that sediments can form an important source of alkalinity for the overlying water, particularly in the shallow southern North Sea, where high AT and DIC fluxes were recorded in near-shore sediments of the Belgian, Dutch and German coastal zone. In contrast, fluxes of AT and DIC are substantially lower in the deeper, seasonally stratified, northern part of the North Sea. Based on the data collected, we performed a model analysis to constrain the main pathways of alkalinity generation in the sediment, and to quantify how sedimentary alkalinity drives atmospheric CO2 uptake in the southern North Sea. Overall, our results show that sedimentary alkalinity generation should be regarded as a key component in the CO2 dynamics of shallow coastal systems.
Reviews and syntheses: Four Decades of Modeling Methane Cycling in Terrestrial Ecosystems
Authors: Xu Xiaofeng , Yuan Fengming , Hanson Paul J. , Wullschleger Stan D. , Thornton Peter E. , Riley William J. , Song Xia , Graham David E. , Song Changchun , Tian Hanqin
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Over the past four decades, a number of numerical models have been developed to quantify the magnitude, investigate the spatial and temporal variations, and understand the underlying mechanisms and environmental controls of methane (CH4) fluxes within terrestrial ecosystems. These CH4 models are also used for integrating multi-scale CH4 data, such as laboratory-based incubation and molecular analysis, field observational experiments, remote sensing, and aircraft-based measurements across a variety of terrestrial ecosystems. Here we summarize 39 terrestrial CH4 models to characterize their strengths and weaknesses and to suggest a roadmap for future model improvement and application. Our key findings are that: (1) the focus of CH4 models has shifted from theoretical to site- and regional-level applications over the past four decades, (2) large discrepancies exist among models in terms of representing CH4 processes and their environmental controls, and (3) significant data-model and model-model mismatches are partially attributed to different representations of landscape characterization and inundation dynamics. Three areas for future improvements and applications of terrestrial CH4 models are: (1) CH4 models should more explicitly represent the mechanisms underlying land-atmosphere CH4 exchange, with emphasis on improving and validating individual CH4 processes over depth and horizontal space, (2) models should be developed that are capable of simulating CH4 emissions across highly heterogeneous spatial and temporal scales, particularly hot moments and hot spots, and (3) efforts should be invested to develop model benchmarking frameworks that can easily be used for model improvement, evaluation, and integration with data from molecular to global scales.
The silica-carbon biogeochemical cycle in the Bohai Sea and its responses to the changing terrestrial loadings
Authors: Liu Jun , Bouwman Lex , Zang Jiaye , Zhao Chenying , Liu Xiaochen , Ran Xiangbin
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Silicon (Si) and carbon (C) play key roles in the river and marine biogeochemistry. The Si and C budgets for the Bohai Sea were established on the basis of measurements at a range of stations and additional data from the literature. The results show that the spatial distributions of reactive Si and organic C (OC) in the water column are largely affected by the riverine input, primary production and export to the Yellow Sea. Biogenic silica (BSi) and total OC in sediments are mainly from marine primary production. The major supply of dissolved silicate (DSi) comes from benthic diffusion, riverine input alone accounts for 17 % of reactive Si inputs to the Bohai Sea; the dominant DSi removal from the water column is diatom uptake, followed by sedimentation. Rivers contribute 47 % of exogenous OC inputs to the Bohai Sea; the dominant outputs of OC are sedimentation and export to the Yellow Sea. The net burial of BSi and OC represent 3.3 % and 1.0 % of total primary production, respectively. Primary production has increased by 10 % since 2002 as a result of increased river loads of DSi and BSi. Our findings underline the critical role of riverine Si supply in primary production in coastal marine ecosystems.
Delineating incised stream sediment sources within a San Francisco Bay tributary basin
Authors: Bigelow Paul , Benda Lee , Pearce Sarah
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Erosion and sedimentation pose ubiquitous problems for land and watershed managers, requiring delineation of sediment sources and sinks across landscapes. However, the technical complexity of many spatially explicit erosion models precludes their use by practitioners. To address this critical gap, we demonstrate a contemporary use of applied geomorphometry through a straightforward GIS analysis of sediment sources in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, USA, designed to support erosion reduction strategies. Using 2 m LiDAR DEMs, we delineated the entire river network in the Arroyo Mocho watershed (573 km2) at the scale of ~30 m segments and identified incised landforms using a combination of hillslope gradient and planform curvature. Chronic erosion to the channel network was estimated based on these topographic attributes and the density and size of vegetation, and calibrated to sediment gage data, providing a spatially explicit estimate of sediment yield from incised channels across the basin. Rates of erosion were summarized downstream through the channel network, revealing patterns of sediment supply at the reach scale. Erosion and sediment supply were also aggregated to subbasins, allowing comparative analyses at the scale of tributaries. The erosion patterns delineated using this approach provide land use planners with a robust framework to design erosion reduction strategies. More broadly, the study demonstrates a modern analysis of important geomorphic processes affected by land use that is easily applied by agencies to solve common problems in watersheds, improving the integration between science and environmental management.
Performance evaluation of throughput-aware framework for ensemble data assimilation: The case of NICAM-LETKF
Authors: Yashiro H. , Terasaki K. , Miyoshi T. , Tomita H.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. In this paper, we propose the design and implementation of an ensemble data assimilation (DA) framework for weather prediction at a high resolution and with a large ensemble size. We consider the deployment of this framework on the data throughput of file input/output (I/O) and multi-node communication. As an instance of the application of the proposed framework, a Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (LETKF) was used with a Non-hydrostatic Icosahedral Atmospheric Model (NICAM) for the DA system. Benchmark tests were performed using the K computer, a massive parallel supercomputer with distributed file systems. The results showed an improvement in total time required for the workflow as well as satisfactory scalability of up to 10 K nodes (80 K cores). With regard to high-performance computing systems, where data throughput performance increases at a slower rate than computational performance, our new framework for ensemble DA systems promises drastic reduction of total execution time.
Technical Note: The impact of spatial scale in bias correction of climate model output for hydrologic impact studies
Authors: Maurer E. P. , Ficklin D. L. , Wang W.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Statistical downscaling is a commonly used technique for translating large-scale climate model output to a scale appropriate for assessing impacts. To ensure downscaled meteorology can be used in climate impact studies, downscaling must correct biases in the large-scale signal. A simple and generally effective method for accommodating systematic biases in large-scale model output is quantile mapping, which has been applied to many variables and shown to reduce biases on average, even in the presence of non-stationarity. Quantile-mapping bias correction has been applied at spatial scales ranging from hundreds of kilometers to individual points, such as weather station locations. Since water resources and other models used to simulate climate impacts are sensitive to biases in input meteorology, there is a motivation to apply bias correction at a scale fine enough that the downscaled data closely resemble historically observed data, though past work has identified undesirable consequences to applying quantile mapping at too fine a scale. This study explores the role of the spatial scale at which the quantile-mapping bias correction is applied, in the context of estimating high and low daily streamflows across the western United States. We vary the spatial scale at which quantile-mapping bias correction is performed from 2° ( ∼  200 km) to 1∕8° ( ∼  12 km) within a statistical downscaling procedure, and use the downscaled daily precipitation and temperature to drive a hydrology model. We find that little additional benefit is obtained, and some skill is degraded, when using quantile mapping at scales finer than approximately 0.5° ( ∼  50 km). This can provide guidance to those applying the quantile-mapping bias correction method for hydrologic impacts analysis.
Using open building data in the development of exposure data sets for catastrophe risk modelling
Authors: Figueiredo R. , Martina M.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. One of the necessary components to perform catastrophe risk modelling is information on the buildings at risk, such as their spatial location, geometry, height, occupancy type and other characteristics. This is commonly referred to as the exposure model or data set. When modelling large areas, developing exposure data sets with the relevant information about every individual building is not practicable. Thus, census data at coarse spatial resolutions are often used as the starting point for the creation of such data sets, after which disaggregation to finer resolutions is carried out using different methods, based on proxies such as the population distribution. While these methods can produce acceptable results, they cannot be considered ideal. Nowadays, the availability of open data is increasing and it is possible to obtain information about buildings for some regions. Although this type of information is usually limited and, therefore, insufficient to generate an exposure data set, it can still be very useful in its elaboration. In this paper, we focus on how open building data can be used to develop a gridded exposure model by disaggregating existing census data at coarser resolutions. Furthermore, we analyse how the selection of the level of spatial resolution can impact the accuracy and precision of the model, and compare the results in terms of affected residential building areas, due to a flood event, between different models.
On the thermal gradient in the Earth's deep interior
Authors: Tirone M.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Temperature variations in large portions of the mantle are mainly controlled by the reversible and irreversible transformation of mechanical energy related to pressure and viscous forces into internal energy along with diffusion of heat and chemical reactions. The simplest approach to determine the temperature gradient is to assume that the dynamic process involved is adiabatic and reversible, which means that entropy remains constant in the system. However, heat conduction and viscous dissipation during dynamic processes effectively create entropy. The adiabatic and non-adiabatic temperature variation under the influence of a constant or varying gravitational field are discussed in this study from the perspective of the Joule–Thomson (JT) throttling system in relation to the transport equation for change of entropy. The JT model describes a dynamic irreversible process in which entropy in the system increases but enthalpy remains constant (at least in an equipotential gravitational field). A comparison is made between the thermal gradient from the JT model and the thermal gradient from two models, a mantle convection and a plume geodynamic model, coupled with thermodynamics including a complete description of the entropy variation. The results show that the difference is relatively small and suggests that thermal structure of the asthenospheric mantle can be well approximated by an isenthalpic model when the formulation includes the effect of the gravitational field. For non-dynamic or parameterized mantle dynamic studies, the JT formulation provides a better description of the thermal gradient than the classic isentropic formulation.
Effects of land use changes on the dynamics of selected soil properties in northeast Wellega, Ethiopia
Authors: Adugna Alemayehu , Abegaz Assefa
Published: February 2016

Abstract. Land use change can have negative or positive effects on soil quality. Our objective was to assess the effects of land uses changes on the dynamics of selected soil physical and chemical properties. Soil samples were collected from three adjacent soil plots under different land uses, namely forestland, grazing land, and cultivated land at 0–15 cm depth. Changes in soil properties on cultivated and grazing land were computed and compared to forestland, and ANOVA (analysis of variance) was used to test the significance of the changes. Sand and silt proportions, soil organic content, total nitrogen content, acidity, cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable Ca2+ content were higher in forestlands. Exchangeable Mg2+ was highest in grazing land, while clay, available phosphorous, and exchangeable K+ were highest in cultivated land. The percentage changes in sand, clay, soil organic matter, cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+ were higher in cultivated land than in grazing land and forestland. In terms of the relation between soil properties, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable Ca2+ were strongly positively correlated with most of soil properties, while available phosphorous and silt have no significant relationship with any of the other considered soil properties. Clay has a negative correlation with all soil properties. Generally, cultivated land has the least concentration of soil physical and chemical properties except clay and available phosphorous, which suggests an increasing degradation rate in soils of cultivated land. So as to increase soil organic matter and other nutrients in the soil of cultivated land, the integrated implementation of land management through compost, cover crops, manures, minimum tillage, crop rotation, and liming to decrease soil acidity are suggested.
Cloud effects on surface energy and mass balance in the ablation area of Brewster Glacier, New Zealand
Authors: Conway J. P. , Cullen N. J.
Published: February 2016

Abstract. The effect of clouds on glacier surface energy balance (SEB) has received increased attention in the last decade, but how clouds interact with other meteorological forcing to influence surface mass balance (SMB) is not as well understood. This paper resolves the SEB and SMB at a site in the ablation zone of Brewster Glacier over a 22-month period, using high-quality radiation data to carefully evaluate SEB terms and define clear-sky and overcast conditions. A fundamental change in glacier SEB in cloudy conditions was driven by increased effective sky emissivity and surface vapour pressure, rather than a minimal change in air temperature and wind speed. During overcast conditions, positive net long-wave radiation and latent heat fluxes allowed melt to be maintained through a much greater length of time compared to clear-sky conditions, and led to similar melt in each sky condition. The sensitivity of SMB to changes in air temperature was greatly enhanced in overcast compared to clear-sky conditions due to more frequent melt and changes in precipitation phase that created a strong albedo feedback. During the spring and autumn seasons, the sensitivity during overcast conditions was strongest. To capture these processes, future attempts to explore glacier–climate interactions should aim to resolve the effects of atmospheric moisture (vapour, cloud, and precipitation) on melt as well as accumulation, through enhanced statistical or physically based methods.