bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Annual runoff prediction using a nearest-neighbour method based on cosine angle distance for similarity estimation
Authors: Qin G. , Li H. , Wang X. , He Q. , Li S.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. The Nearest Neighbour Method (NNM) is a data-driven and non-parametric scheme established on the similarity characteristics of hydrological phenomena. One of the important parts of NNM is to choose a proper distance measure. The Euclidean distance (EUD) is a commonly used distance measure, which represents the absolute distance of a spatial point and is directly related to the coordinate of the point, but is not sensitive to the direction of the feature vector. This paper used the cosine angle distance (CAD) for the similarity measure, which reflects more differences in the direction, and compared it to EUD. This technique is applied to annual runoff at YiChang station on the Yangtze River. The results show the NNM with CAD has a better performance than that of EUD.
Application of the PRMS model in the Zhenjiangguan watershed in the Upper Minjiang River basin
Authors: Fang L. , Liu C. , Qin G. , Zhang B. , Liu T.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. The PRMS model was established for Zhenjiangguan watershed in the upper reach of the Minjiang River basin, China. The results showed that PRMS had an acceptable performance in simulating monthly runoff in the study area. The analysis on the impacts of precipitation changes on hydrological processes indicated that both runoff and evapotranspiration increased with the increase of precipitation. Moreover, evapotranspiration had larger sensitivity to the change of precipitation than runoff.
Seasonal variation of ice melting on varying layers of debris of Lirung Glacier, Langtang Valley, Nepal
Authors: Chand M. B. , Kayastha R. B. , Parajuli A. , Mool P. K.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Glaciers in the Himalayan region are often covered by extensive debris cover in ablation areas, hence it is essential to assess the effect of debris on glacier ice melt. Seasonal melting of ice beneath different thicknesses of debris on Lirung Glacier in Langtang Valley, Nepal, was studied during three seasons of 2013–14. The melting rates of ice under 5 cm debris thickness are 3.52, 0.09, and 0.85 cm d−1 during the monsoon, winter and pre-monsoon season, respectively. Maximum melting is observed in dirty ice (0.3 cm debris thickness) and the rate decreases with the increase of debris thickness. The energy balance calculations on dirty ice and at 40 cm debris thickness show that the main energy source of ablation is net radiation. The major finding from this study is that the maximum melting occurs during the monsoon season than rest of the seasons.
Simulation of soil moisture for typical plain region using the Variable Infiltration Capacity model
Authors: Wu Z. , Mao Y. , Lu G. , Zhang J.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Droughts have a severe impact on the development of the social economy in developed plain areas. Soil moisture is a good index, it can reasonably reflect changes in drought. In this study, Jiangsu province in the Yangtze River Plain was selected as the research region, and the VIC (Variable Infiltration Capacity) large-scale hydrological model was selected to simulate the daily soil moisture with a resolution of 0.125 × 0.125 degree from 1956 to 2009. The simulated soil moisture was verified by measured soil moisture. The results indicate that the simulated soil moisture distribution is relatively consistent for the three soil layers (0–20, 20−100 and 0–100 cm), showing an increasing trend from northwest to southeast. The simulated soil moisture anomalies agreed well with in situ observations. The simulated soil moisture data thus can be used to analyze the spatio-temporal variation of the regional water content and to provide support for drought monitoring and forecasting.
Simulating hydrological processes in a sub-basin of the Mekong using GBHM and RS data
Authors: Wang W. , Lu H. , Gao B. , Jiao Y. , Pang Z.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. This paper presents simulations of daily hydrological process of the Mun River, the largest tributary of the Mekong, with a geomorphology-based hydrological model (GBHM) driven by two forcing sets: traditional station data and grid data derived from remote sensing and GLDAS products. Driven by the station data, the Mun-GBHM model is successfully calibrated against the discharge observed in 1991, but the model accuracy decreases with the increase of simulation time during the validation period of 1992–1999. Driven by the TRMM rainfall and other meteorological data from GLDAS, using the same parameters as above, the model performs reliably at both the monthly and daily scale. Moreover, when the model is calibrated with one year of gridded data, its performance can be further improved. Our results demonstrate that TRMM and GLDAS are able to drive the GBHM so providing reliable hydrologic predictions in such data-poor or ungauged basins.
Improving evaluation of climate change impacts on the water cycle by remote sensing ET-retrieval
Authors: García Galiano S. G. , Olmos Giménez P. , Ángel Martínez Pérez J. , Diego Giraldo Osorio J.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Population growth and intense consumptive water uses are generating pressures on water resources in the southeast of Spain. Improving the knowledge of the climate change impacts on water cycle processes at the basin scale is a step to building adaptive capacity. In this work, regional climate model (RCM) ensembles are considered as an input to the hydrological model, for improving the reliability of hydroclimatic projections. To build the RCMs ensembles, the work focuses on probability density function (PDF)-based evaluation of the ability of RCMs to simulate of rainfall and temperature at the basin scale. To improve the spatial calibration of the continuous hydrological model used, an algorithm for remote sensing actual evapotranspiration (AET) retrieval was applied. From the results, a clear decrease in runoff is expected for 2050 in the headwater basin studied. The plausible future scenario of water shortage will produce negative impacts on the regional economy, where the main activity is irrigated agriculture.
Spatial and temporal variations of winter discharge under climate change: Case study of rivers in European Russia
Authors: Telegina E. A.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. An important problem in hydrology is the re-evaluation of the current resources of surface and underground waters in the context of ongoing climate changes. The main feature of the present-day changes in water regime in the major portion of European Russia (ER) is the substantial increase in low-water runoff, especially in winter. In this context, some features of the spatial–temporal variations of runoff values during the winter low-water period are considered. Calculations showed that the winter runoff increased at more than 95% of hydrological gauges. Changes in the minimum and average values of runoff during winter low-water period and other characteristics are evaluated against the background of climate changes in the recent decades. The spatial and temporal variability of winter runoff in European Russia is evaluated for the first time.
An evaluation of the effect of future climate on runoff in the Dongjiang River basin, South China
Authors: Lin K. , Zhai W. , Huang S. , Liu Z.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. The impact of future climate change on the runoff for the Dongjiang River basin, South China, has been investigated with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). First, the SWAT model was applied in the three sub-basins of the Dongjiang River basin, and calibrated for the period of 1970–1975, and validated for the period of 1976–1985. Then the hydrological response under climate change and land use scenario in the next 40 years (2011–2050) was studied. The future weather data was generated by using the weather generators of SWAT, based on the trend of the observed data series (1966–2005). The results showed that under the future climate change and LUCC scenario, the annual runoff of the three sub-basins all decreased. Its impacts on annual runoff were –6.87%, –6.54%, and –18.16% for the Shuntian, Lantang, and Yuecheng sub-basins respectively, compared with the baseline period 1966–2005. The results of this study could be a reference for regional water resources management since Dongjiang River provides crucial water supplies to Guangdong Province and the District of Hong Kong in China.
Quantitative study of impacts of climate change and human activities on runoff in Beiluohe River basin
Authors: Guo A. , Huang Q. , Wang Y.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. In the Beiluohe River basin (BRB) runoff has been experiencing a significant reduction induced by climate change and human activities. This paper considers the impacts of climate change and human activities on runoff reduction. An improved empirical method for climate factors and runoff was developed to study the impacts quantitatively. Meanwhile climate elasticity of runoff, based on the Budyko hypothesis, was also adopted to study the impacts. Using runoff change points, series were divided into natural period (1960–1969) and impacted periods (1970–1994, 1995–2010). Results show that the methods used to quantify the contributions obtained different but close conclusions to one another. For 1970–1994, climate was the primary factor impacting runoff, compared with that for 1960–1969, with the contribution reaching around 70.84–83.42%, which was greater than human activities (16.58–29.16%). For 1995–2010, the role of human activities strengthened with the contribution around 62.58–65.07%, greater than climate changes, around 34.93–37.42%.
Atmospheric boundary layer characteristics and land−atmosphere energy transfer in the Third Pole area
Authors: Ma Y. , Zhu Z. , Amatya P. M. , Chen X. , Hu Z. , Zhang L. , Li M. , Ma W.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. The Tibetan Plateau and nearby surrounding area (the Third Pole area) dramatically impacts the world’s environment and especially controls climatic and environmental changes in China, Asia and even in the Northern Hemisphere. Supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and some international organizations, the Third Pole Environment (TPE) Programme is now under way. First, the background of the establishment of the TPE, the establishment and monitoring plans on long-term for the TPE and six comprehensive observation and study stations are introduced. Then the preliminary observational analysis results on atmosphere−land interaction are presented. The study on the regional distribution of land surface heat fluxes is of paramount importance over the heterogeneous landscape of the Third Pole area. A parameterization methodology based on satellite and in situ data is described and tested for deriving the regional surface heat fluxes (net radiation flux, soil heat flux, sensible heat flux and latent heat flux) over the heterogeneous landscape. As a case study, the methodology was applied to the whole Tibetan Plateau area. Eight images of MODIS data and four images of AVHRR data were used for the comparison among winter, spring, summer and autumn, and the annual variation analyses. The derived results were also validated by using the ‘‘ground truth’’ measured in the stations of the TPE. The results show that the derived surface heat fluxes in the four different seasons over the Tibetan Plateau area are in good agreement with the ground measurements. The results from AVHRR were also in agreement with MODIS. It is therefore concluded that the proposed methodology is successful for the retrieval of surface heat fluxes using the MODIS data, AVHRR data and in situ data over the Tibetan Plateau area.
Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of the Variable Infiltration Capacity model in the upstream of Heihe River basin
Authors: He R. , Pang B.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. The increasing water problems and eco-environmental issues of Heihe River basin have attracted widespread attention. In this research, the VIC (Variable Infiltration Capacity) model was selected to simulate the water cycle of the upstream in Heihe River basin. The GLUE (Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation) method was used to study the sensitivity of the model parameters and the uncertainty of model outputs. The results showed that the Nash-Sutcliffe efficient coefficient was 0.62 in the calibration period and 0.64 in the validation period. Of the seven elected parameters, Dm (maximum baseflow that can occur from the third soil layer), Ws (fraction of the maximum soil moisture of the third soil layer where non-linear baseflow occurs), and d1 (soil depth of the first soil layer), were very sensitive, especially d1. Observed discharges were almost in the range of the 95% predicted confidence range.
Satellite data analysis for identification of groundwater salinization effects on coastal forest for monitoring purposes
Authors: Barbarella M. , De Giglio M. , Panciroli L. , Greggio N.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. In the phreatic aquifer below the San Vitale pinewood (Ravenna, Italy), natural and anthropogenic land subsidence, the low topography and the artificial drainage system have led to widespread saltwater intrusion. Since changes in the groundwater concentration induce variations in the vegetation properties, recognizable by different spectral bands, a comparison between satellite images, ASTER and Worldview-2, was made using the NDVI. The aim was to identify the portions of pinewood affected by salinization through a procedure that could reduce the expensive and time consuming ground monitoring campaigns. Moreover, the Worldview-2 high resolutions were used to investigate the Thermophilic Deciduous Forest (TDF) spectral behaviour without the influence of the allochthonous Pinus pinea species that is scattered throughout the pinewood. The NDVI, calculated with traditional bands, identified the same stressed areas using both satellite data. Instead, the new Red-Edge band of the Worldview-2 image allowed a greater correlation between NDVI and groundwater salinity.
Snow evolution in a semi-arid mountainous area combining snow modelling and Landsat spectral mixture analysis
Authors: Pimentel R. , Herrero J. , Polo M. J.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. This study proposes the use of both physically-distributed hydrological modelling in combination with satellite remote sensing images, to study the evolution of the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains, in southern Spain. The snowmelt-accumulation module inside WiMMed (Watershed Integrated Management in Mediterranean Environment) hydrological model was employed, which includes the use of depletion curves to expand the energy and water balance equations over a grid representation. Snow maps obtained from spectral mixture analysis of Landsat images were used to evaluate this model at the study site. The results show a significant agreement between observed and simulated snow pixels in the area, which allows production of sequences of snow maps with greater resolution than the remote sensing images employed. However, some mismatches do appear at the boundaries of the snow area, mainly related to: (a) the great number of mixed pixels; and (b) the influence of the snow transport by wind.
Forecast of irrigation water demand considering multiple factors
Authors: Wang X. , Lei X. , Guo X. , You J. , Wang H.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Many factors influence irrigation water requirement on the basin scale, which make it difficult to obtain comprehensive data. Despite the advantage of less needing historical data, the prediction precision of traditional trend prediction methods is hard to guarantee. For water scarce basins, the artificial influence on irrigation requirement should be thought of as important impact factors. In this paper, the PCA (principal component analysis) method is used to identify the main influencing factors, such as precipitation, irrigation area, water saving technology and so on. Based on that, an irrigation water demand prediction model considering multiple factors is developed for water shortage regions. The method is applied in the Haihe River basin as an example. The study results show that the irrigation water demand forecasting method considering multiple factors in this paper can achieve higher modelling accuracy, compared with the traditional trend prediction method and the method that does not consider the human influence. In view of the small average relative error, 1.32%, it has good values for application.
Spatio-temporal variation of surface soil moisture over the Yellow River basin during 1961–2012
Authors: Tong R. , Yang X. , Ren L. , Shen H. , Shan H. , Kong H. , Lin C.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Soil moisture plays a significant role in agricultural and ecosystem development. However, in the real world soil moisture data are very limited due to many factors. VIC-3L model, as a semi-distribution hydrological model, can potentially provide valuable information regarding soil moisture. In this study, daily soil moisture contents in the surface soil layer (0–10 cm) of 1500 grids at 0.25 × 0.25 degree were simulated by the VIC-3L model. The Mann-Kendall trend test and Morlet wavelet analysis methods were used for the analysis of annual and monthly average surface soil moisture series. Results showed that the trend of surface soil moisture was not obvious on the basin scale, but it varied with spatial and temporal conditions. Different fluctuation amplitudes and periods of surface soil moisture were also discovered on the Yellow River basin during 1961 to 2012.
Temporal-spatial distribution of non-point source pollution in a drinking water source reservoir watershed based on SWAT
Authors: Wang M. , Cheng W. , Yu B.-S. , Fang Y.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. The conservation of drinking water source reservoirs has a close relationship between regional economic development and people’s livelihood. Research on the non-point pollution characteristics in its watershed is crucial for reservoir security. Tang Pu Reservoir watershed was selected as the study area. The non-point pollution model of Tang Pu Reservoir was established based on the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model. The model was adjusted to analyse the temporal-spatial distribution patterns of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP). The results showed that the loss of TN and TP in the reservoir watershed were related to precipitation in flood season. And the annual changes showed an "M" shape. It was found that the contribution of loss of TN and TP accounted for 84.5% and 85.3% in high flow years, and for 70.3% and 69.7% in low flow years, respectively. The contributions in normal flow years were 62.9% and 63.3%, respectively. The TN and TP mainly arise from Wangtan town, Gulai town, and Wangyuan town, etc. In addition, it was found that the source of TN and TP showed consistency in space.
Experimental study on the spatial variation of hydrodynamic parameters for hillslope-gully side erosion system in loess landscapes
Authors: Li X. , Wei X.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. On the Chinese Loess Plateau many hydraulic parameters related to soil erosion are highly variable and often cross-correlated. Hillslope-gully side erosion systems are widespread on the Loess Plateau, but the quantification between the hydraulic parameters is still unknown for the system. A constant headwater scouring experiment in the laboratory was performed in this study and combined a model with two slope segments (with hillslope and gully sides). Five inflow rates of 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 L/min were used. Some hydraulic parameters (the flow velocity, shear stress, unit stream power, Reynolds Number, Froude Number, Darcy-Weisbach friction factor, and Manning coefficient) were analysed. Regression equations were developed for the parameters. The results provide a basis for in-depth research regarding the erosion processes of hillslope-gully side erosion systems.
Glacier area and volume changes of Hidden Valley, Mustang, Nepal from ~1980s to 2010 based on remote sensing
Authors: Lama L. , Kayastha R. B. , Maharjan S. B. , Bajracharya S. R. , Chand M. B. , Mool P. K.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Glaciers are one of the important natural resources of freshwater and sources of water for hydropower, agriculture and drinking whenever the water is scarce. This mapping and change analysis helps to understand the status and decadal changes of glaciers in Hidden Valley, Mustang district, Nepal. The investigation is carried out using Landsat images of the years 1977 (~1980s), 1990, 2000 and 2010. We mapped 10 glaciers of the Hidden Valley covering an area of 19.79 km2 based on the object-based image classification method using an automatic method and manual delineation by a Geographic Information System (GIS), separately. The glacier outlines for 2010, 2000, 1990 and 1980s in both methods are delineated from the multispectral Landsat images of the respective years. The total area losses of the glaciers from the automatic method are 1.713 and 0.625 km2 between 1990−2000 and 2000−2010 and from manual delineation are 2.021, 1.264, 1.041 km2 between ~1980s−1990, 1990−2000 and 2000−2010. The amount of average estimated glacier ice reserves lost is 0.326 km3 (26.26 %) and the total glacier area loss is 4.33 km2 (21.87 %) from the 1980s to 2010 based on manual delineation. The glaciers of Hidden Valley are shrinking and fragmented due to decrease in glacier area and ice reserves.
Driving factors for runoff decline in the Upper Hanjiang basin, a major water source for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China
Authors: Zhang S. , Yang D. , Xu X.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. With dramatic changes in climate and land-cover patterns around the world, it is of great significance to evaluate the corresponding influence on runoff change as water resources have become a strategic resource. We analysed the runoff change driven by landscape change and climate variation in Hanjiang River basin, which is the water source area of the central route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China. Results show that the runoff decreased greatly from 1960 to 2012 in all the six selected sub-catchments. Attribution analysis results show that reduction of precipitation contributed to the catchment runoff decrease by 39.5–64.9% and landscape change, represented by increase of the parameter in the mathematical Budyko function contributed to the runoff decrease by 34.4–63.3%, while potential evapotranspiration change had a slightly negative contribution. In addition, the contribution is spatially variable from downstream to upstream. We conclude with a qualitative description about how water availability changes under changing landscape and climate conditions, and focus on the impact of vegetation cover change.
Application of quantitative precipitation forecasting and precipitation ensemble prediction for hydrological forecasting
Authors: Tao P. , Tie-Yuan S. , Zhi-Yuan Y. , Jun-Chao W.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. The precipitation in the forecast period influences flood forecasting precision, due to the uncertainty of the input to the hydrological model. Taking the ZhangHe basin as the example, the research adopts the precipitation forecast and ensemble precipitation forecast product of the AREM model, uses the Xin Anjiang hydrological model, and tests the flood forecasts. The results show that the flood forecast result can be clearly improved when considering precipitation during the forecast period. Hydrological forecast based on Ensemble Precipitation prediction gives better hydrological forecast information, better satisfying the need for risk information for flood prevention and disaster reduction, and has broad development opportunities.
Land use effects on soil organic carbon sequestration in calcareous leptosols in former pastureland – a case study from the Tatra Mountains (Poland)
Authors: Wasak K. , Drewnik M.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. The purpose of the paper is to show SOC sequestration rates in calcareous shallow soils in reforested areas in Tatra Mts. with a particular focus on the different forms of organic matter (OM) storage. Three plant communities creating a mosaic on the slopes of the valley were taken into account. After 50 years since the conversion of pastureland to grassland, dwarf pine shrub, and larch forest on soils, the development of genetic soil horizons as well as SOC sequestration in soil occur despite the steepness of slopes. SOC stock is the highest in soils under larch forest (63.5 mg ha−1, SD 16.3), while in soil under grassland and under dwarf pine shrub, this value is smaller (47.5 mg ha−1, SD 13.3 and 42.9 mg ha−1, SD 22.0 respectively). The highest amount of mineral-associated OM inside stable microaggregates (MOM FF3) is found in grassland soil (21.9–27.1% of SOC), less under dwarf pine shrub (16.3–19.3% of SOC) and larch forest (15.3–17.7% of SOC). The pool of mineral-associated OM inside transitional macroaggregates (MOM FF2) is found in soil under dwarf pine shrub (39.2–59.2% of SOC), with less under larch forest (43.8–44.7% of SOC) and the least in grassland soil (37.9–41.6% of SOC). The highest amount of the free light particulate fraction (POM LF1) is found in soil under dwarf pine shrub (6.6–10.3% of SOC), with less under larch forest (2.6–6.2% of SOC) and the least in grassland soil (1.7–4.8% of SOC).
Future climate and surface mass balance of Svalbard glaciers in an RCP8.5 climate scenario: a study with the regional climate model MAR forced by MIROC5
Authors: Lang C. , Fettweis X. , Erpicum M.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. We have performed a future projection of the climate and surface mass balance (SMB) of Svalbard with the MAR (Modèle Atmosphérique Régional) regional climate model forced by MIROC5 (Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate), following the RCP8.5 scenario at a spatial resolution of 10 km. MAR predicts a similar evolution of increasing surface melt everywhere in Svalbard followed by a sudden acceleration of melt around 2050, with a larger melt increase in the south compared to the north of the archipelago. This melt acceleration around 2050 is mainly driven by the albedo–melt feedback associated with the expansion of the ablation/bare ice zone. This effect is dampened in part as the solar radiation itself is projected to decrease due to a cloudiness increase. The near-surface temperature is projected to increase more in winter than in summer as the temperature is already close to 0 °C in summer. The model also projects a stronger winter west-to-east temperature gradient, related to the large decrease of sea ice cover around Svalbard. By 2085, SMB is projected to become negative over all of Svalbard's glaciated regions, leading to the rapid degradation of the firn layer.
Análise bibliométrica sobre a produção científica no campo das habilidades sociais
Authors: Colepicolo Eliane
Published: May 2015

Objetivo. Esta pesquisa consistiu em contribuir com a sistematização do campo teórico-prático das Habilidades Sociais, aqui denominado Campo das Habilidades Sociais (CHS). Método. Foi realizado o levantamento de uma amostra significativa de metadados de publicações do CHS extraídos de 15 bases de dados de literatura técnico-científica em Psicologia, disponíveis no Portal de Periódicos da CAPES. Após tratamento e refinamento, esta amostra resultou em um corpus de 25.409 metadados de artigos científicos, que é um conjunto de dados das publicações, provenientes de campos como autor, título, assunto, resumo, entre outros. Os metadados do corpus, armazenados em um banco de dados, possibilitaram a elaboração de uma série de cruzamentos de dados, resultando em indicadores bibliométricos. Resultados. Como resultados, encontram-se: o Corpus HS, publicado na internet, que possibilita a inclusão de novos metadados e a recuperação da quase totalidade de artigos científicos do campo; 2) os indicadores bibliométricos em CHS, que podem oferecer subsídios ao desenvolvimento e expansão do campo. Conclusões. Os indicadores bibliométricos do CHS mostram um crescimento representativo da produção sobre habilidades sociais na década de 1970. A pesquisa sobre HS é conduzida principalmente por pesquisadores dos Estados Unidos, Brasil, Reino Unido e Dinamarca. Os principais assuntos estudados são “social skills”, “interpersonal relations”, “social competence”, “empathy”, “assertividade”, “assertiveness”, “children”, “adulto”, “college students”; e os principais periódicos são: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology; Psychological Reports; Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders e Child Development.
Nursing activities and factors influential to nurse staffing decision-making
Authors: Young Judith , Lee Mikyoung , Prouty Sands Laura , McComb Sara
Published: May 2015

Objective: There is limited published research supporting the effectiveness of nursing workload measurement to comprehensively measure nursing workload and to formulate nurse resource need. Predictive accuracy is impaired due to variation in direct and indirect care-related activities across measurement instruments. This study aimed to (1) identify common nursing activities considered by nurse managers for staffing decision-making, (2) systematically review such nursing activities in relation to existing nursing workload instruments and Nursing Intervention Classification taxonomy, and (3) describe challenges perceived by managers in staffing decision-making.Methods: A survey was developed from an inclusive review of 20 nursing workload instruments collectively measuring 502 nursing activities. Nurse managers in 13 medical-surgical and two intensive care units at a Midwest healthcare organization identified nursing activities considered daily for staffing decision-making.Results: Twenty-one activities were commonly considered by at least 90 percent of managers (n = 13) for daily staffing decisionmaking, although none of the instruments reviewed included all 21 activities.Conclusions: Lack of a standardized framework for nursing workload measurement might have led to nurse managers’ different perceptions about appropriate determinants of these measurements. A standardized approach for measuring nursing workload would facilitate benchmarking for estimating nurse resource need. Further research is needed to design a systematic infrastructure that ensures staffing to meet patient care need. A process is also needed to alleviate the challenges in staffing decision-making that nurse managers face, such as fluctuations in census and patient acuity, nurse competency-based patient assignments, and limited information resources for staffing estimation.
Celebrity, Scriptedness and Alleged Sexual Violence in Ghost-Written Autobiographies by Julian Assange and Samantha Geimer
Authors: Saunders Edward
Published: May 2015

This article explores issues relating to the way scripts of sexual violence are employed or rejected in auto/biographical writing. It addresses ghost-written autobiographical responses to two famously unresolved cases of alleged male–female rape: those of Julian Assange and Roman Polanski. In both cases, the alleged perpetrator was a famous man and the allegation of rape has not conclusively been proven in court. The article looks at rape as a narratological problem beyond the definition or symbolic meaning of the crime, and contrasts the narration from the perspective of an alleged perpetrator (Assange) with that of a victim (Samantha Geimer), addressing the way the act of sexual violence becomes a point of orientation in the lives of both – perhaps disproportionately so. In both cases, the management of the autobiographical account through the use of ghost-writers focuses attention on the constructed nature of the life narrative. In cases relating to famous men, reflecting the impact of media reporting is a necessary counterpart to the consideration of the auto/biographical text. This article was submitted to the European Journal of Life Writing on 7 July 2014 and published on 2 May 2015.
Glandular Lesions of the Cervix in Clinical Practice: A Cytology, Histology, and Human Papillomavirus Correlation Study From 2 Institutions
Authors: Miller Ross A. , Mody Dina R. , Tams Kimberlee C. , Thrall Michael J.
Published: May 2015

Context

The Papanicolaou (Pap) test has indisputably decreased cervical cancer mortality, as rates have declined by up to 80% in the United States since its implementation. However, the Pap test is considered less sensitive for detecting glandular lesions than for detecting those of squamous origin. Some studies have even suggested an increasing incidence of cervical adenocarcinoma, which may be a consequence of a relatively reduced ability to detect glandular lesions with cervical cancer screening techniques.

Objective

To evaluate the detection rate of glandular lesions with screening techniques currently used for cervical cancer screening and to provide insight as to which techniques are most efficacious in our study population.

Design

We retrospectively reviewed any available cytology, human papillomavirus (HPV), and histologic malignancy data in patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma in situ and adenocarcinoma from 2 geographically and socioeconomically disparate hospital systems. Identified patients having had a negative/unsatisfactory Pap test within 5 years of adenocarcinoma in situ or adenocarcinoma tissue diagnosis were considered Pap test screening failures. Patients with negative HPV tests on cytology samples were considered HPV screening failures.

Results

One hundred thirty cases were identified (age range, 22–93 years); 39 (30%) had no Pap history in our files. Eight of 91 remaining cases (8.8%) were screening failures. The detected sensitivity for identifying adenocarcinoma in situ/adenocarcinoma in this study was 91.2% by cytology alone and 92.3% when incorporating HPV testing. The most common cytologic diagnosis was atypical glandular cells (25 cases), and those diagnosed with adenocarcinoma were 7.4 years older than those diagnosed with adenocarcinoma in situ (50.3 versus 42.9 years). Nine of 24 HPV-tested cases (37.5%) were called atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance on cytology.

Conclusions

Our results highlight the importance of combined Pap and HPV cotesting. Although the number of cases identified is relatively small, our data suggest screening for squamous lesions facilitates the recognition of glandular lesions in the cervix. Additionally, increased use of combined Pap and HPV cotesting may decrease detection failure rates with regard to glandular lesions.
Pseudomembranous colitis and toxic megacolon due to C. difficile in an inpatient hospitalized for home accident
Authors: Chiriacò Piergiorgio
Published: May 2015

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the main cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea. It can result in symptoms ranging from moderate diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis. Among the risk factors, there is antibiotic therapy, responsible for intestinal flora disruption.A 72-year-old man presented to the Emergency Room for a home accident, a fall, that resulted in a cranio-facial trauma and tibio-tarsal fracture. He was administered cefazolin. Then he underwent surgery and the antibiotic therapy was switched to teicoplanin + levofloxacin; three days after, he started having diarrhea and mild fever. Rifaximin was added. A further exacerbation prompted the replacement of antibiotic therapy with tazobactam-piperacillin and metronidazole. Owing to the detection in fecal examination of CDI signs, tazobactam-piperacillin were replaced with vancomicin. Due to the persistence of symptoms, the worsening of physical conditions and the onset of pseudomembranous colitis and toxic megacolon, fidaxomicin therapy was started, with symptom resolution in few days. A patient’s follow-up at five months post-treatment showed no CDI recurrence.
Efficacy of fidaxomicin therapy, after failure of vancomycin therapy, for treating a C. difficile colitis in a patient with ulcerative colitis
Authors: Tascini Carlo , Corti Federico , Bottari Gualtiero , Lambelet Paola
Published: May 2015

Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) have greater risk of developing C. difficile infection (CDI). In these patients, CDI have worse outcome, may be associated with increased risk of bacteremia and candidemia and may be misdiagnosed as relapse of IBD, also because ofthe absence of typical findings of CDI at colonoscopy.A 58-year-old man with acute ulcerative colitis treated with steroids was hospitalized for feverand recrudescence of inflammatory diarrhea. During the hospitalization, the fever was treated with broad spectrum antibiotics and systemic anti-fungal therapy. Candida mannan antigenand the molecular screening for C. difficile resulted positive. A first course of vancomycin by mouthwas unsuccessful, therefore we started a 10-day course of fidaxomicin. After five days of therapy, diarrhea disappeared. A few-week course of fluconazole therapy was performed to complete the treatment of invasive candidiasis. At six-month follow-up no relapse of CDI was documented.
Ontario Kindergarten Teachers’ Social Media Discussions About Full Day Kindergarten
Authors: Lynch Meghan
Published: May 2015

This exploratory netnographic study describes how a sample of Ontario kindergarten teachers perceives the new Ontario Full Day Kindergarten (FDK) curriculum. Discussions from teacher message boards, the comment sections of online news articles, and interviews with kindergarten teachers were analyzed and coded using a qualitative approach. Analysis revealed three major themes: 1) Class size concerns, 2) Team teaching concerns, and 3) Play-based curriculum concerns. Results are in broad agreement with those reported in existing research into Ontario’s FDK initiative. Findings highlight the need for further research with educators involved in Ontario’s FDK and also contribute to the burgeoning field of netnography research. Suggestions for future research and practice are included.
Anogenital HIV RNA in Thai men who have sex with men in Bangkok during acute HIV infection and after randomization to standard vs. intensified antiretroviral regimens
Authors: Phanuphak Nittaya , Teeratakulpisarn Nipat , van Griensven Frits , Chomchey Nitiya , Pinyakorn Suteeraporn , Fletcher James LK , Trichavaroj Rapee , Pattanachaiwit Supanit , Michael Nelson , Phanuphak Praphan , Kim Jerome H , Ananworanich Jintanat ,   on behalf of the RV254/SEARCH 010 Study Group
Published: May 2015

Introduction

HIV transmission risk is highest during acute HIV infection (AHI). We evaluated HIV RNA in the anogenital compartment in men who have sex with men (MSM) during AHI and compared time to undetectable HIV RNA after three‐drug versus five‐drug antiretroviral therapy (ART) to understand risk for onward HIV transmission.

Methods

MSM with AHI (n=54) had blood, seminal plasma and anal lavage collected for HIV RNA at baseline, days 3 and 7, and weeks 2, 4, 12 and 24. Data were compared between AHI stages: 1 (fourth‐generation antigen‐antibody combo immunoassay [IA]–, third‐generation IA–, n=15), 2 (fourth‐generation IA+, third‐generation IA–, n=9) and 3 (fourth‐generation IA+, third‐generation IA+, western blot–/indeterminate, n=30) by randomization to five‐drug (tenofovir+emtricitabine+efavirenz+raltegravir+maraviroc, n=18) versus three‐drug (tenofovir+emtricitabine+efavirenz, n=18) regimens.

Results

Mean age was 29 years and mean duration since HIV exposure was 15.4 days. Mean baseline HIV RNA was 5.5 in blood, 3.9 in seminal plasma and 2.6 log10 copies/ml in anal lavage (p<0.001). Blood and seminal plasma HIV RNA were higher in AHI Stage 3 compared to Stage 1 (p<0.01). Median time from ART initiation to HIV RNA <50 copies/ml was 60 days in blood, 15 days in seminal plasma and three days in anal lavage. Compared with the three‐drug ART, the five‐drug ART had a shorter time to HIV RNA <1500 copies/ml in blood (15 vs. 29 days, p=0.005) and <50 copies/ml in seminal plasma (13 vs. 24 days, p=0.048).

Conclusions

Among MSM with AHI, HIV RNA was highest in blood, followed by seminal plasma and anal lavage. ART rapidly reduced HIV RNA in all compartments, with regimen intensified by raltegravir and maraviroc showing faster HIV RNA reductions in blood and seminal plasma.
Incantatio. Issue 4 - Full Book Review
Authors: Kõiva Mare , Zavyalova Maria , Ryan William F.
Published: May 2015

Tatiana Panina. Slovo i ritual v narodnoi meditsine udmurtov [Word and Ritual in Udmurt Folk Medicine]. Izhevsk: Udmurt Institute of History, Language and Literature, 2014. 238 pp. ISBN 978-5-7659-0795-5 (Mare Kõiva), pp. 139-140 Rita Balkutë (ed.). Galia uþburti: kenkimo magija 1982–2012 metø uþraðuose [The Power of Magic: Harmful Magic in Recordings from 1982–2012]. Vilnius: R. Balkutës fondas, 2013. 752 pp. ISBN 978-609-95585-0-9 (Maria Zavyalova), pp. 141-142 T. A. Agapkina, A. L. Toporkov, Vostochnoslavianskie zagovory: Materialy k functional’nomu ukazateliu siuzhetov i motivov. Annotirovannaia bibliografiia [East Slavic Charms: Materials for a Functional Index of Plot Structures and Motifs. An Annotated Bibliography]. Moscow: Indrik, 2014, 320 pp. ISBN 978-5-91674-322-7 (Will Ryan), pp, 143-144
Material Artefacts in Oral Tradition: Notes and Family Lore on the Owners of the Sandvik Manor Magic Art Manuscripts
Authors: Ljungström Åsa
Published: May 2015

This article aims to provide an overview of the owners of (and other persons who have handled) three eighteenth century magic manuscripts over the course of nearly three hundred years. The presumed writer, a learned vicar with a library founded by his father, kept secret the magic part of his studies and writings in the forests of southwest Sweden. His son, however, the local doctor, became known as “a great sorcerer”. During the periods of the succeeding owners, the manuscripts were kept secret, forgotten, lent out to be copied, hidden away, and reappeared. The manuscripts are from Sandvik Manor in the joint parish of Burseryd-Sandvik in the forest of southwest Sweden. The original of one of these manuscripts, the so-called Black Book, BB, is in the University Library of Lund, the original of another, the so-called Red Book, RB, is in the Cultural History Museum in Lund, while a copy of the third, the Sandvik Notebook, SN, is in the Dialekt- och folkminnesarkivet (Department of Dialectology and Folklore Research), Uppsala.
L-Carnitine Supplementation Reduces Short-Term Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
Authors: Aldemir Mustafa , Pektaş Mehmet Bilgehan , Parlar Ali İhsan , Akcı Önder , Emren Sadık Volkan , Tecer Evren , Adalı Fahri , Yüksel Şeref , Darçın Osman Tansel
Published: May 2015

This study aims to investigate whether preoperative L-carnitine supplementation affects the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio is an inflammatory marker that has proven usefulness for predicting postoperative complications in coronary artery bypass surgery. A lot of studies concerning the role of L-carnitine in the immune system have been performed, contradictory results have been reported on its effects on absolute numbers of WBC subtypes. This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study was conducted among patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery between June 2012 and December 2013 in our cardiovascular surgery clinic. A total of 60 consecutive patients were randomized and divided into 2 groups. The first group received 2 g of L-carnitine in 1000 mL of 0.9% saline solution infused over 24 hours for each of the 3 preoperative days (L-carnitine group, n = 30), or only 1000 mL of 0.9% saline solution for the same time period (placebo group, n = 30). The basal values of leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte counts, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio were similar in the 2 groups. After L-carnitine supplementation (just before surgery), leukocyte and neutrophil counts of the L-carnitine group were significantly lower than those of the placebo group (7.7 ± 1.5 versus 9.7 ± 2.6, P < 0.001 and 4.6 ± 1.3 versus 6.5 ± 2.2, P < 0.001). On postoperative day 1, lymphocyte counts were significantly higher in the L-carnitine group (1.1 ± 0.6 versus 0.8 ± 0.9, P < 0.001). Moreover, the increase in NLR was significantly lower in the L-carnitine group at postoperative day 1 (20.7 ± 13.8 versus 10.8 ± 4.1, P < 0.001). Preoperative L-carnitine supplementation may reduce neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio during the early postoperative period of coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.
Temperature, oxygen, and vegetation controls on decomposition in a James Bay peatland
Authors: Philben Michael , Holmquist James , MacDonald Glen , Duan Dandan , Kaiser Karl , Benner Ronald
Published: May 2015

The biochemical composition of a peat core from James Bay Lowland, Canada, was used to assess the extent of peat decomposition and diagenetic alteration. Our goal was to identify environmental controls on peat decomposition, particularly its sensitivity to naturally occurring changes in temperature, oxygen exposure time, and vegetation. All three varied substantially during the last 7000 years, providing a natural experiment for evaluating their effects on decomposition. The bottom 50 cm of the core formed during the Holocene Climatic Optimum (~7000–4000 years B.P.), when mean annual air temperature was likely 1–2°C warmer than present. A reconstruction of the water table level using testate amoebae indicated oxygen exposure time was highest in the subsequent upper portion of the core between 150 and 225 cm depth (from ~2560 to 4210 years B.P.) and the plant community shifted from mostly Sphagnum to vascular plant dominance. Several independent biochemical indices indicated that decomposition was greatest in this interval. Hydrolysable amino acid yields, hydroxyproline yields, and acid:aldehyde ratios of syringyl lignin phenols were higher, while hydrolysable neutral sugar yields and carbon:nitrogen ratios were lower in this zone of both vascular plant vegetation and elevated oxygen exposure time. Thus, peat formed during the Holocene Climatic Optimum did not appear to be more extensively decomposed than peat formed during subsequent cooler periods. Comparison with a core from the West Siberian Lowland, Russia, indicates that oxygen exposure time and vegetation are both important controls on decomposition, while temperature appears to be of secondary importance. The low apparent sensitivity of decomposition to temperature is consistent with recent observations of a positive correlation between peat accumulation rates and mean annual temperature, suggesting that contemporary warming could enhance peatland carbon sequestration, although this could be offset by an increasing contribution of vascular plants to the vegetation.