bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing Mechanical Engineering Undergraduates’ Conceptual Knowledge in Three Dimensional Computer Aided Design (3D CAD)
Authors: Daud Mohd Fadzil , Taib Jamaluddin Mohd , Shariffudin Rio Sumarni
Published: September 2012

Research on the relation between conceptual and procedural knowledge has shown that fusing them enhances understanding of domain knowledge. Various methods have been developed to assess undergraduates’ conceptual understanding of a particular domain. Nevertheless, in the teaching and learning of Computer Aided Design (CAD) in higher education, students were not assessed on their conceptual understanding on the utilization of the software. The assessments of outcome were based on procedural or command knowledge rather than the conceptual understanding, which is usually associated with a particular subject matter. In addition, both types of knowledge are emphasized within the context of achieving outcomes of domain related subject matter such as Machine Design or Technical Drawing. Some students might not be aware that there are concepts underlying the procedure they are using. As such, students’ conceptual knowledge in Three Dimensional Computer Aided Design (3D CAD) is as important as their procedural knowledge. The question now arises as to whether the students acquire adequate conceptual knowledge through a formal or informal learning process in higher institution before they are employed by manufacturing industries. This chapter briefly discusses the concept of developing 3D CAD model. Then, categories of the essential concepts in the development of the model are presented. Implementation of Concept Map to assess students’ conceptual understanding on 3D modeling technique will be addressed.
Educating University Students
Authors: Ryan Geraldine , McCarthy Noirin , Byrne Richard , Xiong Ranran
Published: September 2012

Recent technological advances mean mobile phones can now be thought of as computers that fit in pockets. With the Apple iPhone and the Google Android Phone leading the way, mobile phones today offer many technological possibilities including SMS messaging, browsing the World Wide Web, watching and making videos, downloading and playing educational games, partaking in discussion forums, blogging, etc. Educators are currently looking at the mobile phone and other mobile technologies (such as netbooks, PDAs, Nintendo DS, SONY PSP, media players, iPod Touch, voting systems, and specialist cameras) as a way of immersing the student in the learning process. These new mediums allow students to record, organise, access, share, and reflect on work-based learning experiences. The aim of this chapter is to examine how universities can use mobile-learning tools, with a view to engaging students in the learning process while also developing their meaning-making system.
Enterprise Systems Outsourcing “Behind the Curtain”
Authors: Svejvig Per , Pries-Heje Jan
Published: September 2012

Outsourcing is now a feasible means for enterprise systems (ES) cost savings, but does however increase the complexity of coordination substantially when many organizations are involved. We set out to study ES outsourcing in a large Scandinavian high-tech organization, SCANDI, a case setting with many inter-organizational partners, trying to answer the question: Why does SCANDI engage in these very complex outsourcing arrangements? To answer this question we have analyzed documents, observed meetings and gathered data from interviews in four parts of SCANDI. The first data analysis found just the rational front stage cost-saving explanation; but then, with a more careful analysis focusing on institutional factors, other backstage explanations “behind the curtain” were uncovered, such as management consultants with a “best practice” agenda, people promoting outsourcing, thereby being promoted themselves, and a belief in outsourcing as a “silver bullet”: a recipe to success, solving everything.
Cutting Edge: miR-223 and EBV miR-BART15 Regulate the NLRP3 Inflammasome and IL-1β Production
Authors: Haneklaus Moritz , Gerlic Motti , Kurowska-Stolarska Mariola , Rainey Ashleigh-Ann , Pich Dagmar , McInnes Iain B. , Hammerschmidt Wolfgang , O’Neill Luke A. J. , Masters Seth L.
Published: September 2012

Although microRNA (miRNA) regulation of TLR signaling is well established, this has not yet been observed for NLR proteins or the inflammasomes they form. We have now validated a highly conserved miR-223 target site in the NLRP3 3′-untranslated region. miR-223 expression decreases as monocytes differentiate into macrophages, whereas NLRP3 protein increases during this time. However, overexpression of miR-223 prevents accumulation of NLRP3 protein and inhibits IL-1β production from the inflammasome. Virus inhibition of the inflammasome is an emerging theme, and we have also identified an EBV miRNA that can target the miR-223 binding site in the NLRP3 3′-untranslated region. Furthermore, this virus miRNA can be secreted from infected B cells via exosomes to inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome in noninfected cells. Therefore, we have identified both the first endogenous miRNA that limits NLRP3 inflammatory capacity during myeloid cell development and also a viral miRNA that takes advantage of this, limiting inflammation for its own purposes.
ATP Induces Protein Arginine Deiminase 2-Dependent Citrullination in Mast Cells through the P2X7 Purinergic Receptor
Authors: Arandjelovic Sanja , McKenney Katherine R. , Leming Sunamita S. , Mowen Kerri A.
Published: September 2012

Posttranslational modifications regulate physiology either by directly modulating protein function or by impacting immune recognition of self-proteins. Citrullination is a posttranslational modification formed by the conversion of arginine residues into the citrulline amino acid by protein arginine deiminase (PAD) family members. We have identified mast cells as a major source of the PAD2 enzyme. Activation of the P2X7 purinergic receptor (P2X7) by the inflammatory “danger” signal ATP induces PAD2 activity and robust protein citrullination. P2X7-mediated activation of PAD2 is sensitive to p38 MAPK and protein kinase C inhibitors, and PAD2 regulates the expression of the TNFR2, Adamts-9, and Rab6b transcripts in mast cells. Further, the PAD2 enzyme and its citrullinated substrate proteins are released from mast cells on activation with ATP. PAD2 expression is closely linked with inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial tissue, and PAD2 and citrullinated proteins are found in the synovial fluid of RA patients. In addition, RA is associated with the development of autoantibodies to citrullinated self-proteins. Our results suggest that P2X7 activation of mast cells may play a role in inflammation by providing PAD2 and PAD2 substrates access to the extracellular space.
Cell-Intrinsic Abrogation of TGF-β Signaling Delays but Does Not Prevent Dysfunction of Self/Tumor-Specific CD8 T Cells in a Murine Model of Autochthonous Prostate Cancer
Authors: Chou Cassie K. , Schietinger Andrea , Liggitt H. Denny , Tan Xiaoxia , Funk Sarah , Freeman Gordon J. , Ratliff Timothy L. , Greenberg Norman M. , Greenberg Philip D.
Published: September 2012

Adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) for the treatment of established cancers is actively being pursued in clinical trials. However, poor in vivo persistence and maintenance of antitumor activity of transferred T cells remain major problems. TGF-β is a potent immunosuppressive cytokine that is often expressed at high levels within the tumor microenvironment, potentially limiting T cell-mediated antitumor activity. In this study, we used a model of autochthonous murine prostate cancer to evaluate the effect of cell-intrinsic abrogation of TGF-β signaling in self/tumor-specific CD8 T cells used in ACT to target the tumor in situ. We found that persistence and antitumor activity of adoptively transferred effector T cells deficient in TGF-β signaling were significantly improved in the cancerous prostate. However, over time, despite persistence in peripheral lymphoid organs, the numbers of transferred cells in the prostate decreased and the residual prostate-infiltrating T cells were no longer functional. These findings reveal that TGF-β negatively regulates the accumulation and effector function of transferred self/tumor-specific CD8 T cells and highlight that, when targeting a tumor Ag that is also expressed as a self-protein, additional substantive obstacles are operative within the tumor microenvironment, potentially hampering the success of ACT for solid tumors.
NLRP3 Inflammasome Activity Is Negatively Controlled by miR-223
Authors: Bauernfeind Franz , Rieger Anna , Schildberg Frank A. , Knolle Percy A. , Schmid-Burgk Jonathan L. , Hornung Veit
Published: September 2012

Inflammasomes are multiprotein signaling platforms that form upon sensing microbe- or damage-associated molecular patterns. Upon their formation, caspase-1 is activated, leading to the processing of certain proinflammatory cytokines and the initiation of a special type of cell death, known as pyroptosis. Among known inflammasomes, NLRP3 takes on special importance because it appears to be a general sensor of cell stress. Moreover, unlike other inflammasome sensors, NLRP3 inflammasome activity is under additional transcriptional regulation. In this study, we identify the myeloid-specific microRNA miR-223 as another critical regulator of NLRP3 inflammasome activity. miR-223 suppresses NLRP3 expression through a conserved binding site within the 3′ untranslated region of NLRP3, translating to reduced NLRP3 inflammasome activity. Although miR-223 itself is not regulated by proinflammatory signals, its expression varies among different myeloid cell types. Therefore, given the tight transcriptional control of NLRP3 message itself, miR-223 functions as an important rheostat controlling NLRP3 inflammasome activity.
Was Karlstadt ‘Insane’ on Mosaic Law like Melanchthon said?
Authors: McDurmon Joel
Published: September 2012

This article reviewed claims made by modern scholars Ford Lewis Battles and G.H.Williams, as well as charges made by Melanchthon, against Andreas Karlstadt (1486–1541) in regard to the imposition of Mosaic Law upon the civil realm. Melanchthon called Karlstadt ‘insane’ based on this charge, whilst Battles claims Karlstadt proposed to replace European civil law completely with the ‘entire Mosaic code’. This study examined some of Karlstadt’s writings in regard to images, the pace of reforms in Wittenberg, and the preference for reform to be carried out by the princes and not the masses. It also consulted the secondary source analyses of Ulrich Bubenheimer and Calvin Augustus Pater – both of which present views opposite to that of Battles, and both would have been available to Battles in 1986. The results of the literary review conducted in this study demonstrate that the claims of Battles, Williams, and Melanchthon are not supported by the evidence.
Verrekening van die kragveld van die verbond in die inkleding van die kommunikatiewe driehoeksverhouding tussen teks, hoorder en prediker
Authors: De Wet Friedrich W.
Published: September 2012

In hierdie artikel word die kommunikatiewe driehoeksverhouding tussen die Bybelse teks, die hoorders en die prediker homileties verken. Die probleemstelling waarmee gewerk word handel oor potensiële versteurings wat kan plaasvind in hierdie driehoeksverhouding wanneer die hoorders en die prediker in hulle menslike beperktheid in verbinding gebring word met die ewige Woord van God soos dit in die Bybelse teks na vore kom. In die loop van die artikel word die volgende aspekte verken: ’n Ideale tipering van die verhouding tussen die teks, hoorders en prediker waarin al drie faktore ’n regmatige plek het; die maniere waarop die kommunikatiewe driehoek in die spanningsveld tussen teks, hoorders en prediker kan skeeftrek; en pneumatologiese verankering van die kommunikatiewe driehoek in die kragveld van die verbondsruimte, waarin Jesus Christus versoenend (integrerend) teenwoordig is. Die gevolgtrekking waartoe gekom word, is dat die prediker in die kragveld van die verbond in staat gestel word om getrou te bly aan die teks (waarin God aan die Woord kom), aan die hoorders (as mededeelgenote in die genade van God sowel as – in missionêre konteks – mense wat geroep word om deelgenote in hierdie genade te word) en aan hom- of haarself (as nuwe mens in Christus) sonder dat die verbintenis aan een element in die  kommunikatiewe driehoek die verbintenis aan die ander versteur of laat disintegreer.Reckoning with the force field of the covenant in aligning the communicative triangle between text, listener and preacher. In this article the communicative triangular relationship between the Biblical text, the listeners and the preacher is reflected upon from a homiletic point of view. The problem statement deals with potential distortions in this triangular relationship when the listeners and preacher (in their human finitude) are brought into contact with the eternal Word of God as it proceeds from the Biblical text. In the course of the article the following aspects are considered: An ideal establishment of the relationship between text, listeners and preacher – giving all three factors their due place; an exploration of situations in which the communicative triangle can possibly be distorted in the tension field between text, listeners and preacher; and anchoring the communicative triangle in the force field of the covenant, where Christ’s atoning (integrative) presence is felt. It is concluded that the preacher is enabled by Christ’s presence in the force field of the covenant to remain faithful to the text (through which God speaks), to the listener (as partakers in the grace of God as well as – in missionary context – people called to became partakers in this grace) and to himself (as a new man in Christ). This faithfulness entails that commitment to one element in the communicative triangle is not disturbed or disintegrated by commitment to the other elements.
Descriptions of strigea cercariae from the Gauteng and North West Provinces, South Africa
Authors: Moema Esmey B.E. , King Pieter H. , Baker Chantelle
Published: September 2012

Freshwater snails are known to serve as first intermediate hosts for various parasitic diseases such as schistosomosis, amphistomosis and fasciolosis. Two freshwater snail species, Lymnaea natalensis, Krauss 1848 and Bulinus tropicus, Krauss 1848 were sampled from five localities in Gauteng and one locality in the North West Province from 2007 to 2010. These snails were collected in order to study their cercarial sheddings. They were found to be infected with three different types of strigea cercariae, of which the morphology was studied using standard light and scanning electron microscopy techniques.
A Space of Harmonic Maps from a Sphere into the Complex Projective Space
Authors: Kawabe Hiroko
Published: September 2012

Guest–Ohnita and Crawford have shown the path-connectedness of the space of harmonic maps from S2 to CPn of a fixed degree and energy. It is well known that the ∂ transform is defined on this space. In this paper, we will show that the space is decomposed into mutually disjoint connected subspaces on which ∂ is homeomorphic.
Compact Subsets of the Glimm Space of a C*-algebra
Authors: Lazar Aldo J.
Published: September 2012

If A is a σ-unital C*-algebra and a is a strictly positive element of A, then for every compact subset K of the complete regularization Glimm(A) of Prim(A) there exists α > 0 such that K ⊂ {G ∊ Glimm(A) | ||a + G|| ≥ α: This extends a result of J. Dauns to all σ-unital C*-algebras. However, there exist a C*-algebra A and a compact subset of Glimm(A) that is not contained in any set of the form {G ∊ Glimm(A) | ||a + G|| ≥}, a ∊ A and α > 0.
Nursing Practice and Organisational Change within the NHS: A Critical Realist Methodological Approach to the Analysis of Discursive Data
Authors: Crinson Iain
Published: September 2012

This methodological paper draws upon the results of a piece of qualitative research which explored nurses perceptions of the ways in which the organisational changes that occurred within the NHS over the past decade have mediated their working practices. This paper seeks to go beyond traditional forms of qualitative analysis in posing the question: Can the views and beliefs of social agents captured in social research inform a realist understanding of the social world? In addressing this question, the paper draws upon the insights of critical realist philosophy which takes as its central theoretical assumption, the interdependence of social structures and social interaction. This methodological approach conceptualises ‘discourse’ (here defined as the articulation by social agents of their understanding of their world of social practices) as being as ‘real’ as the structural interrelations to which it is materially linked through practice. Following Sayer (1997), analysing discourse in this way emphasizes its ‘performative’ aspect rather than its representational aspect alone. Nevertheless, the accounts given by nurses as social agents are fallible and so interpretive analysis must involve a process of ‘theoretical transformation’ or re-conceptualisation of these presentations of social practice. This paper sets out an analytical framework for the realist analysis of discourse which seeks to go beyond inductively or deductively-derived explanations of the social processes that shape nurses' working practices.
Quality and Quantity Competition in a Multiproduct Duopoly
Authors: Cheng Yi-Ling , Peng Shin-Kun
Published: September 2012

This article proposes a Cournot model of two‐stage competition to examine the patterns of vertical product differentiation in a multiproduct duopoly. Firms simultaneously choose the number of products and their qualities at the first stage and compete in quantities at the second stage. We show that when the fixed setup cost of a product is high enough to result in a monopoly outcome, the monopolist always sells a single product. Moreover, in any equilibrium of a multiproduct duopoly, quality differentiation between them will develop into a nonsegmented pattern because each firm desires to avoid a strong effect of cannibalization. The set of equilibria reveals the properties of quality differentiation between multiproduct firms. In a multiproduct duopoly, the profit from a high‐quality product can be lower than that from a low‐quality product. This finding sharply contrasts with the literature on single‐product firms, which finds the high‐quality advantage.
The Incentive Effects of Inequality: An Experimental Investigation
Authors: Ku Hyejin , Salmon Timothy C.
Published: September 2012

The effect of inequality on economic growth and efficiency is often debated. Our study investigates a behavioral phenomenon through which inequality might have adverse effects on economic growth. In particular we investigate whether or not individuals exhibit a discouragement effect in the face of inequality that leads to lower work effort. If such an effect exists, it provides a mechanism for converting even idiosyncratic inequality into sustained inequality with adverse consequences for the individuals being affected by the inequality and the economy as a whole. We investigate this phenomenon using an economic experiment to allow us to cleanly vary the nature of inequality and to allow us to directly observe several characteristics of the workers. We find robust support for the existence of a discouragement effect lending credibility to the claims that such an effect would exist in external situations among workers confronted with disadvantageous inequality.
Modelo de manejo multidisciplinar de catéteres permanentes tunelizados: resultados de 5 años
Authors: Cárcamo Baena Jesús , Salgueira Lazo Mercedes , Gómez Castilla Antonia Concepción , Rodríguez Pérez María de los Ángeles , Tienda Moreno Marcos , Rico Castillo Cándido , Pozuelo García Inmaculada
Published: September 2012

Pacientes en programa de hemodiálisis (HD) es uno de los retos más importantes a los que se enfrenta la Nefrología. El acceso vascular (AV) ideal es aquél que facilita un flujo adecuado para la diálisis, tiene una vida media prolongada y baja tasa de complicaciones. La fístula arterio-venosa (FAVI) autóloga es la que mejor cumple estas condiciones, tiene la menor tasa de infecciones y de trombosis y es la recomendada como primera opción siempre que sea posible. KDOQUI en el 2000, y su actualización en 2006, recomiendan el uso de FAVI como primera opción, considerando que debe ser el AV en al menos el 50% de los pacientes incidentes en HD, y el 65% en prevalentes. De igual forma desaconsejan el uso de Catéter Permanente Tunelizado (CPT), recomendando un porcentaje inferior al 10% de pacientes incidentes y limitando su uso a casos concretos Las guías de la SEN (enfermedad renal crónica avanzada y prediálisis 2008; de acceso vascular 2004) coinciden: la FAVi es la primera opción, cuando no sea posible se usará el AV protésico de PTFE y el catéter venoso central (CVC) es la última elección tras las dos anteriores. Son numerosas las publicaciones en los últimos años nos alertan sobre las consecuencias en términos de morbimortalidad y coste económico según el acceso vascular empleado en cada paciente. Así la FAVI se asocia con mayor supervivencia del paciente y menor coste, mientras que en el otro extremo son muchos los estudios que alertan sobre los efectos deletéreos en el pronóstico del paciente por la utilización de CVC. En nuestro país, el estudio MAR, estudio multicéntrico que incluyó más de 1700 pacientes ó el estudio del registro Andaluz de pacientes (2400 pacientes seguidos 4 años) concluyen que "La mortalidad en los pacientes con CPT o prótesis de PTFE es significativamente mayor que en los pacientes con FAVI" con supervivencia de los pacientes con FAVI de 73.7% y con CVC del 49%". Este efecto de los catéteres es independiente de la comorbilidad inicial del paciente.
Summertime total OH reactivity measurements from boreal forest during HUMPPA-COPEC 2010
Authors: Nölscher A. C. , Williams J. , Sinha V. , Custer T. , Song W. , Johnson A. M. , Axinte R. , Bozem H. , Fischer H. , Pouvesle N. , Phillips G. , Crowley J. N. , Rantala P. , Rinne J. , Kulmala M. , Gonzales D. , Valverde-Canossa J. , Vogel A. , Hoffmann T. , Ouwersloot H. G. , Vilà-Guerau de Arellano J. , Lelieveld J.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. Ambient total OH reactivity was measured at the Finnish boreal forest station SMEAR II in Hyytiälä (Latitude 61°51' N; Longitude 24°17' E) in July and August 2010 using the Comparative Reactivity Method (CRM). The CRM – total OH reactivity method – is a direct, in-situ determination of the total loss rate of hydroxyl radicals (OH) caused by all reactive species in air. During the intensive field campaign HUMPPA-COPEC 2010 (Hyytiälä United Measurements of Photochemistry and Particles in Air – Comprehensive Organic Precursor Emission and Concentration study) the total OH reactivity was monitored both inside (18 m) and directly above the forest canopy (24 m) for the first time. The comparison between these two total OH reactivity measurements, absolute values and the temporal variation have been analyzed here. Stable boundary layer conditions during night and turbulent mixing in the daytime induced low and high short-term variability, respectively. The impact on total OH reactivity from biogenic emissions and associated photochemical products was measured under "normal" and "stressed" (i.e. prolonged high temperature) conditions. The advection of biomass burning emissions to the site caused a marked change in the total OH reactivity vertical profile. By comparing the OH reactivity contribution from individually measured compounds and the directly measured total OH reactivity, the size of any unaccounted for or "missing" sink can be deduced for various atmospheric influences. For "normal" boreal conditions a missing OH reactivity of 58%, whereas for "stressed" boreal conditions a missing OH reactivity of 89% was determined. Various sources of not quantified OH reactive species are proposed as possible explanation for the high missing OH reactivity.
Explicit modeling of volatile organic compounds partitioning in the atmospheric aqueous phase
Authors: Mouchel-Vallon C. , Bräuer P. , Camredon M. , Valorso R. , Madronich S. , Herrmann H. , Aumont B.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. The gas phase oxidation of organic species is a multigenerational process involving a large number of secondary compounds. Most secondary organic species are water-soluble multifunctional oxygenated molecules. The fully explicit chemical mechanism GECKO-A (Generator of Explicit Chemistry and Kinetics of Organics in the Atmosphere) is used to describe the oxidation of organics in the gas phase and their mass transfer to the aqueous phase. The oxidation of three hydrocarbons of atmospheric interest (isoprene, octane and α-pinene) is investigated for various NOx conditions. The simulated oxidative trajectories are examined in a new two dimensional space defined by the mean oxidation state and the solubility. The amount of dissolved organic matter was found to be very low (<2%) under a water content typical of deliquescent aerosols. For cloud water content, 50% (isoprene oxidation) to 70% (octane oxidation) of the carbon atoms are found in the aqueous phase after the removal of the parent hydrocarbons for low NOx conditions. For high NOx conditions, this ratio is only 5% in the isoprene oxidation case, but remains large for α-pinene and octane oxidation cases (40% and 60%, respectively). Although the model does not yet include chemical reactions in the aqueous phase, much of this dissolved organic matter should be processed in cloud drops and modify both oxidation rates and the speciation of organic species.
Electron density profiles in the quiet lower ionosphere based on the results of modeling and experimental data
Authors: Barabash V. , Osepian A. , Dalin P. , Kirkwood S.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. The theoretical PGI (Polar Geophysical Institute) model for the quiet lower ionosphere has been applied for computing the ionization rate and electron density profiles in the summer and winter D-region at solar zenith angles less than 80° and larger than 99° under steady state conditions. In order to minimize possible errors in estimation of ionization rates provided by solar electromagnetic radiation and to obtain the most exact values of electron density, each wavelength range of the solar spectrum has been divided into several intervals and the relations between the solar radiation intensity at these wavelengths and the solar activity index F10.7 have been incorporated into the model. Influence of minor neutral species (NO, H2O, O, O3) concentrations on the electron number density at different altitudes of the sunlit quiet D-region has been examined. The results demonstrate that at altitudes above 70 km, the modeled electron density is most sensitive to variations of nitric oxide concentration. Changes of water vapor concentration in the whole altitude range of the mesosphere influence the electron density only in the narrow height interval 73–85 km. The effect of the change of atomic oxygen and ozone concentration is the least significant and takes place only below 70 km. Model responses to changes of the solar zenith angle, solar activity (low–high) and season (summer–winter) have been considered. Modeled electron density profiles have been evaluated by comparison with experimental profiles available from the rocket measurements for the same conditions. It is demonstrated that the theoretical model for the quiet lower ionosphere is quite effective in describing variations in ionization rate, electron number density and effective recombination coefficient as functions of solar zenith angle, solar activity and season. The model may be used for solving inverse tasks, in particular, for estimations of nitric oxide concentration in the mesosphere.
The impact of four decades of annual nitrogen addition on dissolved organic matter in a boreal forest soil
Authors: Rappe-George M. O. , Gärdenäs A. I. , Kleja D. B.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. Addition of mineral nitrogen (N) can alter the concentration and quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in forest soils. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of long-term mineral N addition on soil solution concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in the Stråsan experimental forest (Norway spruce) in Central Sweden. N was added yearly at two levels of intensity and duration: the N1 treatment represented a lower intensity, but a longer duration (43 yr) of N addition than the shorter N2 treatment (24 yr). N additions were terminated in the N2 treatment in 1991. The N treatments began in 1967 when the spruce stands were 9 yr old. Soil solution in the forest floor O, and soil mineral B, horizons were sampled during the growing seasons of 1995 and 2009. Tension and non-tension lysimeters were installed in the O horizon (n=6) and tension lysimeters were installed in the underlying B horizon (n=4): soil solution was sampled at two-week intervals. Although tree growth and O horizon carbon (C) and N stock increased in treatments N1 and N2, the concentration of DOC in O horizon leachates was similar in both N treatments and control. This suggests an inhibitory direct effect of N addition on O horizon DOC. Elevated DON and nitrate in O horizon leachates in the ongoing N1 treatment indicated a move towards N saturation. In B-horizon leachates, the N1 treatment approximately doubled leachate concentration of DOC and DON. DON returned to control levels but DOC remained elevated in B-horizon leachates in N2 plots 19 yr after termination of N addition. Increased aromaticity of the sampled DOM in mineral B horizon in both the ongoing and terminated N treatment indicated that old SOM in the mineral soil was a source of the increased DOC.
Inferring past land-use induced changes in surface albedo from satellite observations: a useful tool to evaluate model simulations
Authors: Boisier J. P. , de Noblet-Ducoudré N. , Ciais P.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. Cooling resulting from increases in surface albedo has been identified in several studies as the main biogeophysical effect of past land-use induced land cover changes (LCC) on climate. However, the amplitude of this effect remains quite uncertain due to, among other factors, (a) uncertainties in the magnitude of historical LCC and, (b) differences in the way various models simulate surface albedo and more specifically its dependency on vegetation type and snow cover. We have derived monthly albedo climatologies for croplands and four other land-cover types from MODIS satellite observations. We have then estimated the changes in surface albedo since preindustrial times by combining these climatologies with the land-cover maps of 1870 and 1992 used by modelers in the context of the LUCID intercomparison project. These reconstructions show surface albedo increases larger than 10% (absolute) in winter and 2% in summer between 1870 and 1992 over areas that have experienced intense deforestation in the northern temperate regions. The MODIS-based reconstructions of historical changes in surface albedo were then compared to those simulated by the various models participating to LUCID. The inter-model mean albedo response to LCC shows a similar spatial and seasonal pattern to the one resulting from the reconstructions, that is larger increases in winter than in summer driven by the presence of snow. However, individual models show significant differences with the satellite-based reconstructions, despite the fact that land-cover change maps are the same. Our analyses suggest that the primary reason for those discrepancies is how land-surface models parameterize albedo. Another reason, of secondary importance, results from differences in the simulated snowpack. Our methodology is a useful tool not only to infer observations-based historical changes in land surface variables impacted by LCC, but also to point to major deficiencies within the models; we therefore suggest that it could be more widely developed and used in conjunction with other tools in order to evaluate global land-surface models.
Simulations of the Mid-Pliocene Warm Period using the NASA/GISS ModelE2-R Earth System Model
Authors: Chandler M. A. , Sohl L. E. , Jonas J. A. , Dowsett H. J.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. Climate reconstructions of the mid-Pliocene Warm Period (mPWP) bear many similarities to aspects of future global warming as projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In particular, marine and terrestrial paleoclimate data point to high latitude temperature amplification, with associated decreases in sea ice and land ice and altered vegetation distributions that show expansion of warmer climate biomes into higher latitudes. NASA GISS climate models have been used to study the Pliocene climate since the USGS PRISM project first identified that the mid-Pliocene North Atlantic sea surface temperatures were anomalously warm. Here we present the most recent simulations of the Pliocene using the AR5/CMIP5 version of the GISS Earth System Model known as ModelE2-R. These simulations constitute the NASA contribution to the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP) Experiment 2. Many findings presented here corroborate results from other PlioMIP multi-model ensemble papers, but we also emphasize features in the ModelE2-R simulations that are unlike the ensemble means. We provide discussion of features that show considerable improvement compared with simulations from previous versions of the NASA GISS models, improvement defined here as simulation results that more closely resemble the ocean core data as well as the PRISM3D reconstructions of the mid-Pliocene climate. In some regions even qualitative agreement between model results and paleodata are an improvement over past studies, but the dramatic warming in the North Atlantic and Greenland-Iceland-Norwegian Sea in these new simulations is by far the most accurate portrayal ever of this key geographic region by the GISS climate model. Our belief is that continued development of key physical routines in the atmospheric model, along with higher resolution and recent corrections to mixing parameterizations in the ocean model, have led to an Earth System Model that will produce more accurate projections of future climate.
The Norwegian Earth System Model, NorESM1-M – Part 1: Description and basic evaluation
Authors: Bentsen M. , Bethke I. , Debernard J. B. , Iversen T. , Kirkevåg A. , Seland Ø. , Drange H. , Roelandt C. , Seierstad I. A. , Hoose C. , Kristjánsson J. E.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. The core version of the Norwegian Climate Center's Earth System Model, named NorESM1-M, is presented. The NorESM-family of models are based on the Community Climate System Model version 4 (CCSM4) of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, but differs from the latter by, in particular, an isopycnic coordinate ocean model and advanced chemistry-aerosol-cloud-radiation interaction schemes. NorESM1-M has a horizontal resolution of approximately 2° for the atmosphere and land components and 1° for the ocean and ice components. NorESM is also available in a lower resolution version (NorESM1-L) and a version that includes prognostic biogeochemical cycling (NorESM1-ME). The latter two model configurations are not part of this paper. Here, a first-order assessment of the model stability, the mean model state and the internal variability based on the model experiments made available to CMIP5 are presented. Further analysis of the model performance is provided in an accompanying paper (Iversen et al., 2012), presenting the corresponding climate response and scenario projections made with NorESM1-M.
THE ACCURACY OF AUTOMATIC PHOTOGRAMMETRIC TECHNIQUES ON ULTRA-LIGHT UAV IMAGERY
Authors: Küng O. , Strecha C. , Beyeler A. , Zufferey J.-C. , Floreano D. , Fua P. , Gervaix F.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. This paper presents an affordable, fully automated and accurate mapping solutions based on ultra-light UAV imagery. Several datasets are analysed and their accuracy is estimated. We show that the accuracy highly depends on the ground resolution (ﬂying height) of the input imagery. When chosen appropriately this mapping solution can compete with traditional mapping solutions that capture fewer high-resolution images from airplanes and that rely on highly accurate orientation and positioning sensors on board. Due to the careful integration with recent computer vision techniques, the post processing is robust and fully automatic and can deal with inaccurate position and orientation information which are typically problematic with traditional techniques.
ON GEOMETRIC PROCESSING OF MULTI-TEMPORAL IMAGE DATA COLLECTED BY LIGHT UAV SYSTEMS
Authors: Rosnell T. , Honkavaara E. , Nurminen K.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. Data collection under highly variable weather and illumination conditions around the year will be necessary in many applications of UAV imaging systems. This is a new feature in rigorous photogrammetric and remote sensing processing. We studied performance of two georeferencing and point cloud generation approaches using image data sets collected in four seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn) and under different imaging conditions (sunny, cloudy, different solar elevations). We used light, quadrocopter UAVs equipped with consumer cameras. In general, matching of image blocks collected with high overlaps provided high quality point clouds. All of the before mentioned factors influenced the point cloud quality. In winter time, the point cloud generation failed on uniform snow surfaces in many situations, and during leaf-off season the point cloud generation was not successful over deciduous trees. The images collected under cloudy conditions provided better point clouds than the images collected in sunny weather in shadowed regions and of tree surfaces. On homogeneous surfaces (e.g. asphalt) the images collected under sunny conditions outperformed cloudy data. The tested factors did not influence the general block adjustment results. The radiometric sensor performance (especially signal-to-noise ratio) is a critical factor in all weather data collection and point cloud generation; at the moment, high quality, light weight imaging sensors are still largely missing; sensitivity to wind is another potential limitation. There lies a great potential in low flying, low cost UAVs especially in applications requiring rapid aerial imaging for frequent monitoring.
3D LOCAL SCALE SOLAR RADIATION MODEL BASED ON URBAN LIDAR DATA
Authors: Redweik P. M. , Catita C. , Brito M. C.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. The aim of the present study is to obtain the direct, diffuse and reflected solar energy that reaches a generic point of an urban landscape regardless of its location on a roof, on the ground or on a façade. The vertical façades embody a discontinuity in a digital elevation surface function and most models fail in the determination of solar radiation for points on façades. The presented algorithm solves the problem in an integrated way: starting with a georreferenced LIDAR data cloud covering a 400 × 400 m2 urban area resampled in a 1m × 1m mesh, applies a new shadow algorithm over roofs, terrain and façades for each time frame, applies the Kumar solar radiation model for the calculation of direct, diffuse and reflected irradiation for each 1x1m raster cell on non vertical surfaces of roof and terrain, and calculates total and mean irradiation of each 1 meter wide column of vertical façade based on the illuminated area at each time frame. The results for each time frame are integrated for the wished time period from one hour to one year, being the time steps also selectable, allowing several kinds of solar radiation and shadowing studies. GIS were used to evaluate monthly averages of solar radiation for a particular location as well as to map the photovoltaic potential of the building façades and their roofs according to determined classes of potential.
EVALUATION OF RATIONAL FUNCTION MODEL FOR GEOMETRIC MODELING OF CHANG'E-1 CCD IMAGES
Authors: Liu Y. , Di K.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. Rational Function Model (RFM) is a generic geometric model that has been widely used in geometric processing of high-resolution earth-observation satellite images, due to its generality and excellent capability of fitting complex rigorous sensor models. In this paper, the feasibility and precision of RFM for geometric modeling of China's Chang'E-1 (CE-1) lunar orbiter images is presented. The RFM parameters of forward-, nadir- and backward-looking CE-1 images are generated though least squares solution using virtual control points derived from the rigorous sensor model. The precision of the RFM is evaluated by comparing with the rigorous sensor model in both image space and object space. Experimental results using nine images from three orbits show that RFM can precisely fit the rigorous sensor model of CE-1 CCD images with a RMS residual error of 1/100 pixel level in image space and less than 5 meters in object space. This indicates that it is feasible to use RFM to describe the imaging geometry of CE-1 CCD images and spacecraft position and orientation. RFM will enable planetary data centers to have an option to supply RFM parameters of orbital images while keeping the original orbit trajectory data confidential.
AN ADAPTIVE APPROACH FOR SEGMENTATION OF 3D LASER POINT CLOUD
Authors: Lari Z. , Habib A. , Kwak E.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. Automatic processing and object extraction from 3D laser point cloud is one of the major research topics in the field of photogrammetry. Segmentation is an essential step in the processing of laser point cloud, and the quality of extracted objects from laser data is highly dependent on the validity of the segmentation results. This paper presents a new approach for reliable and efficient segmentation of planar patches from a 3D laser point cloud. In this method, the neighbourhood of each point is firstly established using an adaptive cylinder while considering the local point density and surface trend. This neighbourhood definition has a major effect on the computational accuracy of the segmentation attributes. In order to efficiently cluster planar surfaces and prevent introducing ambiguities, the coordinates of the origin's projection on each point's best fitted plane are used as the clustering attributes. Then, an octree space partitioning method is utilized to detect and extract peaks from the attribute space. Each detected peak represents a specific cluster of points which are located on a distinct planar surface in the object space. Experimental results show the potential and feasibility of applying this method for segmentation of both airborne and terrestrial laser data.
DETECTION OF ROAD CURB FROM MOBILE TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNER POINT CLOUD
Authors: El-Halawany S. , Moussa A. , Lichti D. D. , El-Sheimy N.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. The detection of different road furniture such as curb, street floor and sidewalk from point clouds is important in many applications such as road maintenance and city planning. In this paper a pipeline for point cloud processing to detect the road curb from unorganized point clouds captured from a mobile terrestrial laser scanner is proposed. The proposed pipeline utilizes a covariance- based procedure to perform a 3D segmentation of point clouds. Features such as the road curb can be extracted by analyzing the local neighborhood of every point. This is done by computing the surface normal direction and the normalized eigenvalues. These parameters can be used to extract the ground objects, such as curb, street floor and sidewalk. The curb can be isolated from the rest of the ground objects based on the previous parameters in addition to elevation gradient within the local neighborhood. A 2D image processing scheme is also presented to find the curbs as edges in a generated 2D height image. The results show successful detection rates of 78% and 94% using 3D and 2D approaches respectively.
3D CATENARY CURVE FITTING FOR GEOMETRIC CALIBRATION
Authors: Chan T.-O. , Lichti D. D.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. In modern road surveys, hanging power cables are among the most commonly-found geometric features. These cables are catenary curves that are conventionally modelled with three parameters in 2D Cartesian space. With the advent and popularity of the mobile mapping system (MMS), the 3D point clouds of hanging power cables can be captured within a short period of time. These point clouds, similarly to those of planar features, can be used for feature-based self-calibration of the system assembly errors of an MMS. However, to achieve this, a well-defined 3D equation for the catenary curve is needed. This paper proposes three 3D catenary curve models, each having different parameters. The models are examined by least squares fitting of simulated data and real data captured with an MMS. The outcome of the fitting is investigated in terms of the residuals and correlation matrices. Among the proposed models, one of them could estimate the parameters accurately and without any extreme correlation between the variables. This model can also be applied to those transmission lines captured by airborne laser scanning or any other hanging cable-like objects.
BIOMASS ESTIMATION OF INDIVIDUAL TREES USING STEM AND CROWN DIAMETER TLS MEASUREMENTS
Authors: Holopainen M. , Vastaranta M. , Kankare V. , Räty M. , Vaaja M. , Liang X. , Yu X. , Hyyppä J. , Hyyppä H. , Viitala R. , Kaasalainen S.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. The objective of this study was to make preliminary investigations between accurately measured field biomasses and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) measurements including tree crown and stem diameters. Stem and crown biomass were determined based on detailed field measurements of the individual tree stem, bark, branch and needles. At the tree level, field measurements were intensive and thus material consisted of only 20 trees located at 11 stands. Stem and crown diameters were extracted manually from TLS point clouds and used as predictors for total biomass. Correlations from 0.96 to 0.99 between predicted and field measured biomass estimates were obtained. Examination of stem form predictions showed that various diameters measured by TLS could enhance the tree level stem curve predictions. Results are rather promising, but more field data is needed for developing practical modelling means. Our further studies will concentrate on automation of TLS data processing and use the of TLS features in the biomass estimation.
DIACHRONIC 3D RECONSTRUCTION FOR LOST CULTURAL HERITAGE
Authors: Guidi G. , Russo M.
Published: September 2012

Abstract. Cultural Heritage artifacts can often be underestimated for their hidden presence in the landscape. Such problem is particularly large in countries like Italy, where the massive amount of "famous" artifacts tends to neglect other presences unless properly exposed, or when the remains are dramatically damaged leaving very few interpretation clues to the visitor. In such cases a virtual presentation of the Cultural Heritage site can be of great help, specially for explaining the evolution of its status, giving sometimes sense to few spare stones. The definition of these digital representations deal with two crucial aspects: on the one hand the possibility of 3D surveying the relics in order to have an accurate geometrical image of the current status of the artifact; on the other hand the presence of historical sources both in form of written text or images, that once properly matched with the current geometrical data, may help to recreate digitally a set of 3D models representing visually the various historical phases (diachronic model), up to the current one. The core of this article is the definition of an integrated methodology that starts from an high-resolution digital survey of the remains of an ancient building and develops a coherent virtual reconstruction from different historical sources, suggesting a scalable method suitable to be re-used for generating a 4D (geometry + time) model of the artifact. This approach has been experimented on the "Basilica di San Giovanni in Conca" in Milan, a very significant example for its complex historic evolution that combines evident historic values with an invisible presence inside the city.