bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Infection, Incest, and Iniquity: Investigating the Neural Correlates of Disgust and Morality
Authors: Schaich Borg Jana , Lieberman Debra , Kiehl Kent A.
Published: March 2008

Disgust, an emotion related to avoiding harmful substances, has been linked to moral judgments in many behavioral studies. However, the fact that participants report feelings of disgust when thinking about feces and a heinous crime does not necessarily indicate that the same mechanisms mediate these reactions. Humans might instead have separate neural and physiological systems guiding aversive behaviors and judgments across different domains. The present interdisciplinary study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (n = 50) and behavioral assessment to investigate the biological homology of pathogen-related and moral disgust. We provide evidence that pathogen-related and sociomoral acts entrain many common as well as unique brain networks. We also investigated whether morality itself is composed of distinct neural and behavioral subdomains. We provide evidence that, despite their tendency to elicit similar ratings of moral wrongness, incestuous and nonsexual immoral acts entrain dramatically separate, while still overlapping, brain networks. These results (i) provide support for the view that the biological response of disgust is intimately tied to immorality, (ii) demonstrate that there are at least three separate domains of disgust, and (iii) suggest strongly that morality, like disgust, is not a unified psychological or neurological phenomenon.
The Left Posterior Superior Temporal Gyrus Participates Specifically in Accessing Lexical Phonology
Authors: Graves William W. , Grabowski Thomas J. , Mehta Sonya , Gupta Prahlad
Published: March 2008

Impairments in phonological processing have been associated with damage to the region of the left posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG), but the extent to which this area supports phonological processing, independent of semantic processing, is less clear. We used repetition priming and neural repetition suppression during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in an auditory pseudoword repetition task as a semantics-free model of lexical (whole-word) phonological access. Across six repetitions, we observed repetition priming in terms of decreased reaction time and repetition suppression in terms of reduced neural activity. An additional analysis aimed at sublexical phonology did not show significant effects in the areas where repetition suppression was observed. To test if these areas were relevant to real word production, we performed a conjunction analysis with data from a separate fMRI experiment which manipulated word frequency (a putative index of lexical phonological access) in picture naming. The left pSTG demonstrated significant effects independently in both experiments, suggesting that this area participates specifically in accessing lexical phonology.
Inefficiency in Self-organized Attentional Switching in the Normal Aging Population is Associated with Decreased Activity in the Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex
Authors: Hampshire Adam , Gruszka Aleksandra , Fallon Sean J. , Owen Adrian M.
Published: March 2008

Studies of the aging brain have demonstrated that areas of the frontal cortex, along with their associated top-down executive control processes, are particularly prone to the neurodegenerative effects of age. Here, we investigate the effects of aging on brain and behavior using a novel task, which allows us to examine separate components of an individual's chosen strategy during routine problem solving. Our findings reveal that, contrary to previous suggestions of a specific decrease in cognitive flexibility, older participants show no increased level of perseveration to either the recently rewarded object or the recently relevant object category. In line with this lack of perseveration, lateral and medial regions of the orbito-frontal cortex, which are associated with inhibitory control and reward processing, appear to be functionally intact. Instead, a general loss of efficient problem-solving strategy is apparent with a concomitant decrease in neural activity in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and the posterior parietal cortex. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is also affected during problem solving, but age-related decline within this region appears to occur at a later stage.
Mid-fusiform Activation during Object Discrimination Reflects the Process of Differentiating Structural Descriptions
Authors: Liu Xun , Steinmetz Nicholas A. , Farley Alison B. , Smith Charles D. , Joseph Jane E.
Published: March 2008

The present study explored constraints on mid-fusiform activation during object discrimination. In three experiments, participants performed a matching task on simple line configurations, nameable objects, three dimensional (3-D) shapes, and colors. Significant bilateral mid-fusiform activation emerged when participants matched objects and 3-D shapes, as compared to when they matched two-dimensional (2-D) line configurations and colors, indicating that the mid-fusiform is engaged more strongly for processing structural descriptions (e.g., comparing 3-D volumetric shape) than perceptual descriptions (e.g., comparing 2-D or color information). In two of the experiments, the same mid-fusiform regions were also modulated by the degree of structural similarity between stimuli, implicating a role for the mid-fusiform in fine differentiation of similar visual object representations. Importantly, however, this process of fine differentiation occurred at the level of structural, but not perceptual, descriptions. Moreover, mid-fusiform activity was more robust when participants matched shape compared to color information using the identical stimuli, indicating that activity in the mid-fusiform gyrus is not driven by specific stimulus properties, but rather by the process of distinguishing stimuli based on shape information. Taken together, these findings further clarify the nature of object processing in the mid-fusiform gyrus. This region is engaged specifically in structural differentiation, a critical component process of object recognition and categorization.
Neural Mechanisms Underlying Adaptive Actions after Slips
Authors: Marco-Pallarés Josep , Camara Estela , Münte Thomas F. , Rodríguez-Fornells Antoni
Published: March 2008

An increase in cognitive control has been systematically observed in responses produced immediately after the commission of an error. Such responses show a delay in reaction time (post-error slowing) and an increase in accuracy. To characterize the neurophysiological mechanism involved in the adaptation of cognitive control, we examined oscillatory electrical brain activity by electroencephalogram and its corresponding neural network by event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging in three experiments. We identified a new oscillatory theta-beta component related to the degree of post-error slowing in the correct responses following an erroneous trial. Additionally, we found that the activity of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the right inferior frontal cortex, and the right superior frontal cortex was correlated with the degree of caution shown in the trial following the commission of an error. Given the overlap between this brain network and the regions activated by the need to inhibit motor responses in a stop-signal manipulation, we conclude that the increase in cognitive control observed after the commission of an error is implemented through the participation of an inhibitory mechanism.
Identification of Heterodera glycines using PCR with sequence characterised amplified region (SCAR) primers
Authors: Moens Maurice , Li Yu , Ou Shiqi , Liu Xuemin , Peng Deliang
Published: March 2008

A single randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker, OPA06477, species-specific to the soybean cyst nematode species, Heterodera glycines, was identified. After sequencing the RAPD-PCR products, primers of 24 nucleotides were designed to complement the terminal DNA sequence of the DNA fragments. This resulted in one pair of species-specific primers that were used to amplify the sequence characterised amplified regions (SCAR). The developed sets of SCAR primers were successfully used in straightforward, fast and reliable PCR assays to identify H. glycines. The SCAR markers can be amplified from DNA from single second-stage juveniles and females. This is the first time SCAR primers have been combined with universal primers D2A and D3B in order to avoid false negative results.
The early embryonic development of the satellite organism Pristionchus pacificus: differences and similarities with Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Borgonie Gaetan , Bert Wim , Houthoofd Wouter , Vangestel Sandra
Published: March 2008

As a comparative counterpart for the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, the nematode Pristionchus pacificus was established as a satellite organism to study developmental processes. However, these studies mainly focused on post-embryonic development and little is known about the early embryonic development. Using 4D microscopy we reconstructed the early embryonic cell lineage of 12 individuals of P. pacificus. By analysing several parameters of early development, including the division sequence, the spatial arrangement of blastomeres, the cell cycle patterns of the AB lineage and cell-cell contacts in different cell stages of the embryo, it was shown that the early embryonic development is nearly identical to C. elegans. Known cell-cell contacts necessary for induction of blastomere fates in C. elegans are also present in P. pacificus. Thus, the spatio-temporal conditions that would allow possible homologous inductions are present. However, at least one model for blastomere specification seems not to apply to P. pacificus since the third division in the AB lineage differs from that of C. elegans. Furthermore, naturally occurring variability of early development was demonstrated, which is clearly permitted since there seems to be no influence on further development into an adult worm.
Heterorhabditis georgiana n. sp. (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) from Georgia, USA
Authors: Mbata George , Shapiro-Ilan David , Nguyen Khuong
Published: March 2008

In a survey of entomopathogenic nematodes in Georgia, a nematode isolate of the genus Heterorhabditis was collected from soil by the insect-baiting technique and maintained in the laboratory on last instar Galleria mellonella (L.) larvae. Morphological and molecular studies of the isolate showed that the nematode is a new species. Light and scanning electron microscopy, DNA characterisation and phylogeny were used for this description. Heterorhabditis georgiana n. sp. is morphologically similar to H. bacteriophora and can be distinguished from this species mainly by male and female characters. Sixty percent of males have three pairs of papillae in the terminal group; 40% with three papillae on one side and two papillae on the other. The tail is conoid and slightly curved ventrally. The percentage of the gubernaculum to spicule length (GS%) is similar to that of H. mexicana (56) but higher than that of H. bacteriophora and species in the indica-group and the length of the spicule relative to anal body diam. (SW%) is lower than that of H. baujardi (172 vs 182), H. indica (172 vs 187) and H. bacteriophora (172 vs 174), but higher than that of H. amazonensis (172 vs 152), H. floridensis (172 vs 157) and H. mexicana (172 vs 167). The female can be differentiated from related species by its unique vulva pattern. In phylogenetic trees of ITS and D2D3 regions, the new species and H. bacteriophora form a monophyletic group. The new species has evolved five autapomorphic nucleotide character states based on analysis of ITS, differing from its sister taxon H. bacteriophora at 29 and three aligned positions of ITS and D2D3 regions, respectively.
Mussel-farming effects on Mediterranean benthic nematode communities
Authors: Mahmoudi Ezzeddine , Hedfi Amor , Essid Naceur , Beyrem Hamouda , Aïssa Patricia , Boufahja Fehmi , Vitiello Pierre
Published: March 2008

Mussel aquaculture activities in coastal areas are growing rapidly throughout the world, inducing an increasing interest and concern for their potential impact on coastal marine environments. We have investigated the impact of organic loads due to the biodeposition of a mussel farm in a lagoonar ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea (Bizerta lagoon, northern Tunisia) on the benthic environment. The most evident changes in the benthic habitat under the farm were a strong reduction of oxygen penetration into the bottom sediments and a large accumulation of chlorophyll a (concentrations up to 16 μg g–1), phaeopigments (concentrations up to 48 μg g–1) and total organic matter (concentrations up to 12%). Results from univariate analysis of the nematofaunal data show that the nematode abundance increased in all the stations located inside the mussel farm (I1, I2, I3) and the site I2, located in the centre of the mussel farm, was the most affected. At this site, Shannon-Wiener index H′, species richness (d), evenness (J′) and number of species (S) decreased significantly. Results from multivariate analyses of the species abundance data demonstrated that responses of nematode species to the organic matter enrichment were varied: Mesacanthion diplechma was eliminated at the most affected station (I2), whereas the abundances of Paracomesoma dubium, Terschellingia longicaudata and T. communis were significantly enhanced. Responses of free-living nematodes to mussel farm biodeposition (elimination of some species and increase or decrease of some others) could lead to food limitation for their predators that, ultimately, could alter entire communities and ecosystems. Consequently, we suggest that site-specific hydrodynamic and biogeochemical conditions should be taken into account when planning new mussel farms, and meiobenthic communities should be monitored before and after farm development to prevent excessive modifications of benthic assemblage structure.
Human Influences on Wildfire in Alaska from 1988 through 2005: An Analysis of the Spatial Patterns of Human Impacts
Authors: Calef M. P. , McGuire A. D. , Chapin F. S.
Published: March 2008

Boreal ecosystems in Alaska are responding to climate change in many ways, including changes in the fire regime. While large-scale wildfires are an essential part of the boreal forest ecosystem, humans are changing fire regimes through ignition and suppression. The authors analyzed the impact humans have on fire ignitions and relative area burned with distance into the forest from human access points such as settlements, highways, and major rivers in Alaska from 1988 to 2005. Additionally, a fire prediction model was created to identify drivers for lightning fires in the boreal forest. Human presence increases the number of ignitions near settlements, roads, and rivers and appears to reduce the area burned within 30–40 km of villages and rivers. In contrast to fires near roads and rivers, human presence may somewhat increase the area burned within 30–40 km of highways. The fire prediction model indicated that the probability of fire increases as distance from human settlements increases. In contrast, the model indicated that the probability of fire decreases as distance from roads increases and that the probability of fire in relation to distance from rivers depends on the year of analysis. While the ecological consequences of these human impacts are still unclear, this research shows that human influences on fire regime clearly affect the pattern of fire within 40 km of settlements, which is an area that represents 31% of interior Alaska. Future research should focus on more completely understanding the role of human presence in the suppression of wildfires in interior Alaska.
Climatology of the Sierra Nevada Mountain-Wave Events
Authors: Grubišić Vanda , Billings Brian J.
Published: March 2008

This note presents a satellite-based climatology of the Sierra Nevada mountain-wave events. The data presented were obtained by detailed visual inspection of visible satellite imagery to detect mountain lee-wave clouds based on their location, shape, and texture. Consequently, this climatology includes only mountain-wave events during which sufficient moisture was present in the incoming airstream and whose amplitude was large enough to lead to cloud formation atop mountain-wave crests. The climatology is based on data from two mountain-wave seasons in the 1999–2001 period. Mountain-wave events are classified in two types according to cloud type as lee-wave trains and single wave clouds. The frequency of occurrence of these two wave types is examined as a function of the month of occurrence (October–May) and region of formation (north, middle, south, or the entire Sierra Nevada range). Results indicate that the maximum number of mountain-wave events in the lee of the Sierra Nevada occurs in the month of April. For several months, including January and May, frequency of wave events displays substantial interannual variability. Overall, trapped lee waves appear to be more common, in particular in the lee of the northern sierra. A single wave cloud on the lee side of the mountain range was found to be a more common wave form in the southern Sierra Nevada. The average wavelength of the Sierra Nevada lee waves was found to lie between 10 and 15 km, with a minimum at 4 km and a maximum at 32 km.
Polarimetric Radar Observations of the Persistently Asymmetric Structure of Tropical Cyclone Ingrid
Authors: May Peter T. , Kepert J. D. , Keenan T. D.
Published: March 2008

Tropical Cyclone Ingrid had a distinctly asymmetric reflectivity structure with an offshore maximum as it passed parallel to and over an extended coastline near a polarimetric weather radar located near Darwin, northern Australia. For the first time in a tropical cyclone, polarimetric weather radar microphysical analyses are used to identify extensive graupel and rain–hail mixtures in the eyewall. The overall microphysical structure was similar to that seen in some other asymmetric storms that have been sampled by research aircraft. Both environmental shear and the land–sea interface contributed significantly to the asymmetry, but their relative contributions were not determined. The storm also underwent very rapid changes in tangential wind speed as it moved over a narrow region of open ocean between a peninsula and the Tiwi Islands. The time scale for changes of 10 m s−1 was of the order of 1 h. There were also two distinct types of rainbands observed—large-scale principal bands with embedded deep convection and small-scale bands located within 50 km of the eyewall with shallow convective cells.
Dynamical Properties of Model Output Statistics Forecasts
Authors: Vannitsem S. , Nicolis C.
Published: March 2008

The dynamical properties of forecasts corrected using model output statistics (MOS) schemes are explored, with emphasis on the respective role of model and initial condition uncertainties. Analytical and numerical investigations of low-order systems displaying chaos indicate that MOS schemes are able to partly correct the impact of both initial and model errors on model forecasting. Nevertheless the amplitude of the correction is much more sensitive to the presence of (state dependent) model errors, and if initial condition errors are much larger than model uncertainties then MOS schemes become less effective. Furthermore, the amplitude of the MOS correction depends strongly on the statistical properties of the phase space velocity difference between the model and reference systems, such as its mean and its covariance with the model predictors in the MOS scheme. Large corrections are expected when the predictors are closely related to the sources of model errors. The practical implications of these results are briefly discussed.
A Regional Ensemble Prediction System Based on Moist Targeted Singular Vectors and Stochastic Parameter Perturbations
Authors: Li Xiaoli , Charron Martin , Spacek Lubos , Candille Guillem
Published: March 2008

A regional ensemble prediction system (REPS) with the limited-area version of the Canadian Global Environmental Multiscale (GEM) model at 15-km horizontal resolution is developed and tested. The total energy norm singular vectors (SVs) targeted over northeastern North America are used for initial and boundary perturbations. Two SV perturbation strategies are tested: dry SVs with dry simplified physics and moist SVs with simplified physics, including stratiform condensation and convective precipitation as well as dry processes. Model physics uncertainties are partly accounted for by stochastically perturbing two parameters: the threshold vertical velocity in the trigger function of the Kain–Fritsch deep convection scheme, and the threshold humidity in the Sundqvist explicit scheme. The perturbations are obtained from first-order Markov processes. Short-range ensemble forecasts in summer with 16 members are performed for five different experiments. The experiments employ different perturbation and piloting strategies, and two different surface schemes. Verification focuses on quantitative precipitation forecasts and is done using a range of probabilistic measures. Results indicate that using moist SVs instead of dry SVs has a stronger impact on precipitation than on dynamical fields. Forecast skill for precipitation is greatly influenced by the dominant synoptic weather systems. For stratiform precipitation caused by strong baroclinic systems, the forecast skill is improved in the moist SV experiments relative to the dry SV experiments. For convective precipitation rates in the range 15–50 mm (24 h)−1 produced by weak synoptic baroclinic systems, all experiments exhibit noticeably poorer forecast skills. Skill improvements due to the Interactions between Soil, Biosphere, and Atmosphere (ISBA) surface scheme and stochastic perturbations are also observed.
Numerical Study of Explosively Developing Extratropical Cyclones in the Northwestern Pacific Region
Authors: Kuwano-Yoshida Akira , Asuma Yoshio
Published: March 2008

Numerical simulations of six explosively developing extratropical cyclones in the northwestern Pacific Ocean region are conducted using a regional mesoscale numerical model [the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5)]. Cyclones are categorized according to the locations where they form and develop: Okhotsk–Japan Sea (OJ) cyclones originate over the eastern Asian continent and develop over the Sea of Japan or the Sea of Okhotsk, Pacific Ocean–land (PO–L) cyclones also form over the Asian continent and develop over the northwestern Pacific Ocean, and Pacific Ocean–ocean (PO–O) cyclones form and develop over the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Two cases (the most extreme and normal deepening rate cases for each cyclone type) are selected and simulated. Simulations show that the extreme cyclone of each type is characterized by a different mesoscale structure and evolutionary path, which strongly reflect the larger-scale environment: an OJ cyclone has the smallest deepening rates, associated with a distinct upper-level shortwave trough, a clear lower-level cold front, and a precipitation area that is far from the cyclone center; a PO–L cyclone has moderate deepening rates with high propagation speeds under zonally stretched upper-level jets; and a PO–O cyclone has the strongest deepening rates associated with large amounts of precipitation near its center. Sensitivity experiments involving the latent heat release associated with water vapor condensation show that PO–O cyclones rarely develop without a release of latent heat and their structures are drastically different from the control runs, while OJ cyclones exhibit almost the same developments and have similar structures to the control runs. These tendencies can be seen in both extreme and normal deepening rate cases. These results reveal that the importance of latent heat release to explosive cyclone development varies among the cyclone types, as is reflected by the cyclone origin, frontal structure, moisture distribution, and jet stream configuration.
Ensemble-Based Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Torn Ryan D. , Hakim Gregory J.
Published: March 2008

The sensitivity of forecasts to observations is evaluated using an ensemble approach with data drawn from a pseudo-operational ensemble Kalman filter. For Gaussian statistics and a forecast metric defined as a scalar function of the forecast variables, the effect of observations on the forecast metric is quantified by changes in the metric mean and variance. For a single observation, expressions for these changes involve a product of scalar quantities, which can be rapidly evaluated for large numbers of observations. This technique is applied to determining climatological forecast sensitivity and predicting the impact of observations on sea level pressure and precipitation forecast metrics. The climatological 24-h forecast sensitivity of the average pressure over western Washington State shows a region of maximum sensitivity to the west of the region, which tilts gently westward with height. The accuracy of ensemble sensitivity predictions is tested by withholding a single buoy pressure observation from this region and comparing this perturbed forecast with the control case where the buoy is assimilated. For 30 cases, there is excellent agreement between these forecast differences and the ensemble predictions, as measured by the forecast metric. This agreement decreases for increasing numbers of observations. Nevertheless, by using statistical confidence tests to address sampling error, the impact of thousands of observations on forecast-metric variance is shown to be well estimated by a subset of the O(100) most significant observations.
Evaluation of Global Precipitation in Reanalyses
Authors: Bosilovich Michael G. , Chen Junye , Robertson Franklin R. , Adler Robert F.
Published: March 2008

Retrospective-analysis (or reanalysis) systems merge observations and models to provide global four-dimensional earth system data encompassing many physical and dynamical processes. Precipitation is one critical diagnostic that is not only sensitive to the observing system and model physics, but also reflects the general circulation. Climate records of observed precipitation through a merged satellite and gauge dataset provide a reference for comparison, though not without their own uncertainty. In this study, five reanalyses precipitation fields are compared with two observed data products to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the reanalyses. Taylor diagrams show the skill of the reanalyses relative to the reference dataset. While there is a general sense that the reanalyses precipitation data are improving in recent systems, it is not always the case. In some ocean regions, NCEP–NCAR reanalysis spatial patterns are closer to observed precipitation than NCEP–Department of Energy. The 40-yr ECMWF reanalysis (ERA-40) produces reasonable comparisons over Northern Hemisphere continents, but less so in the tropical oceans. On the other hand, the most recent reanalysis, the Japanese 25-yr reanalysis (JRA-25), shows good comparisons in both the Northern Hemisphere continents and the tropical oceans but contains distinct variation according to the available observing systems. The statistics and methods used are also tested on short experiments from a data assimilation system proposed to perform a satellite-era reanalysis.
Anomalous Rainfall over Southwest Western Australia Forced by Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperatures
Authors: Ummenhofer Caroline C. , Sen Gupta Alexander , Pook Michael J. , England Matthew H.
Published: March 2008

The potential impact of Indian Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in modulating midlatitude precipitation across southern and western regions of Australia is assessed in a series of atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) simulations. Two sets of AGCM integrations forced with a seasonally evolving characteristic dipole pattern in Indian Ocean SST consistent with observed “dry year” (PDRY) and “wet year” (PWET) signatures are shown to induce precipitation changes across western regions of Australia. Over Western Australia, a significant shift occurs in the winter and annual rainfall frequency with the distribution becoming skewed toward less (more) rainfall for the PDRY (PWET) SST pattern. For southwest Western Australia (SWWA), this shift primarily is due to the large-scale stable precipitation. Convective precipitation actually increases in the PDRY case over SWWA forced by local positive SST anomalies. A mechanism for the large-scale rainfall shifts is proposed, by which the SST anomalies induce a reorganization of the large-scale atmospheric circulation across the Indian Ocean basin. Thickness (1000–500 hPa) anomalies develop in the atmosphere mirroring the sign and position of the underlying SST anomalies. This leads to a weakening (strengthening) of the meridional thickness gradient and the subtropical jet during the austral winter in PDRY (PWET). The subsequent easterly offshore (westerly onshore) anomaly in the thermal wind over southern regions of Australia, along with a decrease (increase) in baroclinicity, results in the lower (higher) levels of large-scale stable precipitation. Variations in the vertical thermal structure of the atmosphere overlying the SST anomalies favor localized increased convective activity in PDRY because of differential temperature lapse rates. In contrast, enhanced widespread ascent of moist air masses associated with frontal movement in PWET accounts for a significant increase in rainfall in that ensemble set.
Time Variation of Effective Climate Sensitivity in GCMs
Authors: Williams K. D. , Ingram W. J. , Gregory J. M.
Published: March 2008

Effective climate sensitivity is often assumed to be constant (if uncertain), but some previous studies of general circulation model (GCM) simulations have found it varying as the simulation progresses. This complicates the fitting of simple models to such simulations, as well as having implications for the estimation of climate sensitivity from observations. This study examines the evolution of the feedbacks determining the climate sensitivity in GCMs submitted to the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. Apparent centennial-time-scale variations of effective climate sensitivity during stabilization to a forcing can be considered an artifact of using conventional forcings, which only allow for instantaneous effects and stratospheric adjustment. If the forcing is adjusted for processes occurring on time scales that are short compared to the climate stabilization time scale, then there is little centennial-time-scale evolution of effective climate sensitivity in any of the GCMs. Here it is suggested that much of the apparent variation in effective climate sensitivity identified in previous studies is actually due to the comparatively fast forcing adjustment.

Persistent differences are found in the strength of the feedbacks between the coupled atmosphere–ocean (AO) versions and their atmosphere–mixed layer ocean (AML) counterparts (the latter are often assumed to give the equilibrium climate sensitivity of the AOGCM). The AML model can typically only estimate the equilibrium climate sensitivity of the parallel AO version to within about 0.5 K. The adjustment to the forcing to account for comparatively fast processes varies in magnitude and sign between GCMs, as well as differing between AO and AML versions of the same model. There is evidence from one AOGCM that the forcing adjustment may take a couple of decades, with implications for observationally based estimates of equilibrium climate sensitivity. It is suggested that at least some of the spread in twenty-first-century global temperature predictions between GCMs is due to differing adjustment processes, hence work to understand these differences should be a priority.
Comparison of Water Vapor Measurements by Airborne Sun Photometer and Diode Laser Hygrometer on the NASA DC-8
Authors: Livingston J. M. , Schmid B. , Russell P. B. , Podolske J. R. , Redemann J. , Diskin G. S.
Published: March 2008

In January–February 2003, the 14-channel NASA Ames airborne tracking sun photometer (AATS) and the NASA Langley/Ames diode laser hygrometer (DLH) were flown on the NASA DC-8 aircraft. The AATS measured column water vapor on the aircraft-to-sun path, while the DLH measured local water vapor in the free stream between the aircraft fuselage and an outboard engine cowling. The AATS and DLH measurements have been compared for two DC-8 vertical profiles by differentiating the AATS column measurement and/or integrating the DLH local measurement over the altitude range of each profile (7.7–10 km and 1.1–12.5 km). These comparisons extend, for the first time, tests of AATS water vapor retrievals to altitudes >∼6 km and column contents <0.1 g cm−2. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time suborbital spectroscopic water vapor measurements using the 940-nm band have been tested in conditions so high and dry. Values of layer water vapor (LWV) calculated from the AATS and DLH measurements are highly correlated for each profile. The composite dataset yields r 2 0.998, rms difference 7.7%, and bias (AATS minus DLH) 1.0%. For water vapor densities AATS and DLH had r 2 0.968, rms difference 27.6%, and bias (AATS minus DLH) −4.2%. These results for water vapor density compare favorably with previous comparisons of AATS water vapor to in situ results for altitudes <∼6 km, columns ∼0.1 to 5 g cm−2, and densities ∼0.1 to 17 g m−3.
The Effect of Mesoscale Heterogeneity on the Genesis and Structure of Mesovortices within Quasi-Linear Convective Systems
Authors: Wheatley Dustan M. , Trapp Robert J.
Published: March 2008

This study examines the structure and evolution of quasi-linear convective systems (QLCSs) within complex mesoscale environments. Convective outflows and other mesoscale features appear to affect the rotational characteristics and associated dynamics of these systems. Thus, real-data numerical simulations of two QLCS events have been performed to (i) identify and characterize the various ambient mesoscale features that modify the structure and evolution of simulated QLCSs; and then to (ii) determine the nature of interaction of such features with the systems, with an emphasis on the genesis and evolution of low-level mesovortices.

Significant low-level mesovortices develop in both simulated QLCSs as a consequence of mechanisms internal to the system—consistent with idealized numerical simulations of mesovortex-bearing QLCSs—and not as an effect of system interaction with external heterogeneity. However, meso-γ-scale (order of 10 km) heterogeneity in the form of a convective outflow boundary is sufficient to affect mesovortex strength, as air parcels populating the vortex region encounter enhanced convergence at the point of QLCS–boundary interaction. Moreover, meso-β-scale (order of 100 km) heterogeneity in the form of interacting air masses provides for along-line variations in the distributions of low- to midlevel vertical wind shear and convective available potential energy. The subsequent impact on updraft strength/tilt has implications on the vortex stretching experienced by leading-edge mesovortices.
The Relationship between Anvil Clouds and Convective Cells: A Case Study in South Florida during CRYSTAL-FACE
Authors: Rickenbach Thomas , Kucera Paul , Gentry Megan , Carey Larry , Lare Andrew , Lin Ruei-Fong , Demoz Belay , Starr David O’C.
Published: March 2008

One of the important goals of NASA’s Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers–Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) was to further the understanding of the evolution of tropical anvil clouds generated by deep convective systems. An important step toward understanding the radiative properties of convectively generated anvil clouds is to study their life cycle. Observations from ground-based radar, geostationary satellite radiometers, aircraft, and radiosondes during CRYSTAL-FACE provided a comprehensive look at the generation of anvil clouds by convective systems over South Florida during July 2002. This study focused on the relationship between convective rainfall and the evolution of the anvil cloud shield associated with convective systems over South Florida on 23 July 2002, during the CRYSTAL-FACE experiment. Anvil clouds emanating from convective cells grew downwind (to the southwest), reaching their maximum area at all temperature thresholds 1–2 h after the active convective cells collapsed. Radar reflectivity data revealed that precipitation-sized anvil particles extended downwind with the cloud tops. The time lag between maximum rainfall and maximum anvil cloud area increased with system size and rainfall. Observations from airborne radar and analysis of in situ cloud particle size distribution measurements in the anvil region suggested that gravitational size sorting of cloud particles dispersed downshear was a likely mechanism in the evolution of the anvil region. Linear regression analysis suggested a positive trend between this time lag and maximum convective rainfall for this case, as well as between the time lag and maximum system cloud cover. The injection of condensate into the anvil region by large areas of intense cells and dispersal in the upper-level winds was a likely explanation to cause the anvil cloud-top area to grow for 1–2 h after the surface convective rainfall began to weaken. In future work these relationships should be evaluated in differing regimes of shear, stability, or precipitation efficiency, such as over the tropical oceans, in order to generalize the results. The results of this study implied that for these cloud systems, the maximum in latent heating (proportional to rainfall) may precede the peak radiative forcing (related to anvil cloud height and area) by a lead time that was proportional to system size and strength. Mesoscale modeling simulations of convective systems on this day are under way to examine anvil evolution and growth mechanisms.
The Impact of Religious Conservatism On Men's Work and Family Involvement
Authors: Civettini Nicole H.W. , Glass Jennifer
Published: March 2008

The social conservatism of evangelical and fundamentalist groups includes their support for premarital sexual restraint, husband leadership, and father involvement. The authors explore whether religious conservatism affects work–family outcomes of men using the National Survey of Families and Households, 1988 and 1993 waves. The authors hypothesize that men from conservative households will make earlier transitions to adulthood, work fewer hours, and earn less money. Moreover, the belief in strong paternal involvement should lead religiously conservative men to spend more time in housework and child care. Results show that conservative religious affiliation does not hasten the transition to adulthood among men. Current religious conservatism results in lower wages but not reduced work hours, and religious affiliation does not affect housework or child care.
Dalits’ Access to Water
Authors: Tiwary Rakesh , Phansalkar Sanjiv J.
Published: March 2008

Dalits or Scheduled Castes (SCs) of India still face multiple deprivation and discrimination with regard to access to natural resources.These disabilities are most pronounced with regard to access to water. In rural India, access to an imperative resource like water shows differential pattern across regions, where poverty, physical separation of hamlets, ideas of purity and pollution, poor access to government welfare programmes, discrimination in access to public water bodies and structures and so on play a critical role.The article focuses on probing current status of deprivation and discrimination of dalits’ access to water for domestic use across various states with the help of selected indicators, which can reveal this complex phenomenon. As the study covered different ecological zones, it also explores a relatively less studied domain—linkages of water scarcity and dalits’ discrimination and deprivation. The findings from the survey show variable expressions of these features in different regions and specific socio-cultural contexts, revealing sociological nature of water in rural India.
Scanning Beyond the Horizon: Exploring the Ontological and Epistemological Basis for Scenario Planning
Authors: Walton John S.
Published: March 2008

The two-step process of scenario building and action planning that constitutes scenario planning enables methodological rigor, theory testing, and good inquiry to be demonstrated by researchers through established criteria. This article focuses on the philosophical underpinnings of scenario planning that have not been addressed in the human resource development literature and that are treated as problematic from a theoretical perspective because of the conjectural nature of the future. This article categorizes these underpinnings and reviews the claims that can be made with respect to their ontological and epistemological status. A pragmatic perspective that builds on critical realist and constructivist—interpretive paradigms to emphasize decision-making utility as the outcome of inquiry rather than testable knowledge production is proposed.
Mechanistic modelling of the micro end milling operation
Authors: Uriarte L , Azcárate S , Herrero A , Lopez de Lacalle L N , Lamikiz A
Published: March 2008

The presented research work has been done during the development of a mechanistic model to predict micromilling cutting forces. The aim of such a prediction is to be able to estimate the tool deflection and the real tool-path during the micromilling process. The first step to achieve a robust model is to develop a procedure to identify the specific cutting force coefficients. Beginning with the conventional end-milling cutting force model, based on six coefficients (three specific cutting force coefficients and three edge coefficients), several modifications are proposed to adapt it to the prediction of the micromilling cutting force. A variety of end mill shapes (cylindrical, ball, and bull-nose) are considered in the geometric part of the model.

The paper presents these modifications and their experimental validation by the micromilling of tool steel (H13 hardened up to 60 HRC) using two-flute carbide micro end mills with diameters from 0.1 to 0.4 mm. Finally, the consistency between the simulated and measured cutting force is shown as the main conclusion. Weak points suitable for further research are also exposed.
Finite element analysis of glass moulding
Authors: Klocke F , Dambon O , Pongs G , Wang F , Brecher C , Winterschladen M
Published: March 2008

The increasing demands for optical glass components, such as aspherical lenses, require flexible and economical production processes. In particular the high surface complexity in combination with high form accuracies will limit the usage of existing manufacturing technologies. High precision glass moulding technologies have great potential to fulfil the needs of an economical manufacturing process for complex shaped optical components.

Due to the different material properties of glass and mould material the process chain is driven by empirical iteration cycles between mould making and moulding. Today two to three cycles are necessary to reach the final accuracies on the moulded parts. Numerical simulation can help to predict the final shape of the moulded part which leads to shortening or even elimination of the time and cost consuming iteration cycles.

The paper presents first simulation results of precision glass moulding for the analysis of manufacturing effects during the precision moulding of glass lenses.
Optimal Gerrymandering: Sometimes Pack, But Never Crack
Authors: Friedman John N , Holden Richard T
Published: March 2008

Standard intuitions for optimal gerrymandering involve concentrating one's extreme opponents in “unwinnable” districts (“packing”) and spreading one's supporters evenly over “winnable” districts (“cracking”). These intuitions come from models with either no uncertainty about voter preferences or only two voter types. In contrast, we characterize the solution to a problem in which a gerrymanderer observes a noisy signal of voter preferences from a continuous distribution and creates N districts of equal size to maximize the expected number of districts she wins. Under mild regularity conditions, we show that cracking is never optimal—one's most ardent supporters should be grouped together. Moreover, for sufficiently precise signals, the optimal solution involves creating a district that matches extreme “Republicans” with extreme “Democrats,” and then continuing to match toward the center of the signal distribution. (JEL D72)
When Does Coordination Require Centralization?
Authors: Alonso Ricardo , Dessein Wouter , Matouschek Niko
Published: March 2008

This paper compares centralized and decentralized coordination when managers are privately informed and communicate strategically. We consider a multidivisional organization in which decisions must be adapted to local conditions but also coordinated with each other. Information about local conditions is dispersed and held by self-interested division managers who communicate via cheap talk. The only available formal mechanism is the allocation of decision rights. We show that a higher need for coordination improves horizontal communication but worsens vertical communication. As a result, decentralization can dominate centralization even when coordination is extremely important relative to adaptation. (JEL D23, D83, L23, M11)
Betrayal Aversion: Evidence from Brazil, China, Oman, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States
Authors: Bohnet Iris , Greig Fiona , Herrmann Benedikt , Zeckhauser Richard
Published: March 2008

Due to betrayal aversion, people take risks less willingly when the agent of uncertainty is another person rather than nature. Individuals in six countries (Brazil, China, Oman, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States) confronted a binary-choice trust game or a risky decision offering the same payoffs and probabilities. Risk acceptance was calibrated by asking individuals their “minimum acceptable probability” (MAP) for securing the high payoff that would make them willing to accept the risky rather than the sure payoff. People's MAPs are generally higher when another person, rather than nature, determines the outcome. This indicates betrayal aversion. (JEL C72, D81, Z13)
Growth Dynamics: The Myth of Economic Recovery
Authors: Cerra Valerie , Saxena Sweta Chaman
Published: March 2008

Using panel data for a large set of high-income, emerging market, developing, and transition countries, we find robust evidence that the large output loss from financial crises and some types of political crises is highly persistent. The results on financial crises are also highly robust to the assumption on exogeneity. Moreover, we find strong evidence of growth over optimism before financial crises. We also find a distinction between the output impact of civil wars versus other crises, in that there is a partial output rebound for civil wars but no significant rebound for financial crises or the other political crises. (JEL D72, D74, E32, E44, O17, O47)
Gambling at Lucky Stores: Empirical Evidence from State Lottery Sales
Authors: Guryan Jonathan , Kearney Melissa S
Published: March 2008

We show that the week after selling a large-prize Texas Lotto winning ticket, a retailer experiences a 12 to 38 percent relative increase in ticket sales. Some increase persists for up to 40 weeks. We document that the sales response increases with jackpot size and is larger in areas with more economically disadvantaged populations. Sales patterns across games and across retailers are not consistent with most advertising explanations. Furthermore, response patterns are not consistent with representativeness-based explanations for the hot hand or gambler's fallacy; we suggest an alternative explanation for the observed "lucky store" effect. (JEL H27, H71)