bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple sclerosis patients valuing their own health status: valuation and psychometric properties of the 15D
Authors: Dagklis Ioannis E. , Aletras Vasilis H. , Tsantaki Efthymia , Orologas Anastasios , Niakas Dimitrios
Published: September 2016

An ongoing debate on decision and cost-utility analyses is whether to use preferences of general public or patients. The aim of this study was to replicate the valuation procedure of the multi-attribute utility generic measure, 15D, using a sample of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and to assess its psychometric properties. Consecutive outpatient MS patients were recruited from two MS centers in Greece. The three-stage valuation procedure was applied and, with the use of elicited preference weights, an MS patients’ algorithm was developed. The original Finnish value set derived from healthy individuals was also used to calculate scores and a comparison between the two algorithms was made. A total of 64 MS patients were evaluated. The 15D scores obtained with the MS patients’ valuation algorithm were higher than the original one. The derived utilities differed significantly with respect to age, depressive symptoms, Expanded Disability Status Scale score and clinical form. MS patients indicated as most important domains mobility, mental functioning and vitality. Cronbach’s alpha was estimated 0.876 and correlations between relevant dimensions of the instruments were moderate to high. The 15D was generally feasible and reliable in patients with MS and the valuation system yielded acceptable psychometric properties.
Neurosyphilis with normal pressure hydrocephalus and dementia paralytica: serial clinical, laboratory and radiological correlations in the 21st century
Authors: Abdool Kamille , Seegobin Karan , Ramcharan Kanterpersad , Alexander Adrian , Julien-Legen Leandra , Giddings Stanley Lawrence , Aboh Samuel , Rampersad Fidel
Published: September 2016

We report a case of a 46-year-old man presenting with a progressive cognitive decline, ataxic gait, urinary incontinence for 4 months and neuroimaging consistent with normal pressure hydrocephalus. The atypical presentation of a progressively worsening dysphasia and a right hemiparesis dismissed as a vascular event 1 month earlier associated with normal pressure hydrocephalus prompted further investigations confirming neurosyphilis also manifesting as dementia paralytica. Treatment using consensus guidelines led to resumption of activities of daily living. Neurosyphilis, considered rare in the neuroimaging era, must still be considered a reversible cause of dementia and other neurological manifestations in contemporary neurological practice.
Holiness as friendship with Christ: Teresa of Avila
Authors: Soughers Tara K.
Published: September 2016

Teresa of Avila, writing in the 16th century when ideas of holiness often excluded women and lay people, developed a radically inclusive understanding of holiness as friendship with Christ. Her idea also allowed for degrees of holiness, from those who completed only the necessary church requirements of confession and absolution all the way up to those who had a friendship that was modelled upon the relationship in the Song of Songs. It was a definition of holiness applicable to men and women, clergy, members of religious orders, and lay people. In addition, her understanding of holiness did not distinguish the holiness of ordinary lay people from that of the great saints of previous generations, for friendship with Christ was open to all.
Children’s experience of holiness in health care. Are we rendering effective spiritual care?
Authors: Oberholzer Annemarie E.
Published: September 2016

Children themselves place a high value on their own spiritual care when in hospital. However, the spiritual care of children in hospital is often overlooked. Hospitalisation and medical procedures can be traumatic and overwhelming for children, they often see hospitalisation as punishment for something they did wrong and they can even experience spiritual distress during illness and suffering. The spiritual care of hospitalised children should thus be a priority to help these children making sense of pain and suffering, and assisting them to connect with a loving and forgiving God. Spirituality namely influences a diverse range of human concerns such as beliefs about illness and health, fears, relationships with family and friends and the experience of pain and suffering. Unfortunately, children often harbour misconceptions precisely in these areas. This article will draw directly on the given that children are concrete thinkers, yet able to have an understanding of holiness and God as the Holy One, if they receive the right guidance. The study will explore children’s spirituality and the way in which they experience holiness in the healthcare environment from a nursing science perspective.
The elephant in the room: The need to re-discover the intersection between poverty, powerlessness and power in ‘Theology and Development’ praxis
Authors: Bowers Du Toit Nadine
Published: September 2016

South Africa remains a divided community on many levels: socially, racially and socioeconomically. This is no more evident than in the recent protests – most notably waged on university campuses and on the streets in the past year. This, the article argues, is closely related to the need to reclaim the notion of power by those who feel they remain relegated to the social and economic peripheries after over 20 years of democracy. While ‘theology and development’ praxis has been most closely associated in a post-apartheid era with welfare and charity approaches or pragmatic interaction with state and civil society (both of which have been critiqued), what has not been sufficiently addressed is the notion of power which once dominated ecclesiastical discourses. This is the proverbial ‘elephant in the room’, which the article argues must once again be revisited and re-engaged – both within scholarly reflection and within church practice – in order to address these divides.
Holiness and humour
Authors: Houck Anita
Published: September 2016

Although Christian spirituality includes a long tradition of suspicion of humour, humour can express and further holiness in several ways. Humour serves holiness in religious satire; it can also communicate the self-transcendent perspective of holy women and men. Humour and holiness can also illuminate each other because both are inherently relational. Christian holiness consists primarily in right relationship to the Holy One and, thus, to others. Humour’s complex relational nature is examined with the help of Ted Cohen’s analysis of joke-telling and evolutionary and cognitive research. Humour and its primary expression, laughter, are inherently ambiguous, capable of expressing and creating a range of attitudes and relationships; consequently, they can both conduce to and hinder holiness. Finally, humour can contribute to the religious imagination, and thus to holiness, by challenging established images of the holy, inviting fresh theological reflection, and inspiring ethical action. Both holiness and humour require openness to that which is beyond us and agility in responding to the other.
Romeine 1:26-27: Evaluering van eksegetiese en hermeneutiese argumente in die debat oor selfdegeslagverhoudings
Authors: Van Zyl Hermie C.
Published: September 2016

Romans 1:26-27 plays an important role in the same sex relationships debate. The present study is a review article and focuses on all the important pro same sex relationships arguments vis-à-vis this text, that is, those exegetical and hermeneutical arguments that relativize the relevancy of this text for the debate. Furthermore, in this debate a sharp distinction is not always drawn between exegetical and hermeneutical insights. The article aims at rectifying this deficiency. First the true exegetical arguments are identified and evaluated, and thereafter the hermeneutical insights. The conclusion is that, in this case, it is not the exegetical arguments that are decisive, but the hermeneutical insights.
Theology and the (post-)apartheid university: Mapping discourses, interrogating transformation
Authors: Venter Rian
Published: September 2016

This article examines the specific position of Theology at South African universities, following the recent developments on campuses that catapulted the urgency for greater commitment to radical transformation in higher education to public attention. A large corpus of material is generated on theological education as such, but the major question is rarely thematised as the transformation of Theology at public universities in (post-)apartheid South Africa. This article addresses the nature of the challenge by following a distinct approach. Ten major discourses in the wider reflection on theological education are identified and interpreted as avenues to achieve three aims: to convey the unique challenge for Theology, to give historical texture to issues conventionally addressed a-politically in Theology and to forward an interpretation of ‘transformation’ for Theology that emphasises its multi-layered nature
Left ventricular noncompaction diagnosed following Graves′ disease
Authors: Habib Habib , Hawatmeh Amer , Rampal Upamanyu , Shamoon Fayez
Published: September 2016

Isolated left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a rare genetic cardiomyopathy. Clinical manifestations are variable; patients may present with heart failure symptoms, arrhythmias, and systemic thromboembolism. However, it can also be asymptomatic. When asymptomatic, LVNC can manifest later in life after the onset of another unrelated condition. We report a case of LVNC which was diagnosed following a hyperthyroid state secondary to Graves′ disease. The association of LVNC with other noncardiac abnormalities including neurological, hematological, and endocrine abnormalities including hypothyroidism has been described in isolated case reports before. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of LVNC diagnosed following exacerbation in contractile dysfunction triggered by Graves′ disease.
Interrogating the plausibility of ideological classification of Nigerian society
Authors: Oyelakin Richard Taye
Published: September 2016

It is almost a theoretical truism that a society comprises different groups of people held together by common ideas, goals, and social-political and economic principles. These ideas, goals and principles precipitated different ideological groupings depending on the nature and supporting history of such society. Resulting from the differences in ideas, goals and principles in such a society, one ideological group is classified from the other. Consequently, talking about the organization of some Western societies namely, the United Kingdom, there are some diverse but sometimes competing ideological schools. Typically, we have the Conservative, the Liberal and the Radical Left. However, attempts are made to define African politico-economic structures along these foreign ideological classifications. This originates from the view that an ideological classification which originated and is working in some particular Western society must also work in typical African society. Whereas, the latter is not only different in its theoretical framework but also in its historical background. Consequently, this paper seeks to interrogate the justification of such classification of Nigerian society. The paper intends to submit that attempting to classify Nigerian politico-economic structure into these ideological frameworks is not only contradictory to the nature of our society, but also that such classifications are just conceptual acronyms for pseudo classes.
History, land and conflict in Nigeria: The Aguleri-Umuleri experience, 1933-1999
Authors: Obiakor Nwachukwu J.
Published: September 2016

This paper studies the place of history, and land in the outbreak of conflicts in Nigeria, with focus on the Aguleri- Umuleri communities’ experience. Both communities were engulfed in intractable conflicts over the ownership of Otuocha land. Aside the contest over land, both communities have been engaged in the reconstruction of their history with each claiming to be the direct descendant of Eri, who both refer to as their progenitor. Studies exist on the Aguleri-Umuleri conflicts, but these works focused only on the contest over Otuocha land as the sole cause of the conflict, neglecting the aspect on the perceived distortion of history, which appear to be the underlying factor. This paper addresses this imbalance. The paper adopts the multi-disciplinary approach, as well as the thematic method of presentation. The paper basically draws from primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are derived from oral interviews, while the secondary sources are mainly obtained from books and journal articles. The conflict led to loss of lives and property, destruction of the economic base of the belligerent communities, high crime wave, and historical revisionism of the area. Though the conflict may seem to have ceased, the issues at stake remain unresolved. This paper among other things recommends a revision of the Eri mythology to establish the true nature of the relationship between the two communities.
Post-indiginist realism in modern African drama
Authors: Ilo Isaiah U.
Published: September 2016

This paper highlights a literary style in which African dramatists compose in current diction and express themselves in a contemporary mode. The approach, identified in this essay as Post-indiginist Realism or Aesthetics, represents a departure from a celebrated method in which African dramatists privileged their culture or indigenous traditions in foreign language plays in the spirit of cultural nationalism. The main objective of this essay is to explain the Postindiginist concept, and thereafter examine some examples of the approach.
Global Citizenship Education and the Crises of Multiculturalism
Authors: Tarozzi Massimiliano , Torres Carlos Alberto
Published: September 2016

The notion of global citizenship education (GCE) has emerged in the international education discourse in the context of the United Nations Education First Initiative that cites developing global citizens as one of its goals. In this book, the authors argue that GCE offers a new educational perspective for making sense of the existing dilemmas of multiculturalism and national citizenship deficits in diverse societies, taking into account equality, human rights and social justice.

The authors explore how teaching and research may be implemented relating to the notion of global citizenship and discuss the intersections between the framework of GCE and multiculturalism. They address the three main topics which affect education in multicultural societies and in a globalized world, and which represent unsolved dilemmas: the issue of diversity in relation to creating citizens, the issue of equality and social justice in democratic societies, and the tension between the global and the local in a globalized world.

Through a comparative study of the two prevailing approaches – intercultural education within the European Union and multicultural education in the United States – the authors seek what can be learned from each model. Global Citizenship Education and the Crises of Multiculturalism offers not only a unifying theoretical framework but also a set of policy recommendations aiming to link the two approaches.
Arctic Regional Methane Fluxes by Ecotope as Derived Using Eddy
Covariance from a Low Flying Aircraft
Authors: Sayres David S. , Dobosy Ron , Healy Claire , Dumas Ed , Kochendorfer John , Munster Jason , Wilkerson Jordan , Baker Bruce , Anderson James
Published: September 2016

Abstract. The Arctic terrestrial and subsea permafrost region contains approximately 30 % of the global carbon stock and therefore understanding Arctic methane emissions and how they might change with a changing climate is important for quantifying the global methane budget and understanding its growth in the atmosphere. Here we present measurements from a new in situ flux observation system designed for use on a small, low-flying aircraft that was deployed over the North Slope of Alaska during August of 2013. The system combines a small methane instrument based on Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy (ICOS) with an air turbulence probe to calculate methane fluxes based on eddy covariance. We group surface fluxes by land class using a map based on LandSat Thematic Mapper (TM) 30 meter resolution data. We find that wet sedge areas dominate the methane fluxes with a mean flux of 2.1 μg m−2 s−1 during the first part of August, with methane emissions from the Sagavanirktok river being the second highest at almost 1 μg m−2 s−1. During the second half of August, after soil temperatures had cooled by 7 ◦C, methane emissions fell to between 0 and 0.5 μg m−2 s−1 for all areas measured. We compare the aircraft measurements with an eddy covariance flux tower located in a wet sedge area and show that the two measurements agree quantitatively when the footprints of both overlap. However, fluxes from sedge vary at times by a factor of two or more even within a few kilometers of the tower demonstrating the importance of making regional measurements to map out methane emission spatial heterogeneity. Aircraft measurements of surface flux can play an important role in bridging the gap between ground-based measurements and regional measurements from remote sensing instruments and models.
Can C-band synthetic aperture radar be used to estimate soil organic carbon storage in tundra?
Authors: Bartsch Annett , Widhalm Barbara , Kuhry Peter , Hugelius Gustaf , Palmtag Juri , Siewert Matthias Benjamin
Published: September 2016

Abstract. A new approach for the estimation of soil organic carbon (SOC) pools north of the tree line has been developed based on synthetic aperture radar (SAR; ENVISAT Advanced SAR Global Monitoring mode) data. SOC values are directly determined from backscatter values instead of upscaling using land cover or soil classes. The multi-mode capability of SAR allows application across scales. It can be shown that measurements in C band under frozen conditions represent vegetation and surface structure properties which relate to soil properties, specifically SOC. It is estimated that at least 29 Pg C is stored in the upper 30 cm of soils north of the tree line. This is approximately 25 % less than stocks derived from the soil-map-based Northern Circumpolar Soil Carbon Database (NCSCD). The total stored carbon is underestimated since the established empirical relationship is not valid for peatlands or strongly cryoturbated soils. The approach does, however, provide the first spatially consistent account of soil organic carbon across the Arctic. Furthermore, it could be shown that values obtained from 1 km resolution SAR correspond to accounts based on a high spatial resolution (2 m) land cover map over a study area of about 7  ×  7 km in NE Siberia. The approach can be also potentially transferred to medium-resolution C-band SAR data such as ENVISAT ASAR Wide Swath with  ∼  120 m resolution but it is in general limited to regions without woody vegetation. Global Monitoring-mode-derived SOC increases with unfrozen period length. This indicates the importance of this parameter for modelling of the spatial distribution of soil organic carbon storage.
The sensitivity of landscape evolution models to spatial and temporal
rainfall resolution
Authors: Coulthard Tom J. , Skinner Christopher J.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Climate is one of the main drivers for landscape evolution models (LEMs), yet its representation is often basic with values averaged over long time periods and frequently lumped to the same value for the whole basin. Clearly, this hides the heterogeneity of precipitation – but what impact does this averaging have on erosion and deposition, topography, and the final shape of LEM landscapes? This paper presents results from the first systematic investigation into how the spatial and temporal resolution of precipitation affects LEM simulations of sediment yields and patterns of erosion and deposition. This is carried out by assessing the sensitivity of the CAESAR-Lisflood LEM to different spatial and temporal precipitation resolutions – as well as how this interacts with different-size drainage basins over short and long timescales. A range of simulations were carried out, varying rainfall from 0.25 h  ×  5 km to 24 h  ×  Lump resolution over three different-sized basins for 30-year durations. Results showed that there was a sensitivity to temporal and spatial resolution, with the finest leading to > 100 % increases in basin sediment yields. To look at how these interactions manifested over longer timescales, several simulations were carried out to model a 1000-year period. These showed a systematic bias towards greater erosion in uplands and deposition in valley floors with the finest spatial- and temporal-resolution data. Further tests showed that this effect was due solely to the data resolution, not orographic factors. Additional research indicated that these differences in sediment yield could be accounted for by adding a compensation factor to the model sediment transport law. However, this resulted in notable differences in the topographies generated, especially in third-order and higher streams. The implications of these findings are that uncalibrated past and present LEMs using lumped and time-averaged climate inputs may be under-predicting basin sediment yields as well as introducing spatial biases through under-predicting erosion in first-order streams but over-predicting erosion in second- and third-order streams and valley floor areas. Calibrated LEMs may give correct sediment yields, but patterns of erosion and deposition will be different and the calibration may not be correct for changing climates. This may have significant impacts on the modelled basin profile and shape from long-timescale simulations.
Source apportionment of atmospheric water over East Asia – a source tracer study in CAM5.1
Authors: Pan Chen , Zhu Bin , Gao Jinhui , Kang Hanqing
Published: September 2016

Abstract. The atmospheric water tracer (AWT) method is implemented in the Community Atmosphere Model version 5.1 (CAM5.1) to quantitatively identify the contributions of various source regions to precipitation and water vapour over East Asia. Compared to other source apportionment methods, the AWT method was developed based on detailed physical parameterizations, and can therefore trace the behaviour of atmospheric water substances directly and exactly. According to the simulation, the north Indian Ocean (NIO) is the dominant oceanic moisture source region for precipitation over the Yangtze River Valley (YRV) and South China (SCN) in summer, while the Northwest Pacific (NWP) dominates during other seasons. Evaporation over the South China Sea (SCS) is responsible for only 2.8–4.2 % of summer precipitation over the YRV and SCN. In addition, the Indo-China Peninsula is an important terrestrial moisture source region (annual contribution of ~ 10 %). The overall relative contribution of each source region to the water vapour amount is similar to the corresponding contribution to precipitation over the YRV and SCN. A case study for the SCS shows that only a small part (≤ 5.8 %) of water vapour originates from local evaporation, while much more water vapour is supplied by the NWP and NIO. In addition, because evaporation from the SCS represents only a small contribution to the water vapour over the YRV and SCN in summer, the SCS mainly acts as a water vapour transport pathway where moisture from the NIO and NWP meet.
Astronomical component estimation (ACE v.1) by time-variant sinusoidal
modeling
Authors: Sinnesael Matthias , Zivanovic Miroslav , De Vleeschouwer David , Claeys Philippe , Schoukens Johan
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Accurately deciphering periodic variations in paleoclimate proxy signals is essential for cyclostratigraphy. Classical spectral analysis often relies on methods based on (fast) Fourier transformation. This technique has no unique solution separating variations in amplitude and frequency. This characteristic can make it difficult to correctly interpret a proxy's power spectrum or to accurately evaluate simultaneous changes in amplitude and frequency in evolutionary analyses. This drawback is circumvented by using a polynomial approach to estimate instantaneous amplitude and frequency in orbital components. This approach was proven useful to characterize audio signals (music and speech), which are non-stationary in nature. Paleoclimate proxy signals and audio signals share similar dynamics; the only difference is the frequency relationship between the different components. A harmonic-frequency relationship exists in audio signals, whereas this relation is non-harmonic in paleoclimate signals. However, this difference is irrelevant for the problem of separating simultaneous changes in amplitude and frequency. Using an approach with overlapping analysis frames, the model (Astronomical Component Estimation, version 1: ACE v.1) captures time variations of an orbital component by modulating a stationary sinusoid centered at its mean frequency, with a single polynomial. Hence, the parameters that determine the model are the mean frequency of the orbital component and the polynomial coefficients. The first parameter depends on geologic interpretations, whereas the latter are estimated by means of linear least-squares. As output, the model provides the orbital component waveform, either in the depth or time domain. Uncertainty analyses of the model estimates are performed using Monte Carlo simulations. Furthermore, it allows for a unique decomposition of the signal into its instantaneous amplitude and frequency. Frequency modulation patterns reconstruct changes in accumulation rate, whereas amplitude modulation identifies eccentricity-modulated precession. The functioning of the time-variant sinusoidal model is illustrated and validated using a synthetic insolation signal. The new modeling approach is tested on two case studies: (1) a Pliocene–Pleistocene benthic δ18O record from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 846 and (2) a Danian magnetic susceptibility record from the Contessa Highway section, Gubbio, Italy.
Monitoring the variations of evapotranspiration due to the land use/cover changes in a semiarid shrubland
Authors: Gong Tingting , Lei Huimin , Yang Dawen , Yang Hanbo , Jiao Yang
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important process in the hydrological cycle, and vegetation change is a primary factor that affects ET. In this study, an attempt is made to analyze the annual and inter-annual characteristics of ET using continuous observation data from eddy-covariance (EC) measurements over four periods (1st July 2011 to 30th June 2015) at a study site located in the Mu Us Sandland of China. Normalized vegetation index (NDVI) was the predominant factor that influences the seasonal variation in ET. Normalization method was adopted to exclude the effects of potential evapotranspiration (ETP) and soil water stress (fs) on ET. Vegetation phenological process was validated to have a remarkable positive effect on normalized ET in a rate of 1.86 (the slope of normalized ET per NDVI) along with vegetation greening. Both on the land degradation process and vegetation rehabilitation process, ET and normalized ET increased. We discussed several possibilities that might lead to the increase. Our work may promote our knowledge about the characteristics of ET of the mix land use/cover condition (sparse shrubland and grassland) in the fragile ecosystem of Mu Us Sandland.
EFFECT OF THE X5.4 CLASS SOLAR FLARE EVENT OF SOLAR CYCLE 24 ON THE GPS SIGNAL RECEPTION IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
Authors: Ismail S. , Musa T. A. , Aris W. A. W. , Gopir G.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. In this paper, we examine the effect of solar flare event on the Global Positioning System (GPS) signal reception in Peninsular Malaysia during the X5.4 class solar flare on 7th March 2012, 00:24 UT at active region AR1429. GPS data from six MyRTKnet stations that cover the northern, southern, western and eastern regions of Peninsular Malaysia were used, namely Langkawi (Kedah), Bandar Baharu (Pulau Pinang), Pekan (Pahang), Mersing (Johor), Tanjung Pengelih (Johor) and Malacca (Malacca). The total electron content (TEC) was estimated based on the single layer ionospheric model. Next, the ionospheric delay for each GPS frequency of L1 (1575.42 MHz), L2 (1227.60 MHz) and L5 (1176.45 MHz) was then calculated. The results show that solar flare event can influence the GPS signal reception in Peninsular Malaysia where the X5.4 class solar flare shows significant effect of the ionospheric delay within the range of 9 m – 20 m. These research findings will significantly contribute to space weather study and its effects on space-based positioning system such as the GPS.
SPATIAL DATA MINING TOOLBOX FOR MAPPING SUITABILITY OF LANDFILL SITES USING NEURAL NETWORKS
Authors: Abujayyab S. K. M. , Ahamad M. S. S. , Yahya A. S. , Aziz H. A.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Mapping the suitability of landfill sites is a complex field and is involved with multidiscipline. The purpose of this research is to create an ArcGIS spatial data mining toolbox for mapping the suitability of landfill sites at a regional scale using neural networks. The toolbox is constructed from six sub-tools to prepare, train, and process data. The employment of the toolbox is straightforward. The multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural networks structure with a backpropagation learning algorithm is used. The dataset is mined from the north states in Malaysia. A total of 14 criteria are utilized to build the training dataset. The toolbox provides a platform for decision makers to implement neural networks for mapping the suitability of landfill sites in the ArcGIS environment. The result shows the ability of the toolbox to produce suitability maps for landfill sites.
3D STREAMING PROTOCOLS FOR SPATIAL DATA INFRASTRUCTURE: A BRIEF REVIEW
Authors: Siew C. B. , Abdul Rahman A.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Web services utilizations in Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) have been well established and standardized by Open Geospatial 3D graphics rendering has been a topic of interest among scientific domain from both computer science and geospatial science. Different methods were proposed and discussed in these researches for different domains and applications. Each method provides advantages and trade-offs. Some methods proposed image based rendering for 3D graphics and ultimately. This paper attempts to discuss several techniques from past researches and attempts to propose another method inspired from these techniques, customized for 3D SDI its data workflow use cases.
MEAN SEA SURFACE (MSS) MODEL DETERMINATION FOR MALAYSIAN SEAS USING MULTI-MISSION SATELLITE ALTIMETER
Authors: Yahaya N. A. Z. , Musa T. A. , Omar K. M. , Din A. H. M. , Omar A. H. , Tugi A. , Yazid N. M. , Abdullah N. M. , Wahab M. I. A.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. The advancement of satellite altimeter technology has generated many evolutions to oceanographic and geophysical studies. A multi-mission satellite altimeter consists with TOPEX, Jason-1 and Jason-2, ERS-2, Envisat-1, CryoSat-2 and Saral are extracted in this study and has been processed using Radar Altimeter Database System (RADS) for the period of January 2005 to December 2015 to produce the sea surface height (hereinafter referred to SSH). The monthly climatology data from SSH is generated and averaged to understand the variation of SSH during monsoon season. Then, SSH data are required to determine the localised and new mean sea surface (MSS). The differences between Localised MSS and DTU13 MSS Global Model is plotted with root mean square error value is 2.217 metres. The localised MSS is important towards several applications for instance, as a reference for sea level variation, bathymetry prediction and derivation of mean dynamic topography.
GRAVITY ANOMALY ASSESSMENT USING GGMS AND AIRBORNE GRAVITY DATA TOWARDS BATHYMETRY ESTIMATION
Authors: Tugi A. , Din A. H. M. , Omar K. M. , Mardi A. S. , Som Z. A. M. , Omar A. H. , Yahaya N. A. Z. , Yazid N.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. The Earth’s potential information is important for exploration of the Earth’s gravity field. The techniques of measuring the Earth’s gravity using the terrestrial and ship borne technique are time consuming and have limitation on the vast area. With the space-based measuring technique, these limitations can be overcome. The satellite gravity missions such as Challenging Mini-satellite Payload (CHAMP), Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), and Gravity-Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer Mission (GOCE) has introduced a better way in providing the information on the Earth’s gravity field. From these satellite gravity missions, the Global Geopotential Models (GGMs) has been produced from the spherical harmonics coefficient data type. The information of the gravity anomaly can be used to predict the bathymetry because the gravity anomaly and bathymetry have relationships between each other. There are many GGMs that have been published and each of the models gives a different value of the Earth’s gravity field information. Therefore, this study is conducted to assess the most reliable GGM for the Malaysian Seas. This study covered the area of the marine area on the South China Sea at Sabah extent. Seven GGMs have been selected from the three satellite gravity missions. The gravity anomalies derived from the GGMs are compared with the airborne gravity anomaly, in order to figure out the correlation (R2) and the root mean square error (RMSE) of the data. From these assessments, the most suitable GGMs for the study area is GOCE model, GO_CONS_GCF_2_TIMR4 with the R2 and RMSE value of 0.7899 and 9.886 mGal, respectively. This selected model will be used in the estimating the bathymetry for Malaysian Seas in future.
UTILIZATION OF LANDSAT-8 DATA FOR LITHOLOGICAL MAPPING OF BASEMENT ROCKS OF PLATEAU STATE NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA
Authors: Amusuk D. J. , Hashim M. , Pour A. B. , Musa S. I.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. This paper utilized the Landsat-8 image data to map the lithology’s of Plateau state north central Nigeria. This is includes the rocks, with particular emphasis on their description and classification. We are living in geologic times and sciences that provide adequate knowledge of the natures of what we live on so as to preserve and have means of sustaining human life. Plateau State is covered by four scenes of Landsat Data, and to describe the lithology’s, each scene was processed to produce images. Two different false colour composite images of Landsat-8 (FCC 7, 5 and 3 and BR composites) in RGB were generated and used for the production of 1:100,000 geological map of the study area. The identification of predominant biotitic granitic rocks was revealed and that are distributed along the Jos-Bukuru complex and underlying almost half of the entire state. Moreover, the other rock complexes such as basalts and rhyolites volcanic rocks were also discriminated. This study indicates that Landsat-8 image data has great capability to discriminate lithological units and the production of up-to-date geological maps at regional scale and could be applicable in other regions of the African continent.
A COMBINATION OF GEOSPATIAL AND CLINICAL ANALYSIS IN PREDICTING DISABILITY OUTCOME AFTER ROAD TRAFFIC INJURY (RTI) IN A DISTRICT IN MALAYSIA
Authors: Nik Hisamuddin R. , Ruslan R. , Syed Hatim N. , Sharifah Mastura S. M.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. This was a Prospective Cohort Study commencing from July 2011 until June 2013 involving all injuries related to motor vehicle crashes (MVC) attended Emergency Departments (ED) of two tertiary centers in a district in Malaysia. Selected attributes were geospatially analyzed by using ARCGIS (by ESRI) software version 10.1 licensed to the institution and Google Map free software and multiple logistic regression was performed by using SPSS version 22.0. A total of 439 cases were recruited. The mean age (SD) of the MVC victims was 26.04 years (s.d 15.26). Male comprised of 302 (71.7%) of the cases. Motorcyclists were the commonest type of victims involved [351(80.0%)]. Hotspot MVC locations occurred at certain intersections and on roads within borough of Kenali and Binjai. The number of severely injured and polytrauma are mostly on the road network within speed limit of 60 km/hour. A person with an increase in ISS of one score had a 37 % higher odd to have disability at hospital discharge (95% CI: 1.253, 1.499, p-value < 0.001). Pediatric age group (less than 19 years of age) had 52.1% lesser odds to have disability at discharge from hospital (95% CI: 0.258, 0.889, p-value < 0.001) and patients who underwent operation for definitive management had 4.14 times odds to have disability at discharge from hospital (95% CI: 1.681, 10.218, p-value = 0.002). Overall this study has proven that GIS with a combination of traditional statistical analysis is still a powerful tool in road traffic injury (RTI) related research.
GEOLOGICAL FEATURES MAPPING USING PALSAR-2 DATA IN KELANTAN RIVER BASIN, PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
Authors: Pour A. B. , Hashim M.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. In this study, the recently launched Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar-2 (PALSAR-2) onboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2), remote sensing data were used to map geologic structural and topographical features in the Kelantan river basin for identification of high potential risk and susceptible zones for landslides and flooding areas. A ScanSAR and two fine mode dual polarization level 3.1 images cover Kelantan state were processed for comprehensive analysis of major geological structures and detailed characterizations of lineaments, drainage patterns and lithology at both regional and district scales. Red-Green-Blue (RGB) colour-composite was applied to different polarization channels of PALSAR-2 data to extract variety of geological information. Directional convolution filters were applied to the data for identifying linear features in particular directions and edge enhancement in the spatial domain. Results derived from ScanSAR image indicate that lineament occurrence at regional scale was mainly linked to the N-S trending of the Bentong-Raub Suture Zone (BRSZ) in the west and Lebir Fault Zone in the east of the Kelantan state. Combination of different polarization channels produced image maps contain important information related to water bodies, wetlands and lithological units for the Kelantan state using fine mode observation data. The N-S, NE-SW and NNE-SSW lineament trends were identified in the study area using directional filtering. Dendritic, sub-dendritic and rectangular drainage patterns were detected in the Kelantan river basin. The analysis of field investigations data indicate that many of flooded areas were associated with high potential risk zones for hydro-geological hazards such as wetlands, urban areas, floodplain scroll, meander bend, dendritic and sub-dendritic drainage patterns, which are located in flat topograghy regions. Numerous landslide points were located in rectangular drainage system that associated with topographic slope of metamorphic and Quaternary rock units. Some large landslides were associated with N-S, NNE-SSW and NE-SW trending fault zones. Consequently, structural and topographical geology maps were produced for Kelantan river basin using PALSAR-2 data, which could be broadly applicable for landslide hazard mapping and identification of high potential risk zone for hydro-geological hazards.
Parameter sensitivity and uncertainty analysis for a storm surge and wave
model
Authors: Bastidas Luis A. , Knighton James , Kline Shaun W.
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Development and simulation of synthetic hurricane tracks is a common methodology used to estimate hurricane hazards in the absence of empirical coastal surge and wave observations. Such methods typically rely on numerical models to translate stochastically generated hurricane wind and pressure forcing into coastal surge and wave estimates. The model output uncertainty associated with selection of appropriate model parameters must therefore be addressed. The computational overburden of probabilistic surge hazard estimates is exacerbated by the high dimensionality of numerical surge and wave models. We present a model parameter sensitivity analysis of the Delft3D model for the simulation of hazards posed by Hurricane Bob (1991) utilizing three theoretical wind distributions (NWS23, modified Rankine, and Holland). The sensitive model parameters (of 11 total considered) include wind drag, the depth-induced breaking γB, and the bottom roughness. Several parameters show no sensitivity (threshold depth, eddy viscosity, wave triad parameters, and depth-induced breaking αB) and can therefore be excluded to reduce the computational overburden of probabilistic surge hazard estimates. The sensitive model parameters also demonstrate a large number of interactions between parameters and a nonlinear model response. While model outputs showed sensitivity to several parameters, the ability of these parameters to act as tuning parameters for calibration is somewhat limited as proper model calibration is strongly reliant on accurate wind and pressure forcing data. A comparison of the model performance with forcings from the different wind models is also presented.
Anomalous winter snow amplified earthquake induced disaster of the 2015 Langtang avalanche in Nepal
Authors: Fujita Koji , Inoue Hiroshi , Izumi Takeki , Yamaguchi Satoru , Sadakane Ayako , Sunako Sojiro , Nishimura Kouichi , Immerzeel Walter W. , Shea Joseph M. , Kayashta Rijan B. , Sawagaki Takanobu , Breashears David F. , Yagi Hiroshi , Sakai Akiko
Published: September 2016

Abstract. Co-seismic avalanches and rock falls, and their simultaneous air blasts, which were induced by the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal, destroyed the village of Langtang. In order to reveal volume and structure of the deposit covering the village, and sequence of the multiple events, we conducted an intensive in-situ observation in October 2015. Multi-temporal digital elevation models created from photographs taken by helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicles reveal that the deposit volumes of the primary and succeeding events were 6.81 × 106 m3 and 0.84 × 106 m3, respectively. Visual investigations of the deposit and witness statements of villagers suggest that the primary event was an avalanche composed mostly of snow, while the contribution of collapsed glacier ice could account for a few percent of the total mass. Succeeding events were multiple rock falls which may have been triggered by aftershocks. From the initial deposited volume and the upper catchment area, we estimate an average snow depth of 1.56 m in the source area using density assumptions of snow and ice. This is consistent with anomalously large snow depths (1.28–1.52 m) observed at a neighboring glacier (4800–5100 m a.s.l.), which accumulated over the course of four major snowfall events since October 2014. Considering long-term observational data, probability density functions, and elevation gradients of precipitation, we conclude that this anomalous winter snow was an extreme event with a return interval of at least 100 years, which amplified or even caused the disaster induced by the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal.
Controllability, not chaos, key criterion for ocean state estimation
Authors: Gebbie Geoffrey , Hsieh Tsung-Lin
Published: September 2016

Abstract. The Lagrange multiplier method for combining observations and models (i.e., the adjoint method or "4D-VAR") has been avoided or approximated when the numerical model is highly nonlinear or chaotic. This approach has been adopted primarily due to difficulties in the initialization of low-dimensional chaotic models, where the search for optimal initial conditions by gradient descent algorithm is hampered by multiple local minima. Although initialization is an important task for numerical weather prediction, ocean state estimation usually demands an additional task – solution of the time-dependent surface boundary conditions that result from atmosphere–ocean interaction. Here, we apply the Lagrange multiplier method to an analogous boundary control problem, tracking the trajectory of the forced chaotic pendulum. Contrary to previous assertions, it is demonstrated that the Lagrange multiplier method can track multiple chaotic transitions through time, so long as the boundary conditions render the system controllable. Thus, the nonlinear timescale poses no limit to the time interval for successful Lagrange multiplier-based estimation. That the key criterion is controllability, not a pure measure of dynamical stability or chaos, illustrates the similarities between the Lagrange multiplier method and other state estimation methods. The results with the chaotic pendulum suggest that there is no fundamental obstacle to ocean state estimation with eddy-resolving, highly-nonlinear models, especially when using an improved first-guess trajectory.
Effect of gas-transfer velocity parameterization choice on air–sea CO2
fluxes in the North Atlantic Ocean and the European Arctic
Authors: Wrobel Iwona , Piskozub Jacek
Published: September 2016

Abstract. The oceanic sink of carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important part of the global carbon budget. Understanding uncertainties in the calculation of this net flux into the ocean is crucial for climate research. One of the sources of the uncertainty within this calculation is the parameterization chosen for the CO2 gas-transfer velocity. We used a recently developed software toolbox, called the FluxEngine (Shutler et al., 2016), to estimate the monthly air–sea CO2 fluxes for the extratropical North Atlantic Ocean, including the European Arctic, and for the global ocean using several published quadratic and cubic wind speed parameterizations of the gas-transfer velocity. The aim of the study is to constrain the uncertainty caused by the choice of parameterization in the North Atlantic Ocean. This region is a large oceanic sink of CO2, and it is also a region characterized by strong winds, especially in winter but with good in situ data coverage. We show that the uncertainty in the parameterization is smaller in the North Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic than in the global ocean. It is as little as 5 % in the North Atlantic and 4 % in the European Arctic, in comparison to 9 % for the global ocean when restricted to parameterizations with quadratic wind dependence. This uncertainty becomes 46, 44, and 65 %, respectively, when all parameterizations are considered. We suggest that this smaller uncertainty (5 and 4 %) is caused by a combination of higher than global average wind speeds in the North Atlantic (> 7 ms−1) and lack of any seasonal changes in the direction of the flux direction within most of the region. We also compare the impact of using two different in situ pCO2 data sets (Takahashi et al. (2009) and Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) v1.5 and v2.0, for the flux calculation. The annual fluxes using the two data sets differ by 8 % in the North Atlantic and 19 % in the European Arctic. The seasonal fluxes in the Arctic computed from the two data sets disagree with each other possibly due to insufficient spatial and temporal data coverage, especially in winter.