bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coding Collected Research Papers to Create a Simple Information System
Authors: Sosnoski James J. , Carlson Gordon S.
Published: April 2014

A major issue with research archives is the difficulty of finding contextually relevant information when developing a theory or project. Utilizing a sociotechnological approach, this paper proposes a descriptive markup language to function as a notational system to be used to convert collections of research papers in various disciplines into an information system. Markup codes attached to research papers can significantly improve data retrieval. A theoretical framework for the notational system is proposed, drawn from Charles Fillmore's frame semantics and Thomas Kuhn's conception of a lexicon specific to numerous research areas. Examples of how the notational system can be used are offered and the steps needed for the implementation of the notational system are outlined.
A Model Curriculum for Undergraduate Program in IT SSME
Authors: Al-Badarneh Amer , Spohrer James , Al-Duwairi Basheer
Published: April 2014

The service sector is the uppermost growth segment of the developed economies, and becoming more knowledge intensive as automation and outsourcing reduce demand for labor in agriculture and manufacturing. The reliance of this sector on information technology (IT) deserves revision of IT curricula. As the field of computing continues to grow and diversify, and new computing-related disciplines emerge, existing curriculum programs must be updated regularly and new computing disciplines will be drafted to prepare students with the knowledge and skill sets applicable to current and projected future service sector. Service Science, Management, and Engineering (SSME) is a new market-relevant multidisciplinary academic program designed in response to the service sector's growing dominance. The main aims of this paper are firstly, to identify and develop the body of knowledge areas and skills needed by IT professionals. Secondly, to develop SSME undergraduate curriculum and courses that embody the topics in the SSME body of knowledge. The study was based on surveying and analyzing the current and projected future demand for IT Professionals with enhanced IT SSME skills. With the support of IBM, Jordan University of Science and Technology will begin offering an undergraduate program in SSME in fall 2013.
Using Word Trees, Word Networks, and Tag Clouds to Provide Meaningful Insights
Authors: Bilgihan Anil , Severt Denver , Kandampully Jay
Published: April 2014

The combined use of data mining techniques and qualitative consumer reports can provide meaningful insights into service performance and relevant decision making. In several case studies, the authors combine qualitative comments from an online hotel feedback website about popular travel destinations, as reported by business, pleasure, and mixed-use travelers. After extracting 1,893 useable customer comments, using a web spider application, the study software produced summaries of qualitative comments in the form of tag clouds, word networks, and word tree images. This technologically enabled analysis of consumer-reported information provides consumer researchers with more objective ratings of qualitative consumer assessments of their experience across various units of analysis, with several applications for corporate and operational management. Furthermore, several implications inform consumer researchers and corporate consumer research departments about effective ways to investigate and serve industry. This study also has several limitations that suggest routes for further research.
A Unified Model of Product Service Systems Representation
Authors: Yang Lujing , Xing Ke , Ness David
Published: April 2014

This paper proposes a model to represent the structure of different types of Product Service Systems (PSS). The model can fill the current research gap that different types of PSS cannot be represented by a unified expression. In current research studies, PSS is divided into three main categories and each type has different ways to be modelled. Designers have to develop different types of PSS through very different ways. The model is developed on a new concept of Virtual Product, which represent the PSS from a customer's viewpoint. Based on this concept, different types of PSS can be represented in a unified model.
Goal-Based Framework for Multi-User Personalized Similarities in e-Learning Scenarios
Authors: Chughtai M. Waseem , Ghani Imran , Selamat Ali , Jeong Seung Ryul
Published: April 2014

Web-based learning or e-Learning in contrast to traditional education systems offer a lot of benefits. This article presents the Goal-based Framework for providing personalized similarities between multi users profile preferences in formal e-Learning scenarios. It consists of two main approaches: content-based filtering and collaborative filtering. Because only traditional content-based filtering is not sufficient to generate the recommendations for new-users, therefore, the proposed work hybridized multi user's collaborative filtering functionalities with personalized content-based profile preferences filtering. The main purpose of this proposed work is to (a) overcome the user-based cold-start profile recommendations and (b) improve the recommendations accuracy for new-users in formal e-learning recommendation systems. The experimental has been done by using the famous ‘MovieLens' dataset with 15.86% density of the user-item matrix with respect to ratings, while the evaluation of experimental results have been performed with precision mean and recall mean to test the effectiveness of Goal-based personalized recommendation framework. The Experimental result Precision: 81.90% and Recall: 86.56% show that the proposed framework goals performed well for the improvement of user-based cold-start issue as well as for content-based profile recommendations, using multi users personalized collaborative similarities, in formal e-Learning scenarios effectively.
Fostering Students' ‘Use My Own Device' Attitude
Authors: Ada Mireilla Bikanga
Published: April 2014

This paper describes the development of an all-in-one mobile learning platform, to support students' use of their own mobile handheld devices for assessment and feedback. The application incorporates several features that can be found in many other individual applications, into one platform. The features allow students' participation in peer feedback activities; they also enable students to access their feedback, leave comments on their summative feedback, participate in class discussions, take formative assessment in form of quizzes, and create quizzes for their peers. The application is also designed to alleviate tutors' workload issues by providing a group feedback feature with three options. Fostering students' Use My Own Device (UMyOD) attitude using this all-in-one mobile learning application requires tutors' active involvement to make their class more interesting, interactive and engaging, more active than passive, and increase student attention span.
Learning Software Engineering with Global Teams
Authors: Ende Markus , Lämmermann Ralf , Brockmann Patricia , Olivares-Ceja Jesús-Manuel
Published: April 2014

Global software engineering requires the coordination of team participants around the world, mainly in large software projects. How can computer science students learn the organizational and intercultural skills required to guide and participate in global distributed projects? To answer this question, this paper analyzes international virtual team teaching with the use of software engineering. Experiences and lessons learned are presented based on the results of a joint Mongolian-German team project. The obtained results with the Mongolian team encourage the project to include students and researchers from the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico.
Tutoring Process in Emotionally Intelligent Tutoring Systems
Authors: Petrovica Sintija
Published: April 2014

Research has shown that emotions can influence learning in situations when students have to analyze, reason, make conclusions, apply acquired knowledge, answer questions, solve tasks, and provide explanations. A number of research groups inspired by the close relationship between emotions and learning have been working to develop emotionally intelligent tutoring systems. Despite the research carried out so far, a problem how to adapt tutoring not only to a student's knowledge state but also to his/her emotional state has been disregarded. The paper aims to examine to what extent the tutoring process and tutoring strategies are adapted to students' emotional and knowledge states in these systems. It also presents a study on how to influence student's emotions looking from the pedagogical point of view and provides general guidelines for selection of tutoring strategies to influence and regulate student's emotions.
iRecruit
Authors: Abaya Sheila A.
Published: April 2014

This paper discusses the implementation of C4.5 classification technique in a marketing function. It also serves as a method to determine the possible hit rate in tertiary institutions. The use of C4.5 algorithm as a classification technique made a big effect in identifying which records among the bulk of data should be grouped accordingly considering the criteria stipulated by the user. The Decision Tree (DT) generated by the method was parsed from the root to its corresponding sub tree and was used as an input to create the query statements. These query statements however were executed to automatically filter the historical data and come up with the list of potential institutions for enrollment. The tool enables the marketing department of every educational organization to find an effective and efficient way of identifying the potential market for recruitment. It aims to increase the number of enrollees and limit the utilization of other resources. The tool is beneficial to the Education Data Mining (EDM), an emerging technology at present time in terms of recruitment.
Robust Real-Time Facial Expressions Tracking and Recognition
Authors: Zraqou J. , Alkhadour W. , Al-Nu'aimi A.
Published: April 2014

Enabling computer systems to track and recognize facial expressions and then infer emotions from about real time video is a challenging research topic. In this work, a real time approach to emotion recognition through facial expression in live video is introduced. Several automatic methods for face localization, facial feature tracker, and facial expression recognition are employed. A robust tracking is achieved by using a face mask to resolve mismatches that could be generated during the tracking process. Action units (AUs) are then built to recognize the facial expression in each frame. The main objective of this work is to provide a prediction ability of a human behavior such as a crime, angry or for being nervous.
Midwifery workforce profile in Limpopo Province referral hospitals
Authors: Ntuli Sam T. , Ogunbanjo Gboyega A.
Published: April 2014

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa including South Africa, maternal mortality rates remain unacceptably high due to a shortage of registered nurses with advanced midwifery diplomas.Objective: To determine the profile of registered nurses (RNs) involved in maternity care in public referral hospitals of the Limpopo Province, South Africa.Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in all maternity units of Limpopo’s public referral hospitals. The study population comprised of 210 registered nurses, who became the study sample. Data on their educational profile and work experience in midwifery was analysed using STATA version 9.0.Results: The mean age of the 210 registered nurses was 44.5 ± 9.1 years (range 21 to 62). The majority (152/210; 70%) were 40 years and older, 56% (117/210) had been working for more than 10 years, and 63/210 (30%) were due to retire within 10 years. Only 22% (46/210) had advanced midwifery diplomas, i.e. after their basic undergraduate training. Only six (2.9%) of the RNs providing maternity care in these referral hospitals were studying for advanced midwifery diplomas at the time of the study.Conclusion: This study demonstrated a shortage of registered nurses with advanced midwifery training/diplomas in referral hospitals of the Limpopo Province. This has a potentially negative effect in reducing the high maternal mortality rate in the province.
Improving the quality of care for patients with hypertension in Moshupa District, Botswana: Quality improvement cycle
Authors: Kande Cathy , Mash Robert
Published: April 2014

Background: Although there are no prevalence studies on hypertension in Botswana, this condition is thought to be common and the quality of care to be poor.Aim: The aim of this project was to assess and improve the quality of primary care forhypertension.Setting: Moshupa clinic and catchment area, Botswana.Methods: Quality improvement cycle.Results: Two hundred participants were included in the audit. Sixty-eight per cent were women with a mean age of 55 years. In the baseline audit none of the target standards were met. During the re-audit six months later, six out of nine structural target standards, five out of 11 process target standards and one out of two outcome target standards were achieved. Statistically-significant improvement in performance (p < 0.05) was shown in 10 criteria although the target standard was not always met. In the re-audit, the target of achieving blood pressure control (< 140/90) in 70% of patients was achieved.Conclusion: The quality of care for hypertension was suboptimal in our setting. Simple interventions were designed and implemented to improve the quality of care. These interventions led to significant improvement in structural and process criteria. A corresponding significant improvement in the control of blood pressure was also seen.
A Mean Characterization of Weighted Anisotropic Besov and Triebel-Lizorkin Spaces
Authors: Li Baode , Bownik Marcin , Yang Dachun , Yuan Wen
Published: April 2014

In this article, the authors study weighted anisotropic Besov and Triebel-Lizorkin spaces associated with expansive dilations and

A_\infty

-weights. The authors show that elements of these spaces are locally integrable when the smoothness parameter

\alpha

is positive. The authors also characterize these spaces for small values of

\alpha

in terms of a mean square function recently introduced in the context of Sobolev spaces in [Math. Ann. 354 (2012), 589–626] and isotropic Triebel–Lizorkin spaces in [Publ. Mat. 57 (2013), 57–82].
Levels and Trends in U.S. Income and its Distribution: A Crosswalk from Market Income towards a Comprehensive Haig‐Simons Income Approach
Authors: Armour Philip , Burkhauser Richard V. , Larrimore Jeff
Published: April 2014

Recent research on U.S. levels and trends in income inequality varies substantially based on how these studies measure income. We crosswalk (move between standards) from a market income of tax units to a more comprehensive measure of income including realized capital gains of households using a unified data set and replicate common findings in the literature. By using a comprehensive income definition in the spirit of Haig‐Simons, considering yearly accrued capital gains rather than focusing on the delayed reporting of capital gains that appear in Internal Revenue Service tax return data, the observed growth in income inequality and top income shares since 1989 is dramatically reduced.
Conduct in narrativized trust games
Authors: Osborn Jan , Wilson Bart J. , Sherwood Bradley R.
Published: April 2014

We “narrativize” a basic extensive form trust game by placing participants in a story that contextualizes the interaction with an unforeseeable future. In our narrative experiment, participants consider each decision as a character, advancing the story with their choices for salient payoffs. Our interest is in understanding how participants apply Adam Smith's rules of beneficent and just conduct in our narrativized games with epistemic conditions of an unknown future, conditions which aren't possible in extensive form. We invite our readers to participate in the story of the results, making meaning as participants in a narrative that unfolds with their choices.
Copper export contributes to low copper levels and copper tolerance in Emiliania huxleyi
Authors: Walsh Michael J. , Ahner Beth A.
Published: April 2014

Previous studies have documented that the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi maintains lower cellular copper concentrations and is more tolerant to high copper than are many other species of marine algae. We confirm that in comparison to the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana, E. huxleyi maintains substantially lower Cu levels while maintaining near maximal growth rates. Using the stable isotope 65Cu as a tracer, we show that a constitutive or rapidly induced mechanism for Cu efflux is present in Cu‐replete E. huxleyi cells. This was revealed during uptake experiments in which the accumulation of the isotopically enriched spike, as measured by the isotope fractionation, exceeded the total accumulated copper. Evidence of efflux was not observed during Cu uptake in T. pseudonana cells. In contrast, copper‐limited E. huxleyi cells exhibited no observable efflux during uptake over the same time period, though net uptake rates were similar to replete cells, suggesting that efflux is modulated by cellular copper needs. This Cu‐efflux mechanism is effective over a wide range of Cu concentrations, as E. huxleyi is able to maintain much lower cellular Cu levels than T. pseudonana during 4 h uptake experiments. Direct measurement of export from copper‐loaded cells provided further evidence of a very effective efflux mechanism in E. huxleyi, while loss of copper from T. pseudonana was considerably less. Improvements to cell washes to remove surface‐bound Cu were implemented.
Lakes as sensors in the landscape: Optical metrics as scalable sentinel responses to climate change
Authors: Williamson Craig E. , Brentrup Jennifer A. , Zhang Jing , Renwick William H. , Hargreaves Bruce R. , Knoll Lesley B. , Overholt Erin P. , Rose Kevin C.
Published: April 2014

As the lowest point in the surrounding landscape, lakes act as sensors in the landscape to provide insights into the response of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to climate change. Here a novel suite of climate forcing optical indices (CFOI) from lakes across North America is found to respond to changes in air temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation at timescales ranging from a single storm event to seasonal changes to longer‐term interdecadal trends with regression r2 values ranging from 0.73 to 0.89. These indices are based on two optical metrics of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) quality: DOC specific absorbance (a*320) and spectral slope (S275–295), where the ratio a*320 to S275–295 gives a composite climate forcing index. These indices of DOC quality are more responsive to climate forcing than is DOC concentration. A similar relationship between the component indices a*320 and S275–295 is observed across a wide range of lake types. A conceptual model is used to examine the similarities and differences in DOC‐related mechanisms and ecological consequences due to increased temperature vs. precipitation. While both warmer and wetter conditions increase thermal stratification, these two types of climate forcing will have opposite effects on water transparency as well as many ecological consequences, including oxygen depletion, the balance between autotrophy and heterotrophy, and depth distributions of phytoplankton and zooplankton.
Instantaneous movement of krill swarms in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current
Authors: Tarling Geraint A. , Thorpe Sally E.
Published: April 2014

Antarctic krill are known to have strong swimming capabilities, but direct observations of the speed and direction of krill‐swarm movement within their natural environment are rare. We identified and examined 4060 swarms within the main flow of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (Scotia Sea) using a combination of an EK60 echosounder, a 153.6 kHz acoustic Doppler current profiler, and ground‐truthing nets. Net displacement magnitude (m) and net angle of deviation (d) were determined by vector subtraction from the background flow immediately below them. Values were compared against control data sets in which swarms were absent. With greater background flow, m became increasingly lower than predicted, which suggests that drag influences swarm movement. The characteristics of the flow regime influenced swarm behavior, given that both m and d varied according to the direction of background flow. Furthermore, multiple‐regression analysis indicated that swarm area, the vicinity of the sea‐ice edge, and salinity had a significant influence on m, with levels of displacement being greatest in larger swarms and in low‐salinity regions close to the ice edge. The ice edge is a key environment for Antarctic krill and swarm behavior may assist in retaining this location. Only fluorescence was found to have a significant influence on d, with deviations being greatest in regions of highest fluorescence. This agrees with laboratory observations of krill turning more frequently within food patches. We demonstrate that it is possible to measure instantaneous movement patterns in Antarctic krill swarms and, at large scales, these movements are consistent with current understanding of responses of krill to local stimuli such as sea‐ice and patches of food.
Seasonal cycle of phytoplankton community structure and photophysiological state in the western subarctic gyre of the North Pacific
Authors: Fujiki Tetsuichi , Matsumoto Kazuhiko , Mino Yoshihisa , Sasaoka Kosei , Wakita Masahide , Kawakami Hajime , Honda Makio C. , Watanabe Shuichi , Saino Toshiro
Published: April 2014

We investigated the seasonal variability of the phytoplankton community in the western subarctic gyre (WSG) of the northwestern North Pacific with respect to structure (abundance, size, and taxonomic composition) and photophysiological state from 2006 to 2012 by using the chemotaxonomy program CHEMTAX, microscopy, and fast‐repetition‐rate fluorometry. Chlorophyll a standing stock (∫Chl a) varied seasonally from 20 to 52 mg m−2 and increased frequently to > 40 mg m−2 in June and July. Diatoms (20–35%) and prymnesiophytes (13–23%) comprised major portions of the ∫Chl a during the bloom period. Diatoms decreased to < 23% during the postbloom period, and prymnesiophytes became the most abundant group (24–35%). Mean Fv : Fm ratios (potential photochemical efficiency of photosystem II) in the mixed layer were relatively high (0.41–0.47) in winter and early spring, decreased rapidly to 0.32–0.39 concomitant with bloom development, and remained at low levels in the summer and autumn, although macronutrients [NO−3, PO3−4, and Si(OH)4] in the mixed layer were not depleted at any time. In June 2012, onboard‐ship iron (Fe)‐enrichment experiments stimulated increases of Chl a concentrations (from 0.64 to 7.15 mg m−3) and Fv : Fm (from 0.33 to 0.44). Seasonal variability of the phytoplankton community in the WSG is controlled mainly by Fe, with light and temperature limitation occurring in winter and early spring. Our study also suggests that the magnitude and duration of blooms in the WSG are strongly affected by Fe availability.
Tidal migration and retention of estuarine zooplankton investigated using a particle‐tracking model
Authors: Kimmerer Wim J. , Gross Edward S. , MacWilliams Michael L.
Published: April 2014

We used hydrodynamic and particle‐tracking models to investigate vertical movement of plankton and resulting retention in the San Francisco Estuary. The hydrodynamic model was UnTRIM, a three‐dimensional, unstructured grid model, which had been calibrated to historical conditions in this estuary for 1994–1997, a period of widely varying hydrology. Intensive field studies of hydrodynamics and vertical movements of organisms during 1994–1996 provided input data for the models. The particle‐tracking model was run with 14 alternative behaviors for three 45 d periods of contrasting hydrology. The behaviors included passive behavior, several simple tidal migration patterns, and several sinking speeds. Vertical positions of migrating and sinking particles resembled those seen in the field studies for copepods and epibenthos, respectively. Passive particles were advected from the estuary at rates that depended on freshwater flow. All of the non‐passive behaviors caused retention of the particles in the low‐salinity region of the estuary under some flow conditions. Tidal migration was very effective at maintaining position, but model results and a re‐examination of the field data suggested that migration speed should increase with increasing freshwater flow. Continuous sinking was also effective at retention, particularly in deep areas of low tidal velocity. We conclude that the vertical distributions observed in the field studies were a result of active patterns of movement, that these patterns can result in retention, and that retention in a bathymetrically complex estuary can be understood only in the context of the full time‐varying three‐dimensional flow field.
Evaluating the importance of phytoplankton community structure to the optical properties of the Santa Barbara Channel, California
Authors: Barrón Rebecca K. , Siegel David A. , Guillocheau Nathalie
Published: April 2014

Observations from the Santa Barbara Channel, California, were used to evaluate relationships among optical properties and phytoplankton community structure. Phytoplankton community structure was determined by statistically analyzing 10 diagnostic phytoplankton pigment concentrations using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. The first four EOF modes explained 82% of phytoplankton community structure variability and were interpreted as a mixed community mode composed mostly of nanoplankton, a mode dominated by microplankton (diatoms and dinoflagellates), a mode describing alternating diatom and dinoflagellate dominance, and a mode reflecting picoplankton presence. Variations in colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and phytoplankton absorption spectra were related to changes of the mixed microplankton modal amplitudes. Characteristics of the CDOM spectrum were further dependent on whether diatoms or dinoflagellates were dominant. The particle backscattering coefficient was significantly correlated with EOF modes describing the mixed microplankton and the picoplankton communities. The influence of phytoplankton community structure was also seen in the performance of standard ocean color algorithms using the in situ data set. The present results demonstrate that many optical characteristics vary significantly with changes in phytoplankton community structure and suggest that improvements in remote‐sensing algorithms will require model coefficients to vary accordingly. Further, changes in phytoplankton community composition affect both dissolved and particle absorption and scattering properties, not simply the phytoplankton‐specific properties, creating challenges for the development of algorithms aimed at assessing phytoplankton community structure from satellite observations.
Use of deep autochthonous resources by zooplankton: Results of a metalimnetic addition of 13C to a small lake
Authors: Wilkinson Grace M. , Carpenter Stephen R. , Cole Jonathan J. , Pace Michael L.
Published: April 2014

Resources in lakes are vertically partitioned due to stratification and trophic interactions. Metalimnetic phytoplankton could be an important resource for zooplankton that either reside in the metalimnion or migrate through this layer. However, it is difficult to estimate metalimnetic resource use, especially using isotope approaches, because surface and deep phytoplankton often have similar isotopic compositions. To overcome this limitation, we experimentally enriched the metalimnetic dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) 13C pool in Peter Lake to enhance the isotopic separation between metalimnetic phytoplankton and other resources. Metalimnetic δ13C‐DIC peaked at 73.2‰ after the isotope addition and maintained an average enrichment of 34.5‰ above epilimnetic δ13C‐DIC for 62 d. Combining hydrogen and carbon stable isotope values, we estimated the epilimnetic, metalimnetic, and terrestrial resource use by zooplankton, using a Bayesian mixing model that accounted for uncertainties in both consumers and sources. We also measured diel vertical migration and net ecosystem production with in situ bottle incubations over the course of the experiment. Metalimnetic resource use was minor (0–8%) for zooplankton that either resided in the epilimnion of the lake during the day or migrated there at night. For consumers that resided in the metalimnion, metalimnetic phytoplankton accounted for 18–21% of zooplankton isotope composition. The most important resource for all zooplankton was terrestrial organic matter (56–73% of consumer mass), regardless of habitat. This experiment indicates that, in lakes like Peter Lake, metalimnetic autochthonous resources are of minor importance to zooplankton relative to epilimnetic autochthonous and allochthonous resources.
Ocean acidification enhances the growth rate of larger diatoms
Authors: Wu Yaping , Campbell Douglas A. , Irwin Andrew J. , Suggett David J. , Finkel Zoe V.
Published: April 2014

Ocean acidification is changing the nature of inorganic carbon availability in the global oceans. Diatoms account for µ 40% of all marine primary productivity and are major contributors to the export of atmospheric carbon to the deep ocean. Larger diatoms are more likely to be stimulated by future increases in CO2 availability as a result of their low surface area to volume ratio and lower diffusive flux of CO2 relative to their carbon demand for growth. Here we quantify the effect of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2), at levels of 190, 380, and 750 µL L−1, on the growth rate, photosystem II electron transport rate (ETR), and elemental composition for five diatom species ranging over five orders of magnitude in cell volume. Growth rates for all species were enhanced under 750 relative to 190 and 380 µL L−1, with little change in ETR or elemental stoichiometries, indicating an enhanced allocation of photochemical energy to growth under elevated PCO2. PCO2 enhancement of growth rates was size dependent. Under 750 vs. 190 µL L−1 partial pressures, growth rate was enhanced by µ 5% for the smaller diatom species to µ 30% for the largest species examined. The size dependence of CO2‐stimulated growth enhancement indicates that ocean acidification may selectively favor an increase in the growth rates of larger vs. smaller phytoplankton species in the sea, with potentially significant consequences for carbon biochemistry.
On economic paradigms, rhetoric and the micro-foundations of macroeconomics
Authors: McCombie John S.L. , Negru Ioana
Published: April 2014

This paper considers from a methodological point of view why disputes in macroeconomics over its fundamental assumptions regularly occur. It analyses the problem first using Kuhn's concept of the paradigm and then draws on McCloskey's use of rhetorical analysis. It finds the latter of limited help due to the problem of incommensurability between paradigms. It concludes with a discussion of the debate over the need for rethinking the issue and rigour of micro-foundations in macroeconomic theory, notably in terms of the representative agent model.
The irresistible charm of the micro-foundations dogma or the overwhelming force of the discipline's hard core?
Authors: Skouras Thanos , Kitromilides Yiannis
Published: April 2014

The appeal of the ‘Micro-foundations’ project, which requires that all macroeconomic propositions are reduced to or derived from microeconomic ones, is strongly supported by the considerable force of what Lakatos calls the discipline's ‘hard core’. This is particularly so if this project is broadly interpreted as a way of giving precedence to microeconomics in unifying economic theory. Given the micro-theoretical nature of the ‘hard core’, questioning the Micro-foundations project is tantamount to confronting the ‘hard core.’ The paper questions the two most fundamental tenets of the ‘hard core’: maximization of utility and maximization of profit. It concludes that privileging micro over macro theory does not ensure sound foundations of the economics discipline and the Micro-foundations project makes little sense. Consequently, the search for consistency between microeconomics and macroeconomics should best be pursued in terms of a ‘bridge’ rather than a ‘foundations’ metaphor.
Financial frictions and macroeconomic models: a tour d'horizon
Authors: Chadha Jagjit S.
Published: April 2014

The benchmark sticky-price microfounded model yielded a number of insights for monetary policymakers but failed to consider the implications arising from easy money and expanding credit and balance sheets. The promising search for a microfounded workhorse model of financial frictions is still in its early stages. And the ongoing global financial crisis poses a number of questions about both the fundamental causes of business cycle fluctuations and the extent to which monetary–fiscal and debt management policies should be jointly determined. I assess recent developments and provide some pointers for the micro-founded agenda.
Rethinking the micro-foundations of macroeconomics: insights from behavioural economics
Authors: Baddeley Michelle
Published: April 2014

In the aftermath of the financial crisis, macroeconomics is at a crossroads: on the one hand, the analytically rigorous, assumption-based approaches based on dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) models lack intuitive plausibility and predictive power; on the other hand, alternative models lack an underlying analytical core. Behavioural economics offers a potential solution if it can unify intuition and analytical rigour. The aim of this paper is to assess the extent to which macroeconomics can embed behavioural and psychological insights from behavioural microeconomic analysis in order to build a rigorous and intuitively plausible understanding of how economic systems, including the macroeconomy and the financial system, work.
Post-Keynesian stock-flow models after the subprime crisis: the need for micro-foundations
Authors: Lysandrou Photis
Published: April 2014

The subprime crisis exposed a flaw in post-Keynesian stock-flow models, namely their concession to mainstream macroeconomic theory that financial markets obey a price-clearing rule. Two reasons lie behind this concession. The first is the assumption that investors give priority to the price dimension of securities and only secondary importance to their quantity dimension. This paper argues that following recent structural changes in domestic economies the securities markets are now dominated by investors who give co-priority to the price and quantity dimensions of securities, for which reason these markets now operate to the same demand-led quantity adjustment process as do all other markets. The second and more fundamental reason is that post-Keynesian stock-flow models lack a micro-foundational unit of analysis from which can be derived an overarching methodological framework that is not only externally realistic but also internally coherent. This paper argues that the unit of analysis that best fits this purpose is the ‘commodity’, a term that will be used both exclusively, to denote only those entities that are priced to a market standard, and inclusively, to denote not only the outcomes of human activities but also the capacities for activity that are subject to pricing standards.
A Comment on George DeMartino's “Professional Economic Ethics: The Posnerian and Naïve Perspectives”
Authors: Tinari Frank D.
Published: April 2014

The DeMartino (2013) paper provides a provocative and informative review of the key aspects of the ethical problems faced by applied economists. The purpose of this Comment is not to challenge the contrasts drawn by the author between the two ethics perspectives. Rather, it is our intent to examine more closely the ethical issues that forensic economists may potentially encounter, as identified by the author. DeMartino's paper is rather ambiguous with respect to forensic economic ethics. On the one hand, the paper states that the pressures upon forensic economists are more powerful than those faced by other applied economists; yet, the paper identifies some reasons explaining why there are mechanisms that reduce such pressures.This Comment argues that the author has already identified the broad parameters that explain why ethical problems are less severe for practicing forensic economists. This Comment also expands upon the reasons for this more favorable situation. As a result, the author's conclusion that economics “today is a rogue profession” is excessively broad for two reasons: (1) the focus of the paper is on applied economics, not the entire economics profession, and (2) the phrase would more accurately be stated as: some but not all applied economics comprise a rogue profession.
Distributions and radiative forcings of various cloud types based on active and passive satellite datasets – Part 1: Geographical distributions and overlap of cloud types
Authors: Li J. , Huang J. , Stamnes K. , Wang T. , Yi Y. , Ding X. , Lv Q. , Jin H.
Published: April 2014

Abstract. Based on four year' 2B-CLDCLASS-Lidar (Radar-Lidar) cloud classification product from CloudSat, we analyze the geographical distributions of different cloud types and their co-occurrence frequency across different seasons, moreover, utilize the vertical distributions of cloud type to further evaluate the cloud overlap assumptions. The statistical results show that more high clouds, altocumulus, stratocumulus or stratus and cumulus are identified in the Radar-Lidar cloud classification product compared to previous results from Radar-only cloud classification (2B-CLDCLASS product from CloudSat). In particularly, high clouds and cumulus cloud fractions increased by factors 2.5 and 4–7, respectively. The new results are in more reasonable agreement with other datasets (typically the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) and surface observer reports). Among the cloud types, altostratus and altocumulus are more popular over the arid/semi-arid land areas of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, respectively. These features weren't observed by using the ISCCP D1 dataset. For co-occurrence of cloud types, high cloud, altostratus, altocumulus and cumulus are much more likely to co-exist with other cloud types. However, stratus/stratocumulus, nimbostratus and convective clouds are much more likely to exhibit individual features. After considering the co-occurrence of cloud types, the cloud fraction based on the random overlap assumption is underestimated over the vast ocean except in the west-central Pacific Ocean warm pool. Obvious overestimations are mainly occurring over land areas in the tropics and subtropics. The investigation therefore indicates that incorporate co-occurrence information of cloud types based on Radar-Lidar cloud classification into the overlap assumption schemes used in the current GCMs possible be able to provide an better predictions for vertically projected total cloud fraction.
Biogeography of key mesozooplankton species in the North Atlantic, by manual counting methods, and egg production of Calanus finmarchicus
Authors: Melle W. , Runge J. A. , Head E. , Plourde S. , Castellani C. , Licandro P. , Pierson J. , Jonasdottir S. H. , Johnson C. , Broms C. , Debes H. , Falkenhaug T. , Gaard E. , Gislason A. , Heath M. R. , Niehoff B. , Nielsen T. G. , Pepin P. , Stenevik E. K. , Chust G.
Published: April 2014

Abstract. Here we present a new, pan-Atlantic compilation of data on key mesozooplankton species, including the possibly most important copepod, Calanus finmarchicus. Distributional data of ten representative zooplankton taxa, from recent (2000–2009) Continuous Plankton Recorder data, are presented, along with basin-scale data of the phytoplankton colour index. Then we present a compilation of data on C. finmarchicus including observations of abundance, demography, egg production and female size with accompanying data on temperature and chlorophyll. This is a contribution by Canadian, European and US scientists and their institutions. http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.820732, http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.824423, http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.828393.
A model using marginal efficiency of investment to analyse carbon and nitrogen interactions in terrestrial ecosystems (ACONITE Version 1)
Authors: Thomas R. Q. , Williams M.
Published: April 2014

Abstract. Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles are coupled in terrestrial ecosystems through multiple processes including photosynthesis, tissue allocation, respiration, N fixation, N uptake, and decomposition of litter and soil organic matter. Capturing the constraint of N on terrestrial C uptake and storage has been a focus of the Earth System modelling community. However there is little understanding of the trade-offs and sensitivities of allocating C and N to different tissues in order to optimize the productivity of plants. Here we describe a new, simple model of ecosystem C–N cycling and interactions (ACONITE), that builds on theory related to plant economics in order to predict key ecosystem properties (leaf area index, leaf C : N, N fixation, and plant C use efficiency) using emergent constraints provided by marginal returns on investment for C and/or N allocation. We simulated and evaluated steady-state ecosystem stocks and fluxes in three different forest ecosystems types (tropical evergreen, temperate deciduous, and temperate evergreen). Leaf C : N differed among the three ecosystem types (temperate deciduous < tropical evergreen < temperature evergreen), a result that compared well to observations from a global database describing plant traits. Gross primary productivity (GPP) and net primary productivity (NPP) estimates compared well to observed fluxes at the simulation sites. Simulated N fixation at steady-state, calculated based on relative demand for N and the marginal return on C investment to acquire N, was an order of magnitude higher in the tropical forest than in the temperate forest, consistent with observations. A sensitivity analysis revealed that parameterization of the relationship between leaf N and leaf respiration had the largest influence on leaf area index and leaf C : N. Also, a widely used linear leaf N-respiration relationship did not yield a realistic leaf C : N, while a more recently reported non-linear relationship performed better. A parameter governing how photosynthesis scales with day length had the largest influence on total vegetation C, GPP, and NPP. Multiple parameters associated with photosynthesis, respiration, and N uptake influenced the rate of N fixation. Overall, our ability to constrain leaf area index and have spatially and temporally variable leaf C : N helps address challenges for ecosystem and Earth System models. Furthermore, the simple approach with emergent properties based on coupled C–N dynamics has potential for use in research that uses data-assimilation methods to integrate data on both the C and N cycles to improve C flux forecasts.
The potential value of seasonal forecasts in a changing climate in southern Africa
Authors: Winsemius H. C. , Dutra E. , Engelbrecht F. A. , Archer Van Garderen E. , Wetterhall F. , Pappenberger F. , Werner M. G. F.
Published: April 2014

Abstract. Subsistence farming in southern Africa is vulnerable to extreme weather conditions. The yield of rain-fed agriculture depends largely on rainfall-related factors such as total seasonal rainfall, anomalous onsets and lengths of the rainy season and the frequency of occurrence of dry spells. Livestock, in turn, may be seriously impacted by climatic stress with, for example, exceptionally hot days, affecting condition, reproduction, vulnerability to pests and pathogens and, ultimately, morbidity and mortality. Climate change may affect the frequency and severity of extreme weather conditions, impacting on the success of subsistence farming. A potentially interesting adaptation measure comprises the timely forecasting and warning of such extreme events, combined with mitigation measures that allow farmers to prepare for the event occurring. This paper investigates how the frequency of extreme events may change in the future due to climate change over southern Africa and, in more detail, the Limpopo Basin using a set of climate change projections from several regional climate model downscalings based on an extreme climate scenario. Furthermore, the paper assesses the predictability of these indicators by seasonal meteorological forecasts of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) seasonal forecasting system. The focus is on the frequency of dry spells as well as the frequency of heat stress conditions expressed in the temperature heat index. In areas where their frequency of occurrence increases in the future and predictability is found, seasonal forecasts will gain importance in the future, as they can more often lead to informed decision-making to implement mitigation measures. The multi-model climate projections suggest that the frequency of dry spells is not likely to increase substantially, whereas there is a clear and coherent signal among the models of an increase in the frequency of heat stress conditions by the end of the century. The skill analysis of the seasonal forecast system demonstrates that there is a potential to adapt to this change by utilizing the weather forecasts, given that both indicators can be skilfully predicted for the December–February season, at least 2 months ahead of the wet season. This is particularly the case for predicting above-normal and below-normal conditions. The frequency of heat stress conditions shows better predictability than the frequency of dry spells. Although results are promising for end users on the ground, forecasts alone are insufficient to ensure appropriate response. Sufficient support for appropriate measures must be in place, and forecasts must be communicated in a context-specific, accessible and understandable format.
Three variables are better than one: detection of european winter windstorms causing important damages
Authors: Deroche M.-S. , Choux M. , Codron F. , Yiou P.
Published: April 2014

Abstract. In this paper, we present a new approach for detecting potentially damaging European winter windstorms from a multi-variable perspective. European winter windstorms being usually associated with extra-tropical cyclones (ETCs), there is a coupling between the intensity of the surface wind speeds and other meso-scale and large-scale features characteristic of ETCs. Here we focus on the relative vorticity at 850 hPa and the sea level pressure anomaly, which are also used in ETC detection studies, along with the ratio of the 10 m wind speed to its 98th percentile. When analysing 10 events known by the insurance industry to have caused extreme damages, we find that they share an intense signature in each of the 3 fields. This shows that the relative vorticity and the mean sea level pressure have a predictive value of the intensity of the generated windstorms. The 10 major events are not the most intense in any of the 3 variables considered separately, but we show that the combination of the 3 variables is an efficient way of extracting these events from a reanalysis data set.