bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accuracy Evaluation of Two High-Resolution Satellite-Based Rainfall Products: TRMM 3B42V7 and CMORPH in Shanghai
Authors: Jiang Qin , Li Weiyue , Wen Jiahong , Qiu Can , Sun Weiwei , Fang Qilin , Xu Ming , Tan Jianguo
Published: January 2018

Satellite-based rainfall products have extensive applications in global change studies, but they are known to contain deviations that require comprehensive verification at different scales. In this paper, we evaluated the accuracies of two high-resolution satellite-based rainfall products: the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) rainfall product 3B42V7 and the Climate Prediction Center morphing (CMORPH) technique from January 2010 to December 2011 in Shanghai, by using categorical metrics (Probability of Detection, False Alarm Ratio, and Critical Success Index) and statistical indicators (Mean Absolute Error, Root Mean Square Error, Relative Bias, and Correlation Coefficient). Our findings show that, firstly, CMORPH data has a higher accuracy than 3B42V7 at the daily scale, but it underestimates the occurrence frequency of daily rainfall for some intensity ranges. Most errors of the two products are distributed between −10 and 10 mm/day. Second, at the monthly scale, the total accuracy of 3B42V7 is higher than CMORPH in terms of the value of the Correlation Coefficient (CC) and Relative Bias (RB). Finally, CMORPH brings about daily rainfall detection results from categorical metrics computation better than 3B42V7. Generally, the two satellite-based rainfall products show a high correlation with rain gauge data in Shanghai, particularly in spring and winter. Unfortunately, in summer, both of them do not perform well in detecting the short-duration heavy rainfall events. Overall, the relatively poor data accuracy has limited their further applications in Shanghai and similar urban areas.
Comparative Analyses between the Zero-Inertia and Fully Dynamic Models of the Shallow Water Equations for Unsteady Overland Flow Propagation
Authors: Aricò Costanza , Nasello Carmelo
Published: January 2018

The shallow water equations are a mathematical tool widely applied for the simulation of flow routing in rivers and floodplains, as well as for flood inundation mapping. The interest of many researchers has been focused on the study of simplified forms of the original set of equations. One of the most commonly applied simplifications consists of neglecting the inertial terms. The effects of such a choice on the outputs of the simulations of flooding events are controversial and are an important topic of debate. In the present paper, two numerical models recently proposed for the solution of the complete and zero-inertia forms of the shallow water equations, are applied to several unsteady flow routing scenarios. We simulate synthetic and laboratory scenarios of unsteady flow routing, starting from very simple geometries and gradually moving towards complex topographies. Unlike the studies of the range of validity of the zero-inertia model, based on a small perturbation of the linearized flow model, in unsteady flow propagation over irregular topographies, it is more difficult to specify criteria for the applicability of the simplified set of equations. In analyzing the role of the terms in the momentum equations, we try to understand the effect of neglecting the inertial terms in the zero-inertia formulation. We also analyze the computational costs.
What's wrong with believing whether
Authors: Theiler Nadine , Roelofsen Floris , Aloni Maria
Published: January 2018

It is a long-standing puzzle why verbs like believe and think take declarative but not interrogative complements (e.g., *Bill believes whether Mary left), while closely related verbs like know and be certain take both kinds of complements. We show that this contrast can be derived from the fact that believe and think, unlike know and be certain, are neg-raising verbs.
Rhetorical questions: Severing asking from questioning
Authors: Biezma Maria , Rawlins Kyle
Published: January 2018

Rhetorical questions (RhQs) are puzzling for theoretical accounts of questions: while they have an interrogative form, they seem to provide the same information as a parallel assertion. We propose that solving this puzzle requires a deeper understanding of the dynamics of interrogative utterances, and in particular we argue for a dynamics parallel to what has recently been proposed for assertions and imperatives: uttering an interrogative is a proposal to update the context, in this case the QUD, and its acceptance leads to the final inquisitive update. We argue that RhQs are interrogatives triggering the presupposition that the context entails the answer, so if accepted as a QUD, they would be immediately answered. This, in combination with the dynamics we develop, allows us to explain both the similarities with assertions as well as the differences in their discourse function.
Incentivizing Peer Review
Authors: Kennedy, LMT, BCTMB, DrPH Ann Blair
Published: January 2018

Since the 1700s, peer review has been a part of scientific publication. Quality peer reviews take extensive time and effort yet reviewers are not often compensated. This editorial announces the new offering of the National Certification Board for Thereputic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB)-approved continuing education hours for our peer reviewers who complete timely reviews. Instructions to register as a peer reviewer and how to conduct a review are offered. Thank you to our 2016 and 2017 peer reviewers.
On the Mass and Luminosity Functions of Tidal Disruption Flares: Rate Suppression due to Black Hole Event Horizons
Authors: Velzen S. van
Published: January 2018

The tidal disruption of a star by a massive black hole is expected to yield a luminous flare of thermal emission. About two dozen of these stellar tidal disruption flares (TDFs) may have been detected in optical transient surveys. However, explaining the observed properties of these events within the tidal disruption paradigm is not yet possible. This theoretical ambiguity has led some authors to suggest that optical TDFs are due to a different process, such as a nuclear supernova or accretion disk instabilities. Here we present a test of a fundamental prediction of the tidal disruption event scenario: a suppression of the flare rate due to the direct capture of stars by the black hole. Using a recently compiled sample of candidate TDFs with black hole mass measurements, plus a careful treatment of selection effects in this flux-limited sample, we confirm that the dearth of observed TDFs from high-mass black holes is statistically significant. All the TDF impostor models we consider fail to explain the observed mass function; the only scenario that fits the data is a suppression of the rate due to direct captures. We find that this suppression can explain the low volumetric rate of the luminous TDF candidate ASASSN-15lh, thus supporting the hypothesis that this flare belongs to the TDF family. Our work is the first to present the optical TDF luminosity function. A steep power law is required to explain the observed rest-frame g-band luminosity,

. The mean event rate of the flares in our sample is

galaxy−1 yr−1, consistent with the theoretically expected tidal disruption rate.
Evershed and Counter-Evershed Flows in Sunspot MHD Simulations
Authors: Siu-Tapia A. L. , Rempel M. , Lagg A. , Solanki S. K.
Published: January 2018

There have been a few reports in the literature of counter-Evershed flows observed in well-developed sunspot penumbrae, i.e., flows directed toward the umbra along penumbral filaments. Here, we investigate the driving forces of such counter-Evershed flows in a radiative magnetohydrodynamic simulation of a sunspot, and compare them to the forces acting on the normal Evershed flow. The simulation covers a timespan of 100 solar hours and generates an Evershed outflow exceeding 8 km s−1 in the penumbra along radially aligned filaments where the magnetic field is almost horizontal. Additionally, the simulation produces a fast counter-Evershed flow (i.e., an inflow near

) in some regions within the penumbra, reaching peak flow speeds of ∼12 km s−1. The counter-Evershed flows are transient and typically last a few hours before they turn into outflows again. By using the kinetic energy equation and evaluating its various terms in the simulation box, we found that the Evershed flow occurs due to overturning convection in a strongly inclined magnetic field, while the counter-Evershed flows can be well-described as siphon flows.
Evidence that the Planetary Candidate CVSO30c is a Background Star from Optical, Seeing-limited Data
Authors: Lee Chien-Hsiu , Chiang Po-Shih
Published: January 2018

We report serendipitous optical imaging of CVSO30c, an exoplanet candidate associated with the pre-main-sequence T Tauri star CVSO30 that resides in the 25 Ori stellar cluster. We perform PSF modeling on our seeing-limited optical image to remove the lights from the host star (CVSO30), allowing us to extract photometry of CVSO30c to be g = 23.2 ± 0.2 (statistic) ± 0.1 (systematic) and r = 21.5 ± 0.1 (statistic) ± 0.1 (systematic) magnitudes, respectively. This is 170 and 80 times too bright in the g and r bands, respectively, if CVSO30c were an L0 substellar object as suggested by previous studies. The optical/infrared colors of CVSO30c are indicative of a stellar, not substellar object, while the object’s color–magnitude diagram position is strikingly inconsistent with expected values for a low-mass member of 25 Ori. Broadband photometry for CVSO30c is instead better fit by contaminants such as a background K3 giant or M subdwarf. Our study demonstrates that optical seeing-limited data can help clarify the nature of candidate wide separation planet-mass companions in young star-forming regions.
Accuracy and Reliability of Visual Inspection and Smartphone Applications for Measuring Finger Range of Motion
Authors: Lee Hannah H. , St. Louis Kwesi , Fowler John R.
Published: January 2018

Measurement of finger range of motion is critical in clinical settings, especially for outcome analysis, clinical decision making, and rehabilitation/disability assessment. Although goniometer measurement is clinically considered the gold standard, its accuracy compared with the true radiographic measurements of the joint angles remains questionable. The authors compared 3 smartphone applications and visual inspection measurements of the finger joints with the radiographic measurements and determined interrater reliability for these measurement tools. A finger was held in place using an aluminum-alloy splint, and a fluoroscopic image was acquired by a mini C-arm. An independent observer measured each joint flexion angle of the fluoroscopic image using a universal handheld goniometer, and this was used as the reference. Finger joint flexion angles were then independently measured by 3 observers using 3 different smartphone applications. In addition, visual inspection was used to estimate the flexion angles of finger joints. The results of this study suggest that all 3 smartphone measurement tools, as well as visual inspection, agree and correlate well with the reference fluoroscopic image measurement. Average differences between the fluoroscopic image measurements with the measured angles using the tools studied ranged from 9.4° to 12.2°. The mean correlation coefficients for each smartphone application exceeded 0.7. Overall interrater reliabilities were similar, with the interclass correlation coefficient being greater than 0.9 for all of the measurement tools. These data suggest that new smartphone applications hold promise for providing accurate and reliable measures of range of motion. [
Orthopedics.
2018; 41(2):e217–e221.]
Genetic Types of Caves in Slovakia
Authors: Bella Pavel
Published: January 2018

Tako na kraškem kot tudi na neprepustnem ozemlju Slovaške je zelo veliko tipološko različnih jam. V delih, ki obravnavajo Zahodne Karpate, genetski kriteriji za klasifikacijo jam niso enotni. V tem prispevku avtor predlaga nekaj osnovnih principov in značilnosti, s pomočjo katerih bi bilo mogoče klasificirati jame po njihovem nastanku. Nakazana so tudi vprašanja krasoslovnega in speleološkega izrazoslovja (eksokras in endokras, kras in pseudokras).Karst and non-karst regions in the territory of Slovakia are notable for a very broad typological range of caves. The criteria of cave genetic classification in the existing works concerning parts of the Western Carpathians are not integrated. We suggest fundamental principles of classification and charaterize the basic genetic types of caves in this paper. We also advert to several problems of karstological and speleological terminology (exokras and endokarst, karst and pseudokarst).
Bedding Planes, Moved Bedding Planes, Connective Fissures and Horizontal Cave Passages (Examples from Postojnska Jama Cave)
Authors: Čar Jože , Šebela Stanka
Published: January 2018

Na primeru treh odsekov rovov v Postojnski jami je bila proučevana njihova speleogeneza. Pokazalo se je, da so oblikovane po lezikah, zdrsnih lezikah in veznih razpokah.Ugodnost le nekaterih lezik in zdrsnih lezik za speleogenezo je v njihovi povezanosti v penetrativno efektivno poroznost v določenem strukturnem bloku.In 3 examples of passage parts from Postojnska Jama their speleogenesis was studied. It was shown that they are formed along bedding planes, moved bedding planes and connective fissures. The advantage for speleogenesis of some bedding planes and moved bedding planes is represented with their connection into penetrative effective porosity in specific structural block.
Diagenetic Concretions from the Cave Clastic Sediment, Cave in Tounj Quarry, Croatia
Authors: Lacković Damir
Published: January 2018

Prispevek podaja rezultate preučevanja diagenetskih konkrecij iz Jame v kamnolomu Tounj (srednja Hrvaška). Konkrecije se pojavljajo v nestrjenem in nesortiranem klastičnem jamskem nanosu. Sestavljajo jih delci različne velikosti (od gline do prodnikov) in različnega izvora. Del kalcitnih in glinastih mineralov izvira iz kapnikov in apnenčevih jamski sten. Detritični delci, kot so roženec, kremen, muskovit, klorit, ilmenit, magnetit in večji del glin, so verjetno nanešeni v jamo s površja, s triasnih in pleistocenskih klastičnih sedimentov. Avtohtone sestavine konkrecij so limonitni pizoidi in nekaj kalcitnega veziva. Sestava konkrecij je podobna sestavi okoliškega nevezanega sedimenta.Diagenetic concretions from Cave in Tounj quarry (central Croatia) are studied. Concretions are found in non-cemented unsorted clastic cave deposit. They consist of particles of different size (clay to pebble) and from different provenance. One part of calcite and clay minerals are coming from speleothems and cave walls limestone. Detrital particles: chert, quartz, muscovite, chlorite, ilmenite, magnetite and most of clay, are probable transported into the cave from Triassic and Pleistocene clastic sediments from the surface. Autochthonous constituents of concretions are limonitic pizoids and some calcite cement. Composition of concretion is similar to the composition of surrounding non-cemented sediment.
Interaction Between Cave Systems and the Lowering Karst Surface; Case Study: Laški Ravnik
Authors: Šušteršič France
Published: January 2018

Podan je inventar denudiranih globoko freatičnih jamskih oblik, ki se danes pojavljajo na kraškem površju v Laškem Ravniku (vzhodno od Planinskega polja). To so denudirani delno izprani kanali, denudirani z ilovico popolnoma zadelani kanali, zaplate ohranjenega polnila izbrisanih jam, konglomerat in siga. Možen izvor polnil je v porečju Cerkniščice. Organizacija jamskega spleta se sklada s Ford-Ewersovim modelom in nakazuje pravilnost nekaterih spoznanj R. Curla, S.Worthingtona in D. Loweja.An inventory of denuded and exhumed deep phreatic cave forms that have been detected on the karstified surface of the Laški Ravnik (east of Planinsko polje, Slovenia) is presented and described. Features observed include denuded completely-filled channels, washed-out channels, accumulations of cave loam (originating from caves that are now completely destroyed), conglomerate and flowstone. The source area for the sedimentary infills might be the Cerkniščica river catchment. Cave patterns revealed by the study fit well to aspects of the Ford-Ewers’ cave development model, and also indicate the validity of some of the observations made by R. Curl, S. Worthington and D. Lowe.
Gemorphogenetics of the Classical Karst - Kras
Authors: Gams Ivan
Published: January 2018

V času med eocenom in pliocenom so bile s temena krednega apnenčevega antiklinorija v osrednjem in zahodnem delu planote Kras in s kozinsko-podgrajske antiklinale erodirane flišne plasti, zaradi česar se je ob splošnem zniževanju okoliške ravnine ob pogojih zajezenega krasa razširjal in zniževal ravnik na razkritih apnencih. Največji del planote Krasa predstavlja najstarejši del kraškega ravnika. Na Krasu so se v pliocenu in kvartarju pasovi ravnika hitreje zniževali v smeri proti SZ, vmesno zastajajoče ali dvigujoče se površje pa je s tem dobilo obliko vzpetin na severozahodnem robu planote. Zaradi hitrejšega grezanja vipavske sinklinale so vodni tokovi prenehali teči preko planote Krasa še preden je bil fliš, ki jim je preprečeval pot proti jugu, odstranjen zaradi grezanja severnega dela Tržaškega zaliva. Zaradi tega na Krasu ni slepih dolin ali polj. Pač pa je veliko vrtač, površje je kamnito, zaradi česar je iz Krasa nastal splošni pojem kras. Obe značilnosti sta tipični za submediteranske dinarske kraške ravnike, gosto naseljene in obdelane ter zaradi tega brez gozdovBetween Eocene and Pliocene, erosion of flysch strata on the top of Cretaceous limestone anticlinorium in the central and western part of the Kras plateau and the Kozina-Podgrad anticline uncovered and widened – and simultanously lowered - the karst plain in the conditions of dammed karst. The largest portion of Kras plateau is covered with karst plain, its oldest part. In Pliocene, the karst plain was fractured and subsided towards the NW regardless of older folded structure; during this process, several zones of elevations were formed through slower subsiding or uplifting. Due to faster lowering of the Vipava syncline, water streams stopped running over the Kras plateau before the flysch, damming the waters from the Kras plateau to the south was removed due to the subsiding in the northern Gulf of Trieste. Thus, no fossil blind valleys or poljes are found on the Kras plateau. However, there is considerable density of dolines and the surface is stony, giving the karst its original name. Both phenomena are typical of deforrested, densely populated and cultivated Submediterranean Dinaric karst plains.
Osnovne fizikalno kemične značilnosti kraških voda na Notranjskem
Authors: Kogovšek Janja
Published: January 2018

V letih 1986 in 1987 je bilo zajetih 7 serij vodnih vzorcev na 36 do 47 mestih na Babnem, Loškem in Cerkniškem polju, na Blokah in Loškem potoku za fizikalno-kemične analize, ki so pokazale na kakovostno stanje teh voda.Z apnenčastega in dolomitnega sveta, ki obdaja Babno, Loško in Cerkniško polje se steka padavinska voda v izvire, ki napajajo ponikalnice. Večina izvirnih voda označuje vsebnost nitratov pod 4 mgNO3 -/l, kloridov pod 5 mg Cl-/l in vsebnost fosfatov okoli 0.05 mg PO43-/l. Bakteriološke analize so pokazale oporečno vodo, le nekaj izvirov pa je bilo občasno neoporečnih. Znatno slabšo kakovost imajo Pudobski, Podgorski in Mežnarjev studenec s poseljenim zaledjem ter ponikalnice na ponorih, kjer smo določali do 20 mg/l nitratov in kloridov, fosfatov pa do 5 mg/l. Ponikalnice na svoji poti po kraških poljih sprejemajo onesnaženje zaradi poseljenosti in industrije. Ker pa se voda ponikalnic pojavlja zaporedno na več niže ležečih poljih, pomeni to prenos in kopičenje onesnaženja po toku navzdol, tudi v izvire, ki so zajeti za oskrbo prebivalstva s pitno vodo.  In 1986 and 1987 seven series of samples were taken at 36 to 47 sampling points on Babno, Loško and Cerkniško Polje and on Bloke and at Loški potok in order to find out their physico-chemical properties and their quality. Rainwater flows from the limestone and dolomite landscape around Babno, Loško and Cerkniško polje into springs feeding the sinking streams. The nitrate level at most of the springs was below 4 mg NO3-/l and chloride below 5 mg Cl-/l; the o-phosphate level varied around the value of 0.05 mg PO4 3-/l. The bacteriological analyses of the spring waters showed that they are not of drinking quality and only few springs were seasonally of good quality. Poorer quality was found in springs with populated catchments, such as are Pudobski Izvir, Podgorski and Mežnarjev Studenec and, obviously in all the sinking waters at swallow-holes where the nitrate and chloride level was up to 20 mg/l and phosphate up to 5 mg/l. Flowing over karst poljes this water receives pollution due to habitations and industry. As the water of these sinking streams reappears downstream in several lower-lying karst poljes this results in the transport and accumulation of pollution downstream even in springs that are captured for water supply.
Značilnosti pretakanja voda v kraškem zaledju Temenice
Authors: Kogovšek Janja , Petrič Metka
Published: January 2018

Povzete so ugotovitve predhodne študije o vplivu načrtovanega avtocestnega odseka Trebnje - Hrastje na kraško vodo, ki je bila izdelana na osnovi terenskega ogleda in pregleda dosedanjih raziskav. Sledilni poskus je pokazal pretakanje vode iz Lukovškega potoka do izvira Zijala s hitrostjo 0.45 cm/s in nato do izvira Prečne, ki se pomembno obogati z vodo iz kraškega vodonosnika Suhe krajine, s hitrostjo 4.1 cm/s. Ob visokih in najvišjih vodostajih lahko pričakujemo opazno hitrejše pretakanje in z vodo tudi hiter prenos morebitnega onesnaženja. Hitrost in način odtoka padavin s površja neposredno v kraško notranjost še ni bil raziskan. Povezavo Bršljinskega z Lukovškim potokom pa glede na rezultate sledenja ocenjujemo kot vprašljivo. Results of the preliminary study of influences of the planned highway sector Trebnje - Hrastje on karst waters are summarized. The study was based on field survey and review of previous researches. Underground water flow from the stream Lukovški potok to the Zijalo spring with average velocity 0.45 cm/s and further on to the Prečna spring with velocity 4.1 cm/s was proved. This second part of flow is significantly enlarged by recharge from the karst aquifer of Suha krajina. At high and highest waters rather faster flow can be expected and at the same time also fast spreading of eventual pollution. Velocity and mode of infiltration of rain directly into the karst underground was not defined yet. Based on the results of tracing test the underground connection between the Bršljinski potok and Lukovški potok can be estimated as questionable.
Geological Characteristics of Desert and Upper Desert Caves (NE Blue Diamond Hill, Nevada, USA)
Authors: Šebela Stanka , Hess John W.
Published: January 2018

Desert Cave (72 m) in Upper Desert Cave (62 m) sta najdaljši znani jami na Blue Diamond Hill in se nahajata znotraj enega od več kanjonov. Jami sta razviti v apnencu iz zgornjega dela spodnjega permija (Kaibab formacija). V najnižjem delu Desert Cave, ki je 12,6 m globoka, jamski rov doseže litološko mejo med Kaibab apnencem in sedimentacijsko brečo (spodnji del Kaibab formacije). Stik breča-apnenec je ena od inicialnih struktur iz freatičnega obdobja razvoja jame, vendar ne pred mezozojskimi narivnimi deformacijami. Površinska razdalja med vhodoma v Desert in Upper Desert Cave je 81 m, jami nista povezani. Desert Cave se nahaja 2 km zahodno od nariva Bird Spring. Prevladujoče smeri razpok v jami so NW-SE in NE-SW. Smer rova je skoraj vzporedna s smerjo razpok NE-SW. Obstaja jasna povezava med javljanjem podorov v jami in moćneje izraženimi razpokami v smeri NW-SE.Desert Cave (72 m) and Upper Desert Cave (62 m) are the longest known caves in Blue Diamond Hill and are situated in one of its canyons. Caves are developed in limestone of latest early Permian age (Kaibab formation). In lowest part of Desert Cave, which is 12,6 m deep, cave passage reaches lithological contact between Kaibab limestone and sedimentary breccia (lower part of Kaibab formation). The contact breccia-limestone is one of initial structures in phreatic period of cave development but not before Mesozoic thrusting tectonics. Surface distance between entrances to Desert and Upper Desert Cave is 81 m, the caves are not connected. Desert Cave is situated 2 km W from Bird Spring thrust. Prevailing fissure directions in the cave are NW-SE and NE-SW. Passage direction is almost parallel with the NE-SW fissures direction. There is obvious connection in occurrence of breakdown in the cave with strongly expressed fissures in NW-SE direction.
Evidence of daily and seasonal inversions of airflow in Petites Dales cave, Normandy, France
Authors: Lecoq Nicolas , Magne Laurent , Rodet Joel , Chedeville Stephane , Viard Jean-Pierre
Published: January 2018

A detailed study of the microclimate of Petites Dales karst cave with single-entrance is presented in this paper. Two years of cave monitoring investigate temperature, weight of water vapour and airflow distributions outside and inside the cavity to determine the global behaviour of the karst cave. In addition, daily measurements of temperature and airflow demonstrate clearly the stratification of the air and inversions of the airflow during day-time. The cave air is intensively exchanged with external air during the years, with two main modes: (i) airflow enters from the ceiling during summer period and (ii) airflow enters from the floor during winter. At the entrance, an Sshaped velocity profile was observed and far from the entrance, convection loops were observed. During the other period of the year, the airflows may switch from top to bottom or conversely. The thermodynamic conditions of switching are discussed in this paper. This study provided for the first time evidence of daily airflow inversion. Study of cave climates is required in the comprehension of cave flora and fauna, thermodynamic conditions for karst processes underground, hydrogeological features of speleothems, human impact when caves are visited.Key words: cave, microclimate, karst, airflow, temperature, variability. Dnevni in sezonski obrati smeri zračnega toka v jami Petites Dales, Normandija, Francija V članku poročamo o podrobni mikroklimatski študiji v jami Petites Dales. V jami z enim samim vhodom smo dve leti opazovali temperaturo, vlago in porazdelitev zračnih tokov. Podrobne dnevne meritve temperature in zračnega toka kažejo na stratifikacijo in dnevni obrat smeri toka. Poleti zunanji zrak vdira v jamo pri stropu, pozimi pa pri tleh. Pri tem se pri vhodu oblikuje profil hitrosti zraka v obliki črke S, globlje v jami pa konvekcijska zanka. V vmesnih obdobjih lahko pride do preklapljanja iz dotoka pod stropom v dotok pri dnu in obratno, kar v članku obravnavamo z vidika termodinamike. V tej raziskavi smo prvič pojasnili dnevne obrate smeri zraka v primerljivih jamah. Študije jamske mikroklime so pomembne za razumevanje jamskega ekosistema, procesov v jamah ter človekovega vpliva nanje.Ključne besede: jama, mikroklima, kras, zračni tok, temperatura, spremenljivost.
Challenges in cave monitoring and sampling – experiences from speleothem-based researches in Croatian caves
Authors: Surić Maša
Published: January 2018

Speleothem-based research aimed to the reconstruction of the Quaternary environment in Dinaric karst has been conducted in several Croatian caves. As the interpretation of the palaeoenvironmental signal archived in speleothems relies on identifying and understanding processes between atmosphere and cave precipitates, especially hydrological behaviour, cave monitoring is crucial. Despite relatively simple sampling and monitoring protocols, series of problems and complications has arisen, caused by different natural and technical reasons. Extreme weather events such as enormous precipitation, prolonged drought or snow drifts, each in their own way can cause sample loss, while technical issues associated with equipment failures can lead to data loss. Even biological threats occurred, both man-induced and of natural origin. Although the later cannot be eliminated, as well as extreme weather, experience gained substantially helps to minimize negative effects. On the other hand, most of the technical issues are resolvable, and suggested solutions have been regularly implemented.
Dispersed free phytosterols as structuring agents in lipid systems with reduced saturated fat
Authors: Godoi K. R.R. , Basso R. C. , Buscato M. H.M. , Cardoso L. P. , Kieckbusch T. G. , Ribeiro A. P.B.
Published: January 2018

The negative effects of trans fatty acids and saturated fatty acids in food have been widely discussed and this has led to progressive changes in the legislation of many countries. The use of structuring agents or crystallization modifiers, as specific triacylglycerol and minor lipids have been indicated as the only viable alternative for obtaining low saturated fats with properties which are compatible with food application. In this context, phytosterols, natural products with hypocholesterolemic action, and hard fat-crystallization modulators, present a new option for structuring lipid matrices. This work characterized the effects of fully hydrogenated soybean oil and free phytosterols on the physical properties and crystallization behavior of palm oil and canola oil blends for the development of zero trans-fat bases with low levels of saturated fatty acids. The systems were evaluated for chemical composition, atherogenic index, solid fat profiles, microstructure, consistency, thermal behavior and polymorphism.
Characterization of pecan nut expeller cake and effect of storage on its microbiological and oxidative quality
Authors: Marchetti L. , Romero L. , Andrés S. C. , Califano A. N.
Published: January 2018

Pecan nut expeller cake (PNEC), a by-product of pecan oil extraction, was characterized and the effect of packaging and storage conditions was investigated. Samples were packaged under vacuum or in normal atmosphere and stored (10 or 20 ºC) for 12 months. Its composition, water and oil absorption, fatty acids profile, lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS), antioxidant activity [Diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl] radical, DPPH● and [(2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] radical cation, ABTS●+), and microbiological quality were analyzed. PNEC showed high lipid and fiber contents (51.4 and 21.6 g/100g, respectively) with good water and oil absorption capacity. Vacuum storage at 10 ºC preserved antioxidant capacity (TBARS: malondialdehyde= 0.23 mg/kg, IC50 DPPH = 9.0 mg/mL, and IC50 ABTS = 21 mg/mL after one year storage). Extremely low mold and yeast levels were found in PNEC in low permeability vacuum packages, regardless of the storage temperature. Thus, PNEC could retain suitable quality attributes for up to 12 months using the right combination of packaging and temperature.
Chemical composition and resistance to oxidation of high-oleic rapeseed oil pressed from microwave pre-treated intact and de-hulled seeds
Authors: Rękas A. , Wroniak M. , Siger A. , Ścibisz I.
Published: January 2018

The influence of a microwave (MV) pre-treatment (3, 6, 9 min, 800W) on the physicochemical properties of high-oleic rapeseed oil prepared from intact (HORO) and de-hulled seeds (DHORO) was investigated in this study. A control DHORO contained higher levels of total tocopherols and carotenoids, while higher concentrations of total phenolic compounds and chlorophylls were detected in the HORO. The MV pre-treatment caused a decrease in the unsaturated fatty acids content that was more evident for the DHOROs. The microwaving time significantly affected phytochemical contents and the color of both types of oils. A vast increase in canolol concentration was noticeable following 9 min of microwaving, which increased 506- and 155-fold in the HORO and DHORO, respectively. At the same time, the antioxidant capacity of oil produced from MV pre-treated seeds for 9 min was nearly 4 times higher than that of the control oil for both types of oils
The Effects of Dendritic Cell Hypersensitivity on Persistent Viral Infection
Authors: Tsau Jennifer S. , Huang Xin , Lai Chen-Yen , Hedrick Stephen M.
Published: January 2018

Caspase-8 (CASP8) is known as an executioner of apoptosis, but more recent studies have shown that it participates in the regulation of necroptosis and innate immunity. In this study, we show that CASP8 negatively regulates retinoic acid–inducible gene I (RIG-I) signaling such that, in its absence, stimulation of the RIG-I pathway in dendritic cells (DCs) produced modestly enhanced activation of IFN regulatory factor 3 with correspondingly greater amounts of proinflammatory cytokines. In addition, mice lacking DC-specific CASP8 (dcCasp8−/− mice) develop age-dependent symptoms of autoimmune disease characterized by hyperactive DCs and T cells, spleen and liver immunopathology, and the appearance of Th1-polarized CD4+ T cells. Such mice infected with chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, an RNA virus detected by RIG-I, mounted an enhanced lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus–specific immune response as measured by increased proportions of Ag-specific CD4+ T cells and multicytokine-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. These results show that CASP8 subtly modulates DC maturation, which controls the spontaneous appearance of autoimmune T cells while simultaneously attenuating the acquired immune system and its potential to control a persistent viral infection.
IL-1 Signaling Prevents Alveolar Macrophage Depletion during Influenza and Streptococcus pneumoniae Coinfection
Authors: Bansal Shruti , Yajjala Vijaya Kumar , Bauer Christopher , Sun Keer
Published: January 2018

Influenza and bacterial coinfection is a significant cause of hospitalization and death in humans during influenza epidemics and pandemics. However, the fundamental protective and pathogenic mechanisms involved in this complex virus–host–bacterium interaction remain incompletely understood. In this study, we have developed mild to lethal influenza and Streptococcus pneumoniae coinfection models for comparative analyses of disease pathogenesis. Specifically, wild-type and IL-1R type 1–deficient (Il1r1−/−) mice were infected with influenza virus and then superchallenged with noninvasive S. pneumoniae serotype 14 (Spn14) or S. pneumoniae serotype 19A (Spn19A). The coinfections were followed by comparative analyses of inflammatory responses and animal protection. We found that resident alveolar macrophages are efficient in the clearance of both pneumococcal serotypes in the absence of influenza infection; in contrast, they are essential for airway control of Spn14 infection but not Spn19A infection. In agreement, TNF-α and neutrophils play a compensatory protective role in secondary bacterial infection associated with Spn19A; however, the essential requirement for alveolar macrophage–mediated clearance significantly enhances the virulence of Spn14 during postinfluenza pneumococcal infection. Furthermore, we show that, although IL-1 signaling is not required for host defense against pneumococcal infection alone, it is essential for sustaining antibacterial immunity during postinfluenza pneumococcal infection, as evidenced by significantly aggravated bacterial burden and animal mortality in Il1r1−/− mice. Mechanistically, we show that through preventing alveolar macrophage depletion, inflammatory cytokine IL-1 signaling is critically involved in host resistance to influenza and pneumococcal coinfection.
Variables Affecting Factors Associated with Primary Headache
Authors: Alexoudi Athanasia , Politis Konstadinos , Moukidou Anthi , Tsatovidou Rebekka , Ververaki Sarantoula , Tavernarakis Antonios , Siatouni Anna , Verentzioti Anastasia , Mitsikostas Dimos , Gatzonis Stylianos
Published: January 2018

Primary headache syndromes’ development is associated with biological, psychological and social parameters. Factors such as daily habits, behavioral characteristics and sleep disorders also play an important role. We aim to identify the variables which affect the above factors. The study included 111 patients affected by primary headache. The patients were stratified into subgroups according to gender, age, occupation and headache type. Women attained higher scores than men in three of the evaluation rating scales and lower scores in the severity of dependence scale. Occupation was associated with SF36 and Hamilton anxiety scale. Unemployed had higher scores in Hamilton anxiety. Migraineurs and occupied individuals have lower SF36 scores. Women are associated with depression, anxiety and higher disability derived from headache. Men are more prone to dependence on opioids. Unemployment was linked with anxiety and well-being. The migraneurs presented a decreased level of quality of life.
Science of Religion and Missiology at the Faculty of Theology, University of Pretoria: Historical overview, theological discourses and future possibilities
Authors: Niemandt Cornelius J. , Beyers Jaco
Published: January 2018

The history and contributions of the Department Science of Religion and Missiology at the UP have been described with a particular focus on a discussion of the understanding of both disciplines. In the case of Science of Religion, the research covers theological discourses in the discipline, attending to issues such as secularisation as well as Theology of Religions. It is argued that, in future, Science of Religion will continue to contribute to three areas of concern, namely studying religions, secularisation and theology of religion and religions. The section concludes with a brief overview of future contributions by the Department. Missiology is defined in terms of current insights in the discipline against the background of the decline in mission studies at many universities. The research argues for Missiology to be an intrinsic part of Theology. The following discourses in Missiology are noted, namely flourishing life, ecological justice, the role of the Holy Spirit in the missio Dei, missional church, contextualisation and indigenisation, and mission from the margins. Past and future contributions from the Department are described. This includes an argument for the change of the name of the Department to the Department of Religion Studies. In terms of future developments, research into flourishing life as well as deep incarnation are noted as exciting new possibilities.
The tradition of Practical Theology at the University of Pretoria
Authors: Wepener Casparus J. , Dreyer Yolanda , Meylahn Johann A.
Published: January 2018

The focus of this chapter is the tradition of PT at the UP. We consider it as practiced in the Department of PT at the UP at the time of celebrating the centenary of the FT by looking at it from different angles in order to focus on its unique position and especially its future in its particular context. By looking at the history of the subject and the Department as well as the global and local context within which the discipline is practiced in Pretoria, the possible direction is sketched in which this discipline can move at the Department of PT at the UP after 2017 (the year of the centenary of the FT).The chapter challenges the discipline of PT to embrace the continent of Africa where the department is situated, assuming that such an embracing will impact both ontology and epistemology. In this regard, we suggest a pneumapraxis to be part of the future of this discipline in SA. The chapter promotes both an intra and interdisciplinary approach.
Novel adaptive Discrete Cuckoo Search Algorithm for parameter optimization in computer vision
Authors: Benchikhi Loubna , Sadgal Mohamed , Elfazziki Aziz , Mansouri Fatimaezzahra
Published: January 2018

Computer vision applications require choosing operators and their parameters, in order to provide the best outcomes. Often, the users quarry on expert knowledge and must experiment many combinations to find manually the best one. As performance, time and accuracy are important, it is necessary to automate parameter optimization at least for crucial operators. In this paper, a novel approach based on an adaptive discrete cuckoo search algorithm (ADCS) is proposed. It automates the process of algorithmsâ€™ setting and provides optimal parameters for vision applications. This work reconsiders a discretization problem to adapt the cuckoo search algorithm and presents the procedure of parameter optimization. Some experiments on real examples and comparisons to other metaheuristic-based approaches: particle swarm optimization (PSO), reinforcement learning (RL) and ant colony optimization (ACO) show the efficiency of this novel method.
Role of ambient ammonia in particulate ammonium formation at a rural site in the North China Plain
Authors: Meng Zhaoyang , Xu Xiaobin , Lin Weili , Ge Baozhu , Xie Yulin , Song Bo , Jia Shihui , Zhang Rui , Peng Wei , Wang Ying , Cheng Hongbing , Yang Wen , Zhao Huarong
Published: January 2018

Abstract. The real-time measurements of NH3 and trace gases were conducted, in
conjunction with semi-continuous measurements of water-soluble ions in
PM2.5 at a rural site in the North China Plain (NCP) from May to
September 2013 in order to better understand chemical characteristics of
ammonia and the impact of secondary ammonium aerosols on formation in the
NCP. Extremely high NH3 and NH4+ concentrations were observed
after a precipitation event within 7–10 days following urea application.
Elevated NH3 levels coincided with elevated NH4+,
indicating that NH3 likely influenced particulate ammonium mass. For the
sampling period, the average conversion ∕ oxidation ratios for NH4+ (NHR), SO42- (SOR), and NO3- (NOR) were estimated to be
0.30, 0.64, and 0.24, respectively. The increased NH3 concentrations,
mainly from agricultural activities and regional transport, coincided with
the prevailing meteorological conditions. The high NH3 level with NHR of
about 0.30 indicates that the emission of NH3 in the NCP is much higher
than needed for aerosol acid neutralisation, and NH3 plays an important
role in the formation of secondary aerosols as a key neutraliser. The hourly
data obtained were used to investigate gas–aerosol partitioning
characteristics using the thermodynamic equilibrium model ISORROPIA-II.
Modelled SO42-, NO3-, and NH3 values agree well with
the measurements, while the modelled NH4+ values largely underestimate the
measurements. Our observation and modelling results indicate that strong
acids in aerosol are completely neutralised. Additional NH4+ exists
in aerosol, probably a result of the presence of a substantial amount of oxalic and
other diacids.
Estimating regional-scale methane flux and budgets using CARVE aircraft measurements over Alaska
Authors: Hartery Sean , Commane Róisín , Lindaas Jakob , Sweeney Colm , Henderson John , Mountain Marikate , Steiner Nicholas , McDonald Kyle , Dinardo Steven J. , Miller Charles E. , Wofsy Steven C. , Chang Rachel Y.-W.
Published: January 2018

Abstract. Methane (CH4) is the second most important greenhouse gas but its emissions from northern regions are still poorly constrained. In this study, we analyze a subset of in situ CH4 aircraft observations made over Alaska during the growing seasons of 2012–2014 as part of the Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE). Net surface CH4 fluxes are estimated using a Lagrangian particle dispersion model which quantitatively links surface emissions from Alaska and the western Yukon with observations of enhanced CH4 in the mixed layer. We estimate that between May and September, net CH4 emissions from the region of interest were 2.2 ± 0.5 Tg, 1.9 ± 0.4 Tg, and 2.3 ± 0.6 Tg of CH4 for 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. If emissions are only attributed to two biogenic eco-regions within our domain, then tundra regions were the predominant source, accounting for over half of the overall budget despite only representing 18 % of the total surface area. Boreal regions, which cover a large part of the study region, accounted for the remainder of the emissions. Simple multiple linear regression analysis revealed that, overall, CH4 fluxes were largely driven by soil temperature and elevation. In regions specifically dominated by wetlands, soil temperature and moisture at 10 cm depth were important explanatory variables while in regions that were not wetlands, soil temperature and moisture at 40 cm depth were more important, suggesting deeper methanogenesis in drier soils. Although similar environmental drivers have been found in the past to control CH4 emissions at local scales, this study shows that they can be used to generate a statistical model to estimate the regional-scale net CH4 budget.
A reference data set for validating vapor pressure measurement techniques: homologous series of polyethylene glycols
Authors: Krieger Ulrich K. , Siegrist Franziska , Marcolli Claudia , Emanuelsson Eva U. , Gøbel Freya M. , Bilde Merete , Marsh Aleksandra , Reid Jonathan P. , Huisman Andrew J. , Riipinen Ilona , Hyttinen Noora , Myllys Nanna , Kurtén Theo , Bannan Thomas , Percival Carl J. , Topping David
Published: January 2018

Abstract. To predict atmospheric partitioning of organic compounds between gas and aerosol particle phase based on explicit models for gas phase chemistry, saturation vapor pressures of the compounds need to be estimated. Estimation methods based on functional group contributions require training sets of compounds with well-established saturation vapor pressures. However, vapor pressures of semivolatile and low-volatility organic molecules at atmospheric temperatures reported in the literature often differ by several orders of magnitude between measurement techniques. These discrepancies exceed the stated uncertainty of each technique which is generally reported to be smaller than a factor of 2. At present, there is no general reference technique for measuring saturation vapor pressures of atmospherically relevant compounds with low vapor pressures at atmospheric temperatures. To address this problem, we measured vapor pressures with different techniques over a wide temperature range for intercomparison and to establish a reliable training set. We determined saturation vapor pressures for the homologous series of polyethylene glycols (H − (O − CH2 − CH2)n − OH) for n = 3 to n = 8 ranging in vapor pressure at 298 K from 10−7 to 5×10−2 Pa and compare them with quantum chemistry calculations. Such a homologous series provides a reference set that covers several orders of magnitude in saturation vapor pressure, allowing a critical assessment of the lower limits of detection of vapor pressures for the different techniques as well as permitting the identification of potential sources of systematic error. Also, internal consistency within the series allows outlying data to be rejected more easily. Most of the measured vapor pressures agreed within the stated uncertainty range. Deviations mostly occurred for vapor pressure values approaching the lower detection limit of a technique. The good agreement between the measurement techniques (some of which are sensitive to the mass accommodation coefficient and some not) suggests that the mass accommodation coefficients of the studied compounds are close to unity. The quantum chemistry calculations were about 1 order of magnitude higher than the measurements. We find that extrapolation of vapor pressures from elevated to atmospheric temperatures is permissible over a range of about 100 K for these compounds, suggesting that measurements should be performed best at temperatures yielding the highest-accuracy data, allowing subsequent extrapolation to atmospheric temperatures.