bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human signatures derived from nighttime lights along the Eastern Alpine river network in Austria and Italy
Authors: Ceola Serena , Montanari Alberto , Parajka Juraj , Viglione Alberto , Blöschl Günter , Laio Francesco
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Understanding how human settlements and economic activities are distributed with reference to the geographical location of streams and rivers is of fundamental relevance for several issues, such as flood risk management, drought management related to increased water demands by human population, fluvial ecosystem services, water pollution and water exploitation. Besides the spatial distribution, the evolution in time of the human presence constitutes an additional key question. This work aims at understanding and analysing the spatial and temporal evolution of human settlements and associated economic activity, derived from nighttime lights, in the Eastern Alpine region. Nightlights, available at a fine spatial resolution and for a 22-year period, constitute an excellent data base, which allows one to explore in details human signatures. In this experiment, nightlights are associated to five distinct distance-from-river classes. Our results clearly point out an overall enhancement of human presence across the considered distance classes during the last 22 years, though presenting some differences among the study regions. In particular, the river network delineation, by considering different groups of river pixels based on the Strahler order, is found to play a central role in the identification of nightlight spatio-temporal trends.
Vehicles instability criteria for flood risk assessment of a street network
Authors: Arrighi Chiara , Huybrechts Nicolas , Ouahsine Abdellatif , Chassé Patrick , Oumeraci Hocine , Castelli Fabio
Published: May 2016

Abstract. The mutual interaction between floods and human activity is a process, which has been evolving over history and has shaped flood risk pathways. In developed countries, many events have illustrated that the majority of the fatalities during a flood occurs in a vehicle, which is considered as a safe shelter but it may turn into a trap for several combinations of water depth and velocity. Thus, driving a car in floodwaters is recognized as the most crucial aggravating factor for people safety. On the other hand, the entrainment of vehicles may locally cause obstructions to the flow and induce the collapse of infrastructures. Flood risk to vehicles can be defined as the combination of the probability of a vehicle of being swept away (i.e. the hazard) and the actual traffic/parking density, i.e. the vulnerability. Hazard for vehicles can be assessed through the spatial identification and mapping of the critical conditions for vehicles incipient motion. This analysis requires a flood map with information on water depth and velocity and consistent instability criteria accounting for flood and vehicles characteristics. Vulnerability is evaluated thanks to the road network and traffic data. Therefore, vehicles flood risk mapping can support people's education and management practices in order to reduce the casualties. In this work, a flood hazard classification for vehicles is introduced and an application to a real case study is presented and discussed.
Effects of anthropogenic land-subsidence on inundation dynamics: the case study of Ravenna, Italy
Authors: Carisi Francesca , Domeneghetti Alessio , Castellarin Attilio
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Can differential land-subsidence significantly alter river flooding dynamics, and thus flood risk in flood prone areas? Many studies show how the lowering of the coastal areas is closely related to an increase in the flood-hazard due to more important tidal flooding and see level rise. The literature on the relationship between differential land-subsidence and possible alterations to riverine flood-hazard of inland areas is still sparse, although several geographical areas characterized by significant land-subsidence rates during the last 50 years experienced intensification in both inundation magnitude and frequency. We investigate the possible impact of a significant differential ground lowering on flood hazard over a 77 km2 area around the city of Ravenna, in Italy. The rate of land-subsidence in the study area, naturally in the order of a few mm year−1, dramatically increased up to 110 mm year−1 after World War II, primarily due to groundwater pumping and gas production platforms. The result was a cumulative drop that locally exceeds 1.5 m. Using a recent digital elevation model (res. 5 m) and literature data on land-subsidence, we constructed a ground elevation model over the study area in 1897 and we characterized either the current and the historical DEM with or without road embankments and land-reclamation channels in their current configuration. We then considered these four different topographic models and a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model to simulate and compare the inundation dynamics associated with a levee failure scenario along embankment system of the river Montone, which flows eastward in the southern portion of the study area. For each topographic model, we quantified the flood hazard in terms of maximum water depth (h) and we compared the actual effects on flood-hazard dynamics of differential land-subsidence relative to those associated with other man-made topographic alterations, which resulted to be much more significant.
Long term prediction of flood occurrence
Authors: Aguilar Cristina , Montanari Alberto , Polo María José
Published: May 2016

Abstract. How long a river remembers its past is still an open question. Perturbations occurring in large catchments may impact the flow regime for several weeks and months, therefore providing a physical explanation for the occasional tendency of floods to occur in clusters. The research question explored in this paper may be stated as follows: can higher than usual river discharges in the low flow season be associated to a higher probability of floods in the subsequent high flow season? The physical explanation for such association may be related to the presence of higher soil moisture storage at the beginning of the high flow season, which may induce lower infiltration rates and therefore higher river runoff. Another possible explanation is persistence of climate, due to presence of long-term properties in atmospheric circulation. We focus on the Po River at Pontelagoscuro, whose catchment area amounts to 71 000 km2. We look at the stochastic connection between average river flows in the pre-flood season and the peak flows in the flood season by using a bivariate probability distribution. We found that the shape of the flood frequency distribution is significantly impacted by the river flow regime in the low flow season. The proposed technique, which can be classified as a data assimilation approach, may allow one to reduce the uncertainty associated to the estimation of the flood probability.
Small-scale (flash) flood early warning in the light of operational requirements: opportunities and limits with regard to user demands, driving data, and hydrologic modeling techniques
Authors: Philipp Andy , Kerl Florian , Büttner Uwe , Metzkes Christine , Singer Thomas , Wagner Michael , Schütze Niels
Published: May 2016

Abstract. In recent years, the Free State of Saxony (Eastern Germany) was repeatedly hit by both extensive riverine flooding, as well as flash flood events, emerging foremost from convective heavy rainfall. Especially after a couple of small-scale, yet disastrous events in 2010, preconditions, drivers, and methods for deriving flash flood related early warning products are investigated. This is to clarify the feasibility and the limits of envisaged early warning procedures for small catchments, hit by flashy heavy rain events. Early warning about potentially flash flood prone situations (i.e., with a suitable lead time with regard to required reaction-time needs of the stakeholders involved in flood risk management) needs to take into account not only hydrological, but also meteorological, as well as communication issues. Therefore, we propose a threefold methodology to identify potential benefits and limitations in a real-world warning/reaction context. First, the user demands (with respect to desired/required warning products, preparation times, etc.) are investigated. Second, focusing on small catchments of some hundred square kilometers, two quantitative precipitation forecasts are verified. Third, considering the user needs, as well as the input parameter uncertainty (i.e., foremost emerging from an uncertain QPF), a feasible, yet robust hydrological modeling approach is proposed on the basis of pilot studies, employing deterministic, data-driven, and simple scoring methods.
Managing saltwater intrusion in coastal arid regions and its societal implications for agriculture
Authors: Grundmann Jens , Al-Khatri Ayisha , Schütze Niels
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Coastal aquifers in arid and semiarid regions are particularly at risk due to intrusion of salty marine water. Since groundwater is predominantly used in irrigated agriculture, its excessive pumping – above the natural rate of replenishment – strengthen the intrusion process. Using this increasingly saline water for irrigation, leads to a destruction of valuable agricultural resources and the economic basis of farmers and their communities. The limitation of resources (water and soil) in these regions requires a societal adaptation and change in behaviour as well as the development of appropriate management strategies for a transition towards stable and sustainable future hydrosystem states. Besides a description of the system dynamics and the spatial consequences of adaptation on the resources availability, the contribution combines results of an empirical survey with stakeholders and physically based modelling of the groundwater-agriculture hydrosystem interactions. This includes an analysis of stakeholders' (farmers and decision makers) behaviour and opinions regarding several management interventions aiming on water demand and water resources management as well as the thinking of decision makers how farmers will behave. In this context, the technical counter measures to manage the saltwater intrusion by simulating different groundwater pumping strategies and scenarios are evaluated from the economic and social point of view and if the spatial variability of the aquifer's hydrogeology is taken into consideration. The study is exemplarily investigated for the south Batinah region in the Sultanate of Oman, which is affected by saltwater intrusion into a coastal aquifer system due to excessive groundwater withdrawal for irrigated agriculture.
Local irrigation systems, regional hydrological problems and the demand for overarching solutions at the example of an irrigation system in the P.R. of China
Authors: Nijssen David , Schumann Andreas H. , Monninkhoff Bertram
Published: May 2016

Abstract. The utilization of groundwater for irrigation purposes becomes problematic if groundwater recharge decreases through climate variability. Nevertheless, the degree of groundwater utilization for irrigation increases significantly in dry periods, when the amount of green water is strongly limited. With an increasing gap between water demand and supply, new water management activities are started, which are mostly directed to increase the supply, often by overuse of local resources. In many cases such local activities results in their summarization in side-effects, which worsen the hydrological conditions throughout a region. Step by step the spatial scale of water management measures has to be extended in such cases by implementation of water transfer systems. In this contribution this general scale problem of water management is discussed at the example of an agricultural region in the Province of Shandong (P.R. of China). The local irrigation systems and the options to increase the water supply at the local scale (e.g. by waste water reuse) are discussed as well as regional measures e.g. reservoirs or barrages in rivers to increase the groundwater recharge. For this purpose, several socio-economic and hydrological models were combined. It is shown how a change of water policy towards a demand management requires a new approach to spatial aspects. Here the question arises, how hydrological most effective measures can be allocated within a region. In the case study, a reduction of agricultural irrigation and a change of the crop structure would be essential to improve the groundwater conditions, which are impaired by ongoing sea-water intrusions. A model hierarchy, which is needed to answer such problems not only from the hydrological point of view, but also considering their socio-economic feasibility, are presented.
Reservoir impacts downstream in highly regulated river basins: the Ebro delta and the Guadalquivir estuary in Spain
Authors: Polo María J. , Rovira Albert , García-Contreras Darío , Contreras Eva , Millares Agustín , Aguilar Cristina , Losada Miguel A.
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Regulation by reservoirs affects both the freshwater regime and the sediment delivery at the area downstream, and may have a significant impact on water quality in the final transitional water bodies. Spain is one the countries with more water storage capacity by reservoirs in the world. Dense reservoir networks can be found in most of the hydrographic basins, especially in the central and southern regions. The spatial redistribution of the seasonal and annual water storage in reservoirs for irrigation and urban supply, mainly, has resulted in significant changes of water flow and sediment load regimes, together with a fostered development of soil and water uses, with environmental impacts downstream and higher vulnerability of these areas to the sea level rise and drought occurrence. This work shows these effects in the Guadalquivir and the Ebro River basins, two of the largest regulated areas in Spain. The results show a 71 % decrease of the annual freshwater input to the Guadalquivir River estuary during 1930–2014, an increase of 420 % of the irrigated area upstream the estuary, and suspended sediment loads up to 1000 % the initial levels. In the Ebro River delta, the annual water yield has decreased over a 30 % but, on the contrary, the big reservoirs are located in the main stream, and the sediment load has decreased a 99 %, resulting in a delta coastal regression up to 10 m per year and the massive presence of macrophytes in the lower river. Adaptive actions proposed to face these impacts in a sea level rise scenario are also analyzed.
Spatially-smooth regionalization of flow duration curves in non-pristine basins
Authors: Ganora Daniele , Laio Francesco , Masoero Alessandro , Claps Pierluigi
Published: May 2016

Abstract. The flow duration curve (FDC) is a fundamental signature of the hydrological cycle to support water management strategies. Despite many studies on this topic, its estimation in ungauged basins is still a relevant issue as the FDC is controlled by different types of processes at different time-space scales, thus resulting quite sensitive to the specific case study. In this work, a regional spatially-smooth procedure to evaluate the annual FDC in ungauged basins is proposed, based on the estimation of the L-moments (mean, L-CV and L-skewness) through regression models valid for the whole case study area. In this approach, homogeneous regions are no longer required and the L-moments are allowed to continuously vary along the river network, thus providing a final FDC smoothly evolving for different locations on the river. Regressions are based on a set of topographic, climatic, land use and vegetation descriptors at the basin scale. Moreover, the model ensures that the mean annual runoff is preserved at the river confluences, i.e. the sum of annual flows of the upstream reaches is equal to the predicted annual downstream flow. The proposed model is adapted to incorporate different "sub-models" to account for local information within the regional framework, where man-induced alterations are known, as common in non-pristine catchments. In particular, we propose a module to consider the impact of existing/designed water withdrawals on the L-moments of the FDC. The procedure has been applied to a dataset of daily observation of about 120 gauged basins on the upper Po river basin in North-Western Italy.
Soil Denitrifier Community Size Changes with Land Use Change to Perennial Bioenergy Cropping Systems
Authors: Thompson Karen A. , Deen Bill , Dunfield Kari E.
Published: May 2016

Abstract. Dedicated biomass crops are required for future bioenergy production. However, the effects of large-scale land use change (LUC) from traditional annual crops, such as corn-soybean rotations to the perennial grasses (PGs) switchgrass and miscanthus on soil microbial community functioning is largely unknown. Specifically, ecologically significant denitrifying communities, which regulate N2O production and consumption in soils, may respond differently to LUC due to differences in carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) inputs between crop types and management systems. Our objective was to quantify bacterial denitrifying gene abundances as influenced by corn-soybean crop production compared to PG biomass production. A field trial was established in 2008 at the Elora Research Station in Ontario, Canada (n = 30), with miscanthus and switchgrass grown alongside corn-soybean rotations at different N rates (0 and 160 kg N ha-1) and biomass harvest dates within PG plots. Soil was collected on four dates from 2011–2012 and quantitative PCR was used to enumerate the total bacterial community (16S rRNA), and communities of bacterial denitrifiers by targeting nitrite reductase (nirS) and N2O reductase (nosZ) genes. Miscanthus produced significantly larger yields and supported larger nosZ denitrifying communities than corn-soybean rotations regardless of management, indicating large-scale LUC from corn-soybean to miscanthus may be suitable in variable Ontario conditions while potentially mitigating soil N2O emissions. Harvesting switchgrass in the spring decreased yields in N-fertilized plots, but did not affect gene abundances. Standing miscanthus overwinter resulted in higher 16S rRNA and nirS gene copies than in fall-harvested crops. However, the size of the total (16S rRA) and denitrifying communities changed differently over time and in response to LUC, indicating varying controls on these communities.
Observaciones sobre el procedimiento judicial ateniense a propósito de Lisias XXIII
Authors: García Domingo Enrique
Published: May 2016

Se considera que el discurso XXIII de Lisias Contra Pancleón, impugnando que fuera de Platea fue pronunciado en una paragraphḗ o ‘proceso de excepción’, llamado en una fase inicial antigraphḗ. Sin embargo, una revisión de tales conceptos y, en general, de algunos aspectos del procedimiento judicial ateniense nos ha permitido llegar a la conclusión de que el citado discurso fue dirigido por el demandante, cliente del logógrafo, contra su adversario en una ‘acción por falsos testimonios’, díkē pseudomartyríōn.
"Éros" y poesía en "Fedro", "Banquete" y "República": la reelaboración platónica de los terrenos poéticos para la realidad y el deseo
Authors: Macua Martínez M.ª Elena
Published: May 2016

El trabajo explica el vínculo existente entre las distintas concepciones platónicas del éros y de la poesía, como parte del legado poético del siglo v. Y analiza su evolución, y la de su relación con la filosofía, en Fedro, Banquete y República, como un proceso de destilación del éros elaborado por la poesía, del que es afín el éros filosófico configurado en el Fedro, pero cuya incompatibilidad, insinuada en el Banquete, se hace explícita y taxativa en la República. Todo ello con el fin de demostrar hasta qué punto asume el pensamiento de Platón la herencia poética precedente, poniendo en evidencia que dicho proceso responde, en todas sus fases, a un mismo objetivo: materializar el anhelo poético por excelencia: la creación de un «terreno intermedio» donde conciliar la irrenunciable dualidad de las aspiraciones humanas. En consecuencia, se invita aquí a mirar la ciudad platónica como materialización posible, no utópica, de un espacio logrado en el que integrar armónicamente la realidad y el deseo.
A Critical Review of Consciousness-Raising Approaches: Applied Linguistics vs. Systemic Functional Linguistics
Authors: Pineh Aiyoub Jodairi
Published: May 2016

This paper is a critical review of the notion of consciousness-raising approach in the mainstream Applied Linguistics (AL) and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). It reviews the development of this approach from traditional grammarian perspectives to the recent developments in AL, and compares and contrasts this approach in AL with the notion of grammatical metaphor (GM) in SFL as a compatible resource for consciousness-raising. The paper concludes that SFL introduces new and developmental resources of consciousness at different times and spaces, which is subject to further linguistic investigations. It has also implications for the English language teaching and learning in EFL contexts. 
Actividades contextualizadas: una opción metodológica para fomentar la verbalización estudiantil
Authors: Flores Morales Jairo José
Published: May 2016

Este trabajo presenta el resultado de una intervención didáctica, con diversas actividades contextualizadas, se analizan las verbalizaciones orales y escritas ofrecidas por los estudiantes al solucionar variados problemas de índole probabilístico, valorando el papel que desempeña la idónea estructuración de sesiones didácticas, su tratamiento y la metodología empleada para lograr que los discentes expresen sus ideas, opiniones y soluciones con fluidez argumentativa.
Evaluación del control interno del área de Inventarios en la fábrica de puros ACCSA
Authors: Pérez Úbeda Florencio Germán
Published: May 2016

El presente trabajo estuvo encauzado a la Evaluación del control interno del área de inventario de materia prima y productos terminados en la fábrica de puros ACCSA, mediante el análisis de los cinco componentes del informe COSO. Este estudio se realizó tomando en consideración el enfoque cuali-cuantitativo de tipo descriptivo y de corte transversal. La muestra utilizada fue de siete funcionarios de la empresa que están directamente relacionados con el área de inventarios. La información se obtuvo utilizando técnicas de levantamiento de datos, tales como: entrevistas, encuestas y revisión documental. Estos dieron un mejor entendimiento sobre los procedimientos que se llevan a cabo en la fábrica respecto a la administración y manejo del inventario de materiales y mercancías.Los resultados obtenidos indican que los controles internos de inventarios que se aplican en la fábrica son ineficientes, ocasionando problemas de segregación de funciones que derivan en incertidumbre en cuanto a la realización de las operaciones de inventario de manera efectiva y poniendo en duda la confiabilidad de la información financiera.
Control interno y su incidencia en la rentabilidad de empresa cobros del norte S.A
Authors: Paiva Acuña Fatima Johana
Published: May 2016

Esta investigación se evalúa en control interno y su incidencia en la rentabilidad de la Empresa Cobros del Norte S. A En el Periodo 2011 y aportar recomendaciones con las cuales pueden mejorar. El tipo de estudio es descriptivo y de corte transversal porque se está evaluando un periodo siendo este el 2011. El enfoque es cualitativo con técnicas cuantitativas y cualitativas. Se aplicaron entrevistas y encuestas, se reforzó con investigación documental para confirmar la veracidad de la información brindada. La investigación se elaboró en base a los componentes del modelo COSO I y la rentabilidad se basa en el análisis Costo-Beneficio.Según la problemática encontrada se corrobora que el control interno es deficiente analizando las grandes debilidades encontradas durante el proceso empezando desde el ambiente de control de la empresa, siendo uno de los principales problemas la mala segregación de funciones y la falta de información financiera a tiempo. Se recomienda tomar medidas correctivas para solucionar las debilidades, en primer lugar la elaboración de un manual de procedimientos, un manual de funciones donde se establezcan las líneas de autoridad y responsabilidad, y la supervisión constante del proceso de compras.
Efecto vertido aguas mieles en calidad físico-química del agua microcuenca Rio Cuspire Yalí, Nicaragua
Authors: Rugama Espinoza Manuel Isaac , Save Monserrat Robert
Published: May 2016

Durante los últimos años las diferentes fuentes de agua del municipio han venido bajando su caudal e incrementando su contaminación, esto debido a las diferentes actividades agrícolas y desarrollo humano en los territorios rurales. Una de las principales fuentes de contaminación del agua es el cultivo del café, en los diferentes ciclos para su producción se realizan varias actividades que nos son amigables con el medio ambiente, a esto se le suma el despale del bosque para la plantación de nuevas áreas de café y más en estos últimos años con el incremento de los precios, lo cual ha provocado un aumento en la siembra y por ende un crecimiento en la deforestación del bosque. También se le añaden la contaminación causada por los agroquímicos utilizados para su producción (MAGFOR - 2012).Los resultados de los indicadores fisicoquímicos del presente estudio demuestran que no existe incidencia del vertido de las aguas mieles en el agua su¬perficial de la microcuenca rio Cuspire. Los resultados están en el rango permisible establecidos en las normas CAPRE y decreto 3395. Este el primer estudio del efecto de las aguas mieles que se realiza en esta microcuenca, se puede tomar como referencia para futuros estudios.
The Swiss Federal Code of Civil Procedure: Achievements and missed opportunities
Authors: Domej T.
Published: May 2016

The Swiss Federal Code of Civil Procedure: Achievements and missed opportunities

In Zwitserland had elk kanton eigen procesrecht, totdat op 1 januari 2011 een landelijk geldend wetboek van burgerlijke rechtsvordering in werking is getreden. Dit artikel biedt informatie over de regels die sindsdien gelden voor de civiele procedure in Zwitserland en over de wijze waarop in Zwitserland wordt gewerkt aan rechtseenheid in de toepassing van die regels. Ingegaan wordt onder meer op de schikking in de preprocessuele fase, de procedure in eerste aanleg, de regiefunctie van de rechter en het hoger beroep
‘Dissenting opinions’ in religiezaken voor het Europees Hof (II)
Authors: van Bijsterveld Sophie
Published: May 2016

Dissenting opinions in religion cases of the European Court of Human Rights (II). The Chamber

What divides the ECtHR in religion cases? Study of dissenting opinions in religion cases of the ECtHR sheds a light on dividing lines within the ECtHR and deepens our understanding of the methods of reasoning of the ECtHR itself. Following an analysis of dissenting opinions in religion cases in the rulings of the Grand Chamber of the ECtHR, this article focuses on the Chamber. As in the previous analysis, a clear pattern in the dividing lines is brought to light. This article discusses and evaluates this finding.
Waartoe is de Protestantse Kerk in Nederland op aarde?
Authors: Noordegraaf Herman
Published: May 2016

What is the destination of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands? Her future according the report Church 2025

The Protestant Church accepted in November 2015 a report about her future. This reflection was necessary because of the shrinking amount of members and of income. The report combines a principal view on the essence of being church with practical proposals to get a more simple organisation of the church and savings in expenditures. The responsibility of the church for society is explicitly stated. Much shall depend on the concrete follow up. Needed is more attention to the question how this responsibility can get shape.
Toward Harmonization of Performance Criteria for Mycotoxin Screening Methods: The EU Perspective
Authors: Lattanzio Veronica M T
Published: May 2016

Screening methods are defined as methods that are used to detect the presence of a substance or class of substances at the level of interest. These methods must have the capability of high sample throughput when being used to screen large numbers of samples for potential noncompliant results. Before using a screening method for practical applications, its fitness for the intended purpose needs to be demonstrated. This is normally achieved by conducting a validation study, comparing method performance against predefined criteria. Official guidelines recently established by the European Union for the evaluation of fitness-for-purpose performance parameters of screening methods to be used for the detection of mycotoxins in foods are presented and discussed herein. Practical applications of this evaluation scheme for single- and interlaboratory validation studies, as well as relevant information on screening method performances are reviewed, with emphasis on the impact of mycotoxin contamination in real samples on the fitness-for-purpose of the screening test. Lastly, validation follow-up is discussed in terms of extension of the scope of the method (increasing the range of application in terms of mycotoxin/matrix combinations), method implementation and verification, and evaluation of the method's applicability to modified mycotoxins.
Climate changes and environmental migrations in the Northeastern Semiarid
Authors: Bilar Alexsandro Bezerra Correia , Carvalho Renata Coppieters Oliveira de , Galvíncio Josicleda Domiciniano , Souza Werônica Meira de
Published: May 2016

The present exploratory and descriptive study brings some thoughts and inferences about the relationships between rainfall, climate changes and environmental migrations in the small-sized municipalities of the northeastern semiarid, that is, the ones which are a part of the Caatinga biome. For this purpose, it was examined the case of Santana de Mangueira, municipality of Paraíba state, which currently has less than six thousand habitants, according to data from the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística – IBGE (2010), bordering in the South with Serra Talhada/PE, which was used as the rainfall data collection source, due to the lack of such records in Santana de Mangueira/PB. The studied municipality presented a significant decrease in population, in approximately eigth per cent, according to the IBGE census performed during the years of 2000 and 2010, respectively. The central inquiry that subsidized the present studywas: How are the relationships between climate changes and rainfall affecting small-sized municipalities’ citizens’ lives in the Caatinga biome?As for the conclusions, it was found, through obtained data analysis, that the small-sized municipalities of the northeastern semiarid region, traditionally used to lose their citizens for bigger cities in the pursuit for better living conditions, tend to suffer an increase of the migration flow with the climate changes consequences worsening, as: drought period increase, desertification, and, consequently, family agriculture and cattle raising reduction.   Key words: Caatinga, Environmental migrations, Climate changes, Rainfall.
Precision Agriculture using Advanced Remote Sensing techniques for peanut crop in Arid Land
Authors: El-Sharkawy Mohamed Mortada
Published: May 2016

Precision agriculture involves studying and managing crop variations within fields that can affect crop yield. In precision agriculture farmers are adapting technology and advanced remote sensing techniques with different software to relieve decision making. Hyperspectral ground measurements can be used for giving timely information about crops in specific areas and thereby providing valuable data for decision makers. In this paper field spectroscopy measurements measured by ASD field Spec4 spectroradiometer were used to monitor the spectral response and differences of peanut crop vegetation cover reflectance due to bio-physical plant variables. The results of Tukey’s HSD showed that blue, Red and NIR spectral zones are more sufficient in the monitoring differences between peanut growth stages than green, SWIR-1 and SWIR-2 spectral zones. The results of physiological spectral indices of growth stages showed significant correlations between varied classes productivity and spectral similarity measures, indicating that similarity between the samples' spectra decreases as the pigments concentration in the plant leaves increases. Furthermore, electromagnetic peanut crop mapping was successfully employed to simulate vegetation healthy effect on canopy structure and final yield.
Analysis of climate variability in semiarid region, Petrolândia, Pernambuco
Authors: Lima Thaís Silva , Cardoso Ariane Silva , De Souza Werônica Meira , Galvíncio Josiclêda Domiciano
Published: May 2016

The objective of this work was to analyze the temporal variability of precipitation in the city of Petrolândia - PE, which is located in the physiographic region Submedium São Francisco. Was used Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI) to analysis of the variability of precipitation in the region. The highest monthly values of precipitation occurred between the months of December to April, with the highest rainfall in March, while that from August to October was the quarter of less rainfall. From the RAI noted that there was great variability between dry and rainy, with a total of 29 and 34 years, respectively. The RAI presented a amplitude of -4.2 to +6.8, with maxima occurring in, 1974 and 1985, being classified as extremely humid. While the smallest occurred in 1993 and 1998 being classified as very dry. It was found that implementation of the RAI worked as a fundamental tool for the study of seasonal rainfall, yet, through this monitoring and one can generate predictions about the climatological regional variation. For the region dry periods are considered to be more damaging to the economy than the flood periods, despite the damage caused by floods.
Your Inner English Teacher
Authors: Gómez Conrado L. , Kurz Terri L. , Jimenez-Silva Margarita
Published: May 2016

By using deliberate strategies to adjust the phrasing of word problems, teachers can provide a richer mathematics experience for ELLs.
Games to Support Decimal Number Reasoning
Authors: Cengiz Nesrin , Rathouz Margaret
Published: May 2016

Activities help students develop an understanding of decimals by using number cards and place-value cards to form decimal amounts, compare these amounts, and justify their decisions by using representations.
Farm fresh math
Authors: Poulsen Christine D.
Published: May 2016

These problems were created by a woman who lives on her family farm and observes her brother Gordon, the grandfather of Gavin, Brandon, and Cayman, work the farm as was done in the past. She sees the farm as a fun place, with many opportunities for mathematics in the daily work and at farmers' markets where farmers sell their produce.
Histone H2B ubiquitylation represses gametogenesis by opposing RSC-dependent chromatin remodeling at the ste11 master regulator locus
Authors: Materne Philippe , Vázquez Enrique , Sánchez Mar , Yague-Sanz Carlo , Anandhakumar Jayamani , Migeot Valerie , Antequera Francisco , Hermand Damien
Published: May 2016

In fission yeast, the ste11 gene encodes the master regulator initiating the switch from vegetative growth to gametogenesis. In a previous paper, we showed that the methylation of H3K4 and consequent promoter nucleosome deacetylation repress ste11 induction and cell differentiation (Materne et al., 2015) but the regulatory steps remain poorly understood. Here we report a genetic screen that highlighted H2B deubiquitylation and the RSC remodeling complex as activators of ste11 expression. Mechanistic analyses revealed more complex, opposite roles of H2Bubi at the promoter where it represses expression, and over the transcribed region where it sustains it. By promoting H3K4 methylation at the promoter, H2Bubi initiates the deacetylation process, which decreases chromatin remodeling by RSC. Upon induction, this process is reversed and efficient NDR (nucleosome depleted region) formation leads to high expression. Therefore, H2Bubi represses gametogenesis by opposing the recruitment of RSC at the promoter of the master regulator ste11 gene.
Reductionism redux
Authors: Miller Christopher
Published: May 2016

Experiments on artificial membranes are revealing many details about the workings of a family of potassium ion channels called GIRK channels.
First-principles study on bottom-up fabrication process of atomically precise graphene nanoribbons
Authors: Kaneko Tomoaki , Tajima Nobuo , Ohno Takahisa
Published: May 2016

We investigate the energetics of a polyanthracene formation in the bottom-up fabrication of atomically precise graphene nanoribbons on Au(111) using first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory. We show that the structure of precursor molecules plays a decisive role in the C–C coupling reaction. The reaction energy of the dimerization of anthracene dimers is a larger negative value than that of the dimerization of anthracene monomers, suggesting that the precursor molecule used in experiments has a favorable structure for graphene nanoribbon fabrication.
Effects of the Mo composition of Mo-alloyed Yb/Si contacts on the microstructures and electrical properties
Authors: Na Sekwon , Eom Tae-yil , Joo Young-Chang , Lee Hoo-Jeong
Published: May 2016

In this study, we investigate the effects of the Mo composition of Mo-alloyed Yb/Si contacts on the microstructures during silicidation and the electrical properties of the contacts. We co-sputter Mo and Yb to produce Mo-alloyed Yb films with different Mo compositions (5, 20, 40, and 50 at. %) and anneal them at elevated temperatures (500–700 °C). Our material characterization elucidates a series of material reactions, including solid-state amorphization and the nucleation and growth of epitaxial YbSi2−

x
. The increase of the Mo content hinders the growth of the epitaxial layer, producing a thinner epitaxial layer, and increases the stability of the epitaxial layer against oxidation at high temperatures. Electrical measurement of the contact properties indicates that the Mo 20% sample has the best contact properties.
The influence of Southern Ocean winds on the North Atlantic carbon sink
Authors: Bronselaer Ben , Zanna Laure , Munday David R. , Lowe Jason
Published: May 2016

Observed and predicted increases in Southern Ocean winds are thought to upwell deep ocean carbon and increase atmospheric CO2. However, Southern Ocean dynamics affect biogeochemistry and circulation pathways on a global scale. Using idealized Massachusetts Institute of Technology General Circulation Model (MITgcm) simulations, we demonstrate that an increase in Southern Ocean winds reduces the carbon sink in the North Atlantic subpolar gyre. The increase in atmospheric CO2 due to the reduction of the North Atlantic carbon sink is shown to be of the same magnitude as the increase in atmospheric CO2 due to Southern Ocean outgassing. The mechanism can be described as follows: The increase in Southern Ocean winds leads to an increase in upper ocean northward nutrient transport. Biological productivity is therefore enhanced in the tropics, which alters the chemistry of the subthermocline waters that are ultimately upwelled in the subpolar gyre. The results demonstrate the influence of Southern Ocean winds on the North Atlantic carbon sink and show that the effect of Southern Ocean winds on atmospheric CO2 is likely twice as large as previously thought in past, present, and future climates.
Satellite‐derived surface temperature and in situ measurement at Solfatara of Pozzuoli (Naples, Italy)
Authors: Silvestri M. , Cardellini C. , Chiodini G. , Buongiorno M. F.
Published: May 2016

Ground thermal anomalies in volcanic‐hydrothermal systems, where the outflow of hot fluids gives rise to fumarolic fields, soil degassing, and hot soils, have, up to now, rarely been investigated by using satellite. Here we report a comparison between surface temperature derived by satellite data and a large data set of measured soil temperatures and CO2fluxes for a volcanic‐hydrothermal system, the Solfatara of Pozzuoli (Campi Flegrei, Italy). Surface temperatures derived from ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) data are compared with soil temperatures and CO2fluxes from four surveys performed in 2003, 2010, and in 2014. The good match between the spatial distributions of computed and measured temperatures suggests the adequacy of satellite data to describe the Solfatara thermal anomaly, while the correspondence between temperatures and CO2fluxes, evidences the link between degassing and heating processes. The ASTER derived surface temperatures (14–37°C) are coherent with those measured in the soil (10–97°C at 10 cm depth), considering the effect of the thermal gradients which characterize the degassing area of Solfatara. This study shows that satellite data can be a very powerful tool with which to study surface thermal anomalies, and can provide a supplementary tool to monitor thermal evolution of restless volcanoes.
Storm time current distribution in the inner equatorial magnetosphere: THEMIS observations
Authors: Yang Y. Y. , Shen C. , Dunlop M. , Rong Z. J. , Li X. , Angelopoulos V. , Chen Z. Q. , Yan G. Q. , Ji Y.
Published: May 2016

For the first time, the current density distribution in the inner equatorial magnetosphere ranging from 4 to 12 RE (RE is the Earth radius, 6371 km) has been obtained by using Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) (P3, P4, and P5) three point magnetic measurements. This study mainly focuses on the storm events when the constellation of the three THEMIS spacecraft has relatively small separation distance. Two cases with different storm activities are first displayed to illustrate the effectiveness of the method. The inner magnetospheric equatorial current distribution ranging from 4 to 12 RE is shown through statistical analysis. The features of current density are separately analyzed for the storm main phase and the recovery phase. The statistical study reveals that with increasing radial distance the predominant ring current density reverses from Eastward (below r = 4.8 RE, where r is the geocentric radial distance) to Westward, but that the distribution behaves differently for the two phases of activity. During the main phase, both the westward and eastward current are enhanced by added signal and are more dynamic so that both radial profile and magnetic local time (MLT) structure is obscured. During the recovery phase, the radial profile of the westward current is smooth and peaks, then falls, between r = 5–7.5 RE showing some MLT dependence in this region. Beyond r = 7.5 RE, the current is lower and nearly constant and shows little MLT variation. The results also suggest that the change from eastward to westward current depends on the storm phase and hence storm activity.
Velocity structure near IODP Hole U1309D, Atlantis Massif, from waveform inversion of streamer data and borehole measurements
Authors: Harding Alistair J. , Arnulf Adrien F. , Blackman Donna K.
Published: May 2016

Seismic full waveform inversion (FWI) is a promising method for determining the detailed velocity structure of the igneous oceanic crust, especially for locations such as the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge with significant lateral heterogeneity and seafloor topography. We examine the accuracy of FWI by inverting, after downward continuation to datum just above the seafloor, a multichannel seismic (MCS) profile from Atlantis Massif oceanic core complex at 30°N that passes close to Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Hole U1309D and comparing the results against borehole measurements and existing on‐bottom refraction data. The comparisons include the results of IODP Expedition 340T, which extended the sonic logging and vertical seismic profiling to the bottom of the borehole at 1400 m below seafloor. Compared to travel time tomography, the refinement in velocity and velocity gradient produced by FWI significantly improves the overall match to the borehole measurements, and allows the multilevel pattern of deformation and alteration of the detachment footwall seen in Hole U1309D to be extrapolated across the Central Dome. Prestack depth migration of the profile using the FWI velocities reveals the top and edges of the high‐velocity, gabbroic core of the massif. It also indicates that the comparatively uniform gabbroic rocks drilled at Hole U1309D extend to ∼2.5 km below seafloor but overlie an extended, ∼2 km thick, mantle transition zone.
The role of the atmospheric electric field in the dust‐lifting process
Authors: Esposito F. , Molinaro R. , Popa C. I. , Molfese C. , Cozzolino F. , Marty L. , Taj‐Eddine K. , Di Achille G. , Franzese G. , Silvestro S. , Ori G. G.
Published: May 2016

Mineral dust particles represent the most abundant component of atmospheric aerosol in terms of dry mass. They play a key role in climate and climate change, so the study of their emission processes is of utmost importance. Measurements of dust emission into the atmosphere are scarce, so that the dust load is generally estimated using models. It is known that the emission process can generate strong atmospheric electric fields. Starting from the data we acquired in the Sahara desert, here, we show for the first time that depending on the relative humidity conditions, electric fields contribute to increase up to a factor of 10 the amount of particles emitted into the atmosphere. This means that electrical forces and humidity are critical quantities in the dust emission process and should be taken into account in climate and circulation models to obtain more realistic estimations of the dust load in the atmosphere.
C/NOFS remote sensing of ionospheric reflectance
Authors: Burke W. J. , Pfaff R. F. , Martinis C. R. , Gentile L. C.
Published: May 2016

Alfvén waves play critical roles in the electrodynamic coupling of plasmas at magnetically conjugate regions in near‐Earth space. Associated electric (E*) and magnetic (δB*) field perturbations sampled by sensors on satellites in low‐Earth orbits are generally superpositions of incident and reflected waves. However, lack of knowledge about ionospheric reflection coefficients (α) hinders understanding of generator outputs and load absorption of Alfvén wave energies. Here we demonstrate a new method for estimating α using satellite measurements of ambient E* and δB* then apply it to a case in which the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite flew conjugate to the field of view of a 630.0 nm all‐sky imager at El Leoncito, Argentina, while medium‐scale traveling ionosphere disturbances were detected in its field of view. In regions of relatively large amplitudes of E* and δB*, calculated α values ranged between 0.67 and 0.88. This implies that due to impedance mismatches, the generator ionosphere puts out significantly more electromagnetic energy than the load can absorb. Our analysis also uncovered caveats concerning the method's range of applicability in regions of low E* and δB*. The method can be validated in future satellite‐based auroral studies where energetic particle precipitation fluxes can be used to make independent estimates of α.