bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Innovations in Information and Communication Technology Platforms for Public Administration
Authors: Virkar Shefali
Published: October 2014

Over the last two decades, public confidence and trust in government has declined visibly in several Western liberal democracies, owing to a distinct lack of opportunities for citizen participation in political processes, and has given way instead to disillusionment with current political institutions, actors, and practices. The rise of the Internet as a global communications medium has opened up huge opportunities and raised new challenges for government, with digital technology creating new forms of community, empowering citizens, and reforming existing power structures in a way that has rendered obsolete or inappropriate many of the tools and processes of traditional democratic politics. Through an analysis of the No. 10 Downing Street ePetitions Initiative based in the United Kingdom, this chapter seeks to engage with issues related to the innovative use of network technology by government to involve citizens in policy processes within existing democratic frameworks in order to improve administration, reform democratic processes, and renew citizen trust in institutions of governance.
Wiki for Agility
Authors: Kamthan Pankaj
Published: October 2014

The movement towards agility is one of the most significant human-centered and socially oriented changes in industrial software engineering. In the practice of agile methodologies, there are different types of content (data, information, or knowledge) that are created, communicated, and consumed. It is imperative for an organization to manage such content, both during development and beyond deployment. This chapter proposes a conceptual model for understanding and exploring the use of Wiki as a vehicle for managing content in agile software development. In doing so, the parity between agile software development and Wiki is shown, human and social aspects of each are emphasized, the Social Web-Context of Wiki is demonstrated, illustrative examples are given, and the implications of committing to a Wiki are considered.
Investigating Adoption of E-Procurement Systems
Authors: Bayazit Ozden
Published: October 2014

This paper attempts to provide insights into current E-procurement practices. A survey was conducted among 342 members of Institute of Supply Management –Western Washington (ISM-WW), the local chapter of the Institute of Supply Management (ISM). This paper reports on the findings of the survey conducted. The research helped the author to identify numerous critical success factors to effective implementation, key factors in making the decision to implement E-procurement systems, problems encountered during the implementation, and unanticipated things that were not considered in a company's original plan to implement E-procurement systems as well as the benefits that the companies gained as a result of successful E-procurement implementation. The author's aspiration is that the results of the survey will help companies develop a better understanding of use and implementation of E-procurement systems and avoid the problems encountered by other firms.
Social Networks in University Classrooms
Authors: Hurtado Inmaculada Gómez , Llamas José Manuel Coronel
Published: October 2014

The use of social networks is an increasingly common practice in university education. This study describes an experiment carried out with a group of pre-service teachers from a Spanish University in which Facebook was employed as a resource to develop the teaching and learning process. Specifically, it was applied as a strategy designed to improve relations among the students in the classroom. In-depth interviews were held with twenty students and their teacher to analyse the influence of this emerging technology on knowledge building and the establishing of closer links among students and between students and teachers. The results acknowledge the value of this resource, both for the teacher and the students themselves, in the following areas: classroom climate, teaching-learning process, virtual tutoring, foreign language practice and digital competence acquisition. In the final section of the article, we put forward questions and issues for future research.
Organic geochemistry of petroleum hydrocarbons in Middle to Upper Devonian outcrop samples from Mackenzie Plain area
Authors: Jiang C , Pyle L J , Gal L P
Published: October 2014

Rock-Eval analysis and hydrocarbon biomarker characterization have been carried out on Middle to Upper Devonian oil-stained outcrop samples collected from the Mackenzie Plain area. While an interpretation of the available organic geochemical results supports the
current understanding that the Devonian Canol Formation and Bluefish Member (basal Hare Indian Formation) shales may have been the major source rocks to most oil accumulations in Middle to Upper Devonian reservoirs, an effective older source rock system is proposed to have sourced some of the oil
occurrences in the area.
Except for extremely organic-lean samples in which major hydrocarbon components (e.g. paraffin wax) might be mainly from contamination, organic-rich outcrop samples display hydrocarbon signatures of moderate to heavy biodegradation with their normal alkanes being partially or totally removed.
Source facies parameters such as the ratios of dibenzothiophene over phenanthrene and pristane over phytane indicate their major source rocks to be shale rather than carbonate. The sterane compositions suggest most of the oil occurrences in the area are derived from either Canol Formation or
Bluefish Member shale or both. Most of the oil stains also contain a high relative abundance of arylisoprenoids, a type of aromatic biomarkers known to be abundant in Devonian shales, including Canol and Bluefish units. The distribution pattern of tri-, tetra- and pentacyclic terpanes seems to be
diagnostic in distinguishing the source contribution of Canol Formation from Bluefish Member. Bluefish shale is likely the main source rock for oil occurrences in the Hume Formation limestone in the Mackay Range area, in the Ramparts Formation limestone at Powell Creek, and in the Imperial
Formation sandstone at Katherine Creek. In contrast, oil present in the Fort Norman Formation dolostone at Imperial Anticline and in the Imperial Formation dolostone at Prohibition Creek have a terpane composition closer to that of Norman Wells oil and Canol shale, suggesting that Canol shale is
their main source rock. The apparent high oil quality (e.g., saturated fraction dominated by C13 to C18 n-alkanes) of an outcrop bitumen sample collected at the Canol-Imperial Formation contact in the Imperial River area provides strong evidence of dynamic oil expulsion, migration and accumulation
within the Canol petroleum system in the area. The C29-dominant sterane distribution feature in some Ramparts Formation limestone samples from Powell Creek and Mountain River II site suggests that there might have been an active Precambrian source rock system contributing to oil accumulations in
the Mackenzie Plain area.
Prescribing endomorphism algebras of $\aleph_n$-free modules
Authors: Göbel Rüdiger , Herden Daniel , Shelah Saharon
Published: October 2014

It is a well-known fact that modules over a commutative ring in general cannot be classified, and it is also well-known that we have to impose severe restrictions on either the ring or on the class of modules to solve this problem. One of the restrictions on the modules comes from freeness assumptions which have been intensively studied in recent decades. Two interesting, distinct but typical examples are the papers by Blass and Eklof, both jointly with Shelah. In the first case the authors consider almost-free abelian groups and assume the existence of large canonical, free subgroups. Nevertheless, there exist

\aleph_1

-separable torsion-free groups

G

of size

\aleph_1

with a basic subgroup

B

of rank

\aleph_1

such that all subgroups of

G

disjoint from

B

are also free, but the groups

G

are still not free. What else can we say about

G

? The other paper deals with Kaplansky's test problems (which are excellent indicators that the objects defy classification). The authors are able to construct very free abelian groups and verify the test problems for them by a careful choice of \emph{particular} elements of their endomorphism rings.

Accordingly, we want to investigate and construct

\aleph_n

-free

R

-modules

M

(with

n

an arbitrary, but fixed natural number) over a domain

R

with End

_RM=R

for the first time more systematically and uniformly. Recall that

M

is

\aleph_n

-free, if every subset of size

<\aleph_n

is contained in a pure, free submodule of

M

. The requirement End

_RM=R

implies that

M

is indecomposable, hence complicated. (We will also allow that End

_RM

is a prescribed

R

-algebra, as in the title of this paper.)

By now it is folklore to construct such modules

M

using additional set theoretic axioms, most notably Jensen's

\diamondsuit

-principle. In this case the freeness-condition can even be strengthened, see [6] and many examples in [9]. However, if we insist on proving this result in ordinary ZFC, then the known arguments fail: The classical constructions from the fundamental paper by Corner [2] do not apply because they are based on pure submodules of

p

-adic completions of free

A

-modules, which are never even

\aleph_1

-free. If we use Shelah's Black Box instead of Jensen's

\diamondsuit

-principle, then the constructed modules

M

are still

\aleph_1

-free, but always fail to be even

\aleph_2

-free, see [4]. Thus we must develop new methods, which are presented for the first time in Sections 2 to 6, to achieve the desired result (Main Theorem 7.6). With these methods we provide a useful tool for a wide range of problems concerning

\aleph_n

-free structures which can then be attacked.
Singularities of theta divisors and the geometry of $\mathcal A_5$
Authors: Farkas Gavril , Grushevsky Samuel , Salvati Manni R. , Verra Alessandro
Published: October 2014

We study the codimension two locus

H

in

\mathcal A_g

consisting of principally polarized abelian varieties whose theta divisor has a singularity that is not an ordinary double point. We compute the class

[H]\in CH^2(\mathcal A_g)

for every

g

. For

g=4

, this turns out to be the locus of Jacobians with a vanishing theta-null. For

g=5

, via the Prym map we show that

H\subset \mathcal A_5

has two components, both unirational, which we describe completely. We then determine the slope of the effective cone of

\overline{\mathcal A_5}

and show that the component

\overline{N_0'}

of the Andreotti-Mayer divisor has minimal slope and the Iitaka dimension

\kappa(\overline{\mathcal A_5}, \overline{N_0'})

is equal to zero.
Fejér–Riesz factorizations and the structure of bivariate polynomials orthogonal on the bi-circle
Authors: Geronimo Jeffrey S. , Iliev Plamen
Published: October 2014

We give a complete characterization of the positive trigonometric polynomials

Q(\theta,\varphi)

on the bi-circle, which can be factored as

Q(\theta,\varphi)=|p(e^{i\theta},e^{i\varphi})|^2

where

p(z, w)

is a polynomial nonzero for

|z|=1

and

|w|\leq1

. The conditions are in terms of recurrence coefficients associated with the polynomials in lexicographical and reverse lexicographical ordering orthogonal with respect to the weight

\frac{1}{4\pi^2Q(\theta,\varphi)}

on the bi-circle. We use this result to describe how specific factorizations of weights on the bi-circle can be translated into identities relating the recurrence coefficients for the corresponding polynomials and vice versa. In particular, we characterize the Borel measures on the bi-circle for which the coefficients multiplying the reverse polynomials associated with the two operators: multiplication by

z

in lexicographical ordering and multiplication by

w

in reverse lexicographical ordering vanish after a particular point. This can be considered as a spectral type result analogous to the characterization of the Bernstein-Szeg\H{o} measures on the unit circle.
Extreme value statistics of scalable data exemplified by neutron porosities in deep boreholes
Authors: Guadagnini A. , Neuman S. P. , Nan T. , Riva M. , Winter C. L.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Spatial statistics of earth and environmental (as well as many other) data tend to vary with scale. Common manifestations of scale-dependent statistics include a tendency of increments to have symmetric, non-Gaussian frequency distributions characterized by heavy tails that decay with separation distance or lag; power-law scaling of sample structure functions (statistical moments of absolute increments) in midranges of lags; linear relationships between log structure functions of successive orders at all lags, known as extended self-similarity or ESS; and nonlinear scaling of structure function power-law exponents with function order, a phenomenon commonly attributed in the literature to multifractals. Elsewhere we proposed, explored and demonstrated a new method of geostatistical inference that captures all of these phenomena within a unified theoretical framework. The framework views data as samples from random fields constituting scale-mixtures of truncated (monofractal) fractional Brownian motion (tfBm) or fractional Gaussian noise (tfGn). Important questions not addressed in previous studies concern the distribution and statistical scaling of extreme incremental values. Of special interest in hydrology (and many other areas) are statistics of absolute increments exceeding given thresholds, known as peaks over thresholds or POTs. In this paper we explore for the first time the statistical behavior of POTs associated with samples from scale-mixtures of tfBm or tfGn. We are fortunate to have at our disposal thousands of neutron porosity values from six deep boreholes, in three diverse depositional environments, which we show possess the properties of such samples thus following the theory we proposed. The porosity data are of additional value in revealing a remarkable transition from one scaling regime to another at certain lags. The phenomena we uncover are of fundamental importance for the analysis of fluid flow and solute as well as particulate transport in complex hydrogeologic environments.
Feasibility, benefits and challenges of using telemonitoring for the aging with Developmental Disabilities (DD): An exploratory study
Authors: Nambisan Priya , Lamkin Donna , DeLong Carrie
Published: October 2014

Telemonitoring is being increasingly used to provide services to patients with developmental disabilities in residential community settings. The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility, benefits and challenges of using telemonitoring for aging patients with developmental disabilities. We also assess the benefits and challenges of telemonitoring for the caregivers of these patients. Focus groups and questionnaire-based surveys were used to collect data from patients and caregivers. The study found that telemonitoring was feasible and beneficial for the aging with developmental disabilities, albeit for those who are moderate to high functioning. It was not beneficial or feasible for those with very low functional capabilities. The study found that telemonitoring was beneficial towards providing more independence, more self-confidence in carrying out daily activities, and more knowledge regarding their disease. The study also found that telemonitoring was useful for caregivers to better understand their patients and their needs, better coordinate the services delivered, and to enhance the satisfaction of caregiving. The discussions include limitations of using quantitative methods in this type of setting.Telemonitoring is being increasingly used to provide services to patients with developmental disabilities in residential community settings. The objective of this study is to assess the feasibility, benefits and challenges of using telemonitoring for aging patients with developmental disabilities. We also assess the benefits and challenges of telemonitoring for the caregivers of these patients. Focus groups and questionnaire-based surveys were used to collect data from patients and caregivers. The study found that telemonitoring was feasible and beneficial for the aging with developmental disabilities, albeit for those who are moderate to high functioning. It was not beneficial or feasible for those with very low functional capabilities. The study found that telemonitoring was beneficial towards providing more independence, more self-confidence in carrying out daily activities, and more knowledge regarding their disease. The study also found that telemonitoring was useful for caregivers to better understand their patients and their needs, better coordinate the services delivered, and to enhance the satisfaction of caregiving.
SMEs’ Financial and Differential Reporting- A Review of Publications
Authors: Mkasiwa Tausi Ally
Published: October 2014

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate publications about Small and Medium Enterprises’ (SMEs) financial and differential reporting and formulate suggestions for its progression.  Based on desk-based research, the paper employed a literature-based analysis and critique of 100 selected publications about financial and differential reporting for SMEs. The paper only considered selected studies over the period 1985 to 2014. All financial and differential reporting literature of SMEs that was publicly available was  incorporated (see also, Eierle and Schönefeldt, 2010). This method was employed because of the scattered nature of articles on financial and differential reporting for SMEs. From this, a descriptive analysis of the characteristics of the literature was discussed. Thereafter, a conceptual analysis of the reviewed publications was conducted to provide the basis for suggestions for possible future directions of this body of research. The descriptive analysis highlighted that among the research studies reviewed several interesting patterns emerged concerning SMEs’ financial and differential reporting research. Contrary to what had been argued in previous reviews, studies of developing countries had started to increase in this body of research since 2009. When the focus of the literature was considered, the “scrutinization of differential reporting” was the area of most focused interest especially after the release of IFRS for SMEs. The main implications of this paper are that, the focus of published literature had been in line with IASB’s project of the development of IFRS for SMEs. This paper provides several important insights in order to highlight policy development, especially to the steering bodies such as IASB. Moreover, the paper identifies possible areas for further research.
The Role of Organizational Justice, Trust and Commitment in a Management Control System (MCS)- Gain Sharing
Authors: Latan Hengky , Ramli Nur Ainna
Published: October 2014

The main purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the roles of organizational justice, trust and organizational commitment in a specific type of management control system (MCS), gain-sharing. Based on the proposed theory hypothesis, employee perceptions involving the procedural justice of the gain-sharing plan to influence the employee trust in manager’s, organizational commitment and their performance. Positive perceptions of fairness and equality lead to enhance trust and organizational commitment, which, in turn, has positive consequences for the employee performance. To examine these matters, a survey technique was administered to employee in public and private bank in Ambon city. The result analysis of the Partial Least Squares approach indicates that employee perceptions regarding the fairness and equality of the gain-sharing plan are positively significant related to employee trust in manager’s, organizational commitment and their performance. Further, employee trust in manager and organizational commitment has a positive influence to employee performance. Also, this study gives an evidence that there is no significant different between gender on such relationships.
Impact of International Financial Reporting Standards on Cost of equity Capital for Asian countries
Authors: Patro Prof. Archana , K. Gupta Prof. V.
Published: October 2014

The present study examines whether adoption of IFRS reduces Cost of equity Capital for firms in Asia. The sample consists of firms from four Asian Countries, namely China, Hong Kong, Israel and Philippines, where IFRS has been made mandatory. Data for six years covering the period from 2006-2011 has been taken for analysis. Different types of panel data estimates were used and compared so as to interpret the results with the best suited parameters for different data sets for different countries. The results vary for different countries. The firms in Hong Kong and Philippines get benefit from the reduction in their cost of equity capital after adopting IFRS, but for firms in China and Israel cost of equity capital increased. It is also evident from the study that other firm specific control variables have no impact on cost of equity capital. The study contributes to the understanding of economic consequences of adopting IFRS across Asian countries. The findings would be important not only to countries that have already adopted IFRS, but also to countries that are in the process of adopting the standard. The outcomes will have important implications for the regulators, practitioners, academicians and auditors, as well as end-users of financial statements.
Exponential Stability of the Energy of the Wave Equation with Variable Coefficients and a Boundary Distributed Delay
Authors: Liu Wenjun
Published: October 2014

In this paper, we consider a wave equation with space variable coefficients. Due to physical considerations, a distributed delay damping is acted on the part of the boundary. Under suitable assumptions, we prove the exponential stability of the energy based on the use of Riemannian geometry method, the perturbed energy argument, and some observability inequalities. From the applications point of view, our results may provide some qualitative analysis and intuition for the researchers in fields such as engineering, biophysics, and mechanics. And the method is rather general and can be adapted to other evolution systems with variable coefficients (e. g. elasticity plates) as well.
Hydromagnetic Mixed Convective Two-Phase Flow of Couple Stress and Viscous Fluids in an Inclined Channel
Authors: Abbas Zaheer , Hasnain Jafar , Sajid Muhammad
Published: October 2014

An analysis is carried out to study magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow and heat transfer of two immiscible fluids in an inclined channel. The channel is filled with couple stress fluid in one region and a viscous fluid in the other region. The viscous fluid is assumed to be electrically conducting. The governing equations are modelled using the fully developed flow conditions. A closed form solutions of velocity and the temperature profiles are obtained by using perturbation method. The physical interpretation of the emerging parameters of interest on the velocity and temperature distributions are shown through graphs and discussed in detail.
Fault Tree Analysis in the Reliability of Heavy Fuel Oil Supply
Authors: Golub Medvešek Ivana , Šoda Joško , Perić Tina
Published: October 2014

Marine systems are complex and through the analysis of their reliability it is necessary to observe the reliability of their subsystems and components. With regard to the fact that the reliability is functionally dependent on faults, for the purpose of this study special attention has been given to possible faults on the heavy fuel oil supply pump of a two-stroke marine diesel engine MAN B&W 5L90MC. A deductive approach to reliability analysis, i.e. fault tree analysis method (FTA), has been used. By the use of this method it is simpler to identify the system’s weak link and it is shown that the method gives the basis for the ship’s system reliability analysis. Based on FTA analysis this paper suggests system parameters that require continuous monitoring in order to achieve reliability. The results show the behavior of the components in case of faults and this approach can help to create a plan of action in order to enforce timely corrective and preventive action and, accordingly, increase the rate of reliability of the entire ship’s systems.
Essential English for Pilotage and Tug Assistance - Proposal for SMCP Extension
Authors: Čulić-Viskota Adelija
Published: October 2014

This paper aims at presenting the activities undertaken since 2012 by the G.A.M.E. – Gesellschaft für Ausbildung in Maritimem Englisch (German Association for Maritime English) with the seat at Bremen University of Applied Sciences, Nautical Department and presided by Capt. Willi Wittig, Head of the Department. The Association gathers Maritime English instructors and maritime professionals who have recently focused on updating the existing Standard Marine Communication Phrases – SMCP – in order to better match the ever growing requirements in maritime aff airs. The emphasis has been put on the pilotage and tug assistance phrases, as the existing body of phrases has not been felt entirely suitable to the activities performed. Thus, Capt. Matthias Meyer, master mariner and lecturer at the Nautical Department of the University of Applied Sciences in Bremen, former elder brother of Port Pilot Society Bremerhaven, was entrusted with the task of proposing a further development of the phrases related to this particular seafaring activity. The other lecturers, including the author of the paper, contributed during the 2014 G.A.M.E. summer seminar to Capt. Meyer’s proposal purely from the linguistic or methodical point of view.
Calculation of harmonic losses and ampacity in low-voltage power cables when used for feeding large LED lighting loads
Authors: Milardovich N. J. , Prevosto L. , Lara M. A.
Published: October 2014

A numerical investigation on the harmonic disturbances in low-voltage cables feeding large LED loads is reported. A frequency domain analysis on several commercially-available LEDs was performed to investigate the signature of the harmonic current injected into the power system. Four-core cables and four single-core cable arrangements (three phases and neutral) of small, medium, and large conductor cross sections, with the neutral conductor cross section approximately equal to the half of the phase conductors, were examined. The cables were modelled by using electromagnetic finite-element analysis software. High harmonic power losses (up to 2.5 times the value corresponding to an undistorted current of the same rms value of the first harmonic of the LED current) were found. A generalized ampacity model was employed for re-rating the cables. It was found that the cross section of the neutral conductor plays an important role in the derating of the cable ampacity due to the presence of a high-level of triplen harmonics in the distorted current. The ampacity of the cables should be derated by about 40 %, almost independent of the conductor cross sections. The calculation have shown that an incoming widespread use of LED lamps in lighting could create significant additional harmonic losses in the supplying low-voltage lines, and thus more severely harmonic emission limits should be defined for LED lamps.
Observations and modeling of slow‐sinking particles in the twilight zone
Authors: Villa‐Alfageme M. , de Soto F. , Le Moigne F. A. C. , Giering S. L. C. , Sanders R. , García‐Tenorio R.
Published: October 2014

The biological carbon pump (BCP) transfers carbon from the surface ocean into the oceans' interior, mainly in the form of sinking particles with an organic component, and thereby keeps atmospheric CO2 at significantly lower levels than if the oceans were abiotic. The depth at which these sinking particles are remineralized is a key control over atmospheric CO2. Particle sinking speed is likely to be a critical parameter over remineralization depth. Carbon export is usually controlled by large, rapidly sinking particles (>150 m·d−1); however, under some circumstances sinking velocity distributions are strongly bimodal with a significant fraction of total flux being carried by slowly (<10 m·d−1) sinking particles. Therefore, there is an interest in determining sinking particle velocities and their variations with depth, as well as in understanding the interplay between sinking velocity distributions and carbon export. Here, we use profiles of total and particulate concentrations of the naturally occurring radionuclide pair 210Po‐210Pb from the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) site (48°N, 16.5°W) to estimate depth variation in particle sinking speed using a one‐box model and inverse techniques. Average sinking speeds increase from 60 ± 30 m·d−1 at 50 m, to 75 ± 25 m·d−1 and 90 ± 20 m·d−1 at 150 and 500 m. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis suggests that at the PAP site the measured 210Po profiles are inconsistent with the usually assumed sinking velocities of 200 m·d−1. We hypothesize that a trend of increasing velocity with depth might be caused by a gradual loss of slow‐sinking material with depth, a factor with significant implications for regional carbon budgets.
Observations of a diapycnal shortcut to adiabatic upwelling of Antarctic Circumpolar Deep Water
Authors: Silvester J. Mead , Lenn Yueng‐Djern , Polton Jeff A. , Rippeth Tom P. , Maqueda M. Morales
Published: October 2014

In the Southern Ocean, small‐scale turbulence causes diapycnal mixing which influences important water mass transformations, in turn impacting large‐scale ocean transports such as the Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC), a key controller of Earth's climate. We present direct observations of mixing over the Antarctic continental slope between water masses that are part of the Southern Ocean MOC. A 12 h time series of microstructure turbulence measurements, hydrography, and velocity observations off Elephant Island, north of the Antarctic Peninsula, reveals two concurrent bursts of elevated dissipation of O(10−6) W kg−1, resulting in heat fluxes ∼10 times higher than basin‐integrated Drake Passage estimates. This occurs across the boundary between adjacent adiabatic upwelling and downwelling overturning cells. Ray tracing to nearby topography shows mixing between 300 and 400 m is consistent with the breaking of locally generated internal tidal waves. Since similar conditions extend to much of the Antarctic continental slope where these water masses outcrop, diapycnal mixing may contribute significantly to upwelling.
Will Arctic sea ice thickness initialization improve seasonal forecast skill?
Authors: Day J. J. , Hawkins E. , Tietsche S.
Published: October 2014

Arctic sea ice thickness is thought to be an important predictor of Arctic sea ice extent. However, coupled seasonal forecast systems do not generally use sea ice thickness observations in their initialization and are therefore missing a potentially important source of additional skill. To investigate how large this source is, a set of ensemble potential predictability experiments with a global climate model, initialized with and without knowledge of the sea ice thickness initial state, have been run. These experiments show that accurate knowledge of the sea ice thickness field is crucially important for sea ice concentration and extent forecasts up to 8 months ahead, especially in summer. Perturbing sea ice thickness also has a significant impact on the forecast error in Arctic 2 m temperature a few months ahead. These results suggest that advancing capabilities to observe and assimilate sea ice thickness into coupled forecast systems could significantly increase skill.
AERUS‐GEO: A newly available satellite‐derived aerosol optical depth product over Europe and Africa
Authors: Carrer D. , Ceamanos X. , Six B. , Roujean J.‐L.
Published: October 2014

This article presents a new aerosol optical depth (AOD) product delivered in near real time by the ICARE Data and Services Center to the scientific community. The AERUS‐GEO (Aerosol and surface albEdo Retrieval Using a directional Splitting method‐application to GEOstationary data) product is derived from observations from the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) geostationary satellite covering Europe, Africa, and part of Asia and South America. The retrieval method exploits the directional information contained in the series of 96 MSG observations per day of the Earth's disk to derive a daily averaged AOD. The performances of this product are similar to those of other widely used satellite‐derived AOD. This article illustrates the advantages of the spatial (3 km at best) and temporal (daily) resolution of the AERUS‐GEO product to monitor particular aerosol activity (e.g., volcanic eruptions) or to study given phenomena (e.g., the impact of topography on aerosol loading).
Regional precipitation simulations for the mid‐1970s shift and early‐2000s hiatus
Authors: Meehl Gerald A. , Teng Haiyan
Published: October 2014

It has been demonstrated that climate models initialized with observations produce better simulations of Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) patterns than uninitialized simulations for the two major climate regime changes of the last 40 years, the mid‐1970s climate shift and early‐2000s hiatus. A fundamental feature of these hindcasts is the simulation of the SST anomalies associated with the phase of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO). Since regional precipitation patterns over selected land areas in south Asia, Australia, and North America are known to be affected by SST patterns over the Pacific, it is shown that the initialized climate model simulations produce qualitatively better agreement with observations for regional precipitation anomalies in those regions compared to uninitialized climate models. Though the signals are small, the anomalies are consistent with our physical process‐based understanding of precipitation responses over certain land areas during different IPO phases.
Constraining Cretaceous subduction polarity in eastern Pacific from seismic tomography and geodynamic modeling
Authors: Liu Lijun
Published: October 2014

Interpretation of recent mantle seismic images below the America ignited a debate on the Cretaceous subduction polarity in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The traditional view is that the massive vertical slab wall under eastern North America resulted from an eastward Farallon subduction. An alternative interpretation attributes this prominent seismic structure to a westward subduction of the North American Plate against a stationary intraoceanic trench. Here I design quantitative subduction models to test these two scenarios, using their implied plate kinematics as velocity boundary conditions. Modeling results suggest that the westward subduction scenario could not produce enough slab volume as seismic images reveal, as is due to the overall slow subduction rate (~2.5 cm/yr). The results favor the continuous eastward Farallon subduction scenario, which, with an average convergence rate of >10 cm/yr prior to the Eocene, can properly generate both the volume and the geometry of the imaged lower mantle slab pile. The eastward subduction model is also consistent with most Cretaceous geological records along the west coast of North America.
Effects of discreteness of chorus waves on quasilinear diffusion‐based modeling of energetic electron dynamics
Authors: Tao Xin , Bortnik Jacob , Albert Jay M. , Thorne Richard M. , Li Wen
Published: October 2014

Chorus waves are typically observed as a series of discrete, narrowband rising or falling tone elements, as opposed to a continuous uniform band, as it is often modeled. The effects of this discreteness on the applicability of quasilinear theory to interactions between electrons and parallel‐propagating chorus waves in a dipole field are investigated using test particle simulations. Previous work indicated that quasilinear theory might not be directly applicable, because chorus elements are coherent or quasi‐coherent. Nonlinear processes such as phase trapping and bunching were demonstrated by modeling a chorus element using a single wave. Here we represent a chorus wave field with a series of coherent elements with subpacket structures using a previously developed method involving test particle simulations to explore the applicability of quasilinear theory. By comparing electron distribution functions from test particle simulations and quasilinear predictions, we demonstrate that, besides the wave amplitude, the discreteness of chorus waves also affects the applicability of quasilinear theory. When chorus elements are close to each other and the wave amplitude is small, quasilinear theory can well describe the evolution of the electron distribution. However, when chorus elements are widely separated in space and time, the discreteness of chorus might reduce the possibility of resonant interactions between electrons and chorus. Nonlinear effects of chorus waves on electrons are also shown using the current model. The method presented in this work should be helpful for investigating the applicability of quasilinear theory in general situations. Our results should be important to understanding and modeling electrons dynamics due to interactions with chorus.
Bayesian inference for ultralow velocity zones in the Earth's lowermost mantle: Complex ULVZ beneath the east of the Philippines
Authors: Pachhai S. , Tkalčić H. , Dettmer J.
Published: October 2014

Ultralow velocity zones (ULVZs) are small‐scale structures with a sharp decrease in S and P wave velocity, and an increase in the density on the top of the Earth's core‐mantle boundary. The ratio of S and P wave velocity reduction and density anomaly are important to understanding whether ULVZs consist of partial melt or chemically distinct material. However, existing methods such as forward waveform modeling that utilize 1‐D and 2‐D Earth‐structure models face challenges when trying to uniquely quantify ULVZ properties because of inherent nonuniqueness and nonlinearity. This paper develops a Bayesian inversion for ULVZ parameters and uncertainties with rigorous noise treatment to address these challenges. The posterior probability density of the ULVZ parameters (the solution to the inverse problem) is sampled by the Metropolis‐Hastings algorithm. To improve sampling efficiency, parallel tempering is applied by simulating a sequence of tempered Markov chains in parallel and allowing information exchange between chains. First, the Bayesian inversion is applied to simulated noisy data for a realistic ULVZ model. Then, measured data sampling the lowermost mantle under the Philippine Sea are considered. Cluster analysis and visual waveform inspection suggest that two distinct classes of ScP (S waves converted to, and reflected as, P waves) waves exist in this region. The distinct waves likely correspond to lateral variability in the lowermost mantle properties in a NE‐SW direction. For the NE area, Bayesian model selection identifies a two‐layer model with a gradual density increase as a function of depth as optimal. This complex ULVZ structure can be due to the percolation of iron‐enriched, molten material in the lowermost mantle. The results for the SW area are more difficult to interpret, which may be due to the limited number of data available (too few waveforms to appropriately reduce noise) and/or complex 2‐D and 3‐D structures that cannot be explained properly by the 1‐D models required by our inversion approach. In particular, the complex waveforms require highly layered 1‐D models to fit the data. These models appear physically unreasonable and suggest that the SW region cannot be explained by 1‐D structure.
Formulation of coseismic changes in Earth rotation and low‐degree gravity field based on the spherical Earth dislocation theory
Authors: Xu Changyi , Sun Wenke , Chao B. Fong
Published: October 2014

In this paper we present analytical formulas to compute the coseismic Earth rotation change (polar motion and length of day) and low‐degree gravity field change based on a spherical dislocation theory. Using the preliminary reference Earth model and our formulas, we calculate coseismic changes in Earth's rotation and low‐degree Stokes coefficients caused by the four largest earthquakes since 1960. The results verify that the present method is consistent with previous studies, but the method cannot be verified by the observations. A case study on the 2011 Tohoku‐Oki earthquake (Mw 9.0) indicates that the coseismic Earth rotation change depends on the magnitude and source parameters, and results show a difference between a point source and finite fault model. We also investigate the effect of seawater redistribution on coseismic Earth rotation change, but the effect is small and can be neglected.
Space Weather Observations by GNSS Radio Occultation: From FORMOSAT‐3/COSMIC to FORMOSAT‐7/COSMIC‐2
Authors: Yue Xinan , Schreiner William S. , Pedatella Nicholas , Anthes Richard A. , Mannucci Anthony J. , Straus Paul R. , Liu Jann‐Yenq
Published: October 2014

The joint Taiwan‐United States FORMOSAT‐3/COSMIC (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate) mission, hereafter called COSMIC, is the first satellite constellation dedicated to remotely sense Earth's atmosphere and ionosphere using a technique called Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO). The occultations yield abundant information about neutral atmospheric temperature and moisture as well as space weather estimates of slant total electron content, electron density profiles, and an amplitude scintillation index, S4. With the success of COSMIC, the United States and Taiwan are moving forward with a follow‐on RO mission named FORMOSAT‐7/COSMIC‐2 (COSMIC‐2), which will ultimately place 12 satellites in orbit with two launches in 2016 and 2019. COSMIC‐2 satellites will carry an advanced Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) RO receiver that will track both GPS and Russian Global Navigation Satellite System signals, with capability for eventually tracking other GNSS signals from the Chinese BeiDou and European Galileo system, as well as secondary space weather payloads to measure low‐latitude plasma drifts and scintillation at multiple frequencies. COSMIC‐2 will provide 4–6 times (10–15X in the low latitudes) the number of atmospheric and ionospheric observations that were tracked with COSMIC and will also improve the quality of the observations. In this article we focus on COSMIC/COSMIC‐2 measurements of key ionospheric parameters.
Familial very long chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase deficiency as a cause of neonatal sudden infant death: Improved survival by prompt diagnosis
Authors: Scalais Emmanuel , Bottu Jean , Wanders Ronald J. A. , Ferdinandusse Sacha , Waterham Hans R. , De Meirleir Linda
Published: October 2014

In neonates, very long chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency is often characterized by cardiomyopathy, hepatic encephalopathy, or severe hypoketotic hypoglycemia, or a combination thereof. The purpose of this study was to further elucidate a familial VLCAD deficiency in three patients, two of whom died in the neonatal period. We report on a family with VLCAD deficiency. Acyl‐carnitine profiles were obtained from dried blood spot and/or from oxidation of 13C‐palmitate by cultured skin fibroblasts. In the index patient, VLCAD deficiency was ascertained by enzyme activity measurement in fibroblasts and by molecular analysis of ACADVL. At 30 hr of life, the proband was diagnosed with hypoglycemia (1.77 mmol/L), rhabdomyolysis (CK: 12966 IU/L) and hyperlactacidemia (10.6 mmol/L). Acylcarnitine profile performed at 31 hr of life was consistent with VLCAD deficiency and confirmed by cultured skin fibroblast enzyme activity measurement. Molecular analysis of ACADVL revealed a homozygous splice‐site mutation (1077 + 2T>C). The acyl‐carnitine profile obtained from the sibling's original newborn screening cards demonstrated a similar, but less pronounced abnormal profile. In the proband, the initial metabolic crisis was controlled with 10% dextrose solution and oral riboflavin followed by specific diet (Basic‐F and medium chain triglyceride (MCT). This clinical report demonstrates a familial history of repeated neonatal deaths explained by VLCAD deficiency, and the clinical evolution of the latest affected, surviving sibling. It shows that very early metabolic screening is an effective approach to avoid sudden unexpected death. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Prader–Willi syndrome can be diagnosed prenatally
Authors: Gross Noa , Rabinowitz Ron , Gross‐Tsur Varda , Hirsch Harry J. , Eldar‐Geva Talia
Published: October 2014

The aim of this study was to characterize the fetal phenotype of a cohort of individuals with confirmed diagnoses of Prader‐Willi syndrome (PWS), a severe multi‐system genetic disorder, diagnosed by a specific methylation test. We interviewed mothers of 106 individuals with PWS to obtain information about the pregnancy of their affected child. For 47 pregnancies of children younger than 10 years, we also reviewed the obstetric ultrasound and detailed obstetric history from medical records. We compared the PWS pregnancies with those of the sibling closest in age and with the general population. McNemars, Chi‐square and Fisher exact tests were used for statistical analyses. Decreased fetal movements, small for gestational age (SGA), asymmetrical intrauterine growth (increased head/abdomen circumferences ratio) and polyhydramnios were found in 88%, 65%, 43%, and 34%, respectively (P < 0.001 vs. siblings and P < 0.0001 vs. the general population for all measurements). No severe morphological abnormalities were found. A combination of 2, 3, and 4 abnormalities was found in 27%, 29%, and 24% of pregnancies, respectively. Fourteen out of 15 umbilical artery Doppler studies were within the normal range (93%). The rare combination of asymmetrical intrauterine growth and polyhydramnios was found in 34% of PWS pregnancies (P < 0.0001 vs. the general population). Prenatal genetic screening for PWS by methylation testing is indicated when any combination of polyhydramnios, SGA or asymmetric intrauterine growth, with normal Doppler studies is present, particularly when asymmetrical intrauterine growth and polyhydramnios coexist. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Enzymatic Fabrication of High‐Density RNA Arrays
Authors: Wu Cheng‐Hsien , Holden Matthew T. , Smith Lloyd M.
Published: October 2014

A powerful new strategy for the fabrication of high‐density RNA arrays is described. A high‐density DNA array is fabricated by standard photolithographic methods, the surface‐bound DNA molecules are enzymatically copied into their RNA complements from a surface‐bound RNA primer, and the DNA templates are enzymatically destroyed, leaving behind the desired RNA array. The strategy is compatible with 2′‐fluoro‐modified (2′F) ribonucleoside triphosphates (rNTPs), which may be included in the polymerase extension reaction to impart nuclease resistance and other desirable characteristics to the synthesized RNAs. The use and fidelity of the arrays are explored with DNA hybridization, DNAzyme cleavage, and nuclease digestion experiments.
Mapping Platinum Species in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells by Spatially Resolved XAFS Techniques
Authors: Takao Shinobu , Sekizawa Oki , Nagamatsu Shin‐ichi , Kaneko Takuma , Yamamoto Takashi , Samjeské Gabor , Higashi Kotaro , Nagasawa Kensaku , Tsuji Takuya , Suzuki Motohiro , Kawamura Naomi , Mizumaki Masaichiro , Uruga Tomoya , Iwasawa Yasuhiro
Published: October 2014

There is limited information on the mechanism for platinum oxidation and dissolution in Pt/C cathode catalyst layers of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) under the operating conditions though these issues should be uncovered for the development of next‐generation PEFCs. Pt species in Pt/C cathode catalyst layers are mapped by a XAFS (X‐ray absorption fine structure) method and by a quick‐XAFS(QXAFS) method. Information on the site‐preferential oxidation and leaching of Pt cathode nanoparticles around the cathode boundary and the micro‐crack in degraded PEFCs is provided, which is relevant to the origin and mechanism of PEFC degradation.