bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technology-Mediated Mathematics Teacher Development
Authors: Herbst Patricio , Chazan Daniel , Chieu Vu Minh , Milewski Amanda , Kosko Karl W. , Aaron Wendy Rose
Published: April 2016

This chapter focuses on how digital technologies provide affordances for Practice-Based Mathematics Teacher Education (PBMTE) and maps needed research on technologically mediated teacher education. The chapter elaborates on Grossman's pedagogies of practice, describing how they can be enacted in digital environments. Using LessonSketch as a prototype of an online platform for PBMTE, the chapter describes what those pedagogies look like when mediated through technology by narrating three cases. The chapter maps needed research by describing how various research approaches including design research, teaching effectiveness, ecological, and instrumental genesis might be used to organize research on environments that support technologically mediated, practice-based mathematics teacher education.
Distance Technologies and the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in the Era of MOOC
Authors: Hoyos Veronica
Published: April 2016

This chapter reviews conceptual elements expanding study of recent theoretical frameworks for analyzing online courses for mathematics teaching and learning. A critical analysis is conducted about the peculiarities of the current online teaching and learning courses called Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) available for supporting teachers in the teaching of mathematics with technologies. Analysis is based on the extension and implementation of key concepts of the didactic theory of mathematics, namely didactic transposition and teaching contract. Theory extensions, as computational transposition and epistemological and didactic validity, support reflections of online professional development of mathematics teachers from results of innovative experiences in distance education. The overall analysis highlights problems associated with the physical distance between actors involved in online educative modalities related to teaching and learning of mathematics with technologies and the virtual character of educational Internet resources and its impact on the type of acquired knowledge.
Documenting a Developing Vision of Teaching Mathematics with Technology
Authors: Cox Dana C. , Harper Suzanne R.
Published: April 2016

This chapter reports on a study of 39 Preservice Mathematics Teachers (PSMTs) enrolled in a course on mathematical problem solving with technology. Qualitative data were collected with the purpose of examining the extent to which the course was supporting the development of a vision of teaching with technology amongst secondary preservice mathematics teachers. Two findings are discussed. First, PSMTs developed a vision aligned with the vision provided by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Technology Principle. Second, PSMTs drew heavily on instructional experiences gained in the course to illustrate that emergent vision. The voices in this study challenge key assumptions that may be prevalent in current practice in the preparation of PSMTs.
Transforming Lesson Design through Animation
Authors: Amador Julie M. , Earnest Darrell
Published: April 2016

This chapter reports on a project in which elementary mathematics preservice teachers visualized lessons through an online animation platform. Preservice teachers at two universities engaged in an extensive project that translated printed mathematics curricular materials into visualizations of enactment. The project centered on preservice teacher-created animations as a way to extend the lesson planning process and more closely approximate actual decisions of teaching practice, including representations used, student contributions, and mathematical understanding. Project components are described with an emphasis on the role of animations as an extension of lesson planning. The intent is to understand the ways in which the technology platform illuminated preservice teachers' curricular decision making as they transitioned from a written lesson plan to animated lessons. Consideration is made for how the technology may provide transformational opportunities that otherwise may not have occurred.
Formative Assessment and Preservice Elementary Teachers' Mathematical Justification
Authors: Edson Alden J. , Rogers Diane R. , Browning Christine A.
Published: April 2016

The focus of this chapter is on elementary preservice teachers' (PSTs') use of justification in problem-solving contexts based on a semester algebra course designed for elementary education mathematics minors. Formative assessment and digital tools facilitated the development of PSTs' understanding and use of justification in algebraic topics. The instructional model used includes the following components: negotiating a “taken-as-shared” justification rubric criteria; engaging in problem solving; preparing, digitally recording, and posting justification videos to the Cloud; and finally, listening and sharing descriptive feedback on the posted videos. VoiceThread was the digital venue for the preservice teachers to listen to their peers' justifications and post descriptive feedback. Findings from an analysis of a group focus on the PSTs' peer- and self-feedback as it developed through a semester and the PSTs' ability to provide a range of descriptive feedback with the potential to promote growth in the understanding and use of mathematical justification.
Learning Mathematics and Technology through Inquiry, Cooperation, and Communication
Authors: Flores Alfinio , Park Jungeun , Bernhardt Stephen A.
Published: April 2016

This chapter describes an empirical study aimed to design, implement, and refine a learning trajectory for developing future mathematics teachers' Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). The learning trajectory is set in an instructional context where mathematics and technology are learned through inquiry, cooperation, communication, and modeling early in the teacher preparation program with the intent to establish a classroom model of instruction. The chapter focuses on preservice teachers' learning in two dimensions of TPACK. One dimension is the extension of preservice teachers knowledge to each one of the four principal components of TPACK: Overarching conceptions, Students understanding and thinking, Curriculum and curricular materials, and Instructional strategies and representations for teaching. The second dimension is along preservice teachers' progression in the five levels of adoption of technology: Recognizing, Accepting, Adapting, Exploring, and Extending. The learning trajectory is based on research and theory for learning mathematics in a meaningful way.
The Influence of Professional Development on Primary Teachers' TPACK and Use of Formative Assessment
Authors: Polly Drew , Martin Christie , Wang Chuang , Lambert Richard , Pugalee David K. , Middleton Catharina W.
Published: April 2016

Formative assessment continues to be heralded as a high-leverage teaching practice that has empirical links to student achievement. This chapter describes the design and influences of a year-long professional development project focused on supporting primary grades teachers' with formative assessment skills in mathematics. The professional development was a blended format that included face-to-face workshops as well as classroom-based activities that were presented and facilitated through an online asynchronous format. Findings from the study indicated that teachers' enacted evidence of various aspects of TPACK, but there was variance in terms of how teachers implemented pedagogies. Implications for the design of professional development focused on formative assessment include the need to situate teachers' learning in their classroom, and provide ongoing multiple modes of support to help teachers enact formative assessment practices.
A Reconstructed Conception of Learner Engagement in Technology Rich Online Learning Environments
Authors: Gillow-Wiles Henry , Niess Margaret L.
Published: April 2016

Teaching and learning in a technology rich digital context challenge established thinking about student engagement in their learning. This chapter presents a reconstructed conception of learner engagement for online environments consisting of: engagement with community; engagement with technology; engagement with mathematics content; and an amalgam of all three. This descriptive, cross-case study combines current literature with the authors' past research to develop characterizations of these components of online learner engagement. This reconstructed model of learner engagement is the focus of the study, providing: 1) a vocabulary for developing a narrative describing how teachers as students think and learn with technology in an online environment and 2) a framework for mathematics teacher education professional development. Results indicate that this model supports teacher educators in both describing and evaluating how teachers as learners engage in a unit of instruction, and framing the course design and instructional strategy choices that support learner engagement.
Technology Innovation Adoption Theories
Authors: Ali Omar , Soar Jeffrey
Published: April 2016

Increasing the adoption of Information Technology (IT) is one potential means for strengthening national economies through enhancing productivity; there is a need for theoretical models to assist the development of national strategies to achieve this end. Theories for adoption models at the entity and the firm level used in Information Systems (IS) literature are discussed in this chapter. A detailed study of the major theories was undertaken along with reviews that compare more than one theory. Independent and dependent variables and the empirical literature are considered in this analysis.
Lean Thinking and the Innovation Process
Authors: Hurriyet Hilal , Nakandala Dilupa
Published: April 2016

This chapter analyses the evolution of lean thinking and its widening applications from its origin of the manufacturing industry towards the other industries with the emphasis on how organizations could learn from lean thinking for achieving improved performance of innovation processes. Based on the degree of novelty, uncertainty and complexity associated with innovation processes, direct adoption of lean thinking for optimization is considered to be challenging. We discuss that organizations need to realize that there are opportunities for lateral learning from lean applications that have benefited systematic repetitive processes such as manufacturing by adapting to innovation processes through identification and shedding of non-value added activities. By identifying several lean innovation approaches in practice for optimizing innovation process, we stress the need and opportunity for the adaptation of lean thinking to cater the special characteristics of innovation processes.
Promoting Lean Innovation for SMEs
Authors: Solleiro José Luis , Castañón Rosario , Gaona Claudia
Published: April 2016

In Mexican SMEs the IDB, COMECYT and CONACYT have sponsored innovation. Target firms belong to priority manufacturing and service sectors and they have been supported through providing technical assistance to generating technology-development projects and innovation-based networks as well as matching funds for those projects. Over 150 Mexican SMEs participated in this effort in the period 2011-2013 to build and implement innovation agendas with the assistance of innovation managers. This paper includes an analysis of participating firms, their perceived technology needs, their openness to collaborate with actors of the innovation system and their abilities to identify goals, formulate proposals and implement specific projects. The conclusion is that success of innovation policies in developing countries is highly dependent on previous experience and learning abilities of firms. Finally, some recommendations are drawn for building capacities at the firm level as well as for strengthening innovation policies aimed at involving and technologically upgrading SMEs.
Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights
Authors: Campi Mercedes
Published: April 2016

As a contribution to the open debate regarding the effect of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) on innovation, this chapter postulates that the adoption of strong IPRs is not a necessary condition to foster innovation in the plant breeding industry. The chapter studies the evolution of the soybean breeding industry in the US and Argentina and shows that regardless the level of intellectual property protection, if there is an attractive and profitable market, firms may search for different appropriability strategies rather than changing their innovative behavior. The chapter finds that the growth rates of new soybean varieties are similar in both countries and the adoption rate is faster in Argentina where the IPRs system is weaker.
Data Science and Big Data Analytics in Financial Services
Authors: Behari Suren , Cater-Steel Aileen , Soar Jeffrey
Published: April 2016

The chapter discusses how Financial Services organizations can take advantage of Big Data analysis for disruptive innovation through examination of a case study in the financial services industry. Popular tools for Big Data Analysis are discussed and the challenges of big data are explored as well as how these challenges can be met. The work of Hayes-Roth in Valued Information at the Right Time (VIRT) and how it applies to the case study is examined. Boyd's model of Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act (OODA) is explained in relation to disruptive innovation in financial services. Future trends in big data analysis in the financial services domain are explored.
The Effect of Organizational Slack on Innovation Performance
Authors: Pan Qiuyue , Wei Jiang , Al-Hakim Latif
Published: April 2016

To compete through disruptive innovation, organisations allocate part of its resources as a buffer to support its capability of disruptiveness or to face challenges created by competitors. These resources could be in terms of human resources, technology, equipment, information and/or financial resources. Literature refers to the buffer of resources as organisational slack. This research considers high-tech industry in China and investigates the relationship between the characteristics of the organisation's governance body, organisational slack and innovation performance. Data required by our research were obtained from various national databases available in the library of Zhejiang University. Data from 233 high-tech organisations listed in Chinese stock market were analysed. The results indicate that the interaction of the organisational slack of an organisation with various characteristics of the governance body partially moderates the innovation performance.
Characteristics of Innovation in the Arabic Countries
Authors: Nour Samia Satti Osman Mohamed
Published: April 2016

This chapter employs both the descriptive and comparative approaches and uses the definition of national systems of innovation used in the literature to examine the characteristics (strength and weakness) and implications of the national systems of innovation in the Arab countries. This paper examines three hypotheses, that the national systems of innovation exist but characterized by serious weaknesses in the Arab countries compared with other world countries, that the level of income has inconclusive effect in the performance of the national innovation systems in the Arab countries and that the poor Arab national systems of innovation has serious implications in the Arab countries. This paper explains two common characteristics of the national systems of innovation concerning poor subsystems of education, S&T, R&D, and ICT institutions in the Arab countries and concentration of R&D activities within public and universities sectors and small contribution of the private sector in R&D activities.
International Human Capital as a Source of Competitive Advantage for Organizations
Authors: Domínguez María Bastida
Published: April 2016

The aim of this chapter is to highlight the properties presented by the international human capital that allows us to conceptualize it as a strategic resource of organizations, and therefore, a potential source of sustainable competitive advantage. We highlight the role of international assignments as a preferred way for companies to contribute to developing global skills in leadership. Finally, under the consideration of the difficulties that can raise these assignments, both in terms of cost and effectiveness, we review some other alternative ways of development that companies are currently hiring: short-term expatriates, virtual, self-initiated and inpatriation.
Talent Management Integrated Approach for Organizational Development
Authors: Baporikar Neeta
Published: April 2016

Increased competition for competencies has created opportunities to collaborate, lead, formulate and execute winning Talent Management (TM) strategies to ensure Organizational Development (OD). OD is a system wide application of behavioral science knowledge to the planned development, improvement, and reinforcement of the strategies, structures, and processes that lead to organizational effectiveness. Considering that labour costs comprise huge percentage of spending, it is vital to have TM integration that suit to leverage organizations' values, vision, mission, and strategy. Moreover, the powerful levers that leaders can use to align organization, gain commitment to a new direction, and execute new strategies are TM, leadership development, and carefully chosen and well-executed OD initiatives. The better integrated these levers are the more effective they will be. Through grounded theory approach and content analysis, the chapter aims to understand role of TM and focus on TM integrated approach for OD.
In Search of Balance between Talent Management and Employee Engagement in Human Resource Management
Authors: Ozuem Wilson , Lancaster Geoff , Sharma Harshika
Published: April 2016

Talent management is regarded as a top priority by organisations as an approach for fundamentally convalescing human capital productivity to coerce superior values for an organisation. Recently, talent management and employee engagement have come under public and media attack. Whilst a number of practitioners and scholars have attempted to address the underlying reasons, there seems to be limited discussion on how talent management is inextricably linked to employee engagement. As a response, this chapter aims to provide a systemic framework for understanding talent management and employee engagement.
Reframing Diversity in Management
Authors: De León Ashanti , Ozuem Wilson , Okoya Jummy
Published: April 2016

The development of new corporate governance codes calls for boardroom and top management diversity. Nonetheless, a lack of diversity in organisations is a worldwide situation that may vary from one country to another. This suggests that rather than relying upon established economies as a guideline, a more rounded understanding may emerge from studies that also explore a wider range of countries. This chapter examines the varieties of top management diversities, particularly the barriers and challenges women faces in management positions. It considers the grounds for an integrated approach to under-representation of women in upper rank positions, and explicates concerted efforts to improve board room diversity.
Cultural Intelligence in Organizational Contexts and Human Resource Management
Authors: Moyano Manuel
Published: April 2016

Throughout the past decade, the concept of cultural intelligence (CQ) has garnered increasing attention from researchers and professionals due to its importance in the world in which we live. In this scenario, understanding why some individuals adapt more effectively than others to different cultural situations has become a research goal with fascinating theoretical and practical implications in organizational life. This chapter introduces the concept and summarizes research about the topic, emphasizing relevant aspects for human resources professionals. It is structured as follows: (1) the benefits of a cross-cultural perspective in organizations; (2) concept of cultural intelligence; (3) measurement of cultural intelligence; (4) nomological network; (5) cultural intelligence and global leadership; and, (6) cultural intelligence related to negotiation. It concludes with a brief summary of theoretical, practical, and empirical implications of cultural intelligence in organizations.
Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility in Human Resource Management
Authors: Ruiz-Lozano Mercedes , Nieto Rafael Ruiz
Published: April 2016

Nowadays, it is vital to draw attention to how ethics and social responsibility should be present in the management of organizations. One of the main functions affected is human resources, so we need to know how ethics affects their management and the implications that the incorporation of social responsibility has in this role. In this context, Corporate Social Responsibility arises because companies' action affects or may be influenced by relationship with stakeholders, so the engagement with them in support of the social responsibility of an organization should be guided by ethical criteria and arise from dialogue with them. Therefore, this chapter attempts to answer that need and meet the following objectives: Generate a sensitivity to the moral dimension inherent to everything human and social; draw attention to the ethical implications of decision making in the company and present the instruments that can be used to promote ethical behavior in the organization; and show how to integrate social, economic and environmental concerns into decision making processes.
Detecting Anomalous Ratings in Collaborative Filtering Recommender Systems
Authors: Yang Zhihai , Cai Zhongmin
Published: April 2016

Online rating data is ubiquitous on existing popular E-commerce websites such as Amazon, Yelp etc., which influences deeply the following customer choices about products used by E-businessman. Collaborative filtering recommender systems (CFRSs) play crucial role in rating systems. Since CFRSs are highly vulnerable to “shilling” attacks, it is common occurrence that attackers contaminate the rating systems with malicious rates to achieve their attack intentions. Despite detection methods based on such attacks have received much attention, the problem of detection accuracy remains largely unsolved. Moreover, few can scale up to handle large networks. This paper proposes a fast and effective detection method which combines two stages to find out abnormal users. Firstly, the manuscript employs a graph mining method to spot automatically suspicious nodes in a constructed graph with millions of nodes. And then, this manuscript continue to determine abnormal users by exploiting suspected target items based on the result of first stage. Experiments evaluate the effectiveness of the method.
Improving Scanned Binary Image Watermarking Based On Additive Model and Sampling
Authors: Wang Ping , Luo Xiangyang , Yang Chunfang , Liu Fenlin
Published: April 2016

The SBWBAMS (Scanned Binary Image Watermarking Based on Additive Model and Sampling) algorithm proposed by Hou et al. owns strong robustness to the process of printing and scanning process. However, because the embedding strength used in the algorithm is set artificially, watermark information may not be correctly embedded into binary image when the embedding strength is low. Firstly, the minimum embedding strength to embed watermark correctly is analyzed in this paper, and then an improved binary image watermarking algorithm based on adaptive embedding strength is proposed. The proposed algorithm adjusts embedding strength adaptively according to image content, ensuring that the embedded watermark information is correct. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can not only embed and extract the watermark information correctly, but also still own strong robustness to the process of printing and scanning process.
The Fundamentals of Business Intelligence
Authors: Kasemsap Kijpokin
Published: April 2016

This article analyzes the recent literature in the search for the fundamentals of business intelligence (BI). The literature review covers the overview of BI; BI and technology acceptance model (TAM); BI, Big Data, and social media; the elements of BI; the characteristics of BI; enterprise information system (EIS) and cloud computing; the importance of BI; and the implementation of BI. BI involves creating any type of data visualization that provides insight into a business for the purpose of making a decision or taking an action.BI can assist organizations by facilitating better decisions in all facets of operations. The ideal BI system gives the organizations easy access to the information and the ability to analyze and share this information with other business enterprises. The findings present valuable insights and further understanding of the way in which BI perspectives should be emphasized.
Formulating a return-to-work decision for employees with major depressive disorders: occupational therapists’ experiences
Authors: Ramano Enos , Buys Tania , De Beer Marianne
Published: April 2016

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is worldwide one of the most concerning health problems as it is associated with reduced work productivity and permanent disability. Occupational therapists are often called upon to make a return-to-work decision on employees with MDD in order to facilitate continued employment. Sustaining employment is in alignment with achieving the Millennium Development Goal 1: Eradicating extreme poverty, as it is known that people suffering from mental health disorders are frequently denied employment opportunities leading to reduced financial resources and therefore possible poverty.Aim: This study described occupational therapists’ experiences of formulating a return-to workdecision on employees with MDD. It formed part of a larger study.Setting: Occupational therapists working in vocational rehabilitation or mental health in South Africa with a postgraduate qualification in vocational rehabilitation or mental health participated in the study.Method: A qualitative research design was used. Two separate focus groups explored 11 occupational therapists’ experiences of formulating a return-to-work decision on employees with MDD. Ethics clearance number: S34/2007.Results: Seven themes emerged, which were, (1) the biographical profile of the employee, (2) point of view of employer, (3) point of view of employee, (4) point of view of occupational therapist, (5) declaring the employee as temporary incapacitated, (6) declaring the employee as permanently incapacitated and (7) employee’s level of motivation.Conclusion: Occupational therapists ought to have sound knowledge, skill, experience and the ability to collaborate with employees and employers in formulating a return-to-work decision.
Synovial Sarcoma of the Floor of the Mouth: A Rare Clinical Entity with Review of Literature
Authors: Naik Sudhir , Halkud Rajshekar , Siddappa KT , Nanjundappa A , Biswas Siddharth , Chavan Purshottam
Published: April 2016

Background

Head and neck synovial sarcoma (SS) amounts to 6.8% of all total body SS, with high incidences in the hypopharynx, postpharyngeal region and the parapharyngeal space. Also, incidences of SS in the tongue, soft palate, mandible, buccal mucosa, floor of the mouth, lungs, thymus, trunk and posterior peritoneum are reported.

Case report

We report a case of 12-year-old girl with swelling in the floor of the mouth for 2 months. The patient had difficulty in speech, tongue movements, poor oral hygiene due to food residue collecting around the tumor in the floor of the mouth. A smooth 4 × 4 cm globular mass arising from the floor of the mouth with the fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) as spindle cell neoplasm. Wide excision and immunohistology confirmed it as calcified synovial sarcoma, hence postoperative chemotherapy was given. There is no recurrence for the past 3 years.

Conclusion

Synovial sarcoma is a rare tumor in the oral cavity, which is slow growing and of variable aggressiveness. Immunohistological analysis confirming the diagnosis and wide surgical excision with adjuvant chemotherapy is the modality preferred in these cases. Recurrence is common in the first 2 years of therapy but can occur later also.

How to cite this article

Nanjundappa A, Naik SM, Halkud R, Chavan P, Siddappa KT, Biswas S. Synovial Sarcoma of the Floor of the Mouth: A Rare Clinical Entity with Review of Literature. Int J Head Neck Surg 2015;6(2):49-52.
Cutaneous Metastasis of Head and Neck Malignancy
Authors: Emanuel Henry , Emanuel Patrick
Published: April 2016

Background

Noncutaneous cancers of the head and neck occasionally metastasize to skin. We present a case series of patients with skin metastases from non-cutaneous malignancies of the head and neck. A literature review is presented to assess the morphology, pattern of distribution, and morbidity of skin metastases.

Methods

Relevant cases were identified by a dermatopathologist and cases were reviewed. A literature search yielded 94 cases which were also included.

Results

The most common primary site, histology, and location of spread was the thyroid gland (42%), squamous cell carcinoma (42%), and scalp (25%) respectively. Skin metastases typically present as a discrete nodules, but the distribution varies. Metastases to skin can occasionally be a patients presenting complaint, but irrespective of timing of presentation portend a poor prognosis.

Conclusion

Skin metastases are clinically rare, and when present typically herald a poor overall prognosis. Information regarding their distribution and clinical presentation is of importance to the surgeon and oncologist.

How to cite this article

Emanuel H, Emanuel P. Cutaneous Metastasis of Head and Neck Malignancy. Int J Head Neck Surg 2015;6(2):57-63.
Primary Mucocutaneous Tuberculosis of Nose: One Decade Study
Authors: Gupta Yamini , Sinha Richi
Published: April 2016

Background

Primary mucocutaneous tuberculosis of nose is extremely rare even in countries with high incidence of pulmonary tubercular disease. The clinicians fail to diagnose its symptoms as primary nasal tuberculosis and, therefore, its treatment is often delayed.

Objective

To elucidate the clinical features and discuss the diagnostic difficulties, management and outcome of primary mucocutaneous tuberculosis of nose.

Materials and methods

A retrospective chart review of five cases of primary mucocutaneous tuberculosis of nose was done over a period of 10 years. The clinical and imaging data, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed in these patients.

Results

Out of five patients of primary mucocutaneous tuberculosis of nose studied during a decade, four were females. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 24.2 years (12–60 years). The most common presenting symptoms were progressive nasal obstruction, recurrent epistaxis, skin ulceration. All the patients had no signs of pulmonary tuberculosis. All patients had nasal endoscopic guided biopsy for the accurate diagnosis based on histopathology. Biopsy was positive in all the five cases confirming the diagnosis. All the five patients received antitubercular therapy for a period of 6 to 9 months. There was successful response to antitubercular drug treatment. The follow-up for 2 to 7 years showed no relapse, dissemination or death.

Conclusion

Primary nasal tuberculosis is a very rare disease. However, it is important to have a high index of suspicion for nasal tuberculosis in patients presenting with nasal obstruction, epistaxis and skin ulceration especially in countries with high prevalence of tuberculosis.

How to cite this article

Gupta Y, Sinha R. Primary Mucocutaneous Tuberculosis of Nose: One Decade Study. Int J Head Neck Surg 2015;6(2):69-72.
Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve Occupational Performance for People With Psychosocial, Behavioral, and Emotional Impairments After Brain Injury: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wheeler Steven , Acord-Vira Amanda , Davis Diana
Published: April 2016

OBJECTIVE. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of interventions to improve occupational performance for people with psychosocial, behavioral, or emotional impairments after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHOD. Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, OTseeker, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched. Of the 1,512 articles initially identified, 35 met the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS. Six types of interventions were identified: (1) education, (2) peer mentoring, (3) goal-directed therapy, (4) physical activity, (5) skills training, and (6) cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT). Strong evidence from well-conducted research supports the use of CBT in individual and group settings. Moderate evidence supports goal-directed interventions, aquatic exercise, and functional skills training. Limited evidence supports peer mentoring, aerobic exercise, educational interventions, and various skills training.

CONCLUSION. An increasing body of evidence supports specific interventions to improve occupational performance and participation for people with psychosocial, behavioral, or emotional impairments after TBI.
Aerosol optical properties in the southeastern United States in summer – Part 2: Sensitivity of aerosol optical depth to relative humidity and aerosol parameters
Authors: Brock Charles A. , Wagner Nicholas L. , Anderson Bruce E. , Beyersdorf Andreas , Campuzano-Jost Pedro , Day Douglas A. , Diskin Glenn S. , Gordon Timothy D. , Jimenez Jose L. , Lack Daniel A. , Liao Jin , Markovic Milos Z. , Middlebrook Ann M. , Perring Anne E. , Richardson Matthews S. , Schwarz Joshua P. , Welti Andre , Ziemba Luke D. , Murphy Daniel M.
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Aircraft observations of meteorological, trace gas, and aerosol properties were made between May and September 2013 in the southeastern United States (US). Regionally representative aggregate vertical profiles of median and interdecile ranges of the measured parameters were constructed from 37 individual aircraft profiles made in the afternoon when a well-mixed boundary layer with typical fair-weather cumulus was present (Wagner et al., 2015). We use these 0–4 km aggregate profiles and a simple model to calculate the sensitivity of aerosol optical depth (AOD) to changes in dry aerosol mass, relative humidity, mixed-layer height, the central diameter and width of the particle size distribution, hygroscopicity, and dry and wet refractive index, while holding the other parameters constant. The calculated sensitivity is a result of both the intrinsic sensitivity and the observed range of variation in these parameters. These observationally based sensitivity studies indicate that the relationship between AOD and dry aerosol mass in these conditions in the southeastern US can be highly variable and is especially sensitive to relative humidity (RH). For example, calculated AOD ranged from 0.137 to 0.305 as the RH was varied between the 10th and 90th percentile profiles with dry aerosol mass held constant. Calculated AOD was somewhat less sensitive to aerosol hygroscopicity, mean size, and geometric standard deviation, σg. However, some chemistry–climate models prescribe values of σg substantially larger than we or others observe, leading to potential high biases in model-calculated AOD of  ∼  25 %. Finally, AOD was least sensitive to observed variations in dry and wet aerosol refractive index and to changes in the height of the well-mixed surface layer. We expect these findings to be applicable to other moderately polluted and background continental air masses in which an accumulation mode between 0.1–0.5 µm diameter dominates aerosol extinction.
Development and characterization of an ice-selecting pumped counterflow virtual impactor (IS-PCVI) to study ice crystal residuals
Authors: Hiranuma Naruki , Möhler Ottmar , Kulkarni Gourihar , Schnaiter Martin , Vogt Steffen , Vochezer Paul , Järvinen Emma , Wagner Robert , Bell David M. , Wilson Jacqueline , Zelenyuk Alla , Cziczo Daniel J.
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Separation of particles that play a role in cloud activation and ice nucleation from interstitial aerosols has become necessary to further understand aerosol-cloud interactions. The pumped counterflow virtual impactor (PCVI), which uses a vacuum pump to accelerate the particles and increase their momentum, provides an accessible option for dynamic and inertial separation of cloud elements. However, the use of a traditional PCVI to extract large size cloud hydrometeors is difficult mainly due to its small cut-size diameters (< 5 µm). Here, for the first time we describe a development of an ice-selecting PCVI (IS-PCVI) to separate ice in the controlled mixed-phase cloud system based on the particle inertia with the cut-off diameter > 10 µm. We also present its laboratory application demonstrating the use of the impactor under a wide range of temperature and humidity conditions. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were initially carried out to guide the design of the IS-PCVI. After fabrication, a series of validation laboratory experiments were performed coupled with the Aerosol Interaction and Dynamics in the Atmosphere (AIDA) expansion cloud simulation chamber. In the AIDA chamber, test aerosol particles were exposed to the ice supersaturation conditions (i.e., RHice > 100 %), where a mixture of droplets and ice crystals was formed during the expansion experiment. In parallel, the flow conditions of the IS-PCVI were actively controlled, such that it separated ice crystals from a mixture of ice crystals and cloud droplets, which were of size ≥ 10 µm. These large ice crystals were passed through the heated evaporation section to remove the water content. Afterwards, the residuals were characterized with a suite of online and offline instruments downstream of the IS-PCVI. These results were used to assess the optimized operating parameters of the device in terms of (1) the critical cut-size diameter, (2) the transmission efficiency and (3) the counterflow-to-input flow ratio. Particle losses were characterized by comparing the residual number concentration to the rejected interstitial particle number concentration. Overall results suggest that the IS-PCVI enables inertial separation of particles with a volume-equivalent particle size in the range of ~ 10–30 µm in diameter with small inadvertent intrusion (~ 5 %) of unwanted particles.
Surface radiation during the total solar eclipse over Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, on 20 March 2015
Authors: Maturilli Marion , Ritter Christoph
Published: April 2016

Abstract. On 20 March 2015, a total solar eclipse occurred over Ny-Ålesund (78.9° N, 11.9° E), Svalbard, in the high Arctic. It was the first time that the surface radiation components during the totality of a solar eclipse were measured by a Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) station. With the Ny-Ålesund long-term radiation data set as background (available at doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.150000), we present here the peculiarities of the radiation components and basic meteorology observed during the eclipse event. The supplementary data set contains the basic BSRN radiation and surface meteorological data in 1 min resolution for March 2015, and is available at doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.854326. The eclipse radiation data will be a useful auxiliary data set for further studies on micrometeorological surface–atmosphere exchange processes in the Svalbard environment, and may serve as a test case for radiative transfer studies.
The ecological module of BOATS-1.0: a bioenergetically constrained model of marine upper trophic levels suitable for studies of fisheries and ocean biogeochemistry
Authors: Carozza David Anthony , Bianchi Daniele , Galbraith Eric Douglas
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Environmental change and the exploitation of marine resources have had profound impacts on marine communities, with potential implications for ocean biogeochemistry and food security. In order to study such global-scale problems, it is helpful to have computationally efficient numerical models that predict the first-order features of fish biomass production as a function of the environment, based on empirical and mechanistic understandings of marine ecosystems. Here we describe the ecological module of the BiOeconomic mArine Trophic Size-spectrum (BOATS) model, which takes an Earth-system approach to modelling fish biomass at the global scale. The ecological model is designed to be used on an Earth-system model grid, and determines size spectra of fish biomass by explicitly resolving life history as a function of local temperature and net primary production. Biomass production is limited by the availability of photosynthetic energy to upper trophic levels, following empirical trophic efficiency scalings, and by well-established empirical temperature-dependent growth rates. Natural mortality is calculated using an empirical size-based relationship, while reproduction and recruitment depend on both the food availability to larvae from net primary production and the production of eggs by mature adult fish. We describe predicted biomass spectra and compare them to observations, and conduct a sensitivity study to determine how they change as a function of net primary production and temperature. The model relies on a limited number of parameters compared to similar modelling efforts, while retaining reasonably realistic representations of biological and ecological processes, and is computationally efficient, allowing extensive parameter-space analyses even when implemented globally. As such, it enables the exploration of the linkages between ocean biogeochemistry, climate, and upper trophic levels at the global scale, as well as a representation of fish biomass for idealized studies of fisheries.
Assessing the impact of climate variability and human activities on streamflow variation
Authors: Chang Jianxia , Zhang Hongxue , Wang Yimin , Zhu Yuelu
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Water resources in river systems have been changing under the impact of both climate variability and human activities. Assessing the respective impact on decadal streamflow variation is important for water resource management. By using an elasticity-based method and calibrated TOPMODEL and VIC hydrological models, we quantitatively isolated the relative contributions that human activities and climate variability made to decadal streamflow changes in the Jinghe basin, located in the northwest of China. This is an important watershed of the Shaanxi province that supplies drinking water for a population of over 6 million people. The results showed that the maximum value of the moisture index (E0∕P) was 1.91 and appeared in 1991–2000, and the decreased speed of streamflow was higher since 1990 compared with 1960–1990. The average annual streamflow from 1990 to 2010 was reduced by 26.96 % compared with the multiyear average value (from 1960 to 2010). The estimates of the impacts of climate variability and human activities on streamflow decreases from the hydrological models were similar to those from the elasticity-based method. The maximum contribution value of human activities was 99 % when averaged over the three methods, and appeared in 1981–1990 due to the effects of soil and water conservation measures and irrigation water withdrawal. Climate variability made the greatest contribution to streamflow reduction in 1991–2000, the values of which was 40.4 %. We emphasized various source of errors and uncertainties that may occur in the hydrological model (parameter and structural uncertainty) and elasticity-based method (model parameter) in climate change impact studies.
Impacts of land use change and climate variations on annual inflow into the Miyun Reservoir, Beijing, China
Authors: Zheng Jiangkun , Sun Ge , Li Wenhong , Yu Xinxiao , Zhang Chi , Gong Yuanbo , Tu Lihua
Published: April 2016

Abstract. The Miyun Reservoir, the only surface water source for Beijing city, has experienced water supply decline in recent decades. Previous studies suggest that both land use change and climate contribute to the changes of water supply in this critical watershed. However, the specific causes of the decline in the Miyun Reservoir are debatable under a non-stationary climate in the past 4 decades. The central objective of this study was to quantify the separate and collective contributions of land use change and climate variability to the decreasing inflow into the Miyun Reservoir during 1961–2008. Different from previous studies on this watershed, we used a comprehensive approach to quantify the timing of changes in hydrology and associated environmental variables using the long-term historical hydrometeorology and remote-sensing-based land use records. To effectively quantify the different impacts of the climate variation and land use change on streamflow during different sub-periods, an annual water balance model (AWB), the climate elasticity model (CEM), and a rainfall–runoff model (RRM) were employed to conduct attribution analysis synthetically. We found a significant (p  <  0.01) decrease in annual streamflow, a significant positive trend in annual potential evapotranspiration (p  <  0.01), and an insignificant (p  >  0.1) negative trend in annual precipitation during 1961–2008. We identified two streamflow breakpoints, 1983 and 1999, by the sequential Mann–Kendall test and double-mass curve. Climate variability alone did not explain the decrease in inflow to the Miyun Reservoir. Reduction of water yield was closely related to increase in actual evapotranspiration due to the expansion of forestland and reduction in cropland and grassland, and was likely exacerbated by increased water consumption for domestic and industrial uses in the basin. The contribution to the observed streamflow decline from land use change fell from 64–92 % during 1984–1999 to 36–58 % during 2000–2008, whereas the contribution from climate variation climbed from 8–36 % during the 1984–1999 to 42–64 % during 2000–2008. Model uncertainty analysis further demonstrated that climate warming played a dominant role in streamflow reduction in the most recent decade (i.e., 2000s). We conclude that future climate change and variability will further challenge the water supply capacity of the Miyun Reservoir to meet water demand. A comprehensive watershed management strategy needs to consider the climate variations besides vegetation management in the study basin.