bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Information and Communication Technologies, Democracy, and Human Rights in Nigeria
Authors: Wilson Joseph , Gapsiso Nuhu
Published: October 2014

The unprecedented impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on nearly every facet of human endeavour has continued to attract individual and organizational interest to explore these technologies for specific cause. ICTs are increasingly being used in promoting democracy and human rights issues: to mobilize and strengthen solidarity, increase communication among interest groups, and share information more quickly. There is no doubt that ICTs deployment in Nigeria and other developing countries has sparked growth in citizens' abilities to communicate and share ideas, but there are impediments. This chapter looks at the evolution of ICTs in Nigeria, the place of ICTs in promoting democracy/human rights, and discusses the challenges of harnessing the enormous benefits of ICTs in promoting democracy and human rights in Nigeria.
Cultural Adaptation of E-Learning Courseware
Authors: Stieghorst Randall , Edmundson Andrea
Published: October 2014

Web-based and self-paced learning modules have become a common-and sometimes primary-tool used by the Ethics & Compliance departments of global organizations to educate employees worldwide. These e-learning modules provide guidance around such topics as the company's Code of Conduct, specific policies or laws, globally applicable corporate standards, and how best to manage ethical dilemmas in a corporate environment. In this case, the authors describe the instructional design process that were used on various ethics and compliance courses to achieve a more global, regional, or country-specific applicability, including an overview of changes made to content and methodology that was originally perceived as “very American.”
The Ethical Dilemmas of Social Networking Sites in Classroom Contexts
Authors: Auld Glenn , Henderson Michael
Published: October 2014

This chapter explores five ethical dilemmas associated with using Social Networking Sites (SNS) in classrooms. First, do we have the right to colonize or marginalize students' out of school social networking practices in the classroom? Second, should we access students' out of classroom virtual identities from their SNS in a classroom context? Third, should we be engaging students' social networking in public performances of the curriculum? Fourth, are we prepared for recognising and responding to illicit activity in SNS? Fifth, do teachers understand the implications of exposing their out of school identities to their students who inhabit the same social network? The authors do not dispute that SNS in the classroom can be a rich site for learning, but they argue that the concept of ethics as a process of analyzing and respecting the other is essential if we are to responsibly engage with SNS in the classroom.
The Relationship between Islamic Religion and Ethical Leadership
Authors: Alazmi Terki
Published: October 2014

Empirical research on how Islam influences leaders' behaviours and business practices is not easily available. The separation of church and state has never been an Islamic precept; therefore, this paper investigates how Islamic religion affects ethical leadership amongst Kuwait's private sector leaders. Using a constructionist approach within which 40 leaders from Kuwaiti private sector organisations were interviewed, in the banking, investment, real estate and services sectors. The study provides important insights into the concepts related to good and ethical leadership in a non-Western environment and enriches our knowledge in this sector of the management field.
Decision Making in SMEs
Authors: Öksüzoğlu-Güven Gizem
Published: October 2014

This chapter explores theories and concepts of ethical decision making in SMEs and how individuality of entrepreneurs affects their organisations. In order to investigate the entrepreneurial ethical decision-making process, the chapter crossbreeds the concepts of greed and power, cognitive moral development, ethical ideologies, and individual psychological characteristics as determinant of ethical decision making. Through discussion of relevant models, the chapter presents arguments on determinants of individual ethical decision making as well as external factors that influence the decision-making process. In doing so, it aims to provide a distinctive perspective on understanding decision making in SMEs through forming a bridge between individual moral psychology and entrepreneurial decision making. This understanding enables us to have an alternative reasoning when examining employment-related issues.
The Code of Ethics and Workplace Behaviors
Authors: Kendrick Kaetrena Davis , Leaver Echo
Published: October 2014

An investigative study was performed to better understand the practical influence of the American Library Association's Code of Ethics on the workplace behaviors and decisions of academic librarians. Participants in this investigative study were credentialed academic librarians working in North American college and university libraries, and this chapter focuses on academic librarians who hold leadership positions in management and administration. Study results show no significant results between COE familiarity and effects on ethical behaviors in the workplace; however, these results have implications for the debate surrounding enforcement of the COE and offer some insight into the links between the challenges of succession planning, leadership, and ethical behaviors in academic library environments.
Addressing Work Ethic in the New Century
Authors: Wang Victor X. , Dennett Susan K.
Published: October 2014

This chapter takes the reader through a historical review of work ethic and the ways in which organizations can motivate their employees to adopt a healthy rather than unhealthy work ethic. McGregor's Theory X and Y theory is examined. To determine whether an organization has acquired a healthy work ethic based on Theory X and Theory Y, Wang's valid and reliable instrument for the organization's employees to use is presented. Maslow, Hertzberg, and McClelland's motivational theories form the foundation of the factors that motivate employees. The diverse characteristics of employees are reviewed, including the Baby Boomers and Generation X and Y, and how these cohorts of employees look for different motivating factors in their job. The chapter concludes with future trends that are impacting organizations and the workforce and the importance of understanding the different motivating factors that play a part in employees' work ethics across cultures.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a People Caring Concept
Authors: Athanasopoulou Pinelopi
Published: October 2014

CSR has been a widely-researched concept during the last three decades. However, there is no agreement on its definition or its dimensions; antecedents and consequences and there is no comprehensive model for its analysis. The origins of CSR lie in philanthropy and the highest level of CSR is considered to involve philanthropic actions. CSR is a people-caring concept that is incorporated in firms' strategy. Strategic CSR is based on stakeholder theory and is used to provide competitive advantages through product or brand differentiation. Although there have been many efforts to measure the effectiveness of CSR, there is no single way of assessing CSR performance. Also, effective CSR communication is a very important matter for firms and although there is a lot of research on this subject, the debate is still on regarding what to say; through which channels, and how to say it in order to avoid consumer scepticism and reap strategic benefits. Based on this analysis, emergent themes of research are identified in this chapter and areas of further research are proposed.
Facilitating the Egyptian Uprising
Authors: Alkazemi Mariam F. , Bowe Brian J. , Blom Robin
Published: October 2014

It has been suggested that social media offers important organizing tools for activists in countries where free expression is curtailed and news outlets are handcuffed by government censorship. The 2011 revolution in Egypt offers an opportunity to examine the extent to which social media fulfills the role that free journalism plays in more democratic societies. By analyzing messages posted in Arabic by activists from one of the largest Egyptian opposition groups, this study attempts to see what role Facebook played in the revolution. This chapter aims to fill a gap in scholarly understanding of the event while simultaneously contributing to the understanding of the importance of social media tools for activists and organizers. The results show that the organizers used Facebook largely to communicate a mixture of expressions of national pride, news events, and calls for mobilization on the ground to support their revolutionary efforts.
Ethical Issues of Emerging ICT Applications
Authors: Stahl Bernd Carsten
Published: October 2014

This paper concentrate on a proactive engagement with emerging information and communication technologies (ICTs) with the goal of an early identification of the ethical issues these technologies are likely to raise. After an overview of the emerging ICTs for the next future (leveraging the results of the EU funded project ETICA), the paper identify the possible ethical consequences. Then the emerging ICTs are evaluated from different perspectives for prioritizing technical and policy intervention on them. The question of governance is then addressed with a final collection of recommendations for policy makers, industry, researchers and civil society.
Health Information Technology and Human Rights
Authors: O'Hanlon Shane
Published: October 2014

Information technology has the potential to transform healthcare and eradicate many of the inequities seen in the area. However, the use of electronic means to process sensitive health data poses significant risks. Electronic health records have been designed to be more secure than traditional paper records, but there have been notable cases where data has been lost, stolen, or viewed by unauthorised persons. Misuse of health information technology can result in severe violations of human rights. In particular, the right to privacy can be eroded by inappropriate protections, which still exist in some health systems. This chapter describes the rights framework in healthcare, analyses legal provisions for protection of health data, considers why such protections are necessary, outlines examples of rights violations, and proposes future directions.
Decoding What is Good in Code
Authors: Maher Jennifer Helene
Published: October 2014

Programming benefits from universal standards that facilitate effective global transmission of information. The Unicode Standard, for example, is a character encoding system that aims to assign a unique number set to each letter, mark, and symbol in the world's various written systems, including Arabic, Korean, Cherokee, and even Cuneiform. As the quantity of these numerical encodings grow, the differences among the written systems of natural languages pose increasingly little consequence to the artificial languages of both programmers and machines. However, the instrumental, technical effects of Unicode must not be mistaken as its only effects. Recognized as a metaphysical object in its own right, Unicode, specifically, and code, generally, creates a protocol for the actualization of moral and political values. This chapter examines how Microsoft's inclusion and then deletion of the Unicode encodings U+5350 and U+534D in its Office Bookshelf Symbol 7 font illustrates how technically successful coding can be rhetorically buggy, meaning that it invokes competing ethical values that, in this case, involve free speech, anti-Semitism, and Western privilege.
Governance in Technology Development
Authors: Kurt Aygen , Duquenoy Penny
Published: October 2014

With an increasing focus on the inclusion of considering the ethical and social impact of technology developments resulting from research in the European Union, and elsewhere, comes a need for a more effective process in technology development. Current ethics governance processes do not go far enough in enabling these considerations to be embedded in European Union research projects in a way that engages participants in technology development projects. Such a lack of engagement not only creates a distance between the technology developers and ethics (and ethics experts) but also undermines the legitimacy of decisions on ethical issues and outcomes, which in turn has an impact on the resulting innovation and its role in benefitting individuals and society. This chapter discusses these issues in the context of empirical work, founded on a theoretical base, undertaken as part of the EGAIS (Ethical Governance of Emerging Technologies) EU co-funded FP7 project.
Negotiating Boundaries between Control and Dissent
Authors: Bowe Brian J. , Blom Robin , Freedman Eric
Published: October 2014

Increases in access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) have given citizens new tools to organize politically. This development has particular importance for those living under authoritarian regimes that rely on the repression of free speech to maintain power. These repressitarian elites resort to a variety of means to establish (or re-establish) control over citizen online communications. However, it is counterproductive for countries to crack down too tightly on Internet expression, because such actions can create negative economic consequences for countries hoping to engage in the 21st century's wired economy. The friction between online free expression and government repression is playing out with close interest of Western governments, human rights advocates, and citizens because it places many technology companies in the difficult position of either facilitating such government repression or finding themselves unable to compete in those markets. This chapter examines recent developments in Iran, Egypt, China, and Singapore. All four countries have been identified as having severe impediments to free expression. Iran and Egypt, however, have seen the rise of some organized opposition movements despite the controls on media expression, while China and Singapore offer useful case studies on the economic dimensions of the balance between participating in the global networked society and controlling citizen expression. This chapter considers how financial and economic factors lead to more moderate views of Internet use in those countries and examine the struggles between maintaining openness and crackdowns.
The Legal Challenges of the Information Revolution and the Principle of “Privacy by Design”
Authors: Pagallo Ugo
Published: October 2014

The chapter examines how the information revolution impacts the field of data protection in a twofold way. On the one hand, the scale and amount of cross-border interaction taking place in cyberspace illustrate how the information revolution affects basic tenets of current legal frameworks, such as the idea of the law as a set of rules enforced through the menace of physical sanctions and matters of jurisdiction on the Internet. On the other hand, many impasses of today's legal systems on data protection, liability, and jurisdiction can properly be tackled by embedding normative constraints into information and communication technologies, as shown by the principle of privacy by design in such cases as information systems in hospitals, video surveillance networks in public transports, or smart cards for biometric identifiers. Normative safeguards and constitutional constraints can indeed be embedded in places and spaces, products and processes, so as to strengthen the rights of the individuals and widen the range of their choices. Although it is unlikely that “privacy by design” can offer the one-size-fits-all solution to the problems emerging in the field, it is plausible that the principle will be the key to understanding how today's data protection issues are being handled.
Knowing Protection of Intellectual Contents in Digital Era
Authors: Vishwakarma Priyanka , Mukherjee Bhaskar
Published: October 2014

New technological innovations have made the publishing of ideas easy, while maintaining protection of the published content has become a concerning issue. Plagiarism is an emerging issue in the digital era. The intention of writing this chapter is to explore various tools and projects that enable an author to know: 1) that their work is original; 2) The best possible options to maintain rights on intellectual work; 3) the publishers' policies while archiving your document in an institutional repository; and 4) the ethics of publishing. To handle such issues, the authors identify ways to avoid plagiarism and mention the use of anti-plagiarism software. Attempts are also made to explore how far a scholarly work can be treated under the periphery of “fair use.” The various derivatives of creative commons are also explained regarding copyright issues in the digital era. The essence of projects like SHERPA/RoMEO and COPE are also discussed.
Reuse of Excess Research Data for New Researches
Authors: Porath Amiram
Published: October 2014

The chapter presents a specific niche dilemma regarding the ethical aspects of utilization of data gathered for one specific research for another research, which was not specified to the data suppliers (sample) at the time of gathering, or that the data suppliers were not even informed of the possibility of such occurrence. That dilemma of the reuse of research data stems from motives that are also (among others) rooted in the aim to increase the public good, and the dilemma is between potential benefits and potential harm. As the forces that create the dilemma are growing in concurrence with current trends in research and research financing, the dilemma commands some attention, even if it seems at first glance to be minor compared to issues related to business data mining and governmental data bases. The discussion ends with a possible solution, but the reader is encouraged to think about the dilemma and understand it rather than “solve” it. The novice can regard this as an introduction to the dilemma while the experienced researcher will view it as a summary. However, this sort of research need to be supported to uphold the ethical aspects of data mining and their various applications in the socio-economic development processes of a country, such as generic or specific researches, entrepreneurship development through innovation, and trading, commerce or e-governance through the utilization of innovative technologies.
A Customised Dataset to Assist Legal and Ethical Governance of Seaports
Authors: Echeverry Ana Ximena Halabi , Richards Deborah
Published: October 2014

Attention to the legal and ethical principles of governance of seaport authorities (PAs) can enhance the future possibility of sustainable development of a port. This chapter presents a customised dataset and accompanying descriptions compiled from multiple sources and repositories that can be mined to provide adequate understanding over key decisional variables to assist the implementation of three Port State Control (PSC) mechanisms. Considerable care is given to the selection and combination of variables which may identify potentially serious accidents and the port's legal and ethical liabilities. The authors seek to clarify the relationship between the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of PAs and, what is possibly the most important issue facing PAs nowadays, the issue of security. In order to validate the relationship between PSC and CSR, the authors suggest the use of the Regression Approach in Time Series Analysis (RATS) method that offers an assessment of mutual impacts of the PSC variables and a forecast of future values of CSR. RATS would enable PAs to be aware of the CSR challenges occurring among partner ports at least one time-step ahead. This may represent an important advance in using decision support systems to assist managers in performing complex analyses and making strategic choices.
The Effects of Computerized Graphic Organizers on Students' Performance in English Reading and Writing Tasks
Authors: Liou Hsien-Chin , Li Sin-Yi
Published: October 2014

The study investigated the effects of the intervention of a computerized graphic organizer (CGO), Inspiration, on a group of EFL college students' performance of English reading-to-write tasks. Students were given two pretests to determine their entry levels of English proficiency of reading and writing. After the CGO treatment, they were given two posttests. Both pre- and post-intervention measurement involved writing a summary of, and then a response to a source article, both being rated based on a writing rubric. The summaries were further analyzed using idea units. An evaluation questionnaire was also given to understand the participants' perceptions of the CGO treatment. With the assistance of Inspiration plus the traditional instruction, the participants' reading and response writing performance was found to have improved, also confirmed by their perceptions. The benefits of the cognitive strategy inherent in graphic organizers plus computer facilities are argued to contribute to the gains.
A Corpus-Based Study of Evaluative That-Clause in Abstracts of Chinese Learners' Doctoral Dissertations
Authors: Lou Baocui
Published: October 2014

Evaluative language is one of the key features in academic discourse, which might cause difficulties for L2 writers. Based on a corpus of 150 English abstracts of Chinese doctoral dissertations in five disciplines, this paper studies the frequency, form and distribution of the evaluative that-clause, and compares the results with those in previous studies. The results show that Chinese learners use this structure significantly less frequently than experienced writers, which might be caused by learners' misunderstanding of the compositional feature of abstracts and lack of consciousness of the evaluative feature of abstracts. It is also demonstrated that verb-predicates occur most frequently in Chinese learners' abstracts among the three frequent word classes which introduce the proposition, that the stance feature expressed is mainly to confirm the findings and credit the study, and that the evaluated entity is mostly concerned with the writer's own research. We also design the feasible teaching procedures for pedagogical purposes.
Social Media
Authors: Wahi Ashok Kumar , Medury Yajulu , Misra Rajnish Kumar
Published: October 2014

The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of the Web 2.0 phenomenon and social media and its implications on customer relationship management, in order to learn that online communities and social networking are at the core of the enterprise of future or Enterprise 2.0. A range of published articles and books regarding Web 2.0, Enterprise 2.0, CRM 2.0 and social networking are examined and critiqued. A model is proposed to establish the association between Enterprise 2.0 and Information Technology from the perspective of social media. The sources are divided into three basic elements: Web 2.0, Online Social Networking websites and CRM 2.0. If Enterprise 2.0 is the enterprise of future then Social Media is the future of enterprise. Customer engagement and customer value proposition form the core of Enterprise 2.0 and online communities and social media form the corresponding core for knowledge creation and integration of Enterprise 2.0. Social media should affect customer relationship management in organizations. In the knowledge society of the future extended enterprises will become the basis of business rather than the competitive strength of individual enterprises and therefore the need to proactively prepare for it.
An 8-Year Longitudinal Study of Overreaching in 114 Elite Female Chinese Wrestlers
Authors: Tian Ye , He Zihong , Zhao Jiexiu , Tao Dalang , Xu Kuiyuan , Midgley Adrian , McNaughton Lars
Published: October 2014

Context:

Successful training involves structured overload but must avoid the combination of excessive overload and inadequate recovery.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of functional overreaching (FOR), nonfunctional overreaching (NFOR), and overtraining syndrome in elite female wrestlers during their normal training and competition schedules and to explore the utility of blood markers for the early detection of overreaching. Classification of FOR, NFOR, and overtraining syndrome was based on the European Congress of Sports Medicine position statement.

Design:

Case series.

Setting:

China Institute of Sport Science.

Patients or Other Participants:

Over an 8-year period, 114 wrestlers from the women's Asian wrestling team were monitored to help identify if and when they experienced FOR, NFOR, or overtraining syndrome.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Creatine kinase, hemoglobin, testosterone, and cortisol were measured throughout the period to identify whether wrestlers were outside the reference intervals (constructed from normal recovery data) during periods of overreaching and not overreaching.

Results:

Among the 114 athletes, there were 13 (3.6%) instances of FOR, 23 (6.4%) instances of NFOR, and 2 (0.6%) instances of overtraining syndrome. The diagnostic sensitivity for FOR was 38%, 15%, 45%, and 18% for creatine kinase, hemoglobin, testosterone, and cortisol, respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity for NFOR was 29%, 33%, 26%, and 35% for creatine kinase, hemoglobin, testosterone, and cortisol, respectively. Specificity was 79%, 88%, 90%, and 82% for creatine kinase, hemoglobin, testosterone, and cortisol, respectively. Post hoc analysis showed no mean differences in creatine kinase (F = 0.5, P = .47), hemoglobin (F = 3.8, P = .052), testosterone (F = 0.2, P = .62), or cortisol (F = 0.04, P = .85) between monitoring periods when wrestlers were and were not diagnosed with FOR and NFOR.

Conclusions:

Coaches and sports scientists should not use single blood variables as markers of overreaching in elite female wrestlers.
Controls on uranium, rare earth element, and radionuclide mobility at the decommissioned Bicroft Uranium Mine, Ontario
Authors: Parsons M B , Friske P W B , Laidlow A M , Jamieson H E
Published: October 2014

Uranium ores have been mined in Canada since the 1930s, resulting in the production of approximately 214 million tonnes of mill tailings. These tailings may pose a risk to ecosystems and human health because of their long-lived radioactivity, and their potential
to release radionuclides, metal(loid)s, radon gas, and milling reagents to the environment. The main objective of this study was to characterize the processes controlling the release, transport, and fate of U, radionuclides (Ra-226, Pb-210), and rare earth elements (REEs) downstream from two
decommissioned tailings impoundments at the Bicroft Uranium Mine near Bancroft, Ontario. The Bicroft Mine operated from 1957 to 1963, and milled approximately 2,284,421 tonnes of U ore from granitic pegmatite dykes. This type of U deposit is relatively widespread throughout the Grenville Province in
Ontario, Québec, and Labrador, and has recently been the focus of exploration as a source of REEs and other strategic metals. Samples of tailings, sediments, surface waters, and colloids were collected from the Bicroft Mine between 2010 and 2012. Regional-scale sampling of sediments and waters,
as well as reanalysis of archived stream and lake sediments, were undertaken to determine natural background variation. The concentration of U in the Bicroft tailings samples varies from 3.1 to 210 mg/kg (median 19 mg/kg). Much higher concentrations were found in stream and pond sediments below the
tailings impoundments (54 to 730 mg/kg; median 150 mg/kg). Uranium concentrations in regional lake sediments range from 0.4 to 140 mg/kg (median 4.2 mg/kg), and regional stream sediments range from 1.2 to 110 mg/kg (median 4.6 mg/kg). Seasonal sampling of tailings effluent shows that these waters
are circumneutral (pH 6.6-8.3) and that the downstream concentrations of U and Ra-226 are generally highest in the fall. Comparison of filtered and unfiltered effluents, combined with synchrotron microanalyses of colloids, shows that the downstream mobility of REEs is limited by sorption to Fe- and
Mn-(oxy)hydroxides. In contrast, U occurs mainly in the dissolved phase and its mobility does not appear to be limited by sorption to colloids or precipitation of secondary U phases. Geochemical modeling of the effluent demonstrates that the aqueous speciation of U is dominated by
calcium-uranyl-carbonato complexes [e.g. Ca2UO2(CO3)3], which are known to diminish the sorption of U to mineral surfaces and suppress the reduction of U(VI) to less soluble U(IV). The results of this study provide improved understanding of the long-term stability of U tailings, and have
implications for the design of environmental monitoring plans.
Een wankel evenwicht - Deviant werknemersgedrag en het psychologische contract
Authors: van Adrichem Maroeschka , Koster Ferry
Published: October 2014

In this study we investigate whether type and frequency of breach of the psychological contract by supervisors explain deviant workplace behavior. Type of breach refers to the reason why the supervisor did not fulfill the contract, which may be inadvertent, a matter of disruption, or
reneging. Frequency means that the breach of the psychological contract can take place once or repeatedly. The impact of type and frequency on deviant workplace behavior, coming late for work, is investigated using a vignette study among 155 respondents. This study generates the following
results.First, employees show more deviant behavior when their psychological contract is breached. Second, reneging leads to stronger responses in terms of deviant behavior than the other two types. Third, repeated failure to fulfill the psychological contract leads to more deviant behavior
of employees. The overall conclusion of the study is that the way in which supervisors breach the psychological contract provides an explanation of employee deviance.
Attribution of future US ozone pollution to regional emissions, climate change, long-range transport, and model deficiency
Authors: He H. , Liang X.-Z. , Lei H. , Wuebbles D. J.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. A regional chemical transport model (CTM) is used to quantify the relative contributions of future US ozone pollution from regional emissions, climate change, long-range transport (LRT) of pollutants, and model deficiency. After incorporating dynamic lateral boundary conditions (LBCs) from a global CTM, the representation of present-day US ozone pollution is notably improved. This nested system projects substantial surface ozone trends for 2050's: 6–10 ppbv decreases under the "clean" A1B scenario and ~15 ppbv increases under the "dirty" A1Fi scenario. Among the total trends, regional emissions changes dominate, contributing negative 20–50% in A1B and positive 20–40% in A1Fi, while LRT effects through chemical LBCs and climate changes account for respectively 15–50% and 10–30% in both scenarios. The projection uncertainty due to model biases is region dependent, ranging from −10 to 50%. It is shown that model biases of present-day simulations can propagate into future projections systematically but nonlinearly, and the accurate specification of LBCs is essential for US ozone projections.
Fossil vs. non-fossil sources of fine carbonaceous aerosols in four Chinese cities during the extreme winter haze episode in 2013
Authors: Zhang Y.-L. , Huang R.-J. , El Haddad I. , Ho K.-F. , Cao J.-J. , Han Y. , Zotter P. , Bozzetti C. , Daellenbach K. R. , Canonaco F. , Slowik J. G. , Salazar G. , Schwikowski M. , Schnelle-Kreis J. , Abbaszade G. , Zimmermann R. , Baltensperger U. , Prévôt A. S. H. , Szidat S.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. During winter 2013, extremely high concentrations (i.e. 4–20 times higher than the World Health Organization guideline) of PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm) were reported in several large cities in China. In this work, source apportionment of fine carbonaceous aerosols during this haze episode was conducted at four major cities in China including Xian, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. An effective statistical analysis of a combined dataset from elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC), radiocarbon (14C) and biomass-burning marker measurements using Latin-hypercube sampling allowed a quantitative source apportionment of carbonaceous aerosols. We found that fossil emissions from coal combustion and vehicle exhaust dominated EC with a mean contribution of 75 ± 8% at all sites. The remaining 25 ± 8% was exclusively attributed to biomass combustion, consistent with the measurements of biomass-burning markers such as anhydrosugars (levoglucosan and mannosan) and water-soluble potassium (K+). With a combination of the levoglucosan-to-mannosan and levoglucosan-to-K+ ratios, the major source of biomass burning in winter in China is suggested to be combustion of crop residues. The contribution of fossil sources to OC was highest in Beijing (58 ± 5%) and decreased from Shanghai (49 ± 2%) to Xian (38 ± 3%) and Guangzhou (35 ± 7%). Generally, a larger fraction of fossil OC was rather from secondary origins than primary sources for all sites. Non-fossil sources accounted on average for 55 ± 10% and 48 ± 9% of OC and TC, respectively, which suggests that non-fossil emissions were very important contributors of urban carbonaceous aerosols in China. The primary biomass-burning emissions accounted for 40 ± 8%, 48 ± 18%, 53 ± 4% and 65 ± 26% of non-fossil OC for Xian, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, respectively. Other non-fossil sources excluding primary biomass-burning were mainly attributed to formation of secondary organic carbon (SOC) from non-fossil precursors such as biomass-burning emissions. For each site, we also compared samples from moderately with heavily polluted days according to particulate matter mass. Despite a significant increase of absolute mass concentrations of primary emissions from both, fossil and non-fossil sources, during the heavily polluted events, their relative contribution to TC was even decreased, whereas the portion of SOC was consistently increased at all sites. This observation indicates that SOC was an important fraction in the increment of carbonaceous aerosols during the haze episode in China.
Forest response to increased disturbance in the central Amazon and comparison to western Amazonian forests
Authors: Holm J. A. , Chambers J. Q. , Collins W. D. , Higuchi N.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Uncertainties surrounding vegetation response to increased disturbance rates associated with climate change remains a major global change issue for Amazonian forests. Additionally, turnover rates computed as the average of mortality and recruitment rates in the western Amazon basin are doubled when compared to the central Amazon, and notable gradients currently exist in specific wood density and aboveground biomass (AGB) between these two regions. This study investigates the extent to which the variation in disturbance regimes contributes to these regional gradients. To address this issue, we evaluated disturbance–recovery processes in a central Amazonian forest under two scenarios of increased disturbance rates using first ZELIG-TROP, a dynamic vegetation gap model which we calibrated using long-term inventory data, and second using the Community Land Model (CLM), a global land surface model that is part of the Community Earth System Model (CESM). Upon doubling the mortality rate in the central Amazon to mirror the natural disturbance regime in the western Amazon of ∼2% mortality, the two regions continued to differ in multiple forest processes. With the inclusion of elevated natural disturbances, at steady state, AGB significantly decreased by 41.9% with no significant difference between modeled AGB and empirical AGB from the western Amazon data sets (104 vs. 107 Mg C ha−1, respectively). However, different processes were responsible for the reductions in AGB between the models and empirical data set. The empirical data set suggests that a decrease in wood density is a driver leading to the reduction in AGB. While decreased stand basal area was the driver of AGB loss in ZELIG-TROP, a forest attribute that does not significantly vary across the Amazon Basin. Further comparisons found that stem density, specific wood density, and basal area growth rates differed between the two Amazonian regions. Last, to help quantify the impacts of increased disturbances on the climate and earth system, we evaluated the fidelity of tree mortality and disturbance in CLM. Similar to ZELIG-TROP, CLM predicted a net carbon loss of 49.9%, with an insignificant effect on aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP). Decreased leaf area index (LAI) was the driver of AGB loss in CLM, another forest attribute that does not significantly vary across the Amazon Basin, and the temporal variability in carbon stock and fluxes was not replicated in CLM. Our results suggest that (1) the variability between regions cannot be entirely explained by the variability in disturbance regime, but rather potentially sensitive to intrinsic environmental factors; or (2) the models are not accurately simulating all tropical forest characteristics in response to increased disturbances.
Capturing interactions between nitrogen and hydrological cycles under historical climate and land use: Susquehanna watershed analysis with the GFDL land model LM3-TAN
Authors: Lee M. , Malyshev S. , Shevliakova E. , Milly P. C. D. , Jaffé P. R.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. We developed a process model LM3-TAN to assess the combined effects of direct human influences and climate change on terrestrial and aquatic nitrogen (TAN) cycling. The model was developed by expanding NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory land model LM3V-N of coupled terrestrial carbon and nitrogen (C-N) cycling and including new N cycling processes and inputs such as a soil denitrification, point N sources to streams (i.e., sewage), and stream transport and microbial processes. Because the model integrates ecological, hydrological, and biogeochemical processes, it captures key controls of the transport and fate of N in the vegetation–soil–river system in a comprehensive and consistent framework which is responsive to climatic variations and land-use changes. We applied the model at 1/8° resolution for a study of the Susquehanna River Basin. We simulated with LM3-TAN stream dissolved organic-N, ammonium-N, and nitrate-N loads throughout the river network, and we evaluated the modeled loads for 1986–2005 using data from 16 monitoring stations as well as a reported budget for the entire basin. By accounting for interannual hydrologic variability, the model was able to capture interannual variations of stream N loadings. While the model was calibrated with the stream N loads only at the last downstream Susquehanna River Basin Commission station Marietta (40°02' N, 76°32' W), it captured the N loads well at multiple locations within the basin with different climate regimes, land-use types, and associated N sources and transformations in the sub-basins. Furthermore, the calculated and previously reported N budgets agreed well at the level of the whole Susquehanna watershed. Here we illustrate how point and non-point N sources contributing to the various ecosystems are stored, lost, and exported via the river. Local analysis of six sub-basins showed combined effects of land use and climate on soil denitrification rates, with the highest rates in the Lower Susquehanna Sub-Basin (extensive agriculture; Atlantic coastal climate) and the lowest rates in the West Branch Susquehanna Sub-Basin (mostly forest; Great Lakes and Midwest climate). In the re-growing secondary forests, most of the N from non-point sources was stored in the vegetation and soil, but in the agricultural lands most N inputs were removed by soil denitrification, indicating that anthropogenic N applications could drive substantial increase of N2O emission, an intermediate of the denitrification process.
First record of the genus Baris Germar, 1817 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in Dominican amber
Authors: Poinar Jr. G. , Legalov A. A.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. A new weevil species – Baris grossacavis Poinar and Legalov, sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) – is described from Dominican amber. The new species is close to Baris rubripes Casey, 1892, but differs by possessing large punctures over much of its body, including the pronotum; elytral intervals with rows of narrow scales, and narrow elytral intervals. The fossil is the first record of the subfamily Baridinae from any amber source and the first record from the Miocene.
Spatial analysis of oil reservoirs using detrended fluctuation analysis of geophysical data
Authors: Ribeiro R. A. , Mata M. V. M. , Lucena L. S. , Fulco U. L. , Corso G.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. We employ the detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) technique to investigate spatial properties of an oil reservoir. This reservoir is situated at Bacia de Namorados, RJ, Brazil. The data correspond to well logs of the following geophysical quantities: sonic, gamma ray, density, porosity and electrical resistivity, measured in 56 wells. We tested the hypothesis of constructing spatial models using data from fluctuation analysis over well logs. To verify this hypothesis, we compare the matrix of distances of well logs with the differences in DFA exponents of geophysical quantities using a spatial correlation function and the Mantel test. Our data analysis suggests that the sonic profile is a good candidate for representing spatial structures. Then, we apply the clustering analysis technique to the sonic profile to identify these spatial patterns. In addition, we use the Mantel test to search for correlations between DFA exponents of geophysical quantities.
Glacier area and length changes in Norway from repeat inventories
Authors: Winsvold S. H. , Andreassen L. M. , Kienholz C.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. In this study, we assess glacier area and length changes in mainland Norway from repeat Landsat TM/ETM+-derived inventories and digitized topographic maps. The multi-temporal glacier inventory consists of glacier outlines from three time ranges: 1947 to 1985 (GIn50), 1988 to 1997 (GI1990), and 1999 to 2006 (GI2000). For the northernmost regions, we include an additional inventory (GI1900) based on historic maps surveyed between 1895 and 1907. Area and length changes are assessed per glacier unit, 36 subregions, and for three main parts of Norway: southern, central, and northern. The results show a decrease in the glacierized area from 2994 km2 in GIn50 to 2668 km2 in GI2000 (total 2722 glacier units), corresponding to an area reduction of −326 km2, or −11% of the initial GIn50 area. The average length change for the full epoch (within GIn50 and GI2000) is −240 m. Overall, the comparison reveals both area and length reductions as general patterns, even though some glaciers have advanced. The three northernmost subregions show the highest retreat rates, whereas the central part of Norway shows the lowest change rates. Glacier area and length changes indicate that glaciers in maritime areas in southern Norway have retreated more than glaciers in the interior, and glaciers in the north have retreated more than southern glaciers. These observed spatial trends in glacier change are related to a combination of several factors such as glacier geometry, elevation, and continentality, especially in southern Norway.
Short Stems in Total Hip Replacement: Current Status and Future
Authors: Castelli Claudio C. , Rizzi Luigi
Published: October 2014

Short stem hip implants have been introduced as a bone preserving surgery for younger and more active people undergoing hip arthroplasty. Although many short stems are now available, clinical results and long-term survival are controversial. The aim of this paper is to describe the features of the short stems and to analyse their clinical results and long-term survival. The short-stem implants reproduce a stress distribution at the level of the proximal femur more similar to the physiological femur limiting the stress-shielding that occur with conventional cementless stems. Though short stems are an alternative to conventional stems, their use is not yet justified despite the promising short and mid-term survival results. Higher incidence of complications, such as periprosthetic fractures and malpositioning of the stem, and the lack of long-term results do not allow to predict what role in the future short stems in total hip replacement may have.
The Management of Femoral Bone Stock in THA Revision: Indications and Techniques
Authors: Bianchi Luca , Galante Claudio , Zagra Luigi
Published: October 2014

Following the increasing number of total hip arthroplasties, the amount of hip revision procedures continue to rise. Careful patient selection and bone loss evaluation is crucial for a correct management of femoral revision procedures. The key point in femoral revision is to obtain a reliable primary stability of the stem, with the least invasive implant as possible, to preserve and if possible to restore the bone stock. In this article we present the indications and the techniques for the femoral revisions most commonly used in Europe, referring to the evidence in the literature and our personal experiences.
Sex in Utopia:
Authors: Sargent Lyman Tower , Sargisson Lucy
Published: October 2014

In this article we explore two sex-related questions. First, what have the authors of utopias and dystopias said about sexual behavior and relationships in their works? In examining this question, we seek to identify different modes of sexual behavior or relationships that have been presented as characterizing the good or bad society. Second, what is the role of sex in utopia and dystopia? Is there a sexual element of how to get from here to there? Can changes in sexual behavior and relationships help bring about the good society? In order to explore these questions we consult a large number of primary sources, and our discussion begins with a broad-brush survey that establishes some early norms and variations from the canon of utopian thought. Two recurrent themes emerge from this survey: the first concerns a tripartite relationship among sex, sexuality, and gender. The second concerns sex and control. Both themes reinforce key modes of sexual behavior, which are explored in the final section of the article, where we undertake a deeper consideration of sample texts from three authors: Marge Piercy, Robert Rimmer, and Alex Comfort.
Organizing the Impossible:
Authors: Georgopoulos Theodore
Published: October 2014

Icaria is one of those rare moments in social history when the Utopian dream has been tested in political and social practice. Based on legal settlements, the Icarian experience at Nauvoo offers a unique opportunity to check the relationship among law, utopia, and dystopia. The essay scrutinizes the key features of the Icaria's constitution and analyzes the problems related to the enforcement of a Utopian constitution in a real social and political context.
Post-acute integration strategies in an era of accountability
Authors: McHugh John P , Trivedi Amal N , Zinn Jacqueline S , Mor Vincent
Published: October 2014

The Institute of Medicine, in its 2001 Crossing the Quality Chasm report, recommended greater integration and coordination as a component of a transformed health care system, yet relationships between acute and post-acute providers have remained weak. With payment reforms that hold hospitals and health systems accountable for the total costs of care and readmissions, the dynamic between acute and post-acute providers is changing. In this article, we outline the internal and market factors that will drive health systems’ decisions about whether and how they integrate with post-acute providers. Enhanced integration between acute and post-acute providers should reduce variation in post-acute spending.