bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of a Focus Sensor Using Far-Field Diffracted Waves for Holographic Data Discs
Authors: Fujita Teruo
Published: August 2010

The characteristics of a fringe-scanning-type focus sensor, which uses the interference of far-field diffracted waves, were studied by experiments and simulation. The focus sensor's capture range by experimentally obtained corresponded well to the simulated value and the offset was successfully maintained around zero against the photodetector's position shift (±150 µm in the radial direction and ±500 µm in the tangential direction on the projected beam area of 8 mm diameter). Also we confirmed an optimal photodetector location that provides the best focus under the existence of spherical aberration.
Classification and Evaluation of Noises in Holographic Memory System
Authors: Kinoshita Nobuhiro , Muroi Tetsuhiko , Ishii Norihiko , Kamijo Koji , Shimidzu Naoki
Published: August 2010

The consideration of a noise reduction scheme requires the quantitative evaluation of noise amount per noise factor in a holographic memory system. We propose a method of separately measuring noise amounts in such a system. The method can offer a discrete validation of which noise reduction scheme is effective for a particular noise factor. Moreover, our method is also useful for computer-aided system design using the measured noise amounts.
First Playback of High-Definition Video Contents from Super-Resolution Near-Field Structure Optical Disc
Authors: Nakai Kenya , Ohmaki Masayuki , Takeshita Nobuo , Shinoda Masahisa , Hwang Inoh , Lee Yongwoon , Zhao Hui , Kim Jooho , Hyot Bérangère , André Bernard , Poupinet Ludovic , Shima Takayuki , Nakano Takashi , Tominaga Junji
Published: August 2010

A super-resolution near-field structure (super-RENS) read-only-memory disc with an In–Sb thin film as a super-resolution active layer corresponding to a 50 Gbyte capacity per layer was fabricated. The carrier-to-noise ratio at a pit length of 75 nm exceeded 40 dB and a bit error rate (bER) of the order of 10-5 satisfying the 3.0×10-4 criterion was obtained. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the successful and seamless playback performance of a high-definition video content from the super-RENS disc at a data transfer rate of either 36 or 72 Mbps. The bER results of fixed and adaptive partial response maximum likelihood detections are described.
Nonlinear Modeling and Equalization of Super-Resolution Near-Field Structure Discs Using a Canonical Piecewise-Linear Model
Authors: Seo Manjung , Shim Heesung , Im Sungbin , Kim Chonghoon
Published: August 2010

In this study, we apply the canonical piecewise-linear (PWL) model to the modeling of super-resolution near-field structure (super-RENS) read-out signals because reliable and accurate channel modeling is essential for performance analysis and development of equalizers for super-RENS disc systems. To mitigate the nonlinear inter symbol interference (ISI), furthermore, we propose a canonical PWL model-based equalizer (PWLEQ) for super-RENS discs. The validity of the model and the equalizer is tested using radio frequency (RF) signal samples obtained from a super-RENS disc. The modeling experiment results verified that the canonical PWL model can be efficiently utilized for the nonlinear modeling of super-RENS systems. The raw bit error rate (BER) performance with the proposed equalizer is measured for various delays and step sizes of the canonical PWL model. We observe a marked improvement in raw BER when using the proposed equlaizer.
Alignment-Free Fiber Confocal Microscope and All-Fiber Optical System for Multilayered Optical Memories
Authors: Tsuji Masatoshi , Inami Wataru , Kawata Yoshimasa
Published: August 2010

We propose a fiber confocal microscope as an alignment-free readout system of multilayered optical memories. The fiber confocal microscope does not require fine pinhole position alignment because the fiber core is used as the point light source and the pinhole, and both of which are always located at the conjugated point. The configuration reduces the required accuracy of pinhole position alignment. The fiber confocal microscope can also achieve a compact pickup head. Recording layers in a multilayered medium could be detected with an axial resolution of approximately 900 nm. We demonstrated eight-layer readout with the fiber confocal microscope. We also propose an all-fiber recording and readout system for multilayered memories.
Theoretical Study of Moiré Pattern in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Images of Carbon Nanotubes on Metallic Substrate
Authors: Takemoto Seiji , Kobayashi Nobuhiko
Published: August 2010

Theoretical simulation of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) adsorbed on Al(100) surfaces was performed using the Tersoff–Hamann theory and the tight-binding model. A lattice mismatch of the SWNT and the surface is shown to affect the electronic states at the top of the small-radius SWNT and to form a moiré pattern on the STM image, which is in good agreement with the results of a recent experiment.
Extreme sulphur isotope fractionation in the deep Cretaceous biosphere
Authors: Ferrini Vincenzo , Fayek Mostafa , De Vito Caterina , Mignardi Silvano , Pignatti Johannes
Published: August 2010

Isotopically light sulphur in sedimentary pyrite was generally predominant during the Cretaceous as a consequence of volcanic and hydrothermal activity and bacterial sulphate reduction (BSR). However, we report super-high sulphur isotopic compositions of sedimentary pyrite (δ
34
S +89.3‰) from late mid-Cretaceous sediments from the Central Apennines, Italy. These exceptionally high δ
34
S values are not consistent with current models for interpreting the geological record for sulphur isotopes because these cannot explain the extreme isotopic fractionation observed in our study. Precise details of the mechanism for producing pyrite so highly enriched in
34
S remain elusive, but the large variation in δ
34
S values (>70‰) within the analysed samples and the considerable micro-scale variations in δ
34
S (up to 50‰ even within a single nodule) indicate a complex mechanism of sulphate reduction and pyrite precipitation. This includes early removal of isotopically light H
2
S by pyrite precipitation in the water column, diffusion and advection of H
2
S and SO
4
2−
, and finally BSR. Similar but less severe conditions occur in the Black Sea and in deep ocean sediments. These new findings provide new insights for the interpretation of the palaeoceanographic conditions that prevailed during the Mesozoic.
Isotopic ages and palaeomagnetism of selected magmatic rocks from King George Island (Antarctic Peninsula)
Authors: Nawrocki Jerzy , Pańczyk Magdalena , Williams Ian S.
Published: August 2010

A range of mafic to intermediate extrusive and intrusive igneous rocks from the central part of King George Island were sampled for isotopic and palaeomagnetic studies. Single-grain U–Pb dating of zircon from basalts to trachytes from the upper part of the section gave Eocene ages (53.0 ± 0.7 to 47.8 ± 0.5 Ma), consistent with a whole-rock
40
Ar–
39
Ar age of 52.7 ± 0.6 Ma. These ages correspond to the first stages of the opening of the Drake Passage. A Late Cretaceous
40
Ar–
39
Ar age (75.4 ± 0.9 Ma) was obtained only from one basalt sample from the bottom part of the section (Uchatka Point Formation). These new age determinations change substantially the existing stratigraphic chart of King George Island. Palaeomagnetic poles show a marked departure from the East Antarctic apparent polar wander path, reflecting anticlockwise rotation of the rocks after the Early Eocene. The mean age of zircon grains from a basaltic lava flow overlying the tillite at Hervé Cove (48.9 ± 0.7 Ma) and the normal polarity magnetization of surrounding basalts allow correlation of the tillite with the upper part of the C22 polarity chron (49.4–48.6 Ma). The consistency in age, crystal morphology, and U and Th contents strongly suggests that the zircon records the magmatic event. However, derivation of the zircon from an older magma and a slightly younger age for the tillite cannot be totally excluded.
Geological offsets and age constraints along the northern Dead Sea fault, Syria
Authors: Searle Michael P. , Chung Sun-Lin , Lo Ching-Hua
Published: August 2010

North of the Lebanese restraining bend, the northern Dead Sea fault in Syria cuts Late Miocene–Pliocene intraplate alkali basalts that have
40
Ar/
39
Ar ages ranging between 6.4 ± 0.1 and 3.7 ± 0.1 Ma. Despite a wide (40 m) gouge zone in places, only between 5.3 and 16.8 km of Pliocene–Recent left-lateral offset occurs along the segment south of Mesyef, where up to 1100 m of down-to-the-east throw has been measured using the base Neogene volcanic rocks as a datum horizon. Although theoretically possible, there is no geological evidence for pre-Pliocene movement along the fault in NW Syria. The fault splays into two transtensional faults bounding the Pliocene Al-Ghab depression and cuts basalts dated at 4.0–3.7 Ma. The minor lateral geological offsets and matching of Mesozoic and Tertiary stratigraphy across the fault show that the northern Dead Sea fault is not a plate boundary, but merely an intraplate fault. The kinematics of NW Syria can be related to a dynamically evolving stress field with time from Miocene NW–SE compression to Pliocene–Recent north–south strike-slip faulting, coupled with minor anti-clockwise rotation, initiation of the Dead Sea left-lateral transtensional strike-slip fault and the transtensional Al-Ghab basin.

Supplementary material:

Analytical procedures, data tables and concordia diagrams are available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18423
.
Detrital zircon U–Pb ages of Silurian–Devonian sediments from NW Svalbard: a fragment of Avalonia and Laurentia?
Authors: Pettersson Carl H. , Pease Victoria , Frei Dirk
Published: August 2010

Detrital zircon populations from Silurian–Devonian clastic rocks of NW Svalbard were analysed by U–Pb laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to investigate the pre-Caledonian provenance of Svalbard's Northwestern Terrane. Changes in the resulting age spectra suggest a major shift in sources from the Laurentian–Avalonian suture in the latest Silurian to the local metasedimentary basement of the Northwestern Terrane in the Late Silurian–Early Devonian, and in the Lochkovian to Grenvillian–Sveconorwegian sources. These data, together with structural, additional geochronological and metamorphic data from Svalbard, East Greenland and Avalonia, support the amalgamation of Svalbard as the result of long-distance transport along sinistral strike-slip faults. A unifying model for the final amalgamation of Svalbard, consistent with the stratigraphical and tectonothermal history of Svalbard, involves fragments from the Grampian orogen and Avalonian crust originally accreted to the Laurentian margin being subsequently transported northward along sinistral strike-slip faults during Scandian deformation.

Supplementary material:

The sample preparation procedures, laser ablation ICP-MS analytical methods, and data table are available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18421
.
Existence and Localization Results for "Equation missing" -Laplacian via Topological Methods
Authors: Cekic B , Mashiyev RA
Published: August 2010

We show the existence of a week solution in "Equation missing" to a Dirichlet problem for "Equation missing" in "Equation missing", and its localization. This approach is based on the nonlinear alternative of Leray-Schauder.
Comparison of Artificial Neural Network with Logistic Regression as Classification Models for Variable Selection for Prediction of Breast Cancer Patient Outcomes
Authors: Bourdès Valérie , Bonnevay Stéphane , Lisboa Paolo , Defrance Rémy , Pérol David , Chabaud Sylvie , Bachelot Thomas , Gargi Thérèse , Négrier Sylvie
Published: August 2010

The aim of this study was to compare multilayer perceptron neural networks (NNs) with standard logistic regression (LR) to identify key covariates impacting on mortality from cancer causes, disease-free survival (DFS), and disease recurrence using Area Under Receiver-Operating Characteristics (AUROC) in breast cancer patients. From 1996 to 2004, 2,535 patients diagnosed with primary breast cancer entered into the study at a single French centre, where they received standard treatment. For specific mortality as well as DFS analysis, the ROC curves were greater with the NN models compared to LR model with better sensitivity and specificity. Four predictive factors were retained by both approaches for mortality: clinical size stage, Scarff Bloom Richardson grade, number of invaded nodes, and progesterone receptor. The results enhanced the relevance of the use of NN models in predictive analysis in oncology, which appeared to be more accurate in prediction in this French breast cancer cohort.
Existence and Nonexistence Results for Classes of Singular Elliptic Problem
Authors: Zhang Peng , Liao Jia-Feng
Published: August 2010

The singular semilinear elliptic problem −Δu + k(x)u−γ = λup in Ω, u > 0 in Ω, u = 0 on ∂Ω, is considered, where Ω is a bounded domain with smooth boundary in RN, , and γ, p, λ are three positive constants. Some existence or nonexistence results are obtained for solutions of this problem by the sub‐supersolution method.
Dynamic Metabolic Flux Analysis Demonstrated on Cultures Where the Limiting Substrate Is Changed from Carbon to Nitrogen andVice Versa
Authors: Lequeux Gaspard , Beauprez Joeri , Maertens Jo , Van Horen Ellen , Soetaert Wim , Vandamme Erick , Vanrolleghem Peter A.
Published: August 2010

The main requirement for metabolic flux analysis (MFA) is that the cells are in a pseudo-steady state, that there is no accumulation or depletion of intracellular metabolites. In the past, the applications of MFA were limited to the analysis of continuous cultures. This contribution introduces the concept of dynamic MFA and extends MFA so that it is applicable to transient cultures. Time series of concentration measurements are transformed into flux values. This transformation involves differentiation, which typically increases the noisiness of the data. Therefore, a noise-reducing step is needed. In this work, polynomial smoothing was used. As a test case, dynamic MFA is applied onEscherichia colicultivations shifting from carbon limitation to nitrogen limitation and vice versa. After switching the limiting substrate from N to C, a lag phase was observed accompanied with an increase in maintenance energy requirement. This lag phase did not occur in the C- to N-limitation case.
Analysis on the Susceptibility Genes in Two Chinese Pedigrees with Familial Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Xu Changshui , Xu Jun , Zhang Yanmin , Ma Jianjun , Kawakami Hideshi , Maruyama Hirofumi , Kamada Masaki
Published: August 2010

Objective. To screen the susceptibility genes in Chinese pedigrees with early-onset familial Parkinson's disease (FPD).Methods. Fifty-one genomic DNA samples extracted from two Chinese pedigrees with FPD, the alpha-synuclein genes (SNCA), the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2(LRRK2), PINK1(PTEN-induced putative kinase 1), PARK7(Protein DJ1), PARK2(Parkinson juvenile disease protein 2), the glucocerebrosidase (GBA), and ATP(Ezrin-binding protein PACE-1), were sequenced by the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The gene dose of SNCA was checked.Results. There were only two missense mutations observed, respectively, at exon 5 of LRRK2 and exon 10 of PARK2, and both were enrolled in SNPs.Conclusion. No meaningful mutations could be detected, and other susceptibility genes should be detected in FDP patients in China.
A Note on the (h, q)‐Extension of Bernoulli Numbers and Bernoulli Polynomials
Authors: Ryoo C. S. , Kim T.
Published: August 2010

We observe the behavior of roots of the (h, q)‐extension of Bernoulli polynomials . By means of numerical experiments, we demonstrate a remarkably regular structure of the complex roots of the q‐extension of Bernoulli polynomials . The main purpose of this paper is also to investigate
the zeros of the (h, q)‐extension of Bernoulli polynomials . Furthermore, we give a table for the zeros of the (h, q)‐extension of Bernoulli polynomials .
Disruption of the Cys5-Cys7 disulfide bridge in the platelet glycoprotein Ibβ prevents the normal maturation and surface exposure of GPIb-IX complexes
Authors: Butta Nora , Iruín Gema , Alonso Sonia , Ayuso Matilde , Parrilla Roberto , González-Manchón Consuelo
Published: August 2010

This work aimed at elucidating the molecular genetic defect in two related patients with Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS) phenotype. Flow cytometric analysis revealed undetectable levels of platelet glycoproteins (GP), Ibα and IX, although plasma glycocalicin was detectable in both cases. The complete sequencing of GPIbα, GPIbβ, and GPIX revealed the presence of a single point mutation, a G to A substitution, in codon 30 of GPIbβ, that changes Cys5 to Tyr. The parents and sibling of the patients, heterozygotes for this mutation, were asymptomatic and they all showed a reduced platelet content of GPIbα and GPIX. Transient transfection of the mutant GPIbβ subunit failed to render surface expression of GPIbα and exerted a dominant-negative effect on the surface exposure of the GPIb-IX complex. Metabolic labelling and immunoprecipitation analysis of transfected cells indicated that [5Tyr]GPIbβ may associate with GPIX and GPIbα, but the maturation of the GPIb-IX complex is impaired. Substitution of either Cys5 or Cys7 by Ala failed to show surface expression of GPIb-IX, suggesting that the Cys5-Cys7 disulfide loop in GPIbβ is essential for the efficient processing and trafficking of GPIb-IX complexes toward the plasma membrane. Our findings indicate that the identified novel GPIbβ mutation is responsible for the BSS phenotype of the patients and provide an explanation for the molecular mechanism underlying the reduced platelet content of GPIb-IX complex in the heterozygous individuals.
Incidence of symptomatic venous thromboembolism after different elective or urgent surgical procedures
Authors: Zhou Hong , Romano Patrick , White Richard
Published: August 2010

There have been no comprehensive studies that have compared the incidence of symptomatic VTE over a spectrum of different urgent or elective surgical procedures. In this study we determined the incidence of symptomatic venous thromboembolic events (VTE) within a 3 month period after 76 different surgical procedures. Using a large administrative data-base, we analyzed 1,653,275 cases that underwent one of 76 selected surgical procedures between January 1, 1992 and September 30, 1996. The principal outcomes were venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, during either the initial hospitalization or a re-hospitalization for VTE within 91 days of the date of surgery. Predictors of VTE were analyzed using logistic regression. Overall, VTE was diagnosed in 13,533 cases (0.8%, 95% CI = 0.7-0.9%) and of these, 5049 (37%, 95% CI = 36-38%) had pulmonary embolism. Predictors of VTE included: advancing age (OR=1.1 per 5 year increment in age, 95% CI =1.1-1.1), Latino ethnicity (OR = 0.9, 95% CI =0.8-0.9), Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.4-0.6), presence of a malignancy (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.6-1.8) and prior VTE (OR = 6.2, 95% CI = 5.5-7.0). High-risk procedures that had an incidence of symptomatic VTE of approximately 2 to 3% included invasive neurosurgery, total hip arthroplasty, major vascular surgery and radical cystectomy. Fifty-six percent of all VTE events diagnosed within 91 days of surgery occurred after discharge. The findings of this study provide a basis for categorizing different surgical procedures as low, intermediate, high and very high risk for VTE. Because of the high incidence of VTE diagnosed after hospital discharge, further studies of extended thromboprophylaxis appear warranted.
Fibrin glue for wound repair: facts and fancy
Authors: Clark Richard
Published: August 2010

In wound repair, fibrin has a multiplicity of activities, some of which are intrinsic to the protein itself and some attributable to other blood constituents associated with the fibrin clot. Fibrin sealants, which have been approved for hemostasis in the US and Europe, are occasionally used wounds to promote healing. However, inconsistency exists in the literature regarding the benefit of these preparations in the healing process. Morecrude fibrinogen preparations, such as cryoprecipitates made from the patient’s own blood on location, appear from the literature to have better utility in wounds than more purified fibrinogen preparations available through commercial sources. These divergent outcomes are likely attributable to additional blood-derived products being associated with cryo-precipitates compared to the relatively purified commercial fibrinogen preparations. Clearly standard preparations and methods of application of fibrin sealant need to be defined for each particular surgical setting to resolve the many ostensible discrepancies in the current literature. A corollary is that different fibrin sealant preparations are likely to be preferable for different clinical situations.
Potential predictors of bleeding risk in inherited factorVII deficiency
Authors: Schved Jean-Francois , Giansily-Blaizot Muriel
Published: August 2010

Due to the wide molecular and clinical heterogeneities of inherited factor VII (FVII) deficiency, consensus guidelines for management of this coagulation disorder are not currently well established. Therefore, potential clinical, plasmatic or genetic criteria, that could be predictive for bleeding tendency in this condition, have been evaluated. Genotypic criteria including FVII genotypes and thrombophilic mutations are of particular interest to better understand some of the variations observed in bleeding phenotypes but they are still poorly informative for the management of surgery in FVII-deficient patients. Up to now, no plasma parameters have been found to be reliable predictors of bleeding risk. Nevertheless, tissue factor and platelet pathways remain to be explored. Finally, clinical history appears to be the best predictor of bleeding risk after haemostatic challenges in inherited FVII deficiencies. Furthermore, the absence of history of bleeding or mild bleeding phenotypes including menorrhagia, bruises and epistaxis (not inducing iron deficiency anaemia or requiring blood substitutive treatment) could enable minor surgery to be performed in FVII-deficient patients without blood replacement therapy.
Finite-Amplitude Wave Activity and Mean Flow Adjustments in the Atmospheric General Circulation. Part I: Quasigeostrophic Theory and Analysis
Authors: Nakamura Noboru , Solomon Abraham
Published: August 2010

A diagnostic relationship between finite-amplitude wave activity and the associated adiabatic adjustments to the zonal-mean zonal wind and temperature is developed in the quasigeostrophic (QG) framework and is applied to a 23-yr segment (1979–2001) of the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) data. Wave activity is defined in terms of an instantaneous areal displacement of QG potential vorticity (PV) from zonal symmetry. Unlike previous forms, the tendency of wave activity equals exactly the negative of the eddy PV flux (Eliassen–Palm flux divergence) in the conservative limit, even at finite amplitude. This allows one to integrate the transformed Eulerian mean (TEM) theory in time and quantify the departure (adiabatic adjustment) of the zonal-mean state from an eddy-free reference state in terms of the observed wave activity. The structure of wave activity identifies synoptic eddies in the extratropics and planetary waves in the high latitudes of winter-to-spring stratosphere. In addition, a thin layer of high wave activity is found at the top of the lowermost stratosphere (∼17 km) in the summer extratropics. The reference state is constructed by “zonalizing” the PV contours conservatively (preserving area) on the isobaric surface and by inverting the resultant PV gradient for the mean flow. The adjustment associated with wave activity depends on the assumed surface boundary condition for the reference state. With a no-slip condition, the observed zonal-mean temperature is on average ∼33 (90) K higher than the reference state in the troposphere (stratosphere) of the Arctic winter, while the zonal-mean zonal wind is ∼30 m s−1 slower in the upper stratosphere. Since the reference state filters out the advective eddy–mean flow interaction, it fluctuates less than the zonal-mean state, potentially improving the signal-to-noise ratio for climate diagnosis.
Sedimentation-Induced Errors in Bulk Microphysics Schemes
Authors: Milbrandt J. A. , McTaggart-Cowan R.
Published: August 2010

The computation of hydrometeor sedimentation in one-moment, two-moment, and three-moment bulk microphysics parameterizations is examined in the context of a 1D model, with no other microphysical processes active. The solution from an analytic bin model is used as a reference against which the bulk model simulations are compared. Errors in the computed (nonprognostic) moments from 0 to 7 from the bulk model runs are examined. In addition to the commonly used predicted variables (number concentration, mass, and reflectivity), bulk scheme configurations with alternative combinations of prognostic moments are considered.

While the extra degree of freedom in a two-moment scheme adds realism to the simulation of sedimentation over a one-moment scheme, the standard practice of imposing a constant relative dispersion in the particle size distribution results in considerable errors in some of the computed moments. The error can be shifted to different moments by selecting different prognostic moments. For three-moment schemes, the error is considerably reduced over a wide range of computed moments and there is much less sensitivity to the choice of prognostic variables.

Two alternative approaches are proposed for modifying the computation of sedimentation in two-moment schemes to reduce problems associated with excess size sorting. The first approach uses a diagnostic relative dispersion (shape) parameter, generalized for any pair of prognostic moments. The second involves progressively reducing the differential fall velocities between the moments and is therefore applicable for schemes that hold the shape parameter constant. Both approaches greatly reduce the errors in the computed moments, including those on which microphysical process rates depend, and are easily applied to existing two-moment schemes.
GiST: A Stochastic Model for Generating Spatially and Temporally Correlated Daily Rainfall Data
Authors: Baigorria Guillermo A. , Jones James W.
Published: August 2010

Weather generators are tools that create synthetic daily weather data over long periods of time. These tools have also been used for downscaling monthly to seasonal climate forecasts, from global and regional circulation models to daily values for use as inputs for crop and other environmental models. One main limitation of most weather generators is that they do not take into account the spatial structure of weather. Spatial correlation of daily rainfall is important when one aggregates, for example, simulated crop yields or hydrology in a watershed or region. A method was developed to generate realizations of daily rainfall for multiple sites in an area while preserving the spatial and temporal correlations among sites. A two-step method generates rainfall events at multiple sites followed by rainfall amounts at sites where generated rainfall events occur. The generation of rainfall events was based on a new orthogonal Markov chain for discrete distributions. For generating rainfall amounts, a vector of random numbers (from a uniform distribution), of order equal to the number of locations with rainfall events that were generated to occur in a day, was matrix-multiplied by the corresponding factorized correlation matrix to create spatially correlated random numbers. Elements from the resulting vector were transformed to a gamma distribution using cumulative probability functions for each location and rescaled to rainfall amounts. One study area was located in north-central Florida, where correlated rainfall data were generated for seven weather stations to evaluate its performance versus a widely used single-site weather generator. A second area was in North Carolina, where rainfall was generated for 25 weather stations to evaluate the effects of a larger number of stations in other regions. One thousand yearlong replications of daily rainfall data were generated for each area. Monthly spatial correlations of generated daily rainfall events and amounts among all pairs of weather stations closely matched their observed counterparts. For daily rainfall amounts the correlation coefficients between the observed pairwise correlation coefficients and the ones estimated from synthetic data among weather stations were 0.977 for Florida and 0.964 for North Carolina. The performance of the geospatial–temporal (GiST) weather generator was also analyzed by comparing the distributions of lengths of dry and wet spells, joint probabilities, Markov transitional probabilities, distance decay of correlation functions, and regionwide days without rainfall at any station. Multiannual mean and standard deviation of the number of rainy days per month and mean monthly rainfall were also calculated. All comparisons between observed and generated rainfall events and amounts using the GiST weather generator were highly correlated. The root-mean-square errors of pairwise correlation values ranged from 0.05 to 0.11 for rainfall events and from 0.03 to 0.06 for amounts.
Reconstructing the NH Mean Temperature: Can Underestimation of Trends and Variability Be Avoided?
Authors: Christiansen Bo
Published: August 2010

There are indications that hemispheric-mean climate reconstructions seriously underestimate the amplitude of low-frequency variability and trends. Some of the theory of linear regression and error-in-variables models is reviewed to identify the sources of this problem. On the basis of the insight gained, a reconstruction method that is supposed to minimize the underestimation is formulated. The method consists of reconstructing the local temperatures at the geographical locations of the proxies, followed by calculating the hemispheric average. The method is tested by applying it to an ensemble of surrogate temperature fields based on two climate simulations covering the last 500 and 1000 yr. Compared to the regularized expectation maximization (RegEM) truncated total least squares (TTLS) method and a composite-plus-scale method—two methods recently used in the literature—the new method strongly improves the behavior regarding low-frequency variability and trends. The potential importance in real-world situations is demonstrated by applying the methods to a set of 14 decadally smoothed proxies. Here the new method shows much larger low-frequency variability and a much colder preindustrial temperature level than the other reconstruction methods. However, this should mainly be seen as a demonstration of the potential losses and gains of variability, as the reconstructions based on the 14 decadally smoothed proxies are not very robust.
Atmospheric Blocking and Mean Biases in Climate Models
Authors: Scaife Adam A. , Woollings Tim , Knight Jeff , Martin Gill , Hinton Tim
Published: August 2010

Models often underestimate blocking in the Atlantic and Pacific basins and this can lead to errors in both weather and climate predictions. Horizontal resolution is often cited as the main culprit for blocking errors due to poorly resolved small-scale variability, the upscale effects of which help to maintain blocks. Although these processes are important for blocking, the authors show that much of the blocking error diagnosed using common methods of analysis and current climate models is directly attributable to the climatological bias of the model. This explains a large proportion of diagnosed blocking error in models used in the recent Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change report. Furthermore, greatly improved statistics are obtained by diagnosing blocking using climate model data corrected to account for mean model biases. To the extent that mean biases may be corrected in low-resolution models, this suggests that such models may be able to generate greatly improved levels of atmospheric blocking.
Short- and Medium-Range Prediction of Tropical and Transitioning Cyclone Tracks within the NCEP Global Ensemble Forecasting System
Authors: Buckingham Christian , Marchok Timothy , Ginis Isaac , Rothstein Lewis , Rowe Dail
Published: August 2010

The NCEP Global Ensemble Forecasting System (GEFS) is examined in its ability to predict tropical cyclone and extratropical transition (ET) positions. Forecast and observed tracks are compared in Atlantic and western North Pacific basins for 2006–08, and the accuracy and consistency of the ensemble are examined out to 8 days. Accuracy is quantified by the average absolute and along- and cross-track errors of the ensemble mean. Consistency is evaluated through the use of dispersion diagrams, missing rate error, and probability within spread. Homogeneous comparisons are made with the NCEP Global Forecasting System (GFS). The average absolute track error of the GEFS mean increases linearly at a rate of 50 n mi day−1 [where 1 nautical mile (n mi) = 1.852 km] at early lead times in the Atlantic, increasing to 150 n mi day−1 at 144 h (100 n mi day−1 when excluding ET tracks). This trend is 60 n mi day−1 at early lead times in the western North Pacific, increasing to 150 n mi day−1 at longer lead times (130 n mi day−1 when excluding ET tracks). At long lead times, forecasts illustrate left- and right-of-track biases in Atlantic and western North Pacific basins, respectively; bias is reduced (increased) in the Atlantic (western North Pacific) when excluding ET tracks. All forecasts were found to lag behind observed cyclones, on average. The GEFS has good dispersion characteristics in the Atlantic and is underdispersive in the western North Pacific. Homogeneous comparisons suggest that the ensemble mean has value relative to the GFS beyond 96 h in the Atlantic and less value in the western North Pacific; a larger sample size is needed before conclusions can be made.
The Effect of L1 Orthography on Non-native Vowel Perception
Authors: Escudero Paola , Wanrooij Karin
Published: August 2010

Previous research has shown that orthography influences the learning and processing of spoken non-native words. In this paper, we examine the effect of L1 orthography on non-native sound perception. In Experiment 1, 204 Spanish learners of Dutch and a control group of 20 native speakers of Dutch were asked to classify Dutch vowel tokens by choosing from auditorily presented options, in one task, and from the orthographic representations of Dutch vowels, in a second task. The results show that vowel categorization varied across tasks: the most difficult vowels in the purely auditory task were the easiest in the orthographic task and, conversely, vowels with a relatively high success rate in the purely auditory task were poorly classified in the orthographic task. The results of Experiment 2 with 22 monolingual Peruvian Spanish listeners replicated the main results of Experiment 1 and confirmed the existence of orthographic effects. Together, the two experiments show that when listening to auditory stimuli only, native speakers of Spanish have great difficulty classifying certain Dutch vowels, regardless of the amount of experience they may have with the Dutch language. Importantly, the pairing of auditory stimuli with orthographic labels can help or hinder Spanish listeners’ sound categorization, depending on the specific sound contrast.
Homophone Dominance at the Whole-word and Sub-word Levels: Spelling Errors Suggest Full-form Storage of Regularly Inflected Verb Forms
Authors: Sandra Dominiek
Published: August 2010

Two experiments and two corpus studies focus on homophone dominance in the spelling of regularly inflected verb forms, the phenomenon that the higher-frequency homophone causes more intrusion errors on the lower-frequency one than vice versa. Experiment 1 was a speeded dictation task focusing on the Dutch imperative, a verb form whose formation rule is poorly known. A clear-cut effect of homophone dominance was found. This effect was equally strong when the target imperative was preceded by another imperative in the same sentence whose pronunciation reflected the spelling rule. Experiment 2 indicated that the effect of homophone dominance cannot be reduced to an effect of recency. Language users cannot discriminate a recently seen verb form when shown the two homophones. Instead, they choose the most frequent spelling pattern. In Corpus Study 1 a Google search on the world wide web revealed a sublexical effect of homophone dominance in the spelling errors on regular past tense forms. Corpus Study 2 demonstrated the validity of the search method. The sublexical effect of homophone dominance, involving units that cut across the stem—suffix boundary, lends itself naturally to a representational model of the connectionist or analogical processing tradition but is hard to reconcile with a rule-based account.
Is a FAN Always FUN? Phonological and Orthographic Effects in Bilingual Visual Word Recognition
Authors: Ota Mitsuhiko , Hartsuiker Robert J. , Haywood Sarah L.
Published: August 2010

A visual semantic categorization task in English was performed by native English speakers (Experiment 1) and late bilinguals whose first language was Japanese (Experiment 2) or Spanish (Experiment 3). In the critical conditions, the target word was a homophone of a correct category exemplar (e.g., A BODY OF WATER—SEE; cf. SEA) or a word that differed from the correct exemplar by a phonological contrast absent in the bilinguals’ first language (e.g., USED FOR COOLING DOWN—FUN; cf. FAN). Homophones elicited more false positive errors and slower processing than spelling controls in all groups. The Japanese—English bilinguals, but not the Spanish—English bilinguals, also displayed ‘near-homophone’ effects (i.e., homophone-like effects from minimal pairs on nonnative contrasts). We conclude that second-language visual word recognition is influenced by first-language phonology, although the effect is conditioned by the first-language orthographic system. Near-homophone effects can occur when the orthographic systems of the late bilingual’s two languages are different in type (e.g., alphabetic vs. non-alphabetic), but may be blocked if the languages use the same writing script (e.g., Roman alphabet).
The value of data mining in music education research and some findings from its application to a study of instrumental learning during childhood
Authors: Faulkner Robert , Davidson Jane W. , McPherson Gary E.
Published: August 2010

The use of data mining for the analysis of data collected in natural settings is increasingly recognized as a legitimate mode of enquiry. This rule-inductive paradigm is an effective means of discovering relationships within large datasets — especially in research that has limited experimental design — and for the subsequent formulation of predictions and rules. The method is dramatically under-used in education research in general, and is hardly represented in music education, if at all. The present article reports on several decision trees that emerged from mining for knowledge in datasets constructed from the musical journeys, experiences and abilities of 157 young people in Australia from the outset of instrumental tuition in primary school and for the following 12 years. This article illustrates the validity of knowledge discovery in databases for forecasting outcomes and behaviours in educational settings generally and, more specifically, it considers early predictors of students’ short- and long-term commitment to instrument learning. This machine-learnt knowledge provides music educators with useful information about the relationship between various attributes of student experience. Within months of beginning instrumental tuition, reported levels of self-regulation, practice on Sundays, parental reminders and self-efficacy beliefs emerge as potentially predictive of students’ ongoing musical engagement. Findings are discussed in relation to self-regulation and motivation theories.
The generalized sousveillance society
Authors: Ganascia Jean-Gabriel
Published: August 2010

This article is based on the notion of ‘sousveillance’, which was invented by Steve Mann to describe the present state of modern technological societies where anybody may take photos or videos of any person or event, and then diffuse the information freely all over the world. The article shows how sousveillance can be generalized both to the real world and to the virtual world of the Infosphere using modern information technologies. As a consequence, the separation between public and private spheres tends to disappear. We believe that generalized sousveillance may transform the overall society, e.g. modern public transportation like the Paris subway might have to change the way it disseminates information due to the impossibility of managing the flow of information coming from its infrastructures.

To attempt to elucidate a society based on generalized sousveillance, the article introduces the notion of the ‘Catopticon’, derived from Bentham’s Panopticon: while the architecture of the Panopticon was designed to facilitate surveillance by prohibiting communication and by installing surveyors in a watchtower, the architecture of the ‘Catopticon’ allows everybody to communicate with everybody and removes surveyors from the watchtower. The article goes on to explore the opportunities the Catopticon might offer if extended to the whole planet. It also shows the limitations of the extended Catopticon; some are extrinsic: they consist of various resistances which restrict access to the Internet; others are intrinsic: for instance, we can exchange simultaneously only with a few people, while we may have millions of contacts. As a consequence, the various new ‘regimes of distinction’ mentioned above play a key role in modern societies.
What does the transmitted image of a human face tell an observer about personality traits?
Authors: Barabanschikov Vladimir
Published: August 2010

We experimentally examine the question of how adequately a person’s individual psychological characteristics can be perceived using the expression of his/her face as the basis of assessment. The research method is based on comparison between participants’ personality traits and the beholder’s assessment of individual psychological characteristics of his partner in communication on the basis of the expression of his facial image, either whole or fragmented (masked). Assessment of personality traits was carried out on the basis of R. B. Cattell’s 16-transformed scales. The participants were instructed to assess two male and two female human faces displayed on a monitor. Each image had five Variants: fully open, represented by the top, bottom, right or left side. It is shown that nearly 40% of personality traits of the ‘communicated’ participant are correctly estimated on the basis of the expression of the image of a whole face. The accuracy of estimations using the right and left halves of a facial image coincides and is indistinguishable from those of the image of a whole face. Individual psychological characteristics of a person are perceived less accurately using the lower part of a face, and worst of all using the top. No difference in the accuracy of recognition of single personality traits is discerned when viewing the whole face compared to the fragmentary image. ‘Optimism’ and ‘peculiarity’ are recognized most effectively for all types of masking and types of face; least recognized is ‘meaningfulness’. Successful assessment of the expression of the whole and fragmented facial images suggests various predictors: in perception of the whole face — high self-control as an attribute of the beholder; in perception of a horizontally partitioned face — his/her dependence on the group; in perception of a vertically partitioned face — poor social contact.
Building together digital archives for research in social sciences and humanities
Authors: Habert Benoît , Huc Claude
Published: August 2010

In order to help understand the possible interplay between transmission and digitization, a pilot project for the long-term preservation of research data in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) is presented by its two coordinators. The article provides some background context on transmission in digital form of past and present research in SSH. It shows the discrepancy between the increasing role of digital information and its fragility. It presents the standard abstract model for archival information systems and the way it was instantiated in the pilot project. It ends with some reflexive remarks on the factors that are bound to act upon the future of such projects: organizational behaviours, role of data and knowledge, communities of users, institutional issues and status of collective memory in SSH.
Digitization and transmission of human experience
Authors: Lahlou Saadi
Published: August 2010

Transmission of human experience is essential for many purposes. It has two aspects: content and social relations. Digital technologies can solve some of the classic issues around the capture and transmission of human experience. Using these new technical affordances as a basis, this article presents a framework to capture and describe human activity and experience based on video and cooperative explicitation of activity trajectories with the subject, using a transition model inspired by the formalism of dynamical systems. The article also introduces this special issue, ‘Digitize and Transfer’, and gives an overview of its contents.
Capter et transférer le savoir incorporé dans un geste professionnel
Authors: Le Bellu Sophie , Lahlou Saadi , Nosulenko Valery
Published: August 2010

Les savoirs experts dans le monde professionnel sont difficiles à capter en raison de leur nature en grande part tacite (difficilement verbalisable). On détaille ici un ensemble de méthodes et techniques (capture numérique du geste en vue subjective et en vue externe; protocole de verbalisation guidé par les buts en situation; entretiens d’auto-confrontation et de reconstruction) qui permettent de récupérer ces savoir-faire en coopération entre l’analyste et l’expert-geste. Le protocole vise: (1) à reconstruire avec l’expert la logique intentionnelle du geste, son modèle mental; et (2) à le montrer au mieux au travers de la vidéo, pour que d’autres puissent le comprendre et l’internaliser à leur tour. Ce protocole de capture aboutit à la réalisation d’un support multimédia pour la représentation et la transmission du savoir-faire métier.

L’approche s’inscrit dans une perspective de gestion des connaissances (approche globale, du point de vue de l’organisation, souci pédagogique), adopte une posture proche de celle de l’ergonomie (sympathie pour l’acteur, observation détaillée in situ), et utilise des théories et méthodes issues de la psychologie cognitive et de l’ethnographie numérique. Les principaux cadres théoriques mobilisés sont les théories de l’activité et de la qualité perçue.
Transports privés: Claire Denis’s Vendredi soir and the Mobile Urban Woman in French Cinema
Authors: Hardwick Joe
Published: August 2010

If one of the recurrent figures of recent French cinema has been that of the wanderer, what counts as a minor genre within this category are films featuring mobile women. Whereas movies starring males offer a variety of journeys for their displaced heroes, recurrent motifs in the lives of the mobile woman include prostitution, madness and violence. Presenting a different perspective is Claire Denis’s 2002 feature Vendredi soir, which recounts the story of Laure, a 30-something woman who gets caught in a traffic jam the night before she is to move in with her partner. On a freezing Parisian night, Laure offers a lift to the mysterious Jean with whom she has a one-night stand. With reference to the writing of Ross Chambers, this paper will read Laure in the tradition of the flâneuse, one who traces a significantly different path from that of her French cinematic forebears.