bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct Killing of Patients in Humanitarian Situations and Armed Conflicts: The Profession of Medicine is Losing Its Meaning
Authors: Asgary Ramin
Published: February 2015

During armed conflicts over the past several years, attacks on humanitarian workers and patients have increased, including the most recent overt killing of patients in their hospital beds in South Sudan and Central African Republic, and bombardments of hospitals in Iraq, Syria, and other countries. Direct attacks on patients inside hospitals, as well as social structural dynamics that undermine patient safety and security, are met with apparent indifference by international and medical communities. How can the medical profession remain silent and stand by while these factors render its core mission futile? In this article, I aim to shed light on this issue, and its implications for the future of the neutral and impartial provision of medical care; provide an analysis of underlying and contributing factors; discuss current international strategies; reflect on the responsibility of health providers; explore ways to strengthen our roles as physician advocates; and call for the medical profession to do more to protect medicine's core values.
Elevated Antibodies Against Rift Valley Fever Virus Among Humans with Exposure to Ruminants in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Memish Ziad A. , Masri Malak A. , Anderson Benjamin D. , Heil Gary L. , Merrill Hunter R. , Khan Salah U. , Alsahly Ahmad , Gray Gregory C.
Published: February 2015

In 2000, an outbreak of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) occurred in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Since then there have been sparse efforts to monitor for RVFV reemergence. During 2012, we enrolled 300 individuals with ruminant exposure and 50 age-group matched non-exposed controls in southwestern KSA, in a cross-sectional epidemiological study of RVFV. Sera from the participants were screened with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti-RVFV IgG antibodies of which 39 (11.1%) were positive. Sixteen (41.0%) of those 39 were also positive by a plaque reduction neutralization assay (PRNT). The PRNT-positive subjects were further studied with an IgM ELISA and one was positive. No RVFV was detected in the 350 sera using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Contact with cattle (odds ratio [OR] = 3.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01, 9.90) and a history of chronic medical illness (OR = 6.41, 95% CI 1.75, 23.44) were associated with greater odds of RVFV seropositivity by PRNT. The IgM-positive participant was 36 years of age, and reported multiple risk factors for ruminant contact. Although these findings simply may be vestiges of the 2000 epidemic, KSA's frequent visits from pilgrims and importations of live animals from RVFV-endemic areas suggest that more comprehensive surveillance for imported RVFV virus in ruminants, mosquitoes, and travelers is imperative.
School Networks and Sustainable Development
Authors: Franzoni Simona , Gennari Francesca
Published: February 2015

The promotion of new approaches to the development of knowledge and the production of education services, which respect the Europe 2020 strategies, is the precondition for the economic development of the entire country, upholding the principles of inclusion and sustainability. The scarcity of resources earmarked for the education system and the very complexity of learning needs suggest forms of institutional cooperation between schools and their stakeholders, which can only be achieved through networks of relationships. This article aims to highlight the conditions at the base of: the building and development of a network of relationships between the school and the community, so as to meet ever more complex educational needs; the maintenance and enhancement of relations in the network, with the aim of ensuring an effective system of educational services; the definition of responsibilities, structures and processes of school governance for the human capital’s growth as part of the sustainable development of a local community.
Recent satellite-based trends of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide over large urban agglomerations worldwide
Authors: Schneider P. , Lahoz W. A. , van der A R.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. Trends in tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) columns over 66 large urban agglomerations worldwide have been computed using data from the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) instrument onboard the Envisat platform for the period August 2002 to March 2012. A seasonal model including a linear trend was fitted to the satellite-based time series over each site. The results indicate distinct spatial patterns in trends. While agglomerations in Europe, North America, and some locations in East Asia/Oceania show decreasing tropospheric NO2 levels on the order of −5% yr−1, rapidly increasing levels of tropospheric NO2 are found for agglomerations in large parts of Asia, Africa, and South America. The site with the most rapidly increasing absolute levels of tropospheric NO2 was found to be Tianjin in China with a trend of 3.04 (±0.47) × 1015 molecules cm−2yr−1, whereas the site with the most rapidly increasing relative trend was Kabul in Afghanistan with 14.3 (±2.2) % yr−1. In total, 34 sites exhibited increasing trends of tropospheric NO2 throughout the study period, 24 of which were found to be statistically significant. A total of 32 sites showed decreasing levels of tropospheric NO2 during the study period, of which 20 sites did so at statistically significant magnitudes. Overall, going beyond the relatively small set of megacities investigated previously, this study provides the first consistent analysis of recent changes in tropospheric NO2 levels over most large urban agglomerations worldwide, and indicates that changes in urban NO2 levels are subject to substantial regional differences as well as influenced by economic and demographic factors.
In situ vertical profiles of aerosol extinction, mass, and composition over the southeast United States during SENEX and SEAC4RS: observations of a modest aerosol enhancement aloft
Authors: Wagner N. L. , Brock C. A. , Angevine W. M. , Beyersdorf A. , Campuzano-Jost P. , Day D. A. , de Gouw J. A. , Diskin G. S. , Gordon T. D. , Graus M. G. , Huey G. , Jimenez J. L. , Lack D. A. , Liao J. , Liu X. , Markovic M. Z. , Middlebrook A. M. , Mikoviny T. , Peischl J. , Perring A. E. , Richardson M. S. , Ryerson T. B. , Schwarz J. P. , Warneke C. , Welti A. , Wisthaler A. , Ziemba L. D. , Murphy D. M.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. Vertical profiles of submicron aerosol over the southeastern United States (SEUS) during the summertime from in situ aircraft-based measurements were used to construct aggregate profiles of chemical, microphysical, and optical properties. Shallow cumulus convection was observed during many profiles. These conditions enhance vertical transport of trace gases and aerosol and create a cloudy transition layer on top of the sub-cloud mixed layer. The trace gas and aerosol concentrations in the transition layer were modeled as a mixture with contributions from the mixed layer below and the free troposphere above. The amount of vertical mixing, or entrainment of air from the free troposphere, was quantified using the observed mixing ratio of carbon monoxide (CO). Although the median aerosol mass, extinction, and volume decreased with altitude in the transition layer, they were ~10% larger than expected from vertical mixing alone. This enhancement was likely due to secondary aerosol formation in the transition layer. Although the transition layer enhancements of the particulate sulfate and organic aerosol (OA) were both similar in magnitude, only the enhancement of sulfate was statistically significant. The column integrated extinction, or aerosol optical depth (AOD), was calculated for each individual profile, and the transition layer enhancement of extinction typically contributed less than 10% to the total AOD. Our measurements and analysis were motivated by two recent studies that have hypothesized an enhanced layer of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) aloft to explain the summertime enhancement of AOD (2–3 times greater than winter) over the southeastern United States. In contrast to this hypothesis, the modest enhancement we observed in the transition layer was not dominated by OA and was not a large fraction of the summertime AOD.
The southern stratospheric gravity-wave hot spot: individual waves and their momentum fluxes measured by COSMIC GPS-RO
Authors: Hindley N. P. , Wright C. J. , Smith N. D. , Mitchell N. J.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. During austral winter the mountains of the southern Andes and Antarctic Peninsula are a known hot spot of intense gravity wave momentum flux. There also exists a long leeward region of increased gravity wave energy that sweeps eastwards from the mountains out over the Southern Ocean, the source of which has historically proved difficult to determine. In this study we use Global Positioning System (GPS) Radio Occultation (RO) data from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) satellite constellation to investigate the distribution, variability and sources of waves in the hot spot region and over the Southern Ocean. We present evidence that suggests a southward focusing of waves into the stratospheric jet from sources to the north. We also describe a wavelet analysis technique for the quantitative identification of individual waves from COSMIC temperature profiles. This analysis reveals different geographical regimes of wave amplitude and short-timescale variability in the wave field over the Southern Ocean. Finally, we take advantage of the large numbers of closely spaced pairs of profiles from the deployment phase of the COSMIC constellation in 2006 to make estimates of gravity wave horizontal wavelengths. We show that, given sufficient numbers of these pairs, GPS-RO can then produce physically reasonable estimates of stratospheric gravity wave momentum flux in the hot spot region that are consistent with other studies. The results are discussed in the context of previous satellite and modelling studies to build up a better picture of the nature and origins of waves in the southern winter stratosphere.
Evaluation of updated nitric acid chemistry on ozone precursors and radiative effects
Authors: Seltzer K. M. , Vizuete W. , Henderson B. H.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. This study shows that revising the reaction rate of NO2 + HO• → HNO3 improves simulated nitrogen partitioning and adjusts the simulated radiative effects of several radiative forcing variables. Both laboratory and field study analysis have found that the reaction rate should be reduced by 13–30% from current recommendations. We evaluate the GEOS-Chem model over North America with and without the recommended update. Revising the NO2 + HO• → HNO3 rate coefficient improves model performance by increasing NOx concentrations in the upper troposphere and decreasing HNO3 throughout the troposphere. The downward revision of the NO2 + HO• → HNO3 rate increases the lifetime of NOx, increases O3 concentrations and increases the simulated radiative effects of tropospheric ozone. These findings demonstrate the influence the rate revision has on the composition of the atmosphere, the benefits it provides when compared to observations and the simulated radiative effects that the reduction induces.
Black carbon emissions from Russian diesel sources: case study of Murmansk
Authors: Evans M. , Kholod N. , Malyshev V. , Tretyakova S. , Gusev E. , Yu S. , Barinov A.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. Black carbon (BC) is a potent pollutant because of its effects on climate change, ecosystems and human health. Black carbon has a particularly pronounced impact as a climate forcer in the Arctic because of its effect on snow albedo and cloud formation. We have estimated BC emissions from diesel sources in Murmansk Region and Murmansk City, the largest city in the world above the Arctic Circle. In this study we developed a detailed inventory of diesel sources including on-road vehicles, off-road transport (mining, locomotives, construction and agriculture), fishing and diesel generators. For on-road transport, we conducted several surveys to understand the vehicle fleet and driving patterns, and, for all sources, we also relied on publicly available local data sets and analysis. We calculated that BC emission in Murmansk Region were 0.40 Gg in 2012. The mining industry is the largest source of BC emissions in the region, emitting 70% of all BC emissions because of its large diesel consumption and absence of emissions controls. On-road vehicles are the second largest source emitting about 12% of emissions. Old heavy duty trucks are the major source of emissions. Emission controls on new vehicles limit total emissions from on-road transportation. Vehicle traffic and fleet surveys show that many of the older cars on the registry are lightly or never used. We also estimated that total BC emissions from diesel sources in Russia were 56.7 Gg in 2010, and on-road transport contributed 55% of diesel BC emissions. Agricultural machinery is also a significant source Russia-wide, in part because of the lack of controls on off-road vehicles.
Pressure-dependent calibration of the OH and HO2 channels of a FAGE HOx instrument using the Highly Instrumented Reactor for Atmospheric Chemistry (HIRAC)
Authors: Winiberg F. A. F. , Smith S. C. , Bejan I. , Brumby C. A. , Ingham T. , Malkin T. L. , Orr S. C. , Heard D. E. , Seakins P. W.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. The calibration of field instruments used to measure concentrations of OH and HO2 worldwide has traditionally relied on a single method utilising the photolysis of water vapour in air in a flow tube at atmospheric pressure. Here the calibration of two FAGE (fluorescence assay by gaseous expansion) apparatuses designed for HOx (OH and HO2) measurements have been investigated as a function of external pressure using two different laser systems. The conventional method of generating known concentrations of HOx from H2O vapour photolysis in a turbulent flow tube impinging just outside the FAGE sample inlet has been used to study instrument sensitivity as a function of internal fluorescence cell pressure (1.8–3.8 mbar). An increase in the calibration constants CHO and CHO2 with pressure was observed, and an empirical linear regression of the data was used to describe the trends, with ΔCHO = (17 ± 11) % and ΔCHO2 = (31.6 ± 4.4)% increase per millibar air (uncertainties quoted to 2σ). Presented here are the first direct measurements of the FAGE calibration constants as a function of external pressure (440–1000 mbar) in a controlled environment using the University of Leeds HIRAC chamber (Highly Instrumented Reactor for Atmospheric Chemistry). Two methods were used: the temporal decay of hydrocarbons for calibration of OH, and the kinetics of the second-order recombination of HO2 for HO2 calibrations. Over comparable conditions for the FAGE cell, the two alternative methods are in good agreement with the conventional method, with the average ratio of calibration factors (conventional : alternative) across the entire pressure range, COH(conv)/COH(alt) = 1.19 ± 0.26 and CHO2(conv)/CHO2(alt) = 0.96 ± 0.18 (2σ). These alternative calibration methods currently have comparable systematic uncertainties to the conventional method: ~ 28% and ~ 41% for the alternative OH and HO2 calibration methods respectively compared to 35% for the H2O vapour photolysis method; ways in which these can be reduced in the future are discussed. The good agreement between the very different methods of calibration leads to increased confidence in HOx field measurements and particularly in aircraft-based HOx measurements, where there are substantial variations in external pressure, and assumptions are made regarding loss rates on inlets as a function of pressure.
A cloud detection algorithm using the downwelling infrared radiance measured by an infrared pyrometer of the ground-based microwave radiometer
Authors: Ahn M.-H. , Han D. , Won H. Y. , Morris V.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. For better utilization of the ground-based microwave radiometer, it is important to detect the cloud presence in the measured data. Here, we introduce a simple and fast cloud detection algorithm by using the optical characteristics of the clouds in the infrared atmospheric window region. The new algorithm utilizes the brightness temperature (Tb) measured by an infrared radiometer installed on top of a microwave radiometer. The two-step algorithm consists of a spectral test followed by a temporal test. The measured Tb is first compared with a predicted clear-sky Tb obtained by an empirical formula as a function of surface air temperature and water vapor pressure. For the temporal test, the temporal variability of the measured Tb during one minute compares with a dynamic threshold value, representing the variability of clear-sky conditions. It is designated as cloud-free data only when both the spectral and temporal tests confirm cloud-free data. Overall, most of the thick and uniform clouds are successfully detected by the spectral test, while the broken and fast-varying clouds are detected by the temporal test. The algorithm is validated by comparison with the collocated ceilometer data for six months, from January to June 2013. The overall proportion of correctness is about 88.3% and the probability of detection is 90.8%, which are comparable with or better than those of previous similar approaches. Two thirds of discrepancies occur when the new algorithm detects clouds while the ceilometer does not, resulting in different values of the probability of detection with different cloud-base altitude, 93.8, 90.3, and 82.8% for low, mid, and high clouds, respectively. Finally, due to the characteristics of the spectral range, the new algorithm is found to be insensitive to the presence of inversion layers.
Estimating reflectivity values from wind turbines for analyzing the potential impact on weather radar services
Authors: Angulo I. , Grande O. , Jenn D. , Guerra D. , de la Vega D.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has repeatedly expressed concern over the increasing number of impact cases of wind turbine farms on weather radars. Since nowadays signal processing techniques to mitigate Wind Turbine Clutter (WTC) are scarce, the most practical approach to this issue is the assessment of the potential interference from a wind farm before it is installed. To do so, and in order to obtain a WTC reflectivity model, it is crucial to estimate the Radar Cross Section (RCS) of the wind turbines to be built, which represents the power percentage of the radar signal that is backscattered to the radar receiver. This paper first characterizes the RCS of wind turbines in the weather radar frequency bands by means of computer simulations based on the Physical Optics theory, and then proposes a simplified model to estimate wind turbine RCS values. This model is of great help in the evaluation of the potential impact of a certain wind farm on the weather radar operation.
Inter-annual variations in wave spectral characteristics at a location off the central west coast of India
Authors: Sanil Kumar V. , Anjali Nair M.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. The inter-annual variations in wave spectrum are examined based on the wave data measured at 9 m water depth off the central west coast of India from 2009 to 2012 using a wave rider buoy. The temporal variation of the spectral energy density over a calendar year indicates similar variation in all the four years studied. The inter-annual variations in wave spectrum are observed in all months with larger variations during January to February, May and October to November due to the changes in wind-sea. The seasonal average wave spectrum during the monsoon (June–September) is single-peaked and the swell component is high in 2011 compared to other years. The annual averaged wave spectrum had higher peak energy during 2011 due to the higher spectral energy present during the monsoon period. During the non-monsoon period, two peaks are predominantly observed in the wave spectra; with the average peak at 0.07 Hz corresponding to the swells from the Indian Ocean and another at 0.17 Hz due to the local wind field.
Assessment of model estimates of land–atmosphere CO2 exchange across Northern Eurasia
Authors: Rawlins M. A. , McGuire A. D. , Kimball J. K. , Dass P. , Lawrence D. , Burke E. , Chen X. , Delire C. , Koven C. , MacDougall A. , Peng S. , Rinke A. , Saito K. , Zhang W. , Alkama R. , J. Bohn T. , Ciais P. , Decharme B. , Gouttevin I. , Hajima T. , Ji D. , Krinner G. , Lettenmaier D. P. , Miller P. , Moore J. C. , Smith B. , Sueyoshi T.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. A warming climate is altering land–atmosphere exchanges of carbon, with a potential for increased vegetation productivity as well as the mobilization of permafrost soil carbon stores. Here we investigate land–atmosphere carbon dioxide (CO2) dynamics through analysis of net ecosystem productivity (NEP) and its component fluxes of gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER) and soil carbon residence time, simulated by a set of land surface models (LSMs) over a region spanning the drainage basin of northern Eurasia. The retrospective simulations were conducted over the 1960–2009 record and at 0.5° resolution, which is a scale common among many global carbon and climate model simulations. Model performance benchmarks were drawn from comparisons against both observed CO2 fluxes derived from site-based eddy covariance measurements as well as regional-scale GPP estimates based on satellite remote sensing data. The site-based comparisons show the timing of peak GPP to be well simulated. Modest overestimates in model GPP and ER are also found, which are relatively higher for two boreal forest validation sites than the two tundra sites. Across the suite of model simulations, NEP increases by as little as 0.01 to as much as 0.79 g C m−2 yr−2, equivalent to 3 to 340% of the respective model means, over the analysis period. For the multimodel average the increase is 135% of the mean from the first to last ten years of record (1960–1969 vs 2000–2009), with a weakening CO2 sink over the latter decades. Vegetation net primary productivity increased by 8 to 30% from the first to last ten years, contributing to soil carbon storage gains, while model mean residence time for soil organic carbon decreased by 10% (−5 to −16%). This suggests that inputs to the soil carbon pool exceeded losses, resulting in a net gain amid a decrease in residence time. Our analysis points to improvements in model elements controlling vegetation productivity and soil respiration as being needed for reducing uncertainty in land–atmosphere CO2 exchange. These advances require collection of new field data on vegetation and soil dynamics, the development of benchmarking datasets from measurements and remote sensing observations, and investments in future model development and intercomparison studies. Resulting improvements in parameterizations and processes driving productivity and soil respiration rates will increase confidence in model estimates of net CO2 exchange, component carbon fluxes, and underlying drivers of change across the northern high latitudes.
Extreme sea events during the last millennium in the northeast of Morocco
Authors: Raji O. , Dezileau L. , Von Grafenstein U. , Niazi S. , Snoussi M. , Martinez P.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. The Moroccan Mediterranean coast is located in one of the area's most vulnerable to extreme weather events or tsunami hazards. The objective of this research is to reconstruct the historical extreme submersion-event record using sea-induced deposits preserved in coastal lagoon. The Nador lagoon is the largest Moroccan lagoon (115 km2). It is located along the western Mediterranean, which has a high cyclogenetic character and is exposed to tsunamis from the Alboran Sea. The sandy barrier which separates the lagoon from the Mediterranean Sea is marked by much overwash, which indicate how intensely it has been exposed to the adverse sea events through history. Using the UWITEC© gravity coring platform, an undisturbed MC4.5 core (1.15 m long) was successfully sampled in the studied lagoon. To identify extreme sea events, a multi-proxy approach was applied combining sedimentological and geochemical data. Three paleoevents were identified; all of them are concentrated over the last 500 years, and the most recent event corresponds to the 1889 storm. For the others deposits, it is difficult to determine exactly their origin; however, the high frequency of storm events over the relevant period and the absence of historical tsunamis evidence is more in favor of the meteorological origin.
Non-Gaussian interaction information: estimation, optimization and diagnostic application of triadic wave resonance
Authors: Pires C. A. L. , Perdigão R. A. P.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. Non-Gaussian multivariate probability distributions, derived from climate and geofluid statistics, allow for nonlinear correlations between linearly uncorrelated components, due to joint Shannon negentropies. Triadic statistical dependence under pair-wise (total or partial) independence is thus possible. Synergy or interaction information among triads is estimated. We formulate an optimization method of triads in the space of orthogonal rotations of normalized principal components, relying on the maximization of third-order cross-cumulants. Its application to a minimal one-dimensional, periodic, advective model leads to enhanced triads that occur between oscillating components of circular or locally confined wave trains satisfying the triadic wave resonance condition.
Using empirical orthogonal functions derived from remote-sensing reflectance for the prediction of phytoplankton pigment concentrations
Authors: Bracher A. , Taylor M. H. , Taylor B. , Dinter T. , Röttgers R. , Steinmetz F.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. The composition and abundance of algal pigments provide information on phytoplankton community characteristics such as photoacclimation, overall biomass and taxonomic composition. In particular, pigments play a major role in photoprotection and in the light-driven part of photosynthesis. Most phytoplankton pigments can be measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) techniques applied to filtered water samples. This method, as well as other laboratory analyses, is time consuming and therefore limits the number of samples that can be processed in a given time. In order to receive information on phytoplankton pigment composition with a higher temporal and spatial resolution, we have developed a method to assess pigment concentrations from continuous optical measurements. The method applies an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis to remote-sensing reflectance data derived from ship-based hyperspectral underwater radiometry and from multispectral satellite data (using the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer – MERIS – Polymer product developed by Steinmetz et al., 2011) measured in the Atlantic Ocean. Subsequently we developed multiple linear regression models with measured (collocated) pigment concentrations as the response variable and EOF loadings as predictor variables. The model results show that surface concentrations of a suite of pigments and pigment groups can be well predicted from the ship-based reflectance measurements, even when only a multispectral resolution is chosen (i.e., eight bands, similar to those used by MERIS). Based on the MERIS reflectance data, concentrations of total and monovinyl chlorophyll a and the groups of photoprotective and photosynthetic carotenoids can be predicted with high quality. As a demonstration of the utility of the approach, the fitted model based on satellite reflectance data as input was applied to 1 month of MERIS Polymer data to predict the concentration of those pigment groups for the whole eastern tropical Atlantic area. Bootstrapping explorations of cross-validation error indicate that the method can produce reliable predictions with relatively small data sets (e.g., < 50 collocated values of reflectance and pigment concentration). The method allows for the derivation of time series from continuous reflectance data of various pigment groups at various regions, which can be used to study variability and change of phytoplankton composition and photophysiology.
Coastal sea level response to the tropical cyclonic forcing in the northern Indian Ocean
Authors: Mehra P. , Soumya M. , Vethamony P. , Vijaykumar K. , Balakrishnan Nair T. M. , Agarvadekar Y. , Jyoti K. , Sudheesh K. , Luis R. , Lobo S. , Harmalkar B.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. The study examines the observed storm-generated sea level variation due to deep depression (event 1: E1) in the Arabian Sea from 26 November to 1 December 2011 and a cyclonic storm "THANE" (event 2: E2) over the Bay of Bengal during 25–31 December 2011. The sea level and surface meteorological measurements collected during these extreme events exhibit strong synoptic disturbances leading to storm surges of up to 43 cm on the west coast and 29 cm on the east coast of India due to E1 and E2. E1 generated sea level oscillations at the measuring stations on the west coast (Ratnagiri, Verem and Karwar) and east coast (Mandapam and Tuticorin) of India with significant energy bands centred at periods of 92, 43 and 23 min. The storm surge is a well-defined peak with a half-amplitude width of 20, 28 and 26 h at Ratnagiri, Verem and Karwar, respectively. However, on the east coast, the sea level oscillations during Thane were similar to those during calm period except for more energy in bands centred at periods of ~ 100, 42 and 24 min at Gopalpur, Gangavaram and Kakinada, respectively. The residual sea levels from tide gauge stations in Arabian Sea have been identified as Kelvin-type surges propagating northwards at a speed of ~ 6.5 m s−1 with a surge peak of almost constant amplitude. Multi-linear regression analysis shows that the local surface meteorological data (daily mean wind and atmospheric pressure) is able to account for ~ 57 and ~ 69% of daily mean sea level variability along the east and west coasts of India. The remaining part of the variability observed in the sea level may be attributed to local coastal currents and remote forcing.
Promoting screening to reduce breast cancer mortality among Arab women: What do healthcare professionals need to do?
Authors: Donnelly Tam Truong , Al Khater Al-Hareth , Al-Bader Salha Bujassoum , Al Kuwari Mohamed Ghaith , Abdulmalik Mariam , Al-Meer Nabila , Singh Rajvir
Published: February 2015

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among Arab women. Early detection of breast cancer through regular screening activities, improvement of the quality of screening activities, and enhanced treatment have been found to decrease mortality rates. However, alarmingly low participation rates in breast cancer screening activities have been reported among Arab women. Drawing on the findings of our recent study in Qatar and a comprehensive literature review of studies, in this paper, we recommend several categories of intervention strategies to promote early detection of breast cancer among Arab populations. These include: (1) Providing public education about breast cancer and cancer screening methods; (2) Encouraging primary care physicians to incorporated BC screening recommendations into their daily practice and routine with their female patients; (3) Deliver interventions that minimize cognitive barriers at the individual level; (4) Incorporate access-enhancing strategies; and (5) More intervention and evaluation studies are needed to develop culturally sensitive interventions and assess the cost-effectiveness and long-term sustainability of the intervention programs.
Wetsvoorstel Afwikkeling massaschade in een collectieve actie: ontbrekende schakel of brug te ver?
Authors: van Duin J.M.L. , Lawant R.S.I.
Published: February 2015

Wetsvoorstel Afwikkeling massaschade in een collectieve actie: ontbrekende schakel of brug te ver?

In deze bijdrage wordt op hoofdlijnen (de belangrijkste kritiek op) het voorontwerp van het wetsvoorstel Afwikkeling massaschade in een collectieve actie besproken, dat op 7 juli 2014 in (internet)consultatie is gegeven. De collectieve schadevergoedingsactie is bedoeld als ontbrekende schakel (‘stok achter de deur’), maar de toegevoegde waarde hiervan is vooral zichtbaar in strooischadezaken. Met de voorgestelde procedure voor alle soorten schade is het voorontwerp een brug te ver, aldus de auteurs.
Automatische gedragsanalyse voor effectiever cameratoezicht in de openbare ruimte
Authors: Bouma Henri , van Rest Jeroen , Burghouts Gertjan , Schutte Klamer , Baan Jan
Published: February 2015

Automatic behavior analysis for more effective camera surveillance in public places

To improve security in crowded environments, such as airports, shopping malls and railway stations, the number of surveillance cameras (CCTV) is rapidly increasing. However, the number of human operators remains limited and only a selection of the video streams can be observed. This makes it hard for an operator to be proactive. This paper gives an overview of novel developments that may lead to more efficient camera surveillance and a more proactive role for camera operators. It focuses on three main steps in this process of video content analysis: pedestrian tracking, action recognition and behavior analysis. Tracking and re-identification (i.e. recognizing a person in another camera) was initially only evaluated on off-line benchmark datasets, though recently it has gained in maturity with live demonstrations in realistic crowded environments and measured improved operator efficiency. For action recognition and automatic behavior recognition, we observe that the simple patterns, such as loitering detection, are emerging in many applications. Human action recognition obtains very high performance values in controlled environments and it is progressing towards more realistic environments. More advanced approaches, such as pickpocket recognition in a shopping mall and the detection of threats to trucks on a parking lot have been developed and the first systems have been presented in live demonstrations. Our main contribution is that we structure the recent advances and the emerging applications of video analysis for security applications, explain and interpret the results, and identify opportunities for the near future.
Jihadgang naar Syrië: een wetenschappelijke benadering
Authors: Platje Nick
Published: February 2015

Jihad movement to Syria: a scientific approach

This article describes a qualitative inquiry into Dutch people going to Syria for participating in Jihad. The inquiry compares theoretical findings with empirical facts, based on a content analysis and a document analysis, completed with ten depth-interviews. The results show that a combination of scientific findings on radicalisation and foreign fighters explains the jihad movement to Syria partly. The results also show that some factors, which have not recently be examined scientificly, are crucial for the character and extent of the movement towards Jihad.
European Banking Network in Light of the Single Supervisory Mechanism from the Network Analysis Perspective
Authors: Širaňová Mária
Published: February 2015

In this paper we discuss the topological properties of the European banking network and its evolution over time based on the BIS consolidated banking statistics data exploiting information from complex network analysis. Our conclusions are discussed in light of the soon-to-be-launched Single Supervisory Mechanism that takes into account, among other things, the significance of cross-border activity as a precondition for specifying the systemically important European credit institutions. According to our results, the banking network of the EU13 economic space can be characterized as highly asymmetric with a tendency to create clusters based on geographic distance and cultural and social similarities. Additionally, the highly exposed countries are usually dependent on a small number of major creditors while creditor countries tend to spread their power over dependent countries more equally. We advocate that the presence of heterogeneity and asymmetry in the network and a decrease in the level of foreign banking across Europe could be mitigated by the introduction of SSM, and from this perspective it should be viewed as a positive step towards greater financial stability.
On the Bennelongia nimala and B. triangulata lineages (Crustacea, Ostracoda) in Western Australia, with the description of six new species
Authors: Martens Koen , Halse Stuart , Schön Isa
Published: February 2015

The ostracod genus Bennelongia De Deckker & McKenzie, 1981 occurs in Australia and New Zealand. We redescribe B. nimala from the Northern Territory and describe six new species from Western Australia belonging to the B. nimala (five species) and B. triangulata sp. nov. (one species) lineages: B. tirigie sp. nov., B. koendersae sp. nov., B. pinderi sp. nov., B. muggon sp. nov., B. shieli sp. nov. and B. triangulata sp. nov. For six of these seven species, we could construct molecular phylogenies and parsimonious networks based on COI sequences. We tested for specific status and for potential cryptic diversity of clades with Birky’s 4 theta rule. The analyses support the existence of these six species and the absence of cryptic species in these lineages. Bennelongia triangulata sp. nov. is a common species in the turbid claypans of the Murchison/ Gascoyne region. Bennelongia nimala itself is thus far known only from the Northern Territory. Bennelongia tirigie sp. nov., B. pinderi sp. nov. and B. muggon sp. nov. occur in the Murchison/ Gascoyne region, whereas B. koendersae sp. nov. and B. shieli sp. nov. are described from the Pilbara. With the six new species described here, the genus Bennelongia now comprises 31 nominal species.
Pre-Exposure of Human Adipose Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Soluble Factors Enhances Their Homing to Brain Cancer
Authors: Smith Chris L. , Chaichana Kaisorn L. , Lee Young M. , Lin Benjamin , Stanko Kevin M. , O'Donnell Thomas , Gupta Saksham , Shah Sagar R. , Wang Joanne , Wijesekera Olindi , Delannoy Michael , Levchenko Andre , Quiñones-Hinojosa Alfredo
Published: February 2015

Recent research advances have established mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a promising vehicle for therapeutic delivery. Their intrinsic tropism for brain injury and brain tumors, their lack of immunogenicity, and their ability to breach the blood-brain barrier make these cells an attractive potential treatment of brain disorders, including brain cancer. Despite these advantages, the efficiency of MSC homing to the brain has been limited in commonly used protocols, hindering the feasibility of such therapies. In the present study, we report a reproducible, comprehensive, cell culture-based approach to enhance human adipose-derived MSC (hAMSC) engraftment to brain tumors. We used micro- and nanotechnological tools to systematically model several steps in the putative homing process. By pre-exposing hAMSCs to glioma-conditioned media and the extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin and laminin, we achieved significant enhancements of the individual homing steps in vitro. This homing was confirmed in an in vivo rodent model of brain cancer. This comprehensive, cell-conditioning approach provides a novel method to enhance stem cell homing to gliomas and, potentially, other neurological disorders.
The Lymph Node as a New Site for Kidney Organogenesis
Authors: Francipane Maria Giovanna , Lagasse Eric
Published: February 2015

The shortage of organs for kidney transplantation has created the need to develop new strategies to restore renal structure and function. Given our recent finding that the lymph node (LN) can serve as an in vivo factory to generate or sustain complex structures like liver, pancreas, and thymus, we investigated whether it could also support kidney organogenesis from mouse renal embryonic tissue (metanephroi). Here we provide the first evidence that metanephroi acquired a mature phenotype upon injection into LN, and host cells likely contributed to this process. Urine-like fluid-containing cysts were observed in several grafts 12 weeks post-transplantation, indicating metanephroi transplants' ability to excrete products filtered from the blood. Importantly, the kidney graft adapted to a loss of host renal mass, speeding its development. Thus, the LN might provide a unique tool for studying the mechanisms of renal maturation, cell proliferation, and fluid secretion during cyst development. Moreover, we provide evidence that inside the LN, short-term cultured embryonic kidney cells stimulated with the Wnt agonist R-Spondin 2 gave rise to a monomorphic neuron-like cell population expressing the neuronal 200-kDa neurofilament heavy marker. This finding indicates that the LN might be used to validate the differentiation potential of candidate stem cells in regenerative nephrology.
Proceedings: The SEED Grant Program: A Brief Synopsis of the Outcomes and Impact of CIRM's First Research Initiative
Authors: Shepard Kelly A.
Published: February 2015

In late 2006, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) launched its first major research initiative to catalyze the nascent field of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research at a time when federal funding of such studies was severely restricted. This Scientific Excellence through Exploration and Development (SEED) grant program supported a portfolio of scientific endeavors ranging from the most fundamental studies of hESC biology and behavior to exploring the therapeutic potential and value of these cells as tools of biomedical innovation. The SEED program attracted new investigators from all stages of their career into the field of hESC research, many of whom continue to pursue related studies through CIRM's ongoing research and development programs or with the support of other funding organizations. The scientific impact of the SEED grant program can be measured in the scientific publications, disclosures of inventions, and measurable progress toward advancing CIRM's mission and strategic objectives. In addition, CIRM has obtained valuable insights on how grant administration and policy considerations can affect the progress and conduct of scientific programs in a challenging period of both limits and opportunity.
Potential welfare impacts of kill-trapping European moles(Talpa europaea)using scissor traps and Duffus traps: a post mortem examination study
Authors: Baker SE , Shaw RF , Atkinson RPD , West P , Macdonald DW
Published: February 2015

Moles are widely trapped as pests on farms and amenity land in Britain. Spring traps for killing mammals generally require welfare approval in the UK, but mole traps are exempt. Previous research demonstrated wide variation in the mechanical performance of mole traps. In this context, we aimed to produce new data on the welfare impact of kill-trapping moles in the field. We collected 50 moles trapped in southern England (November 2008-August 2009). Captures peaked during the peak in male breeding activity, when captures were almost exclusively male. Post mortem and x-ray (radiation) examinations were conducted to determine injuries and likely cause of death. No moles sustained damaged skulls or upper cervical vertebrae (which could cause unconsciousness immediately). The primary identifiable cause of death for all but one mole was acute haemorrhage; this contrasts with the findings of the only previous such study, in which only one mole showed clear evidence of haemorrhaging. Some moles may have asphyxiated although it was not possible to determine this. Moles most likely became unconscious before death, but times to unconsciousness, and death, can be determined only through killing trials and further investigation is urgently needed. This should be done through the spring traps approval process; this could improve the welfare standards of trapping for many thousands of moles each year. Mole trapping for long-term population control might be better targeted after the peak in male breeding activity, when females are more likely to be caught, but this would threaten the welfare of dependent young underground.
The day-to-day management of UK leisure horses and the prevalence of owner-reported stable-related and handling behaviour problems
Authors: Hockenhull J , Creighton E
Published: February 2015

While concerns regarding the day-to-day management of domestic horses have been raised in relation to behaviour problems and welfare, most published studies have focused on the management of performance horses and less is known about the routine management of leisure horses and the prevalence of behavioural problems within this population. The objective of this study was to generate data on the day-to-day management of UK leisure horses and to quantify the prevalence of stable/stall-related and handling behaviour problems. A self-administered internet survey was used to collect individual horse-level data from a convenience sample of leisure horse owners. The survey was online for a year and respondents were asked to report on their routine over the previous week to minimise recall bias. The survey covered the horses’ stable and turn-out routine and environments, including opportunities for social contact with other horses. Respondents were also asked to rate the frequency their horse displayed 20 stable-related and handling behaviour problems. Data on 1,850 individual horses were collected. Stable-related and handling behaviour problems were displayed by 82% of horses sampled. The findings suggest a trend towards year-round stabling. The restriction in turn-out opportunities may have welfare costs for the horses involved. The high prevalence of stable-related and handling problems, including stereotypies, is a concern.
Pushed to the limit: food abundance determines tag-induced harm in penguins
Authors: Wilson RP , Sala JE , Gómez-Laich A , Ciancio J , Quintana F
Published: February 2015

The energetic costs of animal movement change with body condition, although the consequences of this for foraging efficiency are rarely considered. We deployed externally attached devices to Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), known to increase the costs of swimming via increased drag in a consistent manner, and noted, however, that foraging behaviour and efficiency varied dramatically between years. We used our results to construct an energetics-based model and found that small increases in drag due to the attachment of externally attached tags predicted accelerating harm as prey availability decreased, which accorded with our observations. This explains earlier observations of differential breeding success in tagged versus untagged penguins in particular years, highlights the importance of understanding how animal body condition may affect population processes in general and advocates caution in interpretations of tag-derived data over variable environmental conditions.