bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Cue based Picture Word Shape Character Password Creation Scheme
Authors: Curran Kevin , Snodgrass Andrew
Published: July 2015

The number of internet users is growing at a rapid rate and this means users now have to remember passwords for many different accounts. The side effects of this increase of user accounts is that users are putting password usability before password security in order to remember these passwords. This paper outlines a novel password creation scheme for creating strong, secure unique passwords that are easier for users to remember on multiple sites. The scheme includes features to more easily create a secure password and recall this password, whilst including multiple layers of security against a targeted attack by an adversary. Results showed that users who did not use a scheme had a much lower login success rate for their accounts than the users who used the created scheme. They also showed that the average password length for each group of users was the same meaning the created scheme passwords in this sample has no greater protection against brute-force attacks, but in terms of dictionary and hybrid attacks the scheme passwords generally seemed to have a lot more protection.
Three eGovernments Living Happily Ever After
Authors: Gidlund Katarina L.
Published: July 2015

There exists a vast amount of different texts (policy documents, guidelines, action plans etc.) with the aim of stipulating the road forward for digitalisation of public sector, and an often used rationale for digitalisation is that the use of digitalised services will stimulate efficiency, reduce costs and at the same time enhance service quality. This is also often coupled with the idea that guarantee of success can be found participatory practices. This paper aims to disclose some of the underpinnings to the above logic by a closer analysis of ‘the who, the why and how' of involving participators in digitalization of public sector. This paper uses a combination of discourse analysis and a Bourdieuan inspired use of the concept of epistemic cultures as an analytical framework to disentangle the notion of a participatory eGovernment development. The empirical case is a text analysis of a national action plan for digitalisation and the results of the analysis unfold two interesting notions; 1) three conflicting notions of for whom, why and how this is done, and 2) the consequences of conflicting epistemic cultures for practitioners to solve in the everyday practice when customer-oriented market logics are naively linked with democratically oriented inclusive participatory decision processes; two not so easily combined ideologies.
Combining Artificial Intelligence and NetMedicine for Ambient Assisted Living
Authors: Sernani Paolo , Claudi Andrea , Dragoni Aldo Franco
Published: July 2015

World population is shifting towards older ages: according to recent estimates there will be 1.5 billion people over 65 years old in 2050. Local governments, international institutions, care organizations and industry are fostering the research community to find solutions to face the unprecedented challenges raised by population ageing. A combination of Artificial Intelligence and NetMedicine could be ideal to face these challenges: they provide the means to develop an intelligent system and simultaneously to distribute it over a network, allowing the communication over the internet, if needed. Hence, the authors present a Multi-Agent Architecture for Ambient Assisted Living (AAL): it is the model for a system to manage a distributed sensor network composed by ambient and biometric sensors. The system should analyse data and pro-actively decide to trigger alarms if anomalies are detected. The authors tested the architecture implementing a prototypical Multi-Agent System (MAS), based on Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) paradigm: the Virtual Carer.
Seismic Hazard Assessment of the City of Khoy and Its Vicinity, NW of Iran
Authors: Fereidooni Davood
Published: July 2015

Analyses have been carried out considering the occurred earthquakes, geologic and seismotectonic conditions of the region covering a radius of 100 Km keeping Khoy as the center. The major seismic sources are small and large faults identified in the study area mostly directed in NW-SE. The MCE and PGA were measured based on both DSHA and PSHA approaches. The results of DSHA show that the MCE and PGA evaluated values are 6.8 Richter and 0.31g, which might be created by Chahar-Sotoon and Askar-Abad faults, respectively. The results of PSHA show that the MCE evaluated value is 6.1 Richter for a 0.64 probability in a 50- year period. Seismic hazard parameters have been evaluated considering the available earthquake data using Gutenberg-Richter relationship method. The ‘a' and ‘b' parameters were estimated 6.03 and 0.94, respectively. For earthquakes with magnitudes equal or greater than 6.1 Richter, the values of returning period (TR) and annual occurrence probability (PT) were obtained 112 and 0.009, respectively. The results obtained from two mentioned methods are matched to each other.
Energy Absorption Capacity and Shear Strength Characteristics of Waste Tire Crumbs and Sand Mixtures
Authors: Anbazhagan P. , Manohar D.R.
Published: July 2015

The primary objective of the study is to estimate the energy absorption (EA) capacity, brittleness index (ductility) and stiffness characteristics of Sand-Tire Crumb Mixtures (STCM) using direct shear test and Unconsolidated Undrained (UU) triaxial test for the effective reuse of waste tire crumbs as isolation materials. The properties considered include, strength and deformation characteristics of a STCM. A relatively uniform sand and readily available tire crumb grouped into four size has been selected to generate STCM. Experimental studies have been carried out on STCM with constant density of 1.54 g/cc. Stress-strain curve obtained from UU test has been used to estimate EA. The experimental results show that peak strength, EA and stiffness increases with increasing percentage of tire crumbs up to 25% and starts decreasing thereafter. Among the tested tire crumb sizes, crumb size IV provide the maximum EA without compromising on strength compared to other tire crumb sizes.
Dynamic Characterization and Site Response Studies for an Offshore Site Based on Detailed Geotechnical Tests
Authors: Sitharam T. G. , James Naveen , Nayak Monalisha
Published: July 2015

The uniqueness of this paper is large amount of field test data and in addition laboratory test results on undisturbed soil samples, has been analyzed to capture the effect of local site condition and material properties of overlying soil on seismic ground motion characteristics. This study involves the seismic site characterization and ground response analysis of an offshore site in Western Yemen. From the results of field and laboratory tests, dynamic properties such as shear modulus and damping ratio for a very low to high strain levels was determined and site characterization was also carried out. Using seismic cone penetration test (SCPT) data a new correlation has been developed to predict the shear wave velocity. Synthetic ground motion was generated using Boore's stochastic modeling technique for ground response analysis and peak ground acceleration (PGA) was evaluated and presented in the paper. This paper also presents a site specific design response spectrum based on Eurocode, corresponding to 475 and 2500 year return period.
Runtime Verification on Robotics Systems
Authors: Dong Zhijiang , Fu Yujian , Fu Yue
Published: July 2015

Runtime verification is a technique for generating monitors from formal specification of expected behaviors for the underlying system. It can be applied to automatically evaluate system execution, either on-line or off-line, analyzing extracted execution traces; or it can be used online during operation, potentially steering the application back to a safety region if a property is violated. As a so-called light-weighted formal method, runtime verification bridges the gap between system design and implementation and shorten the distance of software quality assurance between the software testing and model checking and theorem proving. Runtime verification is considered as a highly scalable and automatic technique. Most of current runtime verification research are endeavored on the program context, in other words, on the program side and falls in the implementation level. These applications limited the benefits of runtime verification that bridges the gap among types of applications. With the proliferation of embedded systems and mobile device, dynamically verifying the firmware and mobile apps becomes a new emerging area. Due to the characteristics of runtime verification technique and limitations of the robotics systems, so far, very few research and project are located in the runtime verification on the firmware of embedded systems, which appear in most of robotics systems. Robotics systems are programmed on the firmware and only observed on device. In this paper, the authors first discussed the current runtime verifications on the embedded systems with limitations. After that, a layered runtime verification framework will be presented for the firmware verification. The case study is applied on the commonly recognized educational toolkit – LEGO Mindstorm robotics systems.
Towards a Better Understanding of Organizational Adoption and Diffusion of RFID Technology
Authors: Kamoun Faouzi , Miniaoui Sami
Published: July 2015

This paper aims to acquire underlying knowledge about the dynamics of RFID adoption and diffusion and explore the drivers that shape the RFID diffusion pathway. The paper uses a case study methodology to conduct and present the research and its findings. The paper presents an RFID adoption/diffusion model that can guide enterprises to transition from standalone RFID deployments towards new RFID systems that are deeply integrated with business processes. The diffusion process follows a three-stage model with isomorphic feedback mechanisms. The first stage is an isolated/sensing phase, the second stage is an absorptive phase, while the last stage is an integrative phase. The proposed model suggests that a combination of endogenous and exogenous factors constitute the driving forces behind each phase of the diffusion pathway. Our research reveals that some congruence between organizational and individual aims is plausible during the adoption phase and that RFID adoption can be initiated through organizational free-will as opposed to coercive pressures from influencing organizations.
Fast Organizations
Authors: Vejlgaard Henrik
Published: July 2015

This study aims at finding out if households or organizations are faster in their acceptance of a technological innovation. The object of this study is digital terrestrial television (DTT), specifically the implementation of DTT in Denmark. The theoretical framework is diffusion of innovation theory. Three surveys were carried out for both households and organizations. Based on the surveys, the rate of adoption for households and for organizations could be established. It is clear that organizations accept new technology faster than households during the entire adoption process. An explanation may be that it is the employees in the organization who are the most open to technology innovations who set the agenda for the acceptance process. Danish culture can have had an influence on the findings. If that is the case the findings may be generalizable only to cultures that are similar to Danish culture.
Using Software Technologies to Enhance Students Learning
Authors: Alshayeb Mohammad
Published: July 2015

The use of Information technology (IT) tools in teaching provides innovative learning environments that increases students' interaction with instructor and among students themselves. It is expected that the use of technology to enhance student learning experience. In this paper, I report my experience in teaching software project management course using different technologies. A survey was conducted, at the end of the semester, to evaluate students' experience; the student feedback indicates that using technology in teaching enhanced their learning experience.
Molecular identification of two morphologically similar Eulecanium species: E. giganteum and E. kuwanai (Hemiptera: Coccidae)
Authors: Deng Jun , Li Hai-Bin , Wang Xu-Bo , Yu Fang , Zhang Yan-Zhou , Wu San-An
Published: July 2015

Most species of the genus Eulecanium Cockerell (Hemiptera: Coccidae) are important economic pests for ornamental plants and fruit trees. Two morphologically similar species, Eulecanium giganteum Shinji and E. kuwanai Kanda, are distributed mainly in China and are quite difficult to identify because of the paucity of distinguishing characteristics, which can only be observed in slide-mounted young, adult females. Furthermore, we demonstrate here that the species occur in sympatry and on many of the same host plants. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and the D2–D3 expansion segments of 28S rDNA were used for accurate identification of these two Eulecanium species from 19 different locations in China. The average K2P distances of COI sequences were 0.47% in E. kuwanai and 0.32% in E. giganteum, and the interspecific divergences varied from 7.23% to 8.34%. Neighbour-joining (NJ) trees of COI and 28S rDNA revealed two distinct non-overlapping clusters, respectively. Meanwhile, “best close match” analysis also showed that 100% of individuals were classified successfully using COI and 28 S sequences. Differentiating between E. giganteum and E. kuwanai is challenging when using ecological and morphological traits. In contrast, identification using DNA diagnostics appears to be very effective, especially when slide-mounted specimens are difficult to obtain.
Phosphocholine-Modified Macromolecules and Canonical Nicotinic Agonists Inhibit ATP-Induced IL-1β Release
Authors: Hecker Andreas , Küllmar Mira , Wilker Sigrid , Richter Katrin , Zakrzewicz Anna , Atanasova Srebrena , Mathes Verena , Timm Thomas , Lerner Sabrina , Klein Jochen , Kaufmann Andreas , Bauer Stefan , Padberg Winfried , Kummer Wolfgang , Janciauskiene Sabina , Fronius Martin , Schweda Elke K. H. , Lochnit Günter , Grau Veronika
Published: July 2015

IL-1β is a potent proinflammatory cytokine of the innate immune system that is involved in host defense against infection. However, increased production of IL-1β plays a pathogenic role in various inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, sepsis, stroke, and transplant rejection. To prevent detrimental collateral damage, IL-1β release is tightly controlled and typically requires two consecutive danger signals. LPS from Gram-negative bacteria is a prototypical first signal inducing pro–IL-1β synthesis, whereas extracellular ATP is a typical second signal sensed by the ATP receptor P2X7 that triggers activation of the NLRP3-containing inflammasome, proteolytic cleavage of pro–IL-1β by caspase-1, and release of mature IL-1β. Mechanisms controlling IL-1β release, even in the presence of both danger signals, are needed to protect from collateral damage and are of therapeutic interest. In this article, we show that acetylcholine, choline, phosphocholine, phosphocholine-modified LPS from Haemophilus influenzae, and phosphocholine-modified protein efficiently inhibit ATP-mediated IL-1β release in human and rat monocytes via nicotinic acetylcholine receptors containing subunits α7, α9, and/or α10. Of note, we identify receptors for phosphocholine-modified macromolecules that are synthesized by microbes and eukaryotic parasites and are well-known modulators of the immune system. Our data suggest that an endogenous anti-inflammatory cholinergic control mechanism effectively controls ATP-mediated release of IL-1β and that the same mechanism is used by symbionts and misused by parasites to evade innate immune responses of the host.
γ-Tilmanocept, a New Radiopharmaceutical Tracer for Cancer Sentinel Lymph Nodes, Binds to the Mannose Receptor (CD206)
Authors: Azad Abul K. , Rajaram Murugesan V. S. , Metz Wendy L. , Cope Frederick O. , Blue Michael S. , Vera David R. , Schlesinger Larry S.
Published: July 2015

γ-Tilmanocept (99mTc-labeled-tilmanocept or [99mTc]-tilmanocept) is the first mannose-containing, receptor-directed, radiolabeled tracer for the highly sensitive imaging of sentinel lymph nodes in solid tumor staging. To elucidate the mannose-binding receptor that retains tilmanocept in this microenvironment, human macrophages were used that have high expression of the C-type lectin mannose receptor (MR; CD206). Cy3-labeled tilmanocept exhibited high specificity binding to macrophages that was nearly abolished in competitive inhibition experiments. Furthermore, Cy3-tilmanocept binding was markedly reduced on macrophages deficient in the MR by small interfering RNA treatment and was increased on MR-transfected HEK 293 cells. Finally, confocal microscopy revealed colocalization of Cy3-tilmanocept with the macrophage membrane MR and binding of labeled tilmanocept to MR+ cells (macrophages and/or dendritic cells) in human sentinel lymph node tissues. Together these data provide strong evidence that CD206 is a major binding receptor for γ-tilmanocept. Identification of CD206 as the γ-tilmanocept–binding receptor enables opportunities for designing receptor-targeted advanced imaging agents and therapeutics for cancer and other diseases.
Contribution of MINCLE–SYK Signaling to Activation of Primary Human APCs by Mycobacterial Cord Factor and the Novel Adjuvant TDB
Authors: Ostrop Jenny , Jozefowski Katrin , Zimmermann Stephanie , Hofmann Katharina , Strasser Erwin , Lepenies Bernd , Lang Roland
Published: July 2015

Trehalose-6,6-dimycolate (TDM), the mycobacterial cord factor, is an abundant cell wall glycolipid and major virulence factor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Its synthetic analog trehalose-6,6-dibehenate (TDB) is a new adjuvant currently in phase I clinical trials. In rodents, the C-type lectin receptors Mincle and Mcl bind TDB/TDM and activate macrophages and dendritic cells (DC) through the Syk–Card9 pathway. However, it is unknown whether these glycolipids activate human innate immune cells through the same mechanism. We performed in vitro analysis of TDB/TDM-stimulated primary human monocytes, macrophages, and DC; determined C-type lectin receptor expression; and tested the contribution of SYK, MINCLE, and MCL by small interfering RNA knockdown and genetic complementation. We observed a robust chemokine and cytokine release in response to TDB or TDM. MCSF-driven macrophages secreted higher levels of IL-8, IL-6, CCL3, CCL4, and CCL2 after stimulation with TDM, whereas DC responded more strongly to TDB and GM-CSF–driven macrophages were equally responsive to TDB and TDM. SYK kinase and the adaptor protein CARD9 were essential for glycolipid-induced IL-8 production. mRNA expression of MINCLE and MCL was high in monocytes and macrophages, with MINCLE and MCL proteins localized intracellularly under resting conditions. Small interfering RNA–mediated MINCLE or MCL knockdown caused on average reduced TDB- or TDM-induced IL-8 production. Conversely, retroviral expression in murine Mincle-deficient DC revealed that human MINCLE, but not MCL, was sufficient to confer responsiveness to TDB/TDM. Our study demonstrates that SYK–CARD9 signaling plays a key role in TDB/TDM-induced activation of innate immune cells in man as in mouse, likely by engagement of MINCLE.
MicroRNA-15b Modulates Japanese Encephalitis Virus–Mediated Inflammation via Targeting RNF125
Authors: Zhu Bibo , Ye Jing , Nie Yanru , Ashraf Usama , Zohaib Ali , Duan Xiaodong , Fu Zhen F. , Song Yunfeng , Chen Huanchun , Cao Shengbo
Published: July 2015

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) can target CNS and cause neuroinflammation that is characterized by profound neuronal damage and concomitant microgliosis/astrogliosis. Although microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as a major regulatory network with profound effects on inflammatory response, it is less clear how they regulate JEV-induced inflammation. In this study, we found that miR-15b is involved in modulating the JEV-induced inflammatory response. The data demonstrate that miR-15b is upregulated during JEV infection of glial cells and mouse brains. In vitro overexpression of miR-15b enhances the JEV-induced inflammatory response, whereas inhibition of miR-15b decreases it. Mechanistically, ring finger protein 125 (RNF125), a negative regulator of RIG-I signaling, is identified as a direct target of miR-15b in the context of JEV infection. Furthermore, inhibition of RNF125 by miR-15b results in an elevation in RIG-I levels, which, in turn, leads to a higher production of proinflammatory cytokines and type I IFN. In vivo knockdown of virus-induced miR-15b by antagomir-15b restores the expression of RNF125, reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines, attenuates glial activation and neuronal damage, decreases viral burden in the brain, and improves survival in the mouse model. Taken together, our results indicate that miR-15b modulates the inflammatory response during JEV infection by negative regulation of RNF125 expression. Therefore, miR-15b targeting may constitute an interesting and promising approach to control viral-induced neuroinflammation.
A theoretical alternative intraosseous infusion site in severely hypovolemic children
Authors: Mogale Nkhensani , Van Schoor Albert-Neels , Bosman Marius C.
Published: July 2015

Background: Studies have shown that the venous system tends to collapse during hypovolemic shock. The use of the bone marrow space for infusions is an effective alternative, with the tibial insertion site being the norm.Objectives: This study was conducted to determine a quick intraosseous infusion method that could be an alternative to the tibial route in neonates during emergency situations.Method: A sample of 30 neonatal cadavers was dissected to explore a possible alternative to the tibial insertion site. The needle was inserted in the superolateral aspect of the humerus. The needle infusion site was then dissected to determine possible muscular and neurovascular damage that might occur during the administration of this procedure, with the greatest concern being the posterior circumflex humeral artery and axillary nerve exiting the quadrangular space. The distance of the needle insertion site was measured in relation to the soft tissue aswell as to bony landmarks.Results: The calculated 95% confidence interval shows that the needle can be safely inserted into the intraosseous tissue at the greater tubercle of the humerus 9.5 mm – 11.1 mm from the acromion. This is about a little finger’s width from the acromioclavicular joint.Conclusion: Anatomically, the described site is suggested to offer a safe alternative access point for emergency infusion in severely hypovolemic newborns and infants, without the risk of damage to any anatomical structures.
Treatment of Myasthenia Gravis in Patients with Elderly Onset at Advanced Age
Authors: Nishikawa Noriko , Nagai Masahiro , Tsujii Tomoaki , Kyaw Win T. , Tanabe Nachi , Iwaki Hirotaka , Yabe Hayato , Ando Rina , Nomoto Masahiro
Published: July 2015

The number of patients with late-onset myasthenia gravis (MG) among patients ≥50 years has been increasing recently. We encountered three patients who developed elderly-onset MG at a particularly advanced age (≥80 years). All were female and positive for anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies. About 4 years have passed since MG onset in all three patients and symptoms have been controlled without recurrence using a combination of oral low-dose prednisolone and tacrolimus. As many cases of elderly-onset MG do not require strong immunosuppression, we recommend minimum immunosuppressive treatment to avoid adverse events, particularly in patients at an advanced age of ≥80 years.
MACC regional multi-model ensemble simulations of birch pollen dispersion in Europe
Authors: Sofiev M. , Berger U. , Prank M. , Vira J. , Arteta J. , Belmonte J. , Bergmann K.-C. , Chéroux F. , Elbern H. , Friese E. , Galan C. , Gehrig R. , Khvorostyanov D. , Kranenburg R. , Kumar U. , Marécal V. , Meleux F. , Menut L. , Pessi A.-M. , Robertson L. , Ritenberga O. , Rodinkova V. , Saarto A. , Segers A. , Severova E. , Sauliene I. , Siljamo P. , Steensen B. M. , Teinemaa E. , Thibaudon M. , Peuch V.-H.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. This paper presents the first ensemble modelling experiment in relation to birch pollen in Europe. The seven-model European ensemble of MACC-ENS, tested in trial simulations over the flowering season of 2010, was run through the flowering season of 2013. The simulations have been compared with observations in 11 countries, all members of the European Aeroallergen Network, for both individual models and the ensemble mean and median. It is shown that the models successfully reproduced the timing of the very late season of 2013, generally within a couple of days from the observed start of the season. The end of the season was generally predicted later than observed, by 5 days or more, which is a known feature of the source term used in the study. Absolute pollen concentrations during the season were somewhat underestimated in the southern part of the birch habitat. In the northern part of Europe, a record-low pollen season was strongly overestimated by all models. The median of the multi-model ensemble demonstrated robust performance, successfully eliminating the impact of outliers, which was particularly useful since for most models this was the first experience of pollen forecasting.
Airborne observations and simulations of three-dimensional radiative interactions between Arctic boundary layer clouds and ice floes
Authors: Schäfer M. , Bierwirth E. , Ehrlich A. , Jäkel E. , Wendisch M.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. Based on airborne spectral imaging observations, three-dimensional (3-D) radiative effects between Arctic boundary layer clouds and highly variable Arctic surfaces were identified and quantified. A method is presented to discriminate between sea ice and open water under cloudy conditions based on airborne nadir reflectivity γλ measurements in the visible spectral range. In cloudy cases the transition of γλ from open water to sea ice is not instantaneous but horizontally smoothed. In general, clouds reduce γλ above bright surfaces in the vicinity of open water, while γλ above open sea is enhanced. With the help of observations and 3-D radiative transfer simulations, this effect was quantified to range between 0 and 2200 m distance to the sea ice edge (for a dark-ocean albedo of αwater = 0.042 and a sea-ice albedo of αice = 0.91 at 645 nm wavelength). The affected distance Δ L was found to depend on both cloud and sea ice properties. For a low-level cloud at 0–200 m altitude, as observed during the Arctic field campaign VERtical Distribution of Ice in Arctic clouds (VERDI) in 2012, an increase in the cloud optical thickness τ from 1 to 10 leads to a decrease in Δ L from 600 to 250 m. An increase in the cloud base altitude or cloud geometrical thickness results in an increase in Δ L; for τ = 1/10 Δ L = 2200 m/1250 m in case of a cloud at 500–1000 m altitude. To quantify the effect for different shapes and sizes of ice floes, radiative transfer simulations were performed with various albedo fields (infinitely long straight ice edge, circular ice floes, squares, realistic ice floe field). The simulations show that Δ L increases with increasing radius of the ice floe and reaches maximum values for ice floes with radii larger than 6 km (500–1000 m cloud altitude), which matches the results found for an infinitely long, straight ice edge. Furthermore, the influence of these 3-D radiative effects on the retrieved cloud optical properties was investigated. The enhanced brightness of a dark pixel next to an ice edge results in uncertainties of up to 90 and 30 % in retrievals of τ and effective radius reff, respectively. With the help of Δ L, an estimate of the distance to the ice edge is given, where the retrieval uncertainties due to 3-D radiative effects are negligible.
Ice melt, sea level rise and superstorms: evidence from paleoclimate data, climate modeling, and modern observations that 2 °C global warming is highly dangerous
Authors: Hansen J. , Sato M. , Hearty P. , Ruedy R. , Kelley M. , Masson-Delmotte V. , Russell G. , Tselioudis G. , Cao J. , Rignot E. , Velicogna I. , Kandiano E. , von Schuckmann K. , Kharecha P. , Legrande A. N. , Bauer M. , Lo K.-W.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. There is evidence of ice melt, sea level rise to +5–9 m, and extreme storms in the prior interglacial period that was less than 1 °C warmer than today. Human-made climate forcing is stronger and more rapid than paleo forcings, but much can be learned by combining insights from paleoclimate, climate modeling, and on-going observations. We argue that ice sheets in contact with the ocean are vulnerable to non-linear disintegration in response to ocean warming, and we posit that ice sheet mass loss can be approximated by a doubling time up to sea level rise of at least several meters. Doubling times of 10, 20 or 40 years yield sea level rise of several meters in 50, 100 or 200 years. Paleoclimate data reveal that subsurface ocean warming causes ice shelf melt and ice sheet discharge. Our climate model exposes amplifying feedbacks in the Southern Ocean that slow Antarctic bottom water formation and increase ocean temperature near ice shelf grounding lines, while cooling the surface ocean and increasing sea ice cover and water column stability. Ocean surface cooling, in the North Atlantic as well as the Southern Ocean, increases tropospheric horizontal temperature gradients, eddy kinetic energy and baroclinicity, which drive more powerful storms. We focus attention on the Southern Ocean's role in affecting atmospheric CO2 amount, which in turn is a tight control knob on global climate. The millennial (500–2000 year) time scale of deep ocean ventilation affects the time scale for natural CO2 change, thus the time scale for paleo global climate, ice sheet and sea level changes. This millennial carbon cycle time scale should not be misinterpreted as the ice sheet time scale for response to a rapid human-made climate forcing. Recent ice sheet melt rates have a doubling time near the lower end of the 10–40 year range. We conclude that 2 °C global warming above the preindustrial level, which would spur more ice shelf melt, is highly dangerous. Earth's energy imbalance, which must be eliminated to stabilize climate, provides a crucial metric.
Comparison of GOME-2/Metop-A ozone profiles with GOMOS, OSIRIS and MLS measurements
Authors: Määttä A. , Tuinder O. N. E. , Tukiainen S. , Sofieva V. , Tamminen J.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. This paper presents a comparison of vertical ozone profiles retrieved by the Ozone ProfilE Retrieval Algorithm (OPERA) from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment 2 (GOME-2) measurements on board Metop-A with high-vertical-resolution ozone profiles by Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars (GOMOS), Optical Spectrograph and Infrared Imager System (OSIRIS) and Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS). The comparison, with global coverage, focuses on the stratosphere and the lower mesosphere and covers the period from March 2008 until the end of 2011. The comparison shows an agreement of the GOME-2 ozone profiles with those of GOMOS, OSIRIS and MLS within ±15 % in the altitude range from 15 km up to ~ 35–40 km depending on latitude. The GOME-2 ozone profiles from non-degradation corrected radiances have a tendency to a systematic negative bias with respect to the reference data above ~ 30 km. The GOME-2 bias with respect to the high-vertical resolution instruments depends on season, with the strongest dependence observed at high latitudes.
Structural and functional study of the nematode community from the Indian western continental margin with reference to habitat heterogeneity and oxygen minimum zone
Authors: Singh R. , Ingole B. S.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. We studied patterns of nematode distribution along the western Indian continental margin to determine the influence of habitat heterogeneity and oxygen minimum on the community's taxonomic and functional structure. A single transect, perpendicular to the coast at 14° N latitude was sampled from 34 to 2546 m depth for biological and environmental variables during August 2007. Nematodes were identified to species and classified according to biological/functional traits. A total of 110 nematode species belonging to 24 families were found along the transect. Mean nematode density was higher on the shelf (176 ind 10 cm−2, 34 m depth) than on the slope (124 ind 10 cm−2) or in the basin 62.9 ind 10 cm−2). Across the entire study area, the dominant species were Terschellingia longicaudata, (15.2 %), Desmodora sp 1, Sphaerolaimus gracilis, and Theristus ensifer; their maximum density was at shelf stations. Multidimensional scaling ordination (nMDS) of the nematode species abundance data indicated the effect of different zones (ANOSIM; Global R = 0.607; P = 0.028), but it was not the same in case of functional traits. Only seven species were found exclusively in the oxygen minimum zone: Pselionema sp 1, Choanolaimus sp 2, Halichoanolaimus sp 1, Cobbia dentata, Daptonema sp 1, Trissonchulus sp 1, and Minolaimus sp 1. Moreover, in our study, species diversity was higher on the shelf than on the slope or in the basin. The distinctive features of all three zones as based on nematofaunal abundance were also reflected in the functional traits (feeding types, body shape, tail shape, and life history strategy). Correlation with a number of environmental variables indicated that food quality (measured as the organic carbon content and chlorophyll content) and oxygen level were the major factors that influenced the nematode community (structural and functional).
High natural erosion rates are the backdrop for present-day soil erosion in the agricultural Middle Hills of Nepal
Authors: West A. J. , Arnold M. , AumaÎtre G. , Bourlès D. L. , Keddadouche K. , Bickle M. , Ojha T.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. Although agriculturally accelerated soil erosion is implicated in the unsustainable environmental degradation of mountain environments, such as in the Himalaya, the effects of land use can be challenging to quantify in many mountain settings because of the high and variable natural background rates of erosion. In this study, we present new long-term denudation rates, derived from cosmogenic 10Be analysis of quartz in river sediment from the Likhu Khola, a small agricultural river basin in the Middle Hills of central Nepal. Calculated long-term denudation rates, which reflect background natural erosion processes over 1000+ years prior to agricultural intensification, are similar to present-day sediment yields and to soil loss rates from terraces that are well maintained. Similarity in short- and long-term catchment-wide erosion rates for the Likhu is consistent with data from elsewhere in the Nepal Middle Hills but contrasts with the very large increases in short-term erosion rates seen in agricultural catchments in other steep mountain settings. Our results suggest that the large sediment fluxes exported from the Likhu and other Middle Hills rivers in the Himalaya are derived in large part from natural processes, rather than from soil erosion as a result of agricultural activity. Catchment-scale erosional fluxes may be similar over short and long timescales if both are dominated by mass wasting sources such as gullies, landslides, and debris flows (e.g., as is evident in the landslide-dominated Khudi Khola of the Nepal High Himalaya, based on compiled data). As a consequence, simple comparison of catchment-scale fluxes will not necessarily pinpoint land use effects on soils where these are only a small part of the total erosion budget, unless rates of mass wasting are also considered. Estimates of the mass wasting contribution to erosion in the Likhu imply catchment-averaged soil production rates on the order of ~ 0.25–0.35 mm yr−1, though rates of mass wasting are poorly constrained. The deficit between our best estimates for soil production rates and measurements of soil loss rates supports conclusions from previous studies that terraced agriculture in the Likhu may not be associated with a large systematic soil deficit, at least when terraces are well maintained, but that poorly managed terraces, forest, and scrubland may lead to rapid depletion of soil resources.
Estimation of predictive hydrologic uncertainty using the quantile regression and UNEEC methods and their comparison on contrasting catchments
Authors: Dogulu N. , López López P. , Solomatine D. P. , Weerts A. H. , Shrestha D. L.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. In operational hydrology, estimation of the predictive uncertainty of hydrological models used for flood modelling is essential for risk-based decision making for flood warning and emergency management. In the literature, there exists a variety of methods analysing and predicting uncertainty. However, studies devoted to comparing the performance of the methods in predicting uncertainty are limited. This paper focuses on the methods predicting model residual uncertainty that differ in methodological complexity: quantile regression (QR) and UNcertainty Estimation based on local Errors and Clustering (UNEEC). The comparison of the methods is aimed at investigating how well a simpler method using fewer input data performs over a more complex method with more predictors. We test these two methods on several catchments from the UK that vary in hydrological characteristics and the models used. Special attention is given to the methods' performance under different hydrological conditions. Furthermore, normality of model residuals in data clusters (identified by UNEEC) is analysed. It is found that basin lag time and forecast lead time have a large impact on the quantification of uncertainty and the presence of normality in model residuals' distribution. In general, it can be said that both methods give similar results. At the same time, it is also shown that the UNEEC method provides better performance than QR for small catchments with the changing hydrological dynamics, i.e. rapid response catchments. It is recommended that more case studies of catchments of distinct hydrologic behaviour, with diverse climatic conditions, and having various hydrological features, be considered.
Green and blue water footprint reduction in irrigated agriculture: effect of irrigation techniques, irrigation strategies and mulching
Authors: D. Chukalla A. , S. Krol M. , Y. Hoekstra A.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. Consumptive water footprint (WF) reduction in irrigated crop production is essential given the increasing competition for fresh water. This study explores the effect of three management practices on the soil water balance and plant growth, specifically on evapotranspiration (ET) and yield (Y) and thus the consumptive WF of crops (ET/Y). The management practices are: four irrigation techniques (furrow, sprinkler, drip and subsurface drip (SSD)); four irrigation strategies (full (FI), deficit (DI), supplementary (SI) and no irrigation); and three mulching practices (no mulching, organic (OML) and synthetic (SML) mulching). Various cases were considered: arid, semi-arid, sub-humid and humid environments; wet, normal and dry years; three soil types; and three crops. The AquaCrop model and the global WF accounting standard were used to relate the management practices to effects on ET, Y and WF. For each management practice, the associated green, blue and total consumptive WF were compared to the reference case (furrow irrigation, full irrigation, no mulching). The average reduction in the consumptive WF is: 8–10 % if we change from the reference to drip or SSD; 13 % when changing to OML; 17–18 % when moving to drip or SSD in combination with OML; and 28 % for drip or SSD in combination with SML. All before-mentioned reductions increase by one or a few per cent when moving from full to deficit irrigation. Reduction in overall consumptive WF always goes together with an increasing ratio of green to blue WF. The WF of growing a crop for a particular environment is smallest under DI, followed by FI, SI and rain-fed. Growing crops with sprinkler irrigation has the largest consumptive WF, followed by furrow, drip and SSD. Furrow irrigation has a smaller consumptive WF compared with sprinkler, even though the classical measure of "irrigation efficiency" for furrow is lower.
Effects of land use changes and soil conservation intervention on soil properties as indicators for land degradation under a Mediterranean climate
Authors: Mohawesh Y. , Taimeh A. , Ziadat F.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. Land degradation resulting from improper land use and management is a major cause of declined productivity in the arid environment. The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of a sequence of land use changes, soil conservation measures, and the time since their implementation on the degradation of selected soil properties. The climate for the selected 105 km2 watershed varies from semi-arid sub-tropical to Mediterranean sub-humid. Land use changes were detected using aerial photographs acquired in 1953, 1978, and 2008. A total of 218 samples were collected from 40 sites in three different rainfall zones to represent different land use changes and variable lengths of time since the construction of stone walls. Analyses of variance were used to test the differences between the sequences of land use changes (interchangeable sequences of forest, orchards, field crops, and range), the time since the implementation of soil conservation measures, rainfall on the thickness of the A-horizon, soil organic carbon content, and texture. Soil organic carbon reacts actively with different combinations and sequences of land use changes. The time since stone walls were constructed showed significant impacts on soil organic carbon and the thickness of the surface horizon. The effects of changing the land use and whether the changes were associated with the construction of stone walls varied according to the annual rainfall. The changes in soil properties could be used as indicators of land degradation and to assess the impact of soil conservation programs. The results help in understanding the effects of land use changes on land degradation processes and carbon sequestration potential and in formulating sound soil conservation plans.
Kainar Syndrome: History of the First Epidemiological Case-control Study of the Effect of Radiation and Malnutrition
Authors: Atchabarov Aidar
Published: July 2015

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Stakeholders’ Perceptions of ‘Use of English’ Programme at the University of Buea, Cameroon
Authors: Beatrice Kahboh Lebsia Titanji Lima
Published: July 2015

The ‘Use of English’ (UoE) or ‘English Composition’ is a freshman course taught in many universities around the world. In Cameroon, an officially bilingual (French/English) country, UoE is taught at the University of Buea, one of two English–Speaking Universities as a compulsory course for all students, irrespective of their major. The present investigation was undertaken to assess stakeholders’ perceptions of the relevance of this course, as well as to determine its strengths and weaknesses in view of future improvements.

To accomplish these objectives, structured questionnaires were applied to 500 students who had taken the course. Focused interviews were also conducted with the Coordinators and teachers of the course. Finally to validate the responses, pre- and post-diagnostic tests were conducted with a cohort of 200 students taking the course, marked and their performances compared.

The questionnaire survey indicated considerable stakeholders’ positive appreciation of the course while identifying weaknesses such as insufficient availability of course materials, inadequate pre-course preparation and inadequate emphasis placed on grammar during course delivery. Analysis of the results supported the positive impact of the UoE. We concluded that the UoE course is a necessary requirement that needs to be improved upon and applied in similar learning environments.
Realism, Naturalism, and American Public Libraries, 1880–1914
Authors: JOHANNINGSMEIER CHARLES
Published: July 2015

A great deal is known about what inspired individual American realist and naturalist authors in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries to create their works, the ways in which they revised these texts during the composition process, the difficulties they had getting their manuscripts published, the numbers of copies printed of the books and periodicals containing these texts, the bibliographical forms these took, and even about their popular and critical reception.
W. E. B. Du Bois, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and “A Suggestion on the Negro Problem”
Authors: OLIVER LAWRENCE J.
Published: July 2015

Investigations of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s public and private writings on ethnic minorities, especially African Americans, have documented her deep-seated racial prejudice and belief in Anglo-Saxon supremacy.1 Those prejudices are clearly projected in her infamous essay “A Suggestion on the Negro Problem.” Appearing in the July 1908 number of the American Journal of Sociology, the essay begins with the assertion that the “superior” race must find a practical means for speeding up the “racial evolution” of that “large body of aliens, of a race widely dissimilar and in many respects inferior, whose present status is to us a social injury.”2 Her astonishing suggestion is to have each state enlist all “negroes below a certain grade of citizenship” into a quasi-military organization that would perform dignified labor for society and thereby develop the work habits and personal discipline that will make them productive members of the social body. Yet even as she portrays blacks as inferior beings who threaten the white social order, she commends those African Americans who “in this brief time [i.e., since the end of slavery] have made such great progress” (79); indeed, “more progress in a few generations than any other race has ever done in the same time, except the Japanese” (80). This class of “decent, self-supporting, progressive negroes” is not a “problem” and deserves congratulations from white Americans (80–81).
A Case of Domestic Violence: Norris’ Vandover as a Subprime Victim
Authors: MULLIGAN ROARK
Published: July 2015

Written during the 1890s but rejected by more than one editor for its graphic details, Vandover and the Brute was not published until 1914, twelve years after the author’s death. More than his other novels, Vandover draws on Frank Norris’ youth in San Francisco, especially his family’s real estate holdings, but the author augments, exaggerates, and upends these details, creating a surrealistic nightmare. As Donald Pizer bluntly states, “Vandover is Norris’s most autobiographical novel” and this claim is evidenced in Joseph McElrath and Jesse Crisler’s biography.2 The parallels between Norris and his title character are numerous, including their educations and artistic ambitions, but in chronicling Van’s ultimate decline, Norris creates a dystopian biography, a grotesque version of his life—Vandover serves as a but-for-the-grace-of-God warning that, like McTeague, typifies the suffering of a man who fails to develop or adapt in an urban environment during volatile economic times. Piecing together fragmented memories, rearranging “them in some more orderly sequence,” Norris through Vandover narrates his youth, creating a foreboding tale, a gargoyle that serves as a warning to both the author and the reader.3
Old New York’s Twin Rediscovered
Authors: CROWLEY JOHN W.
Published: July 2015

Old New York (1924), Edith Wharton’s quartet of novellas, traces the history of her childhood world, decade by decade, from the 1860s through the 1890s. Neither the collection as a whole nor its component parts has attracted much attention, except for “The Old Maid,” the best of the four stories. Details about their publication may not improve the standing of Old New York in the Wharton canon, but they do place her transitioning career in the arena of the book trade.