bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perspectives of transient tracer applications and limiting cases
Authors: Stöven T. , Tanhua T. , Hoppema M. , Bullister J. L.
Published: September 2015

Abstract. Currently available transient tracers have different application ranges that are defined by their temporal input (chronological transient tracers) or their decay rate (radioactive transient tracers). Transient tracers range from tracers for highly ventilated water masses such as sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) through tritium (3H) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) up to tracers for less ventilated deep ocean basins such as argon-39 (39Ar) and radiocarbon (14C). In this context, highly ventilated water masses are defined as water masses that have been in contact with the atmosphere during the last decade. Transient tracers can be used to empirically constrain the transit time distribution (TTD), which can often be approximated with an inverse Gaussian (IG) distribution. The IG-TTD provides information about ventilation and the advective/diffusive characteristics of a water parcel. Here we provide an overview of commonly used transient tracer couples and the corresponding application range of the IG-TTD by using the new concept of validity areas. CFC-12, CFC-11 and SF6 data from three different cruises in the South Atlantic Ocean and Southern Ocean as well as 39Ar data from the 1980s and early 1990s in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Weddell Sea are used to demonstrate this method. We found that the IG-TTD can be constrained along the Greenwich Meridian south to 46° S, which corresponds to the Subantarctic Front (SAF) denoting the application limit. The Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) describes the limiting water layer in the vertical. Conspicuous high or lower ratios between the advective and diffusive components describe the transition between the validity area and the application limit of the IG-TTD model rather than describing the physical properties of the water parcel. The combination of 39Ar and CFC data places constraints on the IG-TTD in the deep water north of the SAF, but not beyond this limit.
Global representation of tropical cyclone-induced short-term ocean thermal changes using Argo data
Authors: Cheng L. , Zhu J. , Sriver R. L.
Published: September 2015

Abstract. Argo floats are used to examine tropical cyclone (TC) induced ocean thermal changes on the global scale by comparing temperature profiles before and after TC passage. We present a footprint method that analyzes cross-track thermal responses along all storm tracks during the period 2004–2012. We combine the results into composite representations of the vertical structure of the average thermal response for two different categories: tropical storms/tropical depressions (TS/TD) and hurricanes. The two footprint composites are functions of three variables: cross-track distance, water depth and time relative to TC passage. We find that this footprint strategy captures the major features of the upper-ocean thermal response to TCs on timescales up to 20 days when compared against previous case study results using in situ measurements. On the global scale, TCs are responsible for 1.87 PW (11.05 W m−2) of heat transfer annually from the global ocean to the atmosphere during storm passage (0–3 days). Of this total, 1.05 ± 0.20 PW (4.80 ± 0.85 W m−2) is caused by TS/TD and 0.82 ± 0.21 PW (6.25 ± 1.5 W m−2) is caused by hurricanes. Our findings indicate that ocean heat loss by TCs may be a substantial missing piece of the global ocean heat budget. Changes in ocean heat content (OHC) after storm passage are estimated by analyzing the temperature anomalies during wake recovery following storm events (4–20 days after storm passage) relative to pre-storm conditions. Results indicate the global ocean experiences a 0.75 ± 0.25 PW (5.98 ± 2.1 W m−2) heat gain annually for hurricanes. In contrast, under TS/TD conditions, the ocean experiences 0.41 ± 0.21 PW (1.90 ± 0.96 W m−2) ocean heat loss, suggesting the overall oceanic thermal response is particularly sensitive to the intensity of the event. The ocean heat uptake caused by all storms during the restorative stage is 0.34 PW.
Seismo-electrics, electro-seismics, and seismo-magnetics for earth sciences
Authors: Jouniaux L. , Zyserman F.
Published: September 2015

Abstract. The seismo-electromagnetic method (SEM) is used for non-invasive subsurface exploration. It shows interesting results for detecting fluids such as water, ice, oil, gas, CO2, and also to better characterise the subsurface in terms of porosity, permeability, and fractures. However, a limitation of this method is the low level of the induced signals. We first describe SEM's theoretical background, and the role of some key parameters. We then detail recent studies on SEM, through theoretical and numerical developments, and through field and laboratory observations, to show that this method can bring advantages compared to classical geophysical methods.
Influence of Education, Performance Level, and Presentation Medium on Evaluations of String Orchestra Performances
Authors: Pope David A. , Barnes Gail V.
Published: September 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of education level (high school orchestra students, undergraduate string music education majors, and in-service orchestra teachers), ensemble performance level (good, average, and weak), and presentation medium (audio-only and audiovisual) on the evaluations of string orchestra performances. Participants (N = 96) evaluated audio-only or audiovisual recordings of good, average, and weak string ensembles. A repeated-measures ANOVA test revealed that string education majors rated intonation more favorably than inservice teachers. All participants were able to discriminate between the good, average, and weak performances when evaluating tone, intonation, and rhythmic precision. Ratings for musical effect did not differ significantly between the good and average groups. Participants assigned significantly lower tone and intonation ratings in the audio-only presentation medium than the audiovisual. Finding evidence of when musicians learn to accurately assess music performances can be useful both for in-service music teachers and teacher educators. If this ability is apparent in high school students, they can have a larger role in the rehearsal process.
Secondary School Students’ Reading Anxiety in a Second Language
Authors: Ismail Sadiq Abdulwahed Ahmed
Published: September 2015

Developing an appropriate competence in reading in English as a second language is a key factor for subsequent academic success. This study investigated second language reading anxiety of secondary school students. A questionnaire was distributed to 72 female students and focus-group interviews were conducted with 19 volunteer students. Overall results reveal significant differences between the levels of reading anxiety reported by students relative to their general area of study (viz., science or arts). All the recorded differences were in favor of students in the science track. Most of the sources of reading anxiety that were identified by the students were related to language proficiency, specifically knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical rules.
Final “Waters of the United States” Rule Remains Murky
Authors: Santana Rachael Bruce
Published: September 2015

The final rule that redefines “waters of the United States” for purposes of federal regulation and oversight under the Clean Water Act was published in the Federal Register on June 29, 2015, and became effective Aug. 28, 2015. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Army Corps of Engineers, the overall intent of the rule is to provide clarity on a complicated process for determining federal jurisdiction by making the definition “easier to understand, more predictable, and consistent with the law and peer‐reviewed science, while protecting the streams and wetlands that form the foundation of our nation's water resources.”
Canadian Music: A Personal Perspective
Authors: Morey Carl
Published: September 2015

In this article the author reflects on musical life in Canada, drawing on experiential perspectives while growing up in Toronto and his career for three decades as a faculty member in musicology at the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto. References to pivotal musical institutions (Canadian League of Composers, CBC, Canadian Music Centre, among others) and historical documents such as Ernest MacMillan’s Music in Canada, Marshall McLuhan’s Gutenberg Galaxy, and George Grant’s Lament for a Nation provide contextual frameworks for these perspectives.
Europa, França e Bahia: difusão e adaptação de modelos urbanos (Paris, Rio e Salvador)
Authors: Petti Pinheiro Eloísa
Published: September 2015

Nesta obra, a autora discute o processo de modernização e a constituição de um pensamento de prática urbanística no Brasil, analisando a influência europeia nas criações urbanas. O ponto de partida são as relações entre a reforma de Paris realizada em meados do século XIX pelo Barão Haussmann, a reforma capitaneada por Pereira Passos no Rio de Janeiro no início do século XX e a reforma ocorrida em Salvador durante a primeira gestão do Governador José Joaquim Seabra, entre os anos de 1912 e 1916.
Traveler’s idle time and the value chain at airports
Authors: Ucler Caglar , Martin-domingo Luis
Published: September 2015

There is a high growth in the air traffic supported by the global trade and tourism and due to airport congestion travelers are spending more time at airports, which are competing to attract airlines with lower aeronautical costs reducing their profitability. The growing transit time spent at airports together with the waiting time in front of check-in, passport, security control or baggage claim is an idle time of the air traveler, which is not generating any value. The perception of waiting is also mostly negative, that the associated airports are disliked, leading to loss of revenue in commercial offerings. Another problem is that due to the high variety in the customer profile, the shops at the airports need to carry a high inventory over a wide spectrum of items required, which is not creating any value as well. Thus in order to deliver a sustainable value chain at the airport, an innovative customer focused integrated approach is proposed herewith, based on a smart phone platform called Gate Ø, facilitating the idle times of the air traveler. This strategic approach is evaluated successfully within a value chain analysis showing up its potential across the value chain stakeholders
Stakeholders’ Awareness and Participation in Coastal Resource Management (CRM) in Villa Beach, Iloilo City, Philippines
Authors: Sarinas Brian Gil S. , Paragon Teresita A.
Published: September 2015

Villa Beach is one of the tourist destinations in Iloilo City because of its rich culture such as Paraw Regatta and seafood delicacies. However, coastal resource management (CRM) seemed to be neglected among the locals of the beach as evidenced by poor waste management beneath the shore. Thus, this study was conducted. Specifically, this study delved into the awareness and participation of locals on CRM when classified according to zonation. Furthermore, a significant difference in the awareness and participation and relationship was sought. This study was conducted in January 2015. The respondents of this survey were the locals of Villa Beach from Zones 1 to 3 taken through stratified random sampling. All tests were set at .05 level of significance. The results showed that locals had “high” awareness and they abide by the laws on CRM. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the level of awareness and participation on CRM in terms of zonation. Finally, there was a significant relationship in the awareness and participation of locals on the CRM. It is recommended that the locals and the local government should cooperate one another to manage the coastal resources of the beach from environmental degradation due to anthropogenic activities. The local government unit (LGU) should create a monitoring procedure in terms of the participation of the locals of Villa beach in coastal resource management.     Keywords- Coast, coastal resources, coastal resource management (CRM), Villa Beach, Iloilo City, Philippines
Environmentally-Directed Organizational Citizenship Behavior of the Municipal Government Officials in Cebu
Authors: Asis- Dimpas Gelena , Sy Maria Victoria Uy , Ferrater-Gimena Judy Ann Ong
Published: September 2015

The greening of organizations is not only confined to the creation of formal management systems, activities or technologies. Over the years, environmentalists have learned that various stakeholders of an organization utilize discretionary approaches to understand the interaction between humans and the environment (Lehman et al., 2004). The discretionary approach is known as environmentally-directed organizational citizenship behavior (OCBE) which focuses on the voluntary green initiatives done by employees within the organizational setting (Daily, Bishop, & Govindarajulu,2009). This study aimed to identify the environmentally directed organizational citizenship deeds observed and practiced by fifteen selected municipalities in Cebu, Philippines.  The results revealed that OCBE deeds relative to environmental concerns, organizational commitment, supervisory support for environmental efforts and perceived social performance of the local government units were the most common behaviors exhibited by the local officials and their staff.  Another objective of the paper was to determine the extent of demonstration of the identified OCBE deeds among the department heads and staff of the fifteen (15) municipalities involved in the study.  The findings showed that the identified OCBE deeds were demonstrated by the municipal government officials and staff to a very great extent. Quantitative data were taken from the survey conducted among one hundred forty respondents comprising of local government officials and their staff from fifteen municipalities in Cebu, Philippines.  The purposive sampling method was employed in choosing the sample respondents. The municipalities involved in the study were the top fifteen (15) performing local government units who participated in the E – GWEN program of the province.  The list of the municipalities was provided by the Office of the Vice Governor of Cebu in conjunction with a non – government organization who is a partner of the province in the concretization of the E-GWEN undertaking.  This study serves to contribute to the scarce extant literature on the pertinence of OCBE in improving the efficiency and efficacy of environmental management from the perspective of the public sector.     Keywords - Environmentally-directed citizenship behavior, pro-environmental behavior, organizational citizenship behavior, environmental conservation efforts, organizational commitment
Extent, Methods and Determining Factors of Pesticide Application in Irrigated Rice Areas of the Philippines
Authors: Magahud Jehru C. , Dimaano Niña Gracel B.
Published: September 2015

Information about pesticide application is relevant in assessing the risks of farmers’ exposure to pesticides and in crafting measures toward reduced pesticide use. A study was then conducted to assess the extent and frequency of application, and active ingredients of pesticides in thirty irrigated rice areas of the Philippines. The study was also done to determine factors that affect pesticide application relative to farmers’ perceptions, management practices, and the farms’ agroclimatic characteristics. A questionnaire was used to survey farmers’ application of chemicals against birds, rats, golden apple snails (GAS), weeds, and fungal diseases. Most farmers did not apply pesticides to reduce perceived bird and rat damages in their rice farms because they preferred non-chemical means of control. Most farmers applied chemicals to manage GAS and weeds that damaged or competed with rice. Molluscicide application was more frequent in Bicol sites with climate and soil characteristics that favor ponding of water. Frequency of herbicide application can be attributed to the direct seeding method of crop establishment. Most farmers did not encounter fungal diseases. Most widely used active ingredients are butachlor, niclosamide, and methaldehyde, which are slightly hazardous, unlikely to cause hazards, and moderately hazardous, respectively. This study suggests that molluscicide and herbicide applications are very common among Filipino farmers, which can be harmful to their health.   Keywords - Environmental Toxicology, pesticides, birds, rats, golden apple snails, weeds, irrigated rice, descriptive design, Philippines
Mangrove Ecosystems and Associated Fauna with Special Reference to Mangrove Crabs in the Philippines: A Review
Authors: Cuenca Ginalyn C. , Macusi Edison D. , Abreo Neil Angelo S. , Ranara Cyril Tom , Andam Michael B. , Cardona Lemuel C. , Conserva Grace G.
Published: September 2015

Mangrove ecosystems are very important because of its many ecological and economic functions. It provides food, shelter, and protection to a myriad of organisms and maintains connectivity with other coastal ecosystems. It holds diverse forms of both floral and faunal associations, which are used by humans for different purposes. This review discusses the physiognomy, ethnobiology, composition of mangrove ecosystems with emphasis on associated fauna and mangrove crabs, fish production, and the human threats that can alter the stability of mangrove ecosystems. Different journal articles, books, manuals, and other online sources from both local and international sources were used to discuss the review. Mangrove ecosystems were found to be occurring in tropical and subtropical areas and are distributed horizontally in estuarine and vertically in intertidal zones due to a number of environmental and biotic factors.  The ecosystem is composed of diverse associations of communities of both floral and faunal groups.  Many of these associated fauna are benthic macroinvertebrates and fishes, a number of which are sourced as fish products. Fisheries are the topmost economic use of mangrove ecosystems. Fish products harvested include mud crabs, shrimps, mollusks, and fishes. The continued growth of human population and the industrialization of fishing exceeded our sustainable use of waters leading to the declining fish landings. Such event gave rise to aquaculture, which has become the main cause of diminishing mangrove ecosystems. Other human threats to mangrove ecosystems include mining, overexploitation for economic services, and urban development. Along with mangrove decline is the ecosystem’s susceptibility to climate change particularly on the rising sea level. This indicates a higher risk to flooding, tsunamis, cyclones, and storm surges. Hence, protection, conservation, rehabilitation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems, and its sustainable use are essential. Eco-friendly aquaculture must also be implemented.     Keywords - Mangrove, fauna, flora, mud crab, aquaculture, fisheries, literature review, Philippines
Nutrient Enrichment, Sedimentation, Heavy Metals and Plastic Pollution in the Marine Environment and its Implications on Philippine Marine Biodiversity: A Review
Authors: Abreo Neil Angelo S. , Macusi Edison D. , Cuenca Ginalyn C. , Ranara Cyril Tom B. , Andam Michael B. , Cardona Lemuel C. , Arabejo Glio Florgiley P.
Published: September 2015

Marine biodiversity plays a vital role in ecosystem resilience and stability against climate change and alien species invasions, among others. This also plays a role in the provision of ecosystem services and functions that benefits humans. However due to anthropogenic activities and population increase, marine biodiversity have been affected most. We conducted a review using open-sourced journals on the effects of nutrient enrichment, sedimentation, heavy metals and plastic pollution in the marine environment and its implications on marine biodiversity. Lethal and sub-lethal effects were observed in different organisms that could affect marine biodiversity directly or indirectly. Direct effects include mortality of organisms while indirect effects include habitat degradation or alteration, a simplified food web, increase alien species invasion and reduced fitness of organisms. Human land use change, coastal construction activities, untreated sewage discharges, pesticides, mine tailings, uncollected, unsegregated and improperly dumped garbages and unabated garbage dumping at sea have been found to negatively influence marine biodiversity. In the Philippines, very few studies have been conducted with regards to marine pollution, especially on marine plastic debris, and even fewer studies have been made that tackles the effect of these stressors at an ecosystem level. Furthermore, this review has identified direct and indirect effects of pollution stressors on marine organisms which include: mortality and reduced fitness, vulnerability to disease or sickness,-habitat degradation, and food web simplification.     Keywords - Ecology, nutrient enrichment, sedimentation, plastic, biodiversity, literature review, pollution, Philippines
Bioplastics
Authors: Lackner Maximilian
Published: September 2015

Bioplastics are biobased polymers with two sustainability concepts: biodegradability and renewability. On the one hand, bioplastics that biodegrade to CO
2
and H
2
O in the environment can be produced, eg, avoiding litter and damage to marine organisms. On the other hand, renewable feedstocks instead of petroleum can be used, for instance, corn, sugarcane, and algae, reducing dependence on crude oil and reducing the impact on the climate. Currently, bioplastics have a market share of ∼1%, yet they experience annual growth rates in excess of 20–30%. This article highlights some key aspects associated with bioplastics, the performance of which can be tailored to meet that of petrochemical polymers or to offer new properties, eg, by blending and additivation. Important bioplastics are TPS (thermoplastic starch), PLA (polylactic acid), PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates), and bio‐PE, bio‐PP, and bio‐PET, which contain at least some renewable carbon.
Composite Materials Processing
Authors: George Andrew
Published: September 2015

A broad overview of the most common choices in materials and process selection for manufacturing fibrous composite products. This overview is focused on high fiber‐content, polymeric matrix composites, and the manufacturing processes dedicated to such composites materials. Nonpolymeric composites are also briefly discussed. Material choices for both matrix and reinforcement are discussed in the context of their implications on processability and the resultant material properties. An overview of current trends in process modeling and simulation for composites is also presented.
Three‐Dimensional Electron Microscopy
Authors: Herman Gabor T.
Published: September 2015

In three‐dimensional electron microscopy (3DEM), nanoscale objects (eg, biological macromolecules) are reconstructed from data recorded with a transmission
electron microscope
that produces
electron micrographs
. These provide us with estimated 2D projections in which the grayness at each point is indicative of a line integral of a physical property of the object being imaged. From multiple‐electron micrographs, one can recover the structure of the biological object that is being imaged. In this article, two basic modes of data collection for 3DEM (namely, single particle and tomography) are discussed. This is followed by a presentation of computer algorithms for the reconstruction of a 3D object from its 2D projections; both transform methods (eg, filtered backprojection (FBP)) and series expansion methods (eg, the algebraic reconstruction techniques (ARTs)) are discussed. These are illustrated on one application, namely, 3DEM of influenza virus.
Nanofluids
Authors: Warrier Pramod , Wang Xiaopo , Teja Amyn S.
Published: September 2015

Stable dispersions of nanoparticles in liquids are commonly referred to as nanofluids. The morphology of the dispersed nanoparticles can be quite diverse (spherical, tubular, etc), although one of the dimensions of the particles must usually be less than 100 nm. The liquid in which the particles are dispersed is commonly a heat transfer fluid such as water, oil, or ethylene glycol. Nanofluids have attracted much attention recently because of their unusual thermophysical and optical properties. In particular, the thermal conductivity of the heterogeneous mixture (liquid plus nanoparticles) has been shown to be significantly higher than that of the base liquid. This has led to numerous proposals for using nanofluids in demanding heat transfer applications such as solar thermal energy storage and microelectronics cooling. This article presents an overview of the properties of nanofluids, and also includes a discussion of their preparation and characterization. Particular emphasis is given to the thermal conductivity because of its importance in heat transfer, and because its dependence on particle size and temperature is still the subject of many studies. The article concludes with a discussion on promising directions for nanofluid research.
Characterization of Magnetic Structure, Magnetic Circular Dichroism
Authors: Vogel Jan
Published: September 2015

In this chapter, the use of X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism for determining element‐selective magnetic properties of materials is discussed. After briefly explaining the origin of the effect, its use for the determination of quantitative and element‐selective magnetic moments, element‐selective hysteresis loops, and magnetic imaging is illustrated with typical examples.
Vision‐Based Driver Assistance
Authors: Klette Reinhard
Published: September 2015

Vision‐based driver assistance systems (VB‐DAS) still assume a driver in the ego‐vehicle (i.e., that vehicle where the system operates in); autonomous driving can benefit from solutions designed for VB‐DAS. The article reviews research subjects for VB‐DAS and provides an extensive bibliography. It starts with defining basic concepts and notations in the field, also highlighting the importance of performance evaluation for VB‐DAS solutions. The article then reviews briefly safety and comfort functionalities (avoidance of blind spots, night vision, and virtual windshield), before discussing in detail solutions for basic and midlevel environment perception. This involves distance and motion computation, ego‐motion understanding, obstacle detection, tasks of object tracking (vehicles or pedestrians), and the detection and recognition of infrastructure key elements (road, lane, traffic signs, and free space). Representative VB‐DAS examples (e.g., driver monitoring and driver‐environment understanding, speed adaptation, queuing, parking, blind spot supervision, lane departure warning, wrong lane detection, intelligent headlamp control, or intercar communication) are also described. Outlook toward autonomous driving and road‐environment modeling conclude the article.
Coherent Mimo Radar and Waveform Diversity
Authors: Gianelli Christopher , Li Jian , Stoica Petre
Published: September 2015

Multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) radar technology has gained considerable attention, from both theorists and practitioners, in the past decade due to its capability to expand radar system functionality and open previously unexplored design space. This work seeks to provide a basic understanding of coherent MIMO radar technology, the performance enhancements that can be attained by using the technology, and the associated drawbacks involved in operating a coherent MIMO radar. Attention is paid to achieve the required waveform orthogonality for a MIMO radar system, and several operating concepts are presented and described. Radar basics are discussed first, followed by a description of the MIMO radar concept. Examples of radar applications that may benefit from the application of MIMO radar are presented. Methods for achieving waveform orthogonality in practical MIMO radar systems are described, and the performance tradeoffs involved in implementing these operation modes are discussed. Information on general radar waveforms, and their suitability for use in a MIMO radar system, is provided. Two examples of MIMO radar systems are discussed, with special emphasis placed on the benefit obtained by applying MIMO radar technology.
Enhanced flyby science with onboard computer vision: Tracking and surface feature detection at small bodies
Authors: Fuchs Thomas J. , Thompson David R. , Bue Brian D. , Castillo‐Rogez Julie , Chien Steve A. , Gharibian Dero , Wagstaff Kiri L.
Published: September 2015

Spacecraft autonomy is crucial to increase the science return of optical remote sensing observations at distant primitive bodies. To date, most small bodies exploration has involved short timescale flybys that execute prescripted data collection sequences. Light time delay means that the spacecraft must operate completely autonomously without direct control from the ground, but in most cases the physical properties and morphologies of prospective targets are unknown before the flyby. Surface features of interest are highly localized, and successful observations must account for geometry and illumination constraints. Under these circumstances onboard computer vision can improve science yield by responding immediately to collected imagery. It can reacquire bad data or identify features of opportunity for additional targeted measurements. We present a comprehensive framework for onboard computer vision for flyby missions at small bodies. We introduce novel algorithms for target tracking, target segmentation, surface feature detection, and anomaly detection. The performance and generalization power are evaluated in detail using expert annotations on data sets from previous encounters with primitive bodies.
Interactive design of experiments: A priori global versus sequential optimization, revised under changing states of knowledge
Authors: Geiges A. , Rubin Y. , Nowak W.
Published: September 2015

Predicting hydro(geo)logical or environmental systems is subject to high levels of uncertainties, especially if appropriate data for model calibration are lacking. For subsurface systems, where data acquisition is cost intensive and time demanding, it is especially important to collect only those data that provide the largest amount of relevant information. The high expenses call for optimal experimental design, which is widely recognized for maximizing the efficiency of experiments. In model‐based design of experiments, the analysis of the design efficiency and the resulting optimal design are based on the initial state of knowledge about the modeled system. Joint optimization of multimeasurement designs is a well‐known challenge, and the usefulness of global optimization approaches is widely recognized in this context. However, we will show that the benefit for such global optimization becomes questionable when measurement data become available sequentially. Instead, the optimization effort should be invested within an interactive design approach. Today's fast telecommunication, global connectivity, and high‐performance computing allow to consider such interactive coupling. This study will use a synthetic case study to compare the standard en‐bloc global optimization approach to two interactive design approaches. The approaches are implemented in a Bayesian framework and are compared based on their complexity and overall performance. The key conclusion confirms a previously untested presumption: for models that trigger nonlinear parameter inference problems, interaction (which may come at a loss of global optimization) is more beneficial than global optimization based on the initial state of knowledge (which typically implies the impossibility of interactivity).
Using noble gas tracers to constrain a groundwater flow model with recharge elevations: A novel approach for mountainous terrain
Authors: Doyle Jessica M. , Gleeson Tom , Manning Andrew H. , Mayer K. Ulrich
Published: September 2015

Environmental tracers provide information on groundwater age, recharge conditions, and flow processes which can be helpful for evaluating groundwater sustainability and vulnerability. Dissolved noble gas data have proven particularly useful in mountainous terrain because they can be used to determine recharge elevation. However, tracer‐derived recharge elevations have not been utilized as calibration targets for numerical groundwater flow models. Herein, we constrain and calibrate a regional groundwater flow model with noble‐gas‐derived recharge elevations for the first time. Tritium and noble gas tracer results improved the site conceptual model by identifying a previously uncertain contribution of mountain block recharge from the Coast Mountains to an alluvial coastal aquifer in humid southwestern British Columbia. The revised conceptual model was integrated into a three‐dimensional numerical groundwater flow model and calibrated to hydraulic head data in addition to recharge elevations estimated from noble gas recharge temperatures. Recharge elevations proved to be imperative for constraining hydraulic conductivity, recharge location, and bedrock geometry, and thus minimizing model nonuniqueness. Results indicate that 45% of recharge to the aquifer is mountain block recharge. A similar match between measured and modeled heads was achieved in a second numerical model that excludes the mountain block (no mountain block recharge), demonstrating that hydraulic head data alone are incapable of quantifying mountain block recharge. This result has significant implications for understanding and managing source water protection in recharge areas, potential effects of climate change, the overall water budget, and ultimately ensuring groundwater sustainability.
Evidence of an emerging levee failure mechanism causing disastrous floods in Italy
Authors: Orlandini Stefano , Moretti Giovanni , Albertson John D.
Published: September 2015

A levee failure occurred along the Secchia River, Northern Italy, on 19 January 2014, resulting in flood damage in excess of $500 million. In response to this failure, immediate surveillance of other levees in the region led to the identification of a second breach developing on the neighboring Panaro River, where rapid mitigation efforts were successful in averting a full levee failure. The paired breach events that occurred along the Secchia and Panaro Rivers provided an excellent window on an emerging levee failure mechanism. In the Secchia River, by combining the information content of photographs taken from helicopters in the early stage of breach development and 10 cm resolution aerial photographs taken in 2010 and 2012, animal burrows were found to exist in the precise levee location where the breach originated. In the Panaro River, internal erosion was observed to occur at a location where a crested porcupine den was known to exist and this erosion led to the collapse of the levee top. This paper uses detailed numerical modeling of rainfall, river flow, and variably saturated flow in the levee to explore the hydraulic and geotechnical mechanisms that were triggered along the Secchia and Panaro Rivers by activities of burrowing animals leading to levee failures. As habitats become more fragmented and constrained along river corridors, it is possible that this failure mechanism could become more prevalent and, therefore, will demand greater attention in both the design and maintenance of earthen hydraulic structures as well as in wildlife management.
Hierarchical Cluster Analysis
Authors: Köhn Hans‐Friedrich , Hubert Lawrence J.
Published: September 2015

Hierarchicalcluster analysisrefers to a collection of methods that seek to construct a hierarchically arranged sequence of partitions for some given object set. Typically, the methods produce a hierarchy based on some proximity measure defined for every pair of objects. The common agglomerative methods for producing partition hierarchies are discussed along with the characterizing notion of an ultrametric. The hierarchical clustering task is then redefined as one of finding a least‐squares approximation to the proximity measure by an ultrametric structure. A generalization of the ultrametric condition, and thus of hierarchical clustering, is to an additive tree; again, a least‐squares approximation to the proximity measure is sought but now by a structure that satisfies the more general additive tree inequality. Finally, a discussion is given as to how an additive tree explicitly generalizes an ultrametric by being nonuniquely decomposable by an ultrametric plus what might be called a centroid metric.
The phenotype of the musculocontractural type of Ehlers‐Danlos syndrome due to CHST14 mutations
Authors: Janecke Andreas R. , Li Ben , Boehm Manfred , Krabichler Birgit , Rohrbach Marianne , Müller Thomas , Fuchs Irene , Golas Gretchen , Katagiri Yasuhiro , Ziegler Shira G. , Gahl William A. , Wilnai Yael , Zoppi Nicoletta , Geller Herbert M. , Giunta Cecilia , Slavotinek Anne , Steinmann Beat
Published: September 2015

The musculocontractural type of Ehlers‐Danlos syndrome (MC‐EDS) has been recently recognized as a clinical entity. MC‐EDS represents a differential diagnosis within the congenital neuromuscular and connective tissue disorders spectrum. Thirty‐one and three patients have been reported with MC‐EDS so far with bi‐allelic mutations identified in CHST14 and DSE, respectively, encoding two enzymes necessary for dermatan sulfate (DS) biosynthesis. We report seven additional patients with MC‐EDS from four unrelated families, including the follow‐up of a sib‐pair originally reported with the kyphoscoliotic type of EDS in 1975. Brachycephaly, a characteristic facial appearance, an asthenic build, hyperextensible and bruisable skin, tapering fingers, instability of large joints, and recurrent formation of large subcutaneous hematomas are always present. Three of seven patients had mildly elevated serum creatine kinase. The oldest patient was blind due to retinal detachment at 45 years and died at 59 years from intracranial bleeding; her affected brother died at 28 years from fulminant endocarditis. All patients in this series harbored homozygous, predicted loss‐of‐function CHST14 mutations. Indeed, DS was not detectable in fibroblasts from two unrelated patients with homozygous mutations. Patient fibroblasts produced higher amounts of chondroitin sulfate, showed intracellular retention of collagen types I and III, and lacked decorin and thrombospondin fibrils compared with control. A great proportion of collagen fibrils were not integrated into fibers, and fiber bundles were dispersed into the ground substance in one patient, all of which is likely to contribute to the clinical phenotype. This report should increase awareness for MC‐EDS. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A novel missense mutation of TNNI2 in a Chinese family cause distal arthrogryposis type 1
Authors: Wang Bo , Zheng Zhaojing , Wang Zhigang , Zhang Xiaoqing , Yang Haiou , Cai Haiqing , Fu Qihua
Published: September 2015

The distal arthrogryposis (DA) syndromes are a group of disorders characterized by congenital contractures of limbs. According to phenotypical characteristics, DA syndromes have been clinically classified into 10 types. Currently, at least nine disease causing genes have been identified for different types of DA. Here, we report a 3‐generation Chinese pedigree with three DA affected members. We performed whole exome sequencing on two affected and one unaffected individuals of this family and successfully identified a novel missense mutation in TNNI2 as the pathogenic mutation. The TNNI2 gene encodes a subunit of the troponin complex, a contractile machinery of the muscle. The mutation p.F178C that could change the H‐bond formation of a neighboring residue occurs at a highly conserved position, suggesting that this variation probably affects the TNNI2 protein function. Our study also demonstrates the power of whole exome sequencing in causal mutation identification for phenotypically variable and genetically heterogeneous disorders. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Factors influencing reproduction in captive‐bred cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) from Mauritius
Authors: Naiken Sandiren , Griffiths Mary‐Ann , Edouard Lindsay , Padayatchy Nada
Published: September 2015

The cynomolgus monkey is widely used in reproductive research. However, the effects on their reproductive parameters of infant and maternal factors such as birth order, sex of infants, twin births, maternal age and lactation status have not been fully examined. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine how such infant and maternal factors impact on infant birth weight, birth viability, neonatal loss and retained placenta in cynomolgus monkeys. The study was based on birth data from a cohort of 789 females over an eight‐year period. Consistent with reports made in other macaque species, female offspring had lower birth weight compared with males. Birth weights of firstborn infants were lower compared with birth weights of higher birth order infants. Results from the logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of non‐viable births was increased by advancing maternal age and retained placenta. As in other non‐human primates, maternal age had predictive value for non‐viable births in cynomolgus monkeys. The risk of neonatal loss decreased with advancing maternal age but was not affected by birth order. Firstborn offspring did not have an increased risk for neonatal loss, possibly from the practice of retaining mothers in their natal groups, which improved maternal skills in primiparous females. However, infant low birth weight and non‐lactating females increased the risk of neonatal loss, and the delivery of low birth weight infants was associated with retained placenta. The results from this study can be useful for scientists conducting reproductive studies and for colony managers in maximizing fertility and infant survival of cynomolgus monkeys. Am. J. Primatol. 77:1290–1298, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Röntgenkristallographie an Materialien mit offenen Gerüsten
Authors: Bloch Witold M. , Champness Neil R. , Doonan Christian J.
Published: September 2015

Materialien mit offenen Gerüsten wurden hinsichtlich ihrer Fähigkeiten zur Gasspeicherung und ‐trennung umfassend untersucht, doch ihre hochkristalline Struktur kann auch genutzt werden, um Gastmoleküle und nicht zur Struktur gehörende Atome (nichtstrukturelle Atome) periodisch anzuordnen. Somit kann ein solches offenes Gerüst als Matrix zur Isolierung dieser Einheiten und zur Aufklärung ihrer Struktur durch Röntgenbeugung dienen. Diese Analysenmethode könnte hilfreich sein, wenn die Herstellung eines Einkristalls problematisch ist oder um Einblick in reaktive Verbindungen zu gewinnen, die im porösen Gitter stabilisiert werden können. Allerdings hat die Methode Grenzen, und bisher wurde keine allgemeingültige experimentelle Vorgehensweise entwickelt. Im Folgenden werden Beispiele vorgestellt, in denen Gerüstmaterialien verwendet wurden, um Moleküle für die Analyse durch Röntgenbeugung anzuordnen, und mögliche künftige Anwendungen diskutiert.
Simultaneous interaction between similar and dissimilar structures of aromatic sulfur and aromatic nitrogen compounds with imidazolium‐based ionic liquid using quantum chemical method
Authors: Ramalingam Anantharaj , Jewaratnam Jegalakshimi
Published: September 2015

Molecular structure, interaction energy, orbital energy, partial charges, and molecular properties of the complex system of 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium ethylsulfate ([EMIM][EtSo4]) + similar or dissimilar structure of thiophene/benzothiophene/dibenzothiophene/pyrrole/indole/indoline/carbazole/benzacarbazole/pyridine/quinoline/benzoquinoline were predicted using quantum chemical method with 6‐31G* basis set. Subsequently, the sigma profile was generated for the similar molecules in the system in order to explain the cause of solvent selectivity and capacity for simultaneous desulfurization and denitrification of liquid fuels. Furthermore, the activity coefficients at infinite dilution of similar or dissimilar structure of compounds in [EMIM][EtSo4] were predicted using quantum chemical method to understand the chemical behavior of [EMIM][EtSo4] with similar or dissimilar structure of the molecules in the complex system. On the other hand, the solvent selection parameters such as selectivity, capacity, and performance index were calculated from the predicted activity coefficient at infinite dilution for all the studied species. The solvent selection parameters showed high values for low order of aromatic ring compounds (i.e. pyrrole, indole, indoline, carbazole, pyridine, quinoline, and thiophene) but gave low values for high order of aromatic compounds like benzothiophene, dibenzothiophene, benzacarbazole, and benzoquinoline. © 2015 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of borate amount on the swelling and rheological properties of the Scleroglucan/borax system
Authors: Coviello Tommasina , Margheritelli Silvia , Matricardi Pietro , Di Meo Chiara , Cerreto Felice , Alhaique Franco , Abrami Michela , Grassi Mario
Published: September 2015

Scleroglucan is a fungal polysaccharide that, when dispersed in water, assumes a very stable triple helix structure. It has numerous industrial applications in different fields, such as food industry, cosmetics, and pharmaceutics. In the presence of borate ions, this polymer forms weak gels that, after freeze‐drying and compaction, show an anisotropic swelling behavior, related to the borate/polymer ratio. By monitoring the evolution of the elastic and viscous moduli it was possible to follow the gel formation kinetics. The rheological properties of the network were studied as a function of crosslinking agent concentration and the corresponding flow curves and mechanical spectra were recorded. The kinetics of the crosslinking reaction was monitored by following the time evolution of the storage and loss moduli, after the addition of borate ions to the Scleroglucan system. Creep‐recovery experiments allowed acquiring recoverable strain values and those of the critical stress above which a very high compliance of the sample is reached. Obtained results are to be related to the specific type of bonds between the polysaccharide chains and the crosslinking agent. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 42860.
A Model for Residual Life Prediction Based on Brownian Motion in Framework of Similarity
Authors: Zhang Huihui , Hu Changhua , Kong Xiangyu , Zhang Wei
Published: September 2015

Residual lifetime (RL) estimation is a key part in prognostics and health management. This paper addresses the problem of estimating the RL from observed degradation data. A Brownian motion in the framework of a similarity‐based model utilizing degradation histories with failure and suspension events is developed to achieve this aim. A novel contribution of this paper is the use of observed degradation data from both failed and suspended historical devices, that is, reference devices, to predict the RL of the operating device. This is performed by comparing the similarity between the operating device and reference devices. An extensive numerical investigation is provided to substantiate the superiority of the proposed model over the classical similarity‐based approach. We also fit the model to different groups of simulated data to show the adaptability of the model under a small sample condition. The results show that our developed model can provide better residual life estimation accuracy.