bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Embedded architecture with hardware accelerator for target recognition in driver assistance system
Authors: Liu Haisheng , Niar Smail , El-Hillali Yassin , Rivenq Atika
Published: December 2011

This paper presents a new Radar-based recognition system, which is able to identify obstacles during a vehicle movement. Obstacles recognition gives the benefits of avoiding false alarms and allows generating alarms that take into account the identification of the obstacle in front of the vehicle. In this paper, we first identify hotspots in the target recognition application. Then, we propose an optimized version of the multiple target recognition algorithm to respect the real time constraints of the application while simplifying the underlying hardware platform. We also propose a flexible embedded architecture with hardware accelerator that supports the proposed algorithm. Using a low cost FPGA-based System-on-Chip, our system is able to detect and recognize more than 10 obstacles of different types in a time limit of 25 mSec.
KPN2GPU
Authors: Balevic Ana , Kienhuis Bart
Published: December 2011

With advances in manycore and accelerator architectures, the high performance and embedded spaces are rapidly converging. Emerging architectures feature different forms of parallelism. The Polyhedral Processes Networks (PPNs) are a proven model of choice for automated generation of pipeline and task parallel programs from sequential source code, however data parallelism is not addressed. In this paper, we present asystematic approach for identification and extraction of fine grain data parallelism from the PPN specification. The approach is implemented in a tool, called kpn2gpu, which produces fine-grain data parallel CUDA kernels for graphics processing units (GPUs). First experiments indicate that generated applications have a potential to exploit different forms of parallelism provided by the architecture and that kernels feature a highly regular structure that allows subsequent optimizations.
Automatic fusions of CUDA-GPU kernels for parallel map
Authors: Fousek Jan , Filipovič Jiři , Madzin Matuš
Published: December 2011

When implementing a function mapping on the contemporary GPU, several contradictory performance factors affecting distribution of computation into GPU kernels have to be balanced. A decomposition-fusion scheme suggests to decompose the computational problem to be solved by several simple functions implemented as standalone kernels and to fuse some of these functions later into more complex kernels to improve memory locality. In this paper, a prototype of source-to-source compiler automating the fusion phase is presented and the impact of fusions generated by the compiler as well as compiler efficiency is experimentally evaluated.
Multicore reconfiguration platform an alternative to RAMPSoC
Authors: Meyer Dominik , Klauer Bernd
Published: December 2011

The current state of the art in processor performance improvement is multicore-processor systems. These systems offer a number of homogeneous and static processor cores for the parallel distribution of computational tasks. A novel idea in this research field is introduced by the Runtime Adaptive Multi-Processor System-on- Chip (RAMPSoC) approach. It uses a dynamic and partial reconfigurable system to offer a heterogeneous multicore-processor system. It is runtime adaptable to applications needs and provides a high degree of freedom for system design and task distribution. The continuation of this idea is the Multicore Reconfiguration Platform (MRP) presented in this paper. Its fine grained reconfiguration framework offers a higher degree of freedom and achieves a better FPGA space exploitation, reduced power consumption and a more precise adaption to application requirements.
Power and area optimisation in heterogeneous 3D networks-on-chip architectures
Authors: Agyeman Michael Opoku , Ahmadinia Ali
Published: December 2011

Three dimensional Network-on-Chip (3D NoC) architectures have evolved with a lot of interest to address the on-chip communication delays of modern SoC systems. However, the vertical interconnections between layers is more power and area hungry compared to 2D interconnections. In this paper we propose area efficient and low power heterogeneous NoC architectures, which combines both the power and performance benefits of 2D routers and 3D NoC-bus hybrid router architectures in 3D mesh topologies. Experimental results show a negligible penalty of up to 5% in average packet latency of 3D homogeneous NoC with bus hybrid routers. The heterogeneity however provides superiority of up to 67% and 19.7% in power and area efficiency of the NoC resources, respectively.
A generic deriving mechanism for Haskell
Authors: Magalhães José Pedro , Dijkstra Atze , Jeuring Johan , Löh Andres
Published: December 2011

Haskell's
deriving
mechanism supports the automatic generation of instances for a number of functions. The Haskell 98 Report only specifies how to generate instances for the
Eq, Ord, Enum, Bounded, Show
, and
Read
classes. The description of how to generate instances is largely informal. The generation of instances imposes restrictions on the shape of datatypes, depending on the particular class to derive. As a consequence, the portability of instances across different compilers is not guaranteed.

We propose a new approach to Haskell's
deriving
mechanism, which allows users to specify how to derive arbitrary class instances using standard datatype-generic programming techniques. Generic functions, including the methods from six standard Haskell 98 derivable classes, can be specified entirely within Haskell 98 plus multi-parameter type classes, making them lightweight and portable. We can also express
Functor, Typeable
, and many other derivable classes with our technique. We implemented our
deriving
mechanism together with many new derivable classes in the Utrecht Haskell Compiler.
Crystal-structure analysis of four mineral samples of anhydrite, CaSO4, using synchrotron high-resolution powder X-ray diffraction data
Authors: Antao Sytle M.
Published: December 2011

The crystal structures of four samples of anhydrite, CaSO4, were obtained by Rietveld refinements using synchrotron high-resolution powder X-ray diffraction (HRPXRD) data and space group Amma. As an example, for one sample of anhydrite from Hants County, Nova Scotia, the unit-cell parameters are a = 7.00032(2), b = 6.99234(1), c = 6.24097(1) Å, and V = 305.487(1) Å3 with a > b. The eight-coordinated Ca atom has an average  distance of 2.4667(4) Å. The tetrahedral SO4 group has two independent S-O distances of 1.484(1) to O1 and 1.478(1) Å to O2 and an average  distance of 1.4810(5) Å. The three independent O-S-O angles [108.99(8) × 1, 110.38(3) × 4, 106.34(9)° × 1; average  [6] = 109.47(2)°] and S-O distances indicate that the geometry of the SO4 group is quite distorted in anhydrite. The four anhydrite samples have structural trends where the a, b, and c unit-cell parameters increase linearly with increasing unit-cell volume, V, and their average  and  distances are nearly constant. The grand mean  = 2.4660(2) Å, and grand mean  = 1.4848(3) Å, the latter is longer than 1.480(1) Å in celestite, SrSO4, as expected.
Green Urine Discoloration due to Propofol Infusion: A Case Report
Authors: Shioya Nobuki , Ishibe Yoriko , Shibata Shigehiro , Makabe Hideyuki , Kan Shigenori , Matsumoto Naoya , Takahashi Gaku , Yamada Yasuhiko , Endo Shigeatsu
Published: December 2011

We present a 19-year-old man who excreted green urine after propofol infusion. The patient was admitted to our hospital for injuries sustained in a traffic accident and underwent surgery. After starting continuous infusion of propofol for postoperative sedation, his urine became dark green. Serum total bilirubin and urine bilirubin were both elevated. We believe that the green discoloration of the urine was caused by propofol infusion and was related to impaired enterohepatic circulation and extrahepatic glucuronidation in the kidneys.
Inflammatory and Angiogenic Protein Detection in the Human Vitreous: Cytometric Bead Assay
Authors: Koss M. J. , Pfister M. , Koch F. H.
Published: December 2011

Introduction.To evaluate clinical feasibility and reproducibility of cytometric bead assay (CBA) in nondiluted vitreous samples of patients with age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), and central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).Methods.Twelve patients from a single clinics day qualified for intravitreal injections (ARMDn=6, DMEn=3, CRVOn=3) and underwent a combination treatment including a single-site 23 gauge core vitrectomy which yielded a volume of 0.6 mL undiluted vitreous per patient. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor isoform A (VEGF-A), and monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were assessed directly from 0.3 mL at the same day (fresh samples). To assess the reproducibility 0.3 ml were frozen for 60 days at −80°, on which the CBA was repeated (frozen samples).Results.In the fresh samples IL-6 was highest in CRVO (median IL-6 55.8 pg/mL) > DME (50.6) > ARMD (3.1). Highest VEGF was measured in CRVO (447.4) > DME (3.9) > ARMD (2.0). MCP-1 was highest in CRVO (595.7) > AMD (530.8) > DME (178). The CBA reproducibility after frozen storage was examined to be most accurate for MCP1 (P=0.91) > VEGF (P=0.68) > IL-6 (P=0.49).Conclusions.CBA is an innovative, fast determining, and reliable technology to analyze proteins in fluids, like the undiluted vitreous, which is important to better understand ocular pathophysiology and pharmacology. There is no influence of intermittent storage at −80° for the reproducibility of the CBA.
Management of a Traumatic Flap Dislocation Seven Years after LASIK
Authors: Moshirfar Majid , Anderson Erik , Taylor Nathan , Hsu Maylon
Published: December 2011

Seven years after uneventful laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), a 48-year-old woman presented one week after being hit with an iron cord with blurry vision, pain, and irritation. The injury resulted in traumatic flap dislocation, epithelial ingrowth, and macrostriae. Following epithelial removal, the flap was refloated and repositioned. Nine interrupted sutures were used to secure the flap. Three-weeks after surgery with no sutures remaining, the epithelial ingrowth and macrostriae had resolved with a visual acuity of 20/20.
Existence Results for a Nonlinear Semipositone TelegraphSystem with Repulsive Weak Singular Forces
Authors: Wang Fanglei , Wang Yunhai , An Yukun
Published: December 2011

Using the fixed point theorem of cone expansion/compression, we consider the existence results of positive solutions for a nonlinear semipositone telegraph system with repulsive weak singular forces.
Stress Analysis of Three‐Dimensional Media Containing Localized Zone by FEM‐SGBEM Coupling
Authors: Rungamornrat Jaroon , Sripirom Sakravee
Published: December 2011

This paper presents an efficient numerical technique for stress analysis of three‐dimensional infinite media containing cracks and localized complex regions. To enhance the computational efficiency of the boundary element methods generally found inefficient to treat nonlinearities and non‐homogeneous data present within a domain and the finite element method (FEM) potentially demanding substantial computational cost in the modeling of an unbounded medium containing cracks, a coupling procedure exploiting positive features of both the FEM and a symmetric Galerkin boundary element method (SGBEM) is proposed. The former is utilized to model a finite, small part of the domain containing a complex region whereas the latter is employed to treat the remaining unbounded part possibly containing cracks. Use of boundary integral equations to form the key governing equation for the unbounded region offers essential benefits including the reduction of the spatial dimension and the corresponding discretization effort without the domain truncation. In addition, all involved boundary integral equations contain only weakly singular kernels thus allowing continuous interpolation functions to be utilized in the approximation and also easing the numerical integration. Nonlinearities and other complex behaviors within the localized regions are efficiently modeled by utilizing vast features of the FEM. A selected set of results is then reported to demonstrate the accuracy and capability of the technique.
Positive Solutions for Singular Complementary Lidstone Boundary Value Problems
Authors: Wang Fanglei , An Yukun
Published: December 2011

By using fixed‐point theorems of a cone, we investigate the existence and multiplicity of positive solutions for complementary Lidstone boundary value problems: (−1)nu(2n + 1)(t) = h(t)f(u(t)), in 0 < t < 1, u(0) = 0, u(2i + 1)(0) = u(2i + 1)(1) = 0, 0 ≤ i ≤ n − 1, where n ∈ N.
A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Climatic Drivers for Observed Changes in Sahelian Vegetation Productivity (1982–2007)
Authors: Kaspersen Per Skougaard , Fensholt Rasmus , Huber Silvia
Published: December 2011

Linear trend analysis and seasonal trend analysis are performed on gridded data of vegetation, rainfall, solar radiation flux, and air temperature, in order to examine the influence of the past three decades of climate variability and change on the Sahelian vegetation dynamics. Per-pixel correlation analyses are conducted on annual and monthly data, and analyses of change in the potential climatic constraints to the natural vegetation development from 1982–2007 are performed. The results reveal two distinct periods: (a) 1982–1994 marked by large increases in vegetation productivity and rainfall and little change in average air temperatures and solar radiation and (b) 1995–2007 characterized by no distinct trends in vegetation productivity and rainfall and increase in average air temperatures and decrease in solar radiation flux. Correlations between vegetation productivity and climatic constraints were found to be statistically significant only for rainfall explaining only a moderate degree of observed NDVI variation, indicating that nonclimatic factors are also important for the Sahelian vegetation dynamics.
Pediatric Stroke: A Review
Authors: Tsze Daniel S. , Valente Jonathan H.
Published: December 2011

Stroke is relatively rare in children, but can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Understanding that children with strokes present differently than adults and often present with unique risk factors will optimize outcomes in children. Despite an increased incidence of pediatric stroke, there is often a delay in diagnosis, and cases may still remain under- or misdiagnosed. Clinical presentation will vary based on the child's age, and children will have risk factors for stroke that are less common than in adults. Management strategies in children are extrapolated primarily from adult studies, but with different considerations regarding short-term anticoagulation and guarded recommendations regarding thrombolytics. Although most recommendations for management are extrapolated from adult populations, they still remain useful, in conjunction with pediatric-specific considerations.
Complications of Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking
Authors: Dhawan Shikha , Rao Kavita , Natrajan Sundaram
Published: December 2011

Cross-linking of corneal collagen (CXL) is a promising approach for the treatment of keratoconus and secondary ectasia. Several long-term and short-term complications of CXL have been studied and documented. The possibility of a secondary infection after the procedure exists because the patient is subjected to epithelial debridement and the application of a soft contact lens. Formation of temporary corneal haze, permanent scars, endothelial damage, treatment failure, sterile infiltrates, and herpes reactivation are the other reported complications of this procedure. Cross-linking is a low-invasive procedure with low complication and failure rate but it may have direct or primary complications due to incorrect technique application or incorrect patient's inclusion and indirect or secondary complications related to therapeutic soft contact lens, patient’s poor hygiene, and undiagnosed concomitant ocular surface diseases.
A Macrolevel Examination of County-Level Risk Factors for Underage Drinking Prevention: Intervention Opportunities to Protect Youth in the State of Georgia
Authors: O'Quin Karen E. , Strasser Sheryl M. , Swahn Monica H.
Published: December 2011

Introduction. Underage drinking can have profoundly negative impacts on childhood development. This study compares 4 categories of known underage drinking risk factors with alcohol consumption. The social indicators in these categories will be compared in the 10 most-at-risk (MAR) counties and the 10 least-at-risk (LAR) counties identified in Georgia. Methods. Independent 2-tailed t-tests were conducted to compare group means among MAR and LAR counties for all identified risk factors. Results. Significant differences were observed in all factors included in the poverty and alcohol outlet density categories. Discussion. The findings underscore the importance of better understanding youth drinking, poverty, and alcohol outlet density. However, our findings, supported by previous individual and aggregated level research, support strategies for researchers and policy makers to more proactively respond to poverty-stricken and high-density alcohol outlet indicators. The current ecological evaluation of underage drinking risk assessed on a macrolevel offers insights into the demographic features, social structures, and cultural patterns of counties that potentially predispose youth to greater health risks specifically associated with underage drinking.
Well‐Posedness by Perturbations of Generalized Mixed Variational Inequalities in Banach Spaces
Authors: Ceng Lu-Chuan , Wen Ching-Feng
Published: December 2011

We consider an extension of the notion of well‐posedness by perturbations, introduced by Zolezzi (1995, 1996) for a minimization problem, to a class of generalized mixed variational inequalities in Banach spaces, which includes as a special case the class of mixed variational inequalities. We establish some metric characterizations of the well‐posedness by perturbations. On the other hand, it is also proven that, under suitable conditions, the well‐posedness by perturbations of a generalized mixed variational inequality is equivalent to the well‐posedness by perturbations of the corresponding inclusion problem and corresponding fixed point problem. Furthermore, we derive some conditions under which the well‐posedness by perturbations of a generalized mixed variational inequality is equivalent to the existence and uniqueness of its solution.
Genetic Factors of Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases in Japanese
Authors: Ban Yoshiyuki
Published: December 2011

Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), including Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), are caused by immune response to self-thyroid antigens and affect approximately 2–5% of the general population. Genetic susceptibility in combination with external factors, such as smoking, viral/bacterial infection, and chemicals, is believed to initiate the autoimmune response against thyroid antigens. Abundant epidemiological data, including family and twin studies, point to a strong genetic influence on the development of AITDs. Various techniques have been employed to identify genes contributing to the etiology of AITDs, including candidate gene analysis and whole genome screening. These studies have enabled the identification of several loci (genetic regions) that are linked to AITDs, and, in some of these loci, putative AITD susceptibility genes have been identified. Some of these genes/loci are unique to GD and HT and some are common to both diseases, indicating that there is a shared genetic susceptibility to GD and HT. Known AITD-susceptibility genes are classified into three groups: HLA genes, non-HLA immune-regulatory genes (e.g., CTLA-4, PTPN22, and CD40), and thyroid-specific genes (e.g., TSHR and Tg). In this paper, we will summarize the latest findings on AITD susceptibility genes in Japanese.
Safety of Ovarian Tissue Autotransplantation for Cancer Patients
Authors: Bockstaele Laurence , Tsepelidis Sophie , Dechene Julie , Englert Yvon , Demeestere Isabelle
Published: December 2011

Cancer treatments can induce premature ovarian failure in almost half of young women suffering from invasive neoplasia. Cryopreservation of ovarian cortex and subsequent autotransplantation of frozen-thawed tissue have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional fertility preservation technologies. However, human ovarian tissue is generally harvested before the administration of gonadotoxic treatment and could be contaminated with malignant cells. The safety of autotransplantation of ovarian cortex remains a major concern for fertility preservation units worldwide. This paper discusses the main tools for detecting disseminated cancer cells currently available, their limitations, and clinical relevance.
Projection Methods and a New System of Extended General Regularized Nonconvex Set‐Valued Variational Inequalities
Authors: Balooee Javad , Cho Yeol Je , Kang Mee Kwang
Published: December 2011

A new system of extended general nonlinear regularized nonconvex set‐valued variational inequalities is introduced, and the equivalence between the extended general nonlinear regularized nonconvex set‐valued variational inequalities and the fixed point problems is verified. Then, by this equivalent formulation, a new perturbed projection iterative algorithm with mixed errors for finding a solution of the aforementioned system is suggested and analyzed. Also the convergence of the suggested iterative algorithm under some suitable conditions is proved.
Swallowable Wireless Capsule Endoscopy: Progress and Technical Challenges
Authors: Pan Guobing , Wang Litong
Published: December 2011

Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) offers a feasible noninvasive way to detect the whole gastrointestinal (GI) tract and revolutionizes the diagnosis technology. However, compared with wired endoscopies, the limited working time, the low frame rate, and the low image resolution limit the wider application. The progress of this new technology is reviewed in this paper, and the evolution tendencies are analyzed to be high image resolution, high frame rate, and long working time. Unfortunately, the power supply of capsule endoscope (CE) is the bottleneck. Wireless power transmission (WPT) is the promising solution to this problem, but is also the technical challenge. Active CE is another tendency and will be the next geneion of the WCE. Nevertheless, it will not come true shortly, unless the practical locomotion mechanism of the active CE in GI tract is achieved. The locomotion mechanism is the other technical challenge, besides the challenge of WPT. The progress about the WPT and the active capsule technology is reviewed.
Approximation Solution of Fractional Partial Differential Equations by Neural Networks
Authors: Almarashi Adel A. S.
Published: December 2011

Neural networks with radial basis functions method are used to solve a class of initial boundary value of fractional partial differential equations with variable coefficients on a finite domain. It takes the case where a left-handed or right-handed fractional spatial derivative may be present in the partial differential equations. Convergence of this method will be discussed in the paper. A numerical example using neural networks RBF method for a two-sided fractional PDE also will be presented and compared with other methods.
Observed Characteristics of the Afternoon–Evening Boundary Layer Transition Based on Sodar and Surface Data
Authors: Busse Jessica , Knupp Kevin
Published: December 2011

The early-evening boundary layer transition has been defined in the past using a variety of criteria, the most popular of which is the onset of a negative surface heat flux. According to this definition, the transition is an almost-instantaneous event that occurs when the positive daytime heat flux switches to the negative nighttime heat flux. This definition is simplistic, however, because the stable boundary layer does not form instantaneously over a deep layer. Other factors are involved, and many changes occur aloft during the transition period that this definition does not account for—for example, a more gradual reduction in turbulence and an increase in wind speed. The combined use of sodar data, as well as 915-MHz wind profiler, surface temperature, dewpoint, and wind data, provides a more-comprehensive definition of the early-evening boundary layer transition. Sodar backscatter is sensitive to temperature fluctuations, and therefore as the heat flux decreases, the sodar return power exhibits changes from a time-varying convective structure to a more-stratified and steady structure. A relative minimum in intensity and height of the sodar backscatter is one indication that the transition is occurring. As the boundary layer evolves from the unstable convective afternoon conditions to the more stable nocturnal conditions, the finescale temporal variations in many parameters, including temperature, the 10–2-m temperature difference, dewpoint, and wind speed, decrease. There is often a distinct steplike shape in the temperature/wind decrease or dewpoint increase within 30 min of the sodar minimum. In this paper, an analysis of sodar and surface data is presented for low-wind cases to demonstrate the efficacy of this combined sensor technique, and to illustrate the average physical characteristics of the transition period for 21 cases during the summer months (June–August) and 9 cases during the autumn months (November–December) in Huntsville, Alabama.
Zonostrophic Instability
Authors: Srinivasan Kaushik , Young W. R.
Published: December 2011

Zonostrophic instability leads to the spontaneous emergence of zonal jets on a β plane from a jetless basic-state flow that is damped by bottom drag and driven by a random body force. Decomposing the barotropic vorticity equation into the zonal mean and eddy equations, and neglecting the eddy–eddy interactions, defines the quasilinear (QL) system. Numerical solution of the QL system shows zonal jets with length scales comparable to jets obtained by solving the nonlinear (NL) system.

Starting with the QL system, one can construct a deterministic equation for the evolution of the two-point single-time correlation function of the vorticity, from which one can obtain the Reynolds stress that drives the zonal mean flow. This deterministic system has an exact nonlinear solution, which is an isotropic and homogenous eddy field with no jets. The authors characterize the linear stability of this jetless solution by calculating the critical stability curve in the parameter space and successfully comparing this analytic result with numerical solutions of the QL system. But the critical drag required for the onset of NL zonostrophic instability is sometimes a factor of 6 smaller than that for QL zonostrophic instability.

Near the critical stability curve, the jet scale predicted by linear stability theory agrees with that obtained via QL numerics. But on reducing the drag, the emerging QL jets agree with the linear stability prediction at only short times. Subsequently jets merge with their neighbors until the flow matures into a state with jets that are significantly broader than the linear prediction but have spacing similar to NL jets.
Mesoscale Structural Evolution of Three Tropical Weather Systems Observed during PREDICT
Authors: Davis Christopher A. , Ahijevych David A.
Published: December 2011

Three well-observed Atlantic tropical weather systems that occurred during the 2010 hurricane season are analyzed. One case was former Tropical Storm Gaston that failed to redevelop into a tropical cyclone; the other two cases were developing storms Karl and Matthew. Geostationary satellite, multisensor-derived precipitation, and dropsondes from the National Science Foundation (NSF)–NCAR Gulfstream V (GV), NASA DC-8, and the NOAA Gulfstream IV (G-IV) and WP-3D Orion (P-3) aircraft are analyzed in a system-following frame to quantify the mesoscale dynamics of these systems.

Gaston featured extensive dry air surrounding an initially moist core. Vertical shear forced a misalignment of midtropospheric and lower-tropospheric circulation centers. This misalignment allowed dry air to intrude above the lower-tropospheric center and severely limited the area influenced by deep moist convection, thus providing little chance of maintaining or rebuilding the vortex in sheared flow. By contrast, Karl and Matthew developed in a moister environment overall, with moisture increasing with time in the middle and upper troposphere. Deep moist convection was quasi-diurnal prior to genesis. For Karl, deep convection was initially organized away from the lower-tropospheric circulation center, creating a misalignment of the vortex. The vortex gradually realigned over several days and genesis followed this realignment within roughly one day. Matthew experienced weaker shear, was vertically aligned through most of its early evolution, and developed more rapidly than Karl. The evolutions of the three cases are interpreted in the context of recent theories of tropical cyclone formation.
Water-Use Efficiency of the Terrestrial Biosphere: A Model Analysis Focusing on Interactions between the Global Carbon and Water Cycles
Authors: Ito Akihiko , Inatomi Motoko
Published: December 2011

Carbon and water cycles are intimately coupled in terrestrial ecosystems, and water-use efficiency (WUE; carbon gain at the expense of unit water loss) is one of the key parameters of ecohydrology and ecosystem management. In this study, the carbon cycle and water budget of terrestrial ecosystems were simulated using a process-based ecosystem model called Vegetation Integrative Simulator for Trace Gases (VISIT), and WUE was evaluated: WUEC, defined as gross primary production (GPP) divided by transpiration; and WUES, defined as net primary production (NPP) divided by actual evapotranspiration. Total annual WUEC and WUES of the terrestrial biosphere were estimated as 8.0 and 0.92 g C kg−1 H2O, respectively, for the period 1995–2004. Spatially, WUEC and WUES were only weakly correlated. WUES ranged from <0.2 g C kg−1 H2O in arid ecosystems to >1.5 g C kg−1 H2O in boreal and alpine ecosystems. The historical simulation implied that biospheric WUE increased from 1901 to 2005 (WUEC, +7%; WUES, +12%) mainly as a result of the augmentation of productivity in parallel with the atmospheric carbon dioxide increase. Country-based analyses indicated that total NPP is largely determined by water availability, and human appropriation of NPP is also related to water resources to a considerable extent. These results have implications for 1) responses of the carbon cycle to the anticipated global hydrological changes, 2) responses of the water budget to changes in the terrestrial carbon cycle, and 3) ecosystem management based on optimized resource use.
Challenges to Satellite Sensors of Ocean Winds: Addressing Precipitation Effects
Authors: Weissman D. E. , Stiles B. W. , Hristova-Veleva S. M. , Long D. G. , Smith D. K. , Hilburn K. A. , Jones W. L.
Published: December 2011

Measurements of global ocean surface winds made by orbiting satellite radars have provided valuable information to the oceanographic and meteorological communities since the launch of the Seasat in 1978, by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). When Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) was launched in 1999, it ushered in a new era of dual-polarized, pencil-beam, higher-resolution scatterometers for measuring the global ocean surface winds from space. A constant limitation on the full utilization of scatterometer-derived winds is the presence of isolated rain events, which affect about 7% of the observations. The vector wind sensors, the Ku-band scatterometers [NASA’s SeaWinds on the QuikSCAT and Midori-II platforms and Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) Ocean Satellite (Oceansat)-2], and the current C-band scatterometer [Advanced Wind Scatterometer (ASCAT), on the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT)’s Meteorological Operation (MetOp) platform] all experience rain interference, but with different characteristics. Over this past decade, broad-based research studies have sought to better understand the physics of the rain interference problem, to search for methods to bypass the problem (using rain detection, flagging, and avoidance of affected areas), and to develop techniques to improve the quality of the derived wind vectors that are adversely affected by rain. This paper reviews the state of the art in rain flagging and rain correction and describes many of these approaches, methodologies, and summarizes the results.
Application of a Mini Unmanned Aircraft System for In Situ Monitoring of Fire Plume Thermodynamic Properties
Authors: Kiefer Caroline M. , Clements Craig B. , Potter Brian E.
Published: December 2011

Direct measurements of wildland fire plume properties are rare because of difficult access to regions near the fire front and plume. Moisture released from combustion, in addition to added heat, can enhance buoyancy and convection, influencing fire behavior. In this study, a mini unmanned aircraft system (miniUAS) was used to obtain in situ measurements of temperature and relative humidity during a prescribed fire. The miniUAS was successfully maneuvered through the plume and its associated turbulence and provided observations of temperature and humidity profiles from near the centerline of the plume. Within the plume, the water vapor mixing ratio increased by 0.5–3.5 g kg−1 above ambient and was caused by the combustion of fuels. Potential temperature perturbations were on the order of 2–5 K. These results indicate that significant moisture and temperature enhancement can occur and may potentially modify convection dynamics of fire plumes.
Gridded Operational Consensus Forecasts of 2-m Temperature over Australia
Authors: Engel Chermelle , Ebert Elizabeth E.
Published: December 2011

This paper describes an extension of an operational consensus forecasting (OCF) scheme from site forecasts to gridded forecasts. OCF is a multimodel consensus scheme including bias correction and weighting. Bias correction and weighting are done on a scale common to almost all multimodel inputs (1.25°), which are then downscaled using a statistical approach to an approximately 5-km-resolution grid. Local and international numerical weather prediction model inputs are found to have coarse scale biases that respond to simple bias correction, with the weighted average consensus at 1.25° outperforming all models at that scale. Statistical downscaling is found to remove the systematic representativeness error when downscaling from 1.25° to 5 km, though it cannot resolve scale differences associated with transient small-scale weather.
Predicting Hurricane Intensity and Structure Changes Associated with Eyewall Replacement Cycles
Authors: Kossin James P. , Sitkowski Matthew
Published: December 2011

Eyewall replacement cycles are commonly observed in tropical cyclones and are well known to cause fluctuations in intensity and wind structure. These fluctuations are often large and rapid and pose a significant additional challenge to intensity forecasting, yet there is presently no objective operational guidance available to forecasters that targets, quantifies, and predicts these fluctuations. Here the authors introduce new statistical models that are based on a recently documented climatology of intensity and structure changes associated with eyewall replacement cycles in Atlantic Ocean hurricanes. The model input comprises environmental features and satellite-derived features that contain information on storm cloud structure. The models predict the amplitude and timing of the intensity fluctuations, as well as the fluctuations of the wind structure, and can provide real-time operational objective guidance to forecasters.
Broadening Sources of Dignity and Affirmation in Work and Relationship
Authors: Byars-Winston Angela
Published: December 2011

This article builds on assertions in Richardson’s (2012, this issue) Major Contribution on counseling for work and relationship. In this reaction, I expand on the relevance and potential of the counseling for work and relationship perspective to enrich the field of counseling psychology. My comments focus on three considerations to further extend the cultural relevance of Richardson’s work and relationship perspective: (1) broadening sources of dignity, (2) centering knowledge of marginalized communities, and (3) promoting psychologists’ critical consciousness. Richardson’s perspective holds great promise for being a guiding heuristic to inform counseling psychology research, theory, and practice.
The Ongoing Social Construction of the Counseling for Work and Relationship Perspective
Authors: Richardson Mary Sue
Published: December 2011

This rejoinder to the three reactions papers by Blustein (2012), Byars-Winston (2012), and Lent (2012) focuses first on the issue of what is old and what is new about the counseling for work and relationship perspective. This includes the issue of holism, the influence of contextualism, and the designation of new categories and a new discourse for the major contexts of lives. I also elaborate on the meaning of care work and how the boundaries of this perspective might be extended to more fully respond to social justice concerns.
Out-Group Conflict, In-Group Unity?
Authors: McLauchlin Theodore , Pearlman Wendy
Published: December 2011

Does repression increase or decrease unity within ethnic or nationalist movements? Conventional wisdom lends itself to two contradictory predictions. On one hand, it is said that conflict with an out-group is the surest path to unity in an in-group. On the other hand, repression exaggerates the gap between radicals and moderates in a movement. Challenging both views, this article argues that repression amplifies trends in cooperation or conflict existent in a movement before the onset of repression. All movements have some institutional arrangement, meaning a set of procedures and relationships that structure decision making and behavior. These “rules of the game” distribute power within the movement, and thus favor some actors over others. Repression disrupts the equilibrium of these institutions, after which the members might engage in either more cooperation or more conflict, depending on the level of satisfaction with preexisting institutional arrangements. The authors illustrate these propositions through comparative analysis of four repression shocks from two nationalist movements: the Kurdish movement in Iraq and the Palestinian national movement.
Perceptions of Institutional Experience and Community Outcomes for Serious Adolescent Offenders
Authors: Schubert Carol A. , Mulvey Edward P. , Loughran Thomas A. , Losoya Sandra H.
Published: December 2011

Social scientists have long recognized that individual experiences in particular settings shape behavior, and as a result, many service sectors regularly evaluate client perceptions. This is not the case in the juvenile justice system. Using a sample of 519 serious juvenile offenders (92% male, ethnically diverse) from two sites, this study evaluated the impact of youth perceptions along eight dimensions of an institutional experience on recidivism following release, with recidivism measured as self-reported antisocial activity, rearrest, or a return to a facility. The authors demonstrated that more positive perceptions within and across dimensions of the juvenile setting reduce involvement in the outcomes assessed, even after controlling for individual characteristics and facility type. Implications for juvenile justice practice and policy are discussed.
Optimization of thermoplastic composites resistance welding parameters based on transient heat transfer finite element modeling
Authors: Talbot Édith , Hubert Pascal , Dubé Martine , Yousefpour Ali
Published: December 2011

The use of resistance welding technology to join thermoplastic composite aerospace structures is still contingent upon a better understanding of the heat transfer mechanisms occurring during welding, which govern the joint quality and mechanical performance. In this study, two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) transient heat transfer finite element models were developed to simulate resistance welding of thermoplastic composites. The 2D model was used to investigate the effect of the length of the exposed areas of the heating element to air (clamping distance) on the local overheating at the edges and the effects of the input power level on the thermal behavior of the welds. It is shown that controlling the clamping distance improves the thermal uniformity of the weld. The 3D model shows that heat conduction along the length of the laminates influences the thermal uniformity of the weld interface. An optimization chart is developed in order to minimize the undesirable edge effect and to define the conditions required to obtain a complete weld. The results of the 3D model are compared with experimental data.
Solid particle erosion behaviour of glass mat-based polyester laminate composite materials
Authors: Bagci M , Imrek H , Aktas A
Published: December 2011

In this study, solid particle erosion behaviour of glass fibre mat-based polyester laminate composite materials was investigated by varying the impact velocity and the impingement angle and sizes of the abrasive particles. Impact velocities used in the tests were 23, 34 and 53 m/s, while the impingement angles were 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75° and 90°. Silicon dioxide particles with average diameters of 250, 500 and 1000 μm were used as abrasive particles. Experimental data were taken as reference and values of erosion rates were obtained as functions of impact velocity, impingement angle and the size of the abrasive particles. The results obtained exhibited typical ductile behaviour of glass fibre-reinforced composites, where the maximum erosion rate was recorded at an impingement angle of 30°, and the erosion rates decreased as the impingement angle increased. Moreover, the erosion rates increased with the increase in impact velocity and particle size. Finally, the worn out surfaces of the test specimens were investigated on two different devices, optical microscope and scanning electron microscope.
Computation of the stress intensity factor for repaired cracks with bonded composite wrap in pipes under traction effect
Authors: Bezzerrouki M , Albedah A , Bouiadjra B Bachir , Ouddad W , Benyahia F
Published: December 2011

In this article, the analysis of the behavior of cracked pipeline repaired with bonded composite wrap subjected to traction effect is performed using three-dimensional finite element methods. The stress intensity factor at the crack front was used as the fracture criteria. The stress intensities at the internal and external positions of repaired crack were compared. The effects of the mechanical and geometrical properties of the adhesive layer and the composite wrap on the variation of the stress intensity factor at the crack front were analyzed. The obtained results show that the presence of the bonded composite repair reduces significantly the stress intensity factor, which can improve the life span of the pipe.
Meetings Matter
Authors: Kauffeld Simone , Lehmann-Willenbrock Nale
Published: December 2011

This study follows the idea that the key to understanding team meeting effectiveness lies in uncovering the microlevel interaction processes throughout the meeting. Ninety-two regular team meetings were videotaped. Interaction data were coded and evaluated with the act4teams coding scheme and INTERACT software. Team and organizational success variables were gathered via questionnaires and telephone interviews. The results support the central function of interaction processes as posited in the traditional input-process-output model. Teams that showed more functional interaction, such as problem-solving interaction and action planning, were significantly more satisfied with their meetings. Better meetings were associated with higher team productivity. Moreover, constructive meeting interaction processes were related to organizational success 2.5 years after the meeting. Dysfunctional communication, such as criticizing others or complaining, showed significant negative relationships with these outcomes. These negative effects were even more pronounced than the positive effects of functional team meeting interaction. The results suggest that team meeting processes shape both team and organizational outcomes. The critical meeting behaviors identified here provide hints for group researchers and practitioners alike who aim to improve meeting success.
Social Constructionism and Ludology
Authors: Montola Markus
Published: December 2011

This article combines the paradigm of social constructionism with the developing field of ludology. As games are intersubjective meaning-making activities, their study requires understanding of the nature of social constructions, and how such constructions are produced and interpreted: The formalist nature of ludological core concepts such as game world and game rules is often taken for granted, even though such structures exist only as social constructions. The article also considers the implications of the constructionist approach on the research of games: Such a perspective is especially important for the study of nonrepeatable, irreversible, distributed, and emergent forms of play.
Management of Hearing Aid Assembly by Urban-Dwelling Hearing-Impaired Adults in a Developed Country
Authors: Convery Elizabeth , Keidser Gitte , Hartley Lisa , Caposecco Andrea , Hickson Louise , Meyer Carly
Published: December 2011

A self-fitting hearing aid, designed to be assembled and programmed without audiological or computer support, could bring amplification to millions of people in developing countries, who remain unaided due to the lack of a local, professional, audiological infrastructure. The ability to assemble and insert a hearing aid is fundamental to the successful use of a self-fitting device. In this study, the management of such tasks was investigated. Eighty older, urban-dwelling, hearing-impaired adults in a developed country were asked to follow a set of written, illustrated instructions to assemble two slim-fit behind-the-ear hearing aids. Participants were allowed to access assistance with the task from an accompanying partner. A range of personal and audiometric variables was measured through the use of structured questionnaires and standardized tests of health literacy, cognitive function, and manual dexterity. The results showed that 99% of participants were able to complete the hearing aid assembly task, either on their own or with assistance. Health literacy, or the ability to read and understand health-related text, and gender most strongly influenced participants’ ability to complete the assembly task independently and accurately. Higher levels of health literacy were associated with an increased likelihood of independent and successful task completion. Male participants were more likely to complete the task on their own, while female participants were more likely to assemble the device without errors. The results of this study will inform future work regarding development of educational material for the self-fitting hearing aid as well as candidacy for such a device.