bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design Science Research to Produce Instrumental Knowledge for Evidence-Based Practice in OCD
Authors: Ernst van Aken Joan
Published: March 2019

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a promising approach to improve professional action. EBP is the use of the best available knowledge in professional problem-solving, in particular the best available knowledge produced by research. EBP has much promise for organizational change and development (OCD). However, for successful EBP, one needs a well-developed knowledge base of instrumental knowledge (i.e., knowledge-to-act). Unfortunately, academic OCD research is strong in developing conceptual knowledge (i.e., knowledge-to-understand) but rather weak in instrumental knowledge. In this chapter, design science research (DSR) is discussed: a research strategy to develop instrumental knowledge in the form of designs for effective interventions, processes, or systems to improve present practices. These designs are developed through experiential learning by executing a number of problem-solving projects in the messy “swamp of practice,” often executed in partnerships with professionals. Embedded-in-action theories can be powerful inputs for EBP, thus improving the practice of OCD.
Employee Participation in Change Programs
Authors: Clarke Nicholas , Higgs Malcolm
Published: March 2019

This chapter aims to assist those responsible for implementing change to think more about how employee participation or involvement is undertaken during the change process. The chapter starts by providing an overview of the theoretical explanations as to why employee participation in change management is important. The authors then examine the nature of employee participation in three organizations undertaking major culture change programs, each using a different change intervention. They present three case studies that show how the context surrounding the change (comprising drivers, intervention, approach to change, and change levers) influenced the characteristics of employee participation in the change process. They conclude by emphasizing the significance of examining change agents' intervention methodology as a contextual factor to understand better the experience of culture change programs. The key message is that employees' experiences of participation influence their perceptions on the effectiveness of this type of change.
Making It Work or Making It Better
Authors: Lawson Sally
Published: March 2019

This reflective case history describes and reflects on an innovative workforce project for specialist health and care practitioners that ran in the northeast of England from 2009 to 2011. It draws on the findings from the project's change and benefit, action research, and realist evaluations to make the case for elevating and engaging more fully with workforce potential to address endemic and pervading complexity, change, and challenge. It identifies a key “diversity-opportunity” dynamic within the project, linked to learning and working differently, and making a difference. This is transferable to other adult learning, development, and change programs that are collaborative and outcome-focused, supporting evidence/experience-based practice.
Everything Must Change Because Nothing Changes
Authors: Ferrari Filippo
Published: March 2019

This reflective case history describes an intervention conducted by the author within an Italian bank. Involved in an organizational change at the bottom level, the author faced many difficulties both related to organizational dynamics (changes in work organization and in the skills of the operators) and to relational aspects (power dynamics and resistance to change of some employees). This reflective case history describes the followed organizational analysis and evaluation process and the implemented organizational change strategy. Finally, it presents the adopted reflective method of intervention and the obtained results.
Changing and Improving Behavior in Management and Team Meetings
Authors: Farinha João , Tomé Eduardo
Published: March 2019

This case history critically reflects upon the implementation of an OCD initiative designed to improve the efficiency and productivity of management meetings and team meetings within one part of a large multinational financial bank situated in Portugal. It describes why the initial change strategy failed, and how a subsequent evidence-based approach to change agency practice helped bring about more effectively the desired improvements in the behavior and performance of managers and staff when attending meetings.
An Evidence-Based Journey of Organizational Change and Development Through Human-Centered Design
Authors: Lau Simon
Published: March 2019

The author takes a systemic approach to organizational change and development applying organizational psychology, gestalt group dynamics, and their intersection with human-centered design. The intervention centers on senior leaders in an international, private sector company based in Singapore with global operations in over 60 countries. The company is going through significant change, a result of entering a period of loss making performance, a change in leadership, and digital disruption to their business model.
Individual Factors Affecting the Participation of Turkish People in the New Individual Pension System
Authors: Aksoy Emine Ebru
Published: March 2019

In Turkey, the first step of the individual pension system was based on volunteerism, but the voluntary system resulted in limited participation. Thus, the second step of the system has started to be implemented mandatorily since 2017, and participants were allowed to opt-out the system within two months. More than half of participants in the system preferred to leave the system. Therefore, this study aims to examine individual factors affecting their decision of staying in this system. A survey study was conducted with 374 people selected using the random sampling method. As a result of the study, a positive relationship was found only between the dependent variable and gender, but a significant relationship was determined only between the dependent variable and education level. Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that if the system will need to be improved, the low-performing fund management of the new individual pension system should be re-audited, and the confidence in the system should be increased in this way.
Personality and Emotional Biases
Authors: Güngör Sezen , Demirel Engin , Küçün Nihan Tomris
Published: March 2019

Over the past decades, Cloninger et al. have developed a biosocial model of personality based on four temperaments and three characteristics. This multidimensional psychobiological model of personality presents in the temperament and character inventory – revised (TCI-R) form. Temperament subscales are novelty seeking (NS), harm avoidance (HA), reward dependence (RD), and persistence (P), and character subscales are self-directedness (SD), cooperativeness (CO), and self-transcendence (ST). The study has been used in different disciplines of science, especially in psychology. Behavioral finance is one of these disciplines of science. TCI is frequently used, especially for investor biases. In this chapter, TCI is used to examine the relationship between investor biases and personality. The first three chapters are about personality. Personality, personality approaches, and personality measurement methods examined in these sections. In the fourth part, emotional biases in financial investment decisions searched. In the fifth part, literature studies showing the relationship between personality and financial decisions included. Finally, a field survey is conducted, and findings are revealed.
Employees Perception Regarding CSR Initiatives of the Companies in India
Authors: Singh Vikrant Vikram Vikram , Pandey Manoj , Vashisht Anil
Published: March 2019

This chapter is an attempt to understand the impact of CSR on a very important stakeholder of the company (i.e., an employee of the company). Employees are an integral part of the company, and at the same time, they can be the costumer of the company if using the product or services offered by the company. This thing makes him a powerful tool to analyze the impact of various initiatives of the organization which will have long lasting impact on the company as well as on the society as a whole. This study is conducted through a survey by preparing questionnaire for obtaining information from the employees of different organizations regarding their perception w.r.t. CSR activities. The result of the report shows that CSR engagement of the company has positive impact on the employee. But, the report also suggests that companies are lacking in terms of their CSR initiatives from last few years. It further suggests that inputs and methods of the CSR activities by the organizations should improve in order to increase the productivity and belongingness of the employees.
The Impact of Tax Policies on Behavior of Albanian Taxpayers
Authors: Plaku Dorina , Hysa Eglantina
Published: March 2019

The Albanian state has experienced many changes of this system over the years due to the policies and different regimes that have followed, but there has always been a tendency for improvement. The tax system and the informality are the mirror of the economy of the country, especially the favorable tax/fiscal policies that have been adapted to the economy, which bring economic development and integration of all the gaps to a proper economic environment. The chapter aims to find the effects of tax changes on the taxpayers. Furthermore, the study focuses on how the business performance has been indicated from the tax control. The data is collected from a survey which was focused in small and big businesses that operates in the capital city of Albania, in Tirana. The questionnaire is realized during April 2018. The main finds of the study are the different perception of businesses for the tax control and the impact of the fiscal changes on these businesses. All these fiscal changes that the businesses faced were more in disfavor of the small businesses.
A Review on Role of Macro and Micro Banking Environment on Non-Performing Assets Management
Authors: Chhatoi Biswajit Prasad , Sahoo Sharada Prasad
Published: March 2019

In a self-resilient economy, banking system assumes importance in imparting momentum to economic growth and prosperity through mobilization of financial assets. Performance of banks, irrespective of their nature and function, is germane to their asset creation and maintenance capacity. In a neo-liberal regime, radical policy changes have crept into loan mechanism, thereby subjecting the banks to efficiently recover the loans, which is a vital asset for any banking firm. In this context, the authors through intensive review of literature identified micro and macro banking factors responsible for productive NPA management. The macro banking factors refer to the economic environment whereas the micro banking factors refer to the bank and branch-specific factors. The authors identified the critical role of organizational structure, involvement of employees, and organizational efficiency in driving prudent NPA management. The authors have found that the efficiency in managing NPAs differ in public and private banks, which is attributed to involvement of employees.
The Same but Different
Authors: Northcote Maria
Published: March 2019

The field of online learning, like many other technological innovations, has not burgeoned without controversy. Despite the debates about the role and value of online learning, it has continued to grow in many sectors, especially in higher education. Alongside the growth of online learning, discussions about its benefits and limitations have also flourished, and many studies have investigated the quality and integrity of online courses. This chapter offers an investigation of some of the history of online learning, concluding with a collection of practical recommendations and suggestions for future research directions to guide institutions embarking on online learning programs.
Online Program Directors' Perspectives of Quality Programs
Authors: Li Rui , Smidt Esther , Dachroeden Emily
Published: March 2019

The purpose of this chapter is to identify and understand the factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of “quality” online programs and ensure program success. The authors took the online program directors' perspectives and investigated a variety of factors with regards to course design, faculty, students, and institutions. Interview data from seven online program directors from a mid-sized public university in the United States were collected. A list of factors emerged from the data, such as faculty buy-in, faculty training and support, program standardization through course design, third-party certification, online student needs assessment, and investment in marketing and advertising. The authors suggest that these factors should be considered while developing new online programs or improving and expanding on existing online programs.
Robust Steganography in Non-QRS Regions of 2D ECG for Securing Patients' Confidential Information in E-Healthcare Paradigm
Authors: Soni Neetika , Saini Indu , Singh Butta
Published: March 2019

The upsurge in the communication infrastructure and development in internet of things (IoT) has promoted e-healthcare services to provide remote assistance to homebound patients. It, however, increases the demand to protect the confidential information from intentional and unintentional access by unauthorized persons. This chapter is focused on steganography-based data hiding technique for ECG signal in which the selected ECG samples of non-QRS region are explored to embed the secret information. An embedding site selection (ESS) algorithm is designed to find the optimum embedding locations. The performance of the method is evaluated on the basis of statistical parameters and clinically supportive measures. The efficiency is measured in terms of embedding capacity and BER while key space measures its robustness. The implementation has been tested on standard MIT-BIH arrhythmia database of 2 mins and 5 mins duration and found that the proposed technique embarks the proficiency to securely hide the secret information at minimal distortion.
A Methodological Framework of Stance-Taking and Appraisal in the Parliament
Authors: Albusafi Rahma Said
Published: March 2019

The chapter proposes a methodological framework to study stance/appraisal in parliamentary discourse. Little previous research exists on the marking of stance/appraisal, despite its pervasiveness in such contexts. The researcher is currently unaware of any framework that has been developed to help analysts situate the phenomenon of stance-taking in parliamentary discourse. The first section defines the concept of parliament and discusses its roles as a political institution. The second section highlights specific features relevant to the nature of interaction in parliaments by considering the sequential nature of its discourse, shedding light on how stance is uttered and embedded in both parliamentary questions and parliamentary answers. The final section presents a proposed methodological framework combining Van Dijk's conceptual approach on parliamentary context, Du Bois's stance triangle, Ilie's account on political arguments, and Martin and White's Appraisal Framework to contextually and theoretically frame stance-taking in parliamentary discourse.
Neurologic Complications in the Cardiac Surgery Patient
Authors: Cole Sheela Pai , Cheung Albert T.
Published: March 2019

This chapter per the authors discusses the spectrum of complications that occur in the postoperative cardiac surgery patients. It evaluates the mechanistic role of cardiopulmonary bypass and the various cardiac surgical procedures in the development of cerebral injury. Furthermore, it evaluates the role of different intraoperative monitoring in early detection of cerebral injury in these patients. Finally, it provides evidence based practice guidelines for hemodynamic management as well as treatment of complications that are diagnosed in the cardiac surgical intensive care unit.
Aortic Valvular Disease
Authors: Sarin Eric Leo , Thourani Vinod H.
Published: March 2019

Broadly speaking, pathology is categorized as being primarily related to valvular stenosis (AS) or regurgitation (AR), but a diseased valve may often exhibit both. The predilection of degenerative disease of the aortic valve, particularly stenosis, for the elderly has resulted in a steadily increasing prevalence as the population ages. As general life expectancy increases in the United States and other western countries, surgery to correct aortic valve disease will increase. As more elderly patients with more comorbidities present for surgery their intraoperative and perioperative care will become more complex. This chapter discusses ways for the practicing intensivist to facilitate identification and treatment in the immediate peri-operative period.
Dance as a Supplementary Instrument for Cardiac Rehabilitation
Authors: Urbano Igor , Marques Anna Carolina Souza , Milanez Matheus
Published: March 2019

Intrinsic socio-cultural and motivational dance aspects, physical demands, general and styles characteristics, may promote positive influence on cardiac rehabilitation programs development and progression, if dance is approached as a supplementary activity and resource for cardiac patients. The aim of this study was to conduct an integrative literature review to evaluate dance as a supplementary activity on cardiac rehabilitation, considering physical demands, dance socio cultural aspects and regular practice related effects on cardiac patients' health and quality of life. Classical ballet and modern dance are not supported by this revision as appropriated alternatives to improve cardiovascular capacities for cardiopaths However, belly dance, ballroom dance, emphasis on Samba, Samkya showed multiple positive effects: glycemia levels reduction, resting heart rate reduction, cholesterol (HDL, LDL) and triglycerides level regulation, BP reduction, cardio respiratory increment and body relaxation.
A Study on Recent Trends in Cloud-Based Data Processing for IoT Era
Authors: J. John Shiny , P. Karthikeyan
Published: March 2019

Cloud computing has become one of the most important technologies in our day-to-day lives. The computing resources are delivered to the customers based on subscription basis via internet. Big data storage and processing are main application of cloud. Furthermore, the development of internet of things provides the platform for interconnecting devices over internet. This includes everything from mobile phones, washing machines, lamps, headphones, wearable devices, and everything else we never think of. This enables machine-to-machine communication, also applies to the components of the machine. The main objective of this chapter is to give an overview of cloud computing, big data, and internet of things and the advance research topics.
Cultura digital e docência: possibilidades para a educação musical
Authors: Cuervo Luciane Da Costa , Welch Graham Frederick , Maffioletti Leda De Albuquerque , Reategui Eliseo
Published: March 2019

Este artigo discute o modo como a Cultura Digital afeta a atuação docente na área da Educação Musical, problematizando o uso de recursos tecnológicos e seus desafios na prática pedagógica. A partir da reflexão sobre os conceitos de Musicalidade e Cultura Digital, o trabalho analisa um recorte sobre as transformações dos processos de aprendizagem e autoaprendizagem das práticas musicais subsidiadas pelas Novas Tecnologias Digitais (NTD) no contexto da Educação Musical. A metodologia foi constituída de revisão de literatura, questionário on-line e entrevista semiestruturada com músicos profissionais experientes, cujos dados coletados foram analisados na perspectiva quali-quantitativa. Os resultados demonstram que a Cultura Digital permeia as práticas pedagógicas do planejamento e pesquisa de materiais à implementação de recursos de aprendizagem e autoaprendizagem. A pesquisa aponta desafios da docência no campo da Educação Musical, considerando o descompasso constatado entre a fluência na Cultura Digital dos estudantes e as limitações materiais de infraestrutura, de conectividade e de formação inicial e continuada de professores. Defende que a Educação Musical se beneficia com o emprego das novas tecnologias digitais, porém exige uma mudança paradigmática ao entender o estudante como um ser integral e protagonista do processo educativo-musical, cuja bagagem tecnológica pode ser crucial no processo educativo.
A concepção de educação humanista: interfaces entre a Unesco e o Plano Nacional de Educação
Authors: Mira Ane Patrícia de , Fossatti Paulo , Jung Hildegard Susana
Published: March 2019

A concepção de humanismo para a educação na contemporaneidade tem sido apresentada por alguns autores com a perspectiva de um novo paradigma para a educação. Diante desse imperativo, analisamos o tema com objetivo de perceber possíveis interfaces das concepções de uma educação humanista promulgadas pela UNESCO e o Plano Nacional de Educação. Para tanto, elegemos três documentos pertinentes ao estudo: da UNESCO, o texto Educação: um tesouro a descobrir, também intitulado Relatório Delors (1997) e Repensar a educação: rumo a um bem comum mundial? (2016) e da legislação nacional, o Plano Nacional de Educação (PNE), Lei nº 13.005, de 15 de junho de 2014. A metodologia é a pesquisa qualitativa, por meio de revisão de literatura e análise documental. A análise dos dados se dá pela Análise de Conteúdo proposta por Bardin (2016). Os resultados apontam para: uma concepção humanista de educação contemporânea; os princípios humanistas afirmados pela UNESCO; o caráter humanista do Plano Nacional de Educação e os quatro pilares propostos por Delores como pouco alcançados. Para a continuidade do estudo, sugere-se o debate acerca de outras formas de superar o tecnicismo e alcançar um desenvolvimento pleno dos quatro pilares da educação.
Memes de redes sociais digitais enquanto objetos de aprendizagem na Cibercultura: da viralização à educação
Authors: Oliveira Kaio Eduardo de Jesus , Porto Cristiane De Magalhães , Alves André Luiz
Published: March 2019

Em dezembro de 2012, o vídeo Gangnam Style tornou-se o primeiro videoclipe do YouTube a ser visto mais de um bilhão de vezes. Muitos de seus espectadores reconfiguraram a produção, criando e publicando suas próprias variações do vídeo e replicando o conteúdo por meio de redes sociais digitais. Dessa forma, cada espectador demonstrou a sua potência criativa e a sua capacidade de autoria visual, articulada ao conteúdo original da música e do clipe. Gangnam Style e suas replicações em rede é um bom exemplo do que é um meme na Cibercultura. A partir disso, inúmeros outros vídeos e conteúdos digitais têm se popularizado e, ao mesmo tempo, sido reproduzidos em outros contextos. Estes dão aos memes de redes sociais digitais a capacidade de gerar sentidos e significados em cada indivíduo que se apropria de seu conteúdo e da sua experiência cultural, por meio da produção colaborativa e discursiva. Assim, por meio de uma pesquisa bibliográfica com caráter exploratório-descritivo nas redes sociais, este texto tem como objetivo discutir o potencial dos memes de redes sociais digitais enquanto objetos de aprendizagem, autoria visual e produção colaborativa na Cibercultura.
Volume, conductivity, and scatter parameters of leukocytes as early markers of sepsis and treatment response
Authors: Arora Parul , Gupta Praveen Kumar , Lingaiah Raghavendra , Mukhopadhyay Asok Kumar
Published: March 2019

INTRODUCTION: Morphologic changes in the size and granularity of leukocytes seen in sepsis could be measured using the volume, conductivity, and scatter (VCS parameters) from the automated hematology analyzers. The objective of this study is to find the clinical usefulness of VCS parameters as possible indicators of sepsis and to determine the effect of treatment on these parameters.

METHODS: This observational study was conducted in a tertiary level hospital in India. Hemogram and VCS parameters obtained from LH 750 (Beckman coulter, Fullerton, CA) from 134 proven blood culture-positive cases of sepsis were reviewed on the day of culture positivity (day 0), day 3, and day 7 were analyzed and compared with those of samples from otherwise healthy 100 participants. Statistical analysis of data was done, and cutoff value was established using receiver-operator characteristic curve.

RESULTS: Out of 134 culture-positive cases, 55.2% (n = 74) Gram-negative and 44.8% (n = 60) Gram-positive bacteria were isolated. The mean neutrophil volume (MNV) and mean monocyte volume (MMV) were higher in the sepsis group compared to that of the control group (165.43 ± 18.21 vs. 140.59 ± 7.6, P = 0.001 for MNV and 179.8 ± 14.16 vs. 164.54 ± 9.6, P = 0.001 for MMV). A significant decrease in MNV and MMV was observed with the initiation of the treatment. Significant changes in scatter and conductivity parameters were also noticed. A cutoff value of 150.2 for MNV gave a sensitivity and specificity of 79.1% and 95%, respectively, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 92.3%. With a cutoff of 168.3, MMV had a sensitivity of 80.6% and specificity of 77.5%, AUC of 83%.

CONCLUSION: VCS parameters such as MNV and MMV can be easily obtained by an automated hematology analyzer and could be used for early detection and therapeutic response in sepsis.
Evaluation of various risk factors associated with multidrug-resistant organisms isolated from diabetic foot ulcer patients
Authors: Datta Priya , Chander Jagdish , Gupta Varsha , Mohi Gursimran Kaur , Attri Ashok K.
Published: March 2019

AIMS: Diabetic foot ulcer is a dreaded complication of diabetes. Diabetic foot ulcer patients are often infected with multidrug resistant organism (MDRO) due to chronic course of the wound, inappropriate antibiotics treatment, frequent hospital admission, neuropathy, nephropathy, and peripheral vascular disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in our 750 bedded hospital for a period of 6 months. The present study was undertaken to isolate various MDRO methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Gram-negative bacteria producing enzymes such as extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), Amp C, Carbapenamases; Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter species producing metallo-beta-lactamases (MBL). In addition we attempted to identify risk factors for association of diabetic foot ulcer and MDRO.

RESULTS: A total of 149 bacterial isolates were identified. Of the total isolates 73.2% were Gram-negative and remaining 26.8% were Gram-positive bacteria. Among Enterobacteriaceae 59% were ESBL producers and 48% were Amp C producers. In addition, 41.5% of the isolates produced both ESBL and Amp C and 13.4% were carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Among 20 Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter isolates, 5 were MBL producers (25%). Furthermore, in the study, 56% of patients with diabetic foot ulcer harbored MDRO. The risk of multidrug-resistant infection is significantly more in patients having diabetes duration >20 years and size of ulcer more than 4 cm2.

CONCLUSION: The detection of MDRO in patients of diabetic foot ulcer changes the treatment strategies limits the antimicrobial options and causes higher complications among them.
Can rapid dengue diagnostic kits be trusted? A comparative study of commercially available rapid kits for serodiagnosis of dengue fever
Authors: Garg Atul , Garg Jaya , Singh Dharam , Dhole TN
Published: March 2019

BACKGROUND: Dengue virus infection is an important emerging disease of the tropical and subtropical regions and is mainly diagnosed by serological detection of NS1 antigen and IgM antidengue antibodies. Since enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) facilities are not easily available at most diagnostic centers, so most of them use various commercially available rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) kits.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to access the diagnostic accuracy of four commercially available and widely used RDTs for serodiagnosis of dengue virus infection in Indian laboratories.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study was conducted at Department of Microbiology, G.S.V.M Medical College, Kanpur, India, to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of following RDTs: (1) Dengue Cassette (Panbio, Australia), (2) Bioline Dengue Duo (SD Diagnostics, Korea), (3) Dengue Day 1 test (J Mitra and Co., India), and (4) Dengucheck Duo (Tulip Diagnostics, India) on 72 confirmed dengue serum samples that were positive by dengue reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, dengue NS1, and IgM ELISA along with 80 serum samples from nondengue febrile illness patients.

RESULTS: The majority of the RDTs demonstrated low sensitivity but good specificity for detecting NS1 antigen. Detection of antidengue IgM antibodies by RDTs demonstrated low sensitivity ranging from 27.8% to 77.7%. However, specificity was generally higher (50%–86.2%) and more consistent across the assays.

CONCLUSION: The study results differed markedly from the RDTs manufacturers’ claimed performance characteristics. Therefore, the RDT results should be interpreted cautiously and ELISA should be performed as far as possible for serodiagnosis of dengue virus infection.
Characterization of urban amine-containing particles in southwestern China: seasonal variation, source, and processing
Authors: Chen Yang , Tian Mi , Huang Ru-Jin , Shi Guangming , Wang Huanbo , Peng Chao , Cao Junji , Wang Qiyuan , Zhang Shumin , Guo Dongmei , Zhang Leiming , Yang Fumo
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Amine-containing particles were characterized in an urban
area of Chongqing during both summer and winter using a single-particle
aerosol mass spectrometer (SPAMS). Among the collected particles, 12.7 %
were amine-containing in winter and 8.3 % in summer. Amines were internally
mixed with elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), sulfate, and nitrate.
Diethylamine (DEA) was the most abundant among amine-containing particles.
Wintertime amine-containing particles were mainly from the northwest
direction where a forest park was located; in summer, they were from the
northwest and southwest (traffic hub) directions. These origins suggest that
vegetation and traffic were the primary sources of particulate amines. The
average relative peak area of DEA depended strongly on humidity, indicating
that the enhancement of DEA was possibly due to increasing aerosol water
content and aerosol acidity. Using an adaptive resonance theory neural
network (ART-2a) algorithm, four major types of amine-containing particles
were clustered: amine–organic carbon (A-OC), A-OCEC, DEA-OC, and
A-OCEC aged. The identified particle types implied that amines were taken up
by particles produced from traffic and biomass burning. The knowledge gained in
this study is useful to understand the atmospheric processing, origin, and
sources of amine-containing particles in the urban area of Chongqing.
Trends in global tropospheric ozone inferred from a composite record of TOMS/OMI/MLS/OMPS satellite measurements and the MERRA-2 GMI simulation
Authors: Ziemke Jerry R. , Oman Luke D. , Strode Sarah A. , Douglass Anne R. , Olsen Mark A. , McPeters Richard D. , Bhartia Pawan K. , Froidevaux Lucien , Labow Gordon J. , Witte Jacquie C. , Thompson Anne M. , Haffner David P. , Kramarova Natalya A. , Frith Stacey M. , Huang Liang-Kang , Jaross Glen R. , Seftor Colin J. , Deland Mathew T. , Taylor Steven L.
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Past studies have suggested that ozone in the troposphere has
increased globally throughout much of the 20th century due to increases in
anthropogenic emissions and transport. We show, by combining satellite
measurements with a chemical transport model, that during the last four
decades tropospheric ozone does indeed indicate increases that are global in
nature, yet still highly regional. Satellite ozone measurements from
Nimbus-7 and Earth Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) are merged
with ozone measurements from the Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument/Microwave Limb
Sounder (OMI/MLS) to determine trends in tropospheric ozone for 1979–2016.
Both TOMS (1979–2005) and OMI/MLS (2005–2016) depict large increases in
tropospheric ozone from the Near East to India and East Asia and further
eastward over the Pacific Ocean. The 38-year merged satellite record shows
total net change over this region of about +6 to +7 Dobson units (DU)
(i.e., ∼15 %–20 % of average background ozone), with the
largest increase (∼4 DU) occurring during the 2005–2016 Aura
period. The Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) chemical transport model with
time-varying emissions is used to aid in the interpretation of tropospheric
ozone trends for 1980–2016. The GMI simulation for the combined record also
depicts the greatest increases of +6 to +7 DU over India and East Asia, very
similar to the satellite measurements. In regions of significant increases
in tropospheric column ozone (TCO) the trends are a factor of 2–2.5 larger
for the Aura record when compared to the earlier TOMS record; for India and East Asia the trends in TCO for both GMI and satellite measurements are
∼+3 DU decade−1 or greater during 2005–2016 compared
to about +1.2 to +1.4 DU decade−1 for 1979–2005. The GMI simulation
and satellite data also reveal a tropospheric ozone increases in
∼+4 to +5 DU for the 38-year record over central Africa
and the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Both the GMI simulation and
satellite-measured tropospheric ozone during the latter Aura time period
show increases of ∼+3 DU decade−1 over the N Atlantic
and NE Pacific.
XCO2 in an emission hot-spot region: the COCCON Paris campaign 2015
Authors: Vogel Felix R. , Frey Matthias , Staufer Johannes , Hase Frank , Broquet Grégoire , Xueref-Remy Irène , Chevallier Frédéric , Ciais Philippe , Sha Mahesh Kumar , Chelin Pascale , Jeseck Pascal , Janssen Christof , Té Yao , Groß Jochen , Blumenstock Thomas , Tu Qiansi , Orphal Johannes
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Providing timely information on urban greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and
their trends to stakeholders relies on reliable measurements of atmospheric
concentrations and the understanding of how local emissions and atmospheric
transport influence these observations. Portable Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers were deployed at five stations
in the Paris metropolitan area to provide column-averaged
concentrations of CO2 (XCO2) during a field campaign in spring of
2015, as part of the Collaborative Carbon Column Observing Network (COCCON).
Here, we describe and analyze the variations of XCO2 observed at
different sites and how they changed over time. We find that observations
upwind and downwind of the city centre differ significantly in their
XCO2 concentrations, while the overall variability of the daily cycle
is similar, i.e. increasing during night-time with a strong decrease
(typically 2–3 ppm) during the afternoon. An atmospheric transport model framework (CHIMERE-CAMS) was used to simulate
XCO2 and predict the same behaviour seen in the observations, which
supports key findings, e.g. that even in a densely populated region like
Paris (over 12 million people), biospheric uptake of CO2 can be of
major influence on daily XCO2 variations. Despite a general offset
between modelled and observed XCO2, the model correctly predicts the
impact of the meteorological parameters (e.g. wind direction and speed) on
the concentration gradients between different stations. When analyzing local
gradients of XCO2 for upwind and downwind station pairs, those local gradients are found to
be less sensitive to changes in XCO2 boundary conditions and biogenic
fluxes within the domain and we find the model–data agreement further
improves. Our modelling framework indicates that the local XCO2
gradient between the stations is dominated by the fossil fuel CO2
signal of the Paris metropolitan area. This further highlights the potential
usefulness of XCO2 observations to help optimize future urban GHG
emission estimates.
Evidence of high N2 fixation rates in the temperate northeast Atlantic
Authors: Fonseca-Batista Debany , Li Xuefeng , Riou Virginie , Michotey Valérie , Deman Florian , Fripiat François , Guasco Sophie , Brion Natacha , Lemaitre Nolwenn , Tonnard Manon , Gallinari Morgane , Planquette Hélène , Planchon Frédéric , Sarthou Géraldine , Elskens Marc , LaRoche Julie , Chou Lei , Dehairs Frank
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Diazotrophic activity and primary
production (PP) were investigated along two transects (Belgica BG2014/14 and
GEOVIDE cruises) off the western Iberian Margin and the Bay of Biscay in
May 2014. Substantial N2 fixation activity was observed at 8 of the
10 stations sampled, ranging overall from 81 to
384 µmol N m−2 d−1 (0.7 to
8.2 nmol N L−1 d−1), with two sites close to the Iberian Margin
situated between 38.8 and 40.7∘ N yielding rates reaching up to 1355
and 1533 µmol N m−2 d−1. Primary production was
relatively lower along the Iberian Margin, with rates ranging from 33 to
59 mmol C m−2 d−1, while it increased towards the northwest
away from the peninsula, reaching as high as
135 mmol C m−2 d−1. In agreement with the area-averaged Chl a
satellite data contemporaneous with our study period, our results revealed
that post-bloom conditions prevailed at most sites, while at the
northwesternmost station the bloom was still ongoing. When converted to
carbon uptake using Redfield stoichiometry, N2 fixation could
support 1 % to 3 % of daily PP in the euphotic layer at most sites,
except at the two most active sites where this contribution to daily PP could
reach up to 25 %. At the two sites where N2 fixation activity
was the highest, the prymnesiophyte–symbiont Candidatus
Atelocyanobacterium thalassa (UCYN-A) dominated the nifH sequence
pool, while the remaining recovered sequences belonged to non-cyanobacterial
phylotypes. At all the other sites, however, the recovered nifH
sequences were exclusively assigned phylogenetically to non-cyanobacterial
phylotypes. The intense N2 fixation activities recorded at the time
of our study were likely promoted by the availability of
phytoplankton-derived organic matter produced during the spring bloom, as
evidenced by the significant surface particulate organic carbon
concentrations. Also, the presence of excess phosphorus signature in surface
waters seemed to contribute to sustaining N2 fixation, particularly
at the sites with extreme activities. These results provide a mechanistic
understanding of the unexpectedly high N2 fixation in productive
waters of the temperate North Atlantic and highlight the importance of
N2 fixation for future assessment of the global N inventory.
Attributing the 2017 Bangladesh floods from meteorological and hydrological perspectives
Authors: Philip Sjoukje , Sparrow Sarah , Kew Sarah F. , van der Wiel Karin , Wanders Niko , Singh Roop , Hassan Ahmadul , Mohammed Khaled , Javid Hammad , Haustein Karsten , Otto Friederike E. L. , Hirpa Feyera , Rimi Ruksana H. , Islam A. K. M. Saiful , Wallom David C. H. , van Oldenborgh Geert Jan
Published: March 2019

Abstract. In August 2017 Bangladesh faced one of its worst river flooding events in
recent history. This paper presents, for the first time, an attribution of this
precipitation-induced flooding to anthropogenic climate change from a
combined meteorological and hydrological perspective. Experiments were
conducted with three observational datasets and two climate models to
estimate changes in the extreme 10-day precipitation event frequency over the
Brahmaputra basin up to the present and, additionally, an outlook to 2 ∘C warming since pre-industrial times.
The precipitation fields were then used as meteorological input for four
different hydrological models to estimate the corresponding changes in river
discharge, allowing for comparison between approaches and for the robustness
of the attribution results to be assessed. In all three observational precipitation datasets the climate change trends
for extreme precipitation similar to that observed in August 2017 are not
significant, however in two out of three series, the sign of this
insignificant trend is positive. One climate model ensemble shows a
significant positive influence of anthropogenic climate change, whereas the
other large ensemble model simulates a cancellation between the increase due
to greenhouse gases (GHGs) and a decrease due to sulfate aerosols. Considering
discharge rather than precipitation, the hydrological models show that
attribution of the change in discharge towards higher values is somewhat less
uncertain than in precipitation, but the 95 % confidence intervals still
encompass no change in risk. Extending the analysis to the future, all models
project an increase in probability of extreme events at 2 ∘C global
heating since pre-industrial times, becoming more than 1.7 times more likely
for high 10-day precipitation and being more likely by a factor of about 1.5 for
discharge. Our best estimate on the trend in flooding events similar to the
Brahmaputra event of August 2017 is derived by synthesizing the observational
and model results: we find the change in risk to be greater than 1 and of
a similar order of magnitude (between 1 and 2) for both the meteorological and
hydrological approach. This study shows that, for precipitation-induced
flooding events, investigating changes in precipitation is useful, either as
an alternative when hydrological models are not available or as an
additional measure to confirm qualitative conclusions. Besides this, it highlights
the importance of using multiple models in attribution studies, particularly
where the climate change signal is not strong relative to natural variability
or is confounded by other factors such as aerosols.
A hazard model of sub-freezing temperatures in the United Kingdom using vine copulas
Authors: Koumoutsaris Symeon
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Extreme cold weather events, such as the winter of 1962/63, the third coldest winter ever recorded
in the Central England Temperature record, or more recently the winter of
2010/11, have significant consequences for the society and economy. This
paper assesses the probability of such extreme cold weather across the United
Kingdom (UK), as part of a probabilistic catastrophe model for insured losses
caused by the bursting of pipes. A statistical model is developed in order to
model the extremes of the Air Freezing Index (AFI), which is a common measure
of the magnitude and duration of freezing temperatures. A novel approach in
the modelling of the spatial dependence of the hazard has been followed which
takes advantage of the vine copula methodology. The method allows complex
dependencies to be modelled, especially between the tails of the AFI
distributions, which is important to assess the extreme behaviour of such
events. The influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation and of anthropogenic
climate change on the frequency of UK cold winters has also been taken into
account. According to the model, the occurrence of extreme cold events, such
as the 1962/63 winter, has decreased approximately 2 times during the course
of the 20th century as a result of anthropogenic climate change. Furthermore,
the model predicts that such an event is expected to become more uncommon,
about 2 times less frequent, by the year 2030. Extreme cold spells in the UK
have been found to be heavily modulated by the North Atlantic Oscillation
(NAO) as well. A cold event is estimated to be ≈3–4 times more
likely to occur during its negative phase than its positive phase. However,
considerable uncertainty exists in these results, owing mainly to the short
record length and the large interannual variability of the AFI.
FEM-based stability charts for underground cavities in soft carbonate rocks: validation through case-study applications
Authors: Perrotti Michele , Lollino Piernicola , Fazio Nunzio Luciano , Parise Mario
Published: March 2019

Abstract. The stability of man-made underground cavities in soft rocks interacting with overlying structures and infrastructures represents a challenging problem to be faced. Based upon the results of a large number of parametric two-dimensional (2D) finite-element analyses of ideal cases of underground cavities, accounting for the variability of cave geometrical features and rock mechanical properties, specific charts have been recently proposed in the literature to assess at a preliminary stage the stability of the cavities. The purpose of the present paper is to validate the efficacy of the stability charts by means of the application to several case studies of underground cavities, either subjected to collapse in the past or still stable. The stability charts proposed result to be performing to catch the stability conditions and, eventually, the conditions that lead to failure occurrence. For sinkholes already occurred, they show the importance of structural elements as pillars and internal walls in the stability of the whole quarry system, whereas, for cavities that have not reached failure, they can provide useful indications about the eventual proneness of the underground cavity to local or general instability phenomena.
Anisotropic P-wave traveltime tomography implementing Thomsen's weak approximation in TOMO3D
Authors: Meléndez Adrià , Jiménez Clara Estela , Sallarès Valentí , Ranero César R.
Published: March 2019

Abstract. We present the implementation of Thomsen's weak anisotropy approximation for VTI media within TOMO3D, our code for 2-D and 3-D joint refraction and reflection traveltime tomographic inversion. In addition to the inversion of seismic P-wave velocity and reflector depth, the code can now retrieve models of the Thomsen's parameters δ and ε. Here we test this new implementation following four different strategies on a canonical synthetic experiment. First, we study the sensitivity of traveltimes to the presence of a 25 % anomaly in each of the parameters. Next, we invert for two combinations of parameters, (v, δ, ε) and (v, δ, v⟂), following two inversion strategies, simultaneous and sequential, and compare the results to study their performances and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. Simultaneous inversion is the preferred strategy and the parameter combination (v, δ, ε) produces the best overall results. The only advantage of the parameter combination (v, δ, v⟂) is a better recovery of the magnitude of v. In each case we derive the fourth parameter from the equation relating ε, v⟂ and v. Recovery of v, ε and v⟂ is satisfactory whereas δ proves to be impossible to recover even in the most favorable scenario. However, this does not hinder the recovery of the other parameters, and we show that it is still possible to obtain a rough approximation of δ distribution in the medium by sampling a reasonable range of homogeneous initial δ models and averaging the final δ models that are satisfactory in terms of data fit.