bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Vitamin D in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Miskovic Rada , Plavsic Aleksandra , Bolpacic Jasna , Raskovic Sanvila , Bogic Mirjana
Published: October 2015

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that in addition to its well known role in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus exerts immunoregulatory properties. Data from animal studies and from prospective clinical trials on patients with rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes point to the potential role of vitamin D as important environmental factor in the development of autoimmune diseases. Such role of vitamin D in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has not yet been sufficiently studied. This review shows the sources, metabolism and mechanism of action of vitamin D, its effect on the cells of the immune system, prevalence and causes of vitamin D deficiency in patients with SLE, the link between vitamin D status and disease activity as well as recommendations for vitamin D supplementation.
Intravitreal Lower-Dose (20 µg) Melphalan for Persistent or Recurrent Retinoblastoma Vitreous Seeds
Authors: Tuncer Samuray , Balci Özlem , Tanyildiz Burak , Kebudi Rejin , Shields Carol L.
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

The major cause of failure in the management of retinoblastoma is the persistence/recurrence of vitreous seeds (VS). This study reports the efficacy and complications of standard lower-dose (20 µg) intravitreal melphalan for VS.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Retrospective review of all patients with active VS treated with lower-dose intravitreal melphalan (20 µg/0.1 mL) on a monthly basis until complete VS regression was achieved.

RESULTS:

A total of 14 injections were delivered to seven eyes of seven patients (range: 1–4; median: 2). At a median follow-up of 20 months (range: 12–32 months), complete regression of VS was achieved in all cases (100%), and globe salvage was achieved in six cases (86%). One eye required enucleation for solid tumor recurrence. Side effects of retinal pigment epithelium mottling at the site of injection was noted in two eyes (29%).

CONCLUSION:

The 2-year results of this study suggest that standard lower-dose (20 µg) intravitreal melphalan is safe and highly effective for the management of viable VS from retinoblastoma.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2015;46:942–948.]
Short-Term Outcomes of Aflibercept Therapy for Diabetic Macular Edema in Patients With Incomplete Response to Ranibizumab and/or Bevacizumab
Authors: Wood Edward H. , Karth Peter A. , Moshfeghi Darius M. , Leng Theodore
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Aflibercept is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). Currently, the effect of switching to aflibercept from other anti-VEGF agents for DME is unknown.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

In this prospective, interventional case series, DME patients with persistent retinal fluid despite regular (every 4 to 6 weeks) intravitreal injection (IVI) with ranibizumab 0.3 mg, and/or bevacizumab 1.25 mg were switched to IVI aflibercept 2 mg. Collected data included visual acuity, central subfield foveal thickness (CSFT), and the area of thickest edema on registered spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

RESULTS:

At 1 month after the first aflibercept IVI, 79% (11 of 14 eyes) showed anatomic improvement with a 23% decrease in average CSFT from 421 µm to 325 µm (
P
< .0132).

CONCLUSION:

A majority of patients with DME with persistent fluid on SD-OCT despite regular ranibizumab 0.3 mg and/or bevacizumab 1.25 mg IVIs showed a positive anatomic response to IVI aflibercept 2 mg.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2015;46:950–954.]
Post-Market Experience With Ocriplasmin Including Chronic Electrophysiologic Changes
Authors: Small Kent W. , Shaya Fadi S. , La Fontaine Maribel
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Intravitreal ocriplasmin has recently been used to treat vitreomacular traction, including macular holes. Recent safety concerns have arisen.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

A retrospective chart review was conducted of the authors’ first nine patients (eight with macular holes) who were treated with intravitreal ocriplasmin. Standard clinical data were collected before and after injection, including electroretinography.

RESULTS:

Three of the nine patients had significant electroretinogram (ERG) depression; two of these had successful closure of the macular hole. Significant ERG depression, lasting up to 15 months, occurred in one patient. The third patient had moderate ERG depression but without macular hole closure. The six remaining patients experienced no change in visual acuity or ERG.

CONCLUSION:

This is one of the first reports of ocriplasmin for the treatment of macular hole including ERGs showing long-term loss of rod and cone function. Ocriplasmin successfully closed the macular hole in two of the eight patients (25%), and it was these same two patients who also experienced marked ERG depression.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2015;46:956–962.]
Intraoperative OCT-Assisted Subretinal Perfluorocarbon Liquid Removal in the DISCOVER Study
Authors: Smith Adiel G. , Cost Brian M. , Ehlers Justis P.
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

To assess the role for intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT) during subretinal perfluoro-n-octane (PFO) removal and evaluate it as an assistive technique during surgical maneuvers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

DISCOVER is a prospective study examining microscope-integrated iOCT systems in ophthalmic surgery. The authors report a technique utilizing iOCT guidance and feedback for surgical removal of chronic subretinal PFO.

RESULTS:

In this technique, real-time iOCT feedback successfully guided surgical maneuvers to facilitate removal of PFO. Due to the chronicity of the PFO, it was loculated and resistant to multiple maneuvers. Utilizing real-time feedback, additional maneuvers were attempted with feedback to the surgeon regarding the success of removal. Postoperatively, visual acuity improved with anatomic normalization.

CONCLUSION:

Microscope-integrated iOCT with real-time feedback provided important information to the surgeon that helped facilitate subretinal PFO removal and guided surgical maneuvers.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2015;46:964–966.]
Panuveitis With Exudative Retinal Detachments After Vaccination Against Human Papilloma Virus
Authors: Dansingani Kunal K. , Suzuki Mihoko , Naysan Jonathan , Samson C. Michael , Spaide Richard F. , Fisher Yale L.
Published: October 2015

A 20-year-old white woman presented with bilateral acute visual loss (visual acuity: 20/60), panuveitis, and exudative retinal detachments 3 weeks after a second dose of quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV4) vaccine. She was treated with oral prednisolone for 6 weeks and responded rapidly. By week 4, vision had normalized and clinical signs resolved. Uveitis after HPV4 vaccination has been reported in two cases. Although the differential diagnosis includes Harada disease, temporal correlation with HPV4 and definitive response to a short course of treatment implicate the vaccine in this case. Vaccine-induced uveitis is rare and difficult to distinguish from coincidental autoimmune disease.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2015;46:967–970.]
En Face Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging of Deep Capillary Plexus Abnormalities in Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy
Authors: Khan M. Ali , Rahimy Ehsan , Shahlaee Abtin , Hsu Jason , Ho Allen C.
Published: October 2015

The authors describe a case of para-central acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) in a 75-year-old man who had recently undergone cardiac catheterization. Imaging with simultaneous en face optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) revealed signal abnormalities localized to the deep capillary plexus. This case highlights the ability of OCTA to image and localize retinal disease by vascular distribution, previously difficult with conventional fluorescein angiography, and lends evidence to the belief that PAMM is caused by vascular injury to the intermediate and deep capillary plexus.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2015;46:972–975.]
Chronic Serous Macular Detachments and Visual Disturbance Complicating Consecutive Cases of Symptomatic Vitreomacular Adhesion With Macular Hole Treated With Ocriplasmin
Authors: Luttrull Jeffrey K.
Published: October 2015

Two consecutive cases of symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion with macular hole were treated with intravitreal ocriplasmin. Both were complicated by long-term visual symptoms and chronic serous foveal detachments lasting 17 months post-treatment. These findings suggest direct and long-lasting effects of ocriplasmin on the retinal pigment epithelium and/or outer retina. Patients treated with ocriplasmin should be cautioned that the side effects of even successful drug treatment may prolong visual recovery compared to vitrectomy.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2015;46:976–978.]
Comparative effects of two species of floricolous Metschnikowia yeasts on nectar
Authors: Canto Azucena , Herrera Carlos M. , García Isabel M. , García Marina , Bazaga Pilar
Published: October 2015

Nectar yeast communities in southern Spain are dominated by two closely-related species, Metschnikowia reukaufii Pitt & M.W. Mill. and M. gruessii Gim.-Jurado (Ascomycota, Saccharomycetales), although they tend to be distributed differentially across different host plants. We explore here the possibility that the two yeasts play different functional roles in floral nectar by differing in their impact on sugar concentration and composition of nectar. Experiments were undertaken under controlled conditions using bumblebees caught foraging on the flowers of two different host plants each of which is known to harbor predominantly one of the two yeasts. Bumblebees were used as sources of inocula to obtain two groups of samples from the nectar of Helleborus foetidus L. (Ranunculaceae): nectar samples inoculated with M. gruessii and samples inoculated with M. reukaufii. Metschnikowia gruessii was poorly represented in nectar samples, while M. reukaufii was by far the most common and had the highest cell density. Although the two yeasts caused relatively similar changes in nectar sugar composition, which involved increasing fructose and decreasing sucrose proportions, they marginally differed in their quantitative impact on total nectar sugar concentration. Results suggest that differential yeast occurrence across host plants may lead to yeast specialization and modify the outcomes of the plant-pollinator interface.
Las fenomenologías poshusserlianas de Alfred Schutz y Niklas Luhmann: soluciones para el problema de la intersubjetividad
Authors: Pignuoli Ocampo Sergio
Published: October 2015

Este trabajo aborda la recepción dada por Luhmann a la obra de Schutz, en cuyo marco comparamos los tratamientos dados por ambos a los problemas fenomenológicos de la experiencia del otro y de la intersubjetividad. Nuestra hipótesis es que Luhmann desarrolló una posición fenomenológica original, de cuño poshusserliano, en dialogo privilegiado con Schutz.
Dysfunctional Digital Demeanors
Authors: Flor Alexander G. , Gonzalez-Flor Benjamina
Published: October 2015

eLearning has been associated with a number of behaviors that are considered dysfunctional. Among these behaviors that form part of the Dark Web are cyber-bullying, plagiarism, hacking and other forms of cheating. This chapter describes, illustrates and typologizes these behaviors with cases observed by the authors among their online students or culled from student disciplinary boards in the past ten years. The elaboration of tales from eLearning's dark side is followed by an exploration of policy implications. Employing the problematique method, the authors attempt to trace the root causes (psychological, sociological and technological) and offer policy options to address these roots.
Quality Standards and Key Areas of Online Education in European Union
Authors: Uysal Ömer , Okur Recep , Usta İlker
Published: October 2015

Integration of information and communication technology with education science produced new concepts such as distributed learning, integrated learning, blended learning, flexible learning, hybrid learning, open learning and online learning. Learning in the process of information society transformation has become one of the most strategic concepts. The world conjuncture for all disciplines focused on learning to learn and lifelong learning culture. The European Union has gathered various programs such as Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci, Comenius and Grundtvig under the umbrella of LLP (Lifelong Learning Program). In this context, learning to learn and lifelong learning approaches are defined as the 21st century student characteristics. Online courses shown as a way to teach these skills to the students. Starting from this reality in the world's developed countries, the number of online courses offered increases. Online courses can be counted with activating the accreditation systems by both face to face online training and regular educational institutions. In the USA at college education one of the three students takes an online course. In Europe, there is research on online education in order to develop economy based on information. In Europe, some leading institutes in online education area such as EADTU, EUA, QAA, ENQA, OUUK claim that there are problems and issues in online education, and there is necessity of increasing the quality in online education. For this reason, there are studies on online education by the same institutes regarding how to improve the system and to put regulations of standardization. In the current contribution, we summarized the studies on defining the quality standards of online education. Further, we introduced the quality standards definitions by the online education institutes in Europe, and covered related topics.
Development of a Global Policy of All-Pervading E-Learning, Based on Transparency, Strategy, and Model of Cyber Triple H-Avatar
Authors: Mkrttchian Vardan , Bershadsky Alexander , Bozhday Alexander , Noskova Tatiana , Muminova Svetlana
Published: October 2015

This chapter brings the sciences of services to a new level, to implementation of embedded systems and networks and is becoming to Sciences of Services with the Cyber Control and Engineering (SSCCE). Purpose of chapter is show possible ways of developing global policy all-pervading e-learning, based on transparency, strategy and model of Cyber Triple H-Avatar. Realization of this purpose is the result of interdisciplinary design, which can be roughly divided into three main components. Stage of solving the problem at the application level, when need to find the right methods and algorithms without implementation details. It is the work of specialists of computer science, it is called an architectural, or high-level system design. The implementation phase, during which engineers, programmers and application specialists provide a previously defined requirements such as functionality required dynamic behavior, reliability and safety of operation, size, power consumption, cost and manufacturability of replication, need people equally well versed in technology and business. Us are offered is use aspects method of the designing.
The Role of Life-Wide Learning on Design of Curriculum
Authors: Kiliç Figen , Yokuş Gürol , Ayçiçek Burak , Boran Murat
Published: October 2015

There is an incredible development in twentieth first century in the area of education and technology. These changes affect education system as they do all systems. When we look at contemporary educational approaches, we see that education system proceeds toward distance education and web-based education. Today individuals want that they could get a flexible education independent of time and space in accordance with their interests and demands. From this point of view, there appears the concept of life wide learning as a new and transformative concept. Life wide learning is a concept that allows individuals to get education in more than one area in any time of their life. In this situation, an individual, either young or old, employee or retired or never joined work life, can get education in more than one area he needs or is interested in and can contribute to both personal development and national economy. The main problem here lies with the situation that curriculums –by welcoming these changing educational terms- should keep in step with new developments. Curriculum development in distance education has gained popularity recently. Studies of curriculum development are oriented by changing and developing knowledge and needs and this is an indication of what a vital role it has in terms of future education system. From this point of view, the main topic of this chapter is constituted by the need which requires that curriculum development studies in life wide learning should be adapted to web-based education in order to create equality of opportunity.
Dynamics and Transcriptomics of Skin Dendritic Cells and Macrophages in an Imiquimod-Induced, Biphasic Mouse Model of Psoriasis
Authors: Terhorst Dorothea , Chelbi Rabie , Wohn Christian , Malosse Camille , Tamoutounour Samira , Jorquera Audrey , Bajenoff Marc , Dalod Marc , Malissen Bernard , Henri Sandrine
Published: October 2015

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease of unknown etiology. Previous studies showed that short-term, 5–7 d-long application of imiquimod (IMQ), a TLR7 agonist, to the skin of mice triggers a psoriasis-like inflammation. In the current study, by applying IMQ for 14 consecutive d, we established an improved mouse psoriasis-like model in that it recapitulated many of the clinical and cellular hallmarks observed in human patients during both the early-onset and the late-stable phase of psoriasis. Although macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) have been proposed to drive the psoriatic cascade, their largely overlapping phenotype hampered studying their respective role. Based on our ability to discriminate Langerhans cells (LCs), conventional DCs, monocytes, monocyte-derived DCs, macrophages, and plasmacytoid DCs in the skin, we addressed their dynamics during both phases of our biphasic psoriasis-like model. Plasmacytoid DCs were not detectable during the whole course of IMQ treatment. During the early phase, neutrophils infiltrated the epidermis, whereas monocytes and monocyte-derived DCs were predominant in the dermis. During the late phase, LCs and macrophage numbers transiently increased in the epidermis and dermis, respectively. LC expansion resulted from local proliferation, a conclusion supported by global transcriptional analysis. Genetic depletion of LCs permitted to evaluate their function during both phases of the biphasic psoriasis-like model and demonstrated that their absence resulted in a late phase that is associated with enhanced neutrophil infiltration. Therefore, our data support an anti-inflammatory role of LCs during the course of psoriasis-like inflammation.
Reliving the past
Authors: Le Roux Jurie
Published: October 2015

The awareness of the historical nature of our human existence had a profound influence on Old Testament scholarship. The historical nature of the Hebrew Bible was also realised and historical criticism was the result, but in the 20th century there was resistance against this method. This article is an attempt to emphasise the importance of historical understanding as a means of reliving the experiences of others in the present. To illustrate this we focus on the work of Eckart Otto and his exposition of the golden calf narrative in Deuteronomy 9:9–21; 10:1–5*. The importance of his work for us lies in his blending of synchrony and diachrony in the study of the book of Deuteronomy.
Publication Bias in Methodological Computational Research
Authors: Boulesteix Anne-Laure , Stierle Veronika , Hapfelmeier Alexander
Published: October 2015

The problem of publication bias has long been discussed in research fields such as medicine. There is a consensus that publication bias is a reality and that solutions should be found to reduce it. In methodological computational research, including cancer informatics, publication bias may also be at work. The publication of negative research findings is certainly also a relevant issue, but has attracted very little attention to date. The present paper aims at providing a new formal framework to describe the notion of publication bias in the context of methodological computational research, facilitate and stimulate discussions on this topic, and increase awareness in the scientific community. We report an exemplary pilot study that aims at gaining experiences with the collection and analysis of information on unpublished research efforts with respect to publication bias, and we outline the encountered problems. Based on these experiences, we try to formalize the notion of publication bias.
Simulation of Incompressible Free Surface Flow Using the Volume Preserving Level Set Method
Authors: Yu Ching-Hao , Sheu Tony Wen-Hann
Published: October 2015

This study aims to develop a numerical scheme in collocated Cartesian grids to solve the level set equation together with the incompressible two-phase flow equations. A seventh-order accurate upwinding combined compact difference (UCCD7) scheme has been developed for the approximation of the first-order spatial derivative terms shown in the level set equation. Developed scheme has a higher accuracy with a three-point grid stencil to minimize phase error. To preserve the mass of each phase all the time, the temporal derivative term in the level set equation is approximated by the sixth-order accurate symplectic Runge-Kutta (SRK6) scheme. All the simulated results for the dam-break, Rayleigh-Taylor instability, bubble rising, two-bubble merging, and milkcrown problems in two and three dimensions agree well with the available numerical or experimental results.
Construction, Analysis and Application of Coupled Compact Difference Scheme in Computational Acoustics and Fluid Flow Problems
Authors: Pradhan Jitenjaya , Amit  , Mahato Bikash , Dhandole Satish D. , Bhumkar Yogesh G.
Published: October 2015

In the present work, a new type of coupled compact difference scheme has been proposed for the solution of computational acoustics and flow problems. The proposed scheme evaluates the first, the second and the fourth derivative terms simultaneously. Derived compact difference scheme has a significant spectral resolution and a physical dispersion relation preserving (DRP) ability over a considerable wavenumber range when a fourth order four stage Runge-Kutta scheme is used for the time integration. Central stencil has been used for the present numerical scheme to evaluate spatial derivative terms. Derived scheme has the capability of adding numerical diffusion adaptively to attenuate spurious high wavenumber oscillations responsible for numerical instabilities. The DRP nature of the proposed scheme across a wider wavenumber range provides accurate results for the model wave equations as well as computational acoustic problems. In addition to the attractive feature of adaptive diffusion, present scheme also helps to control spurious reflections from the domain boundaries and is projected as an alternative to the perfectly matched layer (PML) technique.
Precisão e eficiência relativa de métodos de amostragem em teca
Authors: Miranda Dirceu Lucio Carneiro , Francio Jonas , Santos Juliano De Paula , Sanquetta Carlos Roberto , Corte Ana Paula Dalla
Published: October 2015

Este estudo teve como objetivo comparar três métodos de amostragem: área fixa, Bitterlich e Prodan, quanto à precisão e eficiência relativa na estimativa das variáveis, diâmetro a 1,30 m do solo (DAP), número de árvores, área basal e volume total. Foi fixado um limite de erro em 10% em um nível de probabilidade de 95%, utilizando-se 30 parcelas para cada método. Foram mensuradas as circunferências a 1,30 m do solo, para posterior conversão em DAP, e cronometrado os tempos totais desde a instalação das parcelas até a mensuração da última árvore. Para as estimativas das variáveis DAP e número de árvores por hectare, o método de área fixa foi o mais preciso. No entanto, para estimativa de área basal e volume o método de Bitterlich mostrou-se mais preciso. O método de Bitterlich mostrou-se o mais eficiente para estimativa de todas as variáveis. Pode-se concluir que a precisão não está diretamente associada à eficiência relativa e que métodos de amostragem menos usuais que o de área fixa podem ser utilizados com precisão e eficiência em inventários florestais.
Germinação de sementes de guatambu sob dois regimes de luz
Authors: Guollo Karina , Possenti Jean Carlo , Felippi Marciele
Published: October 2015

O guatambu (Aspidosperma parvifolium A. DC.) é uma espécie que se encontra em extinção em algumas regiões do Brasil. Visando obter maiores informações sobre a espécie, o objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a influência do fotoperíodo na germinação de suas sementes a 25 °C. O procedimento estatístico adotado foi esquema fatorial com dois fatores. O fator A, foi composto pelos lotes das sementes (Árvore matriz A, B e C) e o fator B foi o fotoperíodo (escuro e fotoperíodo de 12 h). As sementes de guatambu são indiferentes à condição de fotoperíodo durante o processo de germinação.
Variação radial das propriedades físicas da madeira de Pinus patula plantados em Moçambique
Authors: Juizo Claudio Gumane Francisco , Loiola Pedro Lício , Zen Linéia Roberta , Marchesan Raquel , Carvalho Douglas Edson , Bila Narcísio Fernando , Egas Andrade Fernando , Rocha Márcio Pereira da , Klitzke Ricardo Jorge
Published: October 2015

Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar as propriedades físicas da madeira de Pinus patula, com 38 anos, oriundos de um povoamento florestal de Moçambique, localizado no município de Machipanda. A determinação das propriedades físicas como a massa especifica básica, retratibilidade e umidade da madeira, no sentido medula-casca, seguiram as recomendações da Norma Panamericana - COPANT. Os resultados evidenciaram diferença estatística, ao nível de 5% de significância, no sentido radial para o coeficiente de retratibilidade. Os valores de retratibilidade foram de 6,06 e 8,80% no lenho juvenil e 6,18 e 8,65% no lenho adulto no sentido radial e tangencial, respectivamente, com coeficiente de anisotropia de 1,43 no lenho juvenil e 2,44 no lenho adulto. A madeira de Pinus patula, plantado na floresta de Inhamacari, apresenta uma madeira estável aos 38 anos de idade, que pode ser aplicada para fins estruturais e para a fabricação de artigos de carpintaria e móveis.
Avaliação temporal dos conflitos de uso do solo na bacia hidrográfica do rio Formoso, Tocantins
Authors: Cardoso de Lima Fonseca Alves Kaio Cesar , Ribeiro Viola Marcelo , De Souza Patrícia Aparecida , Giongo Marcos , De Mello Carlos Rogério
Published: October 2015

A importância das áreas de preservação permanente (APP) encontra-se na função ambiental de manter, preservar e conservar os recursos hídricos e ecossistemas existentes nas bacias hidrográficas. Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho delimitar e quantificar as APP’s de cursos d’água e áreas antropizadas nos limites destas na bacia hidrográfica do rio Formoso, TO. As APP's foram delimitadas considerando-se os limites determinados pelo Código Florestal Brasileiro, sendo amostradas as APP’s dos cursos d'água principais de nível hierárquico 4. O traçado manual da rede de drenagem, a delimitação automática das APP’s e a classificação visual dos conflitos de uso do solo a partir de imagens LANDSAT 5 TM dos anos de 1985, 1998 e 2011 foram realizadas no Sistema de Informações Geográficas ArcGIS. Constatou-se que as APP's dos cursos d’água amostradas no presente estudo representam 1,14% (24.491,35 ha) da área de drenagem da bacia do rio Formoso. Para o ano de 1985 quantificou-se uma área de 3.616,48 ha de conflitos de uso do solo na bacia, passando para 3.341,25 ha em 1998 e 3.345,37 ha em 2011. Tendo-se em vista a intensiva expansão agrícola observada na bacia do rio Formoso nas últimas décadas, a retração da área de conflitos de uso do solo entre 1985 e 1998 e sua posterior manutenção, pode ser associada às alterações na legislação ambiental.
Export Behaviour of Micro Firms in the Swedish Computer and Business Service Industries
Authors: Falk Martin , Hagsten Eva
Published: October 2015

The export participation of SMEs in the Swedish computer and business service industries has increased rapidly over the last decade. Despite this, export participation rates—including those of micro enterprises—remained low at 13 per cent in computer services and 8 per cent in business services in 2010. Based on uniquely linked firm-level datasets with full coverage of micro enterprises, this study investigates the determinants of the export participation of Swedish SMEs in the computer and business service industries. Exports include both goods and services. Estimates based on the conditional fixed-effects logit model show a significantly positive relationship between initial labour productivity and the decision to export. One new and interesting finding is that the magnitude of the relationship between the probability to export and initial labour productivity is low when controlling for firm effects. Surprisingly, the impact of labour productivity on exporting in computer services does not differ between micro enterprises and other SMEs (10–249 employees). In business services, the relationship between export probability and labour productivity on the one hand and skill intensity on the other is significant for micro enterprises, but not for other SMEs (10–249 employees).
Development of a new methane tracer: kinetic isotope effect of 13CH3D + OH from 278 to 313 K
Authors: Joelsson L. M. T. , Schmidt J. A. , Nilsson E. J. K. , Blunier T. , Griffith D. W. T. , Ono S. , Johnson M. S.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. Methane is the second most important long lived greenhouse gas and impacts the oxidative capacity of the Earth's atmosphere. Nontheless there are significant uncertainties in its source budget. Analysis of the isotopic composition of atmospheric methane, including doubly substituted species (e.g. 13CH3D), offers new constraints on the methane source budget as the sources and sinks have distinct isotopic signatures. The most important sink of atmospheric methane is oxidation by OH which accounts for around 90 % of methane removal in the troposphere. Here we present experimentally derived methane + OH kinetic isotope effects and their temperature dependence over the range of 278 to 313 K for CH3D and 13CH3D; the latter is reported here for the first time. We find kCH4/kCH3D=1.31 ± 0.01 and kCH4/k13CH3D = 1.34 ± 0.03 at room temperature, implying that the methane + OH kinetic isotope effect is multiplicative such that (kCH4/k13CH4)(kCH4/kCH3D) = kCH4/k13CH3D to within the experimental uncertainty. In addition the kinetic isotope effect were characterized using transition state theory with tunneling correction. Good agreement between the experimental, quantum chemical and available literature values was obtained. The theoretical calculations show that 13CH3D isotope effects is the product of D- and 13C-isotope effect. Based on the results we conclude that the OH reaction at steady-state can produce an atmospheric clumped isotope signal (Δ(13CH3D) = ln([CH4][13CH3D]/[13CH4][CH3D])) of 0.02 ± 0.02.
Molecular corridors and parameterizations of volatility in the evolution of organic aerosols
Authors: Li Y. , Pöschl U. , Shiraiwa M.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. The formation and aging of organic aerosols (OA) proceed through multiple steps of chemical reaction and mass transport in the gas and particle phases, which is challenging for the interpretation of field measurements and laboratory experiments as well as accurate representation of OA evolution in atmospheric aerosol models. Based on data from over 30 000 compounds, we show that organic compounds with a wide variety of functional groups fall into molecular corridors, characterized by a tight inverse correlation between molar mass and volatility. We developed parameterizations to predict the volatility of organic compounds containing oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur from the elemental composition that can be measured by soft-ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry. Field measurement data from new particle formation events, biomass burning, cloud/fog processing, and indoor environments were mapped into molecular corridors to characterize the chemical nature of the observed OA components. We found that less oxidized indoor OA are constrained to a corridor of low molar mass and high volatility, whereas highly oxygenated compounds in atmospheric water extend to high molar mass and low volatility. Among the nitrogen- and sulfur-containing compounds identified in atmospheric aerosols, amines tend to exhibit low molar mass and high volatility, whereas organonitrates and organosulfates follow high O : C corridors extending to high molar mass and low volatility. We suggest that the consideration of molar mass and molecular corridors can help to constrain volatility and particle phase state in the modeling of OA particularly for nitrogen- and sulfur-containing compounds.
Photolysis of frozen iodate salts as a source of active iodine in the polar environment
Authors: Gálvez O. , Baeza-Romero M. T. , Sanz M. , Saiz-Lopez A.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. Reactive halogens play a key role in the oxidation capacity of the polar troposphere. However, sources and mechanisms, particularly those involving active iodine, are still poorly understood. In this paper, the photolysis of an atmospherically relevant frozen iodate salt has been experimentally studied using infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The samples were generated at low temperatures in the presence of different amounts of water. The IR spectra have confirmed that under near-UV/Vis radiation iodate is efficiently photolyzed. The integrated IR absorption coefficient of the iodate anion on the band at 750 cm−1 has been measured to be A = 9.5 × 10−17 cm molec−1. Using this value, a lower limit of the integrated absorption cross section of iodate, in an ammonium frozen salt, has been estimated for the first time at wavelengths relevant for tropospheric studies (σ = 1.1 × 10−20 cm2 nm molec−1 from 300 to 900 nm). According to this, we suggest that the photolysis of iodate in frozen salt can potentially provide a pathway for the release of active iodine to the polar atmosphere.
PollyNET: a global network of automated Raman-polarization lidars for continuous aerosol profiling
Authors: Baars H. , Kanitz T. , Engelmann R. , Althausen D. , Heese B. , Komppula M. , Preißler J. , Tesche M. , Ansmann A. , Wandinger U. , Lim J.-H. , Ahn J. Y. , Stachlewska I. S. , Amiridis V. , Marinou E. , Seifert P. , Hofer J. , Skupin A. , Schneider F. , Bohlmann S. , Foth A. , Bley S. , Pfüller A. , Giannakaki E. , Lihavainen H. , Viisanen Y. , Hooda R. K. , Pereira S. , Bortoli D. , Wagner F. , Mattis I. , Janicka L. , Markowicz K. M. , Achtert P. , Artaxo P. , Pauliquevis T. , Souza R. A. F. , Sharma V. P. , van Zyl P. G. , Beukes J. P. , Sun J. Y. , Rohwer E. G. , Deng R. , Mamouri R. E. , Zamorano F.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. A global vertically resolved aerosol data set covering more than 10 years of observations at more than 20 measurement sites distributed from 63° N to 52° S and 72° W to 124° E has been achieved within the Raman and polarization lidar network PollyNET. This network consists of portable, remote-controlled multiwavelength-polarization-Raman lidars (Polly) for automated and continuous 24/7 observations of clouds and aerosols. PollyNET is an independent, voluntary, and scientific network. All Polly lidars feature a standardized instrument design and apply unified calibration, quality control, and data analysis. The observations are processed in near-real time without manual intervention, and are presented online at http://polly.tropos.de. The paper gives an overview of the observations on four continents and two research vessels obtained with eight Polly systems. The specific aerosol types at these locations (mineral dust, smoke, dust-smoke and other dusty mixtures, urban haze, and volcanic ash) are identified by their Ångström exponent, lidar ratio, and depolarization ratio. The vertical aerosol distribution at the PollyNET locations is discussed on the basis of more than 55 000 automatically retrieved 30 min particle backscatter coefficient profiles at 532 nm. A seasonal analysis of measurements at selected sites revealed typical and extraordinary aerosol conditions as well as seasonal differences. These studies show the potential of PollyNET to support the establishment of a global aerosol climatology that covers the entire troposphere.
Evaluation of a Sequential Spot Sampler (S3) for time-resolved measurement of PM2.5 sulfate and nitrate through lab and field measurements
Authors: Hecobian A. , Evanoski-Cole A. , Eiguren-Fernandez A. , Sullivan A. P. , Lewis G. S. , Hering S. V. , Collett Jr. J. L.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. The Sequential Spot Sampler (S3), a newly developed instrument to collect aerosols for time resolved chemical composition measurements, was evaluated in the laboratory and field for the measurement of particulate sulfate and nitrate. The S3 uses a multi-temperature condensation growth tube to grow individual aerosols to droplets which are then deposited as a ~ 1 mm diameter dry spot at the end of the growth tube on a 100 μL well of a multi-well plate. The well plate advances automatically to provide a sequence of time-resolved samples. The collected aerosols are subsequently analyzed in the laboratory. The sample is concentrated during the collection process and the laboratory extraction and analysis steps can be automated. The well plate, as received from the field, is placed onto a needle-based autosampler that adds liquid for sample extraction and injects sample extract from each well onto an ion chromatograph for analysis. Laboratory evaluation for sulfate and nitrate ions showed that PEEK used as well plate material does not contribute any artifacts; a 60 min extraction procedure leads to the recovery of sulfate and nitrate from the dry spots at above 95 % extraction efficiency; and samples stored frozen and analyzed up to 23 months later show less than a 10 % change in sulfate and nitrate concentrations. In a month long field study conducted in Southern California, two S3s were deployed alongside a URG denuder/filter-pack and a Particle-Into-Liquid Sampler combined with an Ion Chromatograph (PILS-IC). Collocated S3 sampler concentrations compared by linear regression show good agreement with r2 = 0.99 and slope = 0.99 (±0.004) μg m−3 for sulfate and r2 = 0.99 and slope =1.0 (±0.006) μg m−3 for nitrate. When compared to the URG denuder/filter-pack and the PILS-IC, the S3 sulfate and nitrate concentrations yielded correlations above 0.84 for the square of the correlation coefficient and regression slopes close to one.
The Arctic Predictability and Prediction on Seasonal-to-Interannual TimEscales (APPOSITE) data set
Authors: Day J. J. , Tietsche S. , Collins M. , Goessling H. F. , Guemas V. , Guillory A. , Hurlin W. J. , Ishii M. , Keeley S. P. E. , Matei D. , Msadek R. , Sigmond M. , Tatebe H. , Hawkins E.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. Recent decades have seen significant developments in seasonal-to-interannual timescale climate prediction capabilities. However, until recently the potential of such systems to predict Arctic climate had not been assessed. This paper describes a multi-model predictability experiment which was run as part of the Arctic Predictability and Prediction On Seasonal to Inter-annual Timescales (APPOSITE) project. The main goal of APPOSITE was to quantify the timescales on which Arctic climate is predictable. In order to achieve this, a coordinated set of idealised initial-value predictability experiments, with seven general circulation models, was conducted. This was the first model intercomparison project designed to quantify the predictability of Arctic climate on seasonal to inter-annual timescales. Here we present a description of the archived data set (which is available at the British Atmospheric Data Centre) and an update of the project's results. Although designed to address Arctic predictability, this data set could also be used to assess the predictability of other regions and modes of climate variability on these timescales, such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation.
Post-glacial reactivation of the Bollnäs fault, central Sweden
Authors: Malehmir A. , Andersson M. , Mehta S. , Brodic B. , Munier R. , Place J. , Maries G. , Smith C. , Kamm J. , Bastani M. , Mikko H. , Lund B.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. Glacially induced intraplate faults are conspicuous in Fennoscandia where they reach trace lengths of up to 155 km with estimated magnitudes up to 8 for the associated earthquakes. While they are typically found in northern parts of Fennoscandia, there are a number of published accounts claiming their existence further south in Fennoscandia and even in northern central Europe. This study focuses on a prominent scarp discovered recently in LiDAR (light detection and ranging) imagery hypothesized to be from a post-glacial fault and located about 250 km north of Stockholm near the town of Bollnäs. The Bollnäs scarp strikes approximately north–south for about 12 km. The maximum vertical offset in the sediments across the scarp is 4–5 m with the western block being elevated relative to the eastern block. To investigate potential displacement in the bedrock and identify structures in it that are related to the scarp, we conducted a multidisciplinary geophysical investigation that included gravity and magnetic measurements, high-resolution seismics, radio-magnetotellurics (RMT), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and ground penetrating radar (GPR). Results of the investigations suggest a zone of low-velocity and high-conductivity in the bedrock associated also with a magnetic lineament that is offset horizontally about 50 m to the west of the scarp. The top of bedrock is found ~ 10 m below the surface on the eastern side of the scarp while about ~ 20 m below on its western side. This difference is due to the different thicknesses of the overlying sediments, accounting for the surface topography, while the bedrock surface is likely more or less at the same topographic level on both sides of the scarp. This makes an estimation of the bedrock displacement challenging if not impossible with our datasets. To explain this, we suggest that the Bollnäs scarp is likely associated with an earlier deformation zone, within a wide (> 150 m), highly fractured and water-bearing zone that became active as a reverse fault after the latest Weichselian deglaciation.
Lead detection in Arctic sea ice from CryoSat-2: quality assessment, lead area fraction and width distribution
Authors: Wernecke A. , Kaleschke L.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. Leads cover only a small fraction of the Arctic sea ice but they have a dominant effect on the turbulent exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere. A supervised classification of CryoSat-2 measurements is performed by a comparison with visual MODIS scenes. For several parameters thresholds are optimized and tested in order to reproduce this prior classification. The maximum power of the waveform shows the best classification properties amongst them, including the pulse peakiness. The sea surface height is derived and its spread is clearly reduced for a classifier based on the maximum power compared to published ones. Lead area fraction estimates based on CryoSat-2 show a major fracturing event in the Beaufort Sea in 2013. The resulting Arctic-wide lead width distribution follows a power law with an exponent of 2.47 ± 0.04 for the winter seasons from 2011 to 2014, confirming and complementing a regional study based on a high-resolution SPOT image.
Retrieval of the thickness of undeformed sea ice from C-band compact polarimetric SAR images
Authors: Zhang X. , Dierking W. , Zhang J. , Meng J. M. , Lang H. T.
Published: October 2015

Abstract. In this paper we introduce a parameter for the retrieval of the thickness of undeformed first-year sea ice that is specifically adapted to compact polarimetric SAR images. The parameter is denoted as "CP-Ratio". In model simulations we investigated the sensitivity of CP-Ratio to the dielectric constant, thickness, surface roughness, and incidence angle. From the results of the simulations we deduced optimal conditions for the thickness retrieval. On the basis of C-band CTLR SAR data, which were generated from Radarsat-2 quad-polarization images acquired jointly with helicopter-borne sea ice thickness measurements in the region of the Sea of Labrador, we tested empirical equations for thickness retrieval. An exponential fit between CP-Ratio and ice thickness provides the most reliable results. Based on a validation using other compact polarimetric SAR images from the same region we found a root mean square (rms) error of 8 cm and a maximum correlation coefficient of 0.92 for the retrieval procedure when applying it on level ice of 0.9 m mean thickness.
A Study on Critical Thinking Assessment System of College English Writing
Authors: Dong Tian , Yue Lu
Published: October 2015

This research attempts to discuss the validity of introducing the evaluation of students’ critical thinking skills (CTS) into the assessment system of college English writing through an empirical study. In this paper, 30 College English Test Band 4 (CET-4) writing samples were collected and analyzed. Students’ CTS and the final scores of collected writing samples were respectively regarded as two independent variables to make a correlation analysis through Pearson Correlation of SPSS17.0 software. In addition, Excel was also used as an instrument to analyze the research results. The findings suggest that the two variables are significantly and positively correlated with each other, that is, students’ CTS greatly influence their English writing proficiency. Thus, it is quite necessary to cultivate students’ CTS to improve their English writing competence.
Gedragsprofiling: het bepalen van kwade bedoelingen en het meten van effectiviteit
Authors: van den Berg Helma , Wijn Remco , van  Hemert Dianne
Published: October 2015

Behaviour Profiling: Assessing malicious intent and measures of effectiveness

Is behavioural profiling a viable alternative to more traditional approaches to profiling, viewed from the perspectives of underlying theoretical assumptions and measures of effectiveness? In this article we describe behaviour profiling in relation to other types of profiling, we review relevant psychological mechanisms that underpin behaviour profiling, and discuss effectiveness of this type of profiling as well as methodological aspects of measuring effectiveness. Behaviour profiling is a method largely used to select potential offenders before the offence is committed by observing and giving meaning to behaviours preceding incidents. Deviant behaviours exhibited by suspects can be either part of a modus operandi related to the offence, the consequence of increased stress, or an atypical response to prodding actions by security officers. Relevant psychological mechanisms to explain ways behaviour profiling works include direct characteristics of deception as well as indirect indicators of deception, such as a criminal being more self-focused and more cognitively engaged. Effectiveness of behaviour profiling is increased by training, including learning more about modi operandi and related behaviours, awareness of biases in general, specific relevant biases, and techniques to correct for these biases.