bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Building Web-Analytics system to Measure Perceived Source Credibility in Electronic Word of Mouth Communication
Authors: Shivaprasad H N  , Rani Anshu
Published: March 2020

Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) has become one of the influential sources of information in recent times. However, the emergence of digital media and the huge volume has made it difficult to evaluate its credibility. The main purpose of this article is to determine the factors influencing Electronic word of mouth source credibility for durable products in India. Further, this study examines to what extent business analytics tools are used in the research of eWOM source credibility. The findings suggest that the source trustworthiness and source expertise significantly contribute to eWOM source credibility which further influences the purchase intention, brand awareness, and consumer attitude. The real-time information is not getting captured through business analytics tools. The marketers and practitioners can benefit from this study by understanding phenomenon of the eWOM source credibility and influence on overall consumer behaviour. The study further suggests building an eWOM analytics system and provides future research directions.
Buyback of Shares and Its Signaling Theory
Authors: Misra Siddharth , Narayan Udit , Pramanik Vivek Bhushan , Iyengar Prema Sundara
Published: March 2020

While investing in a company, an investor investigates two perspectives: one is the financial stability of the company and other is the strategies adopted by the company. The purpose of this study is to find out what investors and non-investors think about the buy-back of shares and in which company investors and non-investors would like to invest, whether in the company which is financially stable or in the company which adopts various strategies and is not that financially stable. This article describes about which variables investors and non-investors look into at the time of the buy-back of shares. It was found from this research article that people who invest in shares are more concerned about the financial stability of the company and the non-investors look more into the strategies that the company adopts. Further, this article tells that the company who is financially stable should only do buy-back as most of the time companies who have a huge debt on them do become successful after share buy-back.
Measuring Business-IT Alignment in a Digitally Revolutionized Economy
Authors: Gajardo Pablo Alfonso , La Paz Ariel I.
Published: March 2020

Although the concept of business-IT alignment was once considered one of the most important concerns of organizations, in terms of IT administration, the attention it has received has decreased significantly over the years. This article postulates that strategic alignment initiatives still have the same relevance—in particular for non-IT companies—which means that digital transformation strategies should consider the strategic alignment as a critical issue for their success. Therefore, the persistent relevance of this concept and the need to measure it with updated instruments capable of assessing the degree of maturity reached and feeding back the results to the organizations remains a key topic in IT administration. Based on an updated instrument, adequate for a digital framework, our study surveyed a sample of mostly large Chilean companies. The results obtained reveal the importance to count with an improved model that captures the changes this new digital scenario imposes.
Chemometric Modeling of the Ecotoxicity of Industrial Chemicals to an Avian Species Anas Platyrhynchos
Authors: Ghosh Shinjita , Kar Supratik , Leszczynski Jerzy
Published: March 2020

Birds or avians have been imperative species in the ecology, having been evaluated in an effort to understand the toxic effects of endocrine disruption. The ecotoxicity of 56 industrial chemicals classified as endocrine disruptors were modeled employing classification and regression-based quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models to an important avian species, Anas platyrhynchos. The classification- and regression-based QSAR models were developed using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and partial least squares (PLS) tools, respectively. All models were validated meticulously by employing internal and external validation metrics followed by randomization test, applicability domain (AD) study, and intelligent consensus prediction of all individual models. Features like topological distance of 1, 3, and 5 between atoms O-P, C-P, and N-S, correspondingly, along with the CR3X fragment, can be responsible for an increase in toxicity. On the contrary, the presence of S-Cl with topological distance 6 is accountable for lowering the toxicity of towards A. platyrhynchos. The developed chemometric models can offer significant evidence and guidance in the framework of virtual screening as well as a toxicity prediction of new and/or untested chemical libraries towards this specific avian species.
Comparative Analysis of Proposed Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Algorithm With Other Techniques
Authors: Chatha Deepak , Aggarwal Alankrita , Kumar Rajender
Published: March 2020

The mortality rate among women is increasing progressively due to cancer. Generally, women around 45 years old are vulnerable from this disease. Early detection is hope for patients to survive otherwise it may reach to unrecoverable stage. Currently, there are numerous techniques available for diagnosis of such a disease out of which mammography is the most trustworthy method for detecting early cancer stage. The analysis of these mammogram images are difficult to analyze due to low contrast and nonuniform background. The mammogram images are scanned and digitized for processing that further reduces the contrast between Region of Interest and background. Presence of noise, glands and muscles leads to background contrast variations. Boundaries of suspected tumor area are fuzzy & improper. Aim of paper is to develop robust edge detection technique which works optimally on mammogram images to segment tumor area. Output results of proposed technique on different mammogram images of MIAS database are presented and compared with existing techniques in terms of both Qualitative & Quantitative parameters.
Person Identification System in a Platform for Enabling Interaction With Individuals Affected by Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities
Authors: Campomanes-Alvarez Carmen , Campomanes-Alvarez Blanca Rosario , Quirós Pelayo
Published: March 2020

Individuals with profound and multiple learning disabilities have restricted mobility together with sensory and intellectual impairments. They are unable to produce conventional behaviors to communicate particular needs. Within the INSENSION project, an intelligent platform for enabling the interaction of this kind of people with others, is developed. Its goal is to increase their ability of self-communication through digital services enhancing their well-being. The system will recognize facial expressions, body gestures, vocalizations, and physiological parameters using the information captured by cameras and sensors, and it will associate them with their meaning in an individualized way. Hence, person identification is required in order to personalize the understanding. In this work, a new facial recognition method is developed and configured to be included in the INSENSION platform. The proposed system identifies six individuals as well as discards the other people that could appear in the videos, assuring the monitoring of the right person.
Mechanical, Physical, and Wear Properties of 3D Printed Polyactic Acid Materials
Authors: Almajid Abdulhakim A.
Published: March 2020

The objective of this paper is to study the mechanical, physical, and wear properties of the 3D printed Polylactic acid (PLA) materials. Tensile Strength, Modulus, and Ductility are investigated as a function of the infill percentage and the printing direction. Shioe D hardness versus infill percentage was investigated. Weight loss versus rolling contact time was investigated to measure the wear properties of the parts. The 3D printed parts have shown a great influence by the infill percentage. Such observation was not found in terms of printing direction. The weight loss due to rolling contact was a function of rolling contact time.
Cooling Rate Observation in Quenching Process Using Carbon Nanofluids for S45C Carbon Steel
Authors: Riza R.I. , Putra Wahyuaji Narottama , Harjanto S.
Published: March 2020

Quenching process is the most important step in steel heat treatment as this process will determine the properties of the steel such as strength and hardness. Different cooling rate and thermal conductivity provided by the quench medium affect strongly to the mentioned steel properties. Recently, studies for nanoparticle added in the quench medium are developing rapidly. This nanoparticle added fluid is known as nanofluid and could affect the thermal property of the quench medium which ultimately changes the properties of the steel. The nanoparticle composition in nanofluid will affect its thermal property. In this research, carbon was used as the nanoparticle. The composition variations were 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 weight percent in 100 ml distilled water. Pure distilled water was also used as a comparison control. Planetary ball-mill were utilized for 15 hours at 500 rpm to produce nanosized carbon particle. Field-Emission Scanning Microscope (FE-SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) were used to check the particle size, shape and purity of the carbon nanoparticles. These nanofluids were then used to quench S45C carbon steels samples annealed at 1000°C for 1 hour. Samples were attached with a thermocouple which connected to temperature data logger to observe the cooling rate of the quench medium. The quenched samples were be tested to get the information of hardness and metallography analysis for supporting data.
Electron Spin-Dependent Tunneling Current through a Trapezoidal Potential Barrier under Airy Wavefunction Approach
Authors: Noor Fatimah A. , Nabila Ezra , Sustini Euis , Khairurrijal Khairurrijal
Published: March 2020

In this paper, an analytical expression of the electron spin-dependent tunneling current through a potential barrier by applying a bias voltage was investigated. An Airy wavefunction was applied to derive the transmittance through the barrier by considering a zinc-blende material, which depends on the spin states indicated as ‘up’ and ‘down’. The obtained transmittance was employed to compute the polarization and spin-dependent tunneling current. The spin-dependent tunneling current was then observed at various bias voltages and temperatures. It was shown that the spin-polarized current increases as the bias voltage increases. It was also shown that the increase of temperature enhances the spin-dependent tunneling current.
The Electronic Structure of Ga-Doped Hydrogen-Passivated Germanene: First Principle Study
Authors: Pamungkas Mauludi Ariesto , Husain Husain , Shobirin Achmad Kafi , Sugiono Tri , Masruroh Masruroh
Published: March 2020

Germanene, which has the same structure as graphene, is an exciting novel 2D functionalized material that controls its band gap using functionalization. The effects of the Ga atom and hydrogen atoms on the structure of Ga-doped H-passivated germanene were investigated with a density functional theory (DFT) calculation. H-passivated germanene has a direct gap of 2.10 eV. Opening the band gap in the H-passivated germanene is due to transition from sp2 to sp3 orbital. Adsorption of the Ga adatom on H-site decrease the band gap to 1.38 eV. No interaction between Ga atoms and Hydrogen atoms was observed. Hence, their effects on the band structure of hydrogenated graphene were independent of each other. Our results suggest that hydrogen passivation combined with adsorption of the Ga adatoms could effectively control the band gap of germanene.
Designs and Evaluations of a Gas Atomizer to Fabricate Stainless Steel Metal Powder to Be Applied at a Metal Injection Molding
Authors: Supriadi Sugeng , Susimah Tsaome Indah , Akbar Muhammad Haekal Sena , Suharno Bambang , Baskoro Ario Sunar , Dharmanto Dharmanto
Published: March 2020

Metal Injection Molding (MIM) is an application of Powder Metallurgy (PM) and Plastic Injection Molding currently being developed to produce precisely-small components. Most of the metal applications using PM are stainless steel fabricated by a gas atomizer. In this study, an atomizer is designed and fabricated to produce stainless steel powder by using a free fall gas atomization method. The stainless steel used in this study is AISI 304 atomized with the diameter sizes varying from about 3 mm, 5 mm, and 7 mm. The variables of diameter size results are the lowest melt flow rate produces the smallest mean diameter, but no significant difference on the sphericity of powder morphology. While the gas pressure variation results shows that metal powder with smaller size will be produced more using the high gas pressure. The gas atomizer have successfully produced metal powder with the size <40 μm and have a spherical shape. The well rounded sphericity for melt flowrate 0.41x10-3 m3/min, 1.14 x10-3 m3/min, and 2.24x10-3 m3/min are 60.0%, 36.0%, and 55.2% respectively.
Study on Poor Welding of Anode Tab and Battery Case of 21700 Lithium Ion Battery
Authors: Cui Shao Hua , Mei Jiang Ping , Li Wei , Huang Yun Ying
Published: March 2020

The 21700 battery is a standard battery used by Tesla vehicles in the United States. It has the advantages of high energy density ratio, high output, low cost and high safety factor. The demand for 21700 battery is gradually increasing on the market. In order to meet the needs of new energy vehicles, the 21700 battery uses copper tab as the anode, which can minimize the internal resistance and improve the charge and discharge efficiency. However, the material of the battery case is steel, and the melting point of the steel is 452°C higher than that of copper. It is difficult to solder firmly using the traditional resistance welding process. In this paper, using TRIZ theory, through the causal analysis, technical conflict, material-field, physical conflicts and other tools, the 21700 battery anode resistance welding problem is analyzed in detail, and based on the analysis results to propose solutions: punching out the pitting on the tab forming a projection welding; inserting metal tungsten in the copper welding head; changing the welding pin head from the platform to the curved surface; introducing nitrogen gas. Under the premise of constant material and no increase in cost, the problem of poor welding of the anode and the battery case can be effectively solved.
Effects of Calcium Oxide and Magnesium Oxide Stabilizing Agents on the Critical Transformation Size of Tetragonal Zirconia
Authors: Zhao Liang , Yao Shuang , Li Yong Qiang , Zhao Zhi Long , Xue Qun Hu
Published: March 2020

The preparation of tetragonal zirconia nanopowders by sol–gel method using zirconium oxychloride as raw material, ammonia water and sodium hydroxide solution as precipitant, and calcium oxide or magnesium oxide powders as stabilizing agents is described. After suction filtration, drying, and calcination, tetragonal zirconia nanopowders with different particle size and tetragonal phase content were obtained. The particle size and phase composition of the powders are characterized by using a laser particle size analyzer and an X-ray diffractometer, and the tetragonal phase content and grain size are calculated from the crystal plane formula and Scherrer formula. The analysis of the relationship between the tetragonal phase content and the particle size of the zirconia nanopowders stabilized by calcium oxide and magnesium oxide at room temperature reveals the inhibitory effect of the stabilizing agents on the growth of zirconia grains. The stabilized zirconia nanopowder is finer than unstabilized zirconia nanopowder, and the particle distribution is more uniform in the former. The stabilizing effect of calcium oxide is superior to that of magnesium oxide; the critical transformation size of the zirconia grains stabilized by calcium oxide is the largest, and that of unstabilized zirconia is the smallest. The critical transformation size of calcium oxide-stabilized, magnesium oxide-stabilized, and unstabilized zirconia nanopowders is 18–22.6 nm, 24–28 nm, and 26–33.6 nm, respectively. Under the same calcination condition, the calcium oxide-stabilized zirconia nanopowder retains the highest tetragonal phase content at room temperature.
Surface Characterization of Monolithic Zirconia Following Treatment with Different Polishing Techniques
Authors: Tang Zhen Yu , Zhao Xin Yi , Hara Anderson T.
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different polishing techniques on the topographical features and phase transformation of monolithic zirconia. Four brands of zirconia were ground and polished using one of four systems. All zirconia specimens were ground with a fine-grit diamond bur (GB) prior to polishing procedures. The surface roughness and phase transition (XRD) were evaluated, and surface characterizations (SEM and XPS) were performed. The highest roughness was obtained with the Tob system. The strongest diffraction peak in the obtained XRD patterns was at 2θ=30.246°. No monoclinic phase change was found in any group. The XPS analysis showed that the atomic percentages of yttrium in the specimens of Cercon before and after polishing were the highest of any sample. All the polishing systems tested may not adversely affect the phase transformation of monolithic zirconia. The Tob system resulted in the highest roughness. The XPS analysis showed that grinding and polishing had some effects on the properties of zirconia from a microscopic point of view.
Experimental Study on Wear of Indexable Coated Blades as Applied to Cutting of PCrNi3MoVA Gun Steel Workpieces
Authors: Wang Tian Qi , Qiu Yuan Ying , Liu Zhan Feng , Han Xiao Lan
Published: March 2020

In this paper, based on the theoretical study of tool wear and the systematic analysis of the main factors affecting the tool durability, four types of PVD and CVD-coated blades from three manufacturers were subjected to cutting tests using PCrNi3MoVA gun steel workpieces. The wear morphology, fatigue curves, and chip patterns of the tested blades were comparatively analyzed. The influence of the coating type on the tool durability was investigated using a scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The results obtained strongly indicate that TiAlN coating deposited by the PVD technology has the best thermal stability, temperature oxidation resistance, and tool durability when cutting PCrNi3MoVA gun steel workpieces under semi-finishing conditions. The wear resistance of the other three types of blades was relatively lower due to less favorable coating compositions and structures. The study findings are instrumental in the substantiated selection of cutters for practical applications and provide a reference for the design optimization of indexable coated inserts.
Research on the Application of Porous Ceramic Waste Gas Purification Device in Ceramic Kiln
Authors: Feng Shan Xin , Pan Shi Qiang , Wang Yu Rong
Published: March 2020

Ceramic kiln in the use of the process of high energy consumption, high resource consumption, serious environmental pollution and other problems are the current ceramic industry development of serious problems.Kiln combustion exhaust gas pollution types mainly include: SO2, NOx, CO, particulate matter, lead, cadmium, nickel and its compounds, fluoride and chloride and so on, and the traditional kiln direct emissions into the atmosphere, causing serious pollution to the environment, the need to have reliable purification treatment devices to meet emissions requirements, but the original purification plant purification effect is poor, process complex aspects of problems.This paper introduces a new porous ceramic purification device to improve the electric kiln exhaust gas purification to improve the catalytic conversion of CO, NOX, SO2 desulfurization and particulate matter purification.
In Memoriam: Dr E.B. Woolf
Authors: Office Editorial
Published: March 2020

No abstract available.
Yasushi Suzuki and Mohammad Dulal Miah (Editors)
Dilemmas and Challenges in Islamic Finance –
Looking at Equity and Microfinance
Routledge, London, 2018, pp. 216
Authors: Tariq Aziz Tariq Aziz
Published: March 2020

Islamic finance has witnessed a phenomenal growth during the past couple
of decades. However, this remarkable growth has also been accompanied by some
challenges and dilemmas. Islamic finance today is at the crossroads where resolving
these issues is a prerequisite for its future sustained growth. The current book under
review, edited by Yasushi Suzuki and Muhammad Dulal Miah, highlights and
discusses some of the issues and dilemmas the Islamic finance industry is facing today.
The book comprises of 11 Chapters divided into three parts. Part I deals with the
dilemmas related to the prohibition of ribā and gharar. Part II elaborates on the
challenges related to Islamic equity finance and microfinance and Part III is devoted to
the discussion of the dilemmas and challenges related to the governance structure of
Islamic finance. This article reviews and critically evaluates the aforementioned book.
Fiscal Policy and Deficit Financing: Islamic Perspectives
Authors: Habib Ahmed Habib Ahmed
Published: March 2020

Using deficit financing by increasing borrowing at lower interest rates has
the potential to increase debt to levels that are not sustainable and can create further
economic problems in the longer term. To understand the Islamic perspective on deficit
financing, two features of government spending need to be recognized. First,
government spending can be distinguished as current and capital expenditures. Second,
the objectives of fiscal policy and government spending can be viewed as redistribution
of income, expenditures to provide government services, provision of public goods that
markets fail to provide, and providing infrastructure that enhance the productive
capacities in the economies. While current spending should be covered by zakāh
(distributive role) and taxes (providing government services and public goods), capital
expenditures on infrastructure can be funded by issuing ṣukūk. During recessions, the
government can use counter-cyclical spending of zakāh and tax revenues to increase
current spending and issue ṣukūk to raise funds for investments to enlarge capital
expenditures in infrastructure projects. This approach of moving the economy out of
recession puts a limit on excessive debt by linking the funds raised with the real
economy and helps increase the productive capacity in the longer term by filling the
infrastructure gaps.
Limitless Deficit Financing for Economic Prosperity:
Where They Got Keynes’s Deficit Spending Wrong?
Authors: Sajid Amin Javed Sajid Amin Javed
Published: March 2020

The recent wave of recommendations of unlimited credit creation to
finance government expenditures to achieve economic growth and prosperity seems to
be grounded in misunderstanding Keynes’s countercyclical fiscal policy. Keynes’s
deficit spending denotes the stimulus geared towards increasing private investment as
opposed to big government spending boosting consumption. Taking Japan as a case
study, I showcase that deficit financing meeting Keynesian preconditions, including a
sound monetary system, well-developed financial markets, and lower/zero interest rate,
may not lead to raising growth and lowering public debts as the proponents predict. I
maintain that unlimited credit expansion to the public sector in consumption-based
economies, which is the general case for developing countries, is most likely to
generate inflation while leaving the economy’s productivity unchanged.
Ṣukūk: A Sharīʿah Compliant Tool for Financing Budget Deficits
Authors: Omar Zuhair Hafiz Omar Zuhair Hafiz
Published: March 2020

The lead paper (Pettifor, 2019) discusses an important issue at the
macroeconomic level, especially the impact of financing government’s expansionary
budget deficit through borrowing. The paper reiterates that claiming that the use of
loans to finance the deficit will lead to a decline in the economic activity and will in
turn increase the deficit, is a common misconception. In fact, the data on the British
economy over a period of a hundred years, as shown in the lead paper, proves that
there is a positive relationship between the volume of the budget deficit (and public
debt) and economic activity. This, in turn, lead to a decrease in unemployment and
thus, eventually contributed to a reduction in the budget deficit. These results have
been proven by other researches as well as I have mentioned in this paper. I have also
pointed to other researches which indicate that there is a negative relationship between
the size of the debt (or the budget deficit), and economic activity, which contradicts the
hypothesis of the lead paper. In this brief comment on the lead paper, I also discuss the
fact that the global debt phenomenon has become a burning issue. I present a summary
of the state of international debt around the world and discuss its impact on the
economies of many countries that repay their debts in hard currencies. I argue that this
situation must be taken into consideration when discussing the impact of borrowing to
finance the government budget deficit to stimulate economic growth. I also propose
that these effects on the borrowing economies should also be analyzed in the event that
these international loans are in the form of Islamic instruments (ṣukūk) which are
increasingly being used by some governments as a tool to finance their budget deficits,
especially among the OIC countries. However, because it is a modern financing tool,
several years need to pass before we can viably test the relationship between them and
economic growth and the extent of their impact on key variables at the macro level of
the economy.
Educational Benefits of Allowing Pediatrician Supervision of Emergency Medicine Residents
Authors: Rustici Matthew J. , Moreira Maria , Buchanan Jennie , Rodrigues Kristine Knuti , Roosevelt Genie E.
Published: March 2020

Background

According to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education emergency medicine (EM) program requirements, EM residents on EM rotations must be supervised by board-certified/board-prepared EM or pediatric EM (PEM) faculty.

Objective

We sought to understand the effect of allowing EM residents to be supervised by attending pediatricians while caring for pediatric urgent care patients.

Methods

The EM residents were permitted to staff pediatric urgent care patients with either an EM/PEM attending or an attending pediatrician from August 2017 to July 2018. Outcomes were assessed through resident focus groups, a mixed-methods survey of EM residents and EM/PEM/pediatrician attendings, and clinical outcomes, including length of stay, best evidence/clinical care guideline adherence, and 48-hour return visits requiring admission. Qualitative data were inductively coded using a phenomenological framework, with themes emerging from consensus discussion.

Results

Ninety percent of residents participated in 1 of 7 focus groups. Four key themes emerged from qualitative analysis of focus group transcripts: (1) pediatricians have unique skills that complement those of EM physicians; (2) EM resident education improved; (3) patients may get better care with dual staffing; and (4) other PEM department and urgent care team members may have benefited from the change. The survey response rate was 72%, and it did not uncover additional themes. Length of stay was shorter for patients supervised by attending pediatricians (114 versus 128 minutes, P < .001); there was no difference in best evidence/clinical care guideline adherence or 48-hour return visits requiring admission.

Conclusions

Physicians' perceived education was improved by adding complementary perspectives without significant negative consequences for learners or patients.
The Current Status of Medical School Clerkship Grades in Residency Applicants
Authors: Vokes Jordan , Greenstein Alexander , Carmody Emily , Gorczyca John T.
Published: March 2020

Background

Two criteria that have been investigated for evaluating orthopedic surgery residency candidates are achieving an “honors” grade during a surgery clerkship and the total number of honors grades received in all clerkships. Unfortunately, the rate of honors grades given and the criteria for earning an honors grade differ between medical schools, making comparison of applicants from different medical schools difficult.

Objective

We measured the rate of honors grades in clerkships at different medical schools in the United States to examine the utility of clerkship grades in evaluating orthopedic surgery residency applicants.

Methods

Adequate data via the Electronic Residency Application Service were available for 86 of 142 Association of American Medical Colleges medical schools from the 2017 Match cycle. Descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were performed to identify differences in grade distributions within each clerkship and in school ranking for research by U.S. News & World Report.

Results

For the surgery clerkship, the median rate of honors grades given was 32.5% (range 5%–67%). There was a high rate of interinstitutional variability in all clerkships. We were unable to demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between research ranking and percentage honors grades given for individual clerkships.

Conclusions

A standardized method for grading medical students during clinical clerkships does not exist, resulting in a high degree of interinstitutional variability. Surgery clerkship grades are an unreliable measure for comparing orthopedic surgery residency applicants from different medical schools. Standardized measures of applicant evaluation might be helpful in the future.
Spatial Attention Disregard in Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Wang Tien-Ni , Liang Kai-Jie , Howe Tsu-Hsin , Chen Hao-Ling , Huang Chen-Wei , Wu Chien-Te
Published: March 2020

Importance: Children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) demonstrate spatial attention disregard, but the rehabilitation approach to CP is traditionally motor oriented.

Objective: To explore spatial attention disregard in children with hemiplegic CP and its relationship to their motor performance in daily activities.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Community.

Participants: Twenty-five children with hemiplegic CP and 25 age-matched typically developing children.

Outcomes and Measures: For spatial attention performance, the Random Visual Stimuli Detection Task; for developmental disregard, the Observatory Test of Capacity, Performance, and Developmental Disregard; and for motor performance, the Melbourne Assessment 2.

Results: Children with hemiplegic CP evidenced spatial attention disregard on their more affected sides, and this phenomenon was correlated with developmental disregard.

Conclusions and Relevance: Children with hemiplegic CP demonstrate developmental disregard in both the motor and the visual–spatial attention domains. Including evaluation of and intervention for visual–spatial attention for children with hemiplegic CP in the traditionally motor-oriented rehabilitation approach is recommended.

What This Article Adds: This research provides evidence that children with hemiplegic CP demonstrate disregard in the domain of visual–spatial attention. The findings suggest that evaluation of and intervention for visual–spatial attention should be included in CP rehabilitation in addition to the traditionally motor-oriented approach.
Comparison of tropospheric NO2 columns from MAX-DOAS retrievals and regional air quality model simulations
Authors: Blechschmidt Anne-Marlene , Arteta Joaquim , Coman Adriana , Curier Lyana , Eskes Henk , Foret Gilles , Gielen Clio , Hendrick Francois , Marécal Virginie , Meleux Frédérik , Parmentier Jonathan , Peters Enno , Pinardi Gaia , Piters Ankie J. M. , Plu Matthieu , Richter Andreas , Segers Arjo , Sofiev Mikhail , Valdebenito Álvaro M. , Van Roozendael Michel , Vira Julius , Vlemmix Tim , Burrows John P.
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) tropospheric NO2 column retrievals from four European measurement stations are compared to simulations from five regional air quality models which contribute to the European regional ensemble forecasts and reanalyses of the operational Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). Compared to other observational data usually applied for regional model evaluation, MAX-DOAS data are closer to the regional model data in terms of horizontal and vertical resolution, and multiple measurements are available during daylight, so that, for example, diurnal cycles of trace gases can be investigated. In general, there is good agreement between simulated and retrieved NO2 column values for individual MAX-DOAS measurements with correlations between 35 % and 70 % for individual models and 45 % to 75 % for the ensemble median for tropospheric NO2 vertical column densities (VCDs), indicating that emissions, transport and tropospheric chemistry of NOx are on average well simulated. However, large differences are found for individual pollution plumes observed by MAX-DOAS. Most of the models overestimate seasonal cycles for the majority of MAX-DOAS sites investigated. At the urban stations, weekly cycles are reproduced well, but the decrease towards the weekend is underestimated and diurnal cycles are overall not well represented. In particular, simulated morning rush hour peaks are not confirmed by MAX-DOAS retrievals, and models fail to reproduce observed changes in diurnal cycles for weekdays versus weekends. The results of this study show that future model development needs to concentrate on improving representation of diurnal cycles and associated temporal scalings.
A comparison of lognormal and gamma size distributions for characterizing the stratospheric aerosol phase function from optical particle counter measurements
Authors: Nyaku Ernest , Loughman Robert , Bhartia Pawan K. , Deshler Terry , Chen Zhong , Colarco Peter R.
Published: March 2020

Abstract. A series of in situ measurements made by optical particle counters (OPCs) at Laramie, Wyoming, provides size-resolved stratospheric aerosol concentration data over the period 1971–2018. A subset of these data covering the period of 2008–2017 is analyzed in this study for the purpose of assessing the sensitivity of the stratospheric aerosol phase function to the aerosol size distribution (ASD) model used to fit the measurements. The two unimodal ASD models investigated are the unimodal lognormal (UMLN) and gamma distribution models, with the minimum χ2 method employed to assess how well each ASD fits the measurements. The aerosol phase function (Pa(Θ)) for each ASD is calculated using Mie theory and is compared to the Pa(Θ) derived from the Community Aerosol and Radiation Model for Atmospheres (CARMA) sectional aerosol microphysics module. Comparing the χ2 values for the fits at altitudes of 20 and 25 km shows that the UMLN distribution better represents the OPC measurements; however, the gamma distribution fits the CARMA model results better than the UMLN model when the CARMA model results are subsetted into the OPC measurement bins. Comparing phase functions derived from the UMLN distribution fit to OPC data with gamma distributions fit to CARMA model results at the location of the OPC measurements shows a satisfying agreement (±5 %) within the scattering angle range of limb sounding satellites. This uncertainty is considerably larger if the CARMA data are fit with a UMLN.
Reviews and syntheses: How do abiotic and biotic processes respond to climatic variations in the Nam Co catchment (Tibetan Plateau)?
Authors: Anslan Sten , Azizi Rad Mina , Buckel Johannes , Echeverria Galindo Paula , Kai Jinlei , Kang Wengang , Keys Laura , Maurischat Philipp , Nieberding Felix , Reinosch Eike , Tang Handuo , Tran Tuong Vi , Wang Yuyang , Schwalb Antje
Published: March 2020

Abstract. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is the largest alpine plateau on
Earth and plays an important role in global climate dynamics. On the TP,
climate change is happening particularly fast, with an increase in air
temperature twice the global average. The particular sensitivity of this
high mountain environment allows observation and tracking of abiotic and
biotic feedback mechanisms. Closed lake systems, such as Nam Co on the
central TP, represent important natural laboratories for tracking past and
recent climatic changes, as well as geobiological processes and interactions
within their respective catchments. This review gives an interdisciplinary
overview of past and modern environmental changes using Nam Co as a case
study. In the catchment area, ongoing rise in air temperature forces
glaciers to melt, contributing to a rise in lake level and changes in water
chemistry. Some studies base their conclusions on inconsistent glacier
inventories, but an ever-increasing deglaciation and thus higher water
availability have persisted over the last few decades. Increasing water
availability causes translocation of sediments, nutrients and dissolved
organic matter to the lake, as well as higher carbon emissions to the
atmosphere. The intensity of grazing has an additional and significant
effect on CO2 fluxes, with moderate grazing enhancing belowground
allocation of carbon while adversely affecting the C sink potential through
reduction of above-surface and subsurface biomass at higher grazing intensities.
Furthermore, increasing pressure from human activities and livestock grazing
are enhancing grassland degradation processes, thus shaping biodiversity
patterns in the lake and catchment. The environmental signal provided by
taxon-specific analysis (e.g., diatoms and ostracods) in Nam Co revealed
profound climatic fluctuations between warmer–cooler and wetter–drier
periods since the late Pleistocene and an increasing input of freshwater and
nutrients from the catchment in recent years. Based on the reviewed
literature, we outline perspectives to further understand the effects of
global warming on geodiversity and biodiversity and their interplay at Nam Co,
which acts as a case study for potentially TP-level or even worldwide processes
that are currently shaping high mountain areas.
Early Soviet satellite magnetic field measurements in the years 1964 and 1970
Authors: Krasnoperov Roman , Peregoudov Dmitry , Lukianova Renata , Soloviev Anatoly , Dzeboev Boris
Published: March 2020

Abstract. We present a collection of magnetic field absolute
measurements performed by the early Soviet magnetic satellite missions Kosmos-49
(1964) and Kosmos-321 (1970). A total of 17 300 measured values are available
for the Kosmos-49 mission, covering homogeneously 75 % of the Earth's surface
between 49∘ latitude north and south. About 5000 measured values
are available for the Kosmos-321 mission, covering homogeneously 94 % of the
Earth's surface between 71∘ latitude north and south. The data are
available at PANGAEA (Krasnoperov et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.907927).
Assessing the value of seasonal hydrological forecasts for improving water resource management: insights from a pilot application in the UK
Authors: Peñuela Andres , Hutton Christopher , Pianosi Francesca
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Improved skill of long-range weather forecasts has motivated an increasing effort towards developing seasonal hydrological forecasting systems across Europe. Among other purposes, such forecasting systems are expected to support better water management decisions. In this paper we evaluate the potential use of a real-time optimisation system (RTOS) informed by seasonal forecasts in a water supply system in the UK. For this purpose, we simulate the performances of the RTOS fed by ECMWF seasonal forecasting systems (SEAS5) over the past ten years, and we compare them to a benchmark operation that mimics the common practices for reservoir operation in the UK. We also attempt to link the improvement of system performances, i.e. the forecast value, to the forecast skill (measured by the mean error and the Continuous Ranked Probability Skill Score) as well as other factors such as bias correction, the decision maker priorities, hydrological conditions and level of uncertainty consideration. We find that some of these factors control the forecast value much more strongly than the forecast skill. For the (realistic) scenario where the decision-maker prioritises water resource availability over energy cost reductions, we identify clear operational benefits from using seasonal forecasts, provided that forecast uncertainty is explicitly considered. However, when comparing the use of ECMWF-SEAS5 products to ensemble streamflow predictions (ESP), which are more easily derived from historical weather data, we find that ESP remains a hard-to-beat reference not only in terms of skill but also in terms of value.
Exceptionally high heat flux needed to sustain the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream
Authors: Smith-Johnsen Silje , de Fleurian Basile , Schlegel Nicole , Seroussi Helene , Nisancioglu Kerim
Published: March 2020

Abstract. The Northeast Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS) currently drains more than 10 % of the Greenland Ice Sheet area and has recently undergone significant dynamic changes. It is therefore critical to accurately represent this feature when assessing the future contribution of Greenland to sea level rise. At present, NEGIS is reproduced in ice sheet models by inferring basal conditions using observed surface velocities. This approach helps estimate conditions at the base of the ice sheet but cannot be used to estimate the evolution of basal drag in time, so it is not a good representation of the evolution of the ice sheet in future climate warming scenarios. NEGIS is suggested to be initiated by a geothermal heat flux anomaly close to the ice divide, left behind by the movement of Greenland over the Icelandic plume. However, the heat flux underneath the ice sheet is largely unknown, except for a few direct measurements from deep ice core drill sites. Using the Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM), with ice dynamics coupled to a subglacial hydrology model, we investigate the possibility of initiating NEGIS by inserting heat flux anomalies with various locations and intensities. In our model experiment, a minimum heat flux value of 970 mW m−2 located close to the East Greenland Ice-core Project (EGRIP) is required locally to reproduce the observed NEGIS velocities, giving basal melt rates consistent with previous estimates. The value cannot be attributed to geothermal heat flux alone and we suggest hydrothermal circulation as a potential explanation for the high local heat flux. By including high heat flux and the effect of water on sliding, we successfully reproduce the main characteristics of NEGIS in an ice sheet model without using data assimilation.
21st century estimates of mass loss rates from glaciers in the Gulf of Alaska and Canadian Archipelago using a GRACE constrained glacier model
Authors: Ashokkumar Lavanya , Harig Christopher
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Ice mass loss rates from glaciers in the Gulf of Alaska and the Canadian Archipelago are expected to increase through the end of century in response to increasing temperatures. Here, we develop a new glacier model constrained by GRACE gravimetry observations for the period between 2002 and 2017. The high temporal and regional spatial resolution of GRACE mass balance estimates allows us to estimate regional glacier sensitivities to atmospheric changes, and account for higher order of glacier dynamics. We use our regionally constrained models to extrapolate future mass loss under different climate emission scenarios. Generally our 21st century sea level estimates are at the high end compared to other studies. We find that the Gulf of Alaska exhibits the highest mass loss rates between −79 to −112 Gt yr−1 between 2006 and 2100 under different scenarios, and displays the highest sensitivity to the specific scenario (RCP 2.6/4.5/8.5). Our estimates for Baffin Island are significantly higher than prior work (−57 to −85 Gt yr−1) and are comparable to projected mass loss rates from the Ellesmere region (−63 to −101 Gt yr−1).
«¿Quién sustenta a quienes sustentan a los comunes?»: tecnología y cultura libre ante el capitalismo informacional
Authors: Calvo Miguel Dafne
Published: March 2020

Desde la expansión de su uso individual en los años noventa, Internet ha experimentado un proceso de creciente mercantilización y concentración. Al mismo tiempo, ha propuesto nuevas formas de producción en común con contribuciones voluntarias de los internautas, que se posicionan como una alternativa al modelo económico propuesto por el capitalismo informacional. A través de una metodología combinada, en esta investigación exploramos las formas de financiación, las personas empleadas y las necesidades en las que se invierten los recursos económicos de las comunidades de cultura libre que operan en territorio español. Los resultados muestran la voluntad de los colectivos por mantener su independencia organizativa y estratégica mediante la autofinanciación. Estos consideran reinvertir sus recursos en el proyecto, sin pretender maximizar el beneficio económico. Las comunidades manifiestan tensiones entre remunerar a quienes participan en ellas, a fin de evitar su precarización, y operar exclusivamente con contribuciones de tipo voluntario, que permitan el avance de sus proyectos fuera de la lógica del sistema de mercado.
Migrants and 'Patria'. The imagined community of the radical left in Spain
Authors: Lobera Josep
Published: March 2020

The emergence of inclusive populist parties disputes the social construction of the ‘people’ to the exclusive populism, recently generating new academic debates. Do the new radical left parties have a nationalist character? Are populism and nationalism two inseparable dimensions? Drawing on an original dataset in Spain, this article shows that Podemos’ supporters are significantly less nationalist, expressing more open attitudes towards cultural diversity and immigration, and lower levels of Spanishness than voters from other parties. Arguably, Podemos operates as an antagonistic political option to the traditional positions of the populist radical right (PRR), building an inclusive imagined community around a type of constitutional patriotism or republican populism. These findings contribute to the scholar debate on the relationship of nationalism and populism, bringing to discussion the core values of the supporters of a populist party as a complementary element to its categorization.
The (Post-)Digital Condition - An Interview with Felix Stalder
Authors: Apprich Clemens
Published: March 2020

This interview appears in advance of the upcoming conference “Digital Cultures: Knowledge/Culture/Technology” at the Centre for Digital Cultures (CDC) in Lüneburg, where Felix Stalder will speak on the “Digital Condition”.