bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of Antigen-Specific B Cell Receptor Sequences Using Public Repertoire Analysis
Authors: Trück Johannes , Ramasamy Maheshi N. , Galson Jacob D. , Rance Richard , Parkhill Julian , Lunter Gerton , Pollard Andrew J. , Kelly Dominic F.
Published: November 2014

High-throughput sequencing allows detailed study of the BCR repertoire postimmunization, but it remains unclear to what extent the de novo identification of Ag-specific sequences from the total BCR repertoire is possible. A conjugate vaccine containing Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and group C meningococcal polysaccharides, as well as tetanus toxoid (TT), was used to investigate the BCR repertoire of adult humans following immunization and to test the hypothesis that public or convergent repertoire analysis could identify Ag-specific sequences. A number of Ag-specific BCR sequences have been reported for Hib and TT, which made a vaccine containing these two Ags an ideal immunological stimulus. Analysis of identical CDR3 amino acid sequences that were shared by individuals in the postvaccine repertoire identified a number of known Hib-specific sequences but only one previously described TT sequence. The extension of this analysis to nonidentical, but highly similar, CDR3 amino acid sequences revealed a number of other TT-related sequences. The anti-Hib avidity index postvaccination strongly correlated with the relative frequency of Hib-specific sequences, indicating that the postvaccination public BCR repertoire may be related to more conventional measures of immunogenicity correlating with disease protection. Analysis of public BCR repertoire provided evidence of convergent BCR evolution in individuals exposed to the same Ags. If this finding is confirmed, the public repertoire could be used for rapid and direct identification of protective Ag-specific BCR sequences from peripheral blood.
Die uitwerking van emosionele toestand op die aanleer van visuele vaardighede
Authors: Mills Caroline E. , Coetzee Nicoleen , Nortje Evangeline , Kleynhans Michael , Ferreira Ronél , Fraser William J. , Du Toit Peet
Published: November 2014

The findings of the present study suggest that anxiety, to some extent, influences the learning of focusing, tracking and vergence. Curiosity, on the other hand, did not influence the learning of any of the visual skills under investigation in the present study. Good visual skills are essential components in achieving educational, economic and social success, and independence. A need has been identified to determine whether the visual skills of students can be improved through sports vision exercises, and whether the potential benefits derived from these sports vision exercises could be influenced by emotional states such as anxiety and curiosity. Since little research has been conducted on the relationship between the learning of visual skills and the presence of these two emotional states, one needs to determine the extent to which anxiety and curiosity affect the learning of visual skills. For the purposes of this study, a quantitative research methodology was used. A quasi-experimental approach was employed to collect data on visual skills and the effects of sports vision exercises on these visual skills. The sample consisted of second-year physiology students (n = 204) and included students of genders, various ethnicities, and ages ranging from 18 to 27 years of age. Anxiety and curiosity were measured by using the State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI), whilst the visual skills of the participants were measured by using a battery of visual skills tests. The results proved that sports vision exercises can improve some visual skills. It should, however, be noted that anxiety levels must be controlled when administering this training. The findings of the present study suggest that anxiety, to some extent, negatively influences the learning of focusing, tracking and vergence. Curiosity on the other hand did not influence the learning of any of the visual skills under investigation in the present study.
’n Vergelykende studie oor kennis en persepsies van radioaktiwiteit
Authors: Kriek Jeanne , Basson Ilsa , Coetzee Corene , Muller Helene
Published: November 2014

This explanatory study was done to get an understanding of how three groups of preservice teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of radiation compare to that of experts. The first group consists of students with factual radiation knowledge, due to their training. The second group is students with limited knowledge and the third group students with no official training in this area. The last group represented ordinary citizens. Experts were used as ‘yard stick’ as the participants had to answer questions where decisions and reasons had to be presented based on their knowledge. A non-equivalent ex post facto group design was used. The hypothesis that factual information shapes citizens’ decisions on certain aspects of radiation was investigated. The quantitative data collected via closed-ended questions in a Lickert questionnaire, was analysed and statistically significant differences were indicated. The qualitative data was collected as open-ended responses to the Lickert questionnaire. As expected the students with more factual knowledge compared most favourable with that of the experts where perceptions are directly related to formal education. However, this premise of knowledge was not found with regard to perceptions of health, environment, safety and risk due to a diversity of applications.
Die skepping van welstand in die skool se kurrikulum vir natuurwetenskappe: Die twee vermiste skakels
Authors: De Beer Josef J.
Published: November 2014

This article sheds light on two missing links in the science school curriculum which result in learners’ wellness and appreciation for a holistic view of health not being adequately addressed. Firstly, in the natural sciences curriculum (Senior Phase) and life sciences curriculum (Further Education and Training), health and wellness are often viewed (also by the teachers) from a reductionist perspective, which results in learners not appreciating the holistic nature of healthcare. Secondly, I argue for greater emphasis on the affective domain in the science classroom, and a stronger focus on indigenous knowledge systems which do embrace holism. The article provides practical examples of border crossing between the natural sciences and metaphysics, without ignoring the tenets of the nature of science. The author shows how such border crossing could result in learners developing a more nuanced understanding of and appreciation for holistic wellness.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI): Is It Time for this Intervention to be Applied in a Lower Risk Population?
Authors: Panayiotides Loannis M. , Nikolaides Evagoras
Published: November 2014

Patients with severe aortic stenosis are sometimes not candidates for conventional open heart surgery because of severe deconditioning, excessive risk factors, and multiple comorbidities. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a relatively recent intervention, which was initially addressed to individuals with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis at substantial or prohibitive surgical risk. Despite the documented beneficial effects of this therapeutic intervention in certain carefully selected individuals, it has not yet been applied to lower risk patients. This is a review of the current literature and accumulated clinical data of this rapidly evolving invasive procedure in an attempt to resolve whether it can now be applied to a wider portion of patients with aortic stenosis.
Elaboration and characterization of self-compacting concrete based on local by-products
Authors: Bensalem S , Amouri C , Houari H , Belachia M
Published: November 2014

The building industry is increasingly using self-compacting concrete (SCC) in order to improve many aspects of buildings construction. If the limestone filler is traditionally used in the SCC, marble powder and granulated blast furnace slag are the less. The valorization of such wastes in self-compacting concrete as mineral admixture could be an interesting ecological and economical alternative, which allow extending the use of these by-products. The objective of this study is not only to remove the fear of using by-products available locally but also to study the influence of limestone powder replacement by marble powder and granulated blast furnace slag on fresh and hardened properties of SCC under two different curing modes. For this purpose, a comparative study was conducted on a reference SCC with limestone’s filler (SCC LP) which was replaced by marble powder (SCC MP) as a calcic material and granulated blast furnace slag (SCC GBFS) as a pozzolanic material. At fresh state, the slumpflow test, T500 test, V-funnel, air content and L-box test were conducted to characterize the workability of fresh concrete in order to assess filling and passing abilities according to the European guidelines. The hardened properties that were determined included compressive and tensile strength determined at 3, 7 and 28 days. Monitoring the evolution of total shrinkage and weight changes up to 120 days were performed. As well the relationship between the shrinkage and weight loss. All SCC mixtures showed compliance with European recommendations (EFNARC). Considering the results obtained by various byproducts, the most edifying is the performance acquired by GBFS samples, for both modes of curing. Regarding the SCC MP, the results are satisfactory and this promotes their extension in Algeria.Keywords: Self-compacting concrete, granulated blast furnace slag, marble powder, limestone filler, shrinkage, weight changeInternational Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology Vol. 6, No. 1, 2014, pp. 98-105
Computational analysis of journal bearing operating under lubricant containing Al2O3 and ZnO nanoparticles
Authors: Babu Kalakada Sreedhar , Nair K Prabhakaran , Rajendrakumar PK
Published: November 2014

In this paper, the mathematical model developed for relationship between viscosity and temperature for the lubricant SAE 15W40 multi grade engine oil with Al2O3 and ZnO nanoparticles is presented. The developed mathematical model for viscosity and temperature of lubricant containing nanoparticles is used for the computation of static performance characteristics of the bearing. These performance characteristics mainly depend on the viscosity of the lubricant. The addition of nanoparticles on commercially available lubricant considerably enhances the viscosity of lubricant and in turn changes the performance characteristics. To obtain pressure and temperature distribution, modified Reynolds and energy equations are used, and these equations are solved by using Finite Element Method. An iterative procedure is used to establish the film extent. The performance characteristics are calculated from the obtained pressure field. The computed results show that addition of nanoparticles increase the viscosity of lubricant and in turn change the performance characteristics of journal bearing.Keywords: Journal Bearing; Lubricant additives; Nanoparticles; Static performance CharacteristicsInternational Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology Vol. 6, No. 1, 2014, pp. 34-42
Effect of radiation and porosity parameter on hydromagnetic flow due to exponentially stretching sheet in a porous media
Authors: Mukherjee B , Prasad N
Published: November 2014

The aim of this paper is to study the momentum and the heat transfer characteristics in incompressible electrically conducting boundary layer flow over an exponentially stretching sheet under the effect of magnetic field with thermal radiation through porous medium. The governing boundary layer equations are converted into self-similar nonlinear ordinary differential equations, using similarity transformations in exponential form and then solved numerically using shooting method. The velocity profile, skin friction-co-efficient and rate of heat transfer are computed numerically and then graphically studied with respect to similarity variable (η) for different cases of velocity ratio parameter (β) Keywords: Boundary layer, unsteady flow, exponentially stretching surface, porous medium, thermal radiationInternational Journal of Engineering, Science and Technology Vol. 6, No. 1, 2014, pp. 58-70
Islands in Trade: Disentangling Distance from Border Effects
Authors: Groizard José Luis , Marques Helena , Santana María
Published: November 2014

Trade between regions separated by a sea border is affected by specific transport costs that have not been considered by the border effects literature. Among these are the existence of a time barrier, the need to combine different transport modes, or to pay fees and taxes for the use of public infrastructures such as ports and airports. The empirical strategy used to estimate the “island effect” proceeds in two steps: first an augmented gravity model is estimated for mainland and island regions; then a Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition is applied to the gravity estimation results in order to disentangle the distance and border effects for those regions. Results show that island regions are at a substantial disadvantage compared to continental regions, which is due to the higher and non-linear effect of distance coefficients.
Chemical climatology of the southeastern United States, 1999–2013
Authors: Hidy G. M. , Blanchard C. L. , Baumann K. , Edgerton E. , Tanenbaum S. , Shaw S. , Knipping E. , Tombach I. , Jansen J. , Walters J.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. A series of experiments (the Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study – SOAS) took place in central Alabama in June–July, 2013 as part of the broader Southern Atmosphere Study (SAS). These projects were aimed at studying oxidant photochemistry and formation and impacts of aerosols at a detailed process level in a location where high biogenic organic vapor emissions interact with anthropogenic emissions, and the atmospheric chemistry occurs in a subtropical climate in North America. The majority of the ground-based experiments were located at the Southeastern Aerosol Research and Characterization (SEARCH) Centreville (CTR) site near Brent, Alabama, where extensive, unique aerometric measurements of trace gases and particles and meteorology were made beginning in the early 1990s through 2013. The SEARCH network data permits a characterization of the temporal and spatial context of the SOAS findings. Our earlier analyses of emissions and air quality trends are extended through 2013 to provide a perspective for continued decline in ambient concentrations, and the implications of these changes to regional sulfur oxide, nitrogen–ozone, and carbon chemistry. The narrative supports the SAS program in terms of long-term average chemistry (chemical climatology) and short-term comparisons of early summer average spatial variability across the southeastern US at high temporal (hourly) resolution. The long-term measurements show that the SOAS experiments took place during the second wettest and coolest year in the 2000–2013 period, with lower than average solar radiation. The pollution levels at CTR and other SEARCH sites were the lowest since full measurements began in 1999. Changes in anthropogenic gas and particle emissions between 1999 and 2013 account for the decline in pollutant concentrations at the monitoring sites in the region. The data provide an opportunity to contrast SOAS results with temporally and spatially variable conditions in support of the development of tests for the robustness of SOAS findings.
Satellite observations of stratospheric carbonyl fluoride
Authors: Harrison J. J. , Chipperfield M. P. , Dudhia A. , Cai S. , Dhomse S. , Boone C. D. , Bernath P. F.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. The vast majority of emissions of fluorine-containing molecules are anthropogenic in nature, e.g. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). These molecules slowly degrade in the atmosphere, leading to the formation of HF, COF2, and COClF, which are the main fluorine-containing species in the stratosphere. Ultimately both COF2 and COClF further degrade to form HF, an almost permanent reservoir of stratospheric fluorine due to its extreme stability. Carbonyl fluoride (COF2) is the second-most abundant stratospheric "inorganic" fluorine reservoir, with main sources being the atmospheric degradation of CFC-12 (CCl2F2), HCFC-22 (CHF2Cl), and CFC-113 (CF2ClCFCl2). This work reports the first global distributions of carbonyl fluoride in the Earth's atmosphere using infrared satellite remote-sensing measurements by the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment Fourier transform spectrometer (ACE-FTS), which has been recording atmospheric spectra since 2004, and the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) instrument, which recorded thermal emission atmospheric spectra between 2002 and 2012. The observations reveal a high degree of seasonal and latitudinal variability over the course of a year. These have been compared with the output of SLIMCAT, a state-of-the-art three-dimensional chemical transport model. In general the observations agree well with each other, although MIPAS is biased high by as much as ~30%, and compare well with SLIMCAT. Between January 2004 and September 2010 COF2 grew most rapidly at altitudes above ~25 km in the southern latitudes and at altitudes below ~25 km in the northern latitudes, whereas it declined most rapidly in the tropics. These variations are attributed to changes in stratospheric dynamics over the observation period. The overall COF2 global trend over this period is calculated as 0.85 ± 0.34 (MIPAS), 0.30 ± 0.44 (ACE), and 0.88% year−1 (SLIMCAT).
The effects of aerosols on water cloud microphysics and macrophysics based on satellite-retrieved data over East Asia and the North Pacific
Authors: Michibata T. , Kawamoto K. , Takemura T.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. This study examines the characteristics of the microphysics and macrophysics of water clouds from East Asia to the North Pacific, using data from active CloudSat radar measurements and passive MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) retrievals. Our goals are to clarify differences in microphysics and macrophysics between land and oceanic clouds, seasonal differences unique to the midlatitudes, characteristics of the drizzling process, and cloud vertical structure. In pristine oceanic areas, fractional occurrences of cloud optical thickness (COT) and cloud droplet effective radius (CDR) increase systematically with an increase in drizzle intensity, but these characteristics of the COT and CDR transition are less evident in polluted land areas. In addition, regional and seasonal differences are identified in terms of drizzle intensity as a function of the liquid water path (LWP) and cloud droplet number concentration (Nc). The correlations between drizzle intensity and LWP, and between drizzle intensity and Nc, are both more robust over oceanic areas than over land areas. We also demonstrate regional and seasonal characteristics of the cloud vertical structure. Our results suggest that aerosol–cloud interaction mainly occurs around the cloud base in polluted land areas during the winter season. In addition, a difference between polluted and pristine areas in the efficiency of cloud droplet growth is confirmed. These results suggest that water clouds over the midlatitudes exhibit a different drizzle system to those over the tropics.
Inverse relationship between the degree of oxidation of OOA (oxygenated organic aerosol) and the oxidant OX (O3 +NO2) due to biogenic emissions
Authors: Canonaco F. , Slowik J. G. , Baltensperger U. , Prévôt A. S. H.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM) measurements were performed in Zurich, Switzerland for 13 months (February 2011 through February 2012). Many previous studies using this or related instruments have utilized the fraction of organic mass measured at m/z 44 (f44), which is typically dominated by the CO2+ ion and related to oxygenation, as an indicator of atmospheric aging. The current study demonstrates that during summer afternoons, when photochemical processes are most vigorous as indicated by high oxidant OX (O3+NO2), f44 for ambient SOA is not higher but is rather similar or lower than on days with low OX. This is likely due to the formation of semi-volatile oxygenated aerosol produced from biogenic precursor gases, whose emissions increase with ambient temperature. An additional observation is that in winter often higher f44 values in SOA are reached compared to summer. A possible cause could be aqueous processes associated with enhanced relative humidities and cloud cover in winter. The main changes in f44 for the summer case are discussed in the f44f43 space frequently used to interpret ACSM and aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) data. In addition, source apportionment analyses conducted on winter and summer data using positive matrix factorization (PMF) yield semi-volatile oxygenated organic aerosol (SV-OOA) factors that retain source-related chemical information. Winter SV-OOA is highly influenced by biomass burning, whereas summer SV-OOA is to a high degree produced from biogenic precursor gases.
Atmospheric brown clouds reach the Tibetan Plateau by crossing the Himalayas
Authors: Lüthi Z. L. , Škerlak B. , Kim S.-W. , Lauer A. , Mues A. , Rupakheti M. , Kang S.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. The Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau region (HTP), despite being a remote and sparsely populated area, is regularly exposed to polluted air masses with significant amounts of aerosols including black carbon. These dark, light-absorbing particles are known to exert a great melting potential on mountain cryospheric reservoirs through albedo reduction and radiative forcing. This study combines the available yet sparse ground-based and satellite data to identify a severe aerosol pollution episode observed simultaneously in central Tibet and on the southern side of the Himalayas during 13–19 March 2009. We detail how polluted air masses such as an atmospheric brown cloud (ABC) over South Asia reached the Tibetan Plateau during this pre-monsoon case study. In order to address the mechanisms of pollution transport in the complex topography of the HTP, air-mass trajectories are calculated using hourly outputs from the high-resolution numerical weather prediction model COSMO. Cross-mountain pollution transport is found to occur to a large extent at elevated tropospheric levels other than just through major river valleys. Lifting and advection of polluted air masses over the great mountain range is enabled by a combination of synoptic and local meteorological settings. Winds over the Indo Gangetic Plain (IGP) are generally weak at lower levels during the event, allowing for accumulation of pollutants. The passing of synoptic-scale troughs leads to south-westerly flow in the middle troposphere over northern and central India. Thus, ABC can build up south of the Himalayas and get carried northwards across the mountain range and onto the Tibetan Plateau as the winds obtain a southerly component. Air masses from the ABC hot-spot of the IGP can reach the high glaciers, which may have serious implications for the cryosphere in the HTP region and for climate on regional to global scales.
Variability of Antarctic ozone loss in the last decade (2004–2013): high resolution simulations compared to Aura MLS observations
Authors: Kuttippurath J. , Godin-Beekmann S. , Lefèvre F. , Santee M. L. , Froidevaux L. , Hauchecorne A.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. A detailed analysis of the polar ozone loss processes during ten recent Antarctic winters is presented with high resolution Mimosa-Chim model simulations and high frequency polar vortex observations from the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument. Our model results for the Antarctic winters 2004–2013 show that chemical ozone loss starts in the edge region of the vortex at equivalent latitudes (EqLs) of 65–69° S in mid-June/July. The loss progresses with time at higher EqLs and intensifies during August–September over the range 400–600 K. The loss peaks in late September/early October, where all EqLs (65–83°) show similar loss and the maximum loss (>2 ppmv [parts per million by volume]) is found over a broad vertical range of 475–550 K. In the lower stratosphere, most winters show similar ozone loss and production rates. In general, at 500 K, the loss rates are about 2–3 ppbv sh−1 (parts per billion by volume/sunlit hour) in July and 4–5 ppbv sh−1 in August/mid-September, while they drop rapidly to zero by late September. In the middle stratosphere, the loss rates are about 3–5 ppbv sh−1 in July–August and October at 675 K. It is found that the Antarctic ozone hole (June–September) is controlled by the halogen cycles at about 90–95% (ClO–ClO, BrO–ClO, and ClO–O) and the loss above 700 K is dominated by the NOx cycle at about 70–75%. On average, the Mimosa-Chim simulations show that the very cold winters of 2005 and 2006 exhibit a maximum loss of ~3.5 ppmv around 550 K or about 149–173 DU over 350–850 K and the warmer winters of 2004, 2010, and 2012 show a loss of ~2.6 ppmv around 475–500 K or 131–154 DU over 350–850 K. The winters of 2007, 2008, and 2011 were moderately cold and thus both ozone loss and peak loss altitudes are between these two ranges (3 ppmv around 500 K or 150 ± 10 DU). The modeled ozone loss values are in reasonably good agreement with those estimated from Aura MLS measurements, but the model underestimates the observed ClO, largely due to the slower vertical descent in the model during spring.
Nonlocal nonlinear coupling of kinetic sound waves
Authors: Lyubchyk O. , Voitenko Y.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. We study three-wave resonant interactions among kinetic-scale oblique sound waves in the low-frequency range below the ion cyclotron frequency. The nonlinear eigenmode equation is derived in the framework of a two-fluid plasma model. Because of dispersive modifications at small wavelengths perpendicular to the background magnetic field, these waves become a decay-type mode. We found two decay channels, one into co-propagating product waves (forward decay), and another into counter-propagating product waves (reverse decay). All wavenumbers in the forward decay are similar and hence this decay is local in wavenumber space. On the contrary, the reverse decay generates waves with wavenumbers that are much larger than in the original pump waves and is therefore intrinsically nonlocal. In general, the reverse decay is significantly faster than the forward one, suggesting a nonlocal spectral transport induced by oblique sound waves. Even with low-amplitude sound waves the nonlinear interaction rate is larger than the collisionless dissipation rate. Possible applications regarding acoustic waves observed in the solar corona, solar wind, and topside ionosphere are briefly discussed.
Export, biodegradation, and disinfection byproduct formation of dissolved and particulate organic carbon in a forested headwater stream during extreme rainfall events
Authors: Jung B.-J. , Lee J.-K. , Kim H. , Park J.-H.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Despite an increasing recognition of the importance of extreme rainfall events for organic carbon export to inland waters, little attention has been paid to the export and reactivity of particulate organic carbon (POC) and dissolved organic C (DOC) in mountainous headwater watersheds under monsoon climates. To investigate environmental implications of storm-enhanced export of POC and DOC in mountainous headwater streams, we examined the relationships between storm magnitude and C export from a forested watershed in the Haean Basin, South Korea, during 13 storm events over 4 years and compared potentials of DOC and POC for biodegradation and disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation during an extreme rainfall event with a total rainfall of 209 mm. Event mean concentrations and export of POC increased nonlinearly above thresholds of precipitation and discharge, far exceeding the relatively small increases of DOC. The export of POC during a few storm events with a total rainfall above 200 mm per event exceeded the annual organic C export during dry years. During the 209 mm storm event, concentrations of total trihalomethanes formed by POC-derived dissolved components changed synchronously with POC concentrations, exhibiting lower levels than those formed by DOC. During a 30-day incubation at 25 °C, DOC exported during peak flow exhibited rapid biodegradation of labile components within 7 days. In contrast, the concentrations of DOC leached from POC gradually increased following the initial decline. Gradual transformation of POC-derived dissolved materials resulted in greater increases in the intensity of fulvic- and humic-like fluorescent components compared to the DOC treatment. The results highlight the significance of extreme rainfall events as "hot moments" for POC export from mountainous watersheds and also suggest that storm pulses of POC can provide potential sources of reactive organic components that can rapidly biodegrade and form DBPs after being released into headwater streams.
Framing hydropower as green energy: assessing drivers, risks and tensions in the Eastern Himalayas
Authors: Ahlers R. , Budds J. , Joshi D. , Merme V. , Zwarteveen M.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. The culturally and ecologically diverse region of the Eastern Himalayas is the target of ambitious hydropower development plans. Policy discourses at national and international levels position this development as synergistically positive: it combines the production of clean energy to fuel economic growth at regional and national levels with initiatives to lift poor mountain communities out of poverty. Different from hydropower development in the 20th century in which development agencies and banks were important players, contemporary initiatives importantly rely on the involvement of private actors, with a prominent role of the private finance sector. This implies that hydropower development is not only financially viable but also understood as highly profitable. This paper examines the new development of hydropower in the Eastern Himalaya of Nepal and India. It questions its framing as green energy, interrogates its links with climate change, and examines its potential for investment and capital accumulation. To do this, we also review the evidence on the extent to which its construction and operation may modify existing hydrogeological processes and ecosystems, as well as its impacts on the livelihoods of diverse groups of people that depend on these. The paper concludes that hydropower development in the region is characterised by inherent contentions and uncertainties, refuting the idea that dams constitute development projects whose impacts can be simply predicted, controlled and mitigated. Indeed, in a highly complex geological, ecological, cultural and political context that is widely regarded to be especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change, hydropower as a development strategy makes for a toxic cocktail.
The photolysis module JVAL-14, compatible with the MESSy standard, and the JVal PreProcessor (JVPP)
Authors: Sander R. , Jöckel P. , Kirner O. , Kunert A. T. , Landgraf J. , Pozzer A.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. We present version 14 of the photolysis module JVAL. Taking atmospheric conditions as input, JVAL calculates photolysis rate coefficients, i.e. the speed of dissociation of atmospheric molecules in the sunlight. Computational efficiency is obtained through the use of parameters for polynomial curve fitting and lookup tables. Physical changes compared to the previous version include a parameterization of the Lyman-alpha absorption, and an update of the UV/VIS cross sections to the most recent recommended values. JVAL also includes the auxiliary program JVPP (JVal PreProcessor) which pre-calculates these parameters based on the absorption cross sections and quantum yields of the atmospheric molecules. It is possible to use JVAL either as a stand-alone program or as a module inside the Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy). JVAL is a community model published under the GNU General Public License.
Comparing bias correction methods in downscaling meteorological variables for hydrologic impact study in an arid area in China
Authors: Fang G. H. , Yang J. , Chen Y. N. , Zammit C.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Water resources are essential to the ecosystem and social economy in the desert and oasis of the arid Tarim River Basin, Northwest China, and expected to be vulnerable to climate change. Regional Climate Models (RCM) have been proved to provide more reliable results for regional impact study of climate change (e.g. on water resources) than GCM models. However, it is still necessary to apply bias correction before they are used for water resources research due to often considerable biases. In this paper, after a sensitivity analysis on input meteorological variables based on Sobol' method, we compared five precipitation correction methods and three temperature correction methods to the output of a RCM model with its application to the Kaidu River Basin, one of the headwaters of the Tarim River Basin. Precipitation correction methods include Linear Scaling (LS), LOCal Intensity scaling (LOCI), Power Transformation (PT), Distribution Mapping (DM) and Quantile Mapping (QM); and temperature correction methods include LS, VARIance scaling (VARI) and DM. These corrected precipitation and temperature were compared to the observed meteorological data, and then their impacts on streamflow were also compared by driving a distributed hydrologic model. The results show: (1) precipitation, temperature, solar radiation are sensitivity to streamflow while relative humidity and wind speed are not, (2) raw RCM simulations are heavily biased from observed meteorological data, which results in biases in the simulated streamflows, and all bias correction methods effectively improved theses simulations, (3) for precipitation, PT and QM methods performed equally best in correcting the frequency-based indices (e.g. SD, percentile values) while LOCI method performed best in terms of the time series based indices (e.g. Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient, R2), (4) for temperature, all bias correction methods performed equally well in correcting raw temperature. (5) For simulated streamflow, precipitation correction methods have more significant influence than temperature correction methods and the performances of streamflow simulations are consistent with these of corrected precipitation, i.e. PT and QM methods performed equally best in correcting flow duration curve and peak flow while LOCI method performed best in terms of the time series based indices. The case study is for an arid area in China based on a specific RCM and hydrologic model, but the methodology and some results can be applied to other area and other models.
Assessing domestic water use habits for more effective water awareness campaigns during drought periods: a case study in Alicante, Eastern Spain
Authors: March H. , Hernández M. , Saurí D.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. The design of water awareness campaigns could benefit from knowledge on the specific characteristics of domestic water use and of the factors that may influence certain water consumption habits. This paper investigates water use in 450 households of 10 municipalities of drought prone Alicante (Spain) with the objective of increasing knowledge about existing domestic water behavior and therefore help to improve the design and implementation of future water awareness campaigns. The survey results indicate that users already follow many of the conservation practices mentioned in messages. Moreover, campaigns need to take into account the differences in water use and habits derived from differences in urban models (concentrated or disperse).
Verification of forecasted winter precipitation in complex terrain
Authors: Schirmer M. , Jamieson B.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models are rarely verified for mountainous regions during the winter season, although avalanche forecasters and other decision makers frequently rely on NWP models. We verified two NWP models (GEM-LAM and GEM15) and a precipitation analysis system (CaPA) at approximately 100 stations in the mountains of western Canadian and northwestern US. Ultrasonic snow depth sensors and snow pillows were used to observe daily precipitation amounts. For the first time, a detailed objective validation scheme was performed highlighting many aspects of forecast quality. Overall, the models underestimated precipitation amounts, although low precipitation categories were overestimated. The finer resolution model GEM-LAM performed best in all analysed aspects of model performance, while the precipitation analysis system performed worst. An analysis of the economic value of large precipitation categories showed that only mitigation measures with low cost/loss ratios (i.e. measures that can be performed often) will benefit from these NWP models. This means that measures with large associated costs (relative to anticipated losses when the measure is not performed) should not or not primarily depend on forecasted precipitation.
Comparison of dermatoscopic images of acral lentiginous melanoma and acral melanocytic nevus occurring on body weight-bearing areas
Authors: Watanabe Soko , Sawada Mizuki , Ishizaki Sumiko , Kobayashi Ken , Tanaka Masaru
Published: November 2014

Background: Because body weight-bearing produces a shift in the horny layer, acral melanocytic nevus on the body weight-bearing area of the sole showed a regular fibrillar pattern (FP) due to slanting of the melanin columns in the horny layer. On the other hand, acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) on the body weight-bearing area of the sole tended to show irregular fibrillar pattern showing rather structureless pigmentation instead of a parallel ridge pattern, which is due to the shift of the horny layer.

Objective: To elucidate the subtle difference between the regular FP of nevus and irregular FP in ALM.

Methods: In this study, the dermatoscopic features of five cases of ALM and five cases of acral melanocytic nevus on the weight-bearing area of the sole were compared.

Results: All the cases with nevi showed regular FP showing regular distribution of fibrils, whereas all the melanomas showed irregular distribution of fibrils and colors. Fibrils in nevi tended to be clear at the furrows and dim at the ridges. White fibrils corresponding to the eccrine ducts in the horny layer were more often present on the ridges in ALM, which showed negative FP.

Conclusion: Differentiating between the regular and irregular FP, including negative FP, might be helpful for the discrimination of melanoma from nevus.
There Really Is Room for Dessert—Make Time to Attend the Young Professionals Summit
Authors: Jensen Jeanne M.
Published: November 2014

So often we hear the message of workforce development and that the industry is graying, but the opportunities to truly engage young professionals in a lateral capacity can still be so limited. The Young Professionals Summit became that opportunity to look to my peers. At each meeting I picked up new thoughts to take home and mull over ‐ work‐life balance, ethics, negotiations, and emotional intelligence. We covered so much ground, and I was able to immediately apply those topics to my daily grind.
Concise Review: Engineering the Fusion of Cytokines for the Modulation of Immune Cellular Responses in Cancer and Autoimmune Disorders
Authors: Ng Spencer , Galipeau Jacques
Published: November 2014

As our understanding of the basic precepts of immunobiology continue to advance at a rapid pace, translating such discoveries into meaningful therapies for patients has proved challenging. This is especially apparent in the use of cytokine-based immunotherapies for cancer. Unanticipated and serious side effects, as well as low objective response rates seen in clinical trials, have dealt setbacks to the field. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and common γ-chain (γ-c) interleukins are cytokines that have been used as stand-alone immunotherapies with moderate success. Our group has found that the fusion of GM-CSF to members of γ-c interleukins results in the generation of novel proteins with unique signaling properties and unheralded biological effects. These fusion proteins, termed GIFT (GM-CSF interleukin fusion transgenes) fusokines, are the result of combining GM-CSF and a γ-c interleukin into a single, bifunctional polypeptide. In our experience, GIFT fusokines often confer immune cells with a gain of function that cannot be explained by the mere sum of their constituent moieties. They act as bispecific ligands, coupling activated GM-CSF and interleukin receptors together to drive unique downstream signaling events. The synergy that arises from these fusions has shown great promise in its ability to modulate the immune response and overcome maladaptive biological processes that underlie diseases such as cancer and autoimmune conditions. In this review, we discuss the ways in which the GIFT fusokines are able to alter the immune response, particularly in disease states, with a special emphasis on how these novel molecules may be translated into effective therapies in the clinical setting.
Effective Environmental Factors on Milk Composition, Rennet Coagulation Time and Urea Content of in Anatolian Buffaloes Milk of Ilıkpınar Village Hatay Province
Authors: Sekerden Özel , Avsar Yahya Kemal
Published: November 2014

The objectives of this study were to investigate determining environmental factors on composition, renneting time, urea concentration, acidity, density and pH of Anatolian Buffaloes milk. As a total of 115 milk samples from 53 cows that were calved in the period of 2004 and 2005 years in 8 units of Ilıkpınar Village were collected in morning milkings in June, September, December and March. The cows were at their lactation days 30±15, 60±15, 90±15, 120±15, 150±15, 180±15, 210±15, 240±15 and 270±15. The milk samples were analysed for total dry matter, fat, protein, ash, density, pH, acidity, renneting time and urea content. Rennet coagulation time, urea, protein and fat contents were determined using Berridge, photometric, formal titration and Gerber methods, respectively. Data were classified as follows; lactation stages: 1 (30±15, 60±15, 90±15 days): 2 (120±15, 150±15, 180±15): 3 (210±15, 240±15, 270±15); calving year: 1 (2004), 2 (2005); calving season: 1 (January-May), 2 (September and October); month of samples collection: 1 (June), 2 (September), 3 (December), 4 (March); lactation order: 1 and 2 : 1, 3 and 4: 2, 5 and 6: 3. The effects of environmental factors of each variable were investigated separately and analysed using analysis of variance. Production mount in all the characteristics; calving year and lactation stage in most of the characteristics; lactation order on fat and protein contents; unit and calving season in some of the characteristics were found to be effective significantly. SPSS program was used in the statistical procedures.
Inventions for Industry. Canadian Patents and Development Limited and the Commercialization of University Research in Canada
Authors: Kretz Andrew
Published: November 2014

From 1948 to 1991, Canadian Patents and Development Limited (CPDL) managed the commercialization of inventions and discoveries arising from government departments and agencies, as well as those disclosed to it by universities and others publicly funded organizations. The existence of CPDL, however, is rarely recognized in scholarship and discussions of Canadian science, technology, and innovation; its history is largely unobserved. This paper introduces a history of CPDL into the literature and contributes to a more complete understanding of the history of technology transfer in Canada. In so doing, this paper may help those interested in research commercialization understand the dynamics affecting technology transfer intermediary organizations and government policy instruments promoting the patenting and licensing of publicly funded research.
Taking a Stand: Exploring the Role of the Scientists prior to the First Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs, 1957
Authors: Nickerson Sylvia
Published: November 2014

In 1957, a small group of world-renown scientists gathered in Pugwash, Nova Scotia to discuss the growing threat of nuclear arms. Funded by industrialist Cyrus Eaton and spearheaded by philosopher Bertrand Russell and physicist Joseph Rotblat, this 1957 meeting founded an organization of scientists that believed they had a duty to speak out against escalating nuclear testing and what they saw as the irresponsible use of science. However, not every scientist felt that it was appropriate to take a public and political stand. This paper gives a brief history of the Pugwash movement and how its first meeting came to be held in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. The perspectives of involved scientists are examined, contrasting the attitudes of participants in the conference with the attitudes of scientists who declined a public role. This paper explores how scientists perceived their own responsibility to act, examining the willingness to use their cultural identity as scientists to lobby for a particular political position.
Tropospheric delay ray tracing applied in VLBI analysis
Authors: Eriksson David , MacMillan D. S. , Gipson John M.
Published: November 2014

Tropospheric delay modeling error continues to be one of the largest sources of error in VLBI (very long baseline interferometry) analysis. For standard operational solutions, we use the VMF1 elevation‐dependent mapping functions derived from European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts data. These mapping functions assume that tropospheric delay at a site is azimuthally symmetric. As this assumption is not true, we have instead determined the ray trace delay along the signal path through the troposphere for each VLBI quasar observation. We determined the troposphere refractivity fields from the pressure, temperature, specific humidity, and geopotential height fields of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 numerical weather model. When applied in VLBI analysis, baseline length repeatabilities were improved compared with using the VMF1 mapping function model for 72% of the baselines and site vertical repeatabilities were better for 11 of 13 sites during the 2 week CONT11 observing period in September 2011. When applied to a larger data set (2011–2013), we see a similar improvement in baseline length and also in site position repeatabilities for about two thirds of the stations in each of the site topocentric components.
Coronae formation on Venus via extension and lithospheric instability
Authors: Piskorz Danielle , Elkins‐Tanton Linda T. , Smrekar Suzanne E.
Published: November 2014

Over 500 quasi‐circular volcano‐tectonic features called coronae occur on Venus. They are believed to form via small‐scale mantle upwellings, lithospheric instability, or a combination thereof. Coronae and rifts commonly occur together, including many coronae that lie outside of the fracture zone. However, the genetic link between the two has remained unclear. This paper proposes a mechanism for the formation of off‐rift coronae due to the rifting process. We model the interaction of a rising mantle plume associated with a rift with a hypothetical preexisting layer of dense material in the lithosphere. We show that a rift and its associated off‐rift coronae could be genetically linked by the process of development of secondary ringlike dripping instabilities initiating at the plume margins. We calculate the resulting surface topographies, melt volumes, and Bouguer gravity anomalies and compare them to observations.